SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The 2017 North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) in Utah is all wrapped up, but here at Cyclocross Magazine we’re still digging through the latest and greatest cyclocross and gravel offerings that caught our photographer’s eye.
Titanium is the name of the game for Steamboat Springs, Colorado-based Moots. The first titanium Moots debuted in 1991 (though it had been building bikes since 1981), and the small company has been cranking out award and championship-winning bikes ever since. Moots has been incredibly popular in its home state for many years; Gage Hecht has been cleaning up on a Psychlo-X RSL for several seasons, and fellow Alpha Bicycle Co-Vista Subaru racer, won her fifth-straight National Champion title at Hartford on a Psychlo-X.
Katie Clouse finishes number one. 2017 Cyclocross National Championships, Junior Women 15-16. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
This year, Moots brought the internally-butted TIG welded titanium ROUTT RSL (Race Super Light), a gravel “race” bike that has clearance for 38mm tires and a road-style geometry. It also has integrated fender mounts and rivets for two bottle cages. You can find full geometry specifications on their site. Moots teamed with Chris King, which was showcasing its limited edition Emerald Green headset, hubs, and bottom bracket at NAHBS. The Moots/Chris King “bits” are available as a matching set for the next few months only.
Moots 3D prints its flat mount 142×12 dropouts, which offer an internal Di2 tunnel, and it machines its derailleur hangers in house.
Jon told our photographer that he ran out of time to make a matching green Moot for the in-house designed carbon 12mm thru axle fork. © C. Fegan-Kim for Cyclocross Magazine
The green logos are, in this case, decals. However, Moots offers anodizing in gold, frost blue, rose, root beer brown, and grape for any new frames, as well as for refinishing of older frames.
Current wait time is approximately 4 weeks. Framesets, including a Chris King Inset 7 headset and Enve CX disc fork, are selling for $5520. Complete build kits are selling for $10,059, and the customer bike displayed at NAHBS came in around $11,000.
The NAHBS Moots team Nate Bradley, Thad Hoffman, Jeremiah Gantzer, and Jon Cariveau (left to right). © C. Fegan-Kim for Cyclocross Magazine
Should you find yourself in the Steamboat area this June, Moots is hosting the 4th Annual Moots-Colorado Ranch Rally, a 50-mile cyclosportive gravel grind, with proceeds benefiting Community Agriculture Alliance of Steamboat. The event is limited to 150 riders, but at the time of publication, there are still spots available.
The scenery in and around Steamboat Springs is hard to beat. Photo from Moots Ranch Rally website.
Moots ROUTT RSL Bike Specs:
Frameset: TIG-welded titanium frame, 12×142 rear, Moots carbon fork with 44mm head tube
Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
Bottom bracket: Chris King, 68mm English threaded
Shift/brake levers: Shimano 785 hydraulic disc
Stem: Moots RSL titanium
Seatpost: Moots cinch titanium 30.9
Saddle: Fizik Aliante R3 K:IUM
Wheels: HED Belgium Plus Disc clinchers with Chris King hubs
Tires: Schwalbe G-one
Accessories: Limited edition Spurcycle Belll, also with the striker anodized to match the King parts.
Moots ROUTT RSL Photo Gallery:
The Routt RSL has clearance for up to 38mm tires while maintaining a long and low road race geometry. © C. Fegan-Kim for Cyclocross Magazine
