Eric Rolf was back at NAHBS 2017, and while many of his bikes are finished in some sort of raw titanium, this screaming red flat bar cross/gravel bike was attracting a lot of attention. And it should, because it looks like an incredibly fun bike. Apparently a project for a Jelly Belly team member who wanted a bike to play on when they weren’t training, this single speed fat tire bike also has some tricks up its sleeve…
Currently built up as single speed with a sliding dropout, the frame is also stealthily built to be Di2 compatible in case its owner ever wants to add gears. Eric says that it also went with a larger top tube to add stiffness to the frame for a rider who can put out big watts.
This hardtail also has a full paint job which is usually the indicator of a steel frame. Alliance builds in Stainless, Race Day (True Temper S3 or Columbus Spirit), and Double Butted (True Temper OX Platinum or Columbus Life) steel as well as straight gauge and double butted titanium. Paint is usually included as a single color liquid paint option with airbrushed logos. This particular hardtail is built around a 130mm travel fork with 2.6″ max tire clearance and can be built in 27.5 or 29″ frames with a 66.5° HTA, low BB, and dropper post compatible. Essentially, it’s a true ripper built for riding fast on technical trails.
This bikepacking rig was specifically made for a customer who wanted a bike for Tour Divide with minimal gear – a saddle bag and frame bag. Rigid with no dropper, and 29 x 2.4″ tire clearance, it’s clear that this bike is about going fast whenever possible and keeping things light.
Eric also had another full suspension bike on display with a few tweaks from the one shown at NAHBS 2016. Available in 27.5 or 29″ wheels, the frame features 135mm of travel, stealth routing for droppers, and a threaded BB. As pictured the bike comes in at 26.5lbs.
