Brennan Wertz is set to lead Team USA this weekend in Belgium at the UCI Gravel World Championships. It’s his second go around at UCI Gravel Worlds, after being selected for the team in 2023 and making the trip to race in Italy last fall. With a classics-style, Flanders course on tap, Brennan has his best opportunity yet to line up and race against the best in the world.
Is Brennan the only rider in the Men’s Elite field riding a titanium bike? Having not entirely analyzed the start list yes, we’ll say yes, it’s entirely possible. Brennan’s always been one to do things his way in terms of equipment, seeking out products that he believes in, and give him the opportunity to play to his strengths. He’s one to roll the dice on a risky setup if it means there’s a tiny margin of potential gain, and that’s exactly the kind of decision that helped him win his first national title aboard his GT-1 iAR set up in big tire, big gear road bike mode – a stark contrast to many other bikes on the start line that day.
Brennan is back aboard his GT-1 i45 for UCI Gravel World Championships, a decision made logically, as it didn’t make sense to travel with two bikes. Not knowing exactly what the course conditions will hold, the GT-1 i45 provides a bit more flexibility in terms of setup come race day. With ample tire clearance for 700×48’s, and a 1x SRAM Transmission Drivetrain, the GT-1 i45 ticks all the right boxes for a proper bike tire gravel race bike.
Every GT-1 i45 starts life with the selection of a rider-specific double-butted titanium tubeset. Based on individual rider fit data provided by a Mosaic Dealer, each GT-1 i45 is then fine-tuned to match each rider’s specific fit requirements, handling preferences, and riding aspirations perfectly, the way only a Made-To-Order Mosaic can.
For Brennan’s GT-1 i45, the process is no different. Starting with his fit data from Above Category, we dial in 4 key bike fit measurements. Saddle Height, Saddle Setback, Handlebar Reach and Handlebar Drop are all measured from the centerline of the BB, and inform the decision about where exactly these contact points need to fall for every individual rider. Whether you’re on the end of the bell curve in terms of sizing, or right in the middle, a professional bike fit takes the guesswork out of this process and gives us the data we need to design the best bike possible. Starting with concrete data points ensures that your new bike will fit like a glove from the very first pedal stroke, and you’ll be confident and comfortable right away.
Once we’ve got the fit dialed in, it’s time to move onto how the bike should handle and feel. Given that the GT-1 i45 is a gravel race bike that’s likely to see rides and races of 10+ hours in the saddle, compliance and stability are two key considerations during the design process. Based on Brennan’s feedback on previous bikes, the goal set out was to create something responsive and racey, yet balanced with comfort and compliance over the long haul. Arriving at the finishline 1-2% less fatigued could always make the difference between the win, or otherwise.
For this particular GT-1 i45, we settle on a relatively standard GT-1 i45 tubeset opting for a 42mm downtube, 38mm top tube, 31.8mm seat tube and 16mm seatstays. Chainstays are our standard GT-1 i45 chainstays, and the geometry is long and slack enough to feel confident but not so much to make it feel cumbersome or slow. This combination, for a guy Brennan’s size and power output is exceptionally comfortable yet still packs a punch of performance when the time comes. Could we have built something stiffer? Absolutely. More compliant? Absolutely. Every Made-to-Order Mosaic has a different rider and a different goal in mind, and tailoring each bike to perfectly match those is the beauty of the Made-to-order process.
Up front, an ENVE-In Route Gravel Fork paired to an 120mm ENVE In-Route Stem, and SES Aero Bar take care of cockpit duties. Brennan’s got wireless SRAM AXS blips attached all over his bars so that no matter where his hands might be, there’s a way to smash it into another gear. A SRAM XX SL Transmission Derailleur and 10-52 Cassette takes care of shifting duties, paired up with some special parts from Brennan’s partners SRM & CeramicSpeed. Depending on the course, you’ll see anywhere from a 48T to a 54T chainring up front… For the Flanders UCI Worlds course, we’re betting on the larger end of that spectrum. ENVE SES 4.5’s are the wheelset of choice, stiff, aerodynamic, and as durable as they come. Rene Herse handles the tires, sometimes knobby sometimes slick, and hopefully always with air in them 🙂
In the meantime, while Brennan’s racing in Europe, we’re hard at work on a special project for the season finale – The Big Sugar Classic. It’ll be Brennan’s first outing in the stars & stripes on home turf, and we’ve gotta do something special to celebrate that… Stay tuned, and be sure to tune in and watch the race on Sunday!
