Lauf Cycling is an Icelandic bike brand located in Reykjavik, Iceland. The company specializes in producing carbon gravel bikes and ultra-light carbon suspension forks for gravel bikes, fat bikes, and mountain bikes.
As many of you might know, Lauf Cycling is best known for its cutting-edge Lauf Spring, a pivotless trailing link suspension fork. Basically, it is a set of fiberglass springs mounted between the forks and the wheels of a bicycle.
The brand’s bike production is done in Iceland, with subsidiary vendors in different places, including the United States and Europe.
What’s more, Lauf Cycling caught on in the media when Michael Van Den Ham, a Canadian Cyclocross National Champion, won a successful competition in 2018 riding Lauf’s bike.
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Overview Of Lauf Cycling Company
History Of Lauf Cycling Company
As you might not know, Lauf Cycling was initially Lauf Forks. This idea was born from a cold bicycle ride in a narrow basement apartment in Reykjavik during the Christmas period in 2010.
Benedikt Skulason, an engineer and enthusiastic mountain rider, was working at a top composite prosthetic feet company as a Research and Development engineer. At the time, he presented his idea of an ultra-lightweight revolutionary bike suspension fork with Gudberg Bjornsson, an industrial designer and his good friend.
Wrapped in high-tech composite materials and advanced technology at the workplace, and turned them into exceptionally sturdy and enduring high-performance prosthetics while participating in bicycle races during the off hours.
And Benedikt quickly realized that he had found the right materials for super-lightweight bike suspension, and thus the idea of Lauf fork was born. In fact, the Lauf suspension fork is considered a revolutionary twist on the famous and tested “leaf spring suspension” concept, blended with the present’s high-performance composite ingredients.
On June 27th, 2013, Lauf Cycling achieved a true milestone in its presence as a bike component company when Helgi Berg took the first position in the very first bicycle event where the Lauf Trail Racer fork joined.
The competition happened on the Heidmork track, a common outdoors region at the border of Reykjavik, Iceland, the company’s home ground. There were nearly 100 people taking part in the race.
Lauf Cycling has spent the last couple of years researching gravel bicycles and the gravel cycling, and the Lauf True Grit gravel bike, in a certain sense, is something that “just happened”.
At the outset, Lauf Cycling asked themselves how their Lauf forks could best round up gravel bicycles. And that question quickly evolved into what the excellent parameters for their suspension forks and gravel bicycles to perform well together are. Then the final question was what the ultimate gravel bicycle would be. In the end, the company could not refuse to manufacture the gravel bicycles of their dreams.
In reality, Lauf Cycling wanted its dream bicycle to be fast while still being steady and confident. This is because the company believes you will dare to pedal faster on a bike you trust. What’s more, Lauf wanted the bike to be lightweight without sacrificing ease of maintenance and durability. At the same time, Lauf Cycling wanted it to be clear about everything. Design confidently with clear goals in mind.
In addition, you will find Lauf’s gravel bikes a race-oriented long-distance design. Above all, they will be a cyclist’s first choice for all his normal daily rides, whether it is gravel, paved roads, singletracks, or anything thrown at him on the road (like sudden potholes, ice, snow, mud, etc.).
Where Are Lauf Bikes Made?
Lauf Cycling is an Icelandic bicycle brand, and all of the company’s production takes place in its hometown, Iceland, with subsidiary distributors in other regions, including Europe and the United States.
If you are looking for a high-quality road bike, you might consider getting a Colnago bike. Colnago Bikes are handmade in Italy and have a reputation for being some of the best performance bikes in the world. Check out the Colnago bikes brand overview to learn more about their history, technology, and products.
The Technology Of Lauf Bikes
To begin with, Lauf Cycling began its business as a Lauf Forks brand. Their idea was to create a super-lightweight suspension fork utilizing the highest performance composite materials possible. And that fork was far simpler than the usual suspension fork, with less weight but still delivering great performance without compromising on the overall weight.
In terms of concept, its idea is very simple. The Lauf Spring System independently suspends the wheel with the included rigid fork to provide suspension travel for better control over bumpy, harsh terrains.
Basically, the Lauf Spring System is a series of composite leaf springs linked between a 15mm thru-axle dropout and a carbon fiber fork that they call the Springer. Every single stack of leaf springs, also known as a Springstack, is linked to the Springer and the fork via the Integrated Spring Pocket.
Generally speaking, this tech-packed fork weighs between 900 and 1100 grams, depending on the suspension fork model. Even though a bit more heavyweight than a great carbon fiber fork (often about 1 lb), it is still more lightweight than a regular suspension fork.
