Gravel Bikes - what exactly are you supposed to do with one?

[ArnageWRC]

HughG said:

I was curious about geometry too before I got my "gravel" bike. I knew that I would mainly use it from commuting and as a winter road bike so wanted something with Endurance Road Geometry.

I drew my existing bikes based on my own measurements, and the contenders from published geometry.



The Domane is my good road bike, and is very comfy so was my main reference.
The BTwin was my old commuter, and always felt long but it was ok for up to about 50km. For reference this had a Planet X fork on it different from the standard BTwin geo.
The 6700 is my old hardtail for comparison.

I'm fairly flexible and have run very low bars in the past so for me the consideration was mainly wheelbase, and overall size.

The new 2020 Domane can actually take up to 38mm tyres - so is virtually a 'Gravel'/ Adventure/ All Road bike.. I've had two previous versions - and might well be tempted by the new version, with it's extra versatility.

[d8mok]

I have around 50 miles of Gravel paths about a minute from my front door so end up doing at least one ride a week along them so I'd quite like a gravel bike. Issue is that to get a decent spec they are quite pricey. Currently usuing a 2012 Cannondale flash1 carbon with some bar ends fitted which weighs 8kg so its hard to replicate spec without £££. Plus its been 100% reliable since 2012 and has many mnay miles under its belt im a bit attached

[HughG]

2gins said:

Thanks, so, how does this affect the handling? I get wheelbase will make turning easier (staggered crossings at DC junctions would be relevant on my routes) but what else are 'they' all on about in the reviews?

I’m not an expert, but my understanding is:

• chain stay length effects stability at the back.
• Seat stay angle and size effects stiffness at the back.
• frame angles the more laid back (smaller the number) the further back the weight, and more suited to an upright riding position.
• head tube angle effects self centring and twitchiness.
• fork offset (if angled not stepped like the mtb fork is) and material dictates vertical flex over bumps.

[dogbucket]

Tall_Paul said:

If you're looking for other gravel routes that way I can highly recommend starting at Wye and picking up the pilgrims cycle trail to the north, then at Chartham riding the route along the Great stour into Canterbury, then heading north and picking up the crab and winkle way (why do I always say it in a German accent? Ze crab und vinkle vay! ) which takes you pretty much all the way to the coast at Whitstable.

Thanks for the tip, I have plotted this out and on the list for the spring.

[OlonMusky]

Gravel bikes are a marketing wk... NOT.

I'm old enough, to remember late 80's/early 90's mountain bikes. Gravel bikes are the beauties that was the 90's mountain bikes with bigger wheels and road groupsets and drops, allowing for a proper 2 in 1, road and off road. I have a Diverge and it is amazing.

[Shuttle Cock]

dogbucket said:

Tall_Paul said:

If you're looking for other gravel routes that way I can highly recommend starting at Wye and picking up the pilgrims cycle trail to the north, then at Chartham riding the route along the Great stour into Canterbury, then heading north and picking up the crab and winkle way (why do I always say it in a German accent? Ze crab und vinkle vay! ) which takes you pretty much all the way to the coast at Whitstable.

Thanks for the tip, I have plotted this out and on the list for the spring.

I'm in that area, did the crab an winkle on my road bike a few years ago, traction was the only real problem as it was damp! If you are planning this ride in spring, perhaps it can be the inaugural PH Grace ride, I'd be up for it on my weird looking Giant Anyroad.

[Tall_Paul]

Shuttle Cock said:

dogbucket said:

Tall_Paul said:

If you're looking for other gravel routes that way I can highly recommend starting at Wye and picking up the pilgrims cycle trail to the north, then at Chartham riding the route along the Great stour into Canterbury, then heading north and picking up the crab and winkle way (why do I always say it in a German accent? Ze crab und vinkle vay! ) which takes you pretty much all the way to the coast at Whitstable.

Thanks for the tip, I have plotted this out and on the list for the spring.

