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We Are One Composites Drops Teaser Info About Made-in-Canada Carbon Frame

May 7, 2021 at 11:21
by Alicia Leggett  
photo

Canadian carbon rim manufacturer We Are One Composites has been working on more than just rims lately. In 2019, the company released a clever handlebar and stem combo in collaboration with 77Designz, and now, for about a year, we've been seeing hints about a new carbon bike that is in the works.

The company started in 2017 when owner Dustin Adams decided to start making rims with a do it yourself mentality, keeping the design, prototype, and final production processes in-house in Kamloops, BC. The company has grown, but the independent folks behind We Are One will always do things their own way and have created a carbon frame from the ground up.

While the design is still mostly top-secret, we managed to get a bit of teaser information from Dustin and his left hand, Tyler Maine.

Since early 2020, We Are One has posted teaser photos on Instagram, not-so-subtly disguised as posts about rims and whatnot.


Why did you decide to make a bike?


Why not? We've proven that high quality parts can be made in North America with our rims and bar/stem combo. Over 2 years ago we started talking about the process of what it would take to make a bike, we're now close to showing that bike to the public. This project was in our 5 year plan and we actually were always planning on a bike from our date of inception. This process began 2 years ago and we are 1 year ahead of schedule.

How did you need to adjust your manufacturing process to move into making a frame?


By starting an entirely new process in another building - the two aren't related beyond both being We Are One products. Our wheel division is in full swing to meet the demands of the current market. Our frame shop and engineering team are in a separate facility that does not overlap our rim and bar production.

Each product offered by We Are One has its own mold made in house.
The molds for each product are made in-house. A bike, of course, takes a completely different set of molds and a separate manufacturing process.

Can you tell us anything about the suspension platform?


Sorry at this time, that will have to wait until our launch date.

We still don't know much about the bike, but We Are One hasn't been shy about giving us some little glimpses.

I read that you'll use super boost spacing. Is that still the plan? If so, why?


There are many great benefits to 157 super boost if done right. We will be the first company to our knowledge to launch a 157 rear spacing with a chain line that actually benefits from the concept. More will be shown at the launch date.

157 super boost spacing and 29" wheels. Here's one of the first looks at the bike itself, but I guess we can keep pretending this post is about stickers.

What wheel size will the new bike have?


This bike is a 29er.

How close are you to having a production version of the bike?


We've had the pleasure of riding our bike for the last 8 months and are waiting for the backlog of vendor parts to arrive before we roll out the launch.

Molds for the Da Bar handlebar.
Supply chain issues have slowed bike production all across the industry, and We Are One Composites isn't exempt. However, the versatile company does have a bit of an advantage in focusing on more than just one major bike part: for wheels, We Are One relies on i9 and Sapim for hubs and spokes, but once those needs are met, We Are One has wheels, bars, stems, and now frames covered.

Given the state of the bike industry right now, it's hard to predict when supply will catch up with manufacturers' needs, so we don't know when we'll see the full bike. To stay updated, follow along with the hashtag #wr1arrival on Instagram, where We Are One will continue to share information about the bike as the release date approaches.

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140 Comments
  • 219 0
 We Are Waiting for parts
  • 36 0
 We are waiting for another horst link enduro bike
  • 11 18
flag smoothmoose (May 10, 2021 at 9:08) (Below Threshold)
 @toad321: I hope not. Too many horst link bikes out there already. After trying the latest Stumpjumper EVO and it pedals well with anti-squat, but the responsiveness is not there compared to single pivot or dual link design.
  • 11 4
 @smoothmoose: Well... most on this forum don't need a complete bike, we just need the frame. Shouldnt be any supplier issues there.

