#otsocycles

BF: How did Otso get its name?

KS: Otso is a Finnish word for bear. The bear is a symbol of strength, courage and perseverance and is known as the king of the forest. This speaks to our Minnesota home, in that the only way to endure our long winters and humid summers is to be like the bear—minus the hibernation, of course.

BF: Otso’s website mentions Wolf Tooth and Lithic. How are those brands related to Otso?

KS: Both Lithic and Otso were started by Wolf Tooth. Otso makes bikes; Lithic makes forks, handlebars and wheels; and Wolf Tooth makes chainrings, headsets, tools and lots of other bits and pieces that keep a bike riding.

BF: What kind of bikes do you make, and why did you decide to make them?

KS: Otso makes bikes with a focus on versatility and performance without compromise. Each of our bikes are meant to blur the lines between traditional types of bikes. The design of our bikes is inspired by riding in our home state of Minnesota. We’ve got snowy singletrack, smooth crushed limestone gravel roads and rocky forest trails. 

Our fat bike is really a hardtail that can fit fat tires. This is the Voytek. We ride it with 26” x 4.0” tires on snowy trails all winter, then swap in 27.5” or 29” wheels for summer riding on dirt.

Our all-road bikes are described as gravel bikes as often as they are described as drop-bar mountain bikes because they have such massive tire clearance. These are the Waheela C, Warakin Ti and Warakin Stainless. We ride them with 700c x 35mm tires for gravel races and 29” x 2.1” tires for touring or riding chunky trails.

BF: Where are your bikes made?

KS: We rely on the expert craftsmanship in Taiwan to manufacture bikes that we design. Frames and forks are then shipped to our shop where we assemble complete builds based on customer and bike shop requested specifications.

BF: What’s a typical Otso customer like, and what are they looking for in a bike?

KS: We see many types of customers who share common themes in their types of riding. Some are focused on racing, some are focused on touring, and some just like to see where the day takes them. All of them appreciate versatility and are seeking an option that will allow them to do all three with the same bike.

BF: It’s a crowded bike market out there. Why would someone choose to purchase an Otso bike? What makes your bikes stand out? 

KS: Otso bikes do not compromise performance to be versatile. You can win a gravel race on the same Waheela C that can take you on a backcountry trails, just as you can race the same Voytek that you can take on a multi-week tour. 

At the core of this versatility is our Tuning Chip rear dropout system, which allows riders to change the bike’s geometry. It works by changing the wheelbase by up to 20mm and raising or lowering the bottom bracket height by up to 4mm. So if you’re riding the Waheela C and you’ve got a route with sand or loose gravel, you’d use the rear position of the Tuning Chip for stability and confidence; then if you’ve got a CX race and don’t want to swap bikes, you can use the front position of the Tuning Chip with its shorter wheelbase for agile handling. 

We also have a unique sales platform, in that we sell bikes through bike shops as well as directly to customers on our website. Customers and bike shops alike can use our Custom Bike Builder to choose a frame size and color and select from dozens of build options. This allows for personal selections for drivetrains, wheel and tire sizes, anodized accent colors, handlebars and pretty much anything else that is possible to customize.

BF: What is your favorite Otso bike and why?

KS: I spend a lot of time on the Warakin Ti because its versatility is perfect for riding around Minneapolis. Within 20 miles of my house, I can ride pavement, gravel and singletrack. Most of my rides include multiple types of terrain. I like being able to ride have a 30-mile route that includes pavement and gravel with options to hit all the side trails that I want. Also, the ride quality of titanium is something special.

BF: Some companies choose to specialize in making bikes of a particular material, but Otso Cycles makes stainless steel, titanium and carbon bikes. Will you speak about that choice, and what’s it like to make bikes in all those different materials?

KS: We know that every material has its advantage—steel is smooth, carbon is lightweight, and titanium is more magic than science. We also know that each material is preferred by a different type of customer. Some designs require a certain material, while other designs allow for variety. It’s quite fun to see how a certain material can really enhance a design.

BF: We noticed that you make the Voytek, which is a fat bike. It seems like there were a lot of manufacturers making fat bikes for a time a few years ago, but now fat bikes seem less prevalent in the industry. What makes the Voytek successful when other fat bikes have come and gone?

KS: The fat bike began as a niche product and it still mostly is. Cyclists were initially skeptical about buying a bike purely for snow riding, just as larger bike manufacturers were hesitant to make such a bike. Then everyone started seeing how enjoyable it is to ride a fat bike and they wanted to get in on the fun. While a couple of those larger bike companies stopped making fat bikes ahead of this season, Otso is doubling down. 

The success of the Voytek is due to the features that set it apart from other fat bikes. We designed this bike so it rides more like a mountain bike than a fat bike. It has a pedal stance (AKA Q factor) that is narrower than any fat bike in the world. Some fat bikes have such a wide pedal stance that it causes knee pain and feels like you’re pedaling a horse. The Voytek feels nimble in comparison, despite still being able to fit fat tires. 

The Voytek is also great as more of a traditional hardtail with 29” or 27.5” wheels. Winters are getting warmer, which can make it difficult to sell a fat bike to someone who might not see snow all winter. When customers see that they can ride this fat bike in the winter AND the summer, the decision is much easier. It really is the versatility of the Voytek that that has allowed it to outlast many other fat bikes.

BF: How has the coronavirus pandemic affected Otso?

KS: We read a lot about the “bike boom” in industry publications. As the pandemic began limiting social activities in March and April, folks sought out ways to stay active while aligning with local restrictions. Cycling, running, camping and pretty much the entire outdoor industry has benefited from this. Otso is no exception.

BF: We are mid-pandemic and hearing of long lead times for many brands. Do you still have bikes available, and if not, how long is the wait? 

KS: We do still have bikes, though inventory is spotty, just as it is for almost every cycling and cycling-adjacent company. I do think we have an advantage because we sell through bike shops and direct to customers on our website. Customers can visit our website to choose their bike and select from dozens of build options via our Custom Bike Builder. Our Voytek disappeared before we saw any snow this fall. We had to do a pre-order for a new supply of Warakin Ti and Warakin Stainless frames and complete bikes, which was a first for us. We do still have most sizes and colorways of our Waheela C. 

The wait for a new bike depends on whether we have it in stock or not. If someone were to order a bike today and we have frames and parts in stock, it would ship next week or the week after. If they are seeking a bike that is out of stock, the wait for inventory is one to three months depending on the model, color and/or size.

BF: Why has Otso chosen to ship with BikeFlights.com?

KS: We began using BikeFlights.com based on a recommendation. Right away, we were impressed by the ease of use of the whole platform. It’s also less expensive than competitors, which another nice incentive. One thing we’ve been amazed by is the simplicity for international orders. This is great for our customers because the duties are shown up front, so there’s no sticker shock when they receive their bike. Shipping is complicated. BikeFlights.com makes it easy.

All photos are courtesy of Otso Cycles.

Learn more about Otso Cycles, and follow them on Instagram via @OtsoCycles.