A pleasing shock: The Spot Rallye is greater than a mountain biker’s gravel bike

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Honesty is nice in bike critiques, proper? Nicely, I’ll be sincere: earlier than I rode it, I used to be barely skeptical of the Spot Rallye gravel bike.

Additionally being sincere: I am keen on my Spot Ryve mountain bike (it’s just about all I’m using for the time being), and I’ve put a whole lot of blissful and heavy bikepacking miles on my Spot Rocker hardtail. I’d love so as to add an extended journey Spot Mayhem to the quiver.

So, it was kinda for these causes that I didn’t suppose I’d love Spot’s foray into drop bars and skinn(ier) tires — the Golden, Colorado model is simply actually good at mountain bikes.

Associated: First look: Spot Rallye

I ought to have identified higher. Spot is basically good at no matter it does. That is largely as a result of exacting requirements of the model’s chief engineer, Andy Emanuel. Earlier than launching the Rallye in April, Emanuel devoted years to using and researching different gravel bikes as a way to develop one thing that may have the qualities he discovered necessary.

Though I erroneously assumed this could lead to a gravel bike that rode extra like a mountain bike, it seems that the actual purpose, in keeping with Emanuel, was to create a motorbike “that places riders able for good dealing with and steering, giving them confidence and functionality by way of the geometry.”

Over the previous few months of using the Rallye, I skilled simply that, and most significantly, in equal measure on grime roads, tarmac, singletrack, and all surfaces in between.

Using the Rallye

Working below my false pretenses, my first experience on the Rallye was on some native singletrack. Not techy, rocky singletrack, however swoopy clean trails that may simply be ridden on a drop-bar bike. It was tremendous enjoyable.

Nevertheless, the massive shock was how effectively the bike rode on the street to and from the path. It felt like … a quick gravel bike.

I are likely to favor gravel bikes with extra “race-oriented” geometry (for lack of a greater description) as a result of it’s enjoyable to go quick and really feel the bike reply to your enter. With the Rallye, Spot has gotten pretty near that finish of the spectrum with out going close to phrases like ‘aero’ or ‘aggressive.’

For comparability: (and these measurements consult with a dimension small body) the Rallye’s head tube angle is a decent 69.3 — a 66.67 diploma Chamois Hagar it’s not. It’s way more akin to the final bike I examined, the Ventum GS, which clocks in at 69.5 levels.

The seat tube angle is equally restrained, though not as steep because the Ventum’s (73.5 vs 72.5).

The Rallye has tremendous brief chainstays (415mm) which preserve it feeling snappy and tight. And, it’s actually mild. My dimension small 6-star construct weighs a scant 17.9 kilos sans pedals and with a inventory seat publish (mine had a dropper).

This all performs into the boldness and capability-inspiring geometry that Emanuel was referring to. Certain, the bike is succesful on trails, however there’s no compromise for additionally motoring up steep gravel climbs and ripping down street descents.

The opposite memorable experience I did on the Rallye was a mixture of simply that — an enormous multi-surface experience that anybody who’s ridden within the Roaring Fork Valley is perhaps acquainted with. The experience begins with an extended gravel grind up Prince Creek Highway, adopted by a sweeping tarmac descent on West Sopris Creek. Then, extra mixture of paved and grime roads all the best way to Lenado, a tiny mining city perched above the Woody Creek Canyon. From there, it’s a relentless singletrack climb to 4 Corners, the place the following section is a really steep and rutted jeep street descent.

The Rallye has a pleasant experience really feel on any terrain. It’s straightforward to pilot by way of technical singletrack sections, and on lengthy grime or paved street stretches, it cuts by way of the air like a knife by way of butter. Along with taking it on any yard journey, I might undoubtedly do a gravel race on this bike.

A few particulars to notice: one, each builds of the Rallye characteristic internally-routed cables, though lodging to this may be made upon request. Two, the bike options distinctive bottle cage mount placement. Whereas there are mounts for 3 bottles (in addition to mounts on the highest tube for a ‘bento field’ fashion bag) on the Rallye, they’re all on the downtube (two units on the highest aspect and one set on the underside). The dearth of mounts on the seat tube is to accommodate a dropper publish.

Emanuel mentioned that the mounts have been spaced to accommodate one 22oz and one 26oz bottle, however I struggled a bit to get the highest bottle out of the cage simply. Might need been my cages.

Rallye builds and spec

The Spot Rallye is obtainable in two full builds (a frameset is accessible for $3,299).

Emanuel mentioned that the identical thought and consideration that went into designing the Rallye’s body additionally went into finishing the bike.

“We’re actually happy with our spec,” he mentioned.

The 2 full bikes — known as 5-star and 6-star builds — are each outfitted with SRAM drivetrains (1x solely). The 5-star construct incorporates a SRAM Rival XPLR AXS drivetrain and Stan’s No Tubes Crest MK4 alloy wheels.

The 6-star construct shaves weight with the SRAM Crimson XPLR AXS drivetrain and Enve G23 carbon wheels.

Each bikes include Schwalbe G-One Chew Tremendous Floor 700 x 45c tires and an FSA bar/stem combo, aluminum for the 5-star and carbon for the 6-star.

For these riders who do need a extra mountain bikey gravel bike, the Rallye’s spot customized carbon fork could be changed with a suspension fork. The body can be dropper-post appropriate.

All variations of the Rallye — which is accessible in limestone gray or twilight purple — are at present on sale, and I can not overstate the worth for the value.

Proper now, a 5-star construct prices $4,999 and a 6-star construct is $6,999. Demo bikes can be found at Spot in Golden, Colorado, and I extremely suggest using one should you can. 

You’ll be greater than pleasantly stunned.