FAQ

CONCEPT, TRAVEL & FIT

Why build a performance road bike for travel instead of a fast mini velo?

Moalani started from a fairly specific problem: riders who normally use a road bike often do not want a commuter-style folder just because they are traveling. The goal is therefore not maximum cargo capacity, the fastest city fold, or the softest possible ride. It is to preserve a familiar road position, efficient gearing, good stiffness, and predictable high-speed handling while making the bike much easier to travel with.That choice drives almost everything else: 451 wheels instead of smaller 406 wheels as the default, a double-diamond frame, larger road gearing, drop bars, and a compact fold built around airline luggage. It is still a travel bike, so some compromises remain, but the starting point is “road bike that travels” rather than “a mini velor or folder that can also be ridden fast.”

Why was the entire bike designed around a 75 × 52 × 30 cm check-in suitcase fit?

Those dimensions are not just a neat packaging exercise. A 75 × 52 × 30 cm case is the size of a large checked suitcase and stays just within the common 158 cm linear-dimension limit used by many airlines. More importantly, it behaves like normal luggage once you leave the airport: it fits more easily into taxis, small rental cars, trains, elevators, and hotel rooms than a full-size bike case.That target forced difficult decisions, including the 451 wheel size and the rear-triangle swing-fold into the dual-truss top and down tube design of the main frame. But it also leaves room for normal travel items in the same case. Airline rules still vary by carrier, but the suitcase target reduces friction and guarantees identical baggage treatment everywhere.

How does a Moalani bike pack down so quickly and completely tool-free?

Our folding system is designed so the frame does most of the packaging work. The rear triangle rotates inward around a pivot behind the bottom bracket, while the front wheel, seatpost, and cockpit-related parts can be removed via quick-release clamps. Our design does not require routine removal of the crankset, cassette, fork, headset, chain, pedals, or rear wheel just to reach the target suitcase size.That does not mean every owner will pack the bike identically. Some riders may still remove pedals, the chain, a derailleur, or extra cockpit parts for protection or to make more space. The point is that the frame does not force a major teardown. Packing should be a repeatable travel routine, not a workshop procedure, and the Packing Guide defines the recommended sequence for each supported configuration.

Why does the rear triangle fold, but the rest of the bike does not, like a city folder?

Because quick urban folding and compact airline packing are different design problems. A city folder benefits from multiple hinges, wheels that stay attached, and a shape that can be carried through stations or stores. Those features can add weight, flex, width, or structural compromises that do not help a bike whose main job is to ride for hours once it reaches a destination.Moalani gives the rear triangle a fast fold because that is useful for car trunks, trains, and hotel storage, but full folding convenience was never the primary target. The important fold is the one that gets the bike into a 75 × 52 × 30 cm suitcase while keeping a road-oriented frame layout. In normal use, the bike is expected to spend far more time unfolded and being ridden than being carried around in its folded state.

Can I simply buy one of the suggested model tiers listed in your Build Guide?

We want to grow organically without compromising quality or care for and attention to our clients.The immediately available proprietary part of Moalani is our frame with its unique folding architecture, packaging geometry, and the wide component compatibility it enables. Thus, our initial product is a gold-standard, titanium travel road bike frame platform, supported by a detailed Build Guide and white glove treatment for our buyers. Buyers or their local bike shops can use that guide to select compatible components and build the bike for their own priorities.Complete bikes will come later. Our goal is to first offer frames, then frame sets, then bespoke, vetted complete builds upon client request, using approved component configurations. Long-term, we plan to establish the full supply chain and inventory, starting with one or two models and scaling to a multi model/tier product range.

How can one Moalani frame fit different rider heights without different frame sizes?

A mini velo gives more fit adjustment outside the fixed frame than a conventional road bike does. Moalani uses that deliberately. The main variables are the height and offset of the head-tube stem, the length and angle of the normal stem, and the seatpost extension. Fine tuning then comes from saddle fore-aft position, stem spacers, crank length, and handlebar reach, drop, and width.Our M.A.T.C.H. Tool is intended to turn body measurements and riding preferences into component dimensions so buyers are not guessing. That matters even more with the frame-platform approach: the frame may be one size, but the parts surrounding it need to be selected as a system to produce the intended road-bike position.

FRAME ARCHITECTURE & MATERIALS

Why use titanium for a travel frame instead of carbon, aluminum, or steel?

