TIME For Big Gravel With The ADHX 45
Contender Bicycles has a long history with TIME, and we've always been big fans of the brand, and the unique and beautiful bikes they produce. TIME has always offered up exciting and exquisitely well-made machines, and their evolution into the gravel realm has been especially exciting for us here at the shop. Their latest hand-made creation, the ADHX 45, is no exception.
As the modern cycling landscape has changed and evolved over the past few years, we’ve seen a number of bikes and types of bikes enter the picture, sometimes aimed at “filling the gap” where the perfect bike might not exist for a given discipline (or even sub-discipline) of riding. As a result, many a brand has ended up with models in their lineup that are so close in design and configuration that they’re a bit hard to tell apart. The line between Road, Endurance Road, Allroad and Pure Gravel is getting increasingly blurred.
Options can be a great thing, especially for us, the consumers. For manufacturers however, having enough variety in their product lines to hit the “sweet spot” for every type of ride and rider is daunting, if not downright impossible. Larger brands tend not to struggle with this as much and tend to be the ones to offer a model for anything and everything. So when a smaller, legacy brand like TIME starts to add models to supplement their lineup, take notice.
TIME left the beaten path as it were, and entered the all-road/gravel game with the ADHX (Alpe D’ Huez X) a couple seasons ago. While widely acclaimed for its inherent carbon pedigree, marquis craftsmanship and made-in-europe claim to fame, the ADHX came up short in many gravel-focused rider’s view due to the 35-38mm max tire clearance. A few years back, 38mm tires were still at the upper end of serious gravel setups, but times have rapidly changed and especially those who opt for a 650b wheel are often running much bigger rubber. So while the riding world rejoiced at the arrival of an all-road rig as fine as the TIME ADHX, it was instantly limited in the minds of many gravel-focused riders. Enter the somewhat quietly announced TIME ADHX 45….
TIME apparently heard our collective call for increased tire clearance, and on August 28th announced the ADHX 45. The name instantly said it all; we were about to get an ADHX that would clear the now common off-road 45mm tire width. The idea of a bike as responsive, supple and already capable, as the TIME Alpe D’ Huez that can handle a tire size that opens up the really great beyond, is definitely something to get excited about. The mid-aggressive nature of the ADH/ADHX, TIME’s legendary ride quality, contemporary upgrades like an integrated front end all combined with the option to run anything from a 28mm to a 45mm tire could truly make this a “One Bike Solution”.
TIME was fortunate to have a lot to work with when it came time to enter the off-road/all-road game. The already established, endurance road-focused Alpe D’ Huez can cover just about everything in most road rider’s spheres when equipped with a sturdy 28mm tire. The occasional hard pan fire road or gravel connector is no problem for the Alpe. As all-roading has gotten more common however, the need for increased capability and rough road reliability un-paved the way (pardon the pun) for a bike like the ADHX (Alpe D' Huez X). Still agile like the Alpe and able to fit a slightly larger tire, the ADHX is still not quite suited for really rough, extended off-road excursions. The ADHX can almost be seen as a “More-Road” evolution of the Alpe D’ Huez, but still a bit limited.
The ADHX45 takes over from there, with 10mm longer chain stays, 3mm more fork offset and 15mm more in overall wheelbase. Top tube, seat tube and down tube configurations remain the same as the ADHX. The chain stay design and increased fork clearance allow for the 45mm tire clearance, and the increase in wheelbase length aims to help the bike feel stable, planted and more confident in rougher terrain and on extended off-road rides.
This all adds up to a bike that while probably not as quick handling and lively on the road as the Alpe D'Huez or ADHX, can still make a great everyday bike on pavement and be ready for pretty much anything you might encounter deep off the road.
It's no surprise that the new ADHX 45 is classic TIME, in all of the ways we'd expect. TIME has carried over their trademark construction practices to the ADHX45 and the bike features Braided Carbon Construction (BCS), Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) process and Bio-Based Dyneema fiber material in the weave and layup. These three aspects combine to not only create the ride and quality that Time is famous for, but also help create the almost mesmerizing appearance that is the favorite part of a TIME for so many riders. Few carbon bikes on the market appeal to the eye like a Time. The spectacular carbon weave is front and center, right at the top of what’s visible on the frame and only mildly veiled by the phenomenal paint jobs.
Other uniquely TIME features include a Kevlar/Vectran reinforced fork steer tube and forged carbon dropouts (as opposed to heavier aluminum). The ADHX 45 is compatible with 1x or 2x drivetrains and includes a cover for the front derailleur mount should you opt for 1x. The DEDA S-DCR headset accommodates integrated cable configurations as well as standard routing, and the top tube features the now “gravel-normal” integrated mounts for a top tube bag or bottle cage.
TIME is offering the ADHX 45 in multiple builds and configurations, including 1x and 2x drivetrain options, both Shimano and SRAM build kits, as well as a frame-only option. Great looking new colorways are available, as well as TIME’s signature “full view” black that shows off the incredible carbon weave from end to end.
If "your TIME has come" and if the new ADHX 45 or any of the other fantastic bikes from TIME might fill the gap in your bike stable, let us know and we can answer any questions and help you get set up. We're excited to welcome TIME’s newest addition and to continue riding into the future with this fantastic brand.