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The Bicycling thread
- Thread starter henzilla
- Start date
powwow
Member
Thanks. Yes, I'm starting to eye the new purpose built gravel bikes. This type of riding just seems to be right up my alley in all the ways you describe.
Oh, man, I was out riding and this is my first opportunity to respond to powwow. I love gravel bikes!
Like vark, I had a road-ish bike that was capable of wider tires. In my case, I used 30mm cyclocross tires because I was using traditional road caliper brakes. Even with 'just' 30mm, I had to deflate the tire to get it past the brake pads. But I did enjoy riding the bike and it got me into the world of gravel riding. It also gave me the experience to chose the appropriate gravel bike for me.
So a couple of years ago I built up a gravel bike. Titanium - for all of the same reasons I gave for road bikes. My second choice would be steel and it would move into first place if I didn't have corrosion problems because of my sweating. The reason that I wouldn't choose carbon is that I tend to ride aggressively (stupidly?) in gravel races and the ones I do here in the northeast end up having some difficult terrain (like single track and extreme pitches) and I have crashed in many of those events. Titanium and steel generally shake off those types of incidents - I just don't know about carbon. If your chances of crashing are slim or you are a sponsored racer, then carbon may be a good choice. I also use my gravel bike as my EVERYTHING bike. It really does it all - from touring to racing. Mine has mounting points for racks and fenders for a touring setup. Many of the original carbon gravel frames were pretty specific to racing and didn't have those. New bikes are coming out every day, though so I'm sure there is a carbon solution fon everyone.
I have two sets of wheels for my bike. One setup for road with 28C tubeless (on C17 rims they measure 30mm wide). One setup for gravel with 40mm tubeless. I am seriously considering a 650b pair (27.5 inch) with 2.1" mountain bike tires for the really rough and muddy stuff.
There are so many things to think about and new stuff is coming out all of the time because gravel riding is becoming popular. Now there are 1x drivetrains. That isn't for me - I run 50/34 with a 32 or 34 cassette. That allows me to ride the bike as a road bike but still tour and climb pretty well. 1x is nice and simple but you have to give up something.
I have a 15mm thru axel on the front and wish that I had a 12mm. I got my fork when gravel was still borrowing a lot from mountain bikes. Now they can share parts with road disk. The 15mm is beefy but overkill for my needs.
Recommend 160mm disks front and rear. Michelle (my wife) is really light - <100lbs - and I put a 140 one the back of hers. It just makes it a pain because it is different than all of the other wheels. It works fine for her, though.
Lastly, and most important is fit. I have my bike set up fairly close to my road bike. The front end is just slightly higher. I do use mountain bike pedals. Handlebars are identical shape as my road bike. Some people like a bit of a flare on the drops for gravel. I haven't tried it.
My last comment would be that my gravel bike could really replace all of my other bikes right now. I also don't do 'hardcore' mountain biking anymore because of the potential for injury. What I do could be done on a gravel bike with MTB wheels. Gravel bike is almost as fast on the road as my road bike it just weighs 1.5lbs more (due to disks, beefy fork and frame). It is a great touring frame IF you are OK going fairly light. It is NOT a Surly Long Haul Trucker.
I don't have any good photos of my gravel bike (there is one from a distance earlier in the thread). I'll take one tomorrow and post it. I'll also take a picture of my new titanium rack that I just got a couple of months ago.
If you have any questions, I would be glad to answer. The thing that has really made the gravel bike possible is disk brake technology. Take an old school rigid mountain bike, add disk brakes and drop bars - and engineer a few lbs off. That is gravel. Pretty much just a decent all around bike.
Like vark, I had a road-ish bike that was capable of wider tires. In my case, I used 30mm cyclocross tires because I was using traditional road caliper brakes. Even with 'just' 30mm, I had to deflate the tire to get it past the brake pads. But I did enjoy riding the bike and it got me into the world of gravel riding. It also gave me the experience to chose the appropriate gravel bike for me.
So a couple of years ago I built up a gravel bike. Titanium - for all of the same reasons I gave for road bikes. My second choice would be steel and it would move into first place if I didn't have corrosion problems because of my sweating. The reason that I wouldn't choose carbon is that I tend to ride aggressively (stupidly?) in gravel races and the ones I do here in the northeast end up having some difficult terrain (like single track and extreme pitches) and I have crashed in many of those events. Titanium and steel generally shake off those types of incidents - I just don't know about carbon. If your chances of crashing are slim or you are a sponsored racer, then carbon may be a good choice. I also use my gravel bike as my EVERYTHING bike. It really does it all - from touring to racing. Mine has mounting points for racks and fenders for a touring setup. Many of the original carbon gravel frames were pretty specific to racing and didn't have those. New bikes are coming out every day, though so I'm sure there is a carbon solution fon everyone.
