Pine Cycles Rasa debuts “world’s most versatile bike frame” with 3 bikes in 1

Written by Zach Overholt Dec 09, 2021 1:35 p.m. ET

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Having a tough time deciding what type of bike to get? Maybe you don’t have to. Pine Cycles just debuted their first bike which is a road bike, gravel bike, and a Tracklocross bike—just not all at the same time.

All three of those builds utilize the exact same frame, which is built from Columbus Zona tubing here in the U.S.

Steel Frames Proudly Made in USA
Columbus Zona Tubing, Front & Rear Triangle
Custom 1 1/4” Headtube
Carbon Disc Fork Includes Custom White Industries Headset (EC37/28.6 | EC37/33)
Steel Fork Includes Adapters for Standard 1 1/8” Hedsets (EC34/28.6 | EC34/30)
External Routing Under Downtube / Internal Under Toptube
Max Tire Clearance 700×35, 650×48, 26×2.3
Max Chainring: 1x – 44T / 2x – 50T/34T
28.6mm band on front derailleur
29.8/30.0mm Seatpost Collar
68mm Threaded BB shell
3 Sets of Bottle Bosses
27.2mm Seatpost

Carbon Disc Brake – Allied All Road Fork / 1 ⅛” – 1 ¼” Tapered Steerer / 12×100 Axle / 48mm Rake / 375mm A to C / Matte Black
Steel Disc/Rim Brake – Pine Segmented Fork / 1 ⅛” Straight Steerer / QRx100 Axle / 50mm Rake / 375mm A to C / Gloss Black
Carbon Rim Brake – Whisky No.7 RD+ Mid Reach Fork / 1 ⅛” Straight Steerer / QRx100 Axle / 45mm Rake / 375mm A to C / Matte Black

12×142 Flat Mount / Disc Brake (rack/fender mounts optional)
135×10 Quick Release / Rim Brake (rack/fender mounts optional)
135×10 Horizontal Track / Rim/No Brake (rack/fender mounts optional)

Zach Overholt

5,775 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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19 Comments

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Rob

3 years ago

where on earth are you supposed to get a headset for this thing? Why spec a 37mm headtube to save a few grams when you limit the headsets your customers can get and don’t allow them to run 1 1/2″ tapered forks? Who is gram counting with a bike like this?

paulpalf

3 years ago

These frames have typical drop-bar reach numbers, so it’s going to be extremely short if you put a flat bar on the same frame. My MTB has 85mm longer reach than my gravel bike!

3 years ago

An intriguing offering for sure, but why oh why did they go with a 1 1/4″ steer tube? Why not a tapered or 1 1/8 steer tube? Something standard? Good luck finding a replacement fork. Or a headset.

Author

Zach Overholt

3 years ago

@Bike Rob, framesets with a carbon tapered fork will include a custom headset from White Industries. The framesets with steel forks include an adapter to run a standard EC34 1 1/8″ headset, so you can run any standard external cup headset.

pinecycles

3 years ago

Hi Paul, The frame is a true gravel/allroad bike primarily designed for drop bars. However, we’ve found that a flat bar set up provides a more upright position often preferred by riders commuting, touring and bikepacking.

When running flat bars we recommend more traditional road stem lengths and a forward sweeping bar such at the SimWorks Getaround Bar featured on the frame above.

Jaap

3 years ago

Really digging that EC37 headtube

pinecycles

3 years ago

Hi Rob, Zach hit the nail on the head with the headset options. We are working with other headset manufactures to offer this headset standard in the future as well.

The headtube has helped us achieve a frame weight of 1859g (Size 56cm) which is at or below most any production steel or titanium gravel bikes on the market at a lower cost. The ultralight Allied Allroad Fork (320g uncut steerer) brings the frameset weight to 2179g.

Compare that to the equivalent size Open U.P. Frame (Large) at 1150g and 425g uncut fork. Totaling 1575g. Only 604g/1.3lbs off of a premium carbon frameset at $600 less for a US made frame, fork and headset with even more versatility. If you weren’t gram counting before, maybe it’s time to start!

pinecycles

3 years ago

Hi AP, As I mentioned to Rob, the headtube allows us to drop significant weight but also maintains a really nice aesthetic with our steel fork. 44 or 34/44 headtubes look terrible with skinny steel forks ATMO.

If a customer ever needed a replacement fork, both the ENVE AR and Columbus Futura Gravel 1 1/8″ – 1 1/4″ Tapered Forks are suitable replacements. However they will be more limiting with tire clearance and will ever so slightly change the geo from the longer length.

Joe M

3 years ago

I would prefer a frame with frame sliders on the back. (wait, I already have one) These have been around for years and the way they are designed, you can swap between single speed, regular drop-out with skewer, 12mm thru axle with derailleur hanger and with or without disc mount. Then I would widen up the stays and go with at least the 148mm hub standard and allow the bike to take wider tires and fit 27.5, 29 or 700C wheels. (If one really wants a more versatile multipurpose frame)

These days, why any one would want a bike without a tapered headset is beyond me.

Astro Kraken

3 years ago

What’s going on with the Ekar shifter in the video? Is this just what it looks like with the shifter all the way in and brake lever all the way out?

