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Mosaic RS-1 creates a modern steel road bike w/ custom geometry, tubes & disc brakes

Written by Tyler Benedict
2019 mosaic cycles rs-1d disc brake modern steel road bike
31 Comments
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Every now and then, we see steel pop back on the scene to take advantage of modern technologies, tube forming, and geometries. The latest is the all-new Mosaic RS-1, available in rim and disc brake variants. Made with Columbus Spirit HSS tubing, a tapered headtube and the classic threaded BB, they also throw back to the glory days with small touches like “star” cable port and bottle boss reinforcements. And more.

“Having a really solid steel road bike in our line-up really completes the models we offer,” said Aaron Barcheck, Mosaic Cycles founder and lead framebuilder. ““We’ve brought our own Mosaic perspective to the steel road bike; all the things you’d want out of a modern bike with the timeless ride qualities of a premium steel frameset.”

The RS-1 and RS-1d (“d” for “disc” brakes) are available for order now and will ship six weeks from order date, which is quick for a full custom frame. Each bike gets custom geometry based on the customer’s fit data, and custom oversized tube sets to match their size, weight and riding style.

2019 mosaic cycles rs-1d disc brake modern steel road bike 2019 mosaic cycles rs-1d disc brake modern steel road bike

What gives the bike its classic look are retro touches like the “star” mounting points, a braze-on front derailleur mount, and integrated rear derailleur hanger. And a threaded bottom bracket. Fortunately, since it’s steel, it’s easy enough to weld a new hanger on should you damage it in an accident.

Mosaic RS-1 rim brake bike details

mosaic rs-1 rim brake steel road bike with modern tubing

RS-1 frameset features for both models are:

  • Rider-specific custom geometry and tube set
  • Columbus Spirit HSS performance steel tubing
  • Chris King Dropset Headset
  • threaded 68mm bottom bracket
  • 27.2mm seatpost
  • tapered head tube
  • Braze-on front derailleur mount
  • Mechanical/ Di2/EPS/ Etap shifting available
  • Choice of Mosaic paint layouts and 45 stock colors
  • Six-week lead time
  • Price $6,000 $5,600 USD, complete bike $12,000 as shown

The rim brake version gets:

  • QR front and rear
  • Caliper brake mount
  • 28mm tire clearance
  • Enve Road tapered 1.5″ Carbon fork

Mosaic RS-1d disc brake bike details

Specs from the rim brake version carry over except for the following:

  • 142x12mm rear axle, 100x12mm rear axle
  • Flat mount brake front and rear
  • 30mm tire clearance
  • Columbus Futura Disc tapered 1.5″ Carbon fork

All bikes are available with custom paint from their in-house Spectrum Paint & Powder Works for an upcharge

MosaicCycles.com
Tyler Benedict
11,282 articles

Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com, where he’s been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel and ride in new places.

Based in North Carolina, Tyler also loves the Vanlife & family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part and off-grid adventure.

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31 Comments
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Robin
Robin
5 years ago

For the Mosaic RS-1d, is there a tube routing the rear hydraulic brake line from from entrance to frame exit? If so, how is that tube treated to resist rusting? Is there any treatment on the inside of Mosaic’s RS-1 and -1d frame tubes to resist rust?

The tapered head tube is really nice touch, and at least for me, it works much better aesthetically than straight 44mm head tubes.

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Robin
Robin
5 years ago
Reply to  Robin

According to an Mosaic, all steel frames are treated with Frame Saver before they leave the factory. Tubes for internal routing are brass. I asked what the $6000 price tag includes and am awaiting a response.

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Colin M
Colin M
5 years ago

Wow, that video was really well done. Mosaic = Quality, I haven’t seen anything but great stuff out of them. Props

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Jon
Jon
5 years ago
Reply to  Colin M

Agreed. Nice production. Generally I’d expect a brand that can present itself that well also takes care of all the details when making the bikes.

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mudrock
mudrock
5 years ago

so, $6,000 for the frameset?

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Robin
Robin
5 years ago
Reply to  mudrock

The $6000 price needs a lot of clarification. Right now a Moots Vamoots RSL (titanium, of course) frame with fork is $4900. Maybe someone from Mosaic will chime in and clarify what that $6000 includes.

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Seraph
Seraph
5 years ago
Reply to  Robin

For $6k you get bragging rights that you’re a dentist and can afford to spend $6k on a frame that would be $4k for any other company.

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Peter
Peter
5 years ago
Reply to  Seraph

If the steel frame was 500$ nobody would buy it, but paying 5000$ (or whatever it is the price over 1000$) for a steel frame would sound more ‘cool’ and some people will buy it because for some people it is not a matter of what you buy but how wcpensive you buy.

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mudrock
mudrock
5 years ago

Oh, ok, painted-to-match seatpost.. now your talkin

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Ron
Ron
5 years ago

“We’ve brought our own Mosaic pricing to the steel road bike”. Jeez, it is very pretty and all but you can get 2 or 3 really great steel frames for that price from less ‘exalted’ sources.

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Tim
Tim
5 years ago
Reply to  Ron

Indeed. Star-shaped cable exit holes and a painted seatpsost aren’t worth an extra 3 or 4k.

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Ben Boyd
Ben Boyd
5 years ago
Reply to  Ron

Literally the same tubeset and fork as a Condor Super Acciaio but for 4x the price.

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K-Pop is dangerous to your health
K-Pop is dangerous to your health
5 years ago

I’ll buy a case of tissues for the next person to complain about the price. Not a box, a case.

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Tom
Tom
5 years ago
Reply to  K-Pop is dangerous to your health

Wow, that’s an expensive bike!

(the tissue box on my end table is getting low)

Seriously beautiful bike!

