Top Rodeo Bikes of 2024

It’s been a year, hasn’t it? In the middle of one of the most challenging periods of the bike industry in recent memory, I’m proud to say that Rodeo didn’t stand idly by and “wait it out”, we leaned into the headwinds and continued to up our game in terms of the bikes and other products that we’ve brought to life. Our customer service people listened intently as new owners described their dream steeds, then worked with our in-house paint and build departments to turn those dreams into reality. Quite a large percentage of the bikes that ship from HQ go out with black frames and standard decals, and those bikes ride as well as any other bike we build, but the team here takes extra pride in the wild custom creations that we turn out. So, with that in mind, let’s dig into a cross-section of some of our favorite builds of 2024, in no particular order.

Corey’s Blue and Pink Panther

Corey’s signature colors on his previous bikes have been pink and baby blue, so when it finally came time to get a TD4, it was obvious that we needed to continue the theme. We really think the final result popped hard, and paired with the Cantu wheels, this bike will never be lost in the crowd. Corey has innumerable gravel rides, races, and Unbound finishes under his belt, and it is a honor to see him aboard a TD4.

Star Wars inspired TD4 for Michael

“I like space ships”. That was the initial direction that Michael gave to us when commissioning this absolute masterpiece of a bike and build. Amazingly, after giving us that guidance, he more or less set us loose to execute his vision. The in-house Rodeo design and paint team went to work on even the smallest of the details, creating a detailed and highly authentic homage to the aesthetics of the Star Wars universe. From the custom spork logo, to the downtube Rodeo logo, to the subtle codes and words rendered in the Arubesh language. Insomuch as a bike can look like a space ship, this one nailed it. The hand masking of every line and glyph by our painter Brad took untold hours, and the build itself was also a tour de force of attention to detail by Chef Coco. This build features a fully integrated and hidden front and rear lighting system, powered by a battery hidden inside of the downtube. An integrated glowing power button on the downtube also turns the system on and off, and a hidden USB-C port under the top tube allows for the entire system charging without having to pull out a battery and place on a charger. We see a lot of beautiful bikes around here, but when the team laid eyes on this completed opus, it stopped each of us in our tracks.

The ’90’s Fanny Pack TD4

This is it. What you’re looking at is the most shared, most viewed, and most liked bike that Rodeo has ever created. It started out as a simple enough commission, with Austin, a TD4 owner, commissioning a build for his wife. She already had a bike that featured blues and pinks, and wanted to go even further with the aesthetic. The more we talked, the more opportunities we found to “go nuts”, including painting the handlebar, stem, headset, and Redshift seatpost. Eventually we got so carried away that we went ahead and started painting things we hadn’t discussed, like the Sram AXS brake levers. The chef’s kiss was the Appleman crank and NOX wheels which continued the theme further into the components. The end result is so visually stunning and unique, that it continues to stop even the most jaded thumb scrollers cold, racking up tens of thousands of likes and shares online. Some call it the Barbie bike, some call it the ’90s Fanny Pack. We just call it another happy Donkey matched to another happy owner.

Bob’s FL5 Ti Tour Divide dream build

It isn’t all about over the top color around here. It’s also about over the top function. When Bob got in touch and told us he wanted a rig that, among other things, is capable of taking on Tour Divide in 2025. Titanium doesn’t need any custom paint or color, but neither us or Bob could resist adding some flourishes to this build. We started with an acid green pop on the main frame, and selected subtle components such as the hubs, headlight, and valve stems for blue accents. On the functional end of this build, the 5 Dev titanium cranks, Tailfin rack system, eeSilk suspension post, Redshift stem, and 29×2.1 tires over Rodeo 3.0 rims make this a build that is designed to pack gear and cover miles efficiently and comfortably.

The K-Lite / TD4 collab build

We’re all about collaboration around here, and this build that we did in collaboration with bikepacking legends K-Lite was ideated in order to explore just how elegantly we can integrate dynamo powered front and rear lighting into our builds. Chef Coco got into the deep weeks with K-light, roughing out wiring diagrams and routing options, and created this beautifully integrated solution that takes power generated by the hub, and uses it to light up the night both front and rear. The bespoke headlight switch is integrated near the steam, and a USB 3 charging port is hidden under the downtube, which allows for charging a battery backup bank in the top tube bag, which would be used to power accessories such as a phone, navigation device, and and drivetrain batteries. This build showed off our ability to customize and adapt electronics, and kicked off a wave of custom customer builds with that functionality included.

The Jurassic Flaanimal

Every once in a while the team here lets loose and creates a bike just for the sake of creativity, and without a specific customer in mind. The Jurassic Flaanimal is a brilliant example of just that, taking inspiration from the famous Jurassic Park Ford Explorers, and turning that into a heavy duty, rack-packing, dynamo-powered, flat bar build that was designed to take whatever any given velociraptor could throw at it. From the downtube font, to the head tube logo, to the hand-masked paint layout on the frame, this bike nailed the assignment and has since become one of the more popular bikes we’ve ever posted. It also immediately found a home in the great Northwest, if not quite the legendary Isla Nublar.

The Flame Donkey

Our lead painter Ryan had always wanted to do a flame bike, and as his final project before taking a new job outside of Rodeo, Ryan finally brought the Flame Job Donkey to life. Every detail of this bike is spicy, from it’s 4 piston hot red Hope brakes, to the flat bars, dropper post, and finally the mini Tabasco bottle mounted on the seat tube. This build was quickly snatched up and went to a new home in Pueblo, Colorado. Godspeed, Ryan!

