Johannes Müller is the man behind MUST Cycle and the designer of the super unique OTIVAO Adventure Bike. Unlike most mountain bikes, which are made to be ridden both up and down mountains, the OTIVAO Adventure Bike is purpose-built to be carried up mountains and ridden back down. That unique use case dictates its incredibly unique design. It was recently on display at Bespoked Dresden.
The OTIVAO has a full-suspension folding titanium frame; it rolls on 20” wheels/tires, and it does not have pedals, just platforms. It folds into a compact package and comes with its own purpose-built backpack to carry it uphill. It’s claimed to combine modern geometry with generous suspension, and it uses Mantiou’s JUNIT 34 Pro fork — originally intended to bring quality suspension to kids’ bikes.
If you’re thinking that sounds super weird, well, you’re not alone. This is clearly a very niche product aimed squarely at those who want to walk/hike up a mountain and then enjoy a gravity-fueled ride back down. According to MUST Cycle, “OTIVAO was created for mountain routes conventional bikes cannot reach: carried uphill on your back, unfolded at the top and ridden back down.”
OTIVAO Adventure Bike Details
On MUST Cycle’s About Us page, Johannes Müller says, “The idea to build the OTIVAO came from a customer request. A lightweight small wheel that fits in a backpack and can be quickly set up in the mountains. After a few days of thinking, I created a sketch and built a hardtail prototype out of steel. Although it was unusual at first, the thing was just fun. This was the basis for the further development of the OTIVAO Adventure Bikes.”
Now, the production version of the OTIVAO has a handcrafted titanium frame paired with machined aluminum components. It features a unique folding design to reduce it to a compact size for carrying on its purpose-built backpack. It comes in just one size, which is claimed to work for riders between 165 cm and 195 cm. Keeping with the compact, portable design, it rolls on 20” wheels with meaty 2.4” Maxxis Minion DHF tires.
The full-suspension frame reportedly has a “modern trail geometry,” and it gets 140mm of rear suspension, paired with a 140mm travel fork. As mentioned above, it uses the Manitou JUNIT 34 Pro fork that was originally intended for use on kids’ bikes, and it comes with Hayes brakes. Given the pedal-less design, it only has foot platforms to stand on during the descents. It does not have cranks or any other drivetrain components.
The OTIVAO Adventure Bike is listed on the MUST Cycle website as a frame only for €1,400. It is also shown in two complete builds, the Vetta (€3,150) and the Cresta (€2,733.33), although it is not immediately clear what the differences are between them.
Interestingly, most of MUST Cycles’ social media posts refer to the bike as the CAPRA Adventure Bike. In more recent posts and on the brand’s website, the bike is being called the OTIVAO. Both words mean goat, but perhaps there was some trademark infringement with YT Industries and its longstanding Capra model. Honestly, it’s kinda hard to tell what’s going on there.
Either way, the MUST Cycles OTIVAO Adventure Bike is like nothing we’ve seen before. You can learn more about it or book a guided test ride on the brand’s website: mustcycle.at
