Why it was time for a new bike
For more than a year, I had been searching for a bicycle for myself that would succeed the Salsa Fargo. The Salsa Fargo is a wonderful bike, absolutely designed for long distances. As a result, its geometry is more upright, and I often refer to it as a racing sofa. I built it up in 2020 at the beginning of my ultra-bikepacking “career.”
But after all these years, it’s time for something new, or put differently: I want to supplement the racing sofa with a sport armchair. The reason is that I was looking for something sportier that, like the Fargo, has its genes in mountain biking and its geometry is more in line with adventure gravel.
Through my bike tests here on the blog, I was able to ride many different bikes – all while looking for the new “Martin-Bike.” And with many of these bikes, I could imagine riding them “privately” as well. But there was always a detail that I didn’t quite like or something was missing.
My specific requirements:
- A long-distance-capable geometry that also proves itself on rough terrain
- More Supergravel/Monstergravel than Performance-Gravel
- Sportier than the Fargo
- No carbon frame, only steel or titanium
- Must be designed for both drop bar and flat bar
- Suspension fork corrected
- Definitely with UDH
- Tire clearance in the MTB range
- Sufficient mounting points
- Preferably internal cable routing
Among the bikes I was able to test, for example, the Rose Backroad, as well as the Riverside Touring 920, appealed to me. But I particularly liked the Salsa Cutthroat, which in its geometry is absolutely designed for long distances, but is equally sporty.
But unfortunately, the Cutthroat frame is made of carbon, and I don’t like that swingarm near the bottom bracket leading to the down tube on the new model (or the old one). But that allowed me to narrow down my search: all I needed now was a bike whose geometry matched the Cutthroat and was made of either steel or titanium.
A coincidence at Cyclingworld: The encounter with Chiru
So, the new bike should be in this range. I searched for a long time, initially without success. Weeks and months went by, and I traveled to Cyclingworld in Düsseldorf in March. What I didn’t know yet: this is where I would find my new bike.
Because here I encountered the Chiru Bikes brand. I was already familiar with Chiru but hadn’t looked closely at it yet. They produce titanium bicycles and have deep roots in ultra-cycling.
The mastermind behind the French brand is Pierre-Arnaud, who essentially turned his passion for ultra-cycling into his profession with Chiru. In Düsseldorf, the new Chiru Allure and the Highlander were the focus.
But tucked away on the side, hidden behind chairs, was the model I actually wanted to look at: the Chiru Kegeti. And next to it sat Pierre-Arnaud, with whom I immediately started a conversation.
The story behind the Kegeti – and why it immediately excited me
He developed the Kegeti for his participation in the Silk Road Mountain Race 2018 (which he also successfully finished) and designed it accordingly for brutal long distances. The model on-site in Düsseldorf was his personal one, which he had converted to a rigid handlebar and a titanium fork.
That’s how we also clarified the Kegeti naming, as the Kegeti Pass was the first pass in the race in 2018 and presented the participants with considerable challenges due to a sudden snowstorm. I have also ridden over the Kegeti Pass, even twice – albeit in better weather.
In any case, I had the opportunity to take a real look at the bike. As soon as I got home, I started detailed research and comparisons, was in lively exchange with Pierre-Arnaud, and then my decision was made: the Chiru Kegeti would be my new bike.
The frame in detail: Titanium, geometry, and stability
The Chiru Kegeti is designed as a titanium frame for bikepacking and off-road tours and features a sporty geometry that is heavily based on mountain bikes. It is not as aggressive as a Rose Backroad or Canyon Grizl, but not a sofa like the Fargo either. In fact, the Kegeti’s geometry is almost identical to the Salsa Cutthroat.
The Stack to Reach value of the Chiru is therefore 1.54.
For understanding:
- The higher the S/R value, the shorter and higher the frame is for a certain length. This results in a more upright, comfortable seating position.
- The lower the S/R value, the longer and lower the frame. This results in a more stretched, aggressive seating position.
