Retrospec Amok
The Retrospec Amok is a flat-bar steel cyclocross bike, which I purchased online in March 2015. I bought it because I’d always wanted a ‘cross bike, and this one was available at a great price. The “flat bar road bike” thing was kind of intriguing, too. My thinking was that this could handle a bunch of duties — gravel bike, utility bike, light touring, even some mild singletrack.
Here are the specs for what Retrospec calls the Amok-9 UrbanCross Bike:
Frameset:
- Hand-Built 4130 Chromoly Frame and Fork
- Water Bottle Braze Ons
- 130mm Rear Horizontal Drop Out with Hanger
Drivetrain:
- microSHIFT 9 Speed Shifter
- Forged Alloy Crank with 42T 3/32″ Chainring
- 1/2×1/8″ Chain
- Bottom Bracket: VP Sealed Cartridge 68×110.5mm
- Nine-Speed 11/25 Shimano Cassette
Wheelset:
- 700C Double Wall Stars Rims
- Retrospec Sealed Bearing High Flange Hubs with Rear Cassette Hub
- Kenda Small Block 8 Pro Cyclocross Tires, 700x35c
Components:
- NECO Headset
- Front & Rear Promax Center Pull Cantilever Brakes
- Promax 90mm Stem
- Alloy Flat Sweepback Handlebars
- Soft Rubber Grips
- Alloy Seatpost, 26.4
- KMC Z99 Chain
- Chain Protector
- VP Components 9/16″ Low Profile Platform Pedals
- 28.6mm Seat Clamp
I ran the bike pretty much stock to begin with. I did change the grips, add bar-ends, change the saddle and pedals. Added bags and lights and accessories, of course.
In summer 2015, I took the bike on a self-supported 1000-mile tour. The bike performed well, with the exception of gearing — 1×9 just wasn’t enough for loaded touring in hilly areas.
It’s been a really good bike for me. I’m ambivalent about the flat bars; thinking of swapping them over to drops. The tires are limited to about 42mm; wider would have been nicer. Other than that, it’s been a solid performer.
Retrospec Amok Stats
- Mileage: ~10,200 miles
- Eddington Miles: 51 miles
- Eddington Minutes: 120 minutes
Stats thru the end of 2018