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On January 9th this year I stopped in at Vatio bike shop in Mexico City to pick up one of the most exciting deliveries I have ever received. My brand new Mosaic GT-2X with a custom build and paint job was finally here, and it was even more beautiful than I was expecting.

The main reason I was so excited to get hold of this bike is because I knew how many ambitious plans I had for it this year. Plans that would test this bike to its limits and take us to diverse landscapes on three different continents. It would be an opportunity to see how agile, versatile, and well-constructed a machine the GT2-X is, as well as an opportunity to see and test this bike in some of the most extreme environments.

Atlas Mountain Race – Morocco

Our first outing together, barely a month after I first got my hands on it and with relatively few kilometers under its belt, was to fly to Morocco to take part in the 3rd edition of the self-supported, ultra endurance Atlas Mountain Race, a 1340 km race across the rugged mountains and desert plains of North Africa. It felt truly like our maiden voyage, and it was a real experience in getting to know this bike inside and out during the course of the race.

This race has become known for its exceptionally rough terrain in places, and I can’t tell you how many times I was told by another racer on a mountain bike that this race must be impossible on a rigid gravel bike (despite riding side-by-side!). But with 2.25” tyres, a lightweight set-up and good technical skills, this bike covered almost all of the course with relative ease. It was fast and reliable. I’ve been known in the past for not being very gentle with my machines, and being rather skilled in breaking things, and this bike took all my rough treatment and gave me zero mechanical issues for the whole duration of the race, which is a god-send in races like these. This year’s race was defined by unexpectedly freezing sub-zero temperatures and long nights of darkness, but also of mind-blowing views and challenging terrain in an expansive empty landscape.

Backroad trails and Tour de Frankie – Mexico

In late February I arrived back to my current home of Mexico City, and dedicated a few months to using this bike to explore the gravel trails in the mountains and national parks surrounding the city. On one side of the city are three main mountain climbs favored by the city’s enthusiastic roadie scene, Ajusco, Los Dinamos and Desiertos de los Leones. What I have discovered in more recent months with my GT-2X is there are many, many gravel, single-track and hiking trails connecting the three together, round the back as it were, many kilometers lost in the hills and the forests, a thousand meters above the city skyline and away from the chaos. It’s peaceful and safe, it’s also beautiful and a welcome break from the crowds of people in the city below.

I was also able to compete in Mexico’s first and currently only Ultra-endurance bike race in April. Le Tour de Frankie starts in the very center of Mexico City and takes an 800 km mixed terrain route through the remote Sierra Mixteca to the Oaxacan coast. I wrote a full race recap for bikepacking.com you can read here. Quite contrary to the Moroccan experience, it was a race defined by swelteringly high temperatures, up to 42c(108f) at times. But it was also an eye-opening experience of the remoteness of these mountain regions of Oaxaca, the isolation the villages live in. Amazing mangos, super friendly people, a new side of Mexico I had never seen, and yet again, thankfully zero mechanical issues throughout. It was an amazing experience.

The Bright Midnight – Norway

In early June I came back to Europe for the summer and in July took on my third ultra-distance race of the year, so far. A 1040 km race across Norway in its inaugural year. It was a race organized by and for ultra-endurance riders with a sense of adventure and a lust for epic views. In this way, it was a bit of a leap into the unknown, on a course no one had ridden before anything could happen, and this was very much one of the big draws for me.

Norway is as breathtaking as its weather can be unforgiving, and the race proved to be defined by rain, endless hours of daylight and stunning landscapes. It was as tough as it was rewarding. My phone stopped working on the second day of the race, and I spent the last 50 hours of my race in almost complete isolation with my machine. It was an intimate and solitary experience, one I learned a lot about battling through the conditions to achieve my goals. One of the organizers Justinas told us at the racer briefing that when times get tough to remember to look up, look around and enjoy the view. It ended up being fantastic advice. I switched from my fun and chunky 2.25” tyres down to slimmer, slicker and faster 45mm gravel tyres and it was a great decision. I, once again, experienced zero-mechanical issues during the race. Despite having switched only the brake pads since January, it is a true testimony to the bullit-proof build of this bike.

