OPEN UPPER
If the OPEN UP wrote the rulebook for modern gravel bikes, the UPPER tears a few pages out and goes faster. Sharing the same proven geometry, tire clearance, and dual wheel compatibility as the UP, the UPPER distinguishes itself where it counts most: weight. A more complex, high-modulus carbon layup shaves 180 grams from the frame, delivering a snappier, more responsive ride that gravel racers and performance-focused riders will immediately feel on every climb and sprint. Flat-mount brakes, OPEN's Smartmount direct caliper attachment, and the iconic dropped chainstay round out a package that's as capable as it is refined, equally at home on a race start line or a fast weekend adventure.
The new UPPER 2.0 takes a decade of refinement and pushes it even further. Built in Portugal by OPEN's manufacturing partner Carbonteam, the UPPER 2.0 pairs an ultralight carbon layup with purposeful aerodynamic shaping where it matters, up front at the headtube, fork, and downtube, while maintaining the legendary frame compliance OPEN is known for in the rear. The revolutionary OPEN B.A.R. one-piece carbon handlebar and stem adds adjustable reach in precise 5mm increments, and compatibility with T47 threaded bottom brackets and UDH derailleur standards keeps maintenance simple. Optimized for 35-46mm tires, the UPPER 2.0 is built to race, ride, and explore, fast, efficient, and relentlessly capable.
For the rider who wants every possible edge without giving up an inch of versatility, the OPEN UPPER delivers.
Highlights and information
Fast, Fun, Freedom. Perfected.
Ten years after the original OPEN UP defined the gravel bike category, the new UPPER 2.0 represents its ultimate evolution. Built for riders who refuse to compromise between speed and comfort, this high-performance gravel frameset combines aerodynamic efficiency at the front with genuine compliance at the rear, optimized for tires from 35mm to 46mm. The revolutionary OPEN B.A.R. one-piece carbon bar and stem, dual U-Turn fork options, and a thoughtful array of practical details make the UPPER 2.0 equally at home in a gravel race, a fast tarmac group ride, or a multi-day adventure. Made in Freedom, in Portugal.
WHY THE OPEN UPPER STANDS OUT
The UPPER 2.0 was built on a simple principle: aero where it matters, comfort where it counts. At the front of the bike, aerodynamic shaping at the headtube, fork, downtube, and the integrated OPEN B.A.R. cockpit cuts drag where airflow is still smooth and gains are greatest. Further back, ultra-thin bowed seatstays and a 27.2mm round seatpost deliver the frame compliance OPEN is famous for, absorbing road buzz without sacrificing power transfer. Straight chainstays ensure maximum pedaling efficiency, while the T47 threaded bottom bracket and UDH derailleur compatibility keep maintenance simple and future upgrades easy.
WHO SHOULD RIDE THE UPPER ?
The OPEN UPPER and UPPER 2.0 are built for riders who want one bike that can do everything fast. Competitive gravel racers will appreciate its aerodynamic efficiency and snappy acceleration, while endurance riders will value its long-ride comfort and tire versatility. Riders searching for a high-performance gravel bike, a fast mixed-surface bike, or a lightweight carbon frameset capable of handling both pavement and rough terrain will find the UPPER 2.0 fits the brief perfectly. Whether you're chasing a gravel podium, bridging across in a fast tarmac group ride, or loading up for an overnighter, this frameset handles it all without compromise.
WHAT CONTENDER BICYCLES LIKES ABOUT THE UPPER
- OPEN B.A.R. integration: The one-piece closed-form carbon bar and stem eliminates metal inserts and clamp cuts for optimal stiffness and weight, while a patented internal clamp system provides 15mm of stem length adjustment in precise 5mm increments, making fit dialing genuinely easy.
- Aero and compliance working together: Rather than trading one for the other, the UPPER 2.0 uses aero shaping up front where it delivers the biggest drag reduction, and compliance-focused tube design at the rear where comfort matters most for sustained effort and speed.
- Thoughtful, worry-free details: From the UDH hanger and T47 threaded bottom bracket to Smartmount 160 brakes front and rear, Broadshoulder dropouts, and Rotoblock fender mounts, every detail is engineered to reduce hassle and maximize time on the bike.
FRAME MATERIAL
The UPPER 2.0 is built from a sophisticated carbon layup that uses the right modulus of fiber in the right location throughout the frame. High-modulus and ultra-high-modulus carbon is used in the main tubes, including the flat-sided downtube, where strategically placed strips of stiff fiber maximize stiffness at the crucial connection between the steering center and drivetrain. Tougher, more flexible carbon is used in areas like the headtube where impact resistance is paramount. The UPPER 2.0 uses an ultralight layup variant that prioritizes weight savings over the standard UP 2.0, delivering a lighter, stiffer platform without compromising durability.
GEOMETRY AND FIT
The UPPER 2.0 uses size-specific geometry and carbon layup tailored to each frame size, ensuring consistent handling feel and compliance balance whether you ride a small or extra-large. The result is a gravel bike that feels equally agile and confident at every size.
- Aerodynamic front end: A deep headtube is the first frame member to meet the airflow, and its shape is optimized to cut drag while the carbon layup underneath maintains compliance for comfort on long, rough rides.
- Versatile tire clearance: The frame is optimized for 35mm to 46mm tires, delivering sharp and responsive handling across a wide range of surfaces from fast tarmac to rough gravel, without the handling penalties of going too wide.
- 27.2mm round seatpost compatibility: The seattube is designed around a 27.2mm seatpost, offering excellent natural compliance and compatibility with a long list of dropper and suspension seatpost options for riders who want added versatility.
