Test: The Rondo Ruut X stands out with its striking frame and interesting details; when driving, it inspires with a lot of propulsion and great handiness. Its sportiness also benefits long-distance drivers.
At Rondo in Poland everything revolves around gravel bikes. The young company is based in the Baltic Sea city of Gdansk, quite a distance from the mountainous south of the country, but all models breathe the spirit of adventure in wild, untouched landscapes. A specialty of Rondo is the great variety of materials: The Ruut is available in steel, titanium, aluminum and carbon. In addition, the flagship of the model range is now available in a particularly sporty version - the Ruut X.
Distinctive shapes and Vario geometry
The carbon frame has a very distinctive shape; Above all, the transition from the top tube to the rear stays positioned in front of the seat tube catches the eye. These have a sharp kink above the dropout, and the seat tube is notched; everything together should enable comfort-giving flex. A Rondo specialty are the rotating TwinTip inserts in the dropouts: They lower the front by 13 mm, resulting in a subtle change in geometry. With a short head tube and long top tube, the Rondo Ruut X has a pretty sporty cut anyway; even if a 90 mm short stem is mounted on the test bike, you sit quite stretched out. If the axle is positioned at the top, the geometry is even more race-like. The reach is slightly longer, the stack a few millimeters shorter; The steering and seat angles are half a degree steeper.
Maximum power
The conversion is easy, but takes some time, since the brake caliper adapter also has to be converted - so you are unlikely to change the geometry on the trail. However, it is worth carrying out the conversion at home before the trip: the Ruut is already extremely agile with the axle positioned below, but in the "Hi" position it finally mutates into a first-class CX bullet. The high frame rigidity ensures outstanding propulsion, the fantastically handy steering geometry allows precise steering maneuvers at any speed.
The Rondo can be angled willingly, although it never tends to oversteer; Even on slippery ground, there is no uncertainty given the full pressure on the front wheel. The light aluminum wheels and Schwalbe Cross tires with a nominal width of 35 mm (and real 33 mm) match the character of the Ruut X. Mounted tubeless and driven with low air pressure, they provide smooth running and grip and have a noticeably less effect on handlebar behavior than wide gravel tires.
| frame | Rondo Ruut Carbon |
| suspension fork | Rondo TwinTip Carbon 2.0 |
| Wheels | Rondo x Hunt Straight Pull |
| Tubes | Schwalbe X-One Allround TLE |
| derailleur | Shimano GRX RX600/812 |
| Gear levers | Shimano GRX RX600/812 |
| Crank | Shimano GRX RX800 42T |
| Front derailleur | |
| Brake | Shimano GRX RX400 |
| Seat post | Rondo |
| Saddle | Fabric Scoop Flat |
| Stem | Rondo |
| Links | Easton EC70 Aero |
Despite the narrow tires, the Ruut X is extremely comfortable; the unusual frame shape plus carbon seat post seem to be paying off. The simply shaped Fabric saddle is convincing once again, with a completely smooth underside that is easy to clean after cyclocross use. For all its sportiness, the Ruut X is definitely tailored to long and difficult distances. With 45 mm for 28 inch wheels and 57 mm for 650B the tire clearance is very large; Mudguards can be mounted as well as luggage racks on the fork. A special feature is the locking screw on the rear thru axle, which must be removed before the axle can be loosened. The Ruut X is equipped with a top-functioning GRX mix of 600 lever, 812 rear derailleur and 400 brakes; 42 chainring and 11-36 cassette from Sunrace result in a large gear range with a tendency towards long gradations. On the plus side, Easton's carbon handlebars have a flat top.
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