We just brought Moots into the shop and this is the first one going out the door. A Routt RSL built exactly the way we’d want one built — double-butted titanium, Chris King throughout, hand-built wheels, and a Shimano GRX 12-speed drivetrain. Here’s every spec and the reasoning behind each choice.
The Build
Why the Routt RSL?
Moots makes two titanium gravel frames — the RSL and the CRD. The CRD tops out at 45mm of tire clearance and runs integrated cable routing up front. The RSL gives you 50mm of clearance and keeps the cable routing clean and external. For most riders, and for this build specifically, the extra tire clearance and simpler routing made the RSL the right call.
The RSL also gets double-butted titanium tubing versus the straight-gauge on some other Moots builds. That means a livelier, more compliant ride — exactly what you want on a long gravel day. If Steve were personally speccing a Moots for himself, this is the frame he’d choose. In fact, the shop demo bike they ordered is the same frame, one size down.
Made in Colorado — and it shows
Every Moots frame is built in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and the fit and finish on this one is exactly what you’d expect at this price point. Headset tolerances were spot on, weld quality is exceptional, and everything squares up perfectly. When you’re paying for a premium titanium frame, these details matter — and Moots delivers.
Every Moots frame also comes with a Chris King headset and bottom bracket included, and you get to choose the accent color. This build went with the classic matte turquoise — a Chris King signature color that pairs perfectly with the raw titanium. That turquoise accent carries through the headset, bottom bracket, hubs, stem, and seatpost collar. The Moots badging is in frost blue, which complements everything nicely.
Wheels — Built for Longevity
These wheels weren’t built to be race-light. They were built to last. Chris King hubs laced to HED Belgium+ rims on 32 spokes, using DT Swiss Aero Comp spokes and brass ProLock nipples. The comp spokes are a bit thicker gauge which gives good control over spoke wind-up during the build. Brass nipples over aluminum add a touch of weight but hold up better long term — for a premium build like this, that tradeoff is worth it every time.
The tires are 45mm Schwalbe G-One R Pros set up tubeless with Orange Seal Endurance sealant. At the shop, the sealant choice is always a conversation with the customer — same goes for chain wax. Everyone has their preference and we build accordingly.
Drivetrain — Shimano GRX 12-Speed
A 1x setup using the Shimano GRX 12-speed system — the most popular gravel drivetrain configuration at the shop right now. The rear end runs a Deore XT wireless derailleur with the battery mounted directly on the derailleur itself — no more battery inside the frame or seat tube. Clean, simple, and one less thing to think about on a long ride.
The crank is the GRX 600 series at 165mm with a 40-tooth chainring, paired to a 10-45T cassette for a wide range that handles both fast flat riding and climbing.
Note on GRX wireless hood updates: If you have one of these new wireless rear derailleur setups and ever need to update the hoods, you’ll need to wire them to a compatible donor bike — the hoods still require a wired connection for firmware updates. Stop by the shop and we can get you sorted.
Cockpit
The handlebar is an Easton EC90 AX — a flared gravel bar with a bit of reach, not a full aero bar. It’s a comfortable, popular bar in the shop that pairs naturally with GRX levers. The stem is the Moots titanium stem with the matching matte turquoise accent. The saddle is a Selle Italia SLR Gravel in blue — it looks so good on this build that we’re seriously considering the same one for the shop demo bike.
Pedals
Wolf Tooth Dales single-sided clipless pedals in black. Wolf Tooth doesn’t currently offer a blue anodized version — but when they do, this bike is first in line for the upgrade. The blue anodized Wolf Tooth tubeless valve stems in the HED Belgiums are a nice detail that ties into the rest of the color scheme.
Build Weight
Not a featherweight race build, but that was never the goal. This is a durable, premium gravel bike built to ride hard for a long time. The wheel choice alone tells that story.
A premium titanium gravel build done right
The Moots Routt RSL is a serious piece of kit — made in Colorado, built to last, and spec’d with components that match the frame’s quality. The Chris King theme throughout gives it a coherent, intentional look that goes beyond just picking good parts. This is a bike built for a rider who knows what they want and plans to put real miles on it. We’re already planning our own shop build on the same frame — that should tell you everything.
Interested in a Custom Moots Build?
We’re a Moots dealer at Maklin Bike Shop in Scandia, MN. Tell us what you’re after and we’ll put something together.