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Open Cycle Classic U.P. Gravel Plus frameset

Open Cycle Classic U.P. Gravel Plus frameset
  • Color: Orange
  • Color: Orange
  • Color: Brown
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Details

U.P. (Unbeaten Path) a performance-oriented cross/road geometry & parts with clearance for mountain bike tires. So you can ride anywhere, and ride fast.

Get out of town on asphalt, hit the gravel roads or switch to singletrack. The geometry gets you there fast; the big tires make you unstoppable.

3T Luteus II fork for post-mount disc brakes

Specifications:
Frame: OPEN U.P.
Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL
Frame-only weight (±3%): 1100g (size M)
Fork: 3T Luteus II with 15mm thru-axle
Colour: Orange, Brown,
BB std: BB386EVO
Crank Fit: Standard road crank fits, with the exception of most Campagnolo cranks due to our oversized BB area for added stiffness. Always check crank clearance.
Chainring fit: NOTE: For single chainring set-ups, we recommend flat rings, not offset rings, for the best chainline. For "regular" oval rings, deduct 2 teeth from the below spec. For extreme oval rings, who knows.
Max inner ring: 36t
Max outer ring: 50t (more is overkill with the bigger tires)
Max single ring: 46t (offset rings like SRAM 1x)
Max single ring: 50t (flat rings, better cassette alignment)
Headset std: Integrated Tapered IS42/28.6 | IS52/40
Seatpost Ø: 27.2mm
Rear axle std: 142x12mm (X-12) thru axle (Syntace for U.P., Carbon-Ti for U.P.P.E.R.)
Brake std:
U.P. Front & rear: Post mount for 160mm rotors
Bag mount: 100mm front-post-to-bearing-bore-edge
Incl. in box: Frame, fork, headset, seattube collar, front & rear thru-axle, 2 rear derailleur hangers, 1 removable front derailleur mount, cover bolts for front derailleur mount posts, 3 MultiStops (2x, 1x, Di2), chainstay cable exit stop, BB guide, cable sleeves, noise-reduction foam sleeves, bottle cage bolts, manual
Frameset Price
(excl. sales tax)
U.P. $2,900 USD

Tire clearance

The U.P. fits mountain bike tires up to 2.1” wide. But you can also fit a 40mm cross tire, or a 28mm road tire, or anything else in-between (exact tire sizes depend on manufacturing tolerances and rim width, so this is a guideline. Always make sure you have 6mm clearance between tire and frame).

RadiusRimTire
341mm 700c/29er 28mm road
344mm 700c/29er 32mm cross
350mm 700c/29er 40mm cross
342mm 650b/27.5" 2.1" mtb

Crank clearance

Behind the bottom bracket, the chainrings, frame and tire all fight for space. And with the need to fit big mountain bike tires and narrow Q-factor cross/road cranks & chainrings, the U.P. presents the toughest possible packaging problem.

Dropping the right chainstay moves it out of this crowded area, allowing it to be wider and therefore stiffer (a huge effect; with the same amount of material, twice the width will give you eight times the stiffness

Wire-stays

The rear triangle has to provide lateral stiffness for an efficient drive train, but vertical compliance for better comfort. The U.P. features chainstays and seatstays that are extremely thin vertically to provide that compliance, while their lateral width and layup ensure rock-solid propulsion. Truly the best of both worlds.

Flat-out downtube

The downtube is the key for stiffness, connecting the steering center of your frame with the drivetrain. The flat-out downtube’s characteristically flat outside faces allow us to strategically place strips of ultra-high modulus carbon far away from the center plane. The stiffest carbon exactly where it matters, guaranteed!

Zero-setback seattube

With a minimalist 27.2mm diameter we maximize the flex in our seatpost & seattube. This is especially a big plus on rough terrain. The seattube angle is designed around the use of a straight, zero-setback seatpost rather than a regular seatpost with setback (we’ve never understood those). Zero-setback posts are lighter, saving you another 10-30 grams (every little bit helps and you can then put that saved weight into a 500g saddle like the Brooks!).

Fully-internal cables/hoses

External cables & hoses collect dirt, risk getting stuck behind objects (particularly expensive with electronic shifting) and frankly, they are ugly. So the U.P. runs them internally.

With our proven MultiStop design, you can customize the frame for 2x10/11, 1x10/11 and Di2 shifting. Just pick the right insert. In case you run a single chainring, you can also remove the front derailleur hanger to further clean up the frame.

ThruThread dropouts

Most thru-axle frames are heavier than quick-release frames. Extra carbon for the dropouts, heavy hangers, and the axle itself. But they are stiffer, So what do you want most? The answer for most people is “both”, and so we introduce the first frames that combine a thru-axle with a lower weight. How?

The ThruThread design uses the same threads that hold the thru-axle to lock the derailleur hanger into the frame. Simple, light, effective.

We didn’t just redesign the dropout, the entire seatstay and chainstay design is optimized with the added stiffness of the thru-axle in mind. For the thru-axle itself, we recommend the stiffest design available, the Syntace X-12, but you are free to use a different 12mm thru-axle if you want.

Toptube bag mount

For handy storage of your phone, camera, some tools or food, you can use the toptube bag mounts. It fits the standard toptube bags from for example Dark Speed Works and XLab as well as dedicated ruggedized bags from for example Revelate Designs.

SafePost™ Pilot hole

Seatposts usually indicate a minimum insertion dimension. That keeps the seatPOST safe, but it’s also important that the seatTUBE is supported properly. The minimum insertion for that is indicated by the SafePost Pilot hole.

Bottom bracket

The U.P. uses the 386 EVO bottom bracket standard. The wide (86mm) BB shell is perfect to attach the dropped drive-side chainstay to. Furthermore, it fits most of the cranks on the market, from Shimano and SRAM but also smaller brands like THM and Rotor. 386 EVO even allows for the installation of many mountain bike cranks. Not all versions of each crank fit though, so be sure to check with us.

¹ These suggested rider heights are approximations, there is no substitute for a complete fit analysis including several body dimensions or the measurements of the current set-up of your gravel/cross/road bike.
² Standover height is measured to the top of the toptube directly above the bottom bracket and depends slightly on the exact tire size used.

As you can see, the chainstays are quite short for a cross/gravel bike, despite the ability to fit the massive 54mm tires in. That's one of the benefits of the dropped drive-side chainstay.

Videos

U.P. on- and off-road intro

How does the OPEN U.P. GravelPlus bike hold up in one of Switzerland's toughest mountain bike races, the Grand Raid? Andy finds out.

Reviews