UpRock V2 Frameset

I love this bike. It's my utility that does just about everything because I bought both forks ... suspension and rigid, so effectively I have 2 bikes. Most of my riding is MTB trails but I have also done day trips on fire trails and it performs equally as well. I can't wait to do a multi-day bikepacking ride :)

What. A. Bike.

In the pursuit of adventure and after signing up for an ultra race, I found myself searching for a capable MTB platform. The new Uprock seemed more than fitting, and it proved itself more than worthy.

Having a bike that felt snappy and agile on local trails was already great, but losing almost none of those qualities when fully packed was even better. My Uprock was quick on its feet on steep climbs and unbelievably stable on long downhills.

I could ride this thing all day, fully trusting that it could handle anything I threw at it.

Knowing I now have a bike that will outlast me and carry me through countless memories is a comforting thought.

Thanks to everyone in the Curve family.

I recently took delivery of much anticipated custom Curve Uprock V2. I've been riding Curve bikes for a few years, primarily on long distance bikepacking routes e.g. GDMBR, Tour Aotearoa, and Sound2Sounds etc, and wanted a flat-bar mountain bike to link in some more technical trails.

Once again the Curve team have produced a fantastic bike that rides as good as it looks. Titanium is a perfect material for a frame and combined with an excellent geometry, wide tire clearance, and carbon rims the Uprock will have a long life on the trails. Quality is worth paying for and the support that Curve provides is exceptional.

After advice from the Curve team, the specs I chose are:

Curve Uprock V2 MD, Rockshox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant 3P 120mm with Pedal Sensor, SRAM Eagle AXS Transmission XX SL (170mm cranks & 10-52T cassette) and an Absolute Black T-type Oval 30T chainring, Hope Tech 4 E4 brakes with 160/180mm floating discs, Curve Dirt Hoops 29 Wider 40 with SP Dynamo and DT Swiss 350 hubs, Enduro bottom bracket, Crankbrothers Stamp 7 pedals, Cane Creek Hellbender 70 headset, Thomson X4 stem, Truvativ Atmos Carbon handlebar, and a SRAM 175mm AXS Dropper post.

Controlling the SRAM AXS system are 2 x AXS Pod Controllers, setup with 1 for gear changes and the other for the dropper and Flight Attendant Lockout.

For the first planned trails I also chose Vittoria Mezcal XC Trail Graphene 29 x 2.6” tires, and a WTB Pure Titanium saddle.

Don't hesitate to purchase a Curve Cycling product as they produce bikes and components of exceptional quality and most importantly are very rideable / dependable on all challenging terrain.

The Curve UpRock v2 is an undeniably capable workhorse when it comes to adventure riding. After all, it didn’t carry Sarah Hammond to three wins in the Race to the Rock by being sheepish.

That said, I should preface this by admitting I’m not really an “adventure” cyclist. My reference point is cross-country racing (when 26” wheels and 80mm of travel were cool), and I still look for bikes that feel light on their feet and engaging on trails. With that in mind, I built the UpRock in a deliberately XC-leaning configuration with a dash of nostalgia.

In this setup, the bike is eye-wateringly fun. Curve’s sliding dropouts let me run the shortest wheelbase possible, and while the 120mm fork lifts the front end, a -25° stem and flat bar keep things nicely planted on the climbs. The balance feels spot on and the handling is genuinely nimble. Coming off a 100mm SID Ultimate SL, the 120mm (non-SL) fork feels noticeably stiffer when loading into corners, while the extra travel smooths out descents.

The carbon wheels are paired with 2.35” tyres, which are probably narrower than most would choose for this bike. The demo I rode during the spec process ran 2.6” rubber, which felt ideal with the rigid fork, but with suspension I didn’t feel the need for the extra volume. The narrower tyres allow a bit more movement at the rear, which adds feedback and keeps the bike feeling lively rather than over-damped.

