Heading into this weekend’s MADE show, Mosaic Cycles is showing off an R&D concept project road bike called the RT-Zero Halo that hints at the direction forward for the Boulder, CO-based bike builder. Mosaic describes the bike as a “design experiment with lasting innovations” showcasing a mix of traditional drawn and CNC-machined titanium mixed with carbon tubing to create the ultimate high-performance ride. Not 3D-printed ti here.
And yes, it is available to pre-order now for the totally real price of $20-24,000 complete or as little as $11,000 for a frame kit.
Mosaic RT-Zero concept road bike that you can buy
So, let’s get this out of the way. That price is wild.
Mosaic justifies it by explaining that this is what buying an in-process R&D Concept bike costs – where performance was the only concern, and commercialization hasn’t even been factored into the equation yet. They have lofty goals and are refining the details for the first time, so it definitely does not benefit from the efficiencies of scale you get from an established bike out of the typical Mosaic line.
“With the RT-Zero, we wanted to experiment with new ideas and new product designs that could eventually lead to improved performance characteristics in our existing product line. So, this Zero Ops project, as we’re calling it, is a great way to bring new ideas to one of our existing frame models, the RT-1, while at the same time pushing our own design boundaries without having to immediately focus on the commercial viability of the product.”
– Aaron Barcheck, Mosaic Cycles Founder and Lead Designer
What makes it special?
Beyond the astronomical pricetag, what stands out is a refined and well-integrated combination of titanium and carbon construction featuring an integrated seatmast.
That custom D-shaped carbon seatmast & head is a core element of the RT-Zero, giving Mosaic the ability to finely tune the ride character of the bike – balancing performance stiffness and all-day rider comfort. And it apparently also helped shed weight. But crafting custom-shaped carbon tubes and mating them into a titanium frame doesn’t come cheap or easy.
Mosaic specifically chose not to use 3D-printed titanium, instead sticking with CNC-machined ti TIG-welded to ti tubing, so they could maintain full in-house quality control. The extensive ti machining extends beyond that D-shaped seat cluster to some tidy, hollowed-out thru-axle dropouts. Specifically, the one-piece non-driveside element includes the disc brake flat mount, while the driveside brings UDH compatibility.
Proving ground for future tech
Mosaic explains that while the RT-Zero is a concept bike that you can buy, it’s also an R&D project showing tech they plan to adopt down the road on other bikes. For example, the sleek oversized headtube with integrated IS52/IS52 headset bearings is a preview of the fully integrated internal cable routing they plan to roll out on the standard RT-1 road bikes next year.
Key Tech Details
- mostly titanium frame TIG-welded in Colorado from in-house CNC-machined and “ultra-butted” thin double-butted ti tubing
- features titanium Plug and Collar lap joints to connect lightweight tubes and machined elements before welding
- bonded in D-shaped carbon seattube and seatmast made by Mosaic, topped with a proprietary carbon Mosaic seatpost head with ENVE twin-bolt saddle rail clamp
- fully integrated internal cable routing through the 1.5″ headset
- threaded T47, 68mm bottom bracket
- customizable finish options available featuring minimalist paint application & anodizing to highlight the natural titanium and raw carbon construction
Mosaic RT-Zero – Pricing, options & availability
The fully designed-in-house and US-made Mosaic RT-Zero project road bike opens for pre-orders tomorrow at the MADE handmade bike show in Portland. But you’ll also be able to get one directly through your local Mosaic premier partner shop, too.
RT-Zero frame kit pricing starts at $11,000, which will include the custom-made ti & carbon frame, carbon Mosaic fork, carbon Mosaic seatmast topper, plus a one-piece carbon ENVE bar+stem cockpit. Complete bike builds will be available starting at a cool $20,000 and will top out around $24,000, depending on your parts spec.
Pre-orders will be taken until the middle of October, with these bikes then expected to arrive in buyers’ hands in early 2026. Officially, Mosaic describes the RT-Zero as a limited edition bike from their new Zero Ops division, planning to make at most 25 bikes, so you if you seriously want one, you should probably make that big financial decision quickly.
