The Hudksi Doggler immediately caught my attention when it was announced back in September. With little else to go on than a quick product launch video and a few photos, my imagination started running wild with ideas about what the Doggler could do. I’ve been pretty hooked on the idea of flat bar gravel bikes for a while now, an obsession that’s only been amplified during all the time I’ve spent testing and reviewing the more common (and sought after) drop-bar equivalent. My Trek 520 flat-bar conversion subdued my desires temporarily, but I wanted more. There was so much about that bike that I liked, but a handful of frame limitations and design choices meant it was far from perfect.

Based in Sausalito, California, Hudski started with two friends wo both have design backgrounds and passion for cycling. The creators of this new direct-to-consumer brand. Will Hudson and Brian Syzkowny, Have always envisioned starting a bike company.

New bike brand Hudski from Marin, California launches with one frame to do it all - the Doggler. Test Editor Riley Missel takes the Doggler in each of its intended environments to see where it really shines.

California-based Hudski bikes enters the Bike Market with an Innovative and versatile sport-Utility shredder. Hudski, a new bike brand based in Northern California, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its lightweight and rigid frame and fork design with three unique build options.  The Hudski Doggler is designed to maximize the versatility and stoke of a rigid bike for city, gravel, or mountain riding.

Sometimes you just want to ride a bike. You’re not looking for a leg-crushing singletrack jam on a full suspension tank. Nor a lung-busting sprint on a greyhound-inspired road bike. Just a bike ride. Maybe on pavement, maybe on a dirt road. Maybe a bit of both. You don’t want to be overbiked, don’t want it to be complicated, but do want it to be fast and fun.

This versatile urban cruiser - featuring the same aluminum frame and carbon fork as Hudski's other two Doggler models, designed for gravel and mountain riding - more than covers a bike commuter's needs. The Sausalito, CA, startup brand loads it with technical riding components, a dropper seat post, and mounts galore for fenders, racks, and bottles.

The brainchild of a couple designer buddies, one a Specialized vet, the Doggler is out to prove that modern mountain bike geometry, a 1x12 drivetrain and a dropper post can take you just about anywhere. Hence the three distinct builds (city, gravel and mountain) emerging from a single aluminum frame/carbon fork combo — and a promo video that makes them look fun as hell on all surfaces.

Bicycles have gotten pretty fancy lately, with electronic shifting, battery-powered pedal assist, and complex geometries all created in an effort to make the riding experience…better? But with electronic components and complex systems, there are ultimately more opportunities for component failures. This is where Sausalito, California, based bicycle company Hudski has bucked the trend and offered up a simpler, straightforward rigid bicycle, the Doggler.

Hudski’s goal was to maximize versatility and maintain stoke by offering three purpose-built rigid bicycles that are optimized for city, gravel, and mountain riding. Their creation, which they named the Doggler, pairs an aluminum frame to a vibration-dampening carbon fiber fork with a thru-axle skewer. The frame and fork offer ample clearances to accommodate knobby tires, 180mm disc-brake rotors, and a 40-tooth front chainring. A dropper seat post and tubeless-ready tires come standard.