Keywords: 27.5,29er,big bike rides,bike of the month,tire clearance

BOTM:WI.DE.N YOUR HORIZON - part 2

Andy Kessler - 12-Jun-2019
The WI.DE. launch has been phenomenal so far and a trip like the one we did together with DT Swiss and some selected journalist are highlights for me. After two year of hard work others have a chance to comment on what we have created. I mean, yes we like what we do but who say's that other people think the same?

It is always a good sign if nobody wants to give back the demos and is very disappointed if he/she has to do so.

So far, we still have only a couple of frames/bikes in our hands. This is hopefully gonna change soon. Hopefully? Today I had another small setback. It is something so stupid you don't know if you should cry or laugh:

So we spend a couple of 100'000$ in moulds and engineering and we spend almost 2 years of our time. We have thought 2-3 times before that we are at the finish line but this time we were sure. But guess what: now we are missing a stupid 5 cent cable insert screw that should delay another 3 weeks?!! I know that there are 3000 laying around somewhere. We will fix this one also and by end of this month we should have good stock in all our warehouses. It will only cost me another half year of my life but I make it happen, promised.

If I look at the beauty shots (ok they are not so beauty this time as the bike is dirty) I forget about the frustration of today even more that Magnus from roadbikeparty send me a preview link for a video he made during that trip. I will share the video link in the next and final blog together with the detail specifications...

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Bicycling Bonanza

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BOTM:WI.DE.N YOUR HORIZON - Part 3

BOTM: WI.DE.N YOUR HORIZON - Part 1

The future is WI.DE. OPEN!

Just when we thought everything was solved

Developing new models

Developing new models

After the show is before the show

Comments & Questions

OPEN
Hi,
I have just ordered a WI.DE in size S. It is not delivered yet (my LBS told me however that some M and L frame have been delivered)
Not sure I fully understand the situation for me however....
How will I get this "missing" screw? Or will my frame be delivered with this screw?
Post #1 of 19. Posted by Antoine on 12-Jun-2019 14:13:57 GMT in reply to blog [0<--19600]
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OPEN
Hi Antoine, nothing to worry about it will be all complete including that screw.
Post #10 of 19. Posted by Andy Kessler on 17-Jun-2019 03:47:05 GMT in reply to post #1 [19600<--19613]
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OPEN
Hi,

since you started to share info about the WI.DE i am still wondering why you built it -;)

I write this as a fully satisfied owner of a New UP, that i bought some months ago, which made me revive my love for cycling. I absolutely love this bike and usage is quite versatile with an Enve 3.4 Disc for road, a DT Swiss CRC 1400 for gravel/bikepacking and a DT Swiss XMC 1200 for MTB'ish stuff. Thank you for that, guys!

So ... why should i buy a WI.DE? Do you think the possibility to mount even bigger MTB tires like 2.4's is that important for this genre? My thoughts towards this topic would be, that if i want/need 2.4's, than i would propably choose a proper MTB. Would you mind explaining your thoughts a little bit? Who is the market for this new product?

Besides ... i do understand, that one might purchase bikes that seem quite similar ... so did i, when i bought an 3T Exploro Force, which thrills me as a fast road bike even more than for gravel, although it is a quite heavy piggy -;)) It is 7.5 kg for the UP, but 9+ kg for the Exploro ... both frames XL with some lighter/better parts at the UP.

Would like to hear your thoughts.

Best regards
Tom
Post #2 of 19. Posted by Tom on 12-Jun-2019 18:35:46 GMT in reply to blog [0<--19604]
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OPEN
The only limitation of the new U.P. was for me (and all people living in the PNW who bike all year long) that you could only use clip-on fenders.
The WI.DE allows me to have an Open with "real" fenders and gravel tires.

BTW the argument of choosing a proper MTB if you want to use 2.4" also apply to choosing a proper road bike if you want to use 25-28mm road tires....Just saying.....;-)
Post #3 of 19. Posted by Antoine on 12-Jun-2019 22:44:55 GMT in reply to post #2 [19604<--19605]
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OPEN
I obviously missed the fender details ... where is it?