In just the last 6 months my GT-2X and I have already lived a lifetime of unforgettable experiences together. From Morocco to Mexico, from Norway to now the rest of the Nordics, mile for mile I have been so happy with this bike and its abilities. It has met every challenge I have given it with strength, stealth and style and I couldn’t be happier with its performance.

I feel very fortunate to be able to ride a bike that at this level, and look forward to continuing to push its limits further and harder in the months and years to come. Because if this is what we can achieve together in 6 months, the sky’s the limit!

There are a host of reasons why people opt for a full-custom build. The great thing about a Made to Order frame is that it will do exactly what you need it to do. For some, it’s a matter of fit. Others have geometry and ride characteristics they prefer. And of course, if you want to really set it off, our custom paint options are limitless.

There’s something magic about a Made to Order frame, but it’s a big commitment. So let’s explore the three key factors you can optimize when you build a custom Mosaic: Fit, Function, and Finish.

If the idea of a full-custom frame seems overwhelming or intimidating, don’t stress. You probably have a Mosaic dealer in your area. We’ve hand-picked these shops because we know they’re experienced and knowledgeable enough to guide you through the process and make sure everything is perfect. Start there, and they’ll see you through to the first ride.

Fit: Small or Tall, A Mosaic Fits You

The process begins with a bike fit. If you’re not familiar, this is way more than getting the saddle height right. Proper bike fit evaluates your body’s three contact points with the bike: Pedals, handlebars, and saddle. Human physiology has infinite variations, from Shaq to Verne Troyer, may he rest in peace. Bike fit accounts for your personal proportions — leg length, arm length, torso length, flexibility, and much more.

Now, you may be thinking, “I’m pretty average sized, do I need a custom fit?” That’s a good question, and one that only your Mosaic dealer can help you answer. Many of our dealers have their own fit studios, or they have close relationships with expert fitters.

Even riders of average size can benefit from a professional bike fit and a custom frame to match. Speaking for myself, I’m 5’9” and fit pretty comfortably on Mosaic’s stock S/M (52cm) size. However, I have relatively short legs, and relatively long arms. Plus, thanks to years of experience, I’m comfortable on bikes with more saddle-to-bar drop. Ideally, my custom frame would have longer reach and more drop to avoid extreme saddle positions or stem configurations.

A great bike fit on a custom frame ensures comfort for all-day rides and a position that puts your body in a position to produce the most amount of power in the most efficient manner possible.

Function: Perfect For Your Backyard or Bucket List Ride

So, where do you want to take this Made to Order Mosaic? Although our process starts with fit, most riders walk into their Mosaic dealer with a specific type of bike in mind — road, gravel, mountain bike, touring, or something else. It’s easy to narrow down our line to one or two models that will match your riding style. But Made to Order is so much more than just choosing a GT-1 45 versus a GT-1 AR.

While bike fitting gives us parameters for where your contact points must be in relation to each other, from that point on, we can make infinite adjustments to the bike’s geometry so it will handle exactly the way you like it. Good bike fit is not the same as good bike handling — many people have one but not the other. When we design custom geometry, it’s a holistic process that considers everything: Wheelbase, bottom bracket height, rear center, front center, head tube angle, and so much more.

Geometry is essential, but it happens in a two-dimensional world. Things get really fun when we head into the shop and select the perfect tubeset for your Made to Order frame. As you may realize, we can select either straight-gauge titanium tubes for 2-series frames or butted tubes for 1-series. Butted tubes have variable wall thickness, making them lighter and more compliant. That’s just a starting point, though.

For a custom build, we can change tube diameter in any area of the frame. If a rider wants comfort, we can size down the seat stays or top tube, for example. Wattage-monsters who need stiffness will get larger-diameter down tubes.

We sponsor one of the country’s top gravel riders, Brennan Wertz, who’s very tall and very powerful — you might mistake him for an NFL tight end. As you’d expect, his GT-1 45 has very big tubes for stiffness in the races. But his girlfriend, Alyssa, who’s significantly smaller, has a GT-1 45 with a down tube that’s the same diameter as Brennan’s bike’s top tube. Same bike model, completely different tube spec to match the rider.

