If You're Wondering Why Some Bicycles Cost More Than Your Car, Moots' Routt CRD Tells All

Folks, for 42 years, since 1981, Moots has been tampering with bicycle building materials, 30 years of which have been focused on a single building block, titanium. It's with this precious metal that Moots has made a name for itself in the cycling world, and these days pride themselves on stating that they build "The Best Titanium Bikes on the Planet."

Honestly, I've been covering bikes for three to four years now, and I've yet to lay eyes on a finer titanium machine than those to come out from under the Moots umbrella. Did I mention that titanium bicycles are also known for outliving their riders? If taken care of with love, of course.

All this titanium know-how brings us to the bike in question today, the Routt CRD (Complete Race Design). Now, before I go on, be warned; this two-wheeler is a machine built to help you bring home gold medals, helping pay for its $12,000 (€11,000 at current exchange rates) price tag for the cheapest of three complete builds. The most expensive of the three cruises is at a price of $15,550 (€14,200. That's more than the value of some people's cars, mine included.

Overall, the Routt is a bike designed to handle gravel roads, but there's a whole lot more than meets the eye. For example, show me one dang wire. Come on, just one. Ah, I see you found those little pieces of cable at the rear and front brake, and that's because everything is routed internally, creating a smooth machine with nothing to get snagged up on.

More on the frame, it's all built around a T47 BB (Bottom Bracket) and 40-42c tires. However, up to 45 mm cross-section rubbers can be thrown on, helping bring a bit more surface area and softness to your ride. As for the tubing, it's all crafted with Moots RSL principles in mind, resulting in the lightest tube set they have available for folks like you and me. Even the dropouts are 3D printed to help keep weight to a minimum. Be sure to take a close look at the seat and chain stays, those clean and crisp welds, and that proprietary gravel fork Moots throws on.

As I explored the rest of this beauty, Moots's idea that this is a bike aimed exclusively at gravel cycling became more and more apparent. Why? Well, two of the three complete builds are equipped with nothing more than SRAM's Xplr groupset. If you've been keeping up with the industry, this is SRAM's lineup of gravel-specific gear, with wireless shifting at the center. Just so we're on the same page, just the Red Xplr rear derailleur alone is selling for around $900.

As for the rest of this bugger, it's mainly decked out with gear Moots has been developing through the years. The stem, headset, handlebar, and several others are all from Moots. WTB saddles make their way into the mix too, and so do the Chris King name and Panaracer.

Now, I understand that it's going to be very difficult to figure out if this is the gravel monster for you from where you're sitting. So, to get a clearer picture, allow me to throw some numbers at you. Depending on the frame size, head tube angles range from 71 degrees to 72.25 degrees. Seat tube angles come in in the opposite order, with 75 degrees on the smaller frames and 72.25 on the larger frames. Chain stay lengths are sitting at 43 cm (16.9 in) and reach ranges from 362 mm (14.2 in) to 405 mm (16 in). I recommend heading up to Colorado and trying these sizes on before you commit to dropping over $11K on the bike of your gravel-filled dreams.

What about hitting some other types of terrain on this beast or taking it bike-packing? Well, like any hardtail bike, it can handle road surfaces without issues, assuming you throw on some appropriate tires. As for bike-packing, there are three water bottle cage mounts on the Routt's frame, so you could bring along some cargo bags and all, but then again, you wouldn't be taking full advantage of the Routt's abilities, pure naked speed!

I started this article by talking about gators and bicycles, and while there are no gators here, the Routt CRD is a beast in its own right. Just remember, it's not a bike designed for everyone; some people may want to own a different bike over the course of their lives, but then again, customers of Moots have regarded their cycling gator as being the best purchase of their lives.

As a curiosity, I invite you to leave the Kelly BB value of your current car in the comments to compare against the peak $15K+ Routt CRD build.