I'm in that area, did the crab an winkle on my road bike a few years ago, traction was the only real problem as it was damp! If you are planning this ride in spring, perhaps it can be the inaugural PH Grace ride, I'd be up for it on my weird looking Giant Anyroad.

I'd do it again come spring, there's a decent little free car park in Wye and you've got the tickled trout pub there for post ride refreshments

[HughG]

I’m not too far away nr Sevenoaks so will join if the idea of a PH gravel ride gains any traction.

I’ve been thinking of a similar ride around the north Kent peninsula then crab and winkle over 2 days with the family next year.

[Shuttle Cock]

3 or 4 then, that's it my organization skills are passed there limits already!

We can create a thread of its going to happen.

[lampchair]

After yet another slippery ride home...

I have a road bike, in summer and spring it is brilliant, quick, nimble, silent, loves to climb and descend, I genuinely love it.

In winter / the wet it tries to kill me, wet grate sir, say goodbye to the back end My route to work also takes in some pretty nice roads but they can have rivers running across them off the fields after rain and/or muck and mud from the local farmers.

So, would a gravel bike be sensible for the bad seasons I wonder... means I could also take advantage of byways too.

I’m looking to spend no more than £1k, at which point they all seem to be pretty similar and all with mechanical disc brakes - not having ridden mechanical discs before are they any cop?

[Evanivitch]

lampchair said:

After yet another slippery ride home...

I have a road bike, in summer and spring it is brilliant, quick, nimble, silent, loves to climb and descend, I genuinely love it.

In winter / the wet it tries to kill me, wet grate sir, say goodbye to the back end My route to work also takes in some pretty nice roads but they can have rivers running across them off the fields after rain and/or muck and mud from the local farmers.

So, would a gravel bike be sensible for the bad seasons I wonder... means I could also take advantage of byways too.

I’m looking to spend no more than £1k, at which point they all seem to be pretty similar and all with mechanical disc brakes - not having ridden mechanical discs before are they any cop?

You could get a Boardman ADV8.9 on hydraulics for that.

[Fluffsri]

lampchair said:

After yet another slippery ride home...

mechanical disc brakes - not having ridden mechanical discs before are they any cop?

Yes and no. I had Avid BB5s on mine and to be fair they worked very well, better than rim brakes. We found this out with a very non scientific test on a back road lol. Anyway the only issue I had with them was the adjustable piston needed adjusting every 30ish miles (I believe the BB7s were a lot betyer option). And even then the pads would wear on the slant. In the end I swapped them for the TRP cable pull hydraulic brakes and they were spot on.
Im now on a bike with full hyds and love it.

As for your budget have a look at the Boardman as said and look at some of the Cube range. My Cube was £1850 and I paid £1250 for it. There are some bargains to be had.

[dr_gn]

Evanivitch said:

lampchair said:

After yet another slippery ride home...

I have a road bike, in summer and spring it is brilliant, quick, nimble, silent, loves to climb and descend, I genuinely love it.

In winter / the wet it tries to kill me, wet grate sir, say goodbye to the back end My route to work also takes in some pretty nice roads but they can have rivers running across them off the fields after rain and/or muck and mud from the local farmers.

So, would a gravel bike be sensible for the bad seasons I wonder... means I could also take advantage of byways too.

I’m looking to spend no more than £1k, at which point they all seem to be pretty similar and all with mechanical disc brakes - not having ridden mechanical discs before are they any cop?

You could get a Boardman ADV8.9 on hydraulics for that.

The brakes on the ADV 8.9 are superb.

[2gins]

I've got Tektro cable discs on my MTB and except for some fettling after having removed wheels for getting into the car, I've never needed to adjust the brakes in hundreds of miles. I just did the rear cable and fitted new pads last month, I bought the bike in around 2012-13.