Author

Zach Overholt

3 years ago

Looks like the lever is just wedged against the bar tape. It’s really hard to do unless you’re trying to, or perhaps grab the bar and shift paddle when moving the bike around for a video shoot.

Big Randy

3 years ago

Proprietary Headset? No thanks… Cannondale already has that on lock.

I’d be curious to know what happens when White Industries stops supporting that size and the EC37 is not common from others like Cane Creek, Wolf Tooth, etc. King used to make these but I cant find them on their site.

Seems interesting to focus on the head tube to save weight. I’d rather see a standard 44/44 head tube and let the end user lighten their bike up with nice wheels, drive train, etc.

pinecycles

3 years ago

Hi Joe M, We are currently developing sliding inserts for the RASA dropout system! Stay tuned for those in the next few months!

We designed the RASA to be the perfect road to gravel frame. If you’re seeking more tire clearance and more of a gravel to mountain frame this isn’t it but stay tuned…

The Headset is tapered! The White Industries headset and Allied Allroad Fork are 1 1/8″ – 1 1/4″ Tapered. (EC37/28.6 | EC37/33)

pinecycles

3 years ago

Hi Big Randy, The headset uses standard 1 1/8″ upper and 1 1/4″ lower bearings from Enduro so customers will have no issues replacing bearings until the end of time.

If you somehow managed to damage the headset cups beyond use and White Ind no longer made them then you could simply use the EC37 to EC34 adapters and use a 1 1/8″ straight fork with a standard EC34 headset (which we offer). That’s getting deep into hypotheticals though.

The 1 1/4″ Headtube also helped us reduce cost over a 44mm. Passing that savings to our customers allows them to make those upgrades to further decrease weight and increase performance!

barael

3 years ago

I don’t know what the heck “tracklocross” is, but my Rondo HVRT has a flip chip fork that turns it from aggressive road racing geo to endurance geo and dropped seat stay so you can swap in some properly fat 650b wheels and tires, so excuse me for not having my mind blown by this “world-first” 3-in-1 concept.

pinecycles

3 years ago

Barael, You are excused. “3 in 1” was bikerumor’s interpretation because we showcased 3 different builds. However the RASA can accommodate 3 wheel sizes, 3 dropout inserts and 3 fork options making it “18 in 1”. We’re also working on a sliding flat mount insert that will bump it up “24 in 1”. Current configurations below.

The Rondo HVRT is a very cool bike but actually has a little less tire clearance than the RASA. Rondo states 700×30 / 650×47 on their website. Rasa is 700×35 / 650×48 / 26×2.3. Our chainstays are a little longer at 419mm for added stability so no need to drop them for tire clearance.

700c Disc Brake Carbon Fork
700c Disc Brake Steel Fork
700c Rim Brake Carbon Fork
700c Rim Brake Steel Fork
700c Single Speed Rim Brake Carbon Fork
700c Single Speed Rim Brake Steel Fork

650b Disc Brake Carbon Fork
650b Disc Brake Steel Fork
650b Rim Brake Carbon Fork
650b Rim Brake Steel Fork
650b Single Speed Rim Brake Carbon Fork
650b Single Speed Rim Brake Steel Fork

26″ Disc Brake Carbon Fork
26″ Disc Brake Steel Fork
26″ Rim Brake Carbon Fork
26″ Rim Brake Steel Fork
26″ Single Speed Rim Brake Carbon Fork
26″ Single Speed Rim Brake Steel Fork

barael

3 years ago

Fair enough, the RASA certainly looks like it can be built up in much more ways than say the HVRT so could be a really fun project bike.

Joe M

3 years ago

Hello again Pinecycles. Personally I would stick with 1-1/2 x 1-1-1/8 tapered headset. This appears to be one of the few bearing combinations/standard that will persist for many years to come. It works well for road, gravel/cross and mtn bikes. (I understand that is add some complexity to building a frame having to use a formed head tube.) Plus, on a steel frame, who cares about a few more grams. If I want the lightest frame possible I would go with a carbon frame rather than steel. (My carbon gravel frame weighs only 950 grams – 1/2 your steel frame weight.)

I see the gravel market migrating towards 29er hardtail geometries and a crossover towards mtn hardtails rather than road bikes. I’ve ridden over 5K miles on my gravel bike, and discovered its limitation of not being able to descend fast enough on rough washboard riddled forest service roads. My next build is a TI 29er hardtail based frame that will let me quickly swap forks from rigid to suspension, and/or run mtn bars or gravel bars. I have many friends that have gone this route and they leave me in downhill dust riding their 29er hardtails. Going with the mtn geometry, they often use a rigid fork that can accommodate a wider front tire than gravel/road forks. They will run a 38 or 40 gravel tire on the back and a 2.0 on the front. The bigger front tire absorbs road shock a lot better than regular gravel tires. Their 29er based rides have no problem keeping up on asphalt when they use appropriate tires and air pressure.

Veselin Mandaric

3 years ago

@pinecycles if you want to save cost, buy my Columbus tubes and unicrown fork blades what I don’t know what to do with them and don’t want to throw them in the garbage.

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