I have two sets of wheels for my bike. One setup for road with 28C tubeless (on C17 rims they measure 30mm wide). One setup for gravel with 40mm tubeless. I am seriously considering a 650b pair (27.5 inch) with 2.1" mountain bike tires for the really rough and muddy stuff.
There are so many things to think about and new stuff is coming out all of the time because gravel riding is becoming popular. Now there are 1x drivetrains. That isn't for me - I run 50/34 with a 32 or 34 cassette. That allows me to ride the bike as a road bike but still tour and climb pretty well. 1x is nice and simple but you have to give up something.
I have a 15mm thru axel on the front and wish that I had a 12mm. I got my fork when gravel was still borrowing a lot from mountain bikes. Now they can share parts with road disk. The 15mm is beefy but overkill for my needs.
Recommend 160mm disks front and rear. Michelle (my wife) is really light - <100lbs - and I put a 140 one the back of hers. It just makes it a pain because it is different than all of the other wheels. It works fine for her, though.
Lastly, and most important is fit. I have my bike set up fairly close to my road bike. The front end is just slightly higher. I do use mountain bike pedals. Handlebars are identical shape as my road bike. Some people like a bit of a flare on the drops for gravel. I haven't tried it.
My last comment would be that my gravel bike could really replace all of my other bikes right now. I also don't do 'hardcore' mountain biking anymore because of the potential for injury. What I do could be done on a gravel bike with MTB wheels. Gravel bike is almost as fast on the road as my road bike it just weighs 1.5lbs more (due to disks, beefy fork and frame). It is a great touring frame IF you are OK going fairly light. It is NOT a Surly Long Haul Trucker.
I don't have any good photos of my gravel bike (there is one from a distance earlier in the thread). I'll take one tomorrow and post it. I'll also take a picture of my new titanium rack that I just got a couple of months ago.
If you have any questions, I would be glad to answer. The thing that has really made the gravel bike possible is disk brake technology. Take an old school rigid mountain bike, add disk brakes and drop bars - and engineer a few lbs off. That is gravel. Pretty much just a decent all around bike.
powwow
Member
Great stuff...thanks so much for your in depth response. It does seem that there is a lot of innovation going on right now in the gravel bike space, so lots of choices and more coming all the time. Agree it could conceivably become my one bike quiver.
There is one race that I do every year. It is called the 'Black Fly Challenge' and is a point-to-point race in the Adirondacks, about 40 miles with 3k ft of climbing on fairly rough gravel roads. Every other year there is a couple of miles of single track at the end. I have done it on a 26" hardtail MTB, a rigid fat tire bike, a road bike with 30mm tires and a gravel bike with 40mm tires. My fastest time was on the road bike. Second fastest (very close) on the gravel bike. Both of those times included crashes on the single track part. Last year on the gravel bike I actually limped in with, what I though was, a broke pinky on my left hand. The off-road bikes were so slow: but I rolled through everything - the fat tire was awesome in the sandy sections.
I say all of that to make this point: I had fun on all of the bikes. It was great getting the 'hey, old school' comments on my 26" Gary Fisher. There was camaraderie amongst the fat bikers. The road bike was, by far, the least comfortable ride - and there were a lot of folks that couldn't believe that I was even trying it. The gravel bike got me 3rd in my age group.
So just do it! I imagine that the riding in Bend is multi-terrain and I know that it is beautiful there. Get fitted up for a gravel bike and go for it! 1x, 2x, carbon, metal, all that stuff is in the noise.
One thing that I didn't mention in the previous post is that gravel bikes have a pretty relaxed geometry. The head tubes are a little longer, the seat tubes and steering tube maybe a little more slack. You appreciate that when descending down a steep gravel road. But it doesn't feel as 'quick' as a road bike. I think we all gravitate to that relaxed geometry as we age - I notice that there are a lot of 'endurance' geometry road bikes in this thread. Gravel bikes take that a step farther. If I were to equate my bikes to motorcycles, my R370 road bike is like an RS, my gravel bike is like a GS. Different wheels, different seating position, different gearing, different level of 'beefiness', same engine. When I post the pictures you'll see that that look about the same. My riding buddies don't notice a difference. They think I just have one bike.
lee
Debbie's Servant
The carbon fiber gravel bikes I have looked at the last year or two have mounting points for front and rear racks so it can be used as a touring bike.