Titanium is not automatically the best, let alone cheapest material for every bicycle, but it fits this particular job well. A travel frame will be handled, leaned against things, packed tightly, and treated badly by baggage systems and handlers. Titanium combines good strength-to-weight, corrosion resistance, and useful toughness without relying on paint or a fragile cosmetic finish. Scratches are usually cosmetic rather than the start of a paint-repair project.Carbon can be lighter and easier to shape aerodynamically, while aluminum and steel can be less expensive. The choice here is about durability over repeated travel as much as ride feel. Titanium also works well with the custom printed junctions and structural tubes used in the frame. The aim is not to claim titanium is indestructible; it is simply a sensible match for a bike expected to survive suitcase transport for years, while being as light-weight as possible.

Why does the main frame use dual truss top and down tubes design?

The dual truss layout solves three problems at once:

The first reason is packaging. The paired tubes create a channel for the folded rear wheel to rotate into the main frame and stay there, enabling the most compact packing size thinkable.
Second, it protects the rear wheel and its attached components similar to a roll-over cage in a race car.
Third, structurally, spacing paired tubes away from the bike’s centerline improves resistance to side-to-side bending, which matters when pedaling hard or standing out of the saddle. With titanium, this lets the design pursue lateral stiffness without simply making one huge, thin-walled tube that would be more exposed to denting during travel.

Why use 3D-printed titanium parts instead of regular tubes and machined pieces?

Additive manufacturing is most useful where the geometry would otherwise become a collection of small welded or machined parts. On Moalani, areas such as the head tube, bottom-bracket region, dropouts, transitions, and seat-stay coupler can benefit from shapes that merge several functions into one part, including cable paths, structural transitions, clearances, and folding interfaces.

Why make the rear triangle rotate into the frame instead of using a main frame hinge?

A main frame hinge is convenient on many folders, but it places a joint in the structure that Moalani is trying to keep as road-bike-like as possible. Traditional travel couplers are excellent for full-size bikes, but they usually require more disassembly and still leave you packaging two large frame sections around full-size wheels. That is a different solution to the travel problem.Moalani instead keeps the main frame continuous and places the motion in the rear triangle. The chainstay pivot lets the rear wheel rotate forward and nest inside the dual truss structure, which is what makes the compact suitcase target possible. It also means the rear wheel, cassette, and rear rotor can remain attached during normal packing. The mechanism is more specialized than a simple frame hinge, but it preserves the main frame while using the wheel itself as part of the folded package.

Why use a seat stay coupler plus 31.8 mm quick release clamp rather than a latch?

The seat stay coupler needs to be secure in use, quick to operate, and realistic to service while traveling. A standard 31.8 mm bicycle clamp does those things without introducing a complex custom latch, loose bolts, or a mechanism that only one company can replace. In the riding position, the clamp provides the compressive locking force that keeps the two coupler halves fully seated.The joint itself also uses mechanical interlocks to resist shear, rotation, and small movements between the two titanium faces. When the bike is folded, the clamp can be parked on the coupler boss instead of becoming a loose part in the suitcase. The approach is intentionally simple: a custom printed coupler where custom geometry is useful, paired with an ordinary, widely available clamp where a standard part works better.

If the seat stay coupler already has a clamp and interlocks, why still use magnets?

The magnets are there for handling, not for structural strength. When the quick-release clamp is opened and removed, the rear triangle should not immediately drop or swing away while the rider is still holding the bike. Two recessed magnets keep the coupler halves lightly together until the rider intentionally starts the folding motion.During riding, the load is carried by the titanium mating faces, the mechanical male/female interlocks, and the external clamp. The magnets are deliberately not treated as part of the safety structure. When unfolding, they also help guide the final approach as the interlocks engage, making it easier to bring the two halves together before sliding the clamp back on. It is a small convenience feature that makes the mechanism feel controlled without asking a magnet to do a job it should not be doing.

WHEELS, TIRES & RIDE BEHAVIOUR

Why choose 451 wheels over more common 406 wheels with more tire choices?

451 is the default because Moalani is biased toward road performance rather than maximum folding-bike versatility. It is the largest small-wheel size that still fits the packaging concept, and it gives a somewhat more familiar road-bike feel, gearing relationship, and obstacle rollover than a smaller 406 wheel. That matters when the bike is intended for long road rides rather than short urban trips.Yes, the tradeoff is real: 406 has a broader tire ecosystem, especially for wider tires. The frame can technically accept 406 wheels, but the Build Guide is centered on 451 and the drivetrain, brake, tire, and ground-clearance recommendations are developed around that size. So this is not an argument that 451 is universally superior. It is simply the wheel diameter that best fits the combination of suitcase size and road-oriented priorities Moalani is trying to balance.

