Circa Cycles All-Road Uses Old-Time Design for Modern Riding – 2018 Sea Otter

Circa Cycles out of Portland Oregon is a small company focused on making frames 100% in the USA. Rich Fox founded the company hoping to "bring back American bicycle manufacturing" and is happily "rethinking the sacred cows of tradition" in the process. The frames use anodized USA-sourced 6061 aluminum tubing and lugs. This construction also allows them to shorten lead times on custom frames compared to other builders.

A quick look at the frames might remind some old timers of bonded aluminum Raleigh Technium frames circa 1991 or possibly even older title-winning aluminum Alan and Vitus frames. Perhaps the fact that Circa’s frames remind some of us of frames from yesteryear played into the naming of the company.

The material and construction choice aren’t the only variables that remind us of bikes from another era. Circa had its All-Road bike on display at Sea Otter. The bike has a low bottom bracket and long chainstays that remind us of the many sport touring bikes from the 80s that now make great gravel bikes—with a time-tested geometry that has found new life in today’s set of gravel/allroad/adventure bikes.

Circa Cycle's anodized aluminum lugged All-Road bike. 2018 Sea Otter Classic cyclocross and gravel new products. © T. McBirney / Cyclocross Magazine

Think aluminum is harsh? Circa disagrees, calling its material as "light, smooth-riding 6061 aluminum tubing." Don’t believe them? Don’t forget the reputation of the early Alan frames that predated the oversized revolution pioneered by Gary Klein and Cannondale.

All-Road frames start at $1,995 and feature six stock geometries that the company claims suits 90% of the population. Despite relying on lugs for its frames, the company can do custom geometry.

Circa's All-Road is built with aluminum tubing and can be customized to order. 2018 Sea Otter Classic cyclocross and gravel new products. © T. McBirney / Cyclocross Magazine

Want to use your old 130mm rear axle spaced rear wheels but also leave open the option to go 135mm? Circa has got you covered. The spacing is circa 2013, when companies weren’t sure whether road disc should be 130mm or 135mm and companies like Redline said yes to both through its MSD dropouts. Either width should work in Circa’s 132.5mm dropouts, with a bit of splaying or pinching.

Circa’s semi-vertical dropouts feature a neat ruler, helping owners properly align their rear wheel, or simultaneously adjust bottom bracket drop and chainstay length.

Circa's dropouts are spaced at 132.5mm, so you should be able to fit either 130mm or 135mm wheels. photo: courtesy

See the photo gallery below for more on Circa's All-Road alloy bike.

More info: ridecirca.com

See what’s new this year with our coverage of the 2018 Sea Otter trade show.

Tim McBirney and Andrew Yee contributed to this report.

Photo Gallery: Circa Cycles' Alloy All-Road Bike