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All-City Cycles Review — High-Quality, Good-Looking Bicycles

By Sam Millers   /  Last updated - February 28, 2024

All-City Cycles is a Minneapolis-based bicycle brand that produces steel bikes for the messenger, single-speed, and gravel biking market.

It was founded in 2007 by Quality Bicycle Products (QBP), one of the largest distributors of bicycle parts and accessories in the world.

QBP created the All-City Cycles brand to satisfy a niche market of urban-orientated cyclists, bicycle messengers, and commuters with a penchant for style and quality.

Along with several standard fixies and commuters, the company manufacturers several high-end, podium-winning road and track bikes.

For discerning cyclists who know quality when they see it, All-City Cycles will impress. Steel enthusiasts, in particular, will appreciate the custom-built frames and traditional design methods.

While the bikes are admittedly on the higher end of the price scale, they are built to last and will require minimal maintenance and upgrades.

All-City Cycles Bikes Range

All-City bike brand logo

The All-City Cycles range includes several road, trail, commuter, and track bikes at various quality and price levels. The majority of All-City frames are built from its proprietary air-hardened, custom-extruded (A.C.E) steel tubing method, with a unique design for each bike.

In addition to A.C.E steel, it also manufactures a few Chromoly steel and aluminum framed bikes.


All-City Road bikes

Zig Zag 105 / Zig Zag Ultegra


All-City Zig Zag 105

All city Zig Zag 105 bike

MSRP from $2,499 (Frameset $1,299)

  • All-City A.C.E Custom steel frame with a tapered headtube
  • Shimano 105 R7000 Groupset
  • Hydraulic disc brakes w 160mm rotors
  • Shimano RS500 bottom bracket
  • Saddle: All-City Gonzo
  • WTB ST Light i19 700c 28h Rims
  • Teravail Rampart 700c x 28mm 60tpi Light & Supple tires

The Zig Zag is All-City Cycle’s answer to a lightweight, steel road bike. Its A.C.E frame is complemented by a Whiskey No.9 carbon fork and features customized dropouts and seat collar. The Zig Zag runs on 700 x 28c (While the newer models run on 700x32c) tires with enough clearance for fenders, so you can use it comfortably in any weather conditions or fit larger tires for gravel riding.

The rims are WTB ST Light i19 and it’s available with Shimano’s popular 105 groupsets or with an upgrade to the excellent Ultegra set.


All-City Zig Zag Ultegra

all city Zig Zag Ultegra road bike

MSRP $3,999 (Frameset $1,299)

  • Custom All-City A.C.E Air-Hardened & Extruded steel frame
  • Whisky No. 9 carbon fork w/ tapered carbon steerer tube
  • Shimano Ultegra R8000 Groupset
  • Flat-Mount Hydro Disc Brakes
  • Whisky No.9 30mm 24-hole Carbon Rims
  • 700c x 28mm 60tpi Teravail Rampart Light & Supple tires
  • Shimano RS500 bottom bracket

The Ultegra Zig Zag is the most advanced bike by the All-City Cycles. Equipped with what they believe gives the best outcome in all-weather endurance road cycling – the classic yet custom All-City steel frame paired with a carbon fork and one of the greatest drivetrain components you could ask from Shimano. There’s nothing to add or remove to convert your strength and knowledge into the best-optimized performance on the road.

This is a road bike for those who are after a tight-niche product. Four thousand dollars for a road bike is a lot of money, but you’ll get one of the best custom steel frames on the market, paired with the latest of technologies and options to choose from.


All-City Cycles All-Road bikes

Cosmis Stallion / Macho King / Gorilla Monsoon / Space Horse / Mr. Pink


All-City Cosmic Stallion Force 1

zigzag Cosmic Stallion Force 1 all road bike

MSRP $3,999 (Frame: $1,299)

  • SRAM Force – Rear derailleur, Brakeset, Bottom Bracket, Shifters
  • SRAM GXP bottom bracket
  • 1×11-speed drivetrain
  • All-City Gonzo saddle
  • Teravail Cannonball 700c x 38mm 60TPI tires

All-City built the Cosmic Stallion to handle anything the road can throw at it, with clearance for up to 47mm tires and rack mounts for the adventurous bikepackers out there. The signature frame is built from A.C.E steel and has a Columbus Futura Cross carbon fork with enough space for 12mm thru-axles. It’s available with SRAM’s top-quality Force 1 groupset or the more affordable GRX groupset.

