If there is one marque destined to be the zeitgeist of the American all-road bikepacking/touring adventure cycling culture, Crust Bikes would be it, and surrounded by a dusty West Coast, smoke-haze sunset glow is their flagship Romanceür.
This particular Crust Romanceür, assembled by San Francisco’s City+County Bicycle Co, is probably the tidiest and cleanest you’ll see online — but rest assured, it won’t remain in this state for long, as it’s heading straight to the hills to get down and dirty.
City+County put this one together for their friend Matt, to replace his beloved Bianchi which was irreparably damaged in a theft attempt. Matt wanted a bike to ride around SF during the week and take on overnight camping trips on the weekend.
That’s exactly the type of riding the Crust Romanceür was designed to do. The frames and low-trail forks are brass-brazed Reynolds 853 tubing with beautifully ornate lugs and designed for small-diameter, high-volume tires. Romance + rideability = the Romanceür.
City+County collected the necessary components in a classic silver and black combination, like the Sim Works cockpit and an assortment of locally-made parts by Paul Components and White Industries.
The 26×2.3″ Compass Rat Trap Pass was Matt’s tire of choice, wrapped around a hand-laced pair of wheels consisting of high-polished White Industries CLD hubs, DT Swiss Aerolite spokes and a pair of 26″ DT Swiss FR570 rims.
The drivetrain is made up of SRAM’s sturdy and reliable Force1 rear mech, their 10-42t XG-1195 cassette, and White Industries’ G30 gravel crankset. 36t-40t is the perfect gearing for the hills in and around San Francisco.
Topped with Paul’s Klamper disc brakes — and Brooks‘ Cambium saddle — City+County have done a fine job of blending the best US-made products with one of the most usable and versatile frames available to the modern two-wheeled adventurer.
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City+County Bicycle Co. Website | Facebook | Instagram
