Gravel bikes are interesting things. In the Venn diagram of cycling, they fit somewhere in that tiny space where road, touring and cyclocross overlap. While almost all bike shop employees have been thrashing their personal road bikes on gravel roads for years, the movement has slowly entered into the mainstream cyclist’s consciousness. Events like the Dirty Kanza, Rouge Roubaix, and even our own Graveltopia ride have helped introduce the consumer to the fun of gravel riding.
MOOTS ROUTT and ROUTT 45
What’s important to note, is that this is a movement first and a market response second. People have been riding gravel for years, and the market is slowly catching on to the fact that consumers are willing to purchase a bike specifically for that purpose. It’s a bit better than waking up one day and realizing that component manufacturers have decided your ten speed Dura-Ace is obsolete. This is a consumer born movement, because, well… Gravel roads are awesome.
Moots has recently embraced the movement by introducing 2 new gravel bikes. These slid quietly into the market a few months ago and we’ve been itching to get our hands on one. Like all things Moots, the bikes are handbuilt pieces of functional art. Our GM has been racing his Moots Psychlo X at a very high level for a decade and it looks brand new. His latest purchase: A Psychlo X RSL Disc. These aren’t bikes you keep for a season and flip on Craigslist. These are bikes you develop a relationship with.
Below is a brief overview of the two new gravel bikes from Moots, the Routt and Routt 45. Texas has endless miles of farm and jeep roads to discover and these bikes can open a whole new world.
ROUTT
The Routt is based upon Moots long running cross bike, the Psychlo X. While still a capable cross bike, Moots has lowered the bottom bracket to make the bike a bit more stable. Think less bunny hopping barriers and more riding dirt roads with 20lbs of gear. With the ability to run 35mm tires and disc brakes standard, the Routt is a capable touring bike. Unloaded, the Routt still has a hint of racing pedigree, but its ultimate advantage lies in its versatility.
ROUTT 45
The Routt 45 is the longer distance brother of the Routt. Called the 45 because of its longer, 45mm chainstays, the Routt 45 allows the use of even larger tires and provides an even more stable ride. A great choice for touring, the Routt 45 can handle 44mm knobbies. This larger tire provides better ride quality and flat protection when loaded. For anyone looking to do some bike camping, or self-supported epic rides, the Routt 45 is a fantastic option.
Check out the small gallery below of our latest custom Routt 45 with Campy Super Record, Enve disc wheels and a Unicrown Ti Fork from Ti Cycles.