Both models come with WTB ST Light i23 rims, Teravail Cannonball 700×38 tires, and hydraulic disc brakes. The Cosmic Stallion is an all-terrain beast of a bike, perfect for professional cyclocross, gravel racing, or light bikepacking.


All-City Cosmic Stallion GRX

From road to gravel

All-City Cosmic Stallion GRX

MSRP $2,699

When you see the GRX badge on a bike, you know it’s serious. The bike is equipped with a tough set-up that would be ideal for anyone into endurance-road, gravel, or cyclocross racing. The steel frame, carbon fork, and anything from the RS5500 bottom bracket to WTB i23 wheels – there’s nothing to add or remove about the set-up at this price range!

All-City gravel bikes are well-represented among commuters, recreational cyclists,s and hobby racers alike.

  • Frame -All-City A.C.E Air-Hardened, Custom, Extruded steel
  • Fork – Columbus Futura Cross
  • Crankset – Shimano GRX 600, 46/30t
  • Bottom Bracket – Shimano R5500
  • Rear Derailleur – Shimano GRX 810
  • Headset – Cane Creek 40 Series
  • Shifter/Brake Lever – Shimano GRX 600
  • Brakeset – Hydraulic Shimano GRX 600 w/ Shimano RT26 160mm rotors
  • Rims – WTB ST Light i23 28h
  • Tires – Teravail Cannonball 700 x 38 60TPI Light and Supple

All-City Gorilla Monsoon

Rides as good as it looks!

all-city Gorilla Monsoon gravel bike

MSRP $2,099 (Frameset: $850)

  • TranzX dropper post
  • 1x11sp SRAM Apex 1 derailleur
  • All-City Gonzo saddle

This thick-tired, all-terrain gravel bike will take on the roughest single track and dirt trails in your neighborhood while still rolling smoothly on the pavement. It’s an adventurous, steel-framed bike aimed at the cycle touring and bikepacking market.

With clearance for up to 2.4″ tires, you’ll struggle to find terrain that this bike can’t handle. With routing for a dropper seat post and mounts for fenders and racks, you’ll be ready to hit the mountains in no time.

The 1x SRAM Apex groupset is nicely complimented by Hayes CX mechanical disc brakes and an 11-speed Sunrace cassette. Wheels are WTB ST i25 wrapped in Riddler 27.5 x 2.4″ tires.


All-City Space Horse

all-city Space Horse

MSRP $1,499 – (Frameset: $650) AllCityCycles

  • SRAM Apex 2x10speed drivetrain
  • Cane Creek 10-series headset
  • SRAM Power Spline bottom bracket

The Space Horse is one of All-City’s more affordable road bikes, with a strong frame and fork forged from 612 Select steel tubing. It’s a versatile bike with 700c wheels and clearance for up to 42mm tires, making it ideal for a classic bike touring setup or a work commuter.

The 20-speed SRAM Apex groupset provides more than enough gear range to carry you up steep hills heavily loaded. Some costs have been saved on certain components, like mechanical disc brakes and low-cost tires but overall this is a quality bike for the price.


All-City Macho King A.C.E

Cyclocross geometry

All-City Macho King A.C.E

MSRP $2,400

  • A.C.E. steel frame with a Carbon fork
  • SRAM Rival Derailleurs and Shifters
  • SunRace 11-36T, 11-speed Cassette
  • Signature dropouts, flat-mount disc brakes
  • Front and rear thru-axles
  • Fits 700c x 42mm tires

Built on an A.C.E tubing steel frame, Macho King is a well-known name in the CX game. The bike is preferred by its obvious mixture of steel, carbon, and one of the mid-higher end components you’d need to participate in cyclocross races. Besides the race-orientated geometry and components, it could simply be a great one-for-all road bike.

The higher bottom bracket and shorter rear end make it an ideal choice for any cyclocross enthusiast!


