The Icelandic model that began off with a wacky leaf-spring fork has come a great distance, and the brand new Lauf Úthald street bike takes all the pieces they realized about making a fast-yet-stable gravel bike and brings it to the tarmac.
The purpose was to make a motorbike that didn’t simply really feel quick, however was, really, quick. Extra exactly, helped you trip sooner, not simply really feel prefer it was quick.
What’s the excellence? They are saying most street bikes are constructed for professional riders who, as a lot as we hate to say out loud, are very totally different than you and I. Their wants and desires are totally different. The razor-sharp dealing with professionals tolerate doesn’t work as nicely for many riders, and Lauf argues that the typically twitchy dealing with really makes you slower as a result of it’s not confidence inspiring. It “feels” quick, but it surely doesn’t make you quick.
In order that they determined to do one thing totally different, as they at all times do.
Lauf’s downside with street bikes
Bear with me, it is a lot of textual content…footage come later. Lauf’s high precedence was a motorbike that had ultra-stable dealing with. It nonetheless wanted to steer rapidly sufficient, however with out the nervous dealing with that comes from a steeper head angle. Trying on the present street bike market, they discovered three issues:
- Conventional street bikes’ head angles had been steep, with bigger body sizes getting even steeper.
- Fork path was quick, particularly in comparison with gravel and MTB.
- Nobody might actually clarify why this was the case.
What they discovered was that these “commonplace” geometries and designs had been executed seemingly as a result of that’s simply the way in which it had at all times been. The steeper angle and shorter path makes the bike steer rapidly, which makes it really feel like a fast bike. Nevertheless it didn’t really translate to real-world pace, particularly as you tried to go sooner.
“Why wouldn’t you make race bikes extra steady?” asks Lauf co-founder and chief designer Benedikt Skullason. “It descends higher, and there’s no draw back to all-around dealing with or efficiency. The one “draw back” (and people are deliberately sarcastic “air quotes”) can be the gradual pace parking zone steering take a look at.”
“I feel the explanation different manufacturers use such steep steering angles on their bikes is as a result of they need them to “really feel” quick by having fast, twitchy steering. That provides folks the notion that their bike is fast, however in actuality it’s making them slower as a result of they really feel much less assured on the descents.”
Certainly, Lauf says a steeper head angle makes a motorbike that takes extra focus to carry a line and preserve regular as you go sooner and sooner. In distinction, have a look at the slacker head angles of gravel bikes (and MTB), which create an extended path determine. The longer your fork’s path, the extra steady a motorbike is at pace.
The issue with typical street bikes’ steeper angles will get worse with bigger body sizes. Most manufacturers’ smaller sizes use slacker head angles to push the entrance wheel ahead to cut back toe overlap, however get steeper as sizes enhance. Which suggests taller riders with increased facilities of gravity get the least-stable bikes. With the Úthald, Lauf retains the top angle fixed throughout all body sizes.
Slacker head angle versus much less fork offset
Improved stability is generally in regards to the fork’s path. So, technically they might have saved a extra conventional head angle and given the fork much less offset (or rake) to attain the specified path. However that might have put the entrance wheel too near the cranks and created toe overlap points. And it might have created a shorter wheelbase, which might have harm general stability.
Why not go even slacker?
As a result of, and it’s marginal, as you enhance the wheelbase, the bike will get longer, so you’ve gotten extra whole turbulence and drag. Additionally, a too-long wheelbase would have too-slow dealing with.
Finally, they wished to create a motorbike that matches like a race bike, as a result of it’s meant to be a quick bike, however is steady and comfy like an endurance bike, besides even higher. The Úthald could have UCI certification, they usually hinted that there’s an excellent cause for that.
Lauf Úthald design philosophy
When the Seigla gravel bike debuted, it took a extra aggressive design tone than the unique True Grit. The Úthald sticks with that design language however provides road-specific shapes and particulars.
The entrance triangle has some aero nods (although it hasn’t been wind tunnel examined). The headtube is elongated, and the downtube dips barely behind the entrance wheel to observe its curve, then flares to ship air across the water bottles. That latter shaping is an enormous departure from their gravel bikes, and it provides some sophistication to the design.
The rear finish is formed for consolation, although the dropped seatstays are extra aerodynamic than in the event that they went all the way in which as much as the seat clamp junction.
However that dropped seatstay design is de facto there for consolation. By driving rear wheel affect forces into the center of the seat tube, that junction acts like a pivot level, letting the seat tube and 27.2 seatpost flex. And due to the seat tube’s offset and angle, it flexes extra downward, so it feels extra like suspension. It doesn’t flex as a lot because the Seigla, however sufficient to softly mute imperfections within the street and damp vibrations.
They declare it supplies ~4.5mm of “sag” beneath a 75kg (165lb) rider, and may flex as much as ~15mm whole. With the identical take a look at, it exhibits extra capability to sag than competitor’s bikes that add heavier pivot and different {hardware}. That’s about the identical compliance you get out of your tires, so it provides as much as a variety of consolation. Bonus factors for utilizing an ordinary seat clamp, too. Right here’s how that comparability appears to be like as percentages:
Up entrance, it has a standard inflexible fork, however will get a brand new Highway Smoothie carbon handlebar with 2.5mm of “sag” with a 40kg (88lb) load. Like their Smoothie gravel bar, which is superb, it makes use of impact-resistant S2 glass fibers within the central portion to permit some flex and higher vibration damping.