Finish: Taste the Rainbow

Once your Made to Order frame is dialed in with the right fit and function to match your physiology and preferences, we carry it next door to our finish shop. It’s pretty rare to find a custom frame builder who has a full-service paint shop under the same roof, but we do, and it makes a huge difference in our ability to give you a custom frame that’s exactly what you wanted. Plus, it’s way more efficient.

If you’re the artistic type, your new frame is a blank canvas. If you need a little guidance, don’t worry, we’ve done this a few times.

Over the years, Mosaic has developed a few standard paint layouts that always come out of the booth looking amazing. You can, of course, opt for a raw finish, just to make sure everyone knows you’re rolling on titanium. And if you need a splash of color, we often paint forks, stems, and seatposts to set it off.

As for our paint layouts, we have the two-tone option, which is a more traditional look, and then we have a fade and a tri-fade for a more modern look. If you’re struggling to find paint that will match, we can also suggest a few different color families that we know will look good together, no matter what design you choose.

Now, It’s Time For One of Your Own

Whether it’s our own personal bikes or those ridden by our friends and customers, we’ve seen the difference that a Made to Order frame can offer. Perfect fit, exact specifications, and unique colors — it all results in a bike that you are eager to ride day after day, wherever you live and whatever kind of cycling you love.

Contact a Mosaic Dealer to learn more and to get the ball rolling today on your own Made to Order Mosaic.

When the missions above are aligned in collaboration, along with the expertise and vision of The Radavist, the result is one that places our products in a completely different setting and elevates both brands. Through this project, we hope to be able to deliver the Mosaic experience to more riders via a different channel, and that’s something we’re extremely excited about.

We landed on our versatile GT-2 45 platform for this project. The GT-2 45 delivers the riding experience you expect from a Mosaic, at a price point that rivals the plentiful mass-produced options that are available. Working closely with the team at The Pro’s Closet and The Radavist, each and every one of the limited edition GT-2 45 frames was meticulously handbuilt and finished by our team here at Mosaic HQ. Parts were selected and sourced by the crew at The Pro’s Closet & The Radavist, and the complete bikes were assembled by the master technicians at TPC. The

TPC GT-2 45’s are available in two build options (Di2 & Mechanical), and in two unique colorways that draw design inspiration from the fan-favorite at Mosaic, TPC, and The Radavist : The Toyota Land Cruiser. You can view the builds here, and while stock lasts, The Pro’s Closet has these limited edition builds in stock and ready to ship now! Here’s a piece from TPC with a little more backstory on their side of the process! Enjoy.

What if want a different color? Or custom geometry? Or a different build spec? No problem. We’d love to build you one to order. Our primary sales channel at Mosaic will always be our retail partners, a collection of some of the best-in-class, independent bicycle shops. We’ve established a network of trusted partners across the world that know the Mosaic brand inside and out, and trust them implicitly. During this step, every little detail is discussed, confirmed, and signed off on before your order is finalized with Mosaic. If you’re purchasing a custom bike, Mosaic will provide a frame draft to confirm geometry and an illustration of your finish work, allowing you to visualize your new frame before signing it off into our queue. Our current lead time on built to order frames is 12-14 weeks.

Enjoy the gallery below of two Di2 Spec GT-2 45’s, finished in the Mosaic Overland Layout in Desert Tan and Nebula Green.

 

As the sun melted over the crystalline facets of the rosy Dolomites, we scanned the sweep of grassy dunes surrounding us. The tenor of this moment was tranquil, the landscape majestic. We were near the end of our day, though we had only begun to absorb what we’d just accomplished.

The hard part of our ride—12 hours of climbing preposterously steep roads and descending harrowing gravel tracks—was behind us. One more serpentine plunge to pilot. We wanted to linger in the warmth, not only because this was paradise, but because moving necessitated summoning energy where there was none. The shadows would soon bring a chill to our calorie-starved euphoria.

It was all downhill to Badia, where Forst beer would flow and gobs of real food would be served. It was a battle between relishing this Tyrolean Utopia and submitting to the pull of nourishment. In this instance, sustenance won. The mountains weren’t going anywhere.

Finally we set off into the gloaming, sliding down dew-laden grasses, then onto marbles of white limestone gravel, and eventually onto pavement—the surface was jarringly smooth after so many hours of hardscrabble vibrations.

