Speccing a gravel bike
Discussion
alolympic said:
Ares said:
That looks absolutely great fun!! looks a lot better than you would expect from the Planet X website.
You don't happen to have weighed the frameset did you?
Frameset (including front Carbon fork) was just under 2150g after the steerer had been cut - I think the frame is about 1700g. Whole lot comes in at 9.1kg. Not light, but not bad for a gravel bike. Bloody feel it on the road though compared to by road bikes....but SO comfortable.
LimaDelta said:
I was just about to start a thread about the very same thing, so as long as the OP has no objections I might just jump in...?
I want a bike. My mission profile is relatively simple, but first a caveat. I have never owned or ridden a 'road' bike. I have always been slightly wary of anyone who chose lycra over cordura and slicks over knobblies, traffic over trees - you know what I mean. I don't know whether it is an age thing but I find myself being drawn ever closer to the dark side. It doesn't help that anyone I know who rides has some sort of carbon speedy head down-bum up, pain machine.
So, at nearly 42 I am starting to come around to the idea of longer road rides, maybe some multi-day trips in the mountains, and a gravel/adventure/whatever the latest buzzword is bike might just be perfect for me. I have a few criteria I would like to fulfil, but none are really deal-breakers except one - I will probably sell my hardtail MTB, so the new bike must be able to handle singletrack so I can still go for rides with the boy (8) round the woods. My days of big drops are long gone, but as long as it won't fall apart then I'm happy with that.
What I want:
Any thoughts on those? Any I may have missed?
£3k is a good budget, worth looking at the Canyon's at the price too.I want a bike. My mission profile is relatively simple, but first a caveat. I have never owned or ridden a 'road' bike. I have always been slightly wary of anyone who chose lycra over cordura and slicks over knobblies, traffic over trees - you know what I mean. I don't know whether it is an age thing but I find myself being drawn ever closer to the dark side. It doesn't help that anyone I know who rides has some sort of carbon speedy head down-bum up, pain machine.
So, at nearly 42 I am starting to come around to the idea of longer road rides, maybe some multi-day trips in the mountains, and a gravel/adventure/whatever the latest buzzword is bike might just be perfect for me. I have a few criteria I would like to fulfil, but none are really deal-breakers except one - I will probably sell my hardtail MTB, so the new bike must be able to handle singletrack so I can still go for rides with the boy (8) round the woods. My days of big drops are long gone, but as long as it won't fall apart then I'm happy with that.
What I want:
- Off-roadable (see above).
- Mechanically simple.
- Comfort more important than speed.
- Will be riding in Les Alpes-Maritimes, so climbing performance is relatively important, but see above.
- British made. I will accept British designed, or a 'British' brand, since realistically without spending more than I would ideally like I can't seem to find anyone who actually makes their own frames here.
- I have visions of far-flung adventures so figure steel is the easiest to repair, but again, realistically would be happy with Ti or even carbon since 99% of my riding is likely to be within hours of home. No Al.
- Must be able to carry a bit of luggage
- and finally, the hardest criteria to fulfil - must be available to buy in XL. Everytime I think I have found my perfect bike, there are none in stock. Some have an estimated lead time, some no clue. I appreciate that with the lockdown people have been on a bike buying spree but It seems like there is very little available at the moment - is this normal?
- Budget around £3k, no C2W.
Any thoughts on those? Any I may have missed?
My Ti as above came in just under £2k (although the frame is more expensive now), so the extra budget could opt for lighter rims.
Some lovely, lovely machines on there! Great pictures, and it seems that the word "fun" seems to crop up a lot when talking about gravel bikes which is good!
I've spent a lot of time fiddling with configurators and looking at specs, and I think Comacchio's recommendation of the Dolan might just win it. I prefer the look of the frame...I've never really liked the dropped seatstay look that the Ribble has, although the dropped chainstay of the Dolan looks good and makes sense. I also like the fact that the Dolan has 4 sets of bottle mounts, but above all has much more flexibility on the build.