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Jeb Cravelli
Jeb Cravelli
5 years ago
Reply to  K-Pop is dangerous to your health

Haha, jeez dude, $6000 for a bicycle is pretty ridiculous to the vast majority of bicycle riders out there. Must be a bitter pill to swallow when youre in your park ave penthouse!! <;0D

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K-Pop is dangerous to your health
K-Pop is dangerous to your health
5 years ago
Reply to  Jeb Cravelli

Frame, not bike. Doesn’t mean they’re not allowed to exist. Whining about the price of something you have no plans on purchasing seems a bit frivolous. You were doing the same thing a few days ago with the A/C Zig Zag, just a $1300 frame. Again, not in the market, just showed up to complain. Can’t afford $6k for a Mosaic, then get a Stelbel SB/03 that’s half the price. Oops, not buying that either, just more whining. As I see it you owe me a couple dimes for my ‘whine about the price of stuff you have no plans on buying retirement fund’.

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Jimmyboy
Jimmyboy
5 years ago

Erm looks like a sweet bike, the build this is questionable….
Chain is on backwards with a joining pin, and quick link! Hahaha
Hope the frame build quality is better than the mechanics

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Scott
Scott
5 years ago
Reply to  Jimmyboy

And that’s only in the short section of chain we can see! What if it has more joined pieces we can’t see. Reminds me of being broke and wondering if I could get away with making a whole chain out of the leftover links in my junk drawer.

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Jimmyboy
Jimmyboy
5 years ago

Looks sweet, great color
Hope the frame build is better then the mechanics…
Chain is on backwards, with joining pin and quick link haha

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Heffe
Heffe
5 years ago

If you read the article about the Hope HB.130 full suspension bike, made in England and the incredibly intricate detail, parts and work that went into it – it costs far, far, less than this simple steel frame. These are almost criminally overpriced; these guys are marketing geniuses if they can get people to cough up the absurd amount of cash they are asking for. You can get the sweetest ti frame in the world for less than this.

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Jon
Jon
5 years ago
Reply to  Heffe

I’m sure this is a nice bike. But it’s not about value for money, it’s the veblen goods thing.

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Tim
Tim
5 years ago

People often complain about the ridiculously high bike prices. But the prices obviously work for at least a few companies. If you can find one rich idiot who will pay an extra 3 or 4 thousand dollars for star-shaped cable exit ports and a few other nice touches, then you have gone a long way to paying your business’s operating costs for the month. A few companies, like Enve, have actually succeeded at playing this game for over a decade.

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That Guy
That Guy
5 years ago

Sooooooo, how is it different? Columbus tubing, Paragon dropouts, all the same braze-ons that any other framebuilder can get. Regardless of the price, it seems like a run of the mill steel frame. Considering that it is stratospherically expensive, one would think they’d put a little more effort in. A Stinner is essentially the same thing, but half the price. A Speedvagen is closer to the price, but hella custom everything. Maybe I’m missing something?

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Ron
Ron
5 years ago
Reply to  That Guy

Yes you’re missing the ‘mystique’ that lets everyone know that you are a 1%er because you have an obscenely overpriced bike. Not some shmo who has a Curtlo, for example, with easily equal or better craftsmanship, tubing and custom geometry, but costs only a third as much.

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Jim Cravelli
Jim Cravelli
5 years ago

“Fortunately, since it’s steel, it’s easy enough to weld a new hanger on should you damage it in an accident”.

… … … …i’d imagine the down to earth fella/madam who buys one of these frames and rips the hanger off would probably want the paint to be retouched in a matching color… Is that also “easy enough”??

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Mile B.
Mile B.
5 years ago

For that price you’d think they’d have the attention to detail to take a few minutes and file that blob of silver off the Di2 reinforcement on the chainstay.

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Involuntary Soul
Involuntary Soul
5 years ago

i would not trust those 20 y.o. “master craftsmen” cook my burger let along build my bike

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Tom
Tom
5 years ago

Amazing the lengths and expense people will go to for that last .5% of whatever – style, craftsmanship, fit etc. In the meantime, 99% of these custom steel frames will use a carbon fork, because they are the best performers. Never mind the fact that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, and you can have quite a nice carbon frames for $2K (or less) that will do everything this frame will do, provided you are willing to do a little research to ID the frame that will fit correctly. But hey, if Mosaic can sell ’em, more power to ’em.

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Still laughing.
Still laughing.
5 years ago
Reply to  Tom

If you do that then your bike is no longer real because only steel is real. Funny that you brought up Vanilla. Another silly hyped steel frame made with plain Jane tubing (nothing special at all, and cute cut out polished dropouts). But what fork do all their “steel is real” Vanilla and Speedvagen bikes run? Yep, carbon fiber. For $6k I can get a BMC Time or Roadmachine frameset (one of many examples) of which either are a good deal lighter, much better performing, each with infinitely cleaner (nearly invisible) front end cable routing, and still have money left over to pay for the bulk of a Di2 or SRAM wireless group. The $6k price is good for a couple chuckles though. Heck, a Cervelo R5 frameset at $1800 less would blow the doors off this steel frame performance wise and make it look like a dinosaur. Bingham full custom titanium for $2k less just another giggles example. LOL, good pricing comedy though for sure. 🙂

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dude guy
dude guy
5 years ago

Just gonna say it – Taiwan mass welds are looking better than US boutique welds these days. Speedvagen welds have gone down hill, Wraith looked like shit, these look like shit. I bought a steel kona a few years ago – GORGEOUS welds. Taiwan

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Curtis inglis
Curtis inglis
5 years ago
Reply to  dude guy

You might want to look at a current Speedvagen welds. They are top notch.

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