Chris McGovern of McGovern Cycles is a busy guy. He builds carbon frames by hand, runs a wheel building business, helps put on a premier gravel event, coaches some of the top cyclocross racers in the country, and helps develop young talent with summer and European training camps. Some might even call McGovern the KOM—King of Multitasking.
McGovern took this KOM title and extended it to dress up his latest carbon creation, a handmade-in-Nevada County carbon monster cross/drop bar mountain bike. The polka dotted carbon bike was striking not only because of its iconic finish by John Slawta of Landshark Bicycles, but because it was the only carbon frame among a pack of metal bikes at the 2017 Paul Camp.
McGovern Cycles Custom Carbon Monster Cross, ready to climb its way to new KOMs and PRs. Paul Camp 2017. © Cyclocross Magazine
The bike, except for the drop bars, looks decidedly more mountain than cyclocross, with a tall ENVE Mountain Fork, short head tube and steeply-sloping top tube. Moderate 44cm chainstays, 73 degrees seat angle and 70.5 degree head angle intersect the mountain and cyclocross worlds, while a low 73mm bottom bracket drop keeps the rider close to a cyclocross height despite the big tires.
McGovern echews a mud-collecting seatstay bridge. McGovern Cycles Custom Carbon Monster Cross. Paul Camp 2017. © Cyclocross Magazine
The McGovern monster cross/drop bar mountain bike was built around fat rubber and a 1x drivetrain. We've been riding some similarly-equipped fat-tire adventure/gravel bikes lately like the Raleigh Stuntman and Bombtrack Hook EX, but they've been relatively burly, heavy metal rigs. McGovern's carbon frame, paired with the ENVE Mountain Fork, likely formed one of the lightest bikes at Paul Camp. McGovern said the frame likely weighs around 1250g, and paired with a 683g fork, his polka-dotted rig was ready to grab more KOM titles around Chico and wherever it will land next.
Chris McGovern has a lot going on, and his head badge reflects it. McGovern Cycles Custom Carbon Monster Cross. Paul Camp 2017. © Cyclocross Magazine
McGovern builds, bakes and cures his carbon frames using a tube-to-tube construction process. He selects tubes from ENVE and Rockwest, and when he can't find a tube that meets his needs, he makes his own, including the curvy chainstays on this rig, as he needed stays that would clear big tires but still stay relatively short.
To clear the 29x2.1" rubber, McGovern made his own chainstays. Cycles Custom Carbon Monster Cross. Paul Camp 2017. © Cyclocross Magazine
While we didn't get to ride the unique McGovern monster cross machine, it was high on our wish list (and still is). A custom version built for you can climb off your wish list into your stable for a cool $4800 for the frameset.
See the full photo gallery below.
More info: mcgoverncycles.com
McGovern Cycles Polka Dot Monster Cross Photo Gallery:
Chris McGovern has a lot going on, and his head badge reflects it. McGovern Cycles Custom Carbon Monster Cross. Paul Camp 2017. © Cyclocross Magazine
