A “Road Bike” for someone who doesn’t like “Road Bikes”

Giant Defy, it's what I bought 6 years ago in the same circumstances  well apart from being fat and unfit 🙂

Great bike and very comfortable for mile after mile. Makes the steel Croix de Fer  I also have feel like a lump of unresponsive lead that is neither any good on or off road. Having said that it's fine now its permanently attached to my turbo.

I don't like road bikes. I've got a Charge Plug!
Built some Hope RS4/wtb KOM tubeless wheels, Avid cable discs, 105 based 1x11, SLX cranks. Very much a MTBers road bike.

But I think you want to buy something shiny, so, err, Pinnacle Arkose?

If you enjoyed going road cycling and want to do more of it why do you want to buy a gravel bike?

I had a titanium plug and loved it, so I bought an Ali one for my Dad in Greece, anyway, I sold the Ti to buy an enduro bike. Took the Ali one out on holiday the other week, and had a blast, absolutely loved it. Perfect for the island roads (very similar to Oxfordshire) with that horrible rough top layer, and/or potholes. I have to say it rode as well as the Ti mainly due to the 42mm tyres on both. Also managed a big climb and then a fast gravel return to the house- the cable brakes were mildly terrifying.
So… what about sticking on a 2x groupset- rival or tiagra or whatever, some lighter wheels and fatish can tyres and running the plug.
If you enjoy it, get a better bike and use the plug for winter, mixed pathway type stuff.

If you enjoyed going road cycling and want to do more of it why do you want to buy a gravel bike?

This.
Buy a proper road bike, Giant Defy or similar and keep the off road bikes for off road.

Diverge?

(E5 elite is about that money)

If you enjoyed going road cycling and want to do more of it why do you want to buy a gravel bike?

This, get a proper road bike and you'll enjoy it even more. Right tool for the job and all that.

If you enjoyed going road cycling and want to do more of it why do you want to buy a gravel bike?

I’d pretty much agree with this tbh, with the caveat, I wouldn’t buy a bike now that couldn’t take 28s and guards.
However, fair to say I’m in my 50s and fat/unfit, if you’re young you may be perfectly happy on narrower tyres/no guards etc.
just for clarity, i have both, the gravel bike gets used most, the road bike lives on the turbo.

My Diverge makes a great road bike. I love the geo, the position, the comfort, the look and the bolt holes for useful accessories. I’ve done everything from mild singletrack to centuries, to 25mph chaingangs on it. May even CX race it shortly too.

But it is giving up speed / costing watts on the road and I do sometimes regret not buying an aero road bike….

After getting dropped 2 weeks running at our chaingang for example, I switched back to my old race bike and not just made it to the end, but “won” the sprint the following week.

Buy a fast tourer or Audax bike

A few things you need to think about IMO...
What does your back/body think about a racey/aero position, that will give you more speed for your effort?
Are you realistically going to want this bike to do some off-road riding, needing tyres >35mm?
Are you bothered about hydraulic disc brakes over rim brakes?

My Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc '16 is now ~5.5 years old, when I bought it I was worried about my lower back