This is Gravel - Behind the Bike with Brennan Wertz
You’re the Gravel National Champ, and you just picked up your custom Addict Gravel—what’s the first thing you do? If you’re Brennan Wertz, you head straight into the mountains of your hometown, the place that inspired your training and has been the backdrop of your cycling journey.
This bike celebrates not only Brennan’s national champ victory but, thanks to a thoughtful design by SCOTT, perfect paint by Spectrum Paint Works, and a meticulous build by Above Category, this one-of-a-kind bike highlights Brennan’s cycling journey which all started in his home town of Mill Vally, CA.
After soaking in all the details of his new bike in the morning light, Brennan headed out for a training ride to test the bike and his legs before heading down to the Sea Otter Classic. We had a chance to tag along for this ride and get the inside scope on this amazing frame's details.
Brennan’s name is accented with the California Poppy and Edelweiss. The California Poppy, synonymous with the rolling hills of California, is a constant roadside companion on long training rides and sprint intervals. Even when you're cross-eyed from full-gas efforts, these bright little flowers are always by your side. Edelweiss, an Alpine wildflower, holds a deep connection to the Swiss Alps, where Brennan spent many early years before racing and touring through the region as a student. This little flower not only holds a special place in his heart—it’s also literally on his ear, as you might notice at the next bike race.
The mighty redwood towers above most other trees in California, much like Brennan does when lining up on the start line of Gravel races, but more than the physical similarity, the redwood tree symbolizes Brennan’s home base in Marin County.
Even before Brennan could ride on his own, his Family carted him up Mt. Tamalpais on a toe-along bike, bouncing up the Old Railway Grade through the Double Now Knot, where the fire road almost folds back on itself, traversing the steep slopes. This section of trail depicted on the headtube of Brennan’s bike has meant many things over the years, Sunday rides with family, escaping into the freedom of the trails, endless intervals, and now a launching pad for the base miles needed to compete at the upcoming Unbound Gravel.
Sitting at the top of Mt. Tam is the unmistakable silhouette of the fire lookout, which has been watching over all of Brennan’s adventures in the mountains since he started turning the pedals over as a kid and now as he rides through trees in a red, white, and blue blur.
Running up the fork and along most of the tubes of this bike are silver stars; these represent the states in our nation and all the small steps along Brennan's journey, which took him to Kansas last year when he captured the Gravel championship title. It is only fitting these stars connect all the elements of this frame because so many of them are keys to his success.
Salmon always return to their home waters, and Brennan has taken that to heart. No matter what race he heads to next or what new roads he sets out to explore, he will always return home to the tall trees and poppy-dotted hills of his hometown, Mill Valley, CA.
As Brennan prepares for Unbound Gravel, one of the most critical races on his calendar, we are confident that this bike will tackle all the trail and road miles needed to prepare for the brutal 200-mile course in Kansas. When it comes time to push the pace on race day, we know Brennan will have the little extra in his heart and legs with this little piece of home under him as he heads into the finishing straight on the streets of Emporia.
Now that you know all the secrets of this one-of-a-kind design, check out all the insane details of the build in this memorizing video shot in the beautiful workshop at Above Category.
CREDITS:
Video: Alex Colorito @Alex_colorito
Photos: Jim Merithew @tinyblackbox
Paint: Spectrum Paintworks @spectrumpaintworks
Build: Robert Gee @robertlgee
Special Thanks: Above Category @abovecatagory
