FIRST LOOK: MOOTS WOMBLE SLIDER

Who doesn't like a single-speed titanium hardtail? Well, a lot of people we suppose, but that shouldn't stop you from taking a gander at Moots‘ new Womble Slider. Moots does all their manufacturing, frame welding, and CNCing in their shop in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. All of their titanium tubing is sourced in the USA and all save the 3D-printed Ti dropouts and carbon forks are actually produced in-house. They’ve been doing all titanium crafting since the early 90s, so we’d speculate they’re pretty good at it at this point.

With the Womble Slider, Moots has taken their versatile hardtail the Womble, and adapted it to feature sliding dropouts instead of geared dropouts. Moots says the Womble's proprietary double-butted top and down tubes make for the perfect single-speed setup because it's stiff under hard pedaling. The Paragon sliding dropout is said to be a simpler and lighter option compared to the traditional geared dropouts. It's also worth noting that the new Womble will be UDH compatible with the purchase of an optional dropout for those who might want to add gears down the line.

Like the Womble, the Womble Slider has the capability of running a fork with up to 140mm of fork travel; in fact, the full build features a 140mm travel RockShox Pike Ultimate straight from the factory. The rear triangle can fit up to a 29×2.6″ rear tire thanks to a curved seat tube. The sliding dropouts are equipped with a chain tensioner and 2 bolts on each side to keep guesswork to a minimum when tensioning your chain and securing the dropouts when you’re done. there is also room for 2 water bottles in the front triangle for those long days in the saddle.

This bike is designed with the mountain biking "purist" in mind. It strips away the complexities of modern trail bikes and brings the focus back to 3 of the most important things in MTB; pedaling, coasting, and carrying momentum through the trail.

The Womble Slide frame is $4,975 with a brushed finish or you can go with the full build.

Full Build: MSRP: $9,999.00 (w/brushed finish)

Contact: www.moots.com