Over the weekend was one of the premier gravel races of the year, the Dirty Kanza 200. It was also the public launch of the newest bike from Allied Cycle Works, the ABLE. Not only was the DK200 the debut of the new gravel bike, but it also served as the first win(s) for the Able with both Colin Strickland and Amity Rockwell taking the DK200 crown aboard the new bike.
Using their current ALLROAD as a starting point, the ABLE is what happens when Allied wants a high performance bike with bigger tire clearance and the ability to tackle more aggressive terrain. To get that tire clearance, the ABLE employs a raised chainstay on the driveside which is impossible to miss. That provided the ABLE with a decent 700c x 43mm clearance out back while the front fork will allow up to a 700c x 47mm tire (or 650b x 47mm and 650b x 55mm).
Why not go bigger on the back end? It seems that Allied wanted to keep the chainstays short at 420mm – the same as the ALLROAD. The geometry also gets a bit more aggressive with a 71° head tube angle, and 66mm trail measurement along with a slightly taller stack height.
The made in Arkansas carbon frame is 1x specific with internal cable routing and hidden fender mounts and offers the standard bottle mounts plus top tube mounts. A BSA threaded bottom bracket holds SRAM DUB cranks which are part of the SRAM “Mullet Build” which include the options for SRAM Eagle cassettes and AXS derailleurs paired to SRAM eTap AXS dropbar shifters.
Available as a frameset for $3,999, pricing for complete bikes starts at $5,299 for a mechanical drivetrain with an 11-42 cassette. At $7,499, you step up into the Mullet Builds with a 10-50 cassette, and the builds top out at $9,499. Any of the options are available in Sport Gray or Cavalry Blue.
It’s not all wins for Allied Cycle Works
While the new bike may be a huge positive for the small company, it’s not all roses for Allied Cycle Works at the moment. According to a recent story on BRAIN, the company recently laid off 15 workers, and is currently being sued by their founder and former CEO, Tony Karklins who was fired in October. Get the full scoop through the link above.