Can I run 406 wheels anyway, and what changes in tire support if I do?

Yes, the frame can technically be built around 406 wheels, but that is not the primary configuration our Build Guide is designed around. A smaller wheel changes more than just ride feel. It lowers the rear derailleur closer to the ground, changes effective gearing, changes front rim brake and tire relationships, and may push you toward shorter derailleur cages or smaller cassettes to maintain reasonable ground clearance.There may also be combinations of wider 406 tires that physically fit parts of the frame, but Moalani is not treating those as the normal supported path. Our Build Guide stays conservative because the entire platform has to work as a system during both riding and folding. If someone wants to experiment with 406, the frame makes that possible, but the owner should expect to validate the resulting drivetrain and clearance choices rather than assuming every 451 recipe transfers directly

Is the limited selection of 451 tires a real concern for a travel bike?

The 451 tire market is undoubtedly smaller than the 406, and even more so the 700c market. To make it easier for our buyers, the current Build Guide still identifies plenty of usable options from 28 to 37 mm wide, including road-oriented and rough-road choices. Having said that: unless you walk into a specialist BMX store in Los Angeles or dedicated mini velo shop in Singapore, you simply cannot expect to find your preferred 451 tire on the shelf of a bike shop.For that reason, tire planning matters more than it does on a conventional 700c road bike. A long or remote trip will justify carrying a spare folding tire or arranging a replacement in advance. Moalani chose 451 because of the road-performance and packaging balance, not because it has the broadest parts ecosystem. Anyone who values worldwide tire availability above those goals may reasonably prefer a different wheel size.

Why is the frame designed for tires up to 37 mm instead of going wider?

Besides being plenty of width for a road bike-centric frame platform, the 37 mm limit does not come from a belief that wider tires are bad. However, the folded rear wheel has to rotate into the dual-truss main frame, pass through tight areas around the bottom bracket and frame tubes, clear the chainstays while riding, and still work with the chosen fork. Increasing tire width affects all of those points at once.Up to 37×451 gives the platform a meaningful range. Around 28-32 mm suits faster paved-road builds, while 35-37 mm adds comfort and grip for rough pavement and occasional light gravel. Going wider would require opening up structural spacing or changing wheelbase and folding geometry, which would undermine other priorities. So 37 mm is a compromise: not gravel-bike territory, but considerably more useful on imperfect roads than a classic and narrow mini velo tire.

Why recommend a front wheel with quick release skewer rather than a thru axle?

Because the front wheel has to come off every time the bike is packed, so removal speed and simplicity matter more here than they do on a normal road bike. A 9×100 mm quick release lets the wheel come off without a tool, and the recommended carbon fork is designed to support that configuration. For a travel bike, that convenience is repeated on every trip.However, a front thru axle setup is of course still possible. The Build Guide also supports a 12×100 mm fork and quick release-style thru-axles for riders who prefer that interface. The choice is therefore not a claim that an old-style QR is technically superior. It is a deliberate travel convenience choice. The rear is different: it always stays attached during packing and uses a 12×142 mm thru axle, so there is little reason to make the same compromise there.

Why is the rear wheel required to be tri- or five-spoke bladed instead of spokes?

This is one of the few areas where the frame imposes a hard component choice. The rear triangle folds inward in a way that requires sufficient space between the largest cassette cog and the wheel's blades for the main frame's drive side down tube to nest in between. A conventional spoke pattern occupies that space and interferes with the folding path, so the current frame is designed around a tri- (or: five-)spoke bladed rear wheel. Given the dual truss inner spacing of 30 mm, the maximum supported rear rim outer width is also limited to 26 mm.There are secondary travel benefits. A tri- or five-spoke bladed wheel has no individual spokes to bend or replace, gives luggage more open space to pass through, and avoids searching for unusual small-wheel spokes during a trip. But those are bonuses, not the main reason. The rear bladed spoke requirement mainly comes from the folding architecture. The front wheel is less constrained and could be spoked, although matching bladed wheels front and rear make sense for aesthetic reasons

DRIVETRAIN & GEARING

Why is the drivetrain built around 1x instead of a traditional 2x road bike setup?