With WR1 being my go to wheel manufacturer, I was stoked as I was reading... all the way up to the Super Boost info. Why, why, why? If you want to take off and be a top frame, wheel, bar manufacturer, don't go niche.
  • 3 1
 @smoothmoose: a horst link design is a dual link design, no?
  • 1 1
 @twonsarelli: Ha. Technically yes. Let me reframe to dual-short-link design. VPP patent is done - so that's a possibility. Others smaller brands like Spot have gotten around the DW-link patent with some modifications to the link itself.
  • 3 0
 I have “Hope” that this complete bike from a component manufacturer turns out awesome.
  • 4 0
 @Baller7756: what if.......stay with me here, its gonna get wild......what if, they want to be niche??????
  • 130 26
 A wheel maker who builds a frame that uses a standard that forces people to buy a new rear wheel ... Anyway, looking forward to seeing what is under that mold.
  • 33 1
 At least the wheels come with the complete bike?
  • 55 57
 I'd love to see 157 take off. Tall people (like myself) suffer with all these standards built for the average sized rider. A wider Q-factor is preferable if you have a wider body frame. Also, you might be surprised by the increase in balance with a wider stance. Although annoying, many of these new standards really do incrementally improve the bikes... although I'd argue 35mm handlebars have done nothing but increase wrist injuries so that you can save a few grams.
  • 28 2
 @derekr: 157 isn't new. It's quite old...150 with dropouts.
  • 30 1
 I’d share your disdain if they were a hub manufacturer
  • 19 2
 @derekr: Fair enough. I think different hub standards are the hardest to swallow though, as wheels have always been the best upgrade for a current bike and one that can be carried to the next bike easily. Plus, I always carry spare wheels on trips, in case of failure. I have a spare wheel-set for studded tires in the winter. It would have to be a very compelling bike for me to ditch my entire wheel collection.
  • 30 3
 My 157 frame takes a 148 boost wheel with a couple of cheap adapters. Just sayin'
  • 15 2
 Knolly is using 157 for some time
  • 4 3
 @DizzyNinja: Well, they are pretty tight with a certain hub manufacturer in North Carolina.
  • 25 3
 Oh Gawd, stop! Just dont buy the damn frame.
  • 52 7
 Ya, this lame. I'm selling everything and searching out 26 in wheels and QR hubs. I might even go full rigid and rim brakes. I'm just so sick of people making changes to mountain bikes, everything was fine in the '80's.
  • 1 0
 @phillip-ashcroft: Care to share which adaptors?
  • 4 7
 @Abacall: have you tried to ask Jeeves? Yahoo?
  • 2 0
 @Abacall: Velosolo, can be found on eBay. Essentially it's a 4.5mm rotor spacer and two 3mm axle spacers or they do one requires dishing the wheel with a 9mm rotor spacer.
  • 9 12
 @Duderz7: no sir. Mountain bikes used to be trash. I challenge anybody to ride the stuff I ride on a bike from the 80s and be comfortable or have the bike survive.
  • 12 3
 @Duderz7: I have a minty, all original '88 Rockhopper and there's not a single thing my modern $1400 gravel bike doesn't do better.
  • 6 1
 @Duderz7: the 80s were still too advanced, you need a velocipede from the late 1700s. Perfection doesn't change :p
  • 5 0
 @Wthomas: I think it was sarcasm
  • 10 2
 @derekr: as a tall guy, i totally agree. Plus, the noticable lateral stiffness of my current 157 bike (‘19 Troy) is huge. Especially on 29er wheels, 157 builds a tough wheel. Now, give us a wide range 6 or 7 speed cassette and spread the drive side flange out wider and that would be really great!
  • 4 0
 @benjwalk: Hope 157 DH rear hub has wider flanges and only works with 7 speed. Play around with gear spacing from a Shimano 46T 11 speed HG cassette to your hearts desire, changing out cogs based on that days ride location even.
  • 2 1
 @Duderz7: Straw man. Changes can be made without industry dependence on needless change for purpose of marketing to people with the most $$. Look at skateboarding or bmx any other outdoor activity. Why does mtb have to be so tech obsessive? Tech is great and useful but mtb is not F1.

