Speccing a gravel bike

[Evanivitch]

Anonymous-poster said:

I’am converting my winter bike Focus CX into a gravel/adventure bike, what tyres for 50/50 road gravel and what pedals and shoes are people using?

I use Schwalbe G one speeds, but I actually ride on forresty gravel roads. They'd be rubbish in soft stuff, but quick enough on tarmac.

[lufbramatt]

I’d stick with mtb style SPD double sided pedals, easier to go in and out of on uneven terrain and the metal cleats are much more hardwearing. XC style shoes as they are better for walking in if needed.

[emicen]

Evanivitch said:

Anonymous-poster said:

I’am converting my winter bike Focus CX into a gravel/adventure bike, what tyres for 50/50 road gravel and what pedals and shoes are people using?

I use Schwalbe G one speeds, but I actually ride on forresty gravel roads. They'd be rubbish in soft stuff, but quick enough on tarmac.

I have G Ones on my new gravel bike.

Really, my ‘gravel’ use is just rubbish quality roads, not really loose surfaces. I came from a Voodoo Limba gravel bike with Vee Rubber Speedster tyres. The G Ones I find noticeably draggy on roads in comparison to the Speedsters, whose centre line is waffled rather than knobbly.

This may be a useful link:
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel...

[Dnlm]

Definitely SPD's, fine for road, much better off and the ability to walk is handy. I had some road numbness build up on anything longer than a commute using smaller ones so went for these for my gravel / winter ride:

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/488748/products/shi...

Some people are fine though. Shoe wise have been happy with Shimano mw5 winter boots that actually bought to avoid faff of overshoes commuting. But the old pair with overshoes are also fine. Both I wear with Merino then hiking socks at 0c or below.

Have gravel king 35s on one wheelset which is slow on the road. Turbo cotton on road set which is puncturing all the time atm... Changing soon

Edited by Dnlm on Saturday 9th January 20:57

[emicen]

Pedalwise I have Boardman Hybrid Team pedals on my gravel bike, MTB Team on my road bike.

Granted I’ve never tried road variant SPDs but I like the idea of having more float to protect my knees, even if it costs a few watts overall.

With the Hybrid Team pedals being dual sided I can still ride to the shops or postbox just in trainers if I wish.

[ArnageWRC]

Anonymous-poster said:

I’am converting my winter bike Focus CX into a gravel/adventure bike, what tyres for 50/50 road gravel and what pedals and shoes are people using?

I had one - very nice bike; in spring/summer I used Conti CX Speed tyres on it, 35mm file treads, but with knobs on the side for cornering. I'd say Schwalbe G-One Speed are good, as are Panaracer GravelKing SK & WTB Byway.
Unless you're racing, then I'd always go for SPD/MTB pedals/shoes....so Shimano PD-M520 are pretty much all you need; virtually the same design as the much more expensive XT, XTR.

[Ares]

Anonymous-poster said:

I’am converting my winter bike Focus CX into a gravel/adventure bike, what tyres for 50/50 road gravel and what pedals and shoes are people using?

I've got WTB Horizon 47s tyres - really really happy with them.

Pedals I've got Shimano DX M647, again perfect for my use - can be used as flat pedals for when I'm out with my daughter, but also double sided cleats to do a condo, on or off road. https://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-dx-m647-pedals

[Dnlm]

Made some changes to my GXT recently that have worked out pretty nicely.

Swapped 35mm GK for 28mm Schwalbe One tyres. much faster and better cornering on the road. In fact better than turbo cotton specialised 26mms from a different wheelset. Works on real gravel but doing little given the mud

Changed bar tape and adjusted positioning. Dunno why but the deda stuff it came with felt slippy to me and was getting damaged quickly. Dolan had also set up the ergo bars I specced a little weirdly.

Result is now a fast winter bike that feels super comfortable and can do a bit of mild off road. Happy to have a reason to get out the house atm.

Think I'll just put the GKs back on for specific group gravel trips in the summer

[Hard-Drive]

Dnlm said:

Made some changes to my GXT recently that have worked out pretty nicely.