At 1.54, the Chiru Kegeti is exactly on the border between sporty-aggressive (<1.55) and balanced/endurance (> 1.55 – 1.60).
For comparison: the Salsa Fargo has a Stack to Reach value of 1.74 and is thus in the comfortable, upright range.
The head tube angle of the Chiru Kegeti is quite slack for a drop-bar bike at 70° and is more typical of an MTB (the Fargo has 69°). However, this ensures high running smoothness and stability off-road.
The Kegeti frame is made of Titanium 3Al.2.5V, Grade 9. This is an alloy that was developed in aerospace and is now considered the ideal material for bicycle frames.
The numbers indicate the exact composition of the alloy:
- 3Al: The alloy contains 3% aluminum (Al). Aluminum increases the tensile strength of the material.
- 2.5V: The alloy contains 2.5% vanadium (V). Vanadium increases hardness and weldability.
- Remainder: The remaining proportion (approx. 94.5%) is pure titanium.
And Grade 9 (Ti-3Al-2.5V) is the official ASTM standard (American Society for Testing and Materials) for this titanium alloy. It is significantly stronger than pure titanium and offers about 20–50% higher tensile strength while remaining light and corrosion-resistant – ideal for high-quality bicycle frames.
What I particularly like is that the frame offers plenty of space, so you can easily fit a half frame bag in addition to two bottles. I have the Kegeti in size L.
Clever solution: Mounts, UDH, T47 & Co.
A distinctive feature of the Kegeti is the dropped seat stays, which attach lower on the seat tube. This gives the frame a more dynamic appearance.
However, this design is not just aesthetic: Chiru deliberately lowered the stays to increase the vertical compliance of the frame. Due to the lower attachment point, the combination of the seat tube and the 27.2mm seat post can flex better, filtering vibrations and shocks more effectively, which significantly increases long-distance comfort.
The frame features internally routed cable channels, giving the entire build a very clean look. In my case, I only had to route the brake lines because I shift electronically.
Naturally, the frame is Boost standard. It has the option for Direct Mount derailleur hangers (Transmission, XPLR) and, if needed, any other derailleur can be mounted via a UDH.
The brake mount is Post Mount and designed for 160 mm. By the way, it is CNC machined from a single piece. I mounted the new SRAM Force Flat Mount brakes there with an appropriate adapter and run 180 mm brake rotors.
The T47 bottom bracket is special on the Kegeti frame. It is larger in circumference than other bottom brackets, making it more stable and also offering more space for routing brake or shift cables internally. It is screwed in like BSA bearings and is quite maintenance-friendly. I initially installed a standard SRAM T47 bottom bracket for DUB cranks (28.99 mm) there.
The weight of the frame in size L is 1,750g.
Since the Kegeti is designed as an adventure bike, it also has a good number of eyelets: in addition to the two bottle cage eyelets, the frame also has eyelets for attaching frame bags. There are also eyelets on the top tube for the top tube bag.
The eyelets on the seat stays are also interesting. According to Chiru, these side eyelets are intended for mounting custom-built mini racks, attaching additional water bottles (using angled shims or Wolftooth adapters), or securely attaching small items such as pumps or rear lights.
I tried attaching water bottles there, even with lateral offset, but it’s not possible because my feet and lower legs then hit the bottles. So, presumably, only use for the air pump or for special carriers remains. However, I haven’t seen a Kegeti with anything attached there yet.
The Chiru Fork: Light, stable, and bikepacking-ready
The frame is suspension fork corrected, and you can install a suitable fork with a max. 100 mm travel. I suspect 110 mm might even work.
However, I initially opted for the Chiru Carbon Fork 485+. I really like its shape, and it perfects the overall appearance of the bike.
The fork also has Boost standard, can accommodate tires up to 2.8 inches, and has three eyelets on each side for mounting carriers or holders. The maximum load capacity per side is 3kg.
In addition, it has an eyelet for fender mounting and an internally routed cable channel for the brake as well as for cables to a hub dynamo.
It weighs 690g and also has a Post Mount brake mount for 160 mm.
