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.
Highlights and information
Monster Tires. Nimble Ride. No Limits.
The OPEN WIDE (Winding Detours) was born from a simple idea: take everything that made the UP the benchmark for fast gravel riding and push it further into the wild. Engineered to accommodate up to 27.5x2.4" or 700x46c tires without compromising road-bike geometry or handling, the WIDE conquers rutted singletrack, slippery roots, and the roughest gravel roads while remaining deceptively fast on pavement. The innovative double-dropped chainstay design, TRCinTRS carbon layup, and U-Turn fork with Smartmount 160 make this the most capable frameset OPEN has ever built for extreme terrain.
WHY THE OPEN WIDE STANDS OUT
The WIDE takes the UP's dropped right chainstay, one of the most copied innovations in gravel bike history, and doubles it. The double-dropped chainstay creates an efficient box-shape behind the bottom bracket that simultaneously increases stiffness, reduces weight, and maximizes tire clearance. The front-derailleur-free frame design removes one of the last obstacles to fitting truly massive tires, allowing up to 2.4" rubber in 650b without touching the bike's geometry or handling character. A 1.5cm taller headtube improves control on technical terrain, a slightly lower bottom bracket adds stability, and 420mm chainstays retain the snappy, road-bike-like feel across every frame size.
WHO SHOULD RIDE THE WIDE?
The OPEN WIDE is built for riders who want to go further off the beaten path without giving up the efficiency and speed of a performance drop-bar bike. Fitted with 700c road tires, it is the most comfortable road bike you've ever ridden. Swap to 700x46c gravel tires and it tackles the toughest gravel roads at speed. Mount 650b or 27.5" mountain bike tires up to 2.4" and it becomes unstoppable on singletrack, technical trails, and extreme terrain. Riders searching for a high-performance all-terrain gravel bike, a drop-bar trail bike, or a capable bikepacking frameset will find the WIDE handles every brief without compromise. It rewards riders who want one bike for all of it.
WHAT CONTENDER BICYCLES LIKES ABOUT THE WIDE
- Double-dropped chainstay design: By dropping both chainstays rather than just the right, the WIDE creates a stiff, efficient box structure behind the bottom bracket that increases frame rigidity, reduces weight, and unlocks tire clearance large enough to swallow trails that would stop most drop-bar bikes cold.
- Deceptively fast on the road: Despite its ability to run 2.4" mountain bike tires, the WIDE's performance geometry, narrow Q-factor, and road-position riding stance mean first-time riders are consistently surprised by how quick it feels on pavement — all the capability, none of the sluggishness.
- Serious carrying capability: With a fourth cage mount under the bottom bracket, a strapless toptube bag mount, and compatibility with saddle, handlebar, and frame bags, the WIDE is genuinely ready for long-distance high-speed adventures straight out of the box.
FRAME MATERIAL
The WIDE is built using OPEN's TRCinTRS (The Right Carbon in The Right Spot) technology, a blended carbon layup that strategically places ultra-high-modulus fiber where maximum stiffness is needed and tougher, more flexible carbon where strength and impact resistance are paramount. The flat-sided downtube places strips of ultra-high-modulus carbon far from the center plane, maximizing stiffness at the critical connection between the steering center and drivetrain. Wire-Stay seatstays are vertically thin for compliance while their lateral width and layup ensure rock-solid propulsion. Despite the double-dropped chainstay and expanded tire clearance, the WIDE frame weighs in at the same 1,040g as the UP, with the fork at 390g.
GEOMETRY AND FIT
The WIDE uses performance-focused geometry derived from the UP, refined with specific changes that make it more capable on extreme terrain without sacrificing the nimble, efficient handling that defines OPEN's bikes. The result is a frameset that feels at home on a singletrack descent and a fast tarmac group ride on the same afternoon.
- Taller headtube and lower bottom bracket: A 1.5cm taller headtube improves control and confidence on technical terrain, while the slightly lower bottom bracket height adds stability when running large tires on rough ground.
- Trail grows with tire size: The WIDE's geometry is designed so that trail automatically increases as tire size grows, delivering more stability exactly when and where you need it on tougher terrain without feeling sluggish on smaller tires.
- Road-position efficiency: The 420mm chainstays and narrow Q-factor cranks maintain a road-bike-like pedaling stance and geometry across all frame sizes, keeping the WIDE efficient and fast regardless of what tires are mounted.
HIGHLIGHTED MODELS AND COMPONENTS
OPEN WIDE Frameset
- Frame: TRCinTRS carbon with double-dropped chainstay, 1x only drivetrain compatibility, 1,040g
- Fork: U-Turn fork with Smartmount 160 direct-mount brake caliper, 390g
- Tire Clearance: Up to 27.5x2.4" (61mm) on 650b or 700x46c on 700c wheels
NOT EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?
- OPEN UP and UP 2.0: Riders whose adventures lean more toward fast gravel racing and mixed-surface riding than extreme off-road terrain should look at the UP and UP 2.0. With tire clearance up to 46mm and a lighter, more aerodynamic front end, the UP 2.0 is the sharper tool for competitive gravel riding and fast tarmac.
- OPEN MIND: If your winding detours stay mostly on tarmac, the MIND delivers OPEN's signature compliance and lightweight carbon construction in a pure road frameset with tire clearance to 33mm, built for riders who want maximum enjoyment on paved roads.
- Santa Cruz Stigmata: For riders who want the versatility of a capable gravel platform in a full production build with race-focused component spec, the Cervélo Aspero offers strong aerodynamic efficiency and competitive gravel performance from a well-established race brand.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The OPEN WIDE is the most capable all-terrain frameset OPEN has ever produced. By combining double-dropped chainstays, monster tire clearance, TRCinTRS carbon engineering, and the same road-position efficiency that made the UP legendary, it delivers a drop-bar bike that is equally at home on singletrack and fast tarmac. Whether you're searching for a high-performance all-terrain gravel bike, a drop-bar trail frameset, or the ultimate bikepacking platform, the WIDE removes every limit and opens up every road and every trail, you've ever wanted to explore.
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.
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.
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.
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 or want to discuss build options, we are here to help.