As consumers we have high demands of the bike industry: we constantly want our bikes to do more. We want to ride bumpy gravel and smooth tarmac, we want fat tires on lightweight bikes, we speed and comfort. And thanks to the growing consumer-direct market, we want it all for a wallet-friendly price.
Former pro mountain biker and industry veteran Randall Jacobs is the latest to step up to this challenge with his recently launched brand, Thesis, and the OB1.
Recently announced, the OB1 — which stands for “one bike for every road” —is a high-end, do-it-all carbon fiber bike sold direct to consumers online.
The adventure-oriented frame features endurance road geometry with clearance for wide tires, ample mounting points for racks and extra accessories, and a completely customizable package. The frame itself echoes a number of gravel bikes we’ve seen recently with clearance for 700c x 40mm or 650b x 47mm tires, mounting for 5 bottle cages, a BB386 bottom bracket, internal routing, and a claimed weight of 1145g for a medium frame only.
From crank arm and stem length, down to drive train package and wheels, when ordering the OB1, consumers can completely tailor the bike to their preferences.
For wheels, Thesis offers proprietary ultra-wide 650b or aero 700c rim choices. And the variety of handlebars, stems and seat posts (— including a dropper post! —) are Thesis branded as well. The drivetrain options are based around SRAM’s hydraulic Apex 1x or Rival 22 with Thesis’ own aluminum chainrings and hollow-forged cranksets. Even the frame and handlebar tape colors are up to the consumer’s discretion.
The most remarkable thing about the OB1, however, is that the completely package comes with an eyebrow-raising price tag of just $2999 USD.
How? Well, like other consumer-direct models, Thesis cuts out the middle man. They ship the bikes from their factory directly to your doorstep, cutting any labor, retail and name brand componentry costs. As a result you get a high-end custom bicycle for half the price of an equivalent retail-store bought bicycle. However, there is a pretty big catch: the bikes arrive 90 percent unassembled.
This means that you’ll have to drop off the parts at your LBS and factor in assembly costs or get tinkering yourself. However, upon buying a Thesis bike, they do require you to sign a waiver acknowledging that you are either a professional mechanic or bringing your OB1 to a certified and insured shop.
However, that savings comes with a bit of a wait. Thesis is currently waitlisting pre-sales and is anticipating a 16 to 20 week shipping time for each order.
Visit www.thesis.bike for more information.
