For those riders seeking a value gravel bike that doesn’t look or feel cheap, Rondo’s Ruut has been a viable choice since its debut in 2017. The Polish brand’s aluminium gravel bike is now in its third generation, with the latest Ruut AL featuring several design upgrades.​

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Rondo Ruut AL, by Rondo

Asymmetric chainstays create a lot more space and the Ruut AL has a dropped drive side chainstay and redesigned bottom bracket, allowing for very generous tyre clearance. Gravel bikers who value the benefits of high-volume tyres will be pleased that 700 x 47c rubber will clear the new Ruut AL’s rear triangle. The standard build options from Rondo are optimised for low-rolling resistance and rotational weight, with 700 x 40c tyres. 

For gravel riders who value their independence when journeying on adventurous routes, Rondo has enhanced the Ruut AL’s ability to carry tools. Another benefit of Ruut’s redesigned bottom bracket is an integrated toolbox, with a robust flip-door cover, which stores a multitool, chain breaker and links in the lower third of the bottom bracket. 

Rondo Ruut AL, by Rondo

Cable routing and management has become a contentious issue in off-road cycling, and Rondo’s delivered the cleanest possible look for its new Ruut AL, with fully integrated cable routing. The headset cable routing is fed into channels that route below the bottom bracket, while there is internal routing for technically confident riders who wish to run a dropper seatpost. 

Handlebars widths are size dependent, with 400mm on the extra-small bikes, 420 on a small, 4400mm for the medium and large Ruut ALs, and 460mm on the extra-large frames.  

An interesting feature of Rondo’s gravel bikes is the TwinTip fork, which allows for some geometry adjustment. The TwinTip system enables fork offset to be altered, by adjusting a flip-chip in the front axle mount, steepening the Ruut’s head angle slightly. In its ‘Lo’ setting, the Ruut’s TwinTip fork is set at a 45mm offset, corresponding to a 70.5-71-degree head angle, depending on frame size.  

Rondo Ruut AL, by Rondo

The third-gen Ruut AL is available in three build kits and five frame sizes. The premium Ruut AL0 prices at £2,599.99, featuring a Shimano GRX 600 groupset, Microshift 11-42T cassette and Vittoria Terreno Dry tyres. 

For riders with a slightly more modest budget, the AL1 is priced at £2,199.99, with SRAM’s Apex 1 drivetrain and Pirelli ADV tyres. Suppose you require a broader range of gears? In that case, Rondo offers the Ruut AL1 2x, with its 2x Shimano GRX 400 drivetrain and Shimano 11-36T cassette, at £2,149.99, an ideal option for adventure riding seeking an aluminium bike for multi-day gravel bike rides. 

• rondo.cc

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