[leadin]Three bikes for the price of one. That is the theme with German upstart 8bar, which launched its modular concept this week.[/leadin]
Two forks, sliding dropouts, and lots of fender and rack mounts make this road bike frame a passable off-road option.
Berlin-based custom bike manufacturer, 8bar, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund what they claim is a bike for all occasions. The MITTE can go from aggressive road geometry and short wheelbase to a more upright, wide wheelbase cyclocross bike “within 15 minutes.” The campaign was successfully funded with 40 days remaining.
Adjustable Geometry Bicycle
Each frameset comes with two forks — one carbon for road, the other aluminum for cross and touring. Switching from the road to the cross fork reduces the bike’s head and seat tube angle by a degree, lowering the bike’s overall stance, and allowing more clearance for knobby tires.
After swapping forks, you can also slide the rear dropouts back, widening the wheelbase and allowing for a wider tire in back. The effect is subtle, but noticeable to seasoned riders.