I was messing around with gear tables last night. My Canyon, a lighter bike all carbon bike on 28mm rubber, has a 52-36 chainset and an 11-34 cassette, giving me a 126 inch top gear and 28 bottom, which works very well for me in terms of range, but I'd not want it to have much bigger jumps between the gears...what I have took a bit of getting used to after my old race bike with a 53-39 and a much tighter spread at the back. However, I'd definitely want a lower bottom gear than the Canyon on a gravel/touring bike, on the basis that I may be loaded up with kit, on steeper roads than you tend to get around where I live, and certainly I'd want to be able to spin along happily at slow speeds off road too. A Ribble with a 105 50-34 upfront and a 11-34 on the back will give me something a bit lower, but I can't spec a GRX groupset unless I spend big money and go with the GRX 810 Ultegra equivalent. After reading reviews that the GRX hoods and paddles are nicer off road, and the chainset a bit harder wearing, and the clutch mech a worthwhile addition, I do really want GRX now.
I can spec the GRX600 on the Dolan and with a GRX 46-30 upfront and an 11-34 on the back I'd get a 114 top and 24 bottom which seems a really decent spread of gears. They will build with a rear rotor to match the 105 one on my Canyon wheels, so I can still do a straight swap between bikes which is important to me.
I did think long and hard about 1x, but I really do feel that it will be a big compromise on road, and really detract from it's ability to do a winter club road ride in comfort. I'd be looking at a 99-26 spread across just 11 gears and I just don't think that's right for me, just too compromised, and obviously if I wanted to add a second ring later that's big bucks with a new left lever, front mech, chainset, chain, cassette cables and bar tape. I have an old Defender, and with both high and low ratio gearboxes, I know it will do anything, where a modern soft-roader with just one range of gears is a big compromise in my head and there are clearly parallels there! Interestingly Dolan says about 80% of their gravel builds are now 2x, despite an early surge in 1x popularity.
Decisions decisions...
I've spent a lot of time fiddling with configurators and looking at specs, and I think Comacchio's recommendation of the Dolan might just win it. I prefer the look of the frame...I've never really liked the dropped seatstay look that the Ribble has, although the dropped chainstay of the Dolan looks good and makes sense. I also like the fact that the Dolan has 4 sets of bottle mounts, but above all has much more flexibility on the build.
I was messing around with gear tables last night. My Canyon, a lighter bike all carbon bike on 28mm rubber, has a 52-36 chainset and an 11-34 cassette, giving me a 126 inch top gear and 28 bottom, which works very well for me in terms of range, but I'd not want it to have much bigger jumps between the gears...what I have took a bit of getting used to after my old race bike with a 53-39 and a much tighter spread at the back. However, I'd definitely want a lower bottom gear than the Canyon on a gravel/touring bike, on the basis that I may be loaded up with kit, on steeper roads than you tend to get around where I live, and certainly I'd want to be able to spin along happily at slow speeds off road too. A Ribble with a 105 50-34 upfront and a 11-34 on the back will give me something a bit lower, but I can't spec a GRX groupset unless I spend big money and go with the GRX 810 Ultegra equivalent. After reading reviews that the GRX hoods and paddles are nicer off road, and the chainset a bit harder wearing, and the clutch mech a worthwhile addition, I do really want GRX now.
I can spec the GRX600 on the Dolan and with a GRX 46-30 upfront and an 11-34 on the back I'd get a 114 top and 24 bottom which seems a really decent spread of gears. They will build with a rear rotor to match the 105 one on my Canyon wheels, so I can still do a straight swap between bikes which is important to me.
I did think long and hard about 1x, but I really do feel that it will be a big compromise on road, and really detract from it's ability to do a winter club road ride in comfort. I'd be looking at a 99-26 spread across just 11 gears and I just don't think that's right for me, just too compromised, and obviously if I wanted to add a second ring later that's big bucks with a new left lever, front mech, chainset, chain, cassette cables and bar tape. I have an old Defender, and with both high and low ratio gearboxes, I know it will do anything, where a modern soft-roader with just one range of gears is a big compromise in my head and there are clearly parallels there! Interestingly Dolan says about 80% of their gravel builds are now 2x, despite an early surge in 1x popularity.
