Moots Vamoots CRD

15 November 2022

By Dan Duguid

Topping the Vamoots range, the new CRD (Complete Road Design) is Moots’ first fully integrated design with road race geometry.

Oozing Moots’ fine craftsmanship, the Vamoots CRD exhibits the flawless welds and finish that we have come to expect from the Steamboat Springs-based bike manufacturer. Designed for fast road riding, the new geometry provides the perfect balance for handling sweeping corners and out of the saddle accelerations, while the frame is made to take up to 32mm tyres.

Built around performance, the CRD uses Moots’ renowned, lightweight double butted RSL tubeset to ensure a responsive ride. Moots has coupled the tubeset with its latest 3D printed dropouts. Also featured on the Vamoots RCS, these trim weight and at the same time add stiffness at the rear wheel, for improved performance and power transfer, whilst also giving the perfect brake calliper alignment needed for flat mount brakes. For a bit of added comfort, Moots has used thin seat stays to give the smooth ride associated with Moots.

If you are familiar with the Vamoots RCS, the double butted RSL and 32mm tyre size might lead you to assume these frames are alike, but there are some distinct differences in geometry. The RCS is designed with a higher front end and longer chainstays, for improved comfort over your typical potholed UK country roads, and the resulting longer wheelbase gives stability. In comparison, the lower front end of the CRD gives you a racier feel, quick responsive handling, and as mentioned the shorter stays will give more feedback from accelerations. The frame is also optimised for 28-30c tyres, but can take up to 32mm, should you need it to.

Moots’ long-time relationship with ENVE and Chris King has been key to enabling the production of their first fully integrated frame – the most stand out feature of the CRD. The cockpit uses an SES AR Road bar and ENVE’s latest Integrated stem, which hides the cables from the wind. The hydraulic brake hoses are then routed through the upper headset bearing, using Chris King’s Aeroset 3. The rear brake hose is run through the frame, and rather than exiting at the bottom of the down tube, as in previous models, the CRD hydraulic hose exits at the last minute at the brake calliper, giving a clean look. Enabling this setup is Chris King’s T47 bottom bracket design, which gives enough space to route the brake hose through. It is the first time Moots has used this new standard

There is no doubting that the new CRD is a clean looking bike, thanks to its integrated cables, and it encompasses the fine craftsmanship that we associate with Moots, along with the distinct, sophisticated appearance that is unique to titanium bikes .