Moots Routt 45 Gravel Bike Frame

Moots Routt 45 - freshly updated model of their gravel bike

Considering the mad geniuses at Moots are located in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, it’s no surprise that they keep coming up with new ways to create bikes that can make the most of their epic surrounding gravel routes. Their updates to the Moots Routt 45 clearly indicate that they love to ride their bikes as well as have their ears to the rails in terms of what tweaks will most satisfy their devotees.

For one thing, the whole gravel sector in bikes has been exploding, not only in popularity but also in terms of materials available. So that means that in the years since the Routt 45 was first introduced, component brands like SRAM and Shimano have been developing gravel wide-specific groupsets. Don’t think that a gravel-specific groupset is simply a way to ply more cash away from your bank account; they aren’t just expanding gear ratios. These are groupsets that actually move the chain ring or double chain ring out and simultaneously add 2.5mm to each side of the crank. That completely changes the measurements a frame builder can use when designing the frame. And what Moots designers have done is moved out the chainstays which allow for greater tire clearance without having to make the chainstays longer or resort to a dropped stay.

Keep in mind, that means that the updated Routt 45 can only fit a gravel wide specific groupset, which currently only Shimano and SRAM offer. So if you had hoped to build it up with Campy you are SOL, at least until that august Italian brand catches up with the cool kids in gravel design. The tradeoff is minimal considering the Routt 45 can now fit up to 50mm tire widths while making the chainstays 43.7cm long, enhancing the responsiveness. And when Moots says up to 50mm tires, that still means there will be loads of tire clearance; living in Steamboat, these folks know what mud means, especially after a heavy snow season starts to melt. To stick with that clearance up front as well, Moots are using their carbon gravel/cx fork. It has been designed in house specifically for the Routt gravel family to be lightweight and to offer 50mm tire clearance. With a tapered steerer tube and hidden fender eyelets, this is a stiff, durable and practical fork.

New tweaks in the geometry of the Moots Routt 45

Recognizing that increasing the tire width will also enhance the overall capability of the Routt 45, Moots has gone in and tweaked the geometry in comparison to the previous version of the Routt 45. No surprise then that they have slackened the head angle and lengthened the top tube so that the longer front-center can increase stability at speed. They are also spec’ing the bikes with shorter stems and wider dropbars, to make the most of the handling possibilities offered by gravel-specific accessories. And now that’s why it was so important to the designers to keep the chainstays shorter, so that they wouldn’t be compromising the responsive snappiness of the overall handling. They didn’t want this to be a mountain bike with dropbars; they want it to ride like a road bike when it’s on the road, and handle like a super capable knobby-tire bike when it’s racing over the rougher stuff.

Aside from these updates, the Routt 45 has the same amazing titanium technical qualities and features as the original Routt 45.

The Routt 45 does come in seven stock sizes, but custom frames are always an option. There are three mounts for water bottles since you will likely need to keep a big supply of water on hand for those adventure trips. You can also fit the frame with a Lauf Gravel Fork if you intend to take this really off road for really long stretches. The Moots Routt 45 can become your best friend and constant companion when discovering the joys of endurance and adventure cycling.

Also check Cinelli Gravel & CX Bikes.