The steeple in the village of San Leonardo pierced the dusky skyline, and we darted over the cobbled lane, past the ancient cemetery and the weathered butcher shop, to arrive from whence we began at dawn.

The past half a day had been filled with a few moments of wincing, sporadic blurts of curses, and occasional bouts of giddy laughter from the disbelief of what we had chosen to undertake. But mostly it was filled with awe—to ride all day amid untamed beauty is to be alive. And we only live once.

Jered asked Igor: “What’s the shortest route you could create to get to 5,000 meters of climbing?” And Igor got to work creating what would become #YOLOmites5000 (You Only Live Once!), an annual gathering in Val Badia, Südtirol, Italia.

Originally a ride designed for road bikes, with a few sections of “underbiking,” it has dramatically evolved in its eight years of existence. When it first began, most participants used road bikes with 25c tires. To do such a thing, you needed to be a good bike handler, like Igor, who used to race for the Italian national mountain bike and cyclocross teams. Now, if you don’t bring a legitimate gravel bike with wide tires, a bit of tread, and all the gears that can be squeezed from a modern drivetrain, then prepare to pucker on the descents and chew your stem on the ascents.

Regardless of the year, the route is always around 80 miles. It never strays more than about 20 kilometers from where you start, and it never repeats the same road in the same direction. YOLOmites5000 is challenging, physically and mentally. It is a bit absurd, most definitely. And it is stunningly beautiful, undeniably.

Each year Igor puts much time and effort into creating a “better” route. It always includes a section that has people either: 1) scratching their heads; 2) cursing the sadistic bastard who created the course; 3) laughing at the absurdity of what has ceased to be a bike ride; or 4) all of the above.

In several editions there was the infamous “mushroom patch,” so named because it was impossible to ride, thus riders had time to notice the mushrooms growing near the trail as they hiked along beside their bikes. This year the marquee Igor-ism came at mile 53, when the grassy path went from laughable to ill-advised, then from harebrained to hilarious. The only thing missing was a sadistic laugh-track playing on a hidden speaker tucked behind a lupine.

What’s funny—in a sick way—is that we all know there’s something on the route that will leave us exasperated; we just don’t know when it’s going to slap us across the face. It keeps us flinching. Eventually it smacks, we get through it—curse, chuckle, cry, take your pick—and we’re right back to drooling at the astonishing views that easily distract us from the abuse.

One of the hardest parts about Y5K, for me, is fighting the urge to stop every 15 seconds for a photograph. This morning, the urge hit hard. I pulled over to capture the wispy clouds raking across the dawn sky, revealing the statuesque cliff faces of Sas dla Crusc, the Ladin name for the enormous wall of rock that looms above Val Badia.

Without even realizing what was about to happen, my brain made the choice: My body plunged into the ground, knee first, at 25mph. My instinctual self understood it was better to slide beneath the gate, thus avoiding catastrophic impact with fists or chest or face with a horizontal beam of iron.

I popped up. My friends, who had heard the cacophony of metal bike and meaty knee sliding on dirt, turned to see how bad it was. Besides the ancient Dolomiti pebbles that were solidly embedded in the length of my shin and kneecap, and a few scrapes on my shiny Shimano brake levers, I was unscathed. Thanks, brain.

It was time to get going on this arduous day, blood be damned.

The Idea: We’ve talked about riding bikes in Colombia for years, its been quickly creeping its way up to the top of our list of destinations to visit and rid. With the feeling COVID is mostly in the rearview mirror, this seemed like the time to do the things we’ve always talked about doing. Our plan was hatched quickly and without much thought (typical for us): a cycling trip somewhere outside of Bogota, sometime between the week between Christmas Eve to New Years Eve and somehow we’d figure out what ride while there. And of course what is a cycling trip without cycling friends, someone would come along. Our good friends Kristen and Nick are always down for adventure and excited to help make the trip.

The Gear: We reached out to friends near and far who had been or know about Colombia to get a sense of the riding and what to bring as far as bikes, tire widths and gearing ratios. After many opinions, much debate, and no set routes made, Aaron and I decided to bring our GT-1 All Road Bikes, outfitted with WTB Vulpine 36 cc multi-terrain treaded tires and our favorite Shimano GRX combo with a small 34/40t ratio for the climbs. Perhaps the All-Road would be a bit underpowered for super chonky bits of gravel we would likely encounter, not quite the optimal efficient road machine for the amazing road climbs we’ve heard of, but a great all-around choice for whatever would come our way. We knew that the altitude would be similar to our home where we live in Colorado, about 8300ft elevation. Whatever we lacked in general fitness at this point in December we felt we could compensate for in our living altitude, this ended up being true enough.

