Thesis Bikes redefines the definition of N+1 with innovative Project N1

Following the ‘one bike for all’ trend of recent months and years, Thesis Bikes has launched its new Project N1. Based on their long-standing road and gravel bikes, the new Project N1 is designed to be the ideal ‘all-rounder’ for gravel, road, and everything in between.

Thesis’ Project N1 prototype can quickly switch between gravel and road modes with just a hex wrench. By loosening the bike’s unique diagonally-sliding dropouts, riders can easily change wheels and completely alter the bike’s handling.

Switching to gravel mode, the rear axle is slid up and back, which slackens the head tube angle, lengthens the wheelbase for better stability, and lowers the bottom bracket to accommodate larger tires, giving the rider a more integrated feel with the bike.

To complete the transformation from road to gravel bike, riders flip the chips in the fork (a feature still in development) to move the axle 10mm away from the caliper. This change increases the fork’s axle-to-crown distance, further slackening the head tube angle. It also corrects the fork offset and increases the front-center distance for larger tires. By using a 160mm rotor on the road wheelset and a 180mm rotor on the gravel wheelset, there is no need to adjust the caliper when changing the flip chip, and it provides better braking power for off-road riding.

It is clear that Thesis Bikes is making a significant effort to fulfill the one bike vision that has been prevalent in the bike industry in recent years. Even though Project N1 is still under development, it represents an interesting innovation in the bike scene, aiming to address the famous joke among cyclists about needing N+1 bikes.

In addition, the bike is designed to be low-maintenance, as users have come to expect from the American brand. Most group sets and components can fit Thesis frames, making it potentially inexpensive to maintain, but also highly customizable for users.

Tata Bikes is the only retailer of Thesis Bikes in Europe. Visit Tata Bikes on Carrer de la Força for more information.

This story is part of Nafent Magazine volume 11. Read the full story in our digital or paper magazine. Go to our webshop to get yours.