Let's be honest here. As much as we all like to make fun of the buzz words and all the marketing hype that keeps the cycling industry turning, there are some things that we cannot deny. Among those things is the fact that a purpose built bike for mixed terrain adventure is awesome, and as much as we might hate the term "gravel grinder," there's no denying our love for a bike that can do it all. With that said we are very excited to showcase our latest Mosaic build, and an exceptional one at that. What lies ahead is one of the most eye catching GT-1's you'll probably ever see. Built to take on the full array of roads, fire roads, and single track that cover the Marin coastline and look particularly amazing while doing it.
Mosaic is known for building some of the most beautiful steel and titanium bikes on the road and we have been lucky enough to build quite a few of them. While we've yet to build a Mosaic we didn't like, this is one that stands out amongst the rest. Our client worked closely with the design team at Mosaic. He came up with the original vision, while they worked to translate that into a 3-dimensional reality; and the results truly pushed the limits of what an unpainted titanium frame can be. A complex layout of geometric shapes and lines in alternating brushed and ghosted finishes seamlessly continue from tube to tube, all while perfectly matching the teal and yellow painted fork.
While the design work leaves us truly in awe, let's not forget that graphics and finish are the least of what make this bike amazing. At the core of it all, the bike still has the uncompromising titanium craftsmanship of all other Mosaics, and a truly refined ride quality that few other frame builders can match. This bike was built to go anywhere. The handling was designed to fall more on the side of a road bike than a CX bike, while still having ample clearance to run any tire you could want.
As for the drive train, we went with the workhorse Shimano Ultegra group with the RS685 disc brakes and levers. We love Di2 but there is a certain kind magic to Shimano's mechanical groups that is hard neglect. Buttery smooth shifts with no fear of dead batteries if you find yourself deep in the woods. The dark grey finish is a perfect match to the carbon wheels.
Holding things together up front is the Ritchey WCS C220 bar and stem. The Evo Curve bar shape is incredibly comfortable and new carbon WCS stem looks great.
For wheels, the decision was the Reynolds Assault disc. The mid profile performs great in all conditions while still handing crosswinds impressively. The tubeless rim bead is a must. Inner tubes are a thing of the past and have no place on a bike meant to be taken to the trails. The Hutchinson Mamba CX tires are a great all around tread that roll plenty fast down the road while still offering a nice side knob grip when the corners get loose. The fact that they seat up without the need for an air compressor makes them all the better.
Disc brakes are a pretty controversial topic these days. While we will be first to admit that they are not the best solution for every bike, it's safe to say that cantilevers are hardly a solution for any bike. In this case, the Shimano system performs phenomenally and just the ticket on a bike like this. One finger braking control no matter the weather or conditions of the dirt.
We have always been fans of Speedplay pedals on our road bikes though the old Frog dirt pedals were always lacking. It's been a long time coming, but their brand new Syzr MTB pedals are finally here. The first set we got in the shop found their way straight onto this bike.
If you happen to be thinking about getting a Mosaic of your own and have been on the fence between the integrated seat mast or traditional seat post, let us do you a favor and make the decision easy. Just get the seat mast. I mean look at it. It's beautiful and makes the bike look incredible. Unless you are routinely traveling and packing the bike, this is really the only way to go.
Our hats go off to all of our partners who helped make this this machine what it is. It was truly a pleasure to get this bike delivered and out on the road, and it is an perfect example of why we love working with the most talented frame builders in the world. We're happy to report that this bike has already seen an impressive number of miles and looks even better with a fresh coat of Marin County dirt. Thinking about a Mosaic all terrain rig of your own? Give us a call, it would be our pleasure to help you make it happen. Until then, we'll leave you with a dump of detail shots of one of a kind GT-1.
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