Decisions decisions...
LimaDelta - have a look at the steel Enigma. I think there'll be something there that would work for you.
The steel are also British made, just like the signature titanium.
I went for a 'core' Ti enigma (Etape), which was a chunk over your budget but is stunning. I went for a higher than 'stock' spec too.
Plan is to run it for a year, really figure out what my use is, then next year use a new C2W voucher to pay for a custom UK made enigma Ti frame selling the Etape frames to recoup some of the cash.
The steel are also British made, just like the signature titanium.
I went for a 'core' Ti enigma (Etape), which was a chunk over your budget but is stunning. I went for a higher than 'stock' spec too.
Plan is to run it for a year, really figure out what my use is, then next year use a new C2W voucher to pay for a custom UK made enigma Ti frame selling the Etape frames to recoup some of the cash.
Hard-Drive said:
Some lovely, lovely machines on there! Great pictures, and it seems that the word "fun" seems to crop up a lot when talking about gravel bikes which is good!
I've spent a lot of time fiddling with configurators and looking at specs, and I think Comacchio's recommendation of the Dolan might just win it. I prefer the look of the frame...I've never really liked the dropped seatstay look that the Ribble has, although the dropped chainstay of the Dolan looks good and makes sense. I also like the fact that the Dolan has 4 sets of bottle mounts, but above all has much more flexibility on the build.
I was messing around with gear tables last night. My Canyon, a lighter bike all carbon bike on 28mm rubber, has a 52-36 chainset and an 11-34 cassette, giving me a 126 inch top gear and 28 bottom, which works very well for me in terms of range, but I'd not want it to have much bigger jumps between the gears...what I have took a bit of getting used to after my old race bike with a 53-39 and a much tighter spread at the back. However, I'd definitely want a lower bottom gear than the Canyon on a gravel/touring bike, on the basis that I may be loaded up with kit, on steeper roads than you tend to get around where I live, and certainly I'd want to be able to spin along happily at slow speeds off road too. A Ribble with a 105 50-34 upfront and a 11-34 on the back will give me something a bit lower, but I can't spec a GRX groupset unless I spend big money and go with the GRX 810 Ultegra equivalent. After reading reviews that the GRX hoods and paddles are nicer off road, and the chainset a bit harder wearing, and the clutch mech a worthwhile addition, I do really want GRX now.
I can spec the GRX600 on the Dolan and with a GRX 46-30 upfront and an 11-34 on the back I'd get a 114 top and 24 bottom which seems a really decent spread of gears. They will build with a rear rotor to match the 105 one on my Canyon wheels, so I can still do a straight swap between bikes which is important to me.
I did think long and hard about 1x, but I really do feel that it will be a big compromise on road, and really detract from it's ability to do a winter club road ride in comfort. I'd be looking at a 99-26 spread across just 11 gears and I just don't think that's right for me, just too compromised, and obviously if I wanted to add a second ring later that's big bucks with a new left lever, front mech, chainset, chain, cassette cables and bar tape. I have an old Defender, and with both high and low ratio gearboxes, I know it will do anything, where a modern soft-roader with just one range of gears is a big compromise in my head and there are clearly parallels there! Interestingly Dolan says about 80% of their gravel builds are now 2x, despite an early surge in 1x popularity.
Decisions decisions...
Definitely worth thinking about a single ring upfront - I was nervous, but with c2000km, c75% on road, I've never been caught out. 42 ring up front with a 11-42 cassette, so I have 1:1 for steeper climbs if I need, and just have to spin out a bit more on faster downhills, but never been an issue.I've spent a lot of time fiddling with configurators and looking at specs, and I think Comacchio's recommendation of the Dolan might just win it. I prefer the look of the frame...I've never really liked the dropped seatstay look that the Ribble has, although the dropped chainstay of the Dolan looks good and makes sense. I also like the fact that the Dolan has 4 sets of bottle mounts, but above all has much more flexibility on the build.
