Bombtrack entered the world a few years ago, started by a company called We Make Things that is responsible for BMX brand We The People, with a focus on singlespeed and fixed wheel bikes, but it’s since branched out to offer a full range of geared road bikes that cover most spectrums of road cycling. This is its brand new Hook EXT gravel and adventure bike, and it's just rolled into the office to be reviewed.
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The Hook EXT is its latest model and taps into the growing gravel and adventure bike market with a steel frame designed around 2.1in tyres on 650b wheels.
You get a smart Columbus Cromor double butted steel frame packed with details, like the chainstay arrangement behind the bottom bracket to maximise tyre and chainring clearance, external cables. We really like that. There are loads of eyelets for bottles, racks and mudguards, and there's a 12x142mm thru-axle at the dropouts. Up front is the company's own carbon fibre fork, also with a thru-axle.
With a SRAM Rival 1x11 groupset and hydraulic disc brakes, the bike costs £2,199.99. The build includes WTB Nano tyres on WTB 32h rims with lots of Bombtrack branded equipment to complete the bike.The size medium we have here, one of four sizes available, weighs 11.1kg (24.5lb).
It’s a purposeful looking bike and ideally suited if you want to do a lot of off-road exploring of woodland trails, bridleways and open moorland. It’s out on test with Mike Stead at the moment and we look forward to getting his full review in soon to find out how it performs.
The Bombtrack isn’t the first 650b bike to hit the growing gravel bike market, there’s the British designed Mason Bokeh which takes 700c or 650b wheels, as does the Open UP. The Cannondale Slate is entirely designed around 650b wheels and was one of the first new bikes to do so. It seems there's a growing interest in 650b wheels and tyres for adventure bikes, and there's certainly a good argument for them on really rough terrain.
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A more similarly priced rival and a bike we’ve tested recently is the Wilier Jaroon. That is available in a 650b version as well, it’s called the Jaroon+. The Specialized Sequoia Expert would be a good contender to throw into the ring as well as it combines a steel frame and carbon fork with a 1x11 groupset.
How are the cyclists going to hear it? They might hear a word or two as they ride past at 70mph, but unless there are speakers every couple of...
Best wishes to them both. Despite an early setback I hope they have a great time and enjoy their trip.
That's some really really long fingernails you've got there!
It's not too bad. Most just make enough to get by and make people have to accept waiting or a different color. They know people are going to be...
Indepent drivel: I like it.
Cycling for mind: Some seriously shit steering there.
I like this sales attitude! Old style UK deprecation. "There are better brands - but try our pedals. Some people like them."...
The world's biggest violin, meanwhile I'm playing the world's smallest
You would like to think that 7 might make it a bit harder to ignore but I'm sure there will be a good excuse
Perhaps he followed the suggested Shimano online anti counterfeit link and saw that Shimano's opening header says "... crackdown in China.."?