OPEN U.P. Ekar 700c Bike

The OPEN U.P. is proving to be one of the most popular bikes on the market. The U.P. easily holds its own on any terrain you can possibly encounter and is now available in a more affordable package. Its frame essentially gives riders multiple bikes in one and can race and ride on road and off, and handle cyclocross in style. It feels comfortable at both low and high speeds and can sprint in a straight line just as effectively as it can whip around a tight corner. This is more than just a gravel bike, giving you endless ways to have fun and perform at your best.

This bike is designed to accept both 700c and 650b wheels, but this version is equipped with 700c HED Emporia GA Pro wheels. They are specialized for gravel performance, offering great value for the price. You can run up to a 40mm wide 700c tire, but 35mm Schwalbe G-one All-around Performance tires were chosen for the versatile nature of this build. This build also features a Campagnolo Ekar groupset. This offers 13-speeds and arguably the most versatile gravel groupset on the market. With a short wheelbase, short chainstay, lightweight frame, and unique setup, the OPEN U.P. has everything you need.

Even the geometry of the U.P. was meticulously designed for versatility. The seat-angle is 73-degrees which results in a lighter system because you can use a zero-setback seatpost. The seatpost also helps strengthen the frame. To ensure the proper length, there’s a pilot hole in the seat tube. The shaping of the seat tube is almost square at the bottom, and it tapers to a round 27.2mm size at the top. This is better for a light, compliant, round post. The post is at the top of the seat stays, which themselves are super-thin and flattened for vertical flex and torsional stiffness.

Performance is just as important as comfort when it comes to the OPEN U.P. The downtube has been designed for torsional stiffness. It features high-modulus carbon on the sides, and lower-modulus in the middle. Likewise, the top and down tubes are as widely-spaced as possible to improve torsional strength for the fork. This is why the top of the headset is flush with the top tube. Internally, The U.P. runs a tapered 1 1/8” to 1 1/2” steerer, also for rigidity. This lightweight and stiff frame allows it to keep up with traditional road bikes in fast conditions. The OPEN U.P. is truly an all-around force.