Our 2016 carbon road bikes do not have any mounting points for racks. I think the 2020 Trek models are the same.
lee
Debbie's Servant
Our newer road bikes are endurance bikes and are more relaxed compared to my 2000 Trek 2300.
lee
Debbie's Servant
Here's a link for Trek Gravel bikes.
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/road-bikes/gravel-bikes/c/B546/
PGlaves
#13338
Inventory time: Fess Up
I don't own a bicycle. I haven't owned one since 1959, the year I bought a moped.
But I am enjoying this thread. I get the impression that some folks have more bicycles than I have motorcycles.
So, fess up folks. This is a quiz. How many bicycles do you folks have. Complete bikes? Bike equivalent parts piles?
I don't own a bicycle. I haven't owned one since 1959, the year I bought a moped.
But I am enjoying this thread. I get the impression that some folks have more bicycles than I have motorcycles.
So, fess up folks. This is a quiz. How many bicycles do you folks have. Complete bikes? Bike equivalent parts piles?
lee
Debbie's Servant
We have five.
Four rolling road bikes( we both have our newest and previous) two almost vintage Mtn bikes, two vintage road bikes and parts to make them rollers and two old cruisers as landscape art
Still have more motorcycles
Our Cannondale roadies can accept up to 32 cm width cross tires and be fun in most gravel... would hate to bugger the carbon fiber frame and components when I can just ride my fat tired Mtn bike.
Seems their is a whole new niche and competitive races on what prob was considered cyclocross years back but on what look more like roadies with wider tires as in Lee’s example
One Bicycle
I am probably very much in the minority here, but since reaching adulthood in the mid-1980s, I have owned exactly - - three bicycles. And I only have one at a time.
My first was a hard-tail cro-moly steel-frame 18-speed mountain bike which over the years I modified to be more of what is now called a “hybrid.” I rode that bike exclusively for about 15 years.
I then purchased a straight road bike, albeit more touring oriented. Aluminum frame with carbon fork and seatstays, 27-speed groupset. I rode that bike exclusively for about eight years.
After that, I purchased the aluminum-framed 20-speed cyclecross bike (also with carbon fork and seatstays), which I converted into a “gravel” bike before such things existed (described in a previous post.)
I have been riding this bike exclusively for a dozen years. All my rides are on this bike. It still has all the major original components (groupset, etc), but I’m on the 4th set of wheels and have lost track of how many tire sets and cassettes/chains it has had. I don’t keep close track, but I estimate this bike has between 50-60,000 miles on it.
The first bike was a graduation gift from my parents and siblings, so I did not purchase it. But I believe it cost around $400. The second and third bikes I bought for $900 and $1700 respectively. So my out-of-pocket cost to purchase all the bicycles I’ve owned (for me) as an adult were approximately $2600. This is over a roughly 35 year time period. Add to that maintenance costs, many multiple wheelsets, cassettes, chains, tires, tubes, brake pads, etc etc. But I don’t keep track of any of that.
Of course, during that time period my wife has had two bicycles, and the kids have gone through starter bikes, intermediate bikes, and full-size bikes. So there’s been a fair bit of churn there. Not to mention about $1/2M in college tuition costs, which eats into the cycling budget a bit.
I guess that makes me a piker. But if anyone reading this is wondering how many bikes you need to enjoy cycling, or how much you have to spend, the answer is very few and not an especially large amount (particularly when you amortize it.)
I am probably very much in the minority here, but since reaching adulthood in the mid-1980s, I have owned exactly - - three bicycles. And I only have one at a time.
My first was a hard-tail cro-moly steel-frame 18-speed mountain bike which over the years I modified to be more of what is now called a “hybrid.” I rode that bike exclusively for about 15 years.
I then purchased a straight road bike, albeit more touring oriented. Aluminum frame with carbon fork and seatstays, 27-speed groupset. I rode that bike exclusively for about eight years.
After that, I purchased the aluminum-framed 20-speed cyclecross bike (also with carbon fork and seatstays), which I converted into a “gravel” bike before such things existed (described in a previous post.)
I have been riding this bike exclusively for a dozen years. All my rides are on this bike. It still has all the major original components (groupset, etc), but I’m on the 4th set of wheels and have lost track of how many tire sets and cassettes/chains it has had. I don’t keep close track, but I estimate this bike has between 50-60,000 miles on it.
