Looking (or more accurately lusting) after the new ti Sonder Camino. Seems to a thing of beauty and also rarely these days, pretty good value and i’ve had a shocking 2016, so trying to buy smiles with bike therapy!

I currently have a disc Spec. Roubaix for road duties (i’m not a man of speed, but do a lot of 200-300 mile a day type events) and an old Mk1 Salsa Fargo for bikepacking/ winter commuting/ bit of everything bike duties, which i love, but it is a heavy beast and I am looking to do the French Divide race this year.

Any one got any real world review of the Camino, read the write up on Alpkit website and the Grit.cx one, and all seem to love it.

BUT…. to get a decent size width tyre you have to run the 650b wheels, and then they are constrained to 1.7″ (47c), having a quick search, there doesn’t actually seem to be many tyre choices about? Some from WTB but that i can’t seem to find to buy anywhere (was thinking of buying just frame and forks).

So will I miss the ability to run proper 29er tyres like the Fargo and the choice of tyres?
How does it actually ride as a road bike, if it replaced both Roubaix and Fargo?

Any pics for inspiration..?

Also really interested in some real world views on this.

Only got the Ali version but if you’re interested I’ll pop some of my thoughts here.

Yes please, Mattbee.

please Matt Bee, i am looking at both the ali and the ti version, it is more about waht they ride like and what tyres you are running as there does not seem to be many 650b 45-47c tyres about if you are running the smaller wheel?

Compass make some nice tyres…

Wheels – Tyres & Tubes

Thanks Simon, wasn’t aware of them at all.

Panaracer also do the Pasela PT and the Gravel King in 650b

Both my wife and I have Camino Al. Sad, huh?
Mine has SRAM kit, mix of Rival and Apex, with Acor cable/hydro brakes & Superstar wheels with Pacenti CL25 rims. Also Giant mild flared drops.
Hers has Shimano Tiagra/105 mix with BB5 brakes & Mavic rimmed wheels from her old Boardman CX. Both on Schwalbe G one tyres in 40c, tubeless.
Mine (large) hits the scales at a smudge over 10.5kg. Her Medium is nearer 11, mainly due to the wheels.
Can (& have) fit full mudguards with plenty of space with the 40c tyres.
I intend to try 650b at some point but need to get some Hope end cap converters first.
Very comfy ride. On road especially it feels really stable, once up to speed rolls much better & is more fun than I expected (my road bike is a 7.5kg carbon job with di2). Really confidence inspiring on mucky winter country lanes.
Off road, we’ve been along some of the SDW, some stuff in Purbeck & Wareham too. It’s a bit like a ’90s cv bike with drops! The G1 tyres are awful on wet grass & mud but great elsewhere & as there’s barely any tread don’t collect crud.
I’m really pleased with them, have only done max distance of about 40 miles road/off mix but no issues there.
Cables running along down tube means they won’t get in way of bikepacking luggage, will be trying frame bag etc when weather gets warmer.
Paint seems nice & thick, they went together nicely (all threads etc were clean).
I have size 11 feet & occasionally clip my left heel by the disc mount.
Head tube is very tall for size.
I’m looking forward to putting lots of miles on it this year.

How tall are you Matt?

I’m 6’2″. Wife is 5’7″. I’m on a XL not a L as stated above, sorrh. She’s on a M.

Ah OK thanks in that case I would need a L.

Matt, thanks so much for the comprehensive write up, really appreciate it. Definitely interested in one.

I convinced my mate he wanted one. He bought the ti one about 2 months ago and I can’t get him off it. His only criticism is that the Love Mud wheels buckled quite readliy, but having seen him ride it I’m not sure that the wheels are entirely to blame.

I’m sorely tempted to buy the frame and swap the bits off my Planet X XLS. I rode his for about 20 mins and it was nice. Just not sure it’s £999 pounds nicer than the XLS which is the only thing holding me back.

However if anyone wants to make me an offer for a 3 yr old XLS frame in large….? (email in profile!)

I have a Camino Ti and I love it. I’ll script up a bit more in the morning if I get a chance…

I may be……….. can you give a few more details / wtd ad placed earlier today in the WTD forum

Theotherjonv – I’ve posted up on your wanted post.

Thanks all.

For me it would be a case of buying the frame and forks, i’ve built Stans Crest wheels for it and will be stealing the Ultegra and RS685 brakes from my Roubaix for it, so hopefully should be a nice build.

I am likely to give my Al a year & if I still love it as much as I do now I’ll change it for a ti.