THE NAME
Otso is a bear in Finnish mythology that symbolizes strength and courage as the leader of the forest. Stories say that Otso was born from the Ursa Minor constellation, which is also the constellation of Polaris, the guiding North Star.
Our bikes are designed with the strength and courage of Otso in mind. They are adaptable, capable, and ready to take on any route on the map.
Company Genesis
There are so many bike companies already; why start another one? The short answer is because we wanted bikes that did not exist. Most people would just keep dreaming and hoping somebody would make their ideal bike someday. But if you are the (slightly) crazy mechanical engineers and innovators from Wolf Tooth, you start a new bike company and spend every free minute making those bikes a reality.
It sounded easy at first...
... then we quickly learned that it takes a ton of work to start a bike company and do it right. We had to become experts in many areas including: carbon molding, stainless steel tube welding, investment casting, and ISO fatigue testing, just to name a few. Along the way, we developed a new patented adjustable dropout system and frame design.
The results of our efforts were two groundbreaking new bikes: a fat-capable narrow Q factor bike called Voytek that feels like a nimble trail bike and is equally fun to ride in snow and dirt, and a drop-bar bike called Warakin that transcends all the usual labels and is a joy to ride everywhere from gravel to CX to your favorite urban singletrack.
THE BIKES
That was 2016. We've since launched a suspension-corrected steel gravel bike in the Waheela S, a carbon version that can clear 700c x 53mm tires in the Waheela C, and titanium and steel versions of the Warakin. There are also the Fenrir Ti and Fenrir Stainless bikepacking/touring machines, the Arctodus fat bike in steel and titanium that were designed for winter exploration, the Hoot Ti party hardtail, and the Voytek 2 that builds on the success of our game-changing original Voytek fat bike. More bikes are on the way.
Three design principles are visible in every bike that we create: performance, versatility, and innovation. All of our bikes respond when they are called to meet your performance needs. This could be sprinting away from the lead group in a race or completing a challenging section of a backcountry bikepacking route. If you're ambitious enough to set goals, your Otso is ready to help you achieve them.
We also believe that a bike should be as versatile as its rider without compromise. This is why all Otso bikes have suspension-corrected geometry for the option of a suspension fork, routing ports for dropper posts, and are compatible with multiple wheel sizes. Voytek 2 is a fat bike in the winter that can swap in 29" plus wheels for summer riding, Fenrir bikes can be built with drop bars or flat bars, Warakin bikes can be built with fenders and panniers for commuting or frame bags for an overnighter. No matter how you configure our bikes, expect exceptional ride quality.
Innovation is key because we always want to be pushing the cycling industry forward and contributing in a meaningful way. Making a bike that's just good enough isn't good enough for us. Otso engineers obsess over every detail to design bikes with best-in-class ride quality that meet your every demand. Our bikes are known for blending genres of cycling with game-changing frame features. The patented Tuning Chip rear dropout system allows you to adjust bike geometry by changing wheelbase, while the GeoChip headset system allows you to adjust bike geometry by changing head tube angle and/or reach. First and foremost, we're cyclists, too. Our bikes are designed to meaningfully contribute to the sport that we love so much.
Who is Otso Cycles?
Mike Pfeiffer – Mechanical Engineer, product development
Brendan Moore – Mechanical Engineer, operations manager
Dan Dittmer – Mechanical Engineer, creative director
Chris Fisher – Inside sales, assembly, shipping
Rebecca Rosemeier – Graphic design
Kurt Stafki – Marketing Director
Mike Pederson – Sales Director
Kyle Alviani – Mechanical Engineer, product development
Chelsea Strate – Brand Manager
Zac Heinen – Operations, shipping
Matt Gagnon – Assembly, shipping
Trevor Clayton – Sales, customer service
Theo Halvorson – Assembly, shipping
Andrew Nepsund – Marketing Manager
Zane Miller – Inventory, sales, customer service, events