A Touring Rachel

We've observed several customers opting for the Rachel with drop bars since we first started producing it in 2017, and it's something we genuinely appreciate. It’s something that needs to be planned carefully, because we make the Rachel frame quite long in the front so that it’s comfortable with swept-back handlebars. That means a shorter and higher stack stem is needed to shorten the reach when using drop handlebars.

In building this one, we drew inspiration from the type of riding we enjoy most: long all-day rides over different terrains, where you could be rolling over five different kinds of roads in the space of a couple of hours. The gearing is wide, the brakes are powerful, the cockpit is comfortable, and the tires are knobby. We were pleased by how nimble yet easy and pleasant the steering is with this short-but-tall stem and the very best drop bars, Nitto’s Noodle Mod.177. The brake levers are a new model from Dia-Compe, and are special in that they’re long-pull levers, meaning you can use drop bars with standard V-brakes. We’ll definitely be using these levers in the future since they feel and look fantastic.

The front dynamo wheel with standby rim, the Sun Ringlé CR18, is also the first wheel our own Emiliano ever built! He did amazing, go Emiliano!

Oh also this bike is for sale right here!

Parts list:

Frame: Bassi Rachel 51cm Fondue
Headset: Tange CDS black
Seatpost: Bassi 27.2 Silver
Saddle: Brooks C17 Green
Stem: Nitto Technomic NTC 50mm x 225mm
Handlebar: Nitto Noodle 46cm
Bar tape: Fizik 2mm Tempo
Drivetrain: Microshift XCD 11-speed paired with Microshift bar end shifter
Cassette: Microshift 11-46t
Crankset: Bassi narrow-wide Low 38t
Wheels: Rear CR18 paired to Shimano hub, front CR18 handbuilt with Shutter Precision PD-8 dynamo hub.
Tires: Continental Race King 26 x 2.0”
Brakes: Shimano Alivio T4000 V-Brakes
Brake levers: Dia-Compe 287V
Pedals (sold separately): MKS Allways