Tag: all road

RT-1 ITR: A Road Bike for Everything

Posted on by Mosaic Admin

Our back yard here in Boulder, Colorado is a paradise for road rides. 

France has smooth ribbons of tarmac winding through the Alps into the stratosphere. Kansas offers endless gravel roads stretching to the horizon. In Boulder, you get it all—seamlessly connected. Paved climbs turn to dirt descents, forgotten backroads lead to new adventures, and the best rides blend surfaces without boundaries. This is where the Mosaic RT-1 Integrated Thick Road (ITR) was born.

The Origin of ITR

A few years ago, as disc brakes became standard on road bikes, we noticed a shift. It was more than just more stopping power and modulation—riders were pushing the limits of their road bikes, squeezing in wider tires for extra grip and comfort. But these setups had compromises—tire clearance was tight, handling could feel off, and frames weren’t optimized for the demands of mixed-surface road riding. 

Our own rides in Boulder made it clear: We needed a road bike that could handle everything from pristine pavement to the well-worn dirt climbs that define our favorite routes—without sacrificing speed, precision, or ride quality of a proper road bike. Enter the RT-1 ITR.

What Makes the ITR Special?

With the RT-1 ITR, we designed a bike that retains the sharp, responsive handling of the RT-1 D while adding the versatility of 35mm tire clearance. The geometry remains pure road—fast, confident, and built to excel on climbs and descents alike.

Crafted from a double-butted titanium tubeset, the RT-1 ITR is tailored to each rider’s fit and performance needs. It delivers the same lively ride feel as the RT-1 D, now with the added capability to take on varied road surfaces with ease. Thanks to ENVE’s integrated fork and redesigned size-specific chainstays, we’ve ensured that this bike is just as at home hammering up your hardest local Strava climb as it is cruising the lesser-traveled dirt roads beyond town.

Here’s how the RT-1 ITR compares in our lineup:

  • RT-1 D: 25-30mm tire clearance
  • RT-1 ITR: 30-35mm tire clearance
  • GT-1 AR: 32-40mm tire clearance
  • GT-1 45: 38-48mm tire clearance

At 415-418mm, the ITR’s chainstays are only slightly longer than the RT-1 D’s, preserving the crisp, high-performance road feel while allowing for a slightly fatter tire, and the greater adaptability on mixed surfaces that comes with it. 

Integrated for Performance

Part of what makes the ITR possible is the ENVE In-Route System, which allows us to increase front and rear tire clearance while maintaining the precise geometry we wanted for this model. This is the most well-thought-out integrated front end, and the sleek, modern functionality aligns with the Mosaic ethos of blending handcrafted titanium craftsmanship with cutting-edge performance technology. Plus, cable routing is clean, intuitive, and hassle-free—set it up once, and you’re done.

Most riders will opt for the two-piece cockpit, pairing an ENVE In-Route stem with the ENVE bar of their choice. For those seeking the ultimate integration, we have limited availability of the one-piece ENVE cockpit.

Designed for the Way We Ride

The RT-1 ITR is our go-to for the kind of riding we love—where fast pavement meets forgotten dirt roads, and every ride feels like an adventure. If your ideal route is a blend of speed, endurance, and exploration, this is the bike for you.

Looking for more rugged capability? The GT-1 AR or GT-1 45 might be the better fit. But if your rides demand pure road bike performance with just a little more room to roam, the RT-1 ITR is ready.

Gravel vs. All Road: Choosing the Right Bike

Posted on by Mosaic Admin

It’s not just the dirt, it’s how you choose to ride it.

In a few short years, riding drop bars with big tires on surfaces other than asphalt has gone from a fringe cycling discipline to the main event. Whether you’re scrolling through race results, bikepacking blogs, or your Strava feed, gravel is what’s happening. This has brought a dizzying array of gravel bikes, all-road bikes, tire choices and options. For anyone considering a new bike it can be a lot to sort through. Let’s break it down. 

The Rise of Mixed-Surface Riding

Gravel roads aren’t new. They’ve always been there, quietly threading through national forests, farmlands, and forgotten backroads. What is new is the surge of bikes purpose-built to tackle them. Sure, you could ride dirt on 25mm tires with rim brakes—people still do—but modern gravel bikes make it a lot more fun. Think high-volume tubeless tires, disc brakes, wider gear ranges, and geometry tweaks that keep you comfortable for hours, even on routes that were mountain bikes only just a few years ago. 

And that brings us to all-road bikes.

While gravel bikes thrive when things get rough, allroad bikes are the bridge between fast road rides and light dirt adventures. They’re perfect for linking epic pavement stretches with a few smooth dirt trials. That’s all-road territory. It’s not about gnarly singletrack; it’s about versatility without sacrificing speed.

Defining the Mosaic Line

G-Series GT-1 45

Designed for events like Unbound Gravel and Mid South, the GT-1 45 is built for long days and rough routes. Think massive tire clearance up to 45c (even 48c on the integrated GT-1 i45), longer wheelbases, and geometry optimized for stability over chunky surfaces. It’s the bike you want when “gravel” means sharp flint, loose sand, or forgotten forest roads. It’s an exceedingly versatile, do-anything bike, but to fit those big tires it trades roadie handling and responsiveness for the comfort, grip and confidence to handle demanding off-road conditions. 

G-Series All Road:GT-1 AR and GT-1 iAR

If your rides split roughly 50/50 between tarmac and tame dirt, then All Road is your jam. The GT-1 iAR feels road bike quick but with room for up to 35-40c tires. The geometry leans towards the quick and nimble end of the spectrum, with steeper angles and a shorter wheelbase, making perfect for riders who want that zippy road feel without worrying about the occasional gravel connector. 

The Lines Can Get Blurry

A 700x45c tire is mighty capable, but some riders—and some rides—can warrant going even bigger. In the past few years we’ve seen pro racers running straight-up MTB tires in some especially demanding gravel events, and if your ideal gravel adventure involves bike packing say, the Denali Highway in Alaska (which we’ve done), you’ll want all the tire you can fit. For that, we offer the Mosaic GT-1X, designed with mounts for bags and clearance to fit up to 29.2.25 tires. 

On the other end of the spectrum, there’s ‘fast gravel’. In 2024, Mosaic Team Rider Brennan Wertz chose to run his all-road GT-1 iAR with (admittedly fat) slicks for his Gravel National Championships win in Gering, Nebraska.

“…it [the GT-1 iAR] shines in a very special set of circumstances: traditional fast gravel courses, dry conditions or at least no peanut butter mud. Normally my go-to setup would be the GT-1 i45, with a larger knobby tire and a 1x drivetrain, but this iAR setup is one I really love racing…I rode it last year at the old SBT GRVL course, last year’s Gravel Worlds Nebraska, U.S. National Championships, and a Grasshopper Race called the Huffmaster Hopper. It’s just super versatile, with quicker handling, a tighter wheelbase, 2x groupset and gearing, it just rides like a big tire road bike.

The Real Question: What Do You Want to Ride?

Is your idea of a perfect ride a six-hour epic across rugged backcountry roads? Would you rather have more cush and grip than outright speed? Go with the GT-1 45. Do you love fast group rides and twisty road descents, but want the freedom to hit a few trails and buffed singletrack on the way home? All Road.

Of course, bikes aren’t limited by labels. The best bike is the one that matches your local terrain, your riding style, and yes, even your mood on any given day. It’s all about personal preferences and priorities.

Got questions about your next dream build? Reach out to your local Mosaic dealer or drop us a line. Let’s geek out over tire pressure, gear ratios, and all the good stuff that makes your next ride even better.