Squeezing in a ride aboard the new Open ONE+ proved tricky at PressCamp. It was a hot commodity and, frankly, I couldn’t pry myself off the 3T Exploro. But, I was able to take a hot lap aboard the ONE+ and it left me wanting for more — much more.
Open Cycle ONE+ Features:
- Sub-900 gram frameset utilizing blends of the highest-grade carbon fiber
- Built around 29×2.4 and 27.5×3.0 (27.5×2.4 and 26×3.0 for size S) wheels
- Dropped chainstay increases power transfer and clearance
- Features BOOST 148 rear spacing
- 27.2mm seatpost for added compliance
- PF92 bottom bracket
- Full internal cable routing
- MSRP: $3200
The ONE+ should be your next N+1
That next bike. The one that you dream about and the one that you dread talking to your wife about when you’re serious about plunking down a handful of house payments on a new bike. Well, the new Open ONE+ should be your next N+1. But, the nice thing about this bike is it could very well replace several bikes currently in your garage.
While at PressCamp, I had the privilege of spending a significant amount of time talking with Gerard Vroomen (co-founder of Open Cycle and former co-founder of Cervelo). He’s a legend in the bike industry and knows how to make groundbreaking bikes. Because of his expertise, I knew the ONE+ would be something special and, I was able to get just enough of a taste to say that truly is the case.
After some cockpit tweaks, I hit the usual test loop out of the Deer Valley base area aboard a size medium ONE+ with 27.5+ wheels and a bevy of high-zoot bits from top-to-bottom (including Enve’s new M60 Fort Plus wheels and SRAM XX1 Eagle).
Immediately, I noticed that this particular flavor of 27.5+ bike didn’t exhibit any of the understeer or gyroscoping that typically dogs plus-sized wheels. On pavement and smooth terrain, the handling is responsive and natural. When the trails turn upward, the plus-sized tires maintain traction and propel this bike upwards at a high velocity. My Strava climb times on the ONE+ were the best I’ve had on these particular loops.
What’s funny is that on the long initial ascent, I hadn’t noticed something — that the RockShox SID hadn’t been adjusted for my rider weight. Due to the long initial climb, I hadn’t noticed but once the trails turned downward, I was blowing through the travel in a jiffy. So, I opted to ride the bike primarily in locked-out mode. Luckily, the 27.5+ tires provided enough cushion that it wasn’t that big of a deal, but some added front-end squish would have certainly come in handy.
Overall, the ONE+ handles well and descends quite well too. But climbing is a thing of beauty on this one. Because of the plus-sized tires, 27.2 seatpost and optimized chainstays, the ONE+ is one smooth-riding hardtail. It climbs with abandon and loves chewing up vert on the way down. I did notice more than my typical amount of pedal strikes and I’d honestly like to see a 120mm fork on this one (just not sure if the geometry would oblige).
The Good
- Versatility of plus-sized or standard
- Ultimate drool-inducing bike
- Fast, responsive and fun
- Such a blast with 27.5+ wheels
- A serious climber
- Entire package provides an excellent ride
The Bad
- Hefty pricetag
- Seemed to be susceptible to pedal strikes
- I’d rather see a 120mm fork on it (not sure how the geometry would respond)
The Bottom Line: Open Cycle ONE+
After a short, but memorable lap aboard the ONE+, this bike reminds me of my glory days of yore aboard a hardtail. The simplicity of eliminating suspension is a breath of fresh air and that in concert with 27.5+ tires makes me sorta wonder if I even need a full-suspension bike.
Buy Now: Visit OPENCycle.com
