RT-1 ITR: Built For Any Road
Boulder, Colorado is the ultimate place for drop-bar bike riding … But we’re biased.
Sure, some places have pure paved riding that’s a little better, with buttery smooth switchbacks and narrow roads. And we’ll concede that there are probably better locales for gravel riding — more remote, rugged, and vast. However, our hometown has literally any type of road riding you could ask for. If you want routes that combine every type of terrain and road surface, Boulder is the KOM.
This is where the story of our new bike begins, the RT-1 Integrated Thick Road (ITR). It is designed for where we ride and the way we ride.
The Origin of ITR
About five years ago, when disc brakes were becoming common on road bikes, we started to notice a trend. Our friends were finding really fat slick tires and cramming them into their road frames for a little extra traction and cushion.
Was this the start of the “all-road” trend? Maybe, but these first-gen thick road bikes didn’t compromise geometry or handling for the sake of tire clearance.
Since our riding around Boulder is so varied, this configuration made sense immediately. There are plenty of epic paved climbs and descents that demanded road bike geometry. Nearly all of those roads turn to dirt, though. So we needed more tire to carry on and finish our loops — out-and-back rides are kind of lame, after all.
We knew what we needed to create the perfect bike for the spectrum of drop-bar riding, but bike technology wasn’t quite refined enough. Yet.
What Is ITR
In designing the RT-1 ITR, we resolved all of the nagging issues that came with over-speccing a wide tire on a road bike. This led to one of our favorite bikes to date, a bike with the geometry of the legendary RT-1 D re-imagined with 35mm of tire clearance and a completely integrated cockpit system.
The ITR has the same snappy steering response as the RT-1d, with confident handling at speed, plenty of get-up-and-go out of the corners, and the encouragement to rip up your favorite climb, paved or otherwise... As usual, this is all delivered by a double butted Titanium tubeset that is personalized and chosen for each rider based upon fit requirements, ride preferences, and build configuration.
Thanks to ENVE’s integrated fork and a redesigned size-specific chainstay, the ITR can clear up to a measured 35mm tire, front and rear … but more on the front end in a moment. Here’s how the ITR’s tire clearance compares to the rest of the Mosaic line:
RT-1 D tire clearance: 25-30mm
RT-1 ITR tire clearance: 30-35mm
GT-1 AR tire clearance: 32-38mm
GT-1 45 tire clearance: 38-48mm
Thanks to the ITR's 415-418mm size specific chainstays that are only a few millimeters longer than the purebred RT-1d, there are no compromises when it’s time to blast on pavement. Can you say, “Flagstaff Week?”
The “I” in ITR
We know there are some integration haters out there, but the form and function of ENVE’s In-Route System really make sense on this model.
Off the top, it’s plain to see that this front end gives the RT-1 ITR a modern look — and that’s what Mosaic is all about. Since day one, we’ve melded old-school, hand-built craftsmanship with modern designs and technologies that make bikes more fun to ride (and look at).
When it comes to this combination of tire clearance, rake, and axle-to-crown, we knew when we first saw this ENVE fork that it was the missing link that would enable us to build the ITR with increased tire clearance front and rear, retaining the geometry we wanted to make this a true performance road bike.
And finally, ENVE did a great job making the cable routing easy and intuitive. Face it, once you set up your hydraulic brake routing and electronic shifting, you’ll never have to worry about it again, and your cockpit will look so, so clean.
Most riders will opt for the two-piece cockpit, which pairs an ENVE Melee stem with the ENVE bar of your choosing. We do have limited quantities of the one-piece ENVE cockpit, for the ultimate integrated setup.
The Right Ride for Our Rides
We’ve been eager to unveil the RT-1 ITR because it is our new favorite bike. For Boulder riding, where you combine pavement with dirt with a bit of gravel and maybe a smooth trail, it’s the ultimate do-it-all drop-bar bike. If your local terrain sounds like this, we know you’re going to dig the ITR.
If you’re a pure paved roadie, or you're holding out against the Integrated movement, the RT-1 D remains a fantastic option. Gravel grinders: You know what’s up; we’re going to suggest either the GT-1 AR or the GT-1 45.
Words: Spencer Powlison
Bike Photos: Mark Currie
Riding Photos: Cody Mann
