From the pits: Mariposa steel cross bike at Canadian championships

Junior racer Jack Ciotlos' metal Mariposa cyclocross race bike mixes tradition and technology

Terry McKall November 14, 2018

Lugged steel bikes are becoming rarer around race venues, where the lighter weight carbon alternative is king.

When we saw this Mariposa rolling around the Canadian cylocross championships venue, it jumped out. It’s classic construction and striking Mariposa Cycles Race Team paint scheme immediately caught our attention. We stopped the owner, Jack Ciotlos to get a more detailed look at the steel frame before he headed off to race his junior event.

Ciotlos’ Mariposa is a mix of tradition and technology. It’s lugged steel frame is drilled for a Di2 electronic 1x drivetrain. Hand sewn cotton tubulars roll on Ritchey carbon wheels. One of Canada’s longest running names in frame building, Mariposa Cycles built its first frame in 1970, piloted by a junior racer born after the year 2000.

Jack Ciotlos raced his blue steel Mariposa to 24th in Saturday’s championship event. In Sunday’s Lift Lock Cross C2 race, he moved up to 19th. The junior racers had some of the most challenging conditions to race on both days, as morning traction melted and falling snow added an extra layer of slick to the mud. Even the race winner was seen sliding down Hecklers Hill. Ciotlos had his falls like everyone else, and took it all in stride, smiling as he remounted to the cheers of the crowd gathered on the slippery slope.

Click through the gallery for all the details on this steel cyclocross race bike from Mariposa Cycles