Yes, gravel bikes are hot and every manufacturer now has one in their lineup. While there’s a plethora of options from mainstream brands, don’t be so fast to pull the trigger on something from your LBS — there are plenty of other options. Gravel-minded brands like Thesis and Rodeo Labs have a ton to offer at very competitive price points. Since both the Thesis OB1 and the Rodeo Labs Traildonkey 3.0 were built as gravel bikes from the start, there are no UCI handcuffs and each one is optimized to be a true one-bike-quiver.
Since the disc brake fuss has died, and standards established, can we just relish in the fact that gravel and cyclocross bikes are now more capable and versatile than ever before? Monster tire clearance combined with versatile geometries have resulted in bikes that are a blast to ride on any terrain. Dare I say “one-bike-quiver?”
I want to highlight these two bikes in particular. Thesis has a single frame that can be kitted out for road, gravel or adventure flavors while Rodeo Labs has a small array of bikes, with the Traildonkey 3.0 leading the way. Both companies have modern, all-road riding in mind but both are doing things a little differently.
Thesis OB1: Factory-direct in Three Flavors
The vibe these days at the local bike shops can be depressing. One local shop in particular is a ghost town. I’ve never seen anyone in there on my drive home every night. Many blame Amazon or other direct-to-consumer brands for the downfall of the LBS. Knowing their plight, Thesis embraces the local bike shop by shipping your chosen OB1 only 20% assembled with the intent that the finishing touches will be performed by a qualified, local mechanic for a few hundred dollars. In turn, Thesis maintains a solid $2999 price point across-the-board.
The Roadie, Gravel Shredder and Adventurer options all at the same price point. Each build includes Thesis-branded tubeless-ready carbon clinchers in either 700c or 650b sizes. The drivetrain is a mix of Thesis and SRAM Rival 1x with wide-range cassettes.
How does Thesis do it? Well, founders Randall Jacobs, and Alice Liu use their combined pro cycling and entrepreneurial background to deliver a customized open-mold frame and wheels at radically-affordable prices. By working directly with the manufacturer, they deliver bikes factory-direct — thus enabling you to spend a little more money on a proper build and fit. You can read more about Thesis and how they do it on their blog.
More: See the Thesis OB1
Rodeo Labs Traildonkey 3.0
The third iteration of the venerable Traildonkey promises to be the best yet and bucks the “lighter is better” trend by building a better-riding, better-handling and longer-lasting frame that’s backed by a lifetime warranty. It’s no lightweight (1300 grams for 56cm and 600 grams for Spork 2.0), but rest assured that this 100% proprietary frameset will last a long time and take its share of abuse.
Rodeo Labs sells the frame/fork for $2650 with complete builds northward of there. You can customize the build to your liking and even go with custom paint, if you want something truly unique. Founder, Stephen Fitzgerald is a passionate bike builder who is equally-passionate about living and riding in Colorado. He aims to spend as much time perfecting his bikes as he does getting lost in the Rockies and wide-open plains of his home state. The Traildonkey 3.0 is a reflection of that passion and experience with ultra-wide tire clearance (57mm in 650b and 50mm in 700c) and thoughtful designs.
More: See the Traildonkey 3.0
All photos courtesy Thesis and Rodeo Labs — thanks!