First, there is no front derailleur mount on our frames, simply because the bottom bracket sits slightly forward of the seat tube. A front derailleur would also add another shifter function, cable or wireless component, chainring, adjustment point, and exposed part around a frame that already has a demanding folding path. A 1x system provides a better chain line for 95% of most people's riding and keeps the drivetrain cleaner and simpler, which is useful both for packing and for maintenance away from home. It also works naturally with the wide-range 13-speed cassettes the platform is being designed around.The tradeoff is larger jumps between some gears, more cross-chaining on the extreme ends of the cassette and less ability to fine-tune cadence than a close-ratio 2x road drivetrain. Moalani accepts all that because the bike is not being optimized for riding on just one known terrain. The goal is the broadest possible and usable range with fewer components. The frame and Build Guide are therefore centered on 1x rather than treating it as one option among several equivalent layouts.

Why use 13 speeds on a travel bike instead of a simpler 11- or 12-speed drivetrain?

You can certainly put 11- or 12-speed drivetrains on our frame. However, with 1x, any extra sprocket helps recover some of the ratio spacing and range that would otherwise be provided by a second chainring. Thirteen speeds make it possible to combine a large road-oriented front ring with a wide-range cassette while keeping more intermediate steps available for steady road riding. That is especially useful on small wheels, where gearing has to be chosen carefully.The platform is being developed around both electronic and mechanical 1x13 possibilities rather than assuming electronic shifting is mandatory. More gears do mean tighter compatibility requirements, so the Build Guide matters: chain, cassette, derailleur, shifter, freehub body, and chainring all have to agree. The objective is not “more gears because more is better.” It is to make a single-chainring system behave more like a useful road drivetrain across flats, descents, and steep climbs.

Why are the recommended front chainrings with 50t to 56t so large?

A smaller wheel travels less distance for each wheel revolution, so using ordinary road chainring sizes can leave a 451 bike under-geared at higher speeds. The larger front rings compensate for that. The current Build Guide supports approximately 50 to 56 teeth, with 52, 54, or 56 teeth making sense depending on cadence preference, terrain, and how much top-end speed the rider wants.A larger ring is not automatically “harder” once wheel diameter and cassette size are included in the calculation. What matters is the complete gear ratio. A rider who constantly climbs very steep roads may prefer 50 teeth, while someone who rides at lower cadence or descends fast may prefer 56t. The frame clearance is designed around that range, so the Build Guide treats chainring size as part of fitting the drivetrain to the rider rather than a cosmetic choice.

Why support a cassette as large as 10-52 teeth on a road-focused mini velo?

The large cassette is the other half of the 1x equation. A 50-56 tooth chainring gives the small wheel enough high gear for road speeds, but without a large rear cog that same setup would become unpleasant on steep climbs. A 10-52t cassette creates a very broad range while still letting the bike use one front ring.Frame clearance is designed for up to a 52-tooth largest cog, but that does not mean every derailleur and cassette combination is automatically approved. Ground clearance matters more on a small wheel, and compatibility has to be tested with the actual derailleur, cage position, chain length, and tire size. The Build Guide is intended to be the controlling list of validated combinations. The broad range is useful; safe clearance and reliable shifting take priority over using the biggest possible number.

Why use a UDH / Full Mount rear derailleur interface on a travel bike?

UDH gives the frame a modern, standardized derailleur mounting interface instead of tying it to a small proprietary hanger shape. It can accept a conventional derailleur through a UDH hanger, while compatible SRAM Full Mount derailleurs can attach directly to the frame interface. That gives the platform more drivetrain paths without redesigning the dropout for each one.For a travel bike, replaceability also matters. A standardized hanger is easier to source than an obscure frame-specific part, and the Full Mount option can provide a robust connection with good alignment. UDH does not make the derailleur immune to damage, and small wheels still make ground clearance something that must be checked carefully. The reason for using it is mainly long-term compatibility and serviceability: it is a widely adopted interface that should age better than a one-off hanger created only for this frame.

Why use a T47 inboard bottom bracket instead of a more universal BSA?

BSA was considered, and it has real advantages: low cost, low weight, and excellent worldwide availability. T47i was chosen because the wider 86.5 mm bottom bracket shell gives more room for the frame structure, larger bearings around modern 29 mm SRAM DUB road spindles, and internal routing through a very crowded part of the bike. The drivetrain chainline is also being designed around that combination.The choice is about integration rather than claiming T47 magically creates watts. There is an important Moalani-specific limitation: the 3D-printed bottom-bracket shell has an hourglass shape, so compatible T47i units must install without a connecting sleeve through the shell. The frame also currently supports spindles with center spindle diameters of up to 29 mm. That is exactly the kind of detail the Build Guide exists to make clear before someone orders parts.

