Fit and trim: the Open UP gets a refresh for 2018

An impeccably versatile gravel grinder refined for the times

Open has tweaked the U.P. to make it lighter and keep pace with changing brake and axle standards

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Josh Patterson

Published: August 31, 2017 at 7:00 am
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It’s no understatement to say that Open shook up the gravel bike category with the introduction of the original U.P. in 2015. The company is striving to keep this innovative gravel grinder current with a few key refinements.

While other gravel bikes can easily swap between 700c and 650b wheelsets, and many can even fit knobby 27.5x2.1in mountain bike tires between the stays, very few can do all this with the short chainstays, racey geometry and low gram count that distinguish Open’s updated U.P.

The U.P. is an incredibly versatile all-road/gravel bike - Courtesy

“I’ve sold a lot of bikes in my life and spoken with many customers, but I have never seen the amount and intensity of feedback as we’ve had with the U.P. For many of our customers, it is not just a new bike, but a new way of riding. They find themselves in places they’ve never ridden before, and are just ecstatic about this new-found freedom. Of course it also helps that it fits with the trend of trying to get away from the busy roads and the explosion of gravel, but GravelPlus goes just that extra step to make the whole riding experience faster thanks to the rider position and more capable thanks to the ability to even fit mountain bike tires,” said Open co-founder Andy Kessler.

Open has adjusted several key elements of the popular gravel bike to suit the times. The company has shaved a claimed 70g from the carbon frame through the use of a revised carbon layup. The use of the U-Turn fork introduced with the lighter U.P.P.E.R. frame earlier this year saves an additional 65g.

The revamped U.P. comes in green and blue colorways - Courtesy

In addition to cleaving grams from the chassis, the new U.P. switches up some frame fitments. Specifically, it moves to flat-mount disc brakes. Unlike the original U.P., which uses a 100x15mm thru-axle upfront, the use of the U-Turn fork means the revised U.P. uses the 100x12mm road thru-axle standard. Aside from the fork, disc mounts and lighter frame, this new bike shares the same sizing, geometry and tire clearance.

The new U.P. will retail for $3,200 when it becomes available in September. (UK and Australian pricing have yet to be announced.)

Visit https://opencycle.com for more information.

Josh Patterson

Contributor

Josh Patterson is a BikeRadar contributor and former technical editor. He has spent most of his career working in the cycling industry as an athlete, mechanic and journalist. He holds a master's degree in journalism and has more than 20 years of experience as a cyclist and 12 years of experience riding and writing for BikeRadar, Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Dirt Rag, RoadBikeReview and Outside Magazine. A native of the Flint Hills of Kansas, Josh was a pioneer in the gravel cycling movement, having raced the first Unbound 200 and many other gravel events around the globe. He considers himself a cycling generalist and enjoys road, gravel and mountain biking in equal measure. When not traveling for work, he can be found exploring the singletrack and lonely gravel roads that surround his home in Fort Collins, Colorado. In addition to his love of cycling, Josh is an enthusiastic supporter of brunch, voting rights and the right to repair movement.
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