Van Dessel’s WTF

Van Dessel’s WTF

Rowdy road bike fits 29×2.0s. Just.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Whiskey
Tango
Foxtrot

One in a growing number of rough & tumble road bikes, Van Dessel’s Whisky Tango Foxtrot is a (coated) raw steel frameset available alone or built up with everything from an Alfine internally-geared hub to a Di2 / hydraulic disc setup.  The SRAM CX1 kit shown here seems very appropriate.

Plenty of room back here
Plenty of room back here

Eyecatching as much for its arcing twin top tubes as its mountain bike tyres, the WTF looks like a fun, comfortable, and versatile frame.

Comfy-looking steel
Comfy-looking steel

There isn’t a lot of room around those 2.0s, at least up front, but good on them for building the show bike up with proper knobbies.

Remember when 29x2.0 was a mountain tyre?
Remember when 29×2.0 was a mountain tyre?

 

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

The raw steel finish is treated against corrosion. It runs skinny tires or 2.1’s. You can build it up with drop bars or straight, a chain drive or belt. Really it’s open to suggestions. After all, it handles gravel roads, paved roads, single track, mountain trails, commuting, loaded touring, winter training, monster cross — pretty much anything you might want to do on a bike, it’s perfectly qualified for.

  • Double-butted steel frame and fork
  • Belt drive compatible
  • Cyclocross geometry with road, cross, and 29er tire capacity
  • Disc brake only
  • Single speed/IG hub compatible with PF30EBB
  • $699 frame, fork and headset. Complete builds available

vandesselsports.com

And now available in the UK from: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot – The Aftermarket

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11 thoughts on “Van Dessel’s WTF

  1. Does anyone know how the “drop bars or straight” works in practice? I’d imagine that either flat bars feel like they’re just in front of your knees or the hoods are somewhere in the next county. I know Cotic used to do flat and drops versions of the roadrat for this reason.

  2. I had the older one and I bought the frame that had the correct top tube length for drops, I would have bought a different size for flat bars. This frame should be better because they have changed the frame at the seat tube junction at the top tube making it stronger. More mtb than road. Fun bike.

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