Black and tan mountain bike with specifications and model name

BUILT TO BE ICONIC

The Lorax is an iconic defender of wild and natural spaces. The Lorax has also been our iconic drop-bar bike in the lineup since 2016.
 
The Lorax 32 brings everything we have built with the past decade of Lorax history to the 32" wheel platform. We've put all our effort into maintaining what it is to be called "Lorax", while adding this new and exciting wheel size.
 
THE GO-ANYWHERE, DO-EVERYTHING DROP-BAR MOUNTAIN BIKE
 
The Lorax 32 is still equipped with everything you would expect from an Esker: External cable routing, a threaded bottom bracket, Portage dropouts, custom drawn tubing, and 44mm head tube.
 
The Lorax 32 also has 22 attachment points for all of your adventure accessories. This also includes top tube, rack, and fender mounts built into the frame.
 
To achieve the Lorax ride feel, the Lorax 32 has fully revised geometry, its not just larger wheels jammed into the same frame.  
FEATURE PACKED
 
32" wheels
 
Clearance up to a 2.4" tire
 
Fork Yeah! cromo rigid fork. 495mm axle-to-crown,
tapered steerer tube, Post Mount 180mm brake mount ,
3-pack mounts on each leg, and lowrider rack mounts,
 
Custom Tubing - seamless, quadruple-butted, tapered, Drawn Over Mandrel, size-specific, ED Coated, 4130 Chromoly
 
Rack Mounts, Top Tube Bag Mounts, and 3-Pack Mounts
 
Portage Dropout - for adjustability, singlespeed and upgradeability.
 
UDH Compatible
Lorax 32 Preorder - Why we are doing it, and how it works
Normally, we would work on a new model in "secret", and when we have it polished up and ready, bring it into production, and then release it when its ready to sell.
 
Lorax 32 is different for a number of reasons. First, we are really unsure of the 32 market. Its new, its exciting, but its also unknown, and we do not know if enough customers are ready for it yet. Our production runs are 100 units, and that's a pretty large financial commitment for a small brand, so with the uncertainty of market demand, we are not certain we can take the risk. Second, we have lots of excited customers telling us they want it now. This gives us some confidence, and we also absolutely love and believe in the Lorax 32.
 
To make the risk of an unknown market more stable for us, we need to pre-sell 20 of these to bring it to production. So we are opening that up now, and we are excited that some of you will join us to prove the 32" market is there, and be the first adopters of the Lorax 32. After we gather these orders, it takes about 120 days for production and shipping for the framesets. And if we fail to gather 20 orders, we will cancel and refund any of the orders placed, and delay the production until there is more demand for 32" wheels. Our gut feeling from all your responses is that won't happen, and we will be sending this to production with all your excitment soon!
 
At this point, we are only asking for commitment to a frame/fork, so we can put those in production. If you do want a complete bike, we will offer those, and can add the complete build closer to delivery, and pricing/options will be the same as the current Lorax, just with bigger wheels.  
Words from our prototype testers -

As someone with loads of miles on a 29" Lorax, I feel the 32" version is smoother in the rough stuff, and maintains traction longer. The handling characteristics didnt really require much adjustment to my riding style. For this category of bike, as a 5'11" rider, I think I'm sold on 32" - Brian

 

 

The Lorax 32 is the most exciting new bike I've ever had. It's incredibly efficient on gravel but also rips on singletrack; I'm getting close to some of my full-suspension KOMs on it! - Charlie

Overall, the bike feels really good and really stable. On just regular gravel it handles well, but it really comes alive on the mmr and dirt sections. It feels better the more rugged the terrain is. Overall, its the most comfortable gravel bike I've ever been on. - Dylan

 

Person standing next to a bicycle in a green landscape.

OUR DEEP DIVE IN 32" GEOMETRY

GEOMETRY

Medium Large X=Large XX-Large644
Effective TT Length
570
595

615
630
Reach
390
400
410
425
Stack
644
657
681
697
HT Angle
68.5
68.5
69
69
HT Length
90
103
130
160
Effective ST Angle
74
74
73.5
73.5
ST Length
460

510
560

610
Max Seat Tube Insertion

290

300

390

400
Chainstay Length - Forward/Fixed Position
470-484
470-484
470-484
470-484
Fork Offset
44
44
44
44
Fork Length
495
495
495
495
BB Drop

99
99
99

99
Wheelbase - Forward Position
1100
1125
1143
1164
Stem Length
60
60
60
60
Estimated Height Range
5'6"-5'10"
5'9"-6'0"

6'0-6'4"
6'4" +

 

Between Sizes?  Check out the FAQ below for more information to help you choose whats right for you.

Curious about fork travel? Frames are approved for forks within +/- 10mm of their original design.

Want more information on the chainstay length and Portage Dropouts? Check out our Portage Dropout Page

Looking for Standover Height? - Check out our thoughts HERE

FRAME SPECS

Frame Material
Custom seamless, quadruple-butted, Drawn Over Mandrel, size-specific, ED Coated, 4130 Chromoly
Frame Weight
2,900 grams for Medium - Weight includes dropouts, UDH, axle, seat collar, and cable guides
Recomended Fork Travel
495mm A-C rigid fork recommended
Headset Specs
ZS44 upper // EC44 lower
Rear Dropout
Esker Portage Dropout - Adjustable Position - Post Mount - 180mm Native - UDH // 148mm Hub Spacing // M12 x 1.0 x 180mm Axle
Tire Clearance
Designed around 32x2.2" Accommodates up to 32x2.4"
 
*Clearance may vary based on your drivetrain choice (Chainline), rim width, actual tire measurement, and dropout position*
Seatpost Specs
34.9 clamp, 31.6 post, internally routed
Bottom Bracket
Threaded 73mm BSA
Chainring Specs
Maximum = 36t round / 34t oval
 
52mm or 55mm Chainline

LORAX FAQ

 

Q - Didn’t Esker make a Lorax before?  

