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Bikes designed for more than one intended use often fall short of the mark. We were therefore skeptical about Ally“go fast everywhere” claim that his new Echo ($8,475) is a one-bike solution for road riding and gravel racing. Turns out the Arkansas-based carbon bike maker might be onto something. Flip Chips mounted on the fork and chainstays allow riders to transform this bike from an endurance roadie to a gravel rig in less than ten minutes. Reverse the orientation of these adjustable inserts to slacken the head angle from 73 to 72.5 degrees and lengthen the base from 415 to 425 millimeters. These small tweaks have a significant impact on the handling of the Echo, adding stability on rough gravel roads and increasing maximum tire clearance from 30 to 40 millimeters, the preferred tire width of many gravel grinders.
In both configurations, the Echo is nimble, efficient, and one of the nicest looking bikes we’ve ridden. Brake lines run from the handlebars to the painted stem for a clean and uncluttered cockpit, and the removable stem top plate makes it much easier to maintain than many other integrated models. Although Allied does not offer the ability to customize frame geometry like many other US bike manufacturers do, buyers can choose from a wide range of colors, matte or gloss finishes, and decals.
After months of testing on the tarmac and rough back roads of Colorado, Kansas and Utah, we’re confident in the quality of Allied’s execution of the two-bike-in-one concept. Investing in a single high-end rig that can be used for road training in the winter and spring, followed by gravel racing in the summer and fall, makes sense for many riders. The Echo lacks the bulky tire clearance and cargo frame mounts needed for bikepacking, but we couldn’t ask for a better companion for day rides and gravel races.
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