Lauf Anywhere: More than the ‘Funky Fork’ Guys

There is no question Lauf, the Icelandic brand known for its out-of-the-box leaf spring fork, is a lot more than just the ‘funky fork’ company. With the True Grit it entered the frame game – with its own leaf spring Grit SL fork spec’d of course. But now, with the launch of the new Anywhere, Lauf is charting un-sprung territory. The Lauf Anywhere does not spec the fork that made the brand famous. It has a fork so traditional, it’s actually called the JAF – Just-A-Fork. It’s official, Lauf is a bike brand, not a fork brand that made a bike.

• The Lauf Anywhere enters the very hot ‘one-bike-to-do-it-all’ category.

• It uses a traditional fork instead fo Lauf’s famous leaf springs.

• It has clearance for up to 45mm tires on 700c wheels.

• Lauf has created what it calls Long-4-Speed geometry. The Anywhere has a low, aggressive front end, but a long top tube and slack head angle to create stability.

• Lauf’s Smoothie handle bars use some of the same material as Lauf’s leaf spring forks to smooth out the ride.

The Lauf Anywhere, as the name would imply, is intended to be a do it all bike. Capable endurance road chops, race ready gravel performance, and extended bike packing trips all from one bike. The bike’s endurance road goals meant Lauf’s leaf spring fork was overkill, so the bike uses a JAF fork – literally Just-A-Fork fork. But some relief from rough surfaces is still a key component for the bike, and its massive 45mm tire clearance provides plenty of room for tire volume to do the heavy lifting. But using the same S2 glass fibers that smooth the ride in the leaf spring fork in the Smoothie handlebar Lauf hopes to create some vibration damping in the bars, which also feature a nice 16 degree flare for more stability.

Check out more on the Lauf GRIT SL fork in our Summer Gear guide videos.

Geometry is a really tough nut to crack in the do-it-all category and Lauf has taken a bit of a different approach with what it calls Long-4-Speed geometry. It can be summed up as low and long. Slam the stem and it provides a racey, aggressive rider position. But it’s quite long, with 425mm stays across the size run – longer than a Diverge or an OPEN U.P. The bottom bracket is fairly high with just a 68mm drop, which should help it stay more nimble than the long wheel base would imply.

With 45mm tire clearance the bike’s ability to handle essentially any gravel track is all but guaranteed, no matter what the angles say. And that versatility is enhanced with serious pack horse capability. The Lauf Anywhere has three sets of bottle mounts, top tube mounts and triple cage mounts on the forks. You can go just about anywhere and take just about anything with you.

Lauf is offering four builds – all 1x drivetrains – and a frame option. The frame is 2x compatible, but you’ll have to remove the beer opener on the seat tube to place a front derailleur. Whether you find a post ride beer more important than a front derailleur, we’ll leave up to you, but we’re sticking with 1x. The Lauf Anywhere Core starts at $2690 and comes equipped with a SRAM Apex 1 build and thankfully, hydraulic disc brakes. The top of the line offering is the Race Di2 – but still 1x with a Shimano XT Di2 derailleur – and retails for $5340. Info on full build kits and weights below. The frame and fork retail for $2340, and include the Smoothie handlebar, Lauf bottle opener, bar tape and all the usual headset and hanger parts.

Lauf is offering paint upgrades and even custom color options on all builds above Core, and framesets too, if the standard palette is not to your liking. There are four options costing from $600 all the way to $2000 for custom colors. Expect to wait 6 weeks for a paint upgrade. We have a Lauf Anywhere Weekend Warrior build at the PELOTON Service Course and will be putting it through a long term test. Look for the results of that test in the pages of PELOTON Magazine very soon.

For more info on the Lauf anywhere ahead to laufcycling.com

Builds, Prices, Weights and Specifications 

Lauf Anywhere Core Build: $2690
Lauf Anywhere (12x142mm TA) Lauf JAF (15x100mm TA)
Lauf Smoothie
SRAM Apex 1 Long Cage
Lauf Bottle Opener
SRAM Apex 1
SRAM Apex 1 Flat mount Hydraulic Apex1 42t
Ritchey Comp Streem
FSA V-Drive SB0
DT Swiss X1900
Maxxis Re-Fuse 40c (60tpi) Easton EA50
FSA Orbit, IS 42/52 (45° lower) Lauf Lush
SRAM 1130, 11-42t
SRAM GXP XR 68mm
9.4 kg / 20.7 lbs

Lauf Anywhere Weekend Warrior: $3340
True Grit (12x142mm TA) Lauf JAF (15x100mm TA) Lauf Smoothie
SRAM Rival 1
SRAM Rival 1
SRAM Rival 1 Flat mount Hydraulic SRAM S350 42t
Ritchey Comp Streem
FSA SL-K 27.2mm, Carbon
DT Swiss X1900
Maxxis Velocita AR 40c (120tpi) Easton EA70
FSA Orbit, IS 42/52 (45° lower) Lauf Lush
SRAM 1130, 11-42t
SRAM GXP XR 68mm
8.5 kg / 18.7 lbs

Lauf Anywhere Race: $4640
Lauf Anywhere (12x142mm TA) Lauf JAF (15x100mm TA)
Lauf Smoothie
SRAM Force 1
Lauf Bottle Opener
SRAM Force 1
SRAM Force 1 Flat mount Hydraulic Easton EC90 SL 42t
Ritchey WCS Streem
FSA SL-K 27.2mm, Carbon
DT Swiss XR1501
Maxxis Velocita AR 40c (120tpi) Easton EA70
FSA Orbit, IS 42/52 (45° lower) Lauf Lush
SRAM 1195, 10-42t
Easton BSA 68mm
7.4 kg / 16.3 lbs

Lauf Anywhere Race Di2: $5340
Lauf Anywhere (12x142mm TA) Lauf JAF (15x100mm TA)
Lauf Smoothie
Shimano XT Di2
Lauf Bottle Opener Shimano Ultegra Di2 Shimano Ultegra Hydraulic
Easton EC90 SL 42t
Ritchey WCS Streem
FSA SL-K 27.2mm, Carbon
DT Swiss XR1501
Maxxis Velocita AR 40c (120tpi) Easton EA70
FSA Orbit, IS 42/52 (45° lower) Lauf Lush
Shimano XT, 11-42t
Easton BSA 68mm
7.4 kg / 16.3 lbs

Lauf Anywhere Frameset: $2340
Lauf Anywhere (12x142mm TA) Lauf JAF (15x100mm TA)
Lauf Smoothie
Lauf Bottle Opener
>FSA Orbit, IS 42/52 (45° lower) Rear derailleur hanger
Front derailleur hanger
Seat collar
Rear / Front Axles
Lauf Laush bartape
1.620g