And the final result is a special ratio for a market full of monotony: a clever answer to a hard question of providing extra control and comfort to bicycles without sacrificing overall performance or weight.
So, you might wonder what the most distinctive part is. Well, the Lauf suspension fork makes any bicycle more fun and capable of riding. All the current Lauf bikes and components will help you to pedal on dirt roads without worrying about anything in the middle of the road.
With many years of testing and improvement, Lauf Cycling has tweaked its formula to succeed, thanks to lower weight and enhanced durability, while still providing the rider with incredible performance.
Performance Of Lauf Bikes
I’ll have a more in-depth review of Lauf bikes, but here are some of the most fascinating details about the performance of Lauf bikes. It would be a mistake not to mention the Lauf True Grit gravel bike. This is one of a few bicycles on the market typically designed with an excellent suspension fork in mind.
Not only this bike but also other models and forks at Lauf offer these great features. The 30mm suspension fork can avoid bumps and vibrations on bumpy roads. As a result, it makes the cyclist feel far more comfortable, controllable, and confident on different types of surfaces, typically rough ones. It helps the rider to traverse all kinds of terrain with ease, thanks to the 700x45c tires.
Even though the leaf spring fork is absolutely eye-catching, you should definitely not ignore the frame. The Lauf True Grit frame is constructed out of high-quality carbon material that is really well-invested. For a medium-sized frame, it weighs around 1080 grams. Lauf’s bike frames are specially manufactured to push the line between durability and lightweight.
What’s more, the frame is built for all-day ride quality, not just better tire responsiveness and a unique suspension fork for shock absorption and comfort. Blend that with practical details, such as a threaded bottom bracket, three bottle cage mounts, a bottle opener, and a set of bosses for a top tube bag.
Lauf Bike Categories
Lauf Cycling is best well-known for gravel bikes and exceptionally lightweight carbon suspension forks for fat bikes, gravel bikes, and mountain bikes. The brand doesn’t offer a wide range of bikes from all disciplines. However, each range includes several different models typically built for various purposes. Therefore, you can easily pick one that fits your needs and budget.
So here are the two major bike types that Lauf Cycling has to offer the market:
- Gravel Bikes
- Mixed Terrain Bikes
Most Popular Lauf Bikes
As I mentioned above, Lauf Cycling specializes in gravel bikes, so its bike range is not as diverse as some other bike brands. Below are the most popular Lauf bikes available to buy:
- Gravel Bikes: Lauf True Grit Race AXS XPLR
- Mixed Terrain Bikes: Lauf Anywhere Weekend Warrior
Lauf Bike Price Range
Equipped with incredibly lightweight, advanced carbon suspension forks and designed with care in mind, Lauf bikes deliver the best riding experience and quality possible. Thus, their bikes are not really cheap. Of course, they are not so expensive that you will break your bank account. In general, Lauf bike prices are worth it.
- Gravel Bikes: $2,790 – $6,590
- Mixed Terrain Bikes: $2,390 – $6,190
If you are looking for a quality bike within a budget, Lauf bike’s price range is one of the options to consider. Lauf Bikes provides a wide selection of mountain bikes, fat bikes, road bikes and gravel bikes with prices ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Take a look at best bike brands in 2022 to explore more options.
Are Lauf Bikes Any Good?
Generally speaking, Lauf provides the cycling market with great gravel bikes. Their bicycles allow the rider to control better on rough surfaces of broken pavement, dirt, and gravel. Moreover, they are typically designed to reduce fatigue, bringing more ultimate comfort for cyclists. In addition, the fork design doesn’t affect the bike’s front-end geometry and, therefore, the handlebars and steering. All in all, Lauf bikes make your long-distance rides faster, more comfortable and fun.
Lauf Vs. Canyon
If you are wondering which one is better between Lauf and Canyon bikes, check out our Canyon Bikes Brand Overview. Both brands offer a great selection of bikes for mountain biking, road cycling, and other activities. With our comparison article, you can find out which one suits your cycling needs best.
Lauf Bike Review
Even though Lauf Cycling is still a small bicycle company, the brand is now expanding its product line through a quite wide range of leaf spring forks for fat bikes, cross-country bikes, and, of course, gravel bikes. One of the most well-known gravel bikes that Lauf Cycling offers is the True Grit, a race-oriented gravel bike offering great comfort and control on long-distance rides without any compromises.
