Onguza is again with one other new metal bike made in Namibia, this time a made-to-measure Rooster metal hardtail mountain bike. You might 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 while you reside someplace powerful…
“Namibia is aware of powerful. Namibia is aware of what occurs in case your bike breaks in the midst of nowhere. We’ve obtained 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 shade choices and full bike improve choices for this 12 months. 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 proper platform for ultra-distance using far-off 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 an internet session, Onguza will tailor all of the essential 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 encompasses a straight machined 44mm headtube, publish 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 means of the downtube and chainstays as normal, constructed for a wi-fi SRAM AXS drivetrain & dropper setup, as normal. However you’ll be able to 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 transport.
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 high cap.
Right here that frameset value additionally will get you quite a lot of off-road design flexibility. Onguza builds every mountain bike body actually made-to-measure, so the bike is dialed in completely for the rider. You may even guide a free session by way of their web site to see if it’s the proper bike for you. Full bike builds are additionally doable.
However Onguza is a comparatively small workshop. And so they solely could make so many. So, you’ll have to 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 obtained Lions!” marketing campaign and the total Made Out Right here video, learn on. Their full PR concerning the collaboration with photographer Ben Ingham under:
We’ve obtained Lions!
ONGUZA was based in 2020 by two-time Namibian Olympic Highway Bicycle owner {and professional} rider Dan Craven (higher referred to as @danfromnam). And is an element owned by the corporate’s Namibian grasp framebuilders Sakaria Nkolo and Petrus Mufenge.
Whereas the biking trade is going through some monumental challenges in the intervening time, 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 aren’t 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 now we have to be so good the trip speaks for itself.” says Craven.
As Craven says “our Goliath isn’t within the biking trade, it’s how the world views African craftsmanship. Title a single, globally acknowledged luxurious model from Africa? It’s exhausting to do! However the high quality is there.”
Inventive Director, Collyn Ahart says, of the marketing campaign course of, “What’s the true good thing about using a Namibian-made bicycle? Namibia won’t have a grand tour. However if you would like a motorcycle that’s made by individuals who know what a motorcycle actually must do. Would you quite have a motorcycle made in a faceless manufacturing facility within the East? Or a motorcycle 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 midst of nowhere. We’ve obtained lions!”
The marketing campaign with Ingham takes a deep take a look at the dynamism of Namibian tradition. And the way it influences the ONGUZA model, together with motorsport, horse using, dance, spirituality, and residing in a robust panorama.
ONGUZA collaborating with Ben Ingham makes a daring assertion about the place the model is heading. Ingham has an enormous 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’d like 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 motorcycle. 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 all the time believed now we have to lean into what makes us completely different quite than play by the principles of our class. Biking may be painfully self-referential, however we’re distinctive, we simply have to seize it. I don’t know many photographers who can seize that form of fact in a spot the best way Ben can.” Each Ahart and Craven labored with Ingham whereas he was working for Rapha. “Ben is an outsider to Namibia, however generally you want an outsider to assist reveal your interior energy.”