All-City Mr. Pink 10th Anniversary

Limited edition, all-road bicycle at its finest

All-City Mr. Pink 10th Anniversary

MSRP $2,399

  • 6061 Alloy frame
  • Shimano 105 groupset (R7000)
  • Shimano BBR60 bottom bracket

This is a Limited-edition paint design to celebrate All-City’s 10th Anniversary. There a quite few corks and features that make it different from other bikes in the range such as the English Threaded bottom bracket, Columbus Zona tubing – double-butted main triangle with brazed-on seat collar and reinforced water bottle bosses.

The bike is painted to match the carbon road plus fork by Whisky No. 7. Internal cable routing, hidden fender mounts, E.D. coated for durability and rust prevention, Cast Dropout w/removable derailleur hanger any many more features make it quite a unique all-road bike in this list.


All-City Cycles City bikes

Big Block / Super Professional


All-City Big Block

Velodrome legal track geometry

All-City Big Block

MSRP $999

This classic track bike from All-City Cycles is guaranteed to turn heads with its iconic frame design and attractive paint job. It comes in true fixie-style without brakes but the 612 Select steel frame has front and rear mount points should you wish to attach some for extra safety.

The simple, minimalist design requires almost no maintenance or cleaning, leaving you to enjoy more time in the saddle. With 700x28c rims and tires, it’s the perfect vehicle for zipping around town, commuting to work, or just visiting friends.

  • 612 Select Chromoly steel with double-butted main triangle, tapered stays, and brazed-on seat collar
  • 4130 Chromoly Steel double-butted fork with lugged crown and tapered blades
  • Tire clearance: 700c x 32mm; 28mm with fenders
  • All-City Signature investment-cast stainless steel Hennepin Bridge track dropouts with a built-in chain tensioner
  • E.D. coated for durability and rust prevention

The Super Professional Series bikes


The Super Professional is a hybrid-style commuter bike with flat handlebars and a choice between single-speed or an SRAM Apex 1×11 groupset. The geared version is great for longer trips over hilly terrain, while the single-speed is perfect for shorter missions around town. 

All-City Super Professional Apex 1

all-city cycles Super Professional Apex 1 bike

MSRP $2,399 AllCityCycles

  • Tektro HD-R280 hydraulic disc brakes
  • Optimized for 650bx47mm, takes anything from 700×25 to 700×45

The 612 Select steel frame has rack and fenders mounts plus clearance for up to 650b x 47mm tires, making the work commute both comfortable and convenient. On the wheels, you’ll find Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with WTB rims and tires.

This lightweight, steel-framed cyclocross bike is a unique machine. Its stiff and durable A.C.E frame provides excellent response for quick, tight cornering at speed on both tarmac and dirt. This is helped by the highly-stable Columbus Futura Cross carbon fork and grippy 33mm Challenge Baby Litmus tires.

On the geared version, SRAM’s Rival 1 derailleurs and shifters are paired with an 11-speed Sunrace cassette and SRAM Apex crank. While the Nature Cross could be used for touring or commuting, it’s best suited to gravel or cyclocross racing.


All-City Super Professional Singlespeed

Single-speed gravel spec bike for the streets

Super Professional Singlespeed gravel bike

MSRP $1,299 (Frame: $850) AllCityCycles

  • Tektro HD-R280 hydraulic disc brakes
  • Cane Creek 40-series headset
  • FSA Omega MEGAEXO 44t crankset

This is likely the most versatile single-speed bike out there which would definitely change the concept of a hybrid bike anytime soon. The Super Professional Singlespeed is a bike for those who are looking to travel as much as possible with the least amount of maintenance to worry about in the long run.

Cobblestone streets, the long road stretches, and single trails – there’s not a better option to go for the single-speed bike that is built for gravel spec. You don’t see many other bikes with such a set-up around, as literally any other gravel bike on the market is equipped with a derailleur, although there’s an upcoming market there for single-speed gravel bike enthusiasts.


All-City Cycles Race bikes

Nature Cross / Thunderdome


All-City Nature Cross Geared

all-city Nature Cross Geared

MSRP $2,499 (Frame: $1,299)

  • SRAM Rival 1 x 11 Derailleur and shifters
  • Columbus Futura Cross Carbon fork
  • SRAM GXP bottom bracket
  • SunRace 11-speed cassette

This lightweight, steel-framed cyclocross bike is a unique machine. Its stiff and durable A.C.E frame provides an excellent response for quick, tight cornering at speed on both tarmac and dirt. This is helped by the highly-stable Columbus Futura Cross carbon fork and grippy 33mm Challenge Baby Litmus tires.