Regarding the comparison proper roadbike vs. UP in road mode with Enve 3.4 disc wheels and Conti GP 5000 TL in 25mm ... the UP is quite competitive in my book tipping the scale at 7.3 kg -;)
Post #5 of 19. Posted by Tom on 13-Jun-2019 11:32:18 GMT in reply to post #3 [19605<--19608]
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OPEN
Gerard mentioned that they will develop a De-Fender mudguard system for the WI.DE.
Post #6 of 19. Posted by Antoine on 13-Jun-2019 14:05:23 GMT in reply to post #5 [19608<--19609]
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OPEN
You made some good points. I have an UP with two wheel sets, 2.1 tires and 40 mm more recently. Where I see the advantage of a bike like the Wide is when you are descending on ruff fireroads. When I use my 40s I’m always happy I chose them on the way up the climb, but on the way down it beats you up and I wish I had the 2.1s. Also the larger tires give you more grip on steeper loser pitches. Why not get a mtn bike? For me, I love the feeling of riding an agile drop bar bike on ruff terrain. Probably for what I like to ride, which is primarily dirt the Wide would be better. If I had to chose right now I would probably go for a Wide...but I probably need to be prudent and stick with my UP. PS I find demoing bikes tells you much more than ‘OCDing’ on reviews online.
Post #4 of 19. Posted by Nathan on 13-Jun-2019 01:51:17 GMT in reply to post #2 [19604<--19606]
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OPEN
Well, the target customer is not necessarily those who are perfectly happy with their UPs of course. But there is a noticeable difference between riding 2.1" or 2.4" when you get to the really rough or slippery stuff. And for those who don't plan to ride with 28-30mm road tires, that means the WIDE offers something extra without taking away anything. If that is not you, then the WIDE is not for you. If it is, it is.
Post #7 of 19. Posted by Gerard Vroomen on 15-Jun-2019 12:34:22 GMT in reply to post #2 [19604<--19610]
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OPEN
"WIDE offers something extra without taking away anything". It does take the double chainrings away :)
Would love to hear a little more about the front end handling of WIDE with 2'4" tires. My personal experience is that with wider tires the handling becomes more sluggish and slower compared to narrower tires. Have you made any other changes to the fork/offset with 2'4" tires in mind? Thank you.
Post #8 of 19. Posted by Niraj Shrestha on 16-Jun-2019 08:31:48 GMT in reply to post #7 [19610<--19611]
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OPEN
Well, there are two different aspects. A bigger tire has more rubber touching the ground, and that all needs to be deformed in some way as you turn. The other is the geometry of the bike. So when you aim for bigger tires, you can "correct" for the first point by adjusting the second. Not completely of course, but as I think you will see from comments and reviews, people seem to think we've done a good job of it with the UP. The WIDE follows the same principles, but adjusted for the different tire size range.
Post #9 of 19. Posted by Gerard Vroomen on 16-Jun-2019 10:04:53 GMT in reply to post #8 [19611<--19612]
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OPEN
Hi Tom, thanks for sharing your feedback. I have been riding a lot of different wheels and tire sizes lately. First of all I think tire sizes depend a lot on what you want to do with a bike, where you ride and what the terrain is you are riding in. As mentioned the WI.DE. will not replace the U.P. thats why we keep this model also in the line. But we had a lot of people that wanted to ride 2.25 tires especially in places where you have muddy conditions also in summer and winter. Also the you have the nordic countries that want to ride spikes and thats almost a must to have more clearance. A lot of times people are afraid to go to wider tires as they think thats automatically more rolling resistance but that depends more on tire pattern and tire pressure. And last but not least the position on a gravel/road bike compared to a MTB is really different so if you are on gravel/dirt/road you are probably 3 to 4 km/h faster just because of your position. So to make a long story short. It depends a lot where you ride, what you ride and where you want to make a certain compromise. I always say you need to find something that right for 90% off your ride and then have a comprise in the rest of the 10....
Post #11 of 19. Posted by Andy Kessler on 17-Jun-2019 04:03:14 GMT in reply to post #2 [19604<--19614]
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OPEN
Thanks Andy and Gerard for your thoughts.

So the WI.DE is not for me ... especially since there is no chance for 2x gearing -;) I have 1x on the Exploro and 2x on the UP and i like the 2x much more.

Can you provide some info concerning the fender solution? Will it be exclusively for the WI.DE?

Wish you guys all the best and maximum success with the WI.DE!

Best regards
Tom
Post #12 of 19. Posted by Tom on 20-Jun-2019 11:18:27 GMT in reply to post #11 [19614<--19619]
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OPEN
I am going through similar thinking. Do I build a super fast road bike and add a set of wheels for gravel. Then I should get the UPPER. Alternatively I build a true gravel bike then I go with the WIDE and get a set of 2.4. My current thinking is that I have a super fast MTB with 2.4 types so I should go for the UPPER and buy a set of 2.1 for smoother gravel which is what I will be riding in the Western Cape. Decisions Decisions
Post #13 of 19. Posted by Miles Hern on 20-Jun-2019 11:40:01 GMT in reply to blog [0<--19620]
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OPEN
Well ... my thinking is and was, that if i cycle places where i need 2.4 mtb tires, then i am on a mtb tour. In that case i would like to have a flat bar with my brake levers right to my fingers for instant and safe braking ... and i would also like a mtb position on the bike, maybe combined with a variable seat post.

Thats why i own a Yeti SB 4.5.

For all other purposes i use the New UP.
Post #14 of 19. Posted by Tom on 23-Jun-2019 12:48:33 GMT in reply to post #13 [19620<--19624]
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OPEN
Well ... my thinking is and was, that if i cycle places where i need 2.4 mtb tires, then i am on a mtb tour. In that case i would like to have a flat bar with my brake levers right to my fingers for instant and safe braking ... and i would also like a mtb position on the bike, maybe combined with a variable seat post.

Thats why i own a Yeti SB 4.5.

For all other purposes i use the New UP.
Post #15 of 19. Posted by Tom on 23-Jun-2019 12:48:33 GMT in reply to post #13 [19620<--19625]
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OPEN
Funny enough I also have a yeti sb 4.5
Post #16 of 19. Posted by Miles on 23-Jun-2019 12:59:59 GMT in reply to post #15 [19625<--19626]
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OPEN
By the way what wheels do you run
Post #17 of 19. Posted by Miles on 23-Jun-2019 15:06:16 GMT in reply to post #15 [19625<--19627]
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OPEN
For the Yeti i use DT Swiss XMC 1200 Spline wheels.
Post #19 of 19. Posted by Tom on 25-Jun-2019 13:25:23 GMT in reply to post #17 [19627<--19635]
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OPEN
Hi Miles, I have changed now to a SB 100. I unfortunately have no time for longer trips so I wanted to have a fully that I can use around here and I use local Swiss Ceetec wheels
Post #18 of 19. Posted by Andy Kessler on 25-Jun-2019 07:37:33 GMT in reply to blog [0<--19634]
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