When building a new custom Breccia gravel bike from Ruckus Bikes for Gene he had two specific requests – he wanted it to be light, and use Shimano mechanical with a massive low gear.

For the gearing requirement Shimano GRX RX810 shifters with a 1x left brake lever were matched to a Shimano M5100 11-51 cassette and rear derailleur. A Wolf Tooth Components “Tanpan” was used to make the GRX road shifter work with the MTB rear derailleur. (As a side note, there are also 3rd party derailleur cage replacements for GRX that would do the same thing).

Carbon cranks and handlebar from Easton, plus handbuilt wheels using 315g carbon rims, DT Swiss 350 hubs, and DT Aerolite spokes helped keep the weight down without breaking the budget. WTB Vulpine 45mm tires ensure the bike can go anywhere while still rolling smoothly on the road.

After a busy weekend on the bike, Gene sent a note with his review:

“The Ruckus has been all that I hoped for. This past Saturday I rode it through the Rocky Woods reservation in Belmont on some rocky single track. With the low gearing and wide tires, it floated over the rock gardens. Sunday’s ride was a paceline hammerfest up the steep climb to Mt Vernon NH. I found I could hold my place in the paceline and take my turn on the pulls.

In the back of my mind, I had hoped that the Ruckus would fill the roles of a light-duty mountain bike and road bike simultaneously with no change in configuration or tires.  But, that’s asking a lot. Well, it actually does fill both roles. Despite their size, the 45mm tires roll like road skinnies. 

People have commented favorably on the green-brown color scheme.  Thanks for your discerning taste in compatible colors.”

Thank you Gene for sharing your review and your photo. Glad you are enjoying your new bike!