On the geared version, SRAM’s Rival 1 derailleurs and shifters are paired with an 11-speed Sunrace cassette and SRAM Apex crank. While the Nature Cross could be used for touring or commuting, it’s best suited to gravel or cyclocross racing.


Nature Cross Single Speed

A single-speed cyclocross bike

Nature Cross Single Speed

MSRP $1,999

Listed as a race bike by All-City Cycles, the Nature Cross series is built for an agile riding style. A shorter rear-end and higher bottom bracket ensure smooth sailing on rougher terrains. You’ll see mid-range components all over the bike.

  • Columbus Futura Carbon Cross fork
  • Whisky No.7 handlebar, stem, and seat post
  • 700 x 33c tubeless-ready tires
  • Max clearance – 700×42
  • Tapered headtube
  • E.D. coating

All-City Thunderdome

UCI certified track bike

All-City Thunderdome

MSRP $1,599

With the Thunderdome, All-City bikes have produced a UCI-approved track racing machine, complete with replaceable stainless-steel axle pads and round profile tubing. In a rare move away from steel, the frame is constructed from 7000 series aluminum with a Whiskey No.7 tapered carbon fork.

The crank has a 49t ring connected to a 17t fixed cassette and runs Alex rims with Donnelly Strada 700×25 tires. The frame has mounts for caliper brakes and is fitted with a classic track-style Whiskey No.7 drop bar. All components are done in a polished silver finish which gives the bike both an attractive and professional appearance.

  • 7000 Series aluminum frame with classic round-profile tubing
  • Tapered head tube and tapered axle-to-crown carbon fork
  • Signature Shot Collar seat post clamp
  • Replaceable stainless steel axle pads
  • Tire clearance limited to 700 x 25c

All-City Cycles Size Chart

It’s been said that the All-City bikes run a size too big, so it is recommended to grab one size smaller than your usual, or when in-between two sizes.

All-City Cycles claims that they wouldn’t rely only on the height and the inseam of the rider, but generally recommend sizing their bikes via the top tube. Also, with the way they have named the sizes, it’s not uncommon for folks to take one size down from their “normal” size.

Frame size – ReachStandover height:

  • (XS) 46cm – 376mm – 752mm
  • (M) 49cm – 378mm – 779mm
  • (S/M) 52cm – 382mm – 805mm
  • (L) 55cm – 386mm – 830mm
  • (L/XL) 58cm – 393mm – 858mm
  • (XL) 61cm – 412mm – 883mm

All-City CyclesGear Calculator

all-city cycles gear calculator

Gear Calculator


Warranty

All-City Cycles offers a 3-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship to their bikes. Make sure to register your new bike to activate the warranty at Product Registration


Who should you get an All-City Cycles bike?

All-City Cycles make bikes for commuters, fixie fans, and those looking for a lightweight, steel road- and track bikes. They are usually custom-designed and focused on a niche market of dedicated cyclists with a mid-to-high budget.

Trendy city commuters and bicycle messengers will appreciate the eye-catching designs and attention to detail. Although popular, the selection of bikes is limited and they don’t produce any bikes for kids.

Where to buy All-City bicycles online?

all-city signature seat collar

All-City Cycles is also known for its obsessive attention to detail.

All-City Cycles, like most other bike brands, prefer to choose to support bike shops, and thus all sales must pass through one.

If there isn’t a dealer in your area, see the links provided under each bike or look for a QBP website for further options!

The reason why we’ve chosen to recommend the bikes on Jenson USA is due to their large selection of pre-assembled bikes online!

Down below you’ll find a selection of All-City bikes reviews to find you the best liking bike.

Buy on Jenson USA

About the Author

Sam Millers

Sam Millers is the guy behind Bikexchange.com. From the early days of three wheels to conquering challenging mountain trails, Sam's love for cycling knows no bounds. With a background in web development, Sam seamlessly combined two of his greatest passions – cycling and technology. As the creative force behind Bikexchange.com, he shares insightful stories, expert tips, and engaging content for fellow cycling enthusiasts. When he's not exploring new biking routes or tweaking website codes, Alex enjoys sipping on a post-ride espresso and planning his next cycling adventure. 
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