The Build: Transmission, Force, and an AI Fitting
I used the Kegeti build as an opportunity to try out a few new components.
For the drivetrain, I opted for the SRAM Transmission at the rear and installed the XO derailleur this time. Along with the new Garbaruk 12-speed cassette (10-52) for Transmission. It has shifted very smoothly and nicely precisely so far.
In the front, a SRAM XX T-Type crank with 170mm crank length and a 34T chainring is at work.
Shifting is done on the handlebar with the new SRAM Force.
The chain is also a SRAM XO T-Type.
So far, I have ridden the SRAM GX T-Type cassette and chain, which have lasted me about 12,000 km. I expect even longer durability from the XO.
By the way: I don’t replace the chain in between, but ride the chain and cassette all the way through and maintain them normally with liquid wax. Recently I had to remove two links so that the chain would sit tight enough again. That’s how much it had stretched.
However, the wear parts are too expensive for me to ride them only a few thousand kilometers and then replace them. Therefore, I “ride” them down until shifting no longer works.
The brakes are also from the new Force series, and I mounted them using Post Mount to Flat Mount adapters. I’m running these brakes with 180 mm Galfer rotors that are 1.8 mm thick. So far, they brake very well. However, I plan to bleed and adjust them again after 1,000 km. If the Force calipers don’t perform adequately, I’ll switch back to Hope RX4+.
For the wheels, I currently use my Beast XC30 rims with a DT Swiss 240 hub at the rear and SON28 at the front.
As an option without a hub dynamo, I also acquired an XC Master wheelset from Carl´z with DT Swiss 240 front and rear. This will initially be ridden on the Fargo and replace the aluminum wheelset there.
I chose the Newmen Evolution SL 318.4 stem. The handlebar is again a Salsa Cowchipper in 46cm width, but this time in the Deluxe Version. By the way, I used a longer fork expander for the assembly, as the one supplied is quite short. I chose the Cane Creek ANCORA Premium.
The seat post is a Thomson Elite with setback, on which my old Specialized Romin Evo Comp saddle is mounted.
I also conducted an experiment with the Chiru Kegeti and had an AI completely advise me on the selection of components and the adjustment of the seating position on the bicycle.
Of course, I have a lot of experience for cross-checking, but it was really good.
For example, it advised me on the setback seat post and the 170mm shorter cranks. We also discussed the stem length, angle, handlebar width, and saddle model and alignment for a long time, and the AI then advised on the fitting.
And I have to say: I sat optimally from the very first moment.
For this, I gave the AI my body data and the data of the Kegeti frame, then the comparison values with the Fargo and my seating position there, as well as my wishes for the new bike. In addition to my training plan, which I have been doing with the AI since the beginning of the year, this is the second good experience.
The first 500 kilometers: Surprisingly fast, surprisingly quiet
So far, I have ridden 500 km with the new bike and have already completed an overnighter. And I have to say that the Kegeti moves forward well, rides very well, fits like a glove, and converts my power directly into propulsion.
Off-road, it is surprisingly quiet and controlled. Here, in comparison to the Fargo, I had expected it to ride a little more unsettled or agile. But quite the opposite: it tracks straight and plows securely through the ground.
I can really pick up speed, as I found out on the tour to Denmark. It’s just a lot of fun – and looks good too.
The slightly lower weight of barely 10 kg is also noticeable. That’s not bad for a titanium bike. I didn’t focus too much on the weight during the build, but rather on the quality of the components. Overall, I should be around 9.5kg.
I’m not mounting an aerobar yet. Also because I haven’t felt the need for one on this bike yet. I find the sportier seating position quite comfortable and can maintain it for a long time.
Outlook: First adventures are coming up
Now it’s time to ride the bike about 2,000 km so everything settles and I get a real impression. And then I will continue to optimize and tinker.
In any case, I have some plans for it: the Shelter Attack on my own and then the Italy Divide Classic in May.
Do you have any questions about the bike? Feel free to ask!