BRAKES, COCKPIT & SEAT POST

Why is there a model tier with front rim and rear disc brake instead of disc rear & front?

The hybrid setup is a travel-specific option, not a claim that rim brakes are better overall. The front wheel has to be removed for packing, and a disc rotor on a loose front wheel packed on top of the frame inside a compressed suitcase is one more thin part that can be bent during transport. A front rim brake removes that concern and is mechanically simple. The rear wheel stays attached to the folding rear triangle, so its rotor is better protected and the rear frame can use a normal flat-mount disc brake.Full front and rear disc builds are also supported for riders who prefer them. The main limitation of the hybrid rim/disc configuration is tire clearance: the recommended front caliper rim brake limits the front tire to about 30 mm. Riders using 35-37 mm tires therefore move naturally toward a front disc setup.

Why are all model tiers always rear disc brake only, with no rear rim brake option?

The rear wheel is integrated into the folding mechanism, and the frame is designed around a native 140 mm flat-mount rear brake. That arrangement keeps the braking hardware in a predictable place while the rear triangle rotates and lets the rear wheel stay installed during packing. An rear rim-brake mount point would have added more complexity to an already complex rear triangle folding structure without adding too much value, such as that the front rim brake adds during transport.The recommended rear wheel therefore has no rim brake track and uses a centerlock rotor. This also separates the two jobs cleanly: riders who want the simplest travel-oriented mechanical setup can use a front rim brake and rear mechanical disc, while other builds can use discs at both ends (mechanical or hydraulic). Rear disc braking is part of the frame architecture rather than an interchangeable styling choice.

Why use semi-internal cable routing instead of fully internal or external routing?

Fully internal routing looks clean, but it can turn a simple roadside repair into a major job, especially around the head set stack and cockpit. Fully external routing is easier to service, but leaves more housing exposed to snagging, packing damage, and visual clutter. A travel bike benefits from a middle ground.Moalani therefore uses semi-internal routing through the down tubes where it provides useful protection and keeps the frame tidy, while avoiding unnecessary hidden complexity at every possible point. The goal is not maximum integration for its own sake. The bike should still be realistic to maintain during a trip. If a cable or hose needs attention far from home, the owner or a local shop should not have to dismantle half the bicycle just to reach it.

Why does the frame require a long 600 mm seat post and a separate shim?

A mini velo's unique and compact frame geometry always requires a long exposed seatpost, which creates much larger leverage at the seat tube than a conventional road bike with a shorter post. For that reason, the current specification requires a seat post at least 600 mm long; using a shorter post can leave too little insertion and increase stress in the seat tube's top section area.We also provide 3D-printable custom shims between the titanium seat tube and the seat post. Besides providing the required fit, that interface makes it practical to use carbon, aluminum, or titanium posts without creating a direct metal-to-metal interface that could gall or encourage galvanic corrosion. The seatpost is therefore not just a fit component; its length, and insertion are part of the structural design.

Why use a tall head tube stem plus a normal road stem instead of a handlepost?

The head tube stem gives the bike a large vertical adjustment range without changing the fixed main frame. A separate conventional stem then controls reach and angle much more precisely than a single folding bike handlepost usually can. Together, those two pieces are central to making one frame work for riders across a broad height range while preserving a road position.There are limits. The Build Guide recommends normal stem lengths roughly from 80 to 120 mm; going much shorter can make steering too quick, while very long stems increase loads on the tall head tube structure. The head set stack also needs a flat, 50 mm outer diameter top brearing cup cover, so the lower mount piece of the head tube stem has a broad, stable surface. It is a specialized cockpit architecture, but it provides the adjustment range that the one-size frame concept needs

Why do you recommend handlebars that are 2-4 cm narrower than normal?

Packing is the first reason. A wide drop bar is one of the most awkward shapes to fit inside a normal suitcase on top of your folded frame, so reducing width by a few centimeters makes the cockpit noticeably easier to place around the frame and wheels. Slightly angling the brake/shift levers inward can recover some of the hand-position feel that would otherwise be lost.There can also be a small aerodynamic benefit, but that is secondary. The important point is that bar width still has to suit the rider. Someone with broad shoulders or a strong preference for traditional 44 cm bars should not force themselves onto an uncomfortable cockpit just to save a little luggage space. The Build Guide treats width, reach, drop, flare, stem length, and head-tube stem dimensions as a combined fit problem, which is why the M.A.T.C.H. Tool is part of the platform.

