The Waheela C is Otso’s do-it-all gravel bike. The platform has seen a number of iterations through the years, adopting a carbon body in 2019 and including versatility with extra tire clearance and mounting factors.
Whereas the Waheela was actually no slouch between the tape, it wasn’t a devoted race bike. However now it’s, with Otso’s introduction of the Waheela R.
Modifications to the Otso Waheela R
Maybe probably the most vital change Otso made to the Waheela R is a geometry tweak. The objective with this gravel race bike was to create a body that was assured, secure, and comfy at excessive speeds. In addition they knew the Waheela R would wish to copy this efficiency on tough terrain.
In comparison with the Waheela C, the R is a contact longer and slacker. Key adjustments are a 1-degree slacker headtube angle and a attain enhance of greater than 20mm. Otso additionally steepened the seattube angle by 1.5° and considerably elevated the path, offering a extra upright place.
Regardless of the Waheela R rising a bit longer, Otso nonetheless needed the platform to stay agile. They did this by conserving the rear finish moderately brief. Gone is the 20mm of adjustability from the Tuning Chip dropouts seen on the Waheela C, changed with size-specific stays with UDH compatibility. Beginning on the XS body, the rear middle is 420mm, extending as much as 432mm on an XL.
Otso additionally needed to offer a special experience expertise when it comes to the carbon layup of the Waheela R. Given the wants and calls for of gravel racing, engineers pushed to stability stiffness and compliance.
Otso assessed compliance with respect to each entrance and facet hundreds on the fork. A extra compliant entrance finish helps take up chatter encountered in tough terrain, whereas added side-load compliance permits the bike to trace higher.
But, a stiff body is a fast and reactive body. A stiffer backside bracket and rearend assist improve energy switch, shifting the Waheela R ahead extra effectively.
Body options and design
Otso opted for a extra aero profile with the Waheela R, together with the usage of Kamm Tail shapes for each the body and the fork. Otso says that is generally discovered on sports activities vehicles and “has a long time of wind tunnel testing for confirmed aerodynamics.”
The brand new Waheela R additionally options three brake-routing choices. Basic routing has strains coming into on the high of the downtube, whereas semi-internal routing tucks the strains underneath the handlebars and enters the body on the headset high cap. Lastly, absolutely inner routing has the strains tucked into the bars and, because the identify suggests, is absolutely inner.
Otso additionally future-proofed the bike with UDH dropouts. And, in step with trendy tendencies, they added inner body storage and clearance for as much as 50mm tires. The Waheela R additionally has a number of mounting factors, together with three bottle cage mounts, a number of high tube mounts, and fender mounts.
Waheela R builds
Otso presents 5 construct choices for the Waheela R, together with a frame-only choice. Costs vary from simply over $4,000 to $5,450, with the frame-only choice retailing for $2,950. However Otso permits for some customization and upgrades with these choices, which may add to the worth.
The 5 builds are:
SRAM Pressure XPLR AXS 1×13 ($5,450)
Shimano GRX 800 Di2 1×12 ($5,250)
SRAM Rival XPLR AXS 1×13 ($4,850)
Shimano GRX 600 ($4,250)
SRAM Apex Mechanical ($4,050)
Otso presents the brand new Waheela R in three colorways and 5 sizes, becoming riders 4’10” to six’6”.
otsocycles.com
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