Medellin or Bogota? Everyone we talked to had an opinion. It seemed like everyone from Bogota said the riding in Medellin wasn’t as good, and everyone from Medellin said don’t bother going to Bogota. Quite the rivalry. Ultimately, our hasty flight booking made that decision for us, and we stayed in Guatavita, a weekend retreat north of bustling and millions-of-people-full Bogota.

Travel Notes: What’s an international trip without a car rental cancelation? You’ll have to ask American Airlines and a big winter storm about that. Eighteen hours after we were supposed to land, the only rentals that were available were a few compact cars. Compact meaning the smallest stick shift car you’ve ever driven, perhaps ever seen. We prayed that our bike bags would fit, and with a little effort they did (shout out to Orucase)! A Colombian friend called us her hero for renting cars and driving in Bogota. But I never felt exposed or unsafe driving or riding on the roads. Quite the opposite, the traffic ebbs and flows. There are cyclists everywhere in the city and countryside, they’re on every type of road and on every type of bike. Bikes, buses, cars, and motos navigate around each other here in a bit of a dance.

The Stay: Most mornings, we started our day by walking up a few steep blocks (everything is a hill in Colombia) from the Muisca Hotel en el centro de la ciudad a desayuno. Huevos pericos con pan y arroz. Café con leche. ¡Muy bien! Cyclists constantly rode by next to this little café on the main paved road that connects Guatavita to other towns along a large reservoir. Even though many places in Colombia have had an unexpectedly wet year, we got lucky with a week of sun and 60 degree temps. Perfect conditions. We know we’d found a great place, Guatavita is incredibly picturesque, red clay rooftops contrasted against white walled housed and a green landscape as far as the eye can see.

On Bikes: As we first strayed off of this main road, we mainly encountered dirt. Steep dirt. Very steep dirt. We heard that most of the roads in rural parts of the country are maintained by local residents, not the government, and we’d come to recognize a really steep section approaching when the road ahead turned into a brief section of “pavement” (to mitigate erosion in the rainy seasons). We consistently hit these sections of 20-25% grade on all of our rides, and I was glad to have every tooth of my compact gearing. The first ride we did took us immediately up a half mile that pushed these grades, and we only climbed higher from our base elevation of 8,200 feet up to as high as 11,000ft at times. So much for easing into riding after several days of airport and car sits.

Once we huffed to the top of these steep sections east and out of town, the views spanned for miles over hillsides of lush farmland and the climbing was well worth the effort. Milk and cheese prevail here, along with a slew of vegetables and herbs. This labyrinth of rural roads are largely quiet and empty from traffic but full of free-range cattle and goat gazes. Major dirt roads turned into narrow dirt road that turn into livestock paths and then into churned tractor trailer lumps further into single track. I was happy to have my mtb shoes as I navigated several opportunities to walk throughout the week.

On one of my favorite rides, we arrived at the end of a dirt road that was fenced off with a herd of cattle and family doing some business on the other side. A few kids quickly rushed over and pulled the fence back, and with a single word exchange, we followed the “route” on our Wahoos through this pasture and onto a grassy hillside where the “road” literally disappeared from under us.

Handbuilt bikes aren’t built with the press of a button. A lengthy lead time is a commonality in the world of handbuilt products, whether that be bicycles or otherwise. For a completely custom, “1-of-1” type product, a long lead time is entirely justifiable because if finished product will be unlike any other that came before it, even if that change is very very subtle.

The Mosaic Batch Built program has been created to take advantage of production efficiencies, allowing us to build certain models and sizes together in a batch that is configured in an intentional and similar way, while allowing the customer to retain control over how their bike is finished. A Batch Built Mosaic frame can be finished to order within the Mosaic Finishwork Program and delivered to a Mosaic Dealer in as little as 2 weeks. Pending finishwork selection, the lead time on a Batch Built frame will be 2-4 weeks from the date the order is received.

