What are the gravel bike traits that will get a retired rockstar excited and what do those have to do with roundabouts? We headed eastwards into Poland to test the RONDO RUUT ST and find the answers.

RONDO RUUT ST | 10.65 kg | € 2,299

If the lead singer of the Polish pop-punk band Blenders and founder of RONDO is anything then he’s a man of action. Szymon Kobylinski knew he wanted to rip across Poland’s forested landscape on his dream gravel bike, but he knew he wouldn’t get said bike from one of the big hitters. Having already set up NS Bikes and shown a knack for bike development, Szymon made a plan: he gathered a team of experts, consisting of former product managers at Bentley, bike engineers and some of the country’s finest talents in the world of design. Three gravel bikes have now emerged, each sharing the same geometry but wildly different frame materials. So after the carbon-framed RONDO RUUT CF2 stepped up to our recent gravel bike group test, it was time to turn our gaze to its steel sibling, the RUUT ST.

Endless gravel roads …
… let you grin like a cheshire cat

RONDO RUUT ST: The build and geometry

All of the RONDO bikes are assembled in Poland, seeing the steel frame of the RONDO RUUT ST team with a carbon fork and durable aluminum bars and stem, which come in a range of sizes depending on the frame size to match the rider’s needs. Our test bike was a size M and fitted with a 100 mm stem and 440 mm bars. On top of the full carbon fork with thru-axle and the ability to take mudguards, RONDO also granted the bike their own TWINTIP geometry system, which provides dual settings. In the HI setting you get a steeper seat and head angle, a shorter fork trail (more responsive steering) and a more aggressive riding position. Turn the flipchip into the LO position and make the most of the 0.5° slacker angles, 13 mm longer fork trail, 10 mm higher bars and more recreational position for longer days and leisurely riding.

100 mm long stem and 440 mm wide bars on frame size M
Color coordination all the way through
The TWINTIP geometry is unique to Rondo bikes

Intent on bike-packing, the chromoly steel frame made by Japanese tubing specialists Tange has mounts for three bottle cages, mud guards and a pannier rack. At 420 mm, the asymmetrical chainstays are arguably pretty short and leave enough tire clearance for 650B x 2.1″ or 700c x 40mm. Produced in Taiwan, the frame has direct mount disc brakes, thru-axles and no front mech.

The narrow wide chainring keeps the chain in place

Aligned with its € 2,299 price tag, its transmission is built around the SRAM Rival 1 groupset but also has an X-Sync 40T chainring and SunRace 11–42 11-speed cassette. Front and back brakes both have 160 mm rotors. The alloy rims are 21 mm wide and colour-coordinated with the RONDO Superlight hubs. It comes with 40 mm tan wall Panaracer GravelKing SK tires. The build clearly maintains a competitive price. Even more colour coordination comes thanks to the Fabric Scoop Flat saddle. Our test bike with a standard build weighed in at 10.65 kg.

Panaracer GravelKing – Nomen est Omen
Fender and mud guard mounts allow happy commutes

RONDO RUUT ST on test

Having already tested the RONDO RUUT CF2, we were stoked to see how its steel sibling would fare on Poland’s seemingly endless gravel backcountry tracks. With the same geometry across the models, RONDO founder Szymon is suitably proud that none of the bikes – the RUUT ST, RUUT AL (aluminium) or RUUT CF (carbon) – are built with an open mould which gave the brand a lot of freedom when it came to tubing.

Bathing in …
… a sea of green

Never think you are God. I would never do myself!” Szymon

Significantly heavier than its carbon counterpart, the extra kilos that come from a steel frame and heavy wheelset are noticeable when accelerating. True to the form of the material, the steel frame suffers from a certain amount of bottom bracket flex that can be noticed when out of the saddle – however, for its target audience of adventure and long-distance riders, this isn’t likely to be an issue. Once at ‘cruise control’, the compliance of the frame is there for your riding pleasure, aiding by the aluminum bars and big tires. Any bumps in the terrain are smoothed out nicely, leaving you to enjoy the landscape without undue concern for line choice. On descents, the flare of the bars elevates control. In fact, as the bars are quite compact, you’ll find that long periods of touring spent on the drops is a surprisingly comfortable position in which to cruise.

The dual geometry settings unleash two different characters of the bike, with the HI setting proving an inspired choice for a quick fix of endorphins on a rapid post-work ride. This is when it’s at its most lively and responsive. The TWINTIP geometry system’s LO setting looks intent on long rides, with a slightly more upright riding position that alleviates pressure on your wrists and shoulders. Neither position is particularly extreme. Unless you enjoy lugging your tools around with you, you’ll need to pick the setting before starting your ride, as you also need to add a brake adapter as well as turning the lever. The LO settings looks like it’ll be the main draw for the RUUT ST based on the bike’s intended purpose, spec and frame material; after all, why go to the bother of lowering a people carrier and then setting off on a monster journey?

Town sign sprints …
… can also be fun on a steel bike

As expected from previous positive encounters (such as in our gravel bike group test), the Panaracer GravelKing tires competently take on Poland’s backcountry terrain without issues. It’s just a case of setting the right tire pressure. On sand, gnarly cobbles or hard-packed forest tracks, this is a rubber with great grip and satisfying predictability, especially when cornering. However, if you’ve laden your bike down with luggage or planned a really rough route, we’d suggest going for bigger tires – 650Bs with a width of 2.1″ give a bigger volume and more comfort.

The SRAM Rival 1 transmission in combination with the SunRace cassette provides a decent performance, although it’s unlikely to win any awards for the precision of its shifting. And nor will those cheap-looking oversized shifters. On a bike destined for epic adventures and bike-packing, 160 mm rotors are a great choice in terms of dimensions, but these ones lacked power and proved unreliable in their modulation, demanding a whole lot of tug in order to anchor the bike.

Conclusion

Translated into English, RONDO stands for roundabout and is a casual reference to Szymon’s weekly 9 am ride appointment with his mates. The same recreational vibe is reflected in the RUUT ST, which promises to be a stellar companion on long rides. For style-conscious gravel grinders and landscape indulgers, the RUUT ST represents a well-thought-out, stylish and fairly priced bike. With those heavy wheels and low-end drivetrain, there’s still room to play and more performance potential to be unleashed.

Strengths

  • Clever frame features
  • Feel-good bike
  • Stability and control
  • Travel in style

Weaknesses

  • Heavy wheelset
  • Sub-par SRAM Rival shifting and braking


More info: rondo.cc

Thanks Poland. We’ll be back soon.

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Words: Photos: Piotr Staron