Aesthetically, the titanium frame is a work of art. The finish is beautiful, and the welds are so refined it’s obvious they were done by someone who treats welding as a craft, not just a process. There’s also a quiet satisfaction in riding something so well made.

I genuinely haven’t had this much fun on a bike in a long time. I’ve found myself riding local trails with the same level of enjoyment that first drew me to mountain biking. While I’m currently using the UpRock to reclaim my youth on local trails, it feels inevitable that a bigger adventure isn’t far off.

Full Spec
Frame: Curve UpRock v2 Medium / Fork: Rock Shox SID Ultimate 120mm with Flight Attendant / Wheels: Curve Carbon Dirt Hoops 29 with DT 180 Hubs / Brakes: SRAM Motive Ultimate 180/160mm / Groupset: SRAM XX SL with Powermeter / Stem: Zipp SC 80mm, -25 deg / Handlebar: ENVE M5 / Seatpost: ENVE 400mm 20mm SB / Tyres: Schwalbe Racing Ray/Ralph 29 x 2.35 Tan / Pedals: Shimano XTR PD9200 / Grips: Ergon GXR / Saddle: Prologo Dimension

…It was early December in 25 when ‘Graeme’ (every bike has to have a name, no?) finally arrived. I remember it like it was yesterday…

Equipped with all the perfect SRAM toys - the Transmission XO group set, the SID Ultimate fork, the Reverb dropper post and the Motive Ultimate brakes - this bike has been an absolute beast.

From riding rolling gravel roads fully loaded out Wee Jasper way, to single-track downhill joy at Mount Stromlo and fun on the nearby arboretum trails, this bike does it all. Providing a super stable ride platform (it’s so smooth, light and deceptively quick!) I’ve never felt underbiked on any occasion.

With a trip to NZ planning to explore the Tour Aotearoa not far away, I spent hours researching frame combinations, components and accessories.

As an owner of an older Curve (Long live Kevin!), I knew I wanted titanium again. I looked at second hand bikes (Does anyone ever sell a bike in the size you are looking for that doesn’t have an issue? #clydesdalesunited) and also considered the GMX. I wanted something with a little suspension so eventually landed on the Uprock.

I knew what to expect when I emailed the team. Snappy service, a bit of back and forth on specs and much enthusiastic help from April (we may have gasbagged a bit about bike bag preferences but my "bank manager" does not need to know about that) and later Liege (I shall call him later on Liege?), I secured the build.

Late November rolled around and build day arrived. With an old Curve New Bike Day memory free floating freely in the deep recesses of my mind, I opted for a home delivery.

For a sidebar conversation, who takes you dirt jumping just across the river on a new gravel bike when you come to collect it in between Covid lockdowns? Ryan @ Curve does! Of course he does. I can confirm it was both new bike day terrifying and awesome! Don’t think I told the boss about that one but hey, with time now passed, what’s the harm in sharing a little story between friends?

The bike arrived expertly boxed. I couldn’t wait to get it to my mechanic and started the build that night where all good bikes should be built…in the kitchen.

The next day, the super talented crew at @Fixedbyryan (everyone needs a quality mechanic in their life!) sorted me out. On went a pair of XTR pedals and some Mezcal rubber. Off came the handlebar suspension lock out lever (it’s a mouthful to read for sure but each to their own I say - it’s just not for me). Other than the addition of a custom Bike Bag Dude Frame bag (Go Kedan!) and some SQL inner bar ends, the bike has remained largely unchanged since then…

Many rides later and I find my gravel and road bikes gathering dust in the garage. They still get some love but I have so much fun riding the Uprock, I prefer to get out on it most days.

Seriously, this is my second Curve bike…if you’re after a quality build, a great customer service experience and something that will support awesome adventures - then check out their bikes.

Final word on the Uprock, if a bike can make you grin on every ride and dream about the next big adventure, then that’s the one worth keeping... I can't wait to take it to NZ...