Vamoots!!!

[ToonaBP]

edit: since it's an RSL, a C59 would be comparable .....

I have a rim brake 2017 Vamoots RSL and a C-59 and both are keepers... I've owned many bikes before these, but am now content.

[nighthawk]

Originally Posted by Steve in SLO

That’s a beautiful go-fast bike.
I have owned seven Moots and currently still have three so I am a fan of the brand, but in the spirit of “You can’t please all the people all the time”, I don’t understand those 3D dropout modules. They look like a repair that detracts from the usual Moots elegance.

I’m with you on that. Former Vamoots owner and I loved riding that refined and purposefully constructed machine. These 3D dropouts look awkward to me. Is the mismatched diameter necessary? Couldn’t they have smoothed out the transition or matched the tube diameter? Technology (3D printing) for the sake of technology, no thanks. What are the benefits with the aesthetic compromise?

[mcteague]

I think Moots are great bikes but I could never warm up to the bead blasted finish. IMO, brushed looks MUCH better. And those 3d printed parts...

Tim

[avalonracing]

Originally Posted by mcteague

I think Moots are great bikes but I could never warm up to the bead blasted finish. IMO, brushed looks MUCH better. And those 3d printed parts...

Tim

I'm with you. Brushed Ti is so pretty and easy to clean and maintain.

[brewsmith]

Originally Posted by nighthawk

I’m with you on that. Former Vamoots owner and I loved riding that refined and purposefully constructed machine. These 3D dropouts look awkward to me. Is the mismatched diameter necessary? Couldn’t they have smoothed out the transition or matched the tube diameter? Technology (3D printing) for the sake of technology, no thanks. What are the benefits with the aesthetic compromise?

While I agree, the fit and finish of the dropouts leaves something to be desired, when I took the Moots tour last year they explained that the 3d printing allowed them to get the precise fit needed for flat mount brakes with zero weld distortion.

Given that flat mount brakes arguably don't offer any performance benefit (outside of the clean fitment) with less adjustability it it a bit of a dog chasing it's tail tech conundrum. In the end, they are obscured by the rotor and cassette for 99% of it's life span and if it rides well, then there are bigger fish to fry

[strayduck]

Originally Posted by Steve in SLO

That’s a beautiful go-fast bike.
I have owned seven Moots and currently still have three so I am a fan of the brand, but in the spirit of “You can’t please all the people all the time”, I don’t understand those 3D dropout modules. They look like a repair that detracts from the usual Moots elegance.

Given the typical fit and finish of Moots I agree that there are a couple of things slightly off about the dropout modules:

(1) While the connection point at the chainstays is flush and perfect, there is a bit of a "shelf" at the connection point to the seatstays. This is because they only have two sizes of dropout for every possible frame size so the seatstay tubes will be hitting at different angles depending on the frame. I kind of thought the point of 3D printing was to make it easy to build custom shapes. Maybe I'm a dreamer but it seems like there should be a dropout config for every single frame config?

(2) While the texture of the additive 3D process is cool, it doesn't necessarily need to be shown off in that way. I'd be interested to see how those modules look if they were built up a bit bigger, then sanded smooth and given the same bead-blast finish that the frame got. With bikes like this, less is more from a visual perspective.

Edit: I posted this before I saw page 2 with Brewsmith's reply. Yea, so this is a bit of a form-is-function decision. I wonder how they'll refine their approach in the future.

ToonaBP: I wouldn't mind hearing more about how the C-59 rides.

On the topic of finish: while I like all incarnations of Ti with the exception of full chromed-out polish, the bead blasting always drew my eye. Part of it was the way that light plays off it. The other being that you see it so rarely. When I'm gazing over a stable of bikes at a rally I always seem to do a double-take when I see a Moots.