HIGHLIGHTED MODELS AND COMPONENTS
OPEN UPPER 2.0 Frameset
- Frame: Ultralight size-specific carbon with aerodynamic front and compliant rear
- Fork: Choice of U-Turn Aero (fully aero blades, integrated brake caliper) or U-Turn Adventure (comfort-focused, direct-attach cargo slots), each available in 5 sizes
OPEN UPPER Frameset
- Frame: High-performance carbon with dropped chainstay and dual wheel size compatibility
- Fork: U-Turn fork with Smartmount flatmount brake integration
NOT EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?
- OPEN UP and U.P 2.0: Riders who want the same geometry and performance as the UPPER 2.0 at a more accessible price point should look at the UP 2.0. It shares the same strength and stiffness standards and adds three extra rivnuts under the toptube for frame bag compatibility, making it a particularly strong choice for bikepacking and adventure riding.
- OPEN MIND: If pure road performance with a classic aesthetic is more your priority than gravel versatility, the MIND delivers a lightweight carbon road frameset with genuine compliance and tire clearance up to 33mm, built around the same philosophy of minimal design and maximum enjoyment.
- Cervélo Áspero-5: For riders focused specifically on competitive gravel racing who want a full production build with strong component spec, the Cervélo Aspero offers a comparable mix of aerodynamic efficiency and gravel capability from a well-established race-focused brand.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The OPEN UPPER 2.0 is ten years of gravel bike evolution distilled into one exceptional frameset. By combining aerodynamic efficiency at the front, genuine compliance at the rear, the innovative OPEN B.A.R. cockpit, and a suite of well-considered details, it delivers a gravel bike that is as fast as it is comfortable and as capable on pavement as it is on rough terrain. For riders searching for a high-performance gravel frameset, a lightweight carbon all-rounder, or simply the most refined version of the bike that invented the fast gravel category, the UPPER 2.0 is the answer.
The OPEN MIND (MINimal Design) is what happens when one of cycling's most celebrated engineers builds the road bike he actually wants to ride. Designed by OPEN co-founder Gerard Vroomen, the MIND is a pure, purposeful carbon road bike that proves you don't need complexity to achieve something extraordinary, you just need to get every detail exactly right.
At the heart of the MIND is a philosophy of radical simplicity. Classic round-tube aesthetics hide genuinely sophisticated engineering: a 25mm continuous seat tube that eliminates the traditional seatpost junction entirely for remarkable all-day compliance, clearance for up to 33mm tires for confident grip on broken pavement, and OPEN's Smartmount direct brake attachment for a cleaner, lighter, stiffer setup throughout.
What makes the MIND special is how much ground it covers. Sharp enough to hunt KOMs and sprint out of corners, comfortable enough to tackle long mountain passes without punishment, and confident enough to handle the occasional gravel shortcut without missing a beat.
For riders who want a fast, beautiful, no-compromise road bike built to last a lifetime, the OPEN MIND is the one. If you're looking for something that can handle a little more off-road riding, check out the OPEN UP.
The OPEN UP is where it all began. When Gerard Vroomen and Andy Kessler set out to build the gravel bike they actually wanted to ride, the result was a genre-defining machine that rewrote the rulebook for what a drop-bar bike could do, and the cycling world hasn't been the same since.
The UP's genius lies in its radical versatility. Swap in a set of 700x28c road tires and it flies on tarmac. Mount up 32-40mm gravel tires and it eats mixed terrain for breakfast. Roll on 27.5x2.1" mountain bike rubber and it becomes a legitimate off-road weapon, all without changing a single thing about how the bike handles. The iconic dropped chainstay, one of the most copied features in modern bike design, makes it all possible, clearing massive tires while keeping road cranks and a narrow Q-factor for efficient pedaling.
The updated OPEN UP 2.0 builds on this proven formula with refined comfort and go-anywhere versatility optimized for long-haul adventures. With dual 700c and 650b wheel compatibility, clearance up to 2.1", and OPEN's signature lightweight carbon construction, the UP 2.0 is built for riders who want one bike that genuinely does it all, from Forest Service roads to multi-day bikepacking routes to fast weekend rides with friends.
The bike that started the gravel movement, now better than ever.
Looking for more tire clearance? Check out the OPEN WIDE.
The OPEN WIDE (Winding Detours) is built for riders who want to go further off the beaten path—and get there fast. Taking everything that made the legendary UP so revolutionary and pushing it deeper into adventure territory, the WIDE is OPEN's most capable off-road machine, designed for the kind of riding that would stop most bikes in their tracks.
The secret weapon is OPEN's double-dropped chainstay, an evolution of the single dropped stay that launched an entire category of bikes, creating a stiff, efficient box structure behind the bottom bracket that unlocks clearance for tires up to 2.4" on 650b wheels or 46mm on 700c. That means rutted singletrack, slippery roots, chunky rocks, and remote backcountry roads all fall within reach. And yet, thanks to OPEN's performance geometry and narrow Q-factor, the WIDE remains deceptively quick on pavement, something that never fails to surprise first-time riders.
Beyond the tires, the WIDE is purpose-built for adventure. A fourth bottle cage mount under the bottom bracket, strapless top tube bag mounts, and compatibility with frame, handlebar, and saddle bags make it a legitimate bikepacking rig. A slightly taller headtube and lower bottom bracket versus the UP add stability on technical terrain without sacrificing the nimble, road-bike-like handling OPEN is known for.
Fast enough for the road, fearless enough for the trail, the OPEN WIDE is the ultimate one-bike quiver for adventure riders.
Looking for a faster gravel bike? Check out the OPEN UP.
At Contender Bicycles, our best tools for selling bikes are the people who ride them. Everyone at Contender Bicycles has extensive experience riding bikes across many brands. If you have any questions regarding a Orbea or want to discuss build options, we are here to help.