Sarah’s anodized Flaanimal Ti switch-Up build

Sarah has been everywhere on her bikes, including Tour Divide and additional globe trotting on her Flaanimal 5 steel. Eventually though, Sarah started thinking about building up a new Flaanimal that would be more or less impervious to the rigors of global travel and harsh environmental conditions. Naturally, the subject of titanium came up immediately. But this was not your average titanium Flaanimal. Not only did Sarah request a truly unique custom anodizing theme, with electric balloons covering much of the frame, she also requested we create a switch-up build, which allows her to quickly change the bike between a rigid drop bar bike or a front suspended flat bar bike, and every possible variation thereof. Thanks to wireless shifting and quick connect hydraulic couplers, we were able to create a bike with the function of many bikes, all in one. This bike is a shining example of our team’s ability to tailor a build to exactly the circumstances of each owner. In the case of this bike, limited space in a Sprinter van meant less storage available for a fleet of bikes, so we condensed much of that function into a single build.

Luke’s refurbished TD4 race rig

Having already been raced for a successful 2023 season by our factory athlete Luke Hall, this TD4 showed the scuffs and scars from a heavy season of racing, including a 2nd place finish the the notoriously muddy and destructive Unbound XL of that year. We brought back the tired frame, cleaned it, sanded it down, and brought it back to life with a completely fresh paint layout and refreshed build spec. It’s no exaggeration to say that this bike came out better than new. We’re particularly proud of this project because it shows our commitment to building durable bikes suited to the highest levels of racing. Rodeo Labs bikes are meant for the long haul, and any owner who wants to refresh theirs, repair it, or make it feel new again will find an eager collaborator with the crew here at HQ.

Brad’s flat bar TD3

Speaking of refurbishing, our painter Brad wanted to refurbish his TD3, so he also brought it in, repainted it, and dove deep into his incredible personal parts bin to create this unique and beautiful flat bar shredder. Brad hand masked the topographic lines on the seat tube, and paired a beautiful mix of titanium bar, post, and cages to create a Donkey like we’ve never seen.

Flaanimal 6 Titanium launch bike

When we set out to design the new Flaanimal 6 Titanium, we wanted to create a more capable AND more elegant titanium bicycle, and we succeeded. This build, which we created for the launch, surprised even us when it emerged from both the paint booth and build stand in the form of a completed bike. The whole was indeed greater than the sum of the parts. We used a blue tinted clear over raw titanium and carbon for certain parts of the frame and fork, and we contrasted that with a graphic white digital fade on other sections of the frame. Details matter, and the white Berd spokes that Pancho laced to the wheels really picked up the white motif and elevated it, and the fully integrated cockpit banished visible cable routing, and made the bike quite the piece of eye candy. Not just fast looking, the bike is exceptionally light and nimble. We’re excited to begin shipping more like it in late February!

The Intern Box Of Crayons TD4

All the color. That’s what we do around here when we’re cut loose. For this personal TD4, we imagined the frame as a box of crayons, and used as many of them possible. Is it too much color? For some, yes, and others not at all. Bikes are supposed to be fun, and this build brings smiles at every event it goes to. Also a repaint project, this is the third redo that this frame has seen, and this is also in-fact the first TD4 frameset ever built and ridden, still being adventured on to this day.

Pink Pig TD4 Homage

Inspired by legendary Porsche race cars of old, the Pink Pig TD4 faithfully recreates its motorsports inspiration with dashed lines and labeling representing cuts and parts similar to the original. It’s swappable race car style number badges also pay tribute. Large, fat slicks on 3.0X wheels give it a menacing stance often found with its race car brethren.

Classic Naked + Orange TD4

It doesn’t have to overwhelm to be special. Ricky went with a Naked TD4, but asked us to accent it with orange details throughout. Chef Coco sprang into action and proved that just enough color can be better than all the colors combined.

Show Pony / Project Denver Prototype 2

We haven’t yet shared the entire story of this bike, but it was a proud moment when we rolled out this, the first fully in-house built frame, and then immediately started taking it on adventures around the world. Project Denver represents our ongoing initiative to create bikes entirely in-house in Denver, and the Show Pony project is the development platform for that project, in the form of a hardtail MTB frame. This frame features 3d printed titanium lugs bonded to carbon fiber tubing, but this is far from the final form of the bike. Each step, each iteration of this project teaches us new things about manufacturing, and points to the future of Rodeo Labs.

Unbound $200 Beach Cruisers

Stripped down, spray painted, and ridden into history at the Unbound 200, these $200 beach cruisers weren’t even Rodeo Labs bikes, but at the same time, they are some of the most Rodeo bikes ever created.

Honorable mentions

1. Splatter Paint Flaanimal Ti

2. Anodized tie dye sloth Flaanimal Ti

3. Launch Edition Bronze TD4.2

4. Cade’s Divide Conquering TD4

5. Jim’s Klein inspired TD4

6. Joe’s Ride For Racial Justice TD4

7. Pine Cone Flaanimal Ti

6. Ceci Nes Pas Un Flaanimal Ti

7. Dan’s WWII fighter Flaanimal 5 Steel

8. GT Inspired Retro TD4

9. Adam’s multi color, multi pattern Flaanimal 5

10. Holy Cow TD4

Are you still here? Is this thing still on? You know what they say, it’s hard to pick a favorite child. The team here at Rodeo created so many wonderful bikes this year, and it was incredibly difficult to narrow down our favorites to the bikes shown here. It’s a bit of a crime how many awesome bikes were weren’t able to post, lest this page be a never ending gallery of eye candy. There are so many other bikes that not only we, but also partner shops created this year, and we wish we could feature them all. If you follow us on Instagram, feel free to scroll back through our 2024 of posts, and you’ll see even more of the art on wheels that we’ve had the pleasure of putting into the world this year. If you’re looking at customizing a Rodeo bike of your own, we hope we’ve inspired you with some great ideas, and we look forward to creating more and more beautiful work in 2025.