I don't know anything about the hyd systems other than anecdotally they require more maintenance than cables. Cables are easy to maintain, if anything goes wrong with hyds then I have it in my mind, endless fiddling and bleeding/re-bleeding. Why would you take that level of grief on on a bike, when a perfectly effective cable system exists? They may have an advantage for the 0.01% of us who genuinely need the extra duty but even then I find the cable discs can lock the back wheel double quick so what's the benefit of hyds? It just looks like a load of downside to me

Feel free to do the "cable vs hyds thread is that way -->" thing!

[Chrisgr31]

a11y_m said:

Good reading here.

Me? 'Gravel' is just touring/hybrid. I've got an aversion to drop bars - didn't get on with the road bike or CX bike I owned - so I've created my own take with a flat-barred gravel bike.

I put brake extenders on my CX bike so I can ride it upright or with my hands on the drop bars. Find it better that way.

Not really sure my CX is the right size though, think I could do with one a size smaller

[dr_gn]

2gins said:

I've got Tektro cable discs on my MTB and except for some fettling after having removed wheels for getting into the car, I've never needed to adjust the brakes in hundreds of miles. I just did the rear cable and fitted new pads last month, I bought the bike in around 2012-13.

I don't know anything about the hyd systems other than anecdotally they require more maintenance than cables. Cables are easy to maintain, if anything goes wrong with hyds then I have it in my mind, endless fiddling and bleeding/re-bleeding. Why would you take that level of grief on on a bike, when a perfectly effective cable system exists? They may have an advantage for the 0.01% of us who genuinely need the extra duty but even then I find the cable discs can lock the back wheel double quick so what's the benefit of hyds? It just looks like a load of downside to me

Feel free to do the "cable vs hyds thread is that way -->" thing!

My experience is the exact opposite! The most troublesome things on a bike are cable operated, either brakes or gears. I've had four hydraulic brake systems from three different manufactureres on road and mountain bikes and they've been pretty much maintenece free, fit and forget items. Unlike cable gears which are an almost constant faff to get and keep operating perfectly. The only cable brake I've experienced was an early Hope item, which was HOPE-less, and brief rides on other peoples bikes, which were only notable for how poor they were compared to hydraulics.

[TwistingMyMelon]

Yes my CX on 35c gravel tyres feels rocks solid on the road. My commute goes through a picth black forest then down a 40mph A road. On slicks the bike felt like suicide , on the gravel tyres I acually go quicker , it feels rock solid and I can brake from 40mph down to 0 in a few metres with disc brakes, not the miles it would take me with calipers. I bounce from road to byway all the way home and love it

Mine has cable discs, TRP Spyres, they are good, still fiddly at times and these are supposed to be the least fiddly cable disks!! Very good, even more so with wide tyres

[Barchettaman]

A CX/Gravel bike with two wheelsets makes pretty much the perfect, all-season, commuter multi-purpose bike.

[JuniorD]

I haven't seen any pictures on route on this thread that I wouldn't do on my full carbon Scott Addict road bike with rim brakes, 28mm tyres and Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels.

I love the term mentioned above "over biked". I can't wait until similar terminology is used in car reviews, for example "driving the daily commute and showing clients around rental flats in a BMW F80 M3 Competition Pack feels slightly "over-carred"

[lampchair]

lampchair said:

After yet another slippery ride home...

I have a road bike, in summer and spring it is brilliant, quick, nimble, silent, loves to climb and descend, I genuinely love it.

In winter / the wet it tries to kill me, wet grate sir, say goodbye to the back end My route to work also takes in some pretty nice roads but they can have rivers running across them off the fields after rain and/or muck and mud from the local farmers.

So, would a gravel bike be sensible for the bad seasons I wonder... means I could also take advantage of byways too.

I’m looking to spend no more than £1k, at which point they all seem to be pretty similar and all with mechanical disc brakes - not having ridden mechanical discs before are they any cop?

Quoting myself to nightlight my own stupidity

I’m going through C2W and looked up the wrong (pretax) figure, so... I can spend more than I thought, say £1.3k, which still works out ‘cheaper’ than my previous maths.

This opens the doors to Canyon, Ribble etc...