Scientifically speaking, fat tyre road bikes are the best kind of bike. They go fast, they go slow, and they can go anywhere. Pro-level bikes are certainly very impressive, but they just don’t suit the type of riding that most of us do as amateurs. Normal people don’t ride exclusively on car-free, pristine roads at average speeds near 45 kph. We ride from our homes, in traffic, around potholes, and on dirt paths. That is to say, we ride everywhere, and our bikes should be able to ride everywhere with us.
Sure, it’s nice to have a bike capable of taking some turns on the front of the local group ride or sprinting it out at a weeknight race, but I guarantee you that having 38mm tyres mounted on your bike is not the sole thing preventing you from raising your arms in victory at your local criterium. If riding the same bike as Wout van Aert makes you happy, then, please by all means, go for it, but for most of us, a fully-integrated, no-holds barred aero race bike is the wrong tool for the job.
(Image credit: Future / Tyler Boucher)
A road-ish bike with more tyre clearance, however, is a fantastic option. It provides versatility, by allowing you to select the best tyre size for where you ride, and leaves room for more if needed. Allied Cycle Works’ latest version of its Echo model hits the sweet spot for an everyday road bike: it can keep up on any group ride—former MTB World Champ Kate Courtney won the 2026 US road nationals on an Echo—yet is officially rated to fit tyres as large as 45 mm.
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Design details
Allied’s new version of the Echo builds on the all-road capability of the previous iteration (previously tested by CW in 2023), but forgoes the flip-chips that gave that bike its name. The updated design leans into the benefits provided by wider tyres, but retains its road DNA.
Road-going angles (72 degree HTA/55 mm fork rake) paired with a slightly lower bottom bracket (80 mm of BB drop) and clearance for 45 mm tyres is a potent combo. Of course, you don’t need to run tyres that big, but the option is there.
(Image credit: Future / Tyler Boucher)
The bike’s silhouette is fairly traditional, with a standard double diamond design plus the addition of an integrated front end, utilizing Allied’s own two piece bar and stem combo. The bike is designed for wireless shifting only, and can be used with either 2x or 1x systems.
(Image credit: Future / Tyler Boucher)
Allied makes no specific aerodynamic claims for this bike, instead highlighting its ride quality and versatility. The frame does have some aerodynamic tube shapes, as well as an aero seatpost, so it seems safe to say that this was a consideration The Echo does not include any in-frame storage, a common feature on the best modern gravel bikes (less so on the best road bikes), but Allied has designed a tidy little frame bag that attaches with bolts in the front triangle and provides an effective place for tools, snacks, etc.
Also notable is Allied’s decision to shorten the reach measurements across the board for this design. Previous frames from the company tended to be longer and lower, but the new Echo received something of a length trim. My 56 cm test bike has a 554 mm effective top tube, and this is echoed (sorry!) across the full platform, with ETT measurements about a centimeter shorter than the listed size in most of the range.
When Allied was founded, it initially manufactured all of its bikes in the US—in fact, the words “Made Here” were overlaid on top of a map of the USA on every frame. Since then, however, the company has moved its carbon manufacturing overseas to China. Frames are still painted in Arkansas, as well as assembled there.
The listed frame weight is a very respectable 790 grams in a 56, and complete, with pedals and bottle cages, my test bike weighed 17.3 lbs or 7.84 kg.
Specifications
Allied offers the Echo for sale with 3 different complete builds, starting at $6,480, or as a frameset (including stem and seatpost) for $4,000. My test bike was built up with the mid-tier option, SRAM’s Force XPLR AXS 1x groupset, Zipp’s 303 XPLR S wheels, and Vittoria Corsa Pro Control TLR 38 mm tyres. Also included is a powermeter. The retail price, as configured, is $7,380.
Allied assembles each bike to order, which means you have the option to choose things like stem length, crank arm length, etc. to suit your needs. Choices include two different setback options for the proprietary aero seatpost and stems in 70-120 mm lengths, at either 0 or -8 degrees. A 130 mm stem isn’t listed as an option on Allied’s website configurator, but is available, as I requested and received one on my test bike.
(Image credit: Future / Tyler Boucher)
Performance
This is the second version of Allied’s Echo that I’ve had the opportunity to test. I had a fun time with the flip chip feature of the first version—the swappable inserts allowed you to switch between narrow tyres in road mode and wider rubber in all-road mode—but I liked it best in all-road mode. At the time, however, large tyre options were limited.
Now, we have excellent road tyres available between 35-40 mm, something that Allied’s Director of Product, Sam Pickman, says was instrumental in this redesign. According to Pickman, “The proliferation of really high end really nice slick tires kind of paved the way for this bike.”