It is true that Lauf Cycling showed its true fortitude because of the special fork design. The company is currently offering three different fork models, including the Lauf Grit SL, Lauf Trail Racer, and Lauf Carbonara.
The first model is a type of 30mm suspension fork that is specially designed to complete any gravel or cyclocross bicycle. The send one, Lauf Trail Race, is a 60mm type typically designed for cross-country bikes with 27.5+ or 29-inch wheels. And the last fork is a kind of 60mm travel fork made for fat bicycles.
To make it clearer, these suspension forks are not aimed for 100% replacement of a regular suspension fork. In Southern Utah’s distinctive terrains and rocky formations, the company’s untamed leaf spring design is coveted by many.
Having said that, as a bridge between a conventional suspension fork and a light carbon fiber fork, Lauf Spring System performs excellently. Lauf Cycling bicycles allow the cyclist to speed up just like it would with a carbon suspension fork, but above all; they still create comfort.
Pros
- Offer incredible, race-bred gravel bikes
- Provide exceptionally comfortable suspension forks
- Lightweight and easy to control over rough terrains
Cons
- It’s better to improve the rear tire clearance
Canyon Bike Review
Canyon is one of the many great bike brands in Germany. The company has built a good reputation since its inception for manufacturing WorldTour-qualified bicycles at a surprisingly fair price.
As you might know, Canyon follows the direct-to-customer business model, cutting costs for the middlemen or distributors and bicycle stores. Therefore, the company offers great-quality bikes at a competitive price.
Over the past few years, the brand has proven its widespread success. And by now, owning a Canyon bicycle has become more of a thing to boast than a budget-friendly option.
Unlike Lauf Cycling that offers mostly gravel bikes and mountain bikes, Canyon provides the cycling market with a more diverse bike category, including road, gravel, mountain, hybrid, and electric bikes.
In addition, Canyon is relatively famous for its gravel bikes. Typically, the company has added XPLR wireless drivetrain and RockShox brand-new Rudy suspension fork to its Grizl, the brand’s most progressive gravel bike.
Pros
- Offer good-quality models at a competitive price
- High-performance aerodynamic geometry
- Exceptionally lightweight yet strong frames
- Come in an adjustable design to fit various cyclists
- Deliver incredibly comfortable ride on most terrains
Cons
- Riders will need to assembly their own bike
If you’re a fan of Canyon bikes, you might also want to check out our review on Commencal Bikes. Our brief brand overview covers everything you need to know about the brand, from its history, offerings, and what makes Commencal bikes unique. Whether you’re looking for a mountain bike or a road bike, Commencal has something for everyone.
Lauf Gravel and Endurance Bikes
Lauf True Grit Bike
The Lauf True Grit is a true endurance and gravel race machine with exceptional versatility. It allows you to blast through gravel, float on asphalt, or sweep the single tracks with ease and lots of fun. What’s more, the model is equipped with powerful gravel tires and an advanced Lauf Grit SL gravel suspension fork, delivering an incredibly interesting riding experience.
In addition, Lauf Cycling has fitted the True Grit with excellent properties typically designed for endurance and gravel cycling. Even though the company added a bottle opener, the bike is still fast, lightweight, comfortable, and enduring.
Lauf Grit SL
As you might or might not know, the core of Lauf True Grit is the Lauf Grit SL, with its 30mm front suspension fork. This feature completely changed the way how gravel cycling is regarded. And now it is taken to the next level. Particularly, it is more lightweight, more compact, and sturdier than the standard model.
Moreover, the Grit SL features excellent low-impact performance and can keep traction and control unlike any other. As a result, it makes every single ride much more comfortable without compromising on maintenance.
Size Tuned Forks
Another great thing about the Grit SL is that its stiffness can be adjusted to the size of the bike frame. In other words, the rigidity of the suspension fork will be more suitable for the cyclist than ever before.
Long 4 Speed – Geometry
The combination of the long top tube with a short stem, a slack head angle, and the low head tube will provide the rider with a more aerodynamic and low riding position. As a result, it offers better stability on rough terrains and at high speeds.
45mm Of Rubber
Offering tires of up to 45mmx700c, the Lauf True Grit provides you with large space for different elements. There would be a lot of rubber when everything is dirty. Besides, the short 425mm chainstay length will not encroach on the crankset’s space.
Beer Or Gear?
It could be said that the brand’s Beer or Gear front derailleur design provides the rider with limitless possibilities. Almost all True Grit cyclists will want to get the simplicity and the mechanical strength of a single drivetrain, typically with the late arrival of 1×12 drivetrains.