I was messing around with gear tables last night. My Canyon, a lighter bike all carbon bike on 28mm rubber, has a 52-36 chainset and an 11-34 cassette, giving me a 126 inch top gear and 28 bottom, which works very well for me in terms of range, but I'd not want it to have much bigger jumps between the gears...what I have took a bit of getting used to after my old race bike with a 53-39 and a much tighter spread at the back. However, I'd definitely want a lower bottom gear than the Canyon on a gravel/touring bike, on the basis that I may be loaded up with kit, on steeper roads than you tend to get around where I live, and certainly I'd want to be able to spin along happily at slow speeds off road too. A Ribble with a 105 50-34 upfront and a 11-34 on the back will give me something a bit lower, but I can't spec a GRX groupset unless I spend big money and go with the GRX 810 Ultegra equivalent. After reading reviews that the GRX hoods and paddles are nicer off road, and the chainset a bit harder wearing, and the clutch mech a worthwhile addition, I do really want GRX now.
I can spec the GRX600 on the Dolan and with a GRX 46-30 upfront and an 11-34 on the back I'd get a 114 top and 24 bottom which seems a really decent spread of gears. They will build with a rear rotor to match the 105 one on my Canyon wheels, so I can still do a straight swap between bikes which is important to me.
I did think long and hard about 1x, but I really do feel that it will be a big compromise on road, and really detract from it's ability to do a winter club road ride in comfort. I'd be looking at a 99-26 spread across just 11 gears and I just don't think that's right for me, just too compromised, and obviously if I wanted to add a second ring later that's big bucks with a new left lever, front mech, chainset, chain, cassette cables and bar tape. I have an old Defender, and with both high and low ratio gearboxes, I know it will do anything, where a modern soft-roader with just one range of gears is a big compromise in my head and there are clearly parallels there! Interestingly Dolan says about 80% of their gravel builds are now 2x, despite an early surge in 1x popularity.
Decisions decisions...
Makes for a lighter, easier, cleaner set up, especially with Ti external cabling.
Ares said:
Definitely worth thinking about a single ring upfront - I was nervous, but with c2000km, c75% on road, I've never been caught out. 42 ring up front with a 11-42 cassette, so I have 1:1 for steeper climbs if I need, and just have to spin out a bit more on faster downhills, but never been an issue.
Makes for a lighter, easier, cleaner set up, especially with Ti external cabling.
I've been struggling to decide what gearing to go with - my options are 40 or 42 at the front and 11-30, 11-34, 11-40, 11-42 at the back - I've been slowly moving towards 40/11-40 as I don't want to limit myself on the road but still want to be able to climb hills..Makes for a lighter, easier, cleaner set up, especially with Ti external cabling.
Comacchio said:
Ares said:
Definitely worth thinking about a single ring upfront - I was nervous, but with c2000km, c75% on road, I've never been caught out. 42 ring up front with a 11-42 cassette, so I have 1:1 for steeper climbs if I need, and just have to spin out a bit more on faster downhills, but never been an issue.
Makes for a lighter, easier, cleaner set up, especially with Ti external cabling.
I've been struggling to decide what gearing to go with - my options are 40 or 42 at the front and 11-30, 11-34, 11-40, 11-42 at the back - I've been slowly moving towards 40/11-40 as I don't want to limit myself on the road but still want to be able to climb hills..Makes for a lighter, easier, cleaner set up, especially with Ti external cabling.
d climbs that I wasn't planning for! If I were to do a laden very hilly/offroad tour I'd probably swap the cassette out for that trip with a 11-42 (slx cassette is pretty cheap, and ten minutes to swap).
Sway said:
I'd suggest the "harder wearing chainset" of grx will refer to the 800 spec one that's hollowtech.
There's also an ultegra RX clutched mech available.
The GRX hoods are nice though - really quite wide with added texture.
Huge difference. I've got the SRAM Force One (same idea, different flavour), combined with flared headset, they are crazy comfortable and inspire massive confidence.There's also an ultegra RX clutched mech available.
The GRX hoods are nice though - really quite wide with added texture.
