Civilian Bicycle Co.

Luddite - 2012

You don't need much to have fun on the dirt -- and in many cases less is more. Single-speed, rigid mountain bikes like the Civilian Luddite are shining examples of this. You won't find any finicky components, unproven technologies, or frivolous luxuries muddling the Luddite. Just the necessities and a intelligently designed, history-rich frame to connect you to the trail.

Unless you've paid close attention to regional hand-built bike shows, or forked over a few grand to Civilian's founder for a custom, hand-crafted piece, you probably haven't heard of this brand. Tyson Hart, the driving force behind Civilian, set out building cleanly designed, progressive frames in 2005 after attending UBI, a respected frame building school in Ashland, Oregon. Relying on a combination of extensive personal experience and close work with clients, Hart crafted everything from utilitarian city, to classic road, to durable mountain bikes.

These distinctive rolling sculptures quickly gained a cult following for their seamless balance of fun-to-ride attitude and distinctive style. Hart's passion however is on the dirt, and that's why Civilian's world headquarters has relocated from Portland, OR, to mountainous Park City, UT. On trails like Mid-Mountain and the Crest, Hart applied his knowledge to dial the Luddite's geometry and tube set for climbing prowess, stable descending, and a smooth ride.

Hart's work was once reserved for those willing to be on a waiting list and pay a premium for craftsmanship, but now they're packaged for everyone. The Luddite uses a double-butted 4130 Cro-Moly tube set that offers a ride and weight that'd rival frames costing twice as much. What gives the Luddite its distinctive ride quality is the shaped chainstays that offer explosive acceleration and kinked seat stays that dampen choppy trails. This keeps you fresh for the final sprint back to camp or the trailhead. The shapely stays are joined with Tange Design sliding drop outs.

These drops are 7075 T6 aluminum sliders, with two bolts on each side and tensioners to ensure the chain won't slacken in the course of a ride. There is a derailleur hanger, which is sold separately, if the option to shift in the future appeals to you. The frame is equipped with a full complement of cable stops, in case you ever want to ride with gears.

The Luddite's front end uses the Chubby head tube, a stout, oversized unit that ensures precise steering and plenty of strength. Keeping that theme alive is a full-carbon, tapered fork that's designed to resist flex from braking and steering forces. This makes negotiating technical switch backs a breeze, and ensures the Luddite stays pointed where you desire on high-speed berms.

Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes with a 180mm rotor in front and 160mm in the rear keep maintenance simple while offering cool, smooth operation for long and steep descents. Avid has the stopping department covered, and a Truvativ FireX crankset is handles the go department. It's equipped with a 32T chainring that spins an 18T cog. This gear ratio is equivalent to a 2:1 on a 26in wheeled bike and is ideal for rolling terrain. Gear it lower to favor climbing or higher for flatter terrain.

The Luddite rides on WTB Speed Disc rims laced to Quando hubs with traditional J-bend spokes. The hub is not single-speed specific, so you won't need to purchase a new rear wheel if a geared drivetrain's in your future. Wide, 29 x 2.3in Kenda Nevegal tires offer the volume for a smooth ride and the traction to keep the Luddite from spinning out on loose, steep climbs. The handlebar, stem, and seatpost are constructed of 2014 aluminum and feature gradients to make fine tuning fit simple. Velo lock-on grips and a Cutter saddle complete the Luddite's build.

The Civilian Luddite comes in Small, Medium, Large, X-large, and XX-Large sizes, and it's available in two colors: Burner Orange and Mojito.