MORE THAN JUST A WHEEL SWAP

INTRODUCTION

The ECHO is the ultimate all-road bike, because it’s really two bikes in one – something we refer to internally as the dual-geometry system, which has a race-tuned road mode and a stability-minded gravel mode optimized for 28-30mm tires and 38-40mm tires, respectively. The keys to the dual-geometry system are the two little flip chips riding in the ECHO’s fork and stays, which shift the axles in an operation that takes a few tools and a handful of minutes.

The ECHO is a road-racing and gravel-racing bike that buttons up at the startline on tarmac but also parties beyond the Pavement Ends sign. The frameset is superlight, super-durable, and responsive to pedal inputs in both geo modes.

With the ECHO’s flip chips, you’re getting two bikes, and the compromise is almost nothing. The operation for flipping the chips is also almost nothing – it just takes a few minutes and a few tools and… well, that’s it.

ONE BIKE. TWO RIDES.

We enjoy chunky gravel. Our own local gravel routes are notoriously brutal on tires. But we also recognize that a full gravel bike is overkill for almost every other type of riding – and even a lot of gravel racing. If you’re on a bike equipped for the chunkiest gravel, then you’re probably feeling sluggish, clunky, and unresponsive on everything from tarmac to hardpack.

In designing the ECHO, we were looking for a bike that checked two boxes: riding and racing on the road all week but then spreading its wings on gravel come the weekend. For us, that means more than a wheel swap, which is really just a more expensive way to change tire sizes without addressing any of the geometry concerns that inform ride quality.

All those “all-road” bikes with high BBs, floaty rakes, and big tire clearances are, simply, gravel bikes. You put smaller tires on, you’ve still got a gravel bike with slicks. A road noodler, really – the bike we described as sluggish and clunky.

The alternative is a slack endurance road bike with increased tire clearance and loose, baggy handling; again, that’s a bike that’s only adequate at one thing and semi-adequate at another. It’ll be timid on the road and under-equipped on gravel. Worst of both worlds.

Our solution is – ahem – the ECHO’s:

DUAL-GEOMETRY SYSTEM

Step one was accepting the necessity of two dedicated geometries optimized for two tire sizes. We dreamt up our ideal version of both geometries, and then we asked: Where do we have room on this bike for something adjustable that’d let us realize this crazy dream?

It turns out all we needed was a 10mm shift to flip from a road-racing machine to a fast gravel bike.

In road mode, the ECHO clears the new racing standard of 28-30mm tires with reactive handling that’s electric without feeling like a jolt with every slight handlebar input or body lean. The integrated cockpit, the weight, the geo – the ECHO’s right there with WorldTour-level road bikes. (Though it does have the more traditional top tube and seat stay lines, which is something we value, especially compared to the cookie cutter profiles turned out by most big manufacturers.)

In gravel mode, the tires plump up to 38-40mm and the geo stabilizes, but that punchy pedaling platform and race-tuned handling remain. It doesn’t clear 50mm+ tires, so you’re gonna be under-biking if you get into the gnarliest stuff, but 40mm tires are more than equal to most weekend-warrior terrain you’ll find on drop bars.

EASY DOES IT

Of course, we knew the only way this was gonna work is if you could swap the geometries quickly, by yourself, at home, and with minimal tools and fuss. Once we had the geos and the design concept figured out, simplicity became the priority.

The whole operation only needs a handful of tools and 6-10 minutes to complete. We recommend following our quick video guide once. After that, you’ll be able to do it from memory in a matter of minutes. It’s not a weekend operation – hell, it takes less time than swapping out tires.

Though the flip chip gets the accolades, the brakes deserve credit, too. They’re on sliders, so – if you’re running a similar hub and rotor on both wheelsets – the brakes adapt to the different wheel positions without any significant readjustment. Loosen bolt, slide brake, tighten bolt – done.

THE ECHO. DOES NOT. CREAK.

Before going any further, let’s get this clear: The ECHO’s flip chips are just as secure and silent as a fixed dropout.

The metal chips sit in a carbon pocket, which tends to be a nightmare for tolerances. That’s why creaking is something that most cyclists have come to expect from any design like a press-fit BB, a derailleur mount, a flip chip, or any other attachment point or connection on a bike frame. But with the ECHO? No creaking.

This little bit of magic is an exercise in expert engineering and flawless tolerances to eliminate sloppy fits. The design is sound. The finishes are correct. It’s nigh impossible to get an ECHO to creak.

And we’ve tried! We’ve done weekly flip chip swaps without cleaning or greasing the contact points, and we’ve never been able to get them to make a sound – even with a ton of dirt and grit on the frame surfaces. (But please don’t do this to your ECHO. We were just purposely trying – and failing – to break ours.)

SPATIAL AWARENESS

One final note to consider is that the ECHO also addresses an issue typically elided by n+1 discourse: Storage is real. Specifically, it’s a real limitation.

Got a dedicated service course? Then you’re an n+1 superstar. But adding a gravel bike to a domestic fleet isn’t always feasible for cyclists with limited garage, living room, or bedroom space, so a single bike that can flex between multiple applications is preferable. We think your roommates, family, significant others, etc., will agree.