Bikes Blog
Onguza Rooster Customized Metal Mountain Bike Hardtail, Constructed to Experience Away From Lions
Mar
Onguza is again with one other new metal bike made in Namibia, this time a made-to-measure Rooster metal hardtail mountain bike. It’s possible you’ll not instantly consider bike craftsmanship made in Africa. However, Onguza reminds us that these are bikes constructed by individuals who know the worth of a dependable bike if you stay someplace powerful…
“Namibia is aware of powerful. Namibia is aware of what occurs in case your bike breaks in the course of nowhere. We’ve received lions!”
Onguza Rooster customized metal hardtail mountain bike
Onguza has up to date their gravel The Goat, aka Mannequin 1 and road-plus The Holy Fireplace bikes with 4 new colour choices and full bike improve choices for this yr. However on the similar time, they’ve added an all-new The Rooster hardtail mountain bike.
These two drop bar bikes are fairly devoted for his or her particular disciplines. However the brand new Rooster actually opens up much more potentialities. Onguza calls it extra of an “open slate”.
It’s a 29″ hardtail with a 120mm fork, however for some individuals that would imply an XC race bike, others may see it as extra of a path all-rounder. And there’s additionally a rising crop of bikepacking journey racers who see this as the right platform for ultra-distance driving distant from civilization.
“Examined over a few years and in a number of completely different codecs in harsh terrain, The Rooster has raced throughout Namibia a number of occasions within the Desert Sprint with its earliest prototype profitable the occasion ridden by Dan Craven in 2012.“
Onguza says they like “a progressive geometry” for the Rooster and 120mm of fork journey, however don’t go into specifics on numbers fairly as a lot as they do with the dropbar bikes. They are saying, “you fill within the particulars”. And after you give them your bike match particulars and clarify what you’re in search of in a web based session, Onguza will tailor all of the vital particulars only for you.
Tech particulars
The made-to-measure Onguza Rooster hardtail will get fillet-brazed, constructed up with Columbus metal tubing. The Rooster includes a straight machined 44mm headtube, put up mount disc brakes, 30.9mm seatpost, Enhance thru-axle rear finish with a stainless-steel SRAM UDH dropout. It contains absolutely guided inside brake routing by way of the downtube and chainstays as customary, constructed for a wi-fi SRAM AXS drivetrain & dropper setup, as customary. However you may optionally add on routing for a mechanical drivetrain if you want, and for a mechanical dropper if wanted. They’ll additionally do customized bikepacking mods and extra mountain level braze-ons as extras, too.
Onguza Rooster – Pricing, choices & availability
Just like the Goat & Holy Fireplace, the brand new Onguza Rooster MTB hardtail sells as a frameset beginning at $4100 USD, together with free worldwide delivery.
For the mountain bike, that will get you a body, a 120mm RockShox SID fork, stem, fastened seatpost, and headset – all painted to match. Plus, the matching ‘Made Out Here’ headset prime cap.
Right here that frameset worth additionally will get you quite a lot of off-road design flexibility. Onguza builds every mountain bike body really made-to-measure, so the bike is dialed in completely for the rider. You may even e book a free session through their web site to see if it’s the right bike for you. Full bike builds are additionally attainable.
However Onguza is a comparatively small workshop. They usually solely could make so many. So, you’ll must put down a $1500 deposit to safe your construct slot. Then, Onguza will put you in wish to make your bike.
For extra about Onguza’s “We’ve received Lions!” marketing campaign and the total Made Out Right here video, learn on. Their full PR concerning the collaboration with photographer Ben Ingham beneath:
We’ve received Lions!
ONGUZA was based in 2020 by two-time Namibian Olympic Street Bike owner {and professional} rider Dan Craven (higher often known as @danfromnam). And is an element owned by the corporate’s Namibian grasp framebuilders Sakaria Nkolo and Petrus Mufenge.
Whereas the biking business is going through some monumental challenges in the meanwhile, ONGUZA has been rising, primarily promoting bikes within the USA. Regardless of this success, the model is going through its personal obstacles. “Individuals usually don’t know something about Namibia. If individuals consider Namibia they’re pondering of landscapes and animals, however we’re not well-known for our craftsmanship. Should you’re an Italian framebuilder, you profit from what it means to be from Italy. However being from Namibia we now have to be so good the experience speaks for itself.” says Craven.
As Craven says “our Goliath just isn’t within the biking business, it’s how the world views African craftsmanship. Title a single, globally acknowledged luxurious model from Africa? It’s arduous to do! However the high quality is there.”
Inventive Director, Collyn Ahart says, of the marketing campaign course of, “What’s the actual good thing about driving a Namibian-made bicycle? Namibia may not have a grand tour. However if you’d like a motorbike that’s made by individuals who know what a motorbike actually must do. Would you somewhat have a motorbike made in a faceless manufacturing unit within the East? Or a motorbike handmade within the hardest place on earth? Namibia is aware of powerful. Namibia is aware of what occurs in case your bikes breaks in the course of nowhere. We’ve received lions!”
The marketing campaign with Ingham takes a deep have a look at the dynamism of Namibian tradition. And the way it influences the ONGUZA model, together with motorsport, horse driving, dance, spirituality, and dwelling in a strong panorama.
ONGUZA collaborating with Ben Ingham makes a daring assertion about the place the model is heading. Ingham has an unlimited portfolio of labor for luxurious manufacturers together with Rapha, Dunhill and Stella McCartney. As Ahart says “The perfect manufacturers make you’re feeling one thing. We want individuals to see and really feel what it means to be made out right here. Each within the sense of being made as an individual on a motorbike. And being made within the hardest place on earth.” Made Out Right here indicators off the model’s new work as a line.
“I’ve at all times believed we now have to lean into what makes us completely different somewhat than play by the principles of our class. Biking will be painfully self-referential, however we’re distinctive, we simply must seize it. I don’t know many photographers who can seize that type of fact in a spot the way in which Ben can.” Each Ahart and Craven labored with Ingham whereas he was working for Rapha. “Ben is an outsider to Namibia, however typically you want an outsider to assist reveal your inside energy.”