Updated
Updated · bikepacking.com · Aug 22
Velo Orange Debuts 20/26 Escargot Cargo Bike as Tumbleweed Shows 32-Inch Sunliner
Updated
Updated · bikepacking.com · Aug 22

Velo Orange Debuts 20/26 Escargot Cargo Bike as Tumbleweed Shows 32-Inch Sunliner

2 articles · Updated · bikepacking.com · Aug 22

Summary

  • Velo Orange used MADE 2026 to unveil the Escargot, its first purpose-built cargo bike—a 4130 chromoly mullet with 20-inch front and 26-inch rear wheels, headtube-mounted rack, and multiple cargo mounts.
  • The brand also showed the Neutrino Gen 2 mini velo with 12mm thru-axles, 20 x 2.5-inch tire clearance, updated geometry, and integrated front-cargo hardware; it is due later this fall, while the Escargot should arrive before year-end.
  • Tumbleweed’s standout display was a custom 32-inch Sunliner built by Retrotec’s Curtis Inglis as a rigid off-road touring bike, fitted with rack mounts and the company’s new Macro Pannier Racks.
  • Rodriguez highlighted owner Alder Threlkeld’s coupler-equipped gravel travel bike, while San Util Design introduced Fault Line top-tube bags in 3 sizes and an updated Whirlpool V2 hip pack.
  • The roundup, the second from MADE 2026’s final year at Portland’s Zidell Yards, mixed production launches with one-off customs and rider stories from builders across the U.S.

Insights

Could this massive 32-inch wheeled custom machine completely redefine our expectations for gravel bike aerodynamics?
How did a traditional steel gravel bike achieve a shocking 22-pound weight without using any modern 3D printing technology?
Will the unusual half-skinned steel truss design actually survive the brutal realities of high-speed off-road racing?