If anyone can disprove that wagon wheels only facilitate ironing out the trail and aren’t as versatile as smaller wheels, I’ll store tools in my steerer for a year.
  • 2 4
 @emptybe-er: 29 inch wheels fast.26 inch wheels fun. But more skill involved. I'll pick fun and skill
  • 3 0
 @DHhack: I've got it! The next big innovation in cycling: You could pair up that 6/7 speed cassette on the 157 hubs with a selection of 2 or 3 chain rings to give riders the option of increasing that range, or being able to find in-between ratios to keep an even cadence.
This might revolutionise the sport...
  • 1 1
 @iliveonnitro: I would expect a WR1 complete bike to only come with WR1 wheels.
  • 1 0
 They told me that it was only going to be available as a complete bike.
  • 2 0
 @derekr: but how much is enough......ive gone from bikes with 135 x 10 rear axle spacing up to 150 x 12 and my older commencal meta with 142 x 12 rear axle spacing is better for me than my 148 x 12 more modern bikes as it affords me more heel clearance. Also i havent noticed any increase in balance.
100% agree with you on the 35mm bar thing though as i've been saying similar things ever since they started appearing.
  • 1 0
 @Zany2410: and Devinci, and Evil
  • 1 0
 @lehott:
No pedal strikes with a velocipede...just sayin'...
  • 3 0
 @derekr: you can always add spacers to your pedal/crank interface, it's a lot harder to shrink things down. I'd say it's safe to say that most people will not benefit from a wider q-factor. I'm 6'3" but still prefer a narrow crankset. I ride mountain bikes, road bikes and a fat bike with a 100mm bb, and my knees are definitely happiest on the road bike.
  • 2 0
 I want to see a new standard - ‘super duper boost’ at 157.99 mm
  • 1 0
 @snakebitemtb: and Pivot
  • 1 0
 @JasonALap: But are you happiest descending on the road bike?
  • 1 0
 I thought WAO was making the long travel Forbidden frame. I was wrong Frown
  • 1 0
 @JasonALap: I run a 142mm rear hub but I actually do run 20mm spacers on each pedal. The problem is that this is extremely hard on your BB bearings... especially if you're heavier!

I'm not advocating for everyone to have a wider Q factor, however, there is a group of us that would. 29ers were discouraged for years and finally tall people have bikes that fit properly... just need to work on that Q factor! For myself, I'm hoping to get a custom frame built up with 177mm spacing.
  • 1 0
 @Adamrideshisbike: Ya true... in all fairness I am more interested in the 177mm standard! I thought I'd just share my thoughts on Q factor. I understand narrow will increase your pedaling efficiency but for me my knees get really irritated without my 20mm pedal spacers.
  • 1 0
 @derekr: my fat bike (197mm hub 100mm BB) is the best q factor for me. But I'm built like a lumber jack. I very much like the 157 on my Devinci, but it could be a tad wider.
  • 48 4
 Is it just me, or does this bike look awfully lot like the black high-pivot prototype on a bike rack that got photoed on a parking lot? The very same one that people said is 100% a Devinci?
  • 9 0
 I think you nailed it. Looks like the bike in the video has a white link similar to that bike, also that bike had We are One wheels on it. Mystery possibly solved.
  • 15 0
 Here is the photo: www.pinkbike.com/photo/20183031
  • 8 3
 @its-all-about-bikes:

Wow that frame looks incredible! Super Boost will definitely be more laterally stiff than 148, for us taller/heavier riders, that's a huge plus.
  • 7 0
 I don’t think so. If you look at the chainstay here vs the one in that photo the chainstay looks to intersect the spokes/rim at different angles.
  • 5 0
 No way. Different design at the BB, different chain stays.
  • 5 0
 If there was a pivot near the rear dropout, you wouldn't see a one-piece rear triangle mold.
  • 3 0
 @its-all-about-bikes: www.pinkbike.com/photo/20592922
It's very different front that one. It's not a high pivot. the top tube/head tube is different. The shock angle and mounting is also different.
  • 2 3
 @its-all-about-bikes: Looks like a (new) Session.
  • 1 0
 it's just you...
  • 35 0
 So thats what the travel restrictions are for, so i can't go to Kamloops
  • 21 0
 Haha, we'll get you out for a ride - once the bike is released, without your camera taking the first pics. Or did you already shoot it at the dumpsters...
  • 18 5
 This looks like a nice frame, but why carbon? I can get a frame made from recycled EX471 wheels and 350 hub internals for half the price.
  • 3 1
 So you’re saying you have details on WeAre1’s pricing then?
  • 3 1
 @Hill-Seeker: what sound does a paper airplane make?

