The Moots Psychlo-X Cyclocross Bike: Two Years Later
Almost three years ago I brought home a very clean and very pretty Moots Psychlo-X RSL Cyclocross bike. Since then I have used it for everything from cyclocross racing, including a very toasty and dusty edition of Charm City CX, to a whole bunch of singletrack riding, especially on some of our favorite trails. And recently, I rode it for a second year in a row on the Farmer’s Daughter Gravel Grinder (FDGG) course. In short, I have done a bit of everything with this bike. What is my conclusion after all of those miles and adventures?
Well, I still love the bike as much as they day I picked it up from ACME Bicycle. As with any bike, there is probably a bit of luck involved in avoiding mechanical pitfalls, but in almost three years the frame, and the rest of the build, have held up without a single significant issue. In fact, setting aside flats, the only mechanical I have experienced is shredding a few spokes when a log popped into my front wheel while riding trails (knock on wood this streak continues for a very long time). So the bike has more than proven its durability over a variety of use cases, all with a rider who is anything but featherweight.
But more than that, whether riding singletrack or participating in gravel events, I have never second guessed the Psychlo-X’s capabilities or performance. The new Moots Routt RSL, which shifted that model more heavily into ‘gravel bike’ territory, is arguably a better frame for events like like FDGG. But the Psychlo-X has never once left me wanting for gravel riding. Tire clearance is sufficient for my current 40c front Vittoria Mix and 38c rear Maxxis Rambler setup, even on a very wide i9 wheel setup. And the titanium frame just eats up whatever road and trail conditions I have thrown at it, even with some extra post-COVID lbs hanging around.
This higher performance and durability combo holds true for the rest of the build as well. The SRAM Force AXS has thus far been flawless. And while it is an expensive bit of kit, I have come to absolutely love the 38 x 10-50 gearing - I definitely used every bit of that range on some of FDGG’s steeper pitches. Even with gentle trolling from teammates, I have no plans to give up my ‘pie plate’ cassette.
And yet, for all of the positive things I have to say about the bike, I am not sure how many of these frames Moots builds these days. As with every Moots that the team has purchased, my Psychlo-X frame is a work of art, especially the tapered top tube. But with gravel capturing an ever larger slice of the cycling pie I would guess the Routt outsells the Psycho-X by many many multiples.
But if you’re looking for something more CX specific, I will say this - the Psychlo-X absolutely does not disappoint. I would buy it again in a heart beat, if my current build didn’t already fit in my ‘forever bike’ classification.
A New York City based cyclist and sometimes photographer. Part adventure rider, part crit racer, and fully obsessed with an English bulldog named Winifred.
Instagram: @photorhetoric
E-mail: matthew@tobedetermined.cc