Also a big benefit of the more robust Gravel/CX chainset, easy to care for, not had to make any adjustments and despite getting dirty (dust, then wet rather than clog mud so far), a quick jet wash gets it spotless.
My road bikes run either Dura-ace or Campag Super Record - the comparison is very much Italian thoroughbred to bombproof workhorse....never more so than in care/maintenance.
Hard-Drive said:
Some lovely, lovely machines on there! Great pictures, and it seems that the word "fun" seems to crop up a lot when talking about gravel bikes which is good!
I've spent a lot of time fiddling with configurators and looking at specs, and I think Comacchio's recommendation of the Dolan might just win it. I prefer the look of the frame...I've never really liked the dropped seatstay look that the Ribble has, although the dropped chainstay of the Dolan looks good and makes sense. I also like the fact that the Dolan has 4 sets of bottle mounts, but above all has much more flexibility on the build.
I was messing around with gear tables last night. My Canyon, a lighter bike all carbon bike on 28mm rubber, has a 52-36 chainset and an 11-34 cassette, giving me a 126 inch top gear and 28 bottom, which works very well for me in terms of range, but I'd not want it to have much bigger jumps between the gears...what I have took a bit of getting used to after my old race bike with a 53-39 and a much tighter spread at the back. However, I'd definitely want a lower bottom gear than the Canyon on a gravel/touring bike, on the basis that I may be loaded up with kit, on steeper roads than you tend to get around where I live, and certainly I'd want to be able to spin along happily at slow speeds off road too. A Ribble with a 105 50-34 upfront and a 11-34 on the back will give me something a bit lower, but I can't spec a GRX groupset unless I spend big money and go with the GRX 810 Ultegra equivalent. After reading reviews that the GRX hoods and paddles are nicer off road, and the chainset a bit harder wearing, and the clutch mech a worthwhile addition, I do really want GRX now.
I can spec the GRX600 on the Dolan and with a GRX 46-30 upfront and an 11-34 on the back I'd get a 114 top and 24 bottom which seems a really decent spread of gears. They will build with a rear rotor to match the 105 one on my Canyon wheels, so I can still do a straight swap between bikes which is important to me.
I did think long and hard about 1x, but I really do feel that it will be a big compromise on road, and really detract from it's ability to do a winter club road ride in comfort. I'd be looking at a 99-26 spread across just 11 gears and I just don't think that's right for me, just too compromised, and obviously if I wanted to add a second ring later that's big bucks with a new left lever, front mech, chainset, chain, cassette cables and bar tape. I have an old Defender, and with both high and low ratio gearboxes, I know it will do anything, where a modern soft-roader with just one range of gears is a big compromise in my head and there are clearly parallels there! Interestingly Dolan says about 80% of their gravel builds are now 2x, despite an early surge in 1x popularity.
Decisions decisions...
Won't Ribble let you build your own bike and spec it with whatever you want, that is what their website suggests to me?I've spent a lot of time fiddling with configurators and looking at specs, and I think Comacchio's recommendation of the Dolan might just win it. I prefer the look of the frame...I've never really liked the dropped seatstay look that the Ribble has, although the dropped chainstay of the Dolan looks good and makes sense. I also like the fact that the Dolan has 4 sets of bottle mounts, but above all has much more flexibility on the build.
I was messing around with gear tables last night. My Canyon, a lighter bike all carbon bike on 28mm rubber, has a 52-36 chainset and an 11-34 cassette, giving me a 126 inch top gear and 28 bottom, which works very well for me in terms of range, but I'd not want it to have much bigger jumps between the gears...what I have took a bit of getting used to after my old race bike with a 53-39 and a much tighter spread at the back. However, I'd definitely want a lower bottom gear than the Canyon on a gravel/touring bike, on the basis that I may be loaded up with kit, on steeper roads than you tend to get around where I live, and certainly I'd want to be able to spin along happily at slow speeds off road too. A Ribble with a 105 50-34 upfront and a 11-34 on the back will give me something a bit lower, but I can't spec a GRX groupset unless I spend big money and go with the GRX 810 Ultegra equivalent. After reading reviews that the GRX hoods and paddles are nicer off road, and the chainset a bit harder wearing, and the clutch mech a worthwhile addition, I do really want GRX now.
