BEST FOR:
Smoothing out rough roads.
THE TEST:
Titanium is arguably the ultimate rough-road frame material – silky as steel, tough as alloy, and almost as light as carbon. The Routt is the exemplar. The compact sloped-top-tube design made the bike maneuverable on rutted surfaces, and the long wheelbase felt stable even on singletrack.. Steering was crisp, and we appreciated the threaded bottom bracket, which is more reliable than press-fit versions. Many testers felt that the upright position wasn’t agile in tight terrain, though few complained due to the premium build, including an Enve fork. But while we love Shimano Ultegra parts, at this price we expected a little bit more.
THE VERDICT:
Timeless aesthetic + modern engineering = a mixed-terrain bike for the ages. 18lbs.