racing bikes: Test: Rondo Ruut ST Gravel Plus - Steel all-round talent

Test: In the spring of 2017, Rondo from Poland presented its premiere bike Ruut for the first time. Available in three different frame materials, the gravel bike does many things a little differently than the competition - the adjustable geometry is just one special feature. We looked at the steel variant Rondo Ruut ST.

Rondo Ruut ST Gravel Plus: The facts

Frame material: Steel
Wheel size(s): 700c / 650b (optional)
tire clearance: 45mm (700c) / 2,1″ (650b)
Axle dimensions (v/h): 15 × 100/142 × 12
Mudguard Eyelets: Ja
Luggage carrier eyelets (v/h): Yes / Yes
bottle holder: Down tube up, down tube down, seat tube
Other: Eyelets on the top tube

Weight wheels f/r (incl. tires, cassette and brake discs): 1.610g / 2.250g
Weight complete bike without pedals (size M): 10,47kg
Price: € 2.399

The gravel specialists from Poland put a beautifully made steel bike on the wheels, which first of all catches the eye with its hanging chainstays and the unusual color scheme of the (tubeless) wheels. Equipped with a complete Sram Rival and noble Panaracer tires, the bike can definitely be called inexpensive. The slim frame made of Tange steel has a high-quality finish; The carbon fork, which has a rare special feature, represents a certain visual break: the inserts in the dropouts can be rotated and change the geometry - if the dropout is at the top, the seat and steering angles become 0,5 degrees steeper and the cockpit moves one centimeter deeper. The driver should be able to choose between a slightly sportier and a slightly more relaxed character - for example when switching between cross races and long-distance tours. Experienced pilots feel this, although the effect should not be too pronounced.

Typical Gravel are the 1×11 drive with a huge cassette and the 43 mm wide tires with a fine profile. The handlebar ends, which are positioned slightly outwards, are pleasant, as is the saddle, which is completely smooth on the underside and therefore easy to clean. There are numerous threaded holes for bottle holders, fenders, carriers, etc. Of course, a steel gravel bike can't be particularly light - but it's not more than eleven kilos, even with pedals.

By the way, if you don't see yourself as a steel fan, you can also find model variants of the Rondo Ruut with carbon or aluminum frames. They all have their geometry and the TwinTip fork in common. There are differences in the mounting options - the steel variant we tested offers by far the most here.

Rondo Ruut ST Gravel Plus – Let's Gravel

With the Rondo Ruut ST Gravel Plus, we tested a different kind of gravel bike. The quite eye-catching steel frame in metallic green, in combination with its twin-tip carbon fork, offers a unique system in the form of a kind of geometry adjustment to ensure more versatile uses and more functionality. In our opinion, the concept doesn't work that well, because the average gravel rider will hardly notice a difference, since these are really only nuances. The only thing we noticed in the test here was that if you change the fork setting, the bike becomes a little more agile due to the angle.

Otherwise, the steel racer drives very solidly, of course you have to make a few compromises in terms of weight compared to the high-quality carbon racers in the test field. As a result, the Rondo Ruut ST Gravel Plus is unfortunately also a little sluggish and only gets going very slowly when accelerating (straight uphill). But once it's up and running, the Rondo Gravelbike runs extremely smoothly and has appealing rolling characteristics, which is extremely pleasant, especially in flatter sections with alternating gravel and tar.

But when it comes to rough passages, the Rondo Ruut ST Gravel Plus struggles a bit and does not offer the desired comfort, although the seating position is very well suited for touring riders. The Rondo Ruut also offers a number of options for attaching bags and luggage racks, allowing you to be out and about for several days.