I can spec the GRX600 on the Dolan and with a GRX 46-30 upfront and an 11-34 on the back I'd get a 114 top and 24 bottom which seems a really decent spread of gears. They will build with a rear rotor to match the 105 one on my Canyon wheels, so I can still do a straight swap between bikes which is important to me.
I did think long and hard about 1x, but I really do feel that it will be a big compromise on road, and really detract from it's ability to do a winter club road ride in comfort. I'd be looking at a 99-26 spread across just 11 gears and I just don't think that's right for me, just too compromised, and obviously if I wanted to add a second ring later that's big bucks with a new left lever, front mech, chainset, chain, cassette cables and bar tape. I have an old Defender, and with both high and low ratio gearboxes, I know it will do anything, where a modern soft-roader with just one range of gears is a big compromise in my head and there are clearly parallels there! Interestingly Dolan says about 80% of their gravel builds are now 2x, despite an early surge in 1x popularity.
Decisions decisions...
Edited by jimmy156 on Thursday 11th June 11:34
Comacchio said:
Ares said:
Definitely worth thinking about a single ring upfront - I was nervous, but with c2000km, c75% on road, I've never been caught out. 42 ring up front with a 11-42 cassette, so I have 1:1 for steeper climbs if I need, and just have to spin out a bit more on faster downhills, but never been an issue.
Makes for a lighter, easier, cleaner set up, especially with Ti external cabling.
I've been struggling to decide what gearing to go with - my options are 40 or 42 at the front and 11-30, 11-34, 11-40, 11-42 at the back - I've been slowly moving towards 40/11-40 as I don't want to limit myself on the road but still want to be able to climb hills..Makes for a lighter, easier, cleaner set up, especially with Ti external cabling.
I'm such a convert, I'd never spec a gravel or winter bike with a double upfront now.
This has made me think about what a "gravel bike" really is, and its not very easy to define.
It can be anything from what is essentially a road bike but with slightly wider knobbly tyres, to a mountain bike with drop handle bars. Someone even posted a link on another thread to a "full suspension" gravel bike!
Its become as wide a defintion as "mountain bike!"
It can be anything from what is essentially a road bike but with slightly wider knobbly tyres, to a mountain bike with drop handle bars. Someone even posted a link on another thread to a "full suspension" gravel bike!
Its become as wide a defintion as "mountain bike!"
jimmy156 said:
This has made me think about what a "gravel bike" really is, and its not very easy to define.
It can be anything from what is essentially a road bike but with slightly wider knobbly tyres, to a mountain bike with drop handle bars. Someone even posted a link on another thread to a "full suspension" gravel bike!
Its become as wide a defintion as "mountain bike!"
To make that even worse - there's even a few flat bar gravel bikes! It can be anything from what is essentially a road bike but with slightly wider knobbly tyres, to a mountain bike with drop handle bars. Someone even posted a link on another thread to a "full suspension" gravel bike!
Its become as wide a defintion as "mountain bike!"
Essentially, I see it as almost anything that isn't a pure racing road bike that isn't suitable for actual "off road".
I know at the weekend I was absolutely fine on NCN gravel paths, and suffered hugely when I had to cross a farmers field that my short travel 26" wheeled hardtail would have breezed over.
jimmy156 said:
This has made me think about what a "gravel bike" really is, and its not very easy to define.
It can be anything from what is essentially a road bike but with slightly wider knobbly tyres, to a mountain bike with drop handle bars. Someone even posted a link on another thread to a "full suspension" gravel bike!
Its become as wide a defintion as "mountain bike!"
For me it is a road bike that is a bit more robust and can go off-road. The gap between Road bike and CX.It can be anything from what is essentially a road bike but with slightly wider knobbly tyres, to a mountain bike with drop handle bars. Someone even posted a link on another thread to a "full suspension" gravel bike!
Its become as wide a defintion as "mountain bike!"
