Eric sent in these photos of the Flaanimal 5 that he just completed, and it’s purple, so how could we not share!? We sent out so many framesets and quite often don’t get to see the completed bike, so when we do get to see it, it makes our day! This is also a great reminder that Flaa final 5 is UDH compatible, just tick that option when ordering one and we’ll send it out ready to go, or you can retrofit any existing Flaanimal (even back to 4.0h for UDH if you like) with a simple slider swap. Sliders FTW!

Happy New Flaanimal day, Eric! Thanks for adopting a Rodeo Labs.

It’s 2025! Time to get our rumps into action and start building beautiful bikes again! This first build of the year is a custom three color TD4 replete with matching fenders (mud guards?) that we built for Alex. Any build with fenders is automatically cool, but matching them to the rest of the bike is automatically that much more of a tasteful choice.

We’re way into Alex’s bold color choices on this one. Understated bikes are timeless and classy, but over stated bikes make people smile, and we’re all about that around here

Happy New Bike Day, Alex! Thanks for letting us build this one for you.

#traildonkey
#rodeospork
#rodeowheels
#gravelbike
#newbikeday

Chapter 3: Ice Rim

Ask people who’ve been here, and you’ll often be told stories of searing temperatures and dehydration. This is, after all, a desert’s desert. But if you skip the high season you might discover something wholly unexpected: mild days and hero conditions.

As I rode along I passed through sun and shade, and in the shade waited for me a most unexpected discovery: gardens of frozen ice. In the desert, when air temperature, ground temperature, and humidity are just right, the same processes that cause snowflakes to form also cause spectacular gardens of frost flowers to blossom.

At first I rode through these gardens unaware, intent on my goal of arriving back at the car before sundown. But as the day drew to a close the intensity of the formations grew larger and louder, demanding that I stop and notice, giving the white magic its due. Crystals as long as my fingers, blossoms as large as my hand and as small as a pebble revealed themselves upon closer inspection. Infinitely fragile, even the softest brush would cause them to collapse. But if left alone and admired only with the eyes they defied gravity.

I didn’t know such places existed, and such sights were simply waiting to be seen by anyone who would go, and stop, and notice. It was clear from lack of tire tracks of any kind that I had been the first admirer in days.

What other wonders are hiding out there?
I’ll be back to find out in 2025…

#rideexplorecreate
#flaanimal
#whiterimtrail