The first bike was a graduation gift from my parents and siblings, so I did not purchase it. But I believe it cost around $400. The second and third bikes I bought for $900 and $1700 respectively. So my out-of-pocket cost to purchase all the bicycles I’ve owned (for me) as an adult were approximately $2600. This is over a roughly 35 year time period. Add to that maintenance costs, many multiple wheelsets, cassettes, chains, tires, tubes, brake pads, etc etc. But I don’t keep track of any of that.
Of course, during that time period my wife has had two bicycles, and the kids have gone through starter bikes, intermediate bikes, and full-size bikes. So there’s been a fair bit of churn there. Not to mention about $1/2M in college tuition costs, which eats into the cycling budget a bit.
I guess that makes me a piker. But if anyone reading this is wondering how many bikes you need to enjoy cycling, or how much you have to spend, the answer is very few and not an especially large amount (particularly when you amortize it.)
powwow
Member
There are just three bikes in the garage at this time (along with two motorcycles). My carbon Specialized Roubaix road bike is about 10 years old, my original hand built Cannondale hard tail mountain bike is probably about 20 years old (it's more or less my townie bike now) and my wife recently purchased a new Specialized city cruiser that she rides (she doesn't like getting out on the highway).
Personally, I've never purchased a bicycle new...have always found crazy deals on used bikes (kinda like motorcycles, although for me I've bought most of my motorcycles new, then rode them for 10 years). My Roubaix sold new for around $2600...I bought it 2 years old and with only a 100 miles on it for $900, then took it into a shop and had it professionally fitted to my body frame.
Due to changes in my riding interest, this thread is definitely leading me towards a gravel bike as the next one in the stable. Bend is a huge outdoor community and gravel biking is rapidly growing in popularity, especially among older riders (like myself) who are still fit, but somewhat apprehensive about all the distracted/angry/uncourteous drivers on the road nowadays (and that's even in a community that is pretty bike friendly). When I decide to make the transition, I will likely sell the Roubaix and make the gravel bike my full time ride. We have virtually unlimited gravel/forest road riding here in Central Oregon and it's all easily accessible with a just a short ride from home.
Personally, I've never purchased a bicycle new...have always found crazy deals on used bikes (kinda like motorcycles, although for me I've bought most of my motorcycles new, then rode them for 10 years). My Roubaix sold new for around $2600...I bought it 2 years old and with only a 100 miles on it for $900, then took it into a shop and had it professionally fitted to my body frame.
Due to changes in my riding interest, this thread is definitely leading me towards a gravel bike as the next one in the stable. Bend is a huge outdoor community and gravel biking is rapidly growing in popularity, especially among older riders (like myself) who are still fit, but somewhat apprehensive about all the distracted/angry/uncourteous drivers on the road nowadays (and that's even in a community that is pretty bike friendly). When I decide to make the transition, I will likely sell the Roubaix and make the gravel bike my full time ride. We have virtually unlimited gravel/forest road riding here in Central Oregon and it's all easily accessible with a just a short ride from home.
OK, I'm going to combine Michelle's and mine together:
Bicycles: 14
Motorcycles: 7 (5 BMWs)
I could probably make a complete bike out of parts I have laying around, too.
Here are some pictures of my gravel bike.
First, the bike in road form. Today was the 2020 shakedown cruise for this bike. Added a titanium stem and titanium seat post over the winter. Even put on titanium stem spacer rings. No reason other than aesthetic. It had a Thompson elite post and stem on before, which is good stuff but black and I wanted Ti.
I had to buy this bike as a 'full' bike - when it first came out, you couldn't get this as just a frame. It was delivered as the frame and a bunch of parts. I will never do this again. It is simply a waste, as I will eventually replace every component on the bike. It had 105 drivetrain, TRP Spyre mechanical brakes and FSA stem, seat post, bars, and crankset. Almost all of the FSA stuff is gone. The stem was too short, the FSA crankset simply sucks, so that is now Ultegra (new bottom bracket needed). I have an Ultegra rear derailleur on order so I can run a 34 tooth rear cassette for climbing. 32 is the max with the old 5800 105. The 105 stuff works fine - and if it was the newer 7800, I would keep it.
And the duffer riding it. Yes I am using the Camelbak on the road now so I don't have to worry about running out of liquid. The picture is a little out of focus and I cropped it a bit and then messed around with Google Photo's filters. This one captures the color of the Guinness jersey - which tries to match the color of the beer.
