Rondo has launched the RATT, the latest step in the Polish brand’s pursuit of the ultimate “All-Road” bike.
“The new RATT is a bike that does not need to hide in a duel with classic road bikes but can also compete with the best off-road. Fast, versatile, responsive and a top performer with much more comfort than on classic narrow tires. In short: the perfect partner for anyone who wants a sporty yet uninhibited riding experience on both tarmac and gravel. There’s a good reason why the RATT motto is “Go Anywhere Fast” – a bike that allows you to be fast no matter where,” boasts Rondo.
Low Trail’ – a question of offset: same speed, wider tires
Rondo engineers have made this possible by combining expertise in road and gravel bikes into one bike. The sophisticated geometry of the RATT carbon frame combined with the wide 650B tires keeps the overall diameter of the wheels small.
The larger contact area of the wider tires better withstands external forces, providing ‘exceptional’ traction and stability with reduced rolling resistance without a detrimental effect on the speed. A specially designed fork with extended offset results in less trail at the front wheel and a steeper head tube angle. This compensates for the sluggishness of the wider tires, explains Rondo.
The result is the ‘perfect’ mix of race-like high agility, a direct response and more riding comfort – narrower tires can also be used on the bike as an option, while switching to the LO position of Rondo’s own variable TwinTip axle decreases the offset making the trail longer, the head tube angle flatter and the bike more forgiving on uneven and off-road terrain. Also, changing between LO and HI position is possible in a few minutes, even mid-ride.
Passive suspension zones
The RATT’s specific frame design also provides added ride comfort. The strategic positioning of various carbon fiber structures has created passive suspension zones at the dropout, the lower part of the seat tube and the rear part of the top tube, while the rest of the frame retains the required stiffness. The frame is equipped with a mount for a front derailleur, making the bike compatible with 2x groupsets.
The RATT is available in two variants, the CF1 and CF2.
The CF1 comes equipped with a Shimano GRX RX800 groupset, Rondo X Hunt 650B wheels and Vittoria Terreno Zero 47mm tires, while the CF2 is fitted with a Shimano GRX RX400 groupset and Rondo Lit wheels.
Rondo
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