New Silkroad II Expedition Touring Bikes

After years in development, we are extremely excited to announce the latest addition to our touring-focused Expedition series of bicycles. The new Silkroad II has been completely redesigned with updated tubing, modular rack system, frame features, geometry, wheel sizes, and fork options that build upon the classic character of our expedition bikes while taking touring performance, comfort, convenience, and reliability to the next level.

Silkroad II 26:

The globetrotter's choice. The Silkroad is named after the ancient trade route linking China with the western world. We debuted this bike in 2005, and since then it has circumnavigated the globe countless times under all kinds of riders, carrying all kinds of gear, over all kinds of terrain. At its core, the Silkroad is everything a modern steel touring bike should be. It is strong, dependable, comfortable, repairable, and combines stable yet agile handling even while loaded up with gear. It is an enabler of adventures, and a faithful companion on expeditions near and far. The Silkroad has been featured in documentary films, received industry awards and accolades, and even ridden to a Guinness World Record. Over and over again, the Silkroad has earned its rightful place as flagship model in our expedition line-up.

Silkroad II Highlights

A lot of effort and know-how has gone into developing our new Silkroad family. Here is a rundown of the features:

Silkroad II Model Features

Touring Optimized Geometry

Our Expedition II Geometry keeps you stable and confident while carrying your gear, yet still maintains a lively and agile ride. We have extended the head-tube for a more upright riding position and shortened the fork axle-to-crown height to 400 mm to offer more fork options. The long chainstays help the bike track well, while providing balanced weight distribution and increased heel clearance to your panniers. Generous toe- and stand-over clearance give you the confidence to ride through challenging terrain.

26" and 27.5" Wheel Sizes

The Silkroad II can now be configured with either 26” or 27.5” wheels and tires. While we still see lots of demand for the smaller wheel size, we have updated the frame geometry and tire clearance for larger 27.5” wheels and tires so you can choose the wheel size that works best for you.

Thermocrom Tubeset

The frames are stronger than ever with the weight capacity now at 180 kg, an increase of 20 kg over the previous generation. The thermocrom tubeset brings our frame construction to the next level. Heat treating the steel allows us to strategically use thinner wall tubing in certain, areas reducing weight without sacrificing durability. We can fine-tune the classic steel ride of each frame to its specific application, balancing weight, stiffness, and compliance. Thermocrom shares virtually all of the characteristics of our Dedacciai tubing, but represents a massive reduction in your bike's overall carbon footprint due to a reduction in the shipment of the raw materials and tubing between countries.

Expedition Rack II

The Expedition Rack II is the latest iteration of our stainless-steel integrated cargo rack. Welded directly to the frame, the latest generation is even lighter while maintaining its load capacity.  The optional, modular EX-Rail system replaces the lower mounting strut providing three configurations: 1 - Stay fast and light by using the Expedition Rack on its own. 2 - For more stability and less wear-and-tear, mount the stainless-steel EX-Rails. 3 - Attach the optional Quick-Lock3 mounting kit and take advantage of Ortlieb's low profile, easy-to-use mounting system. Additional Expedition Rack II highlights include updated geometry, and improved wiring and light mounts. The maximum load capacity of our Expedition Rack II is 40 kg.

Ex-Rail System

The EX-Rail system bolts quickly and securely to our Expedition Rack II, allowing you to mount your cargo lower and further back for increased heel clearance, more cargo carrying options, and a lower center of gravity. This results in increased stability and better ergonomics with larger panniers. Like the Expedition Rack II, the EX-Rails are constructed of stainless-steel to prevent corrosion. We use a raw, sand-blasted finish on the Rails - not only does this look good, but it is also extremely wear resistant. Your frame and integrated rack stay scratch-free, looking their best for even longer.

Ortlieb Quick-Lock3 mounting kit

The optional Ortlieb Quick-Lock3 Mounting Kit lets you take advantage of Ortlieb's practical Quick-Lock3 and 3.1 bags. With the mounting points on the rack, Ortlieb designers are able to minimize protruding hooks and rails on their bags, making the panniers lighter, more durable, and much more comfortable to carry while off the bike. Mounting and removing the bags is easier than ever, and wear-and-tear on the rack is virtually eliminated.

Expedition Frame Details

Exceptional attention to detail makes this our most feature-rich Expedition frame to date: 

• 4 bottle mounts (including one under the top tube) for more water- and cargo-carrying capacity

• Internal electrical wiring channels through the top-tube and Expedition rack

• Frame-lock mounts and optional pack-roll stop for security on the go

• 12x100mm thru-axle in the front and belt-compatible 3D dropout design with 12x142 mm thru-axle for Derailleur or Rohloff in the rear

• Updated chainstay yolk/bridge is lighter and stiffer 

• Larger diameter, internally-butted head tube increases stiffness with no weight penalty

The new Ergo-Stop II and Ergo-Stop II Plus

The Ergo-Stop II builds on the features of the original Ergo-Stop. Like the original, it consists of two elements – a stop integrated into the frame and a stopper mounted on the fork steerer tube. By limiting how far the bar can rotate, it keeps your cables and electrical wiring intact and protects your frame and handlebar. Steering stops at approximately 78° in each direction, making it compatible with both flat- and drop-bar configurations.

Incorporating all of the features of the Ergo-Stop II, the Ergo-Stop II Plus, adds a newly designed parking lock to hold the handlebar in position even if the bike is loaded. It prevents the bike from tipping over, which is especially helpful for bikes carrying front-mounted low-riders, a front rack, or a handlebar bag. The latest iteration adds a stronger, bolt-on interface and CNC machined alloy lock mechanism for increased durability.

Fork Options

The fork is in integral part of your bike, and thanks to our updated geometry we now offer two high-quality fork options so you can pick the one that is perfect for your next adventure:

Expedition Fork  

The Expedition Fork is our premium, feature-rich chromoly steel fork. With the same precise-yet-comfortable ride as our Allroad Fork, the Expedition Fork adds tire clearance and a bunch of cargo and electrical features:In addition to standard lighting and fender mounts, 3-point eyelets on the fork legs let you attach two-bolt bottle cages, three-bolt cargo-style cages or lowrider racks for maximum flexibility. Electrically, the Expedition Fork is drilled for internal dynamo hub wiring and is compatible with the SON SL (Self-Connecting) dynamo system. It allows the front wheel to be removed from the fork without the need to manually unplug the dynamo and is wired internally from dropout to light. The lack of exposed connectors or wires prevents damage to the system, making it a more reliable and robust lighting and (in combination with the Cinq Plug5) charging solution. These features that make the Expedition fork ideal for touring, bikepacking, and everyday use.

Cinq Touring Fork

The carbon fiber Cinq touring fork is designed to bring cargo mounting reliability and weight savings to traditional touring bikes. The fork has an axle-to-crown lenth of 395 mm and clearance for 50 mm (700c) or 54 mm (650B) wide tires which makes it suitable for a wide variety of wheel, tire and frame combinations. Beyond the basics, the fork has a host of features that really set it apart from other products in the segment: It is compatible with dynamo hubs with the ability to route wiring internally, giving you an elegant and robust connection to your power supply. The fork also uses a unique ""no-thread"" thru-bolt eyelet system which greatly reduces the stress on the carbon sidewalls, resulting in cargo carrying capacity and reliability that are second-to-none. Thanks to a modular design, the included stainless-steel hardware is completely replacable - damaging or cross-threading a bolt no longer means your fork ends up going in for expensive repairs. Lighting and fender mounts give you the flexibility to configure the fork to suit your adventure.

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