Gravel bikes continue to diversify, with machines tailored to racing and others that encroach on mountain bike territory. However, the FiftyOne Assassin looks as if it could excel in all gravel sub-disciplines.
FiftyOne is revered for its custom geometry, one-off paint schemes and tube-to-tube carbon construction, but the Assassin bucks convention for the Irish brand. It’s the brand’s first production gravel bike, with a monocoque carbon frame manufactured in Taiwan.
With two flip chips and plenty of mounting points, the gravel bike can be adapted to a wide range of needs. However, going by its spec sheet, this particular model seems to be aimed more at the go-fast crowd than the bikepacking fraternity. A frame ready for anything
FiftyOne says the Assassin’s frame uses a mixture of Toray T700, T800 and T1100 fibres. The brand says the frame weighs 1,245g, including hardware, in a size medium. The Trident fork adds another 540g.
The head tube has a reasonably stout profile and the thin seatsays wave as they head towards the seat-tube junction.
The chainstays are dropped, enabling the Assassin to accept up to 47mm-wide gravel bike tyres in 700c and 650b wheel sizes.
There are also rack and mudguard mounts, and the fork has mounts along the length of its blades to mount luggage.The cables are routed internally, but the Assassin eschews integration. FiftyOne has also stuck to convention with the round 27.2mm seatpost , which you could upgrade if you wanted greater compliance. The frame can accept either 1x or 2x drivetrains and […]
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