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Bowman crosses the Atlantic… with bikes, including the Foots Cray

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Bowman_Foots_Cray_Side

As Paul Revere would put it, “The British are coming!” UK manufacturer Bowman has crossed the Atlantic, creating a second operation in North America. With their expansion, comes their full catalog of bikes. To address a growing cyclocross presence in the western hemisphere, the alloy Foots Cray provides another option to consider. Limbo past the break to get the details… 

Bowman Foots Cray Burgundy 0006
photo c. Bowman Cycles

Bowman’s expansion to Ashland, Oregon allows bikes such as the Foots Cray, and others, to be available through their North American online store. Developing aluminum and steel frames, Bowman builds bikes with their own take on tubing designs, and unique ride quality fundamentals.

Foots_Cray_geo_chart

What stands out most at first glance is the length of the toptube. Geometry is inspired by mountain bikes, offering a longer distance between the bottom bracket and the front hub, thus providing stability when entering corners at speed. They manage to achieve this by elongating the top tube, and compensating with a shorter stem. There is roughly +20mm difference in toptube length when compared to other road inspired cross bikes.

Bowman_FC_BB

The Foots Cray is built with triple butted 7005-T6 aluminum. The toptube is shaped into a “T” providing for both horizontal and vertical stiffness. Modular external cable guides and internal electronic cable routing keeps the frame up-to-date with today’s standards. Holding the front wheel is a full carbon, tapered steerer thru-axle fork. CNC’d disc brake mounts allow for 140mm rotors and proper clearance. Furthermore, the bottom bracket is a reinforced, forged shell that adds robust cable protection underneath. Locking the wheels in, the bike sports 15mm front and 12x142mm rear thru-axles.

The Foots Cray comes as a frameset at $1100. A complete build option with Sram Force and Ritchey components is also available for $2600.

Bowman-cycles.com

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Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
7 years ago

Niner RLT 9 is a better frame for the money and you’re supporting US ingenuity.

typevertigo
typevertigo
7 years ago

Geometry isn’t too different from Giant’s TCX, at first glance, although the Foots Cray does seem to have a smidge shorter seat tube. Can’t tell if the top tube measurement is effective or actual.

Any news on what length stems come with the built Foots Cray bikes, per size? For comparison, a size S TCX has 50 cm seat tube, 52 cm effective top tube, and the same 430 mm chainstays, and comes with a 90 mm stem.

mudrock
mudrock
7 years ago

More than the long top tube, what stands out to me is the low head tube, low BB, and slack head angle. Seems to be a racer’s bike, but that slack head angle would make it slow on the cross course. Now that thing would be capable on single track, tho.

mudrock
mudrock
7 years ago

When I say slow on a cross course, I meant to say slow turning. Lord knows we have a lot of turns on courses.

matthew moseley
matthew moseley
7 years ago

69 deg head angle. wow.

Lost Kiwi
Lost Kiwi
7 years ago

But if you take into consideration the shorter stem that will speed up your steering, the combination will ad stability with out reducing steering speed noticeably.

Mayhem
Mayhem
7 years ago

Ordered a Foots Cray frameset a few weeks ago, hoping it arrives in the not too distant future. Currently assembling parts for the build which will consist of a Sram Rival 1 groupset, Hope Pro 4 hubs, NoTubes Grail rims, Ritchey WCS finishing kit and Specialized Power saddle.

The Niner RLT 9 was one of the other bikes on my shortlist but over here in Europe they’re simply too expensive. Like 50% or so over the US price.

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