MAINTENANCE, COMFORT & OWNERSHIP

Why do we recommend a waxed chain so strongly for a travel bike?

Leaving the endless and heated online discussions about what is better aside, it is undeniable that a clean drivetrain changes what it is like to pack a bicycle next to normal luggage. A properly waxed chain is dry to the touch compared with an oil-lubricated chain, so there is far less greasy residue on hands, clothing, frame protection, or the inside of the suitcase. It also tends to collect less abrasive dirt, which is useful when the bike is repeatedly handled and packed.Unless you buy a pre-waxed chain, waxing does require some initial steps. A new factory-greased chain has to be stripped properly before the first wax, and the rest of the drivetrain must be free of oily contamination, something that is easy to achieve with a new bike. Our Build Guide recommends home hot-waxing paired with a compatible drip wax for super-convenient top-ups during your travels and recommends carrying spare connecting links. A greased chain can of course still work; waxing is recommended because cleanliness matters unusually much on this kind of bike.

Why does the Build Guide distinguish between front and rear inner tubes?

Because the front braking system can change the thermal environment of the tire and tube. On specific builds that use a front rim brake on a carbon wheel, long or heavy braking can heat the rim significantly, which is even more relevant for the decreased rim track circumference of 451 wheels. The Build Guide therefore does not recommend TPU or Aerothan-type tubes in that specific front-wheel configuration, because heat tolerance becomes a safety concern.The rear wheel uses a disc brake, so it does not receive the same rim-brake heat and can use suitable TPU tubes. Full-disc builds also remove that particular front-rim limitation. Tubeless-ready wheels and some tubeless-ready 451 tires exist as well, but the available combinations are not as broad as in mainstream 700c sizes. The important point is that “lightest tube” is not always the right answer; tire, wheel, brake type, pressure, and travel reliability have to be considered together.

How does the Build Guide address comfort for smaller wheels on rougher roads?

A 451 wheel reacts more sharply to obstacles than a large wheel. Good tire choice and pressure therefore matter more than they do on a typical 700c road bike.Comfort is handled through several tunable parts instead of adding suspension to the core frame. Tire width and pressure do the most work: a fast road build for good asphalt roads can use roughly 28-32 mm tires, while a rough road build needs to move toward 35-37 mm. The Build Guide also suggests thicker, more elastic bar tape, optional gel padding, and saddles with more compliant foam or 3D-printed lattice structures for the comfort-focused configuration.There are also optional suspension stems or suspension seatpost solutions for riders who want even more isolation. You as the bike owner can decide how much comfort to add.

How much of the bike is proprietary and will parts be difficult to find while traveling?

The proprietary parts are concentrated where Moalani actually needs unique geometry: the frame, folding interfaces, printed junctions, and some frame-specific hardware, all of which sell and ship pre-assembled. Our frame, the pivot axle parts and the seat stay coupler parts are designed to be 100% maintenance-free.Around that, the design deliberately uses recognizable bicycle standards wherever practical, including T47i, SRAM DUB road, UDH / Full Mount, a 12×142 mm rear axle, common headset bearings, a 33.9 mm seatpost, and even a standard 31.8 mm clamp for the seat-stay coupler.That does not make every component universally available. The rear tri-spoke wheel and 451 tires are obvious examples where planning ahead matters, and not every T47i bottom bracket is compatible with the hourglass-shaped bottom bracket shell. The purpose of the Build Guide is to make those distinctions explicit. Owners should know which parts can be sourced almost anywhere, which have multiple alternatives, and which are worth carrying as spares on remote trips. If in doubt, shoot us an email!

Where do I attach water-bottle cages on a dual-truss main frame?

The dual truss top and down tubes simply leave no conventional central tube surface for normal cage mounts. Adding mounts in the wrong place would either interfere with the rear wheel as it folds into the frame or complicate tubes that are already being used to control stiffness and suitcase fit.The solution is to move bottle storage to the seatpost with a clamp-on cage mount sized for the 33.9 mm post. That is less conventional than two cages on a down tube, but it keeps the folding path clear and can also provide a mounting point for a small pump or other travel accessories.

What should I realistically expect for total finished-bike weight?

The final total weight number will depend heavily on the owner’s wheels, brakes, drivetrain, cockpit, saddle, and accessories choices. Our higher-end model tiers can achieve ~8 kg (excl. pedals), but that should be treated as a guideline rather than a guarantee. Independent of components, the maximum supported total loading weight is 110 kg (for rider and gear combined).

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