Rondo Ruut Al 1: A gravel bike that catches the eye

Timo Dillenberger

· 10.06.2024

Photo: Matthias Borchers

Rondo Ruut Al 1

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The Rondo Ruut Al 1 is not only visually appealing: the rear is comfortable and the technology is well designed. In some places, however, the bike is not thought through to the end and has shortcomings.

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Like a hidden object picture: there's something for the eye to discover at every corner. The strikingly designed fork, for example, has its highlight inconspicuously at the lower end, the axle mount can be varied and thus the edge position changed, from manoeuvrable to neutral. A cable duct for a lighting system runs inside. Looks good, feels bad! The handlebars are a prime example and immediately kill any riding pleasure. The thin bar with textile strap feels like a racing bike from the 70s, the brake levers had to be mounted low because otherwise they would be almost horizontal due to the wide flare, resulting in a step from the handlebar to the brake lever that makes your hands ache in minutes. And to make matters worse, the thin handlebars don't even flex; on the contrary to the travelling comfort at the rear, the front section is as hard as a rock.

An incorrectly combined part can render the entire bike unusable. The handlebar bracket is a disaster in all three positions.
a catastrophe in all three positions. The Rondo Ruut Al 1 would also look better with thicker tyres.

Photo: Matthias BorchersAn incorrectly combined part can render the entire bike unusable. The handlebar bracket is a disaster in all three positions. a catastrophe in all three positions. The Rondo Ruut Al 1 would also look better with thicker tyres.

The high-quality Pirelli tyres are 40 mm high but only 37 cm wide, so lowering the air pressure significantly is not an option to ensure comfort. The highly manoeuvrable ride feel then becomes spongy and punctures threaten. The choice of tyres and the smallest gear ratio of 1:1 are more in favour of sporty riding, but the aluminium frame and wheels, as beautiful as they are, are a little heavy. This is where the little extras such as the frame-integrated tool come into their own. The riding position towards the rear wheel also has little in the way of dynamic pedalling, with the Rondo having the most rear-heavy weight distribution in the test. The mix of these characteristics leaves a rather narrow range of use.

We like to compare the Rondo with Citroen cars: very creative, innovative design, well-made technology, but in some places simply not thought through to the end. A treat for individualists and especially as a commuter. And with a little tyre and handlebar tuning, also suitable for travelling.