A few days ago we had the pleasure of introducing you to the latest release from ENVE: the Custom Road Bike. Despite the great novelty and this new phase in which the North American component brand is immersed, its close relationship with artisan frame manufacturers and builders continues intact and they are eager to continue growing together. That is why, despite the difficult health situation we are experiencing, the guys from ENVE decided to organize, on June 25th and 26th, the third edition of the Builder Round-Up.
The two-day event consisted of two main activities, the Builder Round-Up in which some of the most outstanding frame builders on the scene gathered to show their latest creations, and the ENVE Grodeo, which offered the opportunity to discover the favorite roads and trails of the brand team around the mountains of North Wasatch.
Custom Builder Round-Up & ENVE Open House
A total of 35 bicycles totally designed and made by invited artisans were displayed in ENVE’s Open House on Friday, as in a mini NAHBS convention. The event allowed exhibiting their latest creations, whether these were road, gravel, or mountain bikes made out of steel, aluminum, titanium, or carbon.
We were able to see outstanding paint jobs, with exquisite configurations, and subtle geometries. Among the most relevant pieces, we could find the road bikes of Allied, Argonaut, and LOW, the titanium fat bike of Bingham Built, the single-speed MTBs of Chumba, and FortyFour, the aero geometry of English Cycles, the discovery gravel bike of Firefly, Tomii, and Horse, the titanium all-road of Holland, the fast gravel bikes of Mariposa, Pursuit, Speedvagen, and Rock Lobster, the old-school style MTB of Retrotec, or the touring bike of Sklar.
All that celebration of frame-building was surrounded by a friendly and festive atmosphere where everyone could have a nice chat with old and new friends, and enjoy drinks and food accompanied by live music. Moreover, they organized a 2-lap time trial (ENVE’s Ogden Trackline Gravel TT) around the track line they normally use to test their bikes and amuse themselves. The race was open to everyone who wanted to test their skills and compete in between laughs.
ENVE Grodeo
With a name inspired by the Rodeo scene in the area, on Saturday, up to 200 riders went on a gravel ride through the picturesque Wasatch Mountains. The Grodeo took inspiration from some of the favorite events of the region, with some ENVE twists along the way.
The 92-mile and 8.500-feet (148 km and 2.600 m) route delivered a challenge unlike anything else out there. Even though the track featured some timed sections for the most competitive ones, the main idea was to enjoy the gravel ride and share the day with friends. This event granted the possibility to discover the very dirt roads and trails where the G Series gravel products were developed on.
The course featured different sections with comical names like the single track Ace In The Hole, the 8% rocky climb Gun Smoke Grind, the gravel timed sections Pushing Up Daisies and Coffee Boiler, the 9-mile (14.5 km) demanding climb The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, and the final single track Yellowbelly.
