New bike brand FUSTLE has launched with its first ever bike. It's an aluminium framed gravel bike that's aimed at gravel riders who are after a bike with an MTB pedigree. Setting this brand apart from others, FUSTLE offers the GR1 with a customisable spec, allowing customers to fine tune the fit of the bike by choosing their own width of handlebar or length of stem.

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The frame is built with 6061 aluminium tubing with a full UD carbon fork and steerer. It has a longer top tube to be used with short stems and it's internally routed for all cables, including dropper post cables. Aiding dropper post compatibility, the seat tube has a 31.6mm diameter, widening your dropper post options.

The frame has clearance for 700x50mm or 650x2.1 tyres, it's your choice on which your runs. The geometry of the Causeway GR1 is clearly very mountain bike inspired, the bike gets a 425mm reach on an M/L with a 69 degree head angle. There are 430mm chainstays and a 73 degree seat tube angle.

The magic of FUSTLE is with the custom bike builder on the website. You start with a frame and fork but then add your choice of stem length and bar width, along with headsets, chainstay protection, and any extra goodies. This is also where you'll pick any upgrades.

Via the custom bike builder, customers can choose kit from brands such as Hunt, Shimano, Pro, Enve and DT Swiss. While the brand is continually working with different suppliers, there is an opportunity to get that one part you really crave that's unfortunately not on the bike builder if you get in touch.

It'll set you back £850 for a chassis kit to kick off a custom build. This gets you the frame, fork and basic components for you to start off with.

Complete bikes start at £2,000. That'll get you the same chassis kit but with a Shimano GRX drivetrain with a WTB Terra wheelset. You'll then get a choice of WTB saddles, WTB tyres, PRO Koryak stems and seat posts, and PRO Discover handlebars. If you like, you can upgrade any of those parts with kit from the brands previously stated.

The FUSTLE Causeway GR1 currently comes in three sizes, SM/MD, MD/LG and LG/XL. However, there are plans to add another smaller size, XS/SM, in September 2020.

The Causeway GR1 will also come in three colourways, Red, Blue and Green.

• www.ridefustle.com

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