Otso, the tiny Minneapolis-based bike brand from the guys behind , launched last year with just two models. And I love them both.
The , a stainless-steel adventure-oriented road bike, might look like a very different machine than the carbon-fiber Voytek鈥攁nd it is鈥攂ut it borrows some of that bike鈥檚 design cues to keep the brand DNA and push the innovation. Namely, the rear end gets the same Tuning Chip dropout, which lets you adjust the rear chainstays in three equal increments, from 420mm to 440mm. This change also slightly raises and lowers the bottom bracket, as well as slackens and steepens the head angle, which effectively makes it possible to toggle the Warakin between two, if not three, very different bikes.
I was skeptical of the claims, but after spending a few months riding the new bike, I鈥檓 convinced it鈥檚 more than just a marketing gimmick. I haven鈥檛 raced the Warakin yet, but in the short chainstay setting, it feels nimble and responsive enough to make me comfortable in a big pack of riders on the road. In this setting, it鈥檚 a fast-handling cyclocross machine. Mostly, though, I鈥檝e run it in the middle or longer setting, the latter being ideal for the punishing forest-road climbs outside Santa Fe. Between the squat frame geo, tall headtube, and flared handlebars, the bike is truly stable while bombing chattery washboard descents. The steel frame sponges up vibration as only steel can, and the carbon-fiber fork helps with the ride quality.
Otso chose stainless steel for its smooth ride qualities and sharp good looks. Few companies are building frames with the material, and the matte, bead-blasted logos are eye-catching enough that I鈥檝e had several strangers ask about the bike. (鈥淲hat the hell is an Otso?鈥) Personally, though, I might have preferred a natural black finish on the carbon fork instead of the attempt at the paint match, which is ever so slightly off.
Otso wisely went for full versatility on the Warakin, including braze-ons for three bottles, mounts for racks and fenders, and clearance for 50mm tires. Our tester is the stock build, including hardworking 105 components and fast-rolling 35mm . At 22.5 pounds (size 54) and $3,200, this bike a very good value, especially for such a versatile machine.
This time of year, when the roads are gritty with salt and gravel and I鈥檇 rather not bang up and sully my high-end carbon-fiber roadie, this workhorse is the perfect compromise. And honestly, the Warakin decked with lighter wheels and skinnier 28mm tires is adept enough that I鈥檓 tempted to make it my year-round ride. It鈥檚 hard to argue with such a multitalented road bike.