  • We DID! Many of you know that the Lorax has been with us as a company for a long time…even prior to Esker as a brand. In the past, this bike has fit into the ‘Gravel Road’ category with a more traditional drop-bar geometry and use case. While the new Lorax will indeed boast drop-bars like the previous generations we’ve come to know and love, the similarities end there. We took a look at the Lorax and asked ourselves, “What would our ideal drop-bar bike look like?” and “Where do we intend to ride it?”. Those questions inspired visions of touring high alpine forest roads, back roads of the Northwoods, and jumping on secret strips of singletrack while we link together routes in our local communities.The Lorax finds its final form as a ‘Drop-Bar Mountain Bike’ built for touring, exploring, and whatever silly shenanigans you want to put it through. Scroll through the questions below for more information the Lorax.  
Q - Can I use a front derailleur on the Lorax?  
  • Technically, yes, we designed the Lorax to clear the space a front derailleur occupies and clearance for compact double cranks, but unfortunately there is no 'out-of-the-box' option that works with the Lorax's chainline and tire clearances. The Lorax is designed with 1X drivetrains as the priority and while there are a handful of 2X options that could technically work, they require deviations from their originally intended design (adapters, odd pull ratios, etc). If you would like to expiriment with those setups, feel free, but make sure you've got a lot of patience and know a great mechanic. Have fun!
Q - Can I build the Lorax with a Flatbar?  
  • Sure thing! If your fit or intended use of the bike requires a very short reach and taller stack, a Flatbar Lorax could be an amazing option. We could even ship the Lorax with a standard post-mount dropout to make things easier for your build. Just shoot us an email at info@eskercycles.com and we’d be happy to work with you on it.

Q - How many water bottles will the Lorax carry?

  •  
  • MD/LG/XL/XXL = 2 bottles in the front triangle, 1 bottle under the down tube.
Q - Can I put a rear rack on the Lorax?
  • Heck yeah! The Lorax has integrated rear rack mounts on the seatstay. Keep in mind, many racks are not yet designed for the deck height needed for 32" wheels, and it make take some figuring to see what rack will work.
Q - Can I single-speed the Lorax?
  • You betcha! Our Portage Dropout System allows you to adjust the chainstay length by up to 14mm, allowing you to run a single speed setup reliably, quietly, and with ease.  
Q - Can I run an internally geared hub on the Lorax?
  • Technically, yes, but we don't offer any support on figuring out which hubs and support parts may be needed in order to make this happen. Have fun!
Q - What is the ‘Bolt Setback’ of the top-tube mounts?
  • The Lorax uses a 124mm setback for the top-tube mounts. This allows for more room while using multiple cockpit bags (TT, Feedbags, etc), as well as helping to eliminate stem/steering interference. All of our bag manufacturing partners offer this setback option along with various mass-production options from other brands.  
Q - How does the Portage Dropout System work?
  • The Portage Dropout System attaches to our hardtail frames and allows you to adjust chainstay length (for ride characteristics or tire width clearances) and chain tension (for single speed application).
     
Q - Do you do custom builds?
  • We do not. We offer a limited menu of upgrade options for all of our bikes, but we do not do custom builds.
  • If you'd like to have a custom Esker built up, please reach out to one of our Retail Partners and they'll work with you on getting you exactly what you want!
Q - What does your warranty look like?

 

Q - Can I demo a bike before I buy it?
  • We do our best to travel around throughout the year and often partner with regional mountain bike festivals or local retail partners to host demos. For the most up to date opportunities, check our Dealer Locator.  You can also see a full map of our retail partners - reach out to them if you're nearby and ask them what they may have available for you to demo locally.

Q - I want to buy a frame bag before my bike/frame arrives to me, can you provide the frame bag dimensions?

  • We don't recommend buying a frame bag until you have your frame/bike on hand. That is absolute best way to ensure you get the right size and shape for your bike.
  • If you're looking to make a custom bag(s) for your Esker, we've partnered with some incredible custom frame bag makers that all have our frame dimensions and files on hand. Please reach out to one of them HERE.

 

BUILT FOR THE BACKCOUNTRY

We here at Esker enjoy long rides into the wild spaces and are proud to say our bikes are truly Built for the Backcountry. That means they are designed and built on three values:

REFINED GEOMETRY:

Specific geometry to suit the riders needs for each different model, we have designed and developed a quick and responsive ride quality for all Esker models.
 
Our geometries are refined, stable, and comfortable to provide a bike that always feels right at home.

DURABILITY:

We build our bicycles with the highest quality metal tubing for the utmost in durability.

Each tubeset provides a greater strength to weight ratio than other frames on the market and engineered specifically for its application. Every Esker frame is tested to our own internal standard far exceeding ISO 4210, for a true lifetime of constant use.

Esker will get you into the backcountry as far as you want to go, but it will also get you back!

 

RIDE QUALITY:

Not too flexy, not too stiff…but just right! We are riders, and design our bikes by riding them, constantly, to refine the perfect feel.

We toil over every model to ensure the ride simply feels right and comfortable, like your favorite hoody.