In-N-Out Cabling
If you notice, the rear disc brake hose and the rear derailleur feature entry points at the head tube, thanks to the In-N-Out Cabling, then magically popping out at the perfect positions. There is no longer annoying rattling or hassle inside the bike frame.
MTB Tested
The Lauf True Grit gravel frame has experienced rigorous testing since it meets the ISO standard for mountain bicycle frames. This, as a result, creates a strong frame that can tackle all the fun at just 1070 grams with the medium-sized model, including both front and back derailleur hangers.
3x Bottle Mounts
In addition, the Lauf True Grit is packed with three bottle mounts, which are very convenient for a long-distance ride. In addition, the top tube features a lunch box holder for ease of access to food or other smaller things during the long ride.
Lauf Mixed Terrain Bikes
Lauf Anywhere Bike
The Anywhere mixed terrain bike is made of a high-quality carbon frame and, of course, manufactured in-house at Lauf Cycling. Other than that, the model is considered the leader of the mixed terrain. Whether it is hitting the pavement with a little bit of gravel or going into the wilderness loaded with full bags, the Lauf Anywhere can do it all.
No matter what the terrain is, the Anywhere can absorb shocks and vibrations, making it exceptionally smooth and comfortable to ride all day. This is all because of the Lauf Smoothie handlebar that the company typically created for the bicycle.
In general, the Anywhere bike is equipped with excellent features typically manufactured for mixed terrains. Get out of the door, grind up the hill, or load it up and go wherever you want to. And don’t forget that it is packed with a bottle opener.
Lauf Smoothie
As mentioned above, the Lauf Smoothie handlebar offers incredible shock absorption ability, providing the rider with isolation from road noise and bump. It offers flexibility wherever you need it most.
Using the same supple and strong material that the brand used in the springs on its suspension forks, the Lauf Smoothie is light yet still incredibly sturdy. In addition, the shape takes full use of the flared drops.
Because the flared drops are simple to reach, Lauf created the ramps longer for an added palm location further behind the hoods. Therefore, it will provide the cyclist with an extra comfortable riding position for an all-day ride.
Lauf JAF
So, many of you may know that Lauf Cycling is best known for its leaf spring suspension forks. However, the company decided to choose Just A Fork for the Anywhere bike. It is typically lightweight at 395 grams, with three cage mounts on each side.
Long 4 Speed – Geometry
Just like the True Girt model, the Lauf Anywhere is a perfect blend between the slack head angle and low headtube, the long top tube coupled with a short stem. All of these designs create a perfect low and aerodynamic riding posture. Thus, it offers excellent stability even at high speeds and on harsh terrains.
45mm Of Rubber
The Lauf Anywhere is offered on semi-slick, high-volume tires, perfect for crushing pavement to gravel. But to be perfectly clear, this model has up to 45mm 700c tires, which are wide and stiff for rougher gravel terrains with a lot of space for the elements.
Beer Or Gear?
You will have infinite possibilities thanks to the Beer Or Gear front derailleur construction. In fact, lots of cyclists who ride the Lauf Anywhere will want to get the simplicity and rigidity of a 1x drivetrain. Obviously, they will receive a bottle opener where a front derailleur will alternatively be. But there is no need to worry since you can completely use the 2x drivetrains as long as it is wireless.
Threaded Bottom Bracket
Another great feature of the Lauf Anywhere is the threaded bottom bracket design. It has been inspected and tested for the ultimate easy maintenance and rattle-free riding. Even though it is a bit more expensive to produce, it is completely worth it.
Single Piece Front Triangle
Thanks to the use of innovative molding technologies, you will not see bonded joints, and the inner surfaces are also smooth. This leads to longer constant carbon fibers and less undesirable material overlapping. As a result, the bike frame offers better strength and more efficient performance.
If you’re looking for a bike that can handle anything from smooth city streets to rugged off-road trails, check out the Lauf Anywhere Bike. With its lightweight frame and durable components, this bike is designed to be versatile and responsive, making it a great choice for all types of riders. Whether you’re commuting to work or exploring new trails, the Lauf Anywhere Bike has you covered.
Conclusion
Now, I’m quite sure that you are really excited to add Lauf Cycling to your selection of gravel bikes and mountain bikes. Overall, the brand provides the market with one of the best gravel bikes we have ever seen. It is true that Lauf Cycling offers types of bikes that are unlike any other out there, which opens all the possibilities for the types of rides you want to do.
