Fustle Causeway GRX600 review

Long, longer, FUSTLE Causeway GRX600. With its progressive geometry, the brainchild of scene stalwart Alastair Beckett from the UK aims to combine maximum riding fun and high-performance at an affordable price. We put it to the test to find out whether he’s succeeded and how the FUSTLE fares against the competition.

A quick overview of this group test: The best gravel-bike 2021 – 13 models on review

“Make aluminium fun again!” That could be the slogan for the FUSTLE Causeway GRX600. Apart from the attractive price, the aluminium frame of the gravel bike also promises to be durable. Equipped with bosses for up to four bottle cages, luggage racks and mudguards, it is available in 4 sizes. The triple cage mounts on the carbon fork offer further options for adventurers who demand additional storage space. The ovalised tubeset is of high quality and it looks good too. With a reach of 425 mm, a head angle of 69° and a wheelbase of 1,103 mm, the progressive geometry literally stands out from the crowd and there’s no denying the bike’s mountain bike DNA. With FUSTLE’s online configurator, the customer can select the handlebar width, stem length, seat post offset and saddle and tire width at no additional charge. If you want to go even deeper with customisation, there are a number of upgrade options available, from 1x and 2x drivetrains to a dropper seat post and carbon wheels to the cockpit components. The FUSTLE is also available as a frameset only option.

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Size	XS/S	S/M	M/L	L/XL
Seat tube	440 mm	460 mm	480 mm	500 mm
Top tube	556 mm	583 mm	608 mm	634 mm
Head tube	180 mm	185 mm	185 mm	190 mm
Head angle	69.0°	69.0°	69.0°	69.0°
Seat angle	73.0°	73.0°	73.0°	73.0°
Chainstays	430 mm	430 mm	430 mm	430 mm
BB Drop	70 mm	70 mm	70 mm	70 mm
Wheelbase	1,052 mm	1,078 mm	1,103 mm	1,130 mm
Reach	375 mm	400 mm	425 mm	450 mm
Stack	593 mm	598 mm	598 mm	603 mm

With the FUSTLE, riding uphill is only a means to an end. It makes up for everything on the descents!

With a maximum tire clearance of 700 x 50C, a Pressfit Road bottom bracket and the option of stealth cable routing for a dropper seat post, there are hardly any limits to your creativity. We recommend taking advantage of this freedom as the spec of our € 2,275 test bike left us wanting a little more: a dropper post, more capable tires and a smaller chainring would have been a better fit for the overall concept.

The handling of the Causeway makes no secret of what it was designed for. Speed! At slower speeds, the bike’s almost stoic composure requires an active riding style and a lot of input from the rider. Especially in tight corners, its length is its downfall. While it does allow you to cruise along the road at moderate speeds, the FUSTLE lives up to its full potential when going fast. This is where you’ll find the sweet spot between agility and stability. Compared to the remainder of the test field, the handling that results from the extreme angles and dimensions of the geometry takes some getting used to and won’t appeal to everyone.

The bike demands to be ridden aggressively and actively, though it’s a lot of fun in demanding and technical terrain if you do. Due to the central and compact riding position, it’s easy to keep the front wheel tracking, no matter how steep the climbs, like the Evil Chamois Hagar (read review) which has similar geometry, and it also invites you to go on long rides. Comfort isn’t on par with the competition but that’s not to say it’s an uncomfortable bike. The level of compliance is what you would expect for an aluminium frame. Defined, stiff, no surprises. Up front, the carbon fork offers a pleasant level of compliance, which works well with the slack head angle. Weighing 9.84 kg in size M/L, the FUSTLE prefers taking its time as you accelerate and on the climbs. Considering this, the 40 t chainring is too big. While the bike’s efficiency on flat terrain is mediocre, there’s no holding it back the moment you veer off onto a trail. The only limiting factor is the grip offered by the 700 x 42C WTB Resolute tires. Otherwise, the Causeway instils you with confidence and willingly forgives the occasional error in line choice. With grippier tires, you’re likely to reach your limits long before the bike does when riding off-road!

Tuning-tips: dropper post, smaller chainring, grippier tires

Conclusion

Off-road fans from progressive roadies to mountain bikers looking for a bike with drop handlebars will get a hard-hitting gravel bike at a fair price with the FUSTLE Causeway GRX600. Its progressive geometry is clearly designed for demanding terrain and high speeds while also being suitable for bikepacking adventurers setting off into the unknown. The lack of comfort, the inconsistent spec and the sluggish acceleration ultimately cost the FUSTLE the Best Buy.

Not sure which gravel bike you should buy? This guide will help you for sure: gravel bike buyers guide.
You wonder what tires to put on your gravel machine? We recently tested the best gravel tires against each other in our gravel tire group test.

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Mehr Informationen findet ihr unter ridefustle.com

The testfield:

Get an overview of this group test: The best gravel-bike 2021 – 13 models on review

All bikes on review: 3T Exploro Race EKAR 1X13 (Click for review) | ARC8 Eero (Click for review) | BMC URS 01 ONE (Click for review) | Cannondale Topstone Carbon Lefty 3 (Click for review) | Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 eTap (Click for review) | Fustle Causeway GRX600 | OPEN WI.DE. (Click for review) | Ridley Kanzo Fast (Click for review) | Ritte Satyr (Click for review) | ROSE BACKROAD FORCE ETAP AXS LIMITED (Click for review) | ROSE BACKROAD AL GRX RX600 1X11 (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Diverge (Click for review) | Trek Checkpoint (Click for review)

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Words: Photos: Valentin Rühl