The Highway Smoothie handlebar (270g for 40cm) is formed in a different way, with rounded sections creating an ergonomic platform. For now, it solely is available in 38/40/42cm widths, which some might think about slim, however many manufacturers are working narrower bars now to spice up aerodynamic claims. Talking of…
Is it Aero?
Sure, mainly, however not for the explanations different manufacturers are spouting. They’re not utilizing stealth routing. The brake strains run internally, however enter on the downtube and fork crown, so there’s a tiny little bit of hose uncovered to the wind, however they will run a narrower higher headset and preserve the top tube slimmer than on bikes needing a 1.5″ higher bearing to make room for hoses, in order that’s a wash. It additionally makes the bike simpler to regulate if that you must swap stems or change stack top.
Lauf is barely spec’ing SRAM wi-fi teams, although there are ports for Shimano Di2 wires resulting in the derailleurs. You would additionally run Campy’s new Tremendous Document Wi-fi group. So, no added drag right here. And, by eliminating additional ports and cable housing tunnels contained in the body, they saved 50g. There are tunnels for the brake hoses, although, so that they gained’t rattle.
There’s additionally the aforementioned “usually aerodynamic” shapes of the fork legs and head- and downtubes, too. The larger image Lauf checked out was the credibility of aero claims from others, primarily that the claimed reductions in drag happen at superhuman speeds. How many people really maintain 45km/h (28mph), even when drafting?
But that’s the quantity regularly used. Since drag will increase by a a number of of three as pace will increase, a claimed 8w financial savings is extra like 2w at speeds most of us are using. So, Lauf opted out of maximum shaping and inner routing to deal with trip high quality and ease of possession. And if it’s simpler to regulate your match to get you in a extra aero place, you’re extra prone to do it, which can doubtless save extra watts.
Lauf Úthald tech particulars and specs
Whereas a variety of street bikes are including extra tire clearance, many are solely upping the spec to 28mm tires. The Úthald comes with 700×32 tires however will match 35mm tires, and it’s tubeless prepared. That allows you to run decrease pressures for extra consolation and traction, and places extra rubber on the street for higher grip.
It additionally comes with crank-based energy meters on each construct.
Whereas they constructed the entrance for stability, the rear finish retains ultra-short chainstays, simply 405mm. The seat tube lets the rear wheel tuck in, and that offers the bike snappy acceleration and retains the wheelbase in the appropriate zone for prime efficiency dealing with.
They persist with a confirmed BSA threaded backside bracket. Like the usual inner brake routing, this makes the bike simpler to service and extra dependable.
Just like the Seigla, the body makes use of commonplace modulus fibers. Lauf says high-mod fibers are lighter and stiffer, however they’re additionally extraordinarily brittle. The usual modulus fibers deal with impacts and stresses higher, and flex higher, which lets them make the bike extra snug.
The body is 985g (claimed, dimension M), and the fork is 365g (claimed), each totally painted with out {hardware}. So, they’re not heavy, particularly contemplating the paint provides ~130g (their declare) to the body and ~20g to the fork. So, actually, it’s a ~860g body, which is fairly darn good.
Geometry
The 71.5º head angle carries throughout all 5 body sizes, as does the 64mm path determine. To place that into perspective, listed below are a few widespread fashions specs (decrease head tube angle is slacker, increased path is extra steady):
- Specialised Tarmac SL8: 70.5º to 73.5º vary, 71mm to 55mm path
- Specialised Roubaix SL8: 69.3º to 73º vary, 76mm to 57mm path
- Trek Madone Gen7: 72.1º to 73º vary, 68mm to 56mm path
- Trek Domane Gen4: 71º to 72º vary, 61mm to 59mm path
- Scott Addict RC: 70.5º to 73.3º vary, path not listed
- Cannondale Synapse 2022: 71.3º to 73.4º vary, 59mm to 56mm path
Some model’s smaller body sizes are slacker, with extra path, typically a lot extra. What’s spectacular in regards to the Úthald is that Lauf might preserve it constant throughout a variety of frames that can match riders from about 5’1″ as much as 6’6″, and that it’s slacker and with extra path even than some model’s endurance-oriented bikes.
Pricing & choices
The Lauf Úthald is available in three builds starting from $3,490 to ~$7,500, with the decrease two obtainable to order now and delivery in January, and the highest finish mannequin obtainable in Summer season 2024. All three get the Highway Smoothie handlebar.
The Weekend Warrior ($3,490) comes with SRAM Rival AXS w/ spindle energy meter, DT Swiss E1800 Spline 23 wheels, Fizik Aliante R5 saddle, and Maxxis Excessive-Highway 170tpi tires. Claimed weight is 8.78kg (19.36lb) for dimension medium.
The Race ($4,690) upgrades to Drive AXS with spider (twin leg) energy meter, Zipp 303 S wheels. Claimed weight is 7.95kg (17.53lb).
The Final mannequin will get, um, what comes after Drive and hasn’t been up to date for a number of years and may’t be listed till subsequent summer time? Yeah, it’ll get that.
All bikes will likely be assembled in and shipped from their US HQ in Virginia. Customary paint is Obsidian Black, and Rubus Purple provides $190 and Borealis and Thingvellir Sky provides $390.
Keep tuned for a primary trip assessment…