Batch Built MT-2’s

Batch Built in Mosaic Stock Geometry, we have a limited number of our new MT-2’s in a complete size run (S-XL) built and ready to be finished to order. Frames can be configured one of two ways with external full-length shift, brake, and internal dropper routing, or for eTap AXS shifting with a dropper port in the seat tube and external rear brake. All cables run externally through cable guides on the underside of the downtube. Made to order, custom configured MT-2’s are also available through our normal build process and carry a 12-week lead time. Pricing on the MT-2 starts at $4200 (MSRP) for a Batch Built stock geometry frame finished in our standard raw finish, with the Mosaic Finishwork program available as an upgrade. Learn more about the new MT-2 here!

Batch Built GT-2 45’s

Alongside the MT-2, we’re excited to offer our first round of Batch Built ever popular GT-2 45’s. We built a complete size run (48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60) and have several frames in each size hanging on the wall ready for shift spec & finish. Every frame has an internal rear brake, but we will configure each frame to order for specific shift spec (eTap, Mechanical or Di2) and finishwork. The Mosaic Finishwork Program is available as an upgrade, and pending finishwork selection, a batch-built GT-2 45 will be delivered to your Mosaic Dealer in 2-4 weeks. Pricing is $4500 (MSRP) for a batch-built GT-2 45 in our standard raw finish and choice of groupset configuration. Additional options like fender mounts, rack mounts, bento mounts etc… are not available through the Batch Built program, but will always be available on a made-to-order frame.

Made to Order Bikes

By batching stock geometry GT-2 45’s and MT-2’s together to be built, we’re able to keep our made-to-order queue smaller, more responsive, and even more special. By allotting more time to our made-to-order builds, it is our aim to deliver made-to-order custom bikes faster, with unmatched precision and attention to detail. Our current made-to-order lead time is 10-12 weeks, but with gained efficiency through the Batch Built program, our goal is to bring this back into the 6-8 week range by the start of 2023.

Batch Built frames are available to order now, with deliveries taking place in at little as 2 weeks. Contact your Mosaic Dealer for more information or to begin the process of placing an order or starting a custom made to order build.

Boulder, Colorado is the ultimate place for drop-bar bike riding … But we’re biased.

Sure, some places have pure paved riding that’s a little better, with buttery smooth switchbacks and narrow roads. And we’ll concede that there are probably better locales for gravel riding — more remote, rugged, and vast. However, our hometown has literally any type of road riding you could ask for. If you want routes that combine every type of terrain and road surface, Boulder is the KOM.

This is where the story of our new bike begins, the RT-1 Integrated Thick Road (ITR). It is designed for where we ride and the way we ride.

The Origin of ITR

About five years ago, when disc brakes were becoming common on road bikes, we started to notice a trend. Our friends were finding really fat slick tires and cramming them into their road frames for a little extra traction and cushion.

Was this the start of the “all-road” trend? Maybe, but these first-gen thick road bikes didn’t compromise geometry or handling for the sake of tire clearance.

Since our riding around Boulder is so varied, this configuration made sense immediately. There are plenty of epic paved climbs and descents that demanded road bike geometry. Nearly all of those roads turn to dirt, though. So we needed more tire to carry on and finish our loops — out-and-back rides are kind of lame, after all.

We knew what we needed to create the perfect bike for the spectrum of drop-bar riding, but bike technology wasn’t quite refined enough. Yet.

What Is ITR

In designing the RT-1 ITR, we resolved all of the nagging issues that came with over-speccing a wide tire on a road bike. This led to one of our favorite bikes to date, a bike with the geometry of the legendary RT-1 D re-imagined with 35mm of tire clearance and a completely integrated cockpit system.

The ITR has the same snappy steering response as the RT-1d, with confident handling at speed, plenty of get-up-and-go out of the corners, and the encouragement to rip up your favorite climb, paved or otherwise… As usual, this is all delivered by a double butted Titanium tubeset that is personalized and chosen for each rider based upon fit requirements, ride preferences, and build configuration.