whoosh
  • 3 0
 Are you saying that dt swiss is working on a bike too?lol
  • 2 0
 Ah man - this is way better than you're getting credit for.
  • 7 0
 Based off their rims the frame is probably going to weigh as much as an aluminum frame but also be as durable Smile ...coming from someone with a wheelset of theirs with one true after 2500 miles.
  • 5 0
 Flip-chip and support for 27.5" rear mullet please! As more and more people are getting on bikes, we have significant others joining the fun as well. Many folks in the population shorter than 5'6" and 27.5" just works better.
  • 8 0
 Nothing better than seeing bikes built in Canada! Can’t wait to get one.
  • 5 0
 Been ridding their rims since they came out, bought my first set directly from Dustin. By far the most durable rim my heavy a-- has used. They never need trueing either. All my bikes have a set and I refuse to use anything else. Super Rad company! Looks like I'm getting a new frame soon. Congratulations Dustin and Team!!!
  • 4 0
 Thanks for the support. - The Team
  • 5 0
 Very cool! Love seeing small brands making their own bikes in house. If I had a larger budget my next bike would definitely be something like this or guerilla gravity.
  • 4 0
 @WeAreOne i hope it's a 150mm(ish) 29er with modern-but-not-silly geometry, room for a full size water bottle, and some form of on frame or integrated tool storage.... for less than $1m.
  • 4 0
 And available before 2022.
  • 2 0
 From what I know, it's a 150 rear 160 front with a very low bb. Also looks like a twin link system but I'm not 100%.
  • 5 0
 Well well. I’ll be 50 next spring. Happy birthday to me. Can’t wait for the launch. I would be proud to ride a made in Canada frame.
  • 3 0
 Too progressive of a design. Not progressive enough. Too long. Too short. Too slack. Too steep. Too high. Too low. Doesn't pedal well enough. Doesn't descend well. Suspension curve isn't progressive enough for coils. Suspension curve is too progressive for air. ...welcome to the frame world, WR1! Best of luck.
  • 5 1
 I'm betting they go horst-link or faux-bar(aka linkage driven single pivot).
  • 2 1
 What are y'all betting on?
  • 4 0
 High pivot and pulley? Be kind of sweet if they stayed with the 77designz collaboration frame style.
  • 2 1
 @Vudu74: Doesn't look like a high pivot in the instagram video.
  • 2 1
 The IG video doesn't make it look like a high pivot design. It looks like a standard linkage driven single pivot(non-faux bar). But the video is so grainy that it could also be a horst-link or split pivot.

Then again, this particular bike could just be one of multiple prototypes with differing suspension designs.
  • 3 0
 It's looks like some sort of co-rotating short link, probably not DW, but not to far off I'd guess Smile
  • 7 0
 @Almazing: the mold in the second photo makes it appear to be a fixed type rear triangle....so some variation on VPP
  • 3 0
 Looks like a 1-Piece rear triangle to me, on that mold photo...
  • 2 0
 @eldsvada: could have licensed cbf too
  • 2 0
 Molds look twin short linkages to me, top one Bell crank style.
  • 2 0
 @adrennan: That would be awesome
  • 2 0
 The mold for the rear triangle suggests a short dual link bike as the mold appears to be a complete rear triangle. If it was a four-bar design (Horst or linkage driven) the molds would likely be piece by piece rather than all one mold. It's possible they are using a flex-stay design but that seems like a lot of extra juggling for a first-bike. It could also be a more simple single-pivot but I just don't see that being the solution they chose.
  • 3 0
 @adrennan: or maybe one of Chris Canfield’s other suspension platforms
  • 2 1
 @Almazing: probably don't have the $$$ for dw link or to fight a lawsuit vs split pivot, also dw or trek abp. Most likely 4 or faux bar.

This iteration isn't a high pivot design. The top tube is an interesting design too, especially near head tube.

Offset seatube is also kind of wierd.

