Otso’s New Waheela R Gravel Race Bike Is Built for Speed

The new Otso Waheela R was released today with a breakdown that will be familiar to many gravel bike enthusiasts: a slacker front end, 50mm of tire clearance, and a tight chain stay to keep things nimble.

The new bike from the Minnesota based company is billed as a lightweight carbon gravel race bike, with the mounts to facilitate an adventure or two along the way. Additionally, the bike has striking Kamm Tail tube shapes intended to add some aero benefits to the frame as well.

Yet, from top to bottom, the Otso Waheela R is playing firmly in the same gravel pit as so many gravel bikes that have been released over the past year. Paired with the Otso Waheela C that was released in 2019 that was much more adventure oriented — with clearance up to 54mm, a suspension corrected front end, and plenty of bottle/bag mounts — the brand is looking to cover the full range of the gravel market.

What are the key features?

Even with the Waheela R fitting neatly into the spectrum of modern gravel bikes, there is still plenty of features worth highlighting:

Tire clearance, but with chain-stay limits

The Waheela R has landed in the middle of the modern range of tire clearances for gravel bikes at 50mm. Otso was really early on the wave that pushed gravel clearances past 50mm with the Waheela C at 53mm; the Waheela R brings things back, slightly, with clearance to 50mm. That decision, to keep things in the middle of the road, is emblematic of the bike’s philosophy writ large.

That restraint is found in the chainstay length as well. While some modern gravel race bikes are pushing the rear end of the bike back to try to maximize clearance, Otso kept the Waheela R’s rear within the 420-432mm range, depending on the frame size. While some brands like Ventum and Pivot have kept that number at or around 420-425mm for all sizes, Otso is still keeping things shorter than longer bikes like the Specialized Diverge and the Allied Able.

Kamm Tail tube shapes

Otso has made a concerted effort to focus on the race-ability of the Waheela R which can be seen throughout the bike, but is most nakedly visible through the aerodynamic tube shaping throughout the frame design. The Kamm Tail design, which has been an aerodynamic shape that has been used in cars and bikes for many years, is a truncated tear-dropped shape that cuts off the tail of the tear.

Not only does this reduce material, but it also adds stiffness while still providing increased aerodynamics compared to a standard cylindrical tube shape. Throughout the frame, this leads to a design with heavy lines, lots of squared trailing edges, and generally a unique look that, on paper, could give some aerodynamic gains.

Flexible headset routing, but with no options for 2x

For many mechanics, the Waheela R will be a welcome sight as the race bike allows for a whole range of cable routing options. External, integrated, and semi-integrated cable routing is available for each build spec.

Conversely, the frame does not have different options for the number of chainrings. There are no mounts for a front derailleur, which is a bit of a change for gravel bikes geared towards racing. The chainring clearance is quite robust for 1x options with clearance for 50t chainrings, but for some the lack of a 2x option will limit the all-road capacity of the Waheela R.

Geometry

Weight

3.62 lbs/1,645 g for a fork and frame.

Build options

For many gravel racers and riders, the Waheela R will be a welcome addition to the mix as the Otso offers many of the same features and specifications of other premium offerings at a lower price point.

On top of the fully integrated cable routing options, the internal frame storage, and the optional Enve finishing accessories, customers are able to select their desired handlebars and stem length right from the jump. This takes the guesswork and the need to re-do internal routing out of the equation for those who know their bike fit figures.

All of this value comes in a very competitive price package. The frameset comes in at a price of  $2,950 for a frameset and full builds ranging from $4,050 to $5,450 for Shimano GRX, SRAM Apex Mechanical, SRAM Rival XPLR, and SRAM Force XPLR builds. Additionally, the bikes come standard with DT Swiss G 1800 wheelsets, but with the option to add Enve 3.4 SES wheels for added cost.