We’ve offered “Naked” frames at Rodeo for a long time, but naked has never really meant NAKED, because practically speaking carbon bikes are often not precise enough to show in their naked state. There are almost always small aberrations and flaws in a frame once it leaves the mold, Those are mostly covered with putty and then paint. Some sections of the weave or layup come out smooth and those may be clear coated, but very few bike companies will offer their frame in its visually naked state because clear coat doesn’t only show the beauty of carbon fiber, it also shows the abnormalities.
Continue readingTD4 production / delivery update
Its been five months since we announced Traildonkey 4.0 (TD4) at Philly Bike Expo. The response that the bike received and continues to receive from our community and customers has been thrilling to all of us here in Denver who have been at the genesis of its creation.
Continue readingBike Gear Database: Switch Up Donkey
Bike Gear Database took notice of the Switch Up 2.0 TD4 build that we completed recently and sent us over a bunch of questions about the bike. The Switch Up concept uses clever, easy-to-use hydraulic couplers which allow for swapping flat bar to drop bars in about ten minutes or less. The couplers also allow for traveling with TD4 builds that use the fully integrated / internal routing option that the platform supports. If not for the couplers it would not be possible to adequately take apart and pack an integrated routing bicycle which is something that ALL integrated bikes on the market today potentially suffer from. We are happy to report that we’ve solved the problem and the results speak for themselves! Check the article for details.
Continue readingBikepacking.com // TD4 and the industry conspiracy
Bikepacking.com kindly invited our senior intern to share some thoughts on our new TD4, it’s history, and how we came to be where we are with the bike’s evolution. Stephen took the opportunity to have a wink at the way the bike industry develops bikes, and the skepticism often seen from consumers when a new bike debuts. If you’re interested in hearing where Rodeo and our bikes come from, have a hop over to bikepacking.com for the full read.
Continue readingIntegrated Routing: Yes, No, and why?
Integrated bars, stems, and headsets are all the rage in the cycling industry right now because they allow companies to design sleeker, prettier bikes, and many people love riding sleeker, prettier bikes. Our new Traildonkey 4.0 platform is fully compatible with integration if you chose to go that route. But should you build your TD4 (or Flaanimal) with an integrated cockpit? That is a decision to weigh carefully before you take the plunge.
But first, let’s make sure everyone is on the same page with terms.
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