My guess it's a mullet now
  • 2 0
 @gaberoc: I doubt it, could just be the multi piece mold they made. I wouldn't want to go toe to toe with dw, giant or Santa Cruz in court lol
  • 1 0
 @gaberoc: sorry, I looked again. Could be unified rear but a link between the rocker and the rear traingle at the seat stay
  • 1 0
 Maybe not
  • 1 0
 @makripper: santa cruz doesnt have the patent anymore I believe (hence diamondback using it).
  • 1 0
 @makripper: he literally said it’s a 29er.
  • 1 0
 @adrennan: makes sense. That's a super old design. It was originally designed by Outland back in the day
  • 1 0
 Looks more like Banshee's KS2 or Giant's Maestro linkage with a rocker driving a vertically mounted shock.
  • 1 0
 @WeAreOne Can you speak to the process? The teaser shows woven fiber wich seams out of favor these days for UD. Also what are you doing (that you can share) to control cost for high labor rate assembly of the frame? I assume inhouse CNC cutters with prepreg, but maybe the industry is such that you can source pre cut prepreg and just deal with the logistics of lead time eating into the shelf life? I dont see injection port in the tooling but thats not my industry.
  • 2 0
 Thanks for all of the questions - you'll have to wait for those answers.
  • 4 0
 It will be mine...oh yes, it will be.
  • 3 0
 You are definitely on the list.
  • 2 0
 @WeAreOne: will da package be available anytime soon ?
  • 1 0
 @weareone Are you able to give us an approximate release date? Also I'm curious why you chose to take on the enormous challenge of designing your own frame, rather than partner with an existing company like Forbidden?
  • 6 0
 Why not? We didn't partner with a current manufacturer when we made our first rims. We will release details on more of your questions when the time is right. Thanks,
  • 3 0
 eyeballs looking sideways emoji
  • 2 0
 Looking forward to having you up riding, once the restrictions drop.
  • 2 0
 I'm stoked to see what they come up with.
  • 14 12
 Interested till I read super boost no thanks
  • 2 1
 @tommy85 I have way more heel clearance on my Evil Offering than I do on my Norco Sight.
  • 2 0
 @WeAreOne Fan boi checking in.
  • 3 0
 Hey GDawg! Keep things around the Dumpsters quiet.
  • 5 3
 You lost me at 157 Stupidboost...
  • 2 0
 Lemme guess. You already own a nice boost spacing wheelset and never tried superboost?
  • 1 0
 Engineers always trying to "reinvent the wheel", as part of deeply learning how things work...
  • 1 0
 Still so much hate about 157mm spacing ... Best wheels in the biz, can't wait to see how the WAO bike turns out!
  • 6 5
 Based on the mold the seat tube angle is way too slack! /s/
  • 4 3
 That's assuming that the mold is in the same orientation as the bike will be when built up!
  • 9 3
 @alec1: I was being completely facetious. Here's another joke: I wonder if it'll be carbon or aluminum?
  • 3 0
 @kcy4130: Probably steel
  • 1 0
 Is that a direct injection mold like Guerilla Gravity?
  • 1 0
 Looks like the Mystery Machine to me! Wink
  • 3 2
 Oh good. More Superboost bitching.
  • 2 0
 157 + 29 = shredtastic
  • 1 0
 Screengrab of the frame:

www.pinkbike.com/photo/20593275
  • 6 0
 Photoshop....fake news
  • 3 0
 @WeAreOne: looks flexy, does it come in rootbeer?
  • 1 0
 Any word yet when this bike is getting revealed?
  • 5 6
 I pray to God that this won't be just another Chinese carbon bike frame.
  • 21 1
 There is a God, and that God has confirmed that this will not be the case. 100% of the frame and all of its components will be made here in Kamloops. Thank you for your prayers!!! lol
  • 1 0
 @WeAreOne: Hail Kamloops! \m/
  • 1 2
 We Are (f*cking you with) One (fifty seven superboost)
  • 8 11
 That's awesome! I'll take 2

edit: wait super boost plus? I'll cancel my order
  • 1 3
 Meanwhile backlog for wheels is 12 weeks...
  • 1 0
 Ha! 5 weeks ago it was only 10 weeks...come on mid June
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