Last year at Interbike 2014, we spotted Co-Motion's Americano Gravel Bike with a Rohloff rear hub. The company has long been making bikes for cyclocross as well, and we reviewed the Co-Motion CX Rex, an aluminum race bike, back in Issue 23 (Check out our digital options, which will give you access to older issues or buy a back copy). Prominently on display at the Co-Motion booth at Interbike 2015 was a special edition of the Klatch, the company’s gravel racer that already boasts clearance for 40C tires and is handmade to order from Reynolds 853 steel.
The special edition Klatch, dubbed the CS3, is made from True Temper’s flagship S3 (super light, super strong, super ride quality) steel with a carbon seatmast. The Klatch CS3 came about as a concept bike for Co-Motion machinist Billy Truelove as a bike he could use to win the Oregon Outback (which ended up being the final event). He won that race on the concept Klatch in 2015 with a time of 3o hours and 46 minutes. Later, Co-Motion Chief mechanic Clara Terrell won the Cascade Creampuff 100 for the third time aboard the Klatch CS3, a race that boasts 75 miles of single-track and 18,000 feet of climbing. Those are significant palmares for this handmade steel bike by Co-Motion.
The 853 steel Klatch has a standard size run, but Co-Motion makes all bikes to order, so the point is moot. The Klatch CS3 is definitely made to order due to the carbon integrated seatmast bonded at the bottom bracket and through a joint at the top tube-seatstay junction. Indeed there is clearance for a 40C tire with the shaped chainstays that include a small indentation for the crank. The Klatch has a 142X12mm thru-axle rear end, and the brake lines and shift wires run internally, the former exiting elegantly from the back of the left seatstay. Other nice details we noticed were triple bottle mounts, rear rack and fender mounts and a pump peg on the back of the headtube: a nice place for your Silca frame fit pump.
The frame only option for the standard model is $2095 for the standard Klatch.
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The Co-Motion Klatch CS3 Gravel Bike has flared headtube, internal routing and beautiful welds. © Clifford Lee / Cyclocross Magazine
