Moots Vamoots 33 Frameset

The Moots Vamoots 33 Frameset takes its name from Routt County Road 33 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado — a stretch of pavement where smooth tarmac gives way without warning to chip seal and gravel. For Moots, that road is a daily reality, not a marketing concept. The Vamoots 33 is the frame that grew out of riding it: a titanium road bike built for riders who want one frame capable of handling whatever the road becomes, without giving up the performance character of a proper road bike in the process.

Moots has been building titanium bikes by hand in Steamboat Springs since 1981, and the Vamoots 33 reflects the depth of that experience. Titanium's natural compliance absorbs the road vibration and surface chatter that stiffer materials transmit directly to the rider. Over a long day on variable pavement — smooth asphalt giving way to rough chip seal, a dirt section, back to road — that difference accumulates. At the end of a hard ride, the Vamoots 33 doesn't punish you for the ground it covered. That's not a vague quality-of-life claim; it's a material property of titanium that carbon and aluminum don't replicate at equivalent stiffness levels.

The Vamoots 33 sits in Moots' lineup as their all-road road frame — wider tire clearance than the Vamoots RSL, endurance-biased geometry, and fender compatibility that makes it useful year-round. But the frame doesn't sacrifice road performance to gain that versatility. The 420mm chainstay length is compact for a titanium frame, the geometry handles confidently on fast roads and in groups, and the ride character is lively rather than slack. The 38mm tire clearance creates real capability on mixed surfaces without pushing the design into gravel territory.

US-Sourced Titanium, Tuned by Size

The frame is built from US-sourced 3/2.5 titanium — an alloy of titanium with 3% aluminum and 2.5% vanadium, the standard for performance cycling frames. What distinguishes the Vamoots 33 from many titanium framesets is the depth of Moots' tube-by-tube refinement: diameter and wall thickness are tuned to each frame size to preserve the ride feel the Vamoots is known for across the full size run from 48cm to 62cm. A smaller frame isn't just a scaled-down larger frame. The tube spec changes with the size, so the ride character stays consistent whether you're on a 48 or a 62.

Moots uses straight-gauge tubing on the Vamoots 33, which maintains the liveliness and immediate feedback that defines the Moots road ride. Titanium at this wall thickness gives you a frame that's responsive under power and composed on rough roads — stiff enough to transfer energy cleanly, compliant enough to filter the high-frequency vibration that fatigues riders over long distances.

Moots RCS Carbon Fork

The frameset includes the Moots RCS carbon all-road fork, developed to complement the titanium frame. The carbon front end adds further compliance to the front of the bike — smoothing out surface chatter through the handlebar — while keeping weight appropriate for a road-focused build. The fork handles up to 38mm tires, matching the frame's tire clearance ceiling, and uses flat-mount disc brake compatibility throughout.

3D-Printed Titanium Brake Mounts and Machined Dropouts

The flat-mount disc brake mounts on the Vamoots 33 are 3D-printed in titanium. Moots uses this process specifically because it allows tighter geometric tolerances than welded or machined mounts, producing more precise alignment between the brake caliper, rotor, and axle. Disc brake alignment issues — the cause of most rubbing, noise, and pad wear problems — trace back to manufacturing tolerance stacking in the mount geometry. The 3D-printed mounts eliminate that variable. The rear dropouts are machined in-house, holding consistent tolerances for thru-axle fit and lateral stiffness at the rear triangle. The rear spacing is 142x12mm thru-axle.

English Threaded Bottom Bracket and Chris King Components

The Vamoots 33 uses a 68mm English threaded bottom bracket shell — a deliberate choice over pressfit standards. BSA threaded shells are more tolerant of thread wear over time, far less prone to the creaking that pressfit cups develop as bearing housings flex with age, and straightforward to service. The frameset includes a Chris King TF30 threaded bottom bracket and a Chris King Inset 8 headset. Both bring precision bearing quality to the build foundation and will outlast multiple component upgrades. Chris King accent color is customer-selected at the time of order.

38mm Tire Clearance and All-Road Versatility

The Vamoots 33 accepts tires up to 38mm in width — enough to run 28mm road tires with room to spare, 32mm all-road tires for mixed-surface days, or push to 38mm for genuinely rough terrain. The frame has fender eyelet mounts, making it a capable year-round road bike for riders who commute, do randonneuring, or simply ride through winter. Two water bottle cage mounts are positioned on the down tube and seat tube. The frame is also compatible with front derailleur mounts via a 34.9mm clamp.

Final Take

The Moots Vamoots 33 Frameset is for the rider who wants a titanium road frame built to last longer than any component mounted to it. Titanium doesn't degrade from UV exposure, doesn't corrode, and doesn't fatigue the way aluminum does over a high mileage life. Moots' handbuilt construction in Steamboat Springs and the longevity of the material mean this is a frameset you build once and ride for decades. Available in nine sizes from 48cm to 62cm. Frameset pricing starts at $5,999 for the base brushed finish, with anodized and premium paint finish options available at additional cost.