Perhaps the retail term of 'Adventure Bike' is more apt?
Ares said:
For me it is a road bike that is a bit more robust and can go off-road. The gap between Road bike and CX.
Perhaps the retail term of 'Adventure Bike' is more apt?
Geo and capability wise - most "gravel/adventure" bikes are more capable than the CX ones! CX being a UCI controlled proper sporting event, they're often really quite racey geometry, and have maximum tyre width limitations. Perhaps the retail term of 'Adventure Bike' is more apt?
Ares said:
For me it is a road bike that is a bit more robust and can go off-road. The gap between Road bike and CX.
Perhaps the retail term of 'Adventure Bike' is more apt?
I would say most gravel bikes are more off-road focused and less racey then a CX bike arent they?Perhaps the retail term of 'Adventure Bike' is more apt?
ETA: the full suspension "gravel bike"
jimmy156 said:
This has made me think about what a "gravel bike" really is, and its not very easy to define.
It can be anything from what is essentially a road bike but with slightly wider knobbly tyres, to a mountain bike with drop handle bars. Someone even posted a link on another thread to a "full suspension" gravel bike!
Its become as wide a defintion as "mountain bike!"
IMHO, gravel bikes represent the best of both worlds. A compromise by definition, they are one machine able to cover what the majority of riders do day-to-day. You won't win the Giro d'Italia or a Red Bull Rampage on one, but then how many of us in reality actually ride like that? I think that explains their popularity. They have universal, unpretentious appeal perhaps precisely because they are not pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in performance or design terms. They aren't emblazoned with logos or lurid paint schemes. They aren't associated with any top athletes or teams or sponsors. You can just enjoy riding them without any pressure to live up to the 'image'.It can be anything from what is essentially a road bike but with slightly wider knobbly tyres, to a mountain bike with drop handle bars. Someone even posted a link on another thread to a "full suspension" gravel bike!
Its become as wide a defintion as "mountain bike!"
To make a motoring analogy, at one end of the scale there is F1, and at the other the Baja/Trophy Trucks. A gravel bike would be a Land Rover Discovery. Won't look or feel out of place on the M4, Kielder Forest or the office car park. Not the best at any one thing, but good enough at most things.
jimmy156 said:
Ares said:
For me it is a road bike that is a bit more robust and can go off-road. The gap between Road bike and CX.
Perhaps the retail term of 'Adventure Bike' is more apt?
I would say most gravel bikes are more off-road focused and less racey then a CX bike arent they?Perhaps the retail term of 'Adventure Bike' is more apt?
ETA: the full suspension "gravel bike"
Thanks for the insight all. I'm still "not getting it" with 1 x 11 though!
I've just totted up the weight difference on the groupsets, and although you lose weight out of the front mech and the chainset, you then chuck a load more on thanks to that massive cassette. The difference is a measly 62 grams... over 10 times less than one bottle of water!
I do get that if you want mahoosive tyres you get more clearance around the front mech, there's a bit less to go wrong, and for hardcore off roading the (already clutched) rear mech is having to deal with a bit less chain slap, but I just can't see that the compromise is worth a measly 62 grams. Plus chuck in that with a 2x I can swap wheels with my road bike for instant 28mm tyres, and I'd get a much wider spread of gears with smaller jumps for very similar cash and I can't see why I would want 1x.
Or am I really missing something? Thanks!
I've just totted up the weight difference on the groupsets, and although you lose weight out of the front mech and the chainset, you then chuck a load more on thanks to that massive cassette. The difference is a measly 62 grams... over 10 times less than one bottle of water!
I do get that if you want mahoosive tyres you get more clearance around the front mech, there's a bit less to go wrong, and for hardcore off roading the (already clutched) rear mech is having to deal with a bit less chain slap, but I just can't see that the compromise is worth a measly 62 grams. Plus chuck in that with a 2x I can swap wheels with my road bike for instant 28mm tyres, and I'd get a much wider spread of gears with smaller jumps for very similar cash and I can't see why I would want 1x.
Or am I really missing something? Thanks!
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