Swapped 35mm GK for 28mm Schwalbe One tyres. much faster and better cornering on the road. In fact better than turbo cotton specialised 26mms from a different wheelset. Works on real gravel but doing little given the mud

Changed bar tape and adjusted positioning. Dunno why but the deda stuff it came with felt slippy to me and was getting damaged quickly. Dolan had also set up the ergo bars I specced a little weirdly.

Result is now a fast winter bike that feels super comfortable and can do a bit of mild off road. Happy to have a reason to get out the house atm.

Think I'll just put the GKs back on for specific group gravel trips in the summer

Good to hear, glad you are enjoying it again. I've just gone the other way and fitted 43mm Teravail Rutlands, which have just opened up way more bridleways and similar muddy riding, whilst being amazingly good (and quiet) on road for such an aggressive tyre. I doubt very much I'll ever put the GKs back on to be honest!

[Sway]

What size GKs?

[/innocent vulture mode]

[Bairn]

Thanks to the suggestions on this thread I have just took the plunge on a Dolan GXC gravel bike.
Looking forward to it arriving and getting some different exercise outside of running/walking the dog.

Bike newbie (not had one since i was a kid) so will be lurking and asking plenty of questions in the months to come!!

[Majorslow]

I have been fast reading from the beginning of the thread, ( and enjoyed it) I'm looking for a cheap Gravel bike for wet weather rididng around the New Forest and occasional gravel rides around here. I am trying to kep the price down and have found a Genesis Crox defer 10

Has anyone any opinions on them please good or bad

[wobert]

Majorslow said:

I have been fast reading from the beginning of the thread, ( and enjoyed it) I'm looking for a cheap Gravel bike for wet weather rididng around the New Forest and occasional gravel rides around here. I am trying to kep the price down and have found a Genesis Crox defer 10

Has anyone any opinions on them please good or bad

A guy in work had one.

Liked it, found it comfortable if a little heavy.

[Chicken Chaser]

I've got a CdF 30, with 105 setup. It's a 2016 bike but I don't think the frame is wildly different if at all. It's steel, and it's heavy. Once it's rolling though it's a very comfortable bike. Going up hills you notice it Vs carbon. I've taken it on gravel, across moor, through forest tracks, a lot of road miles and used it to pull daughter in a trailer. It's a jack of all, master of none. I've considered selling it and buying something more modern, probably carbon and a bit slacker but I think in all honesty, it does exactly what it needs to do. I think once you leave a fire or gravel road behind, the gravel bike gets very quickly under biked and you're better off with a light MTB.

[Hard-Drive]

Sway said:

What size GKs?

[/innocent vulture mode]

700x35 but I will keep hold of them just in case. One day I do want to do LEJOG and they would probably make sense for a summer trip where off road would be dry and there's a lot on on road miles...

[Hard-Drive]

I know there's a few people who have gone down the Dolan road as I did...I've set up a FB page for GXA/GXC/GXT riders or would-be riders. Very early days, but please feel free to join up.

Search for "Dolan GXA, GXC, GXT Riders"

Thanks!

[DailyHack]

I know "Gravel bike" is a massive buzzword at the moment, but for what is essentially a old-school rigid MTB (people were very quickly happy to get rid off in the skip 20+ years ago) Mad what what comes round again.

Has anyone gone the other way and converted a old MTB/Road Bike to "Gravel Status"?

There are so many un-loved 90's MTB's out there ready to be converted, for <£50

Ive got a '80s Raleigh road bike (£50), just converted to 700C, could easily stick some gravel tyres on this for not alot of money at all.

Edited by DailyHack on Friday 5th March 15:31

[Evanivitch]

DailyHack said:

I know "Gravel bike" is a massive buzzword at the moment, but for what is essentially a old-school rigid MTB (people were very quickly happy to get rid off in the skip 20+ years ago) Mad what what comes round again.

I agree, but gravel bikes have come about because MTB and road bikes have gone to such extremes of the spectrum. I don't need suspension on forestry roads, but It would kill a modern lightweight road bike (and me too).

[Sway]

I've seen a few 90s MTB to gravel conversions.

They work quite well, swapping a long stem for the extra reach of drop bars.

Typically no discs though, and heavier.

[LMPanda]

A little off topic, but at LAST a decent casual/pub bike shoe with SPD’s. Now I just need a belt driven single speed gravel bike....