Thanks to ENVE’s integrated fork and a redesigned size-specific chainstay, the ITR can clear up to a measured 35mm tire, front and rear … but more on the front end in a moment. Here’s how the ITR’s tire clearance compares to the rest of the Mosaic line:

RT-1 D tire clearance: 25-30mm
RT-1 ITR tire clearance: 30-35mm
GT-1 AR tire clearance: 32-38mm
GT-1 45 tire clearance: 38-48mm

Thanks to the ITR’s 415-418mm size specific chainstays that are only a few millimeters longer than the purebred RT-1d, there are no compromises when it’s time to blast on pavement. Can you say, “Flagstaff Week?”

The “I” in ITR

We know there are some integration haters out there, but the form and function of ENVE’s In-Route System really make sense on this model.

Off the top, it’s plain to see that this front end gives the RT-1 ITR a modern look — and that’s what Mosaic is all about. Since day one, we’ve melded old-school, hand-built craftsmanship with modern designs and technologies that make bikes more fun to ride (and look at).

When it comes to this combination of tire clearance, rake, and axle-to-crown, we knew when we first saw this ENVE fork that it was the missing link that would enable us to build the ITR with increased tire clearance front and rear, retaining the geometry we wanted to make this a true performance road bike.

And finally, ENVE did a great job making the cable routing easy and intuitive. Face it, once you set up your hydraulic brake routing and electronic shifting, you’ll never have to worry about it again, and your cockpit will look so, so clean.

Unbound Gravel, the event in Emporia, Kansas this upcoming weekend almost needs no introduction. Just in case this is the first you’ve heard of it, Unbound Gravel is a 200-mile dirt road/gravel race throughout the Flint Hills surrounding Emporia, Kansas. It has widely become the “superbowl” of gravel racing, and an event that pushes the limits of everything we think to be possible on a bike including physical fitness, mental toughness, and it tends to deliver an absolute beat down on your equipment.

I have one Unbound finish under my belt, having raced and finished the race successfully in 2018. It left a mark on me, and to this day, it’s still the most memorable, rewarding, and downright toughest day I’ve ever spent on a bicycle. I’m thrilled to be going back. The course is relentless, as the Flint Hills aren’t exactly known for their smooth, velvety paved roads with sweeping cambered corners like you might find somewhere like Mallorca, for example… Instead, riders are faced with mile after mile of razor-sharp flint rock riddled roads, double track cattle paths, creek crossings, and the ever-present wind that rips across the rolling hills of central Kansas. Physical and mental preparation plays a huge part in the runup to Unbound Gravel, as you can’t simply BS a 200 mile gravel race… Well, I can’t. After a winter on the trainer and a Spring filled with long rides in the mountains around Boulder, I feel like I’m physically up for the task.

That leaves my equipment as the last piece of the puzzle, and it’s something that I love puzzling over. This year, I’m running my tried and true GT-1 45 setup that I’ve ridden thousands of miles on, with a few minor changes specific for the Flint Hills. The GT-1 45 is the perfect tool for the job with clearance for big tires, and room to spare just in case we encounter any mud out there. The GT-1’s double-butted titanium frame keeps things light, comfortable, and fun to ride as a gravel race bike should be! Tire choice is always at the forefront of the discussion when it comes to Unbound bike setup. I’ve opted for the sturdy 40mm WTB Venture SG2 tires set up on my trusty ENVE G23’s that carried me through my first Unbound in 2018, thousands of miles since then and are still running absolutely perfectly today. You’re almost guaranteed a flat or two at Unbound, so my Silca Impero frame pump will be making the trip with me to handle inflation duties should I find myself on the side of the road. I’ve got a bolt on top tube bag from Oveja Negra so that I’ve got easy access to my snacks and tools should I need them. Full details on my setup are below. Give us a shout if you have any questions, and if you’re in Emporia this weekend please say hello!

Frame: Mosaic GT-1 45
Drivetrain: SRAM XX1 AXS Mullet w/ 44t chainring and 10-50 cassette
Wheels: ENVE G23
Tires: WTB Venture 700x40mm with SG2 puncture protection.
Cockpit: ENVE Stem, ENVE Seatpost, and ENVE G-Series Handlebar
Cages: King Cage Ti
Saddle: Brooks Cambium C13
Frame Pump: Silca Impero Ultimate
Bags: Orucase Saddle Bag and Oveja Negra Bolt-On Snack Pack