OPEN Launches the U.P.P.E.R.
OPEN just launched their newest model; the U.P.P.E.R. It’s based on the U.P., a frameset, I liked so much I bought one for personal use. The U.P.P.E.R. (Gerard the founder of OPEN is getting crazy with the acronyms) shares the same frame shape, tire clearance, and compatibility with 700c and 650b tires. Like the U.P, it’s intended to ride on the dirt and to cut through all the marketing jibber/jabber is a drop bar MTB. What you need to know about OPENs
They run two different wheel sizes.
And, the reason you want to do that is for max versatility. Lining up for the Tuesday Worlds? Put on a 700c with 25s. Want a more plush ride for that gravel century? Put on a 650s and 45s. Single track on Sunday? 650b and 2.1 knobbies.
The U.P. and U.P. with extra letters will feel at home wherever you ride because it has road geo, is compatible with road cranks and components and fits road gravel, or MTB tires. The upgrade from the U.P. is in the layup, weight, fork, brake mounts, thru-axles, and paint.
I didn’t have any complaint about those items before, and consider this a deluxe model, like the team issue 3T Exploro.
By further optimizing an already amazing layup, the U.P.P.E.R shaves off another 870 grams and gains more weight savings with a new fork that’s stiffer and uses flat-mounts. The fork attaches the flat-mount brake directly with bolts that are inserted through the fork leg from the front. You can see the exposed bolt heads and the configuration only accepts 160 rotors; again, totally fine by me.
The frameset is murdered out in matte black.
Giving OPEN props for sticking to the high performance, mixed surface aesthetic, Gerard still ignores climate change and didn’t add fender mounts, an omission I will send him flaming hate mail on.
The U.P.P.E.R. (a mouthful that I’d nickname if owned) is available to order now and is priced at US$ 4500 for the frameset, including frame, fork, thru-axles and small parts.