“What we learned from the (previous generation) Echo is that a 28 mm tyre is not necessary, and if you’re not going to go down to a small tyre, then what’s the point of having a flip chip? We started playing around with big tyres, like 38-40 mm road slicks.”
(Image credit: Future / Tyler Boucher)
A road bike with wider tyres is certainly not a new concept, but Allied has effectively combined this design with other modern features, with its integrated cockpit and lower bottom bracket (also made possible with the trend toward shorter crank arms), while keeping the design free of additional bells and whistles—an endurance road bike this is not.
I had the opportunity to ride the Echo for a few months, and got to know the bike quite well. Based on some Strava PRs, it’s one of the fastest bikes I’ve tested in recent years. Wide tyres might just be quicker after all!
(Image credit: Future / Tyler Boucher)
I was able to experience Allied’s fit process from the get-go. Someone from the team reached out to confirm my preferences: frame size, straight versus setback seatpost, crankset length, stem length, etc, and built up a test bike to meet my preferred bar stack and reach measurements.
In order to make my fit work, Allied set me up with a 56 cm frame with a 130 mm, -8 stem, which left the front end slightly taller than I would prefer, but was within 5mm of my optimal setup. For some long-torso’d and/or long-armed riders, this bike may be too short. While Allied’s integrated stem is well-designed the range is limited and people at the very ends of the bell curve may not find their ideal fit.
(Image credit: Future / Tyler Boucher)
I was hoping to get a chance to ride the Echo in a proper road race, but my end of summer schedule didn’t provide the opportunity to do so. Instead I tried to ride it everywhere I could, on both smooth and rough pavement, as well as some solid gravel path adventuring. It really shines on rough pavement, but can be comfortably ridden almost anywhere.
Toward the tail end of my testing period I took the Echo out on a slightly sketchy night time group ride. Riding solo, I’d had no issues with the 1x drivetrain, but I wasn’t sure what to expect in a group scenario. Even at high speeds, the range of the SRAM Force XPLR gruppo proved to be a nonissue. In fact, not having to think about a front derailleur was quite helpful. Pickman says he thinks a 1x setup, “fits really well with this bike, but you can run 2x if you want, or if you live in an area where you need a really wide gear range.”
I think, based on the topography of where I live, 2x would be preferable, but I was impressed by how well this bike rode with the XPLR drivetrain.
(Image credit: Future / Tyler Boucher)
The group ride experience demonstrated how comfortable and trustworthy the bike felt—bombing descents with low visibility and navigating potholes in a group ride is an effective way to test a bike’s character. It always did what I asked of it, and never felt out of place at any point in the ride.
One issue I ran into repeatedly during the testing period was with the integrated SRAM power meter. It would consistently read 50-75 watts high (which, to be fair, was pretty fun “Look, I’m Tadej!”), but even after recalibrating it would backslide into inaccuracy. I assume I got a faulty unit of some kind.
I didn’t get a chance to ask Pickman about this, but I wonder why Allied decided not to equip the Echo with fender mounts. The ethos of the design seems to be very much “no frills,” like a full-on race rig, but this small concession to practicality would make it all the more useful as a year-round bike.
Value
Allied poses an interesting example as a value proposition—the brand started out by making bikes in the USA and leaned heavily on this in its marketing, but no longer does so. It’s still a boutique bike company, but not one that manufactures domestically. As far as I can tell, the prices did not change following the switch.
Perhaps the most similar bike to the Echo on the market is Cervero’s Aspero 5. It has a more overt aero focus, but similar tyre clearance and geometry. The MSRP on an Aspero 5 frameset is $5,500, and a complete Force build comes in at $9,000. In comparison, the Echo is a bargain.
Still, $7,500 is a lot of money, and there are cheaper options. For example, a Trek Domane can fit 40 mm tyres and with a fairly similar Force build to the bikes tested here, sells for $6,500.
Tech specs
- Frame: Echo carbon
- Forks: Allied FK10
- Size: 56
- Weight: 7.84kg / 17.3lbs
- Groupset: SRAM Force XPLR AXS
- Crankset: SRAM Force XPLR AXS 46t w/ power meter
- Cassette: SRAM Force XPLR 10-46t
- Wheels: Zipp 303 XPLR S
- Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro Control TLR 38mm
- Brakes: SRAM Force XPLR AXS hydraullic
- Bar/stem: Allied ST03 stem and HB10 bar
- Seatpost: Allied SP02 Aero
- Saddle: Selle Italia Model X Superflow