First, the bike in road form. Today was the 2020 shakedown cruise for this bike. Added a titanium stem and titanium seat post over the winter. Even put on titanium stem spacer rings. No reason other than aesthetic. It had a Thompson elite post and stem on before, which is good stuff but black and I wanted Ti.
I had to buy this bike as a 'full' bike - when it first came out, you couldn't get this as just a frame. It was delivered as the frame and a bunch of parts. I will never do this again. It is simply a waste, as I will eventually replace every component on the bike. It had 105 drivetrain, TRP Spyre mechanical brakes and FSA stem, seat post, bars, and crankset. Almost all of the FSA stuff is gone. The stem was too short, the FSA crankset simply sucks, so that is now Ultegra (new bottom bracket needed). I have an Ultegra rear derailleur on order so I can run a 34 tooth rear cassette for climbing. 32 is the max with the old 5800 105. The 105 stuff works fine - and if it was the newer 7800, I would keep it.
And the duffer riding it. Yes I am using the Camelbak on the road now so I don't have to worry about running out of liquid. The picture is a little out of focus and I cropped it a bit and then messed around with Google Photo's filters. This one captures the color of the Guinness jersey - which tries to match the color of the beer.
So for the last couple of weeks I have been trying to put on 'Henzilla' miles. 370 miles in 14 days. In the first 3 days of May we have put on 131 miles with 4700 feet of climbing - the Strava challenge I'm doing is 777 miles and 25000 ft of climbing. So I have a good start.
We are now using local villages as goal destinations and our 'trophy's are photos of our bikes at the Village welcome sign. Today the destination was Port Byron, a supply stop on the old Erie Canal. We hopped on the canal trail for about 6 miles (total ride was 45 miles). Perfectly do-able on road bikes. Finally, a warm sunny day in central NY.
We are now using local villages as goal destinations and our 'trophy's are photos of our bikes at the Village welcome sign. Today the destination was Port Byron, a supply stop on the old Erie Canal. We hopped on the canal trail for about 6 miles (total ride was 45 miles). Perfectly do-able on road bikes. Finally, a warm sunny day in central NY.
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I ride the same bike for years, my first European intro was a ‘71 Mercier with a mix of components I struggled to buy for maybe $200. Next was a build from a ‘72 Mercian frame I had made installments on...$175... and fitted with Zeus and Campy bits I bought when I had extra cash...rode that until ‘86 when I upgraded to Ultegra newfangled indexed and clincher rims... no more sew ups! Lot miles/
races and century rides on both versions and always called old school as I passed!
Bought a Vitus 992 w/Campy Record in ‘92 and wore a lot of parts/ tires on that one for years. Glued aluminum frame that was noisy but fast. 2002 ish found a Team Saeco C’dale CAAD4 with Campy Record8 and it was my go to until H bought the Synapse for me. Still ride it and laugh at how different it is all around than the Synapse. Noisy, heavier, and smaller gear ranges...I have to work on it to keep up with H. Both our new bikes were demos from ProsCloset a year apart, mines a 2018 but her 2017 has Di shifting.
All our 26” mountain bikes were already old school for years at purchase , H found a newer model recently with disc brakes and I got her older model and shot suspension
The gravel bike thing is definitely a mix of both and am willing to try some fat knobby rubber on my road bike at least once as my Mtn bike currently is in pieces. I’d like to be more confident about taking the side roads like I do on a GS on a cross set up
races and century rides on both versions and always called old school as I passed!
Bought a Vitus 992 w/Campy Record in ‘92 and wore a lot of parts/ tires on that one for years. Glued aluminum frame that was noisy but fast. 2002 ish found a Team Saeco C’dale CAAD4 with Campy Record8 and it was my go to until H bought the Synapse for me. Still ride it and laugh at how different it is all around than the Synapse. Noisy, heavier, and smaller gear ranges...I have to work on it to keep up with H. Both our new bikes were demos from ProsCloset a year apart, mines a 2018 but her 2017 has Di shifting.
All our 26” mountain bikes were already old school for years at purchase , H found a newer model recently with disc brakes and I got her older model and shot suspension
The gravel bike thing is definitely a mix of both and am willing to try some fat knobby rubber on my road bike at least once as my Mtn bike currently is in pieces. I’d like to be more confident about taking the side roads like I do on a GS on a cross set up
Sweet! Been up that way on motors. ,
We played in the wind today with a tailwind to start and false fitness level confidence when you feel the side/ headwind gusts! I think that was a 32 total felt like a 50! I forgot phone for pics and a powerbar but didn’t need it afterall.
