Retrospec Amok Review

If you’re looking for a bike to get you around town quickly, handle the occasional weekend adventure foray onto dirt, AND not make you sweat every time you lock it up somewhere, the Retrospec Amok deserves a serious look. At $529, it hits a sweet spot between capable and affordable, and it’s a lot more fun to ride than I was expecting at this price.

I’ve been testing the Amok by riding it around Boise (commuting downtown, a Saturday family outing on the greenbelt, exploring dirt alleyways), and came away impressed with how the bike performs for do-it-all, a-little-bit-of-everything riding.

Review In A Nutshell

Pros:

• Affordable price point
• Tons of mounting points for racks and bags
• Mechanical disc brakes
• Versatile, use it for commuting, fitness rides, rail trails
• Brand-name Shimano drivetrain

Cons:

• High top tube is harder to swing a leg over
• May need some adjustment out of the box
• Not durable/robust enough for more serious gravel riding

Price: $529.99

Video Review

Surprisingly Fast and Fun Around Town

My husband and I share a car, so I do lots of commuting by bike, but these days, that tends to be on an e-bike. So when I knew I needed to set aside the e-bike for a while to test the Amok, I drug my feet for a few days. That electric assist is just so nice!

Well it turns out I didn’t need to drag my feet after all. To my surprise, and delight!, I found that the Amok is fast, zippy, and easy to pedal. I was shocked by how effortless my errands felt.

While I did some other types of riding with the bike (a greenbelt cruise, mellow dirt paths and alleys), this urban riding was where I felt like the bike really shines. It has plenty of mounting points (more on that later) so you can add a rear rack for paniers or a frame bag for cargo.

Additionally, it’s kind of exactly what you want for an urban biking: fast and capable, but inexpensive enough that it’s not as likely to be a target of theft…and if it does get stolen you’re not out thousands of dollars. While I have plenty of more expensive bikes in my garage, I’d be perfectly happy having the Amok as my permanent around-town ride.

Geometry

My only real complaint about the Amok has to do with the geometry. Most specifically, the Amok has a pretty high, nearly horizontal top tube with minimal downward slope.

This high standover means getting on and off requires swinging your leg up and over with some commitment. If you have any hip flexibility issues or limited mobility, this could be a show stopper. It wasn’t a dealbreaker for me, but it’s worth knowing before you buy.

In addition to being high, the top tube is fairly short. This puts you in a more upright riding position, which is great for visibility and gives it a lively feeling, but combined with the narrow handlebars, can make the bike feel a little twitchy.

It bothered me on my first ride for the first few minutes, but then I got so distracted by how fast the bike felt, that I stopped caring. Still, if I was going to be using the Amok as my daily commuter, I think I’d add a wider handlebar to add a little stability.

The *Almost* Gravel Tires

The Amok comes with 700x40c all-terrain tires, and they’re best described as somewhere between a road tire and a gravel tire. They’re fast rolling on pavement, and while not totally slick (they have some tread), they’re isn’t much in the way of a knob on them.

They handled the hard-pack dirt paths and alleys I tested them on without any drama. For rail trails, canal paths, and even some grass shortcuts on your commute route, they’re more than adequate.

BUT, for any serious off-road riding, I’d want something with a little bit more bite as well as something that’s tubeless-ready. More on the Amok as a “gravel” bike shortly….

Shimano Altus Drivetrain

The Shimano Altus 8-speed drivetrain with Rapidfire Plus trigger shifters is entry-level, but it’s high-quality brand-name, not a sub-par off-brand alternative which we usually see on bikes at this price point.. Shifts were smooth and predictable, and the trigger shifter is easy to use.

The gearing gave me plenty of range for flat riding and gentle rolling terrain. I did wish for a slightly easier gear when climbing the hill back to my house, so if you live somewhere hilly, just know that the low end isn’t bottomless.

It’s a 1x setup up front (a single front chain ring), which I appreciated as it keeps things simple and reduces maintenance.

Mechanical Disc Brakes

Having mechanical disc brakes on a $529 bike is a notable selling point. Disc brakes are a big step up from V-brakes–more consistent in wet weather, more stopping power on descents.

That said, mechanical discs do require more regular maintenance than hydraulic disc brakes, and they won’t give you the same crisp, powerful feel as hydraulics. But, they also keep the price down, so it’s a reasonable tradeoff at this price point. Just know you’ll need to stay on top of cable tension and caliper positioning to keep them performing their best.

As A Gravel Adventure Bike

Retrospec advertises the bike as a “gravel adventure bike” and while I get where they are going with this, I do think a couple points of clarification need to be made here.

Whether the Amok is capable for “adventure” rides is going to depend largely on your definition of adventure. If adventure to you means turning off the paved path to go explore the parallel dirt trail, then yes. Or, if it means a Saturday afternoon outing on the rail trail, 100%.

Personally, my definition of adventure constitutes something a little bit more OUT THERE: a 100-mile forest road loop, for example. If that’s what you’re thinking of too, then the Amok won’t be the best choice for you. In that case, a true gravel bike (even a more entry-level one like my Polygon Tambora) is what you want. It will have things like thru-axles on the wheels, tubeless tires, and just generally more robust components for off-road riding.

One thing that the Amok does do well, whatever your definition of adventure, is the huge number of mounts it has. There are eyelets on the top tube, fork, seat tube, downtube, and the rear triangle. You could use these for many number of combinations of cages, bags, and racks. If you want to set this bike up for carrying gear for commuting, touring, or bikepacking-lite adventures, the bones are all there to do it.

Out of the Box

If you order online, Retrospec delivers the bike directly to your door. While assembly was pretty easy and quick, there was a fair bit of adjustments that needed to be done. My husband built the bike for me and had to adjust both the brakes and the derailleur before it was dialed in.

This isn’t terribly unusual for bikes shipped direct-to-consumer, but it’s worth mentioning. If you’re not mechanically inclined, budget for a quick once-over at your local bike shop.

How It Compares

The Amok sits in an interesting spot. Compared to something like the Brooklyn Franklin, it’s a more capable, more versatile bike–better suited for varied terrain and longer riding. It’s not just a cruiser; it actually wants to be ridden with some intention.

On the other end, it’s not trying to be a dedicated gravel bike, and you shouldn’t compare it to one. No thru axles, no tubeless tires, no drop bars.

For the price and the use case — commuting, fitness riding, weekend exploring — it more than holds its own.

Other Stuff Worth Mentioning

• The stock saddle is decent, but it has a long, narrow nose that, as a woman, I wouldn’t love on longer rides. If you’re planning to put real miles on this bike, a women’s-specific saddle swap should probably be in your budget.
• The frame has internal cable routing which keeps things clean and tidy, and is an unusual touch at this price point.
• A few more reasons the bike isn’t a true “gravel” bike: there is not a quick release collar on the seatpost (which I would want for dropping the saddle on off-road descents), and while the wheels have quick-release skewers (nice for tire changes), they do not have thru axles, which make it slightly less stable and less well suited for serious off-road riding.

Bottom Line

The Retrospec Amok is a well-priced, versatile bike that can do a little bit of everything…as long as you stick close to civilization. The bonus is that it has a beginner-friendly price tag, and yet the mechanical disc brakes and Shimano drivetrain offer surprisingly good value. If you’re on a budget and want something fast and fun for getting around town, getting in shape, or doing some light exploring, I’d absolutely recommend the Amok.

More Help Choosing A Bike

• Types of Bikes & How to Choose
• Best Women’s Commuter & City Bikes
• 10 Best Women’s Gravel Bikes & How To Choose!

About The Reviewer