You might’ve seen Alyssa’s Tangerine Warakin around the internet. Whether that was on Instagram or homepage of OtsoCycles.com, Alyssa’s Warakin made waves and sure is fun to look at. We thought it would be a good idea to do a deep dive on this bike and take a closer look!
Alyssa was kind enough to answer a few questions for us to give us a glimpse into some of her aesthetic choices as well as more practical choices like components and fit. Read on to see what she had to say and click through the dream build Gallery from MADE! There are so many fun details on this bike. Enjoy!
What kind of riding did you have in mind when you built this bike? Any specific routes or events?
I built this Warakin with bikepacking in mind! I wanted something that could handle the mix of terrain in the Front Range of Colorado, with the option to switch things around depending on the trip I was taking. I have a 700×42 wheelset for everyday rides and races, and a 650×48 wheelset for longer tours in the mountains, single track, and mobbin around town.
Why did you select this specific build spec?
I was pretty intentional about everything on the bike to make it adventure ready – wide, sweeping bars, dropper post, etc. Knowing I would be doing lots of climbing and touring, I opted for a mullet AXS drivetrain! Also, I’m not too concerned with weight (steel is real) but wanted to lighten the bike up a little, since I’d be weighing it down with gear, so there are some carbon components mixed in.
What components or accessories allowed you to add your unique style to the bike?
My favorite thing about custom bike builds is how many options there are to make a one-of-a-kind build! As a designer I love playing into color schemes, so I’ve included as many olive green components/accessories that I could find. I’ve been obsessed with the Wolf Tooth olive components since they were released and I knew this was finally my chance to get them on one of my bikes! Some other fun touches:
- The bar tape + grip combo is my favorite thing about the bike. It looks cool and helps me rip on more single track/technical trails
- Swift did a run of olive green bags a few years back and I knew that was the perfect bag for this bike. After months of scouring the internet, one popped up on the Rad Bazzar that I snagged right away
- I added a little bar tape + twine combo on my chainstay just for a fun lil pop
What are your thoughts on the bike now that you’ve been riding it for two months?
Damn…I love this bike. My inaugaural ride was a century at Foco Fondo and since then it’s been my go-to for everything: commuting, bikepacking, grocery store trips, and rides around the Front Range. As more of a bikepacker/trail rider, I was worried about the steel frame + carbon fork combo, but was pleasently suprised at how amazing this bike is at handling every type of trail I’ve taken it on. It’s safe to say that this is my favorite bike in my quiver.
What do people say when they first see you on this bike?
“That’s such a cool bike.” It’s a huge compliment to me and I’m proud of all my builds
They’re all very special to me because they’re a reflection of that time of my life, specifically the riding I’m excited about and brands and components that I’ve wanted to try out. My bikes are like little art projects for me, and a way to express my creativity – so it feels good when people notice!
| Frame/Fork: | Otso Warakin in Tangerine |
| Wheelset: | HUNT 35 Carbon Gravel Wheelset |
| Tires: | Rene Herse Hurricane Ridge, 700x42c |
| Handlebars: | Salsa Cowchipper |
| Handlebar Tape: | Camp and Go Slow Eastern Rattler Bar Tape |
| Grips: | OURY V2 grip (olive/BL special) |
| Headset: | Wolf Tooth Premium EC Headset in Olive |
| Crankset: | SRAM Force 1 Wide Crankset |
| Cassette: | SRAM NX Eagle PG-1230 12-speed |
| Derailleur: | Sram XX1 Eagle AXS 12-speed |
| Shift/Brake Levers: | Force AXS D2 Stealthamajig |
| Saddle: | Specialized Power Mimic |
| Seatpost: | Rockshox Reverb AXS XPLR |
| Stem: | Nitto UI-22 Threadless Stem |
| Bags: | Swift Zeitgeist (Olive) & Swift Moxie (Coyote) |
| Lights: | Blue Lug Koma Light Rear |
| Other accessories: | Blue Lug Triangle Reflector / Sherbert |
| Spurcycle Original Bell / Black |
