cheap gravel bike frame Open WI.DE. 2.0 Frameset

The Open WI.DE. 2.0 Frameset is named for Winding Detours — a signal that this Swiss-engineered carbon gravel frameset was never designed to stay on any one surface. It runs 2.4-inch mountain bike tires through rooted singletrack, transitions to 46mm gravel rubber for extended dirt roads, and then surprises you with how efficiently it moves when pavement returns. That versatility is not a compromise. It is the result of deliberate engineering decisions that add up to a frameset genuinely unlike anything else in the category.

OPEN builds out of Switzerland with a focused lineup and serious intent. The WI.DE. is their largest-tire platform — the sibling to the narrower U.P. frameset — designed for riders who want maximum off-road capability without abandoning road geometry. The 2.0 version refines that formula with a T47 threaded bottom bracket shell, the OPEN B.A.R. integrated cockpit system, and updated detailing throughout.

The headline innovation is the double-dropped chainstay. OPEN pioneered the single-drop chainstay on the U.P., routing the non-drive stay below the chainline to free up tire clearance. The WI.DE. drops both. That creates a box-shaped structure behind the bottom bracket that does three things at once: it opens up clearance to accommodate up to 61mm tires on 650b wheels (or 46mm on 700c), it stiffens the rear triangle for crisper power transfer, and it helps the frame come in at 1,040 grams for a size M without metal hardware — a meaningful number for a bike built around big rubber and serious terrain.

The carbon layup uses OPEN's TRCinTRS™ technology, a blend-based approach rather than a single-grade solution. Ultra-high modulus fibers go where stiffness is the priority, including the flat-sided downtube, where lateral strips of that material maximize torsional rigidity between the steering axis and the drivetrain. Where impact resistance matters more — particularly in the stays — tougher carbon grades take over. The chainstays and seatstays use what OPEN calls a wire-stay profile: vertically thin for vertical compliance over rough terrain, but laterally wide and carefully laid up for efficient power transfer. The bike absorbs what the road throws at it without going slack on climbs.

The U-Turn AC/DC+ fork weighs 390 grams and incorporates OPEN's Smartmount 160 system. Standard disc setups use a four-bolt adaptor to mount a flat-mount caliper for 160mm rotors. OPEN eliminates that adaptor entirely — the caliper mounts directly to the fork, reducing weight, increasing stiffness at the caliper interface, and cleaning up the fork legs. The 2.0 uses a T47 threaded bottom bracket shell, a meaningful upgrade over press-fit standards for a bike that regularly sees mud, water, and hard miles. Threaded BBs resist creaking and are considerably easier to service.

The WI.DE. is dedicated 1x, with no front derailleur mount. Riders who want two chainrings can use the Classified rear hub, which moves the shift to the rear axle and keeps the front clean. Compatible groupsets include Shimano GRX, SRAM AXS (excluding Transmission and XPLR UDH rear derailleurs), older SRAM 1x mechanical, and Campagnolo Ekar. One geometry detail that defines the bike's handling character: as tire width increases, trail increases proportionally. The steering stays appropriate to the terrain — lively on road, settled and stable when you're threading through technical singletrack. You're not fighting the bike to behave correctly as you swap between rubber widths.

The WI.DE. 2.0 frameset ships with the OPEN B.A.R. stem and handlebar system, headset, a 27.2mm zero-offset seatpost, Carbon-Ti X-12 superlight thru-axles front and rear, two derailleur hangers, MultiStops for electronic and mechanical cable routing, and noise-reduction foam sleeves. Cage mounts sit at the seattube, downtube, under-downtube, and under-BB positions. The under-BB mount accepts either a toolbox or an additional water bottle and is offset to maintain clearance to the chainring. An integrated computer and GoPro mount is included. Available in Platinum Grey and Ready-to-Paint, in sizes XS through XL.

Design Benefits

1. Double-dropped chainstays create a box structure behind the BB that simultaneously maximizes tire clearance, stiffens the rear triangle, and keeps frame weight down — all from a single design decision.
2. TRCinTRS™ carbon layup places ultra-high modulus fiber where stiffness drives performance and tougher grades where durability matters most — a strategic blend, not marketing terminology.
3. Smartmount 160 fork eliminates the brake adaptor for a lighter, stiffer, and cleaner caliper mount — the way OPEN argues 160mm disc setups should always have been done.
4. T47 threaded BB shell resists creaking and simplifies service in a bike category where mud, water, and hard use are the norm.
5. Self-correcting trail geometry ensures handling stays appropriate as you change tire width — stable on big MTB rubber, snappy on road tires, without any adjustment required.
6. Extensive bag and bottle mounts make the WI.DE. 2.0 a capable bikepacking platform without sacrificing the clean aesthetics of a road-oriented build.

Final Take

The WI.DE. 2.0 is for riders who have been frustrated by the tire clearance limits of conventional gravel bikes — and for road riders curious about how far a drop-bar bike can go before it stops making sense. The answer, on this frameset, is further than you'd expect. It handles singletrack that most gravel bikes won't touch, then gets back on the road and rolls faster than a bike with 61mm tires has any right to. If you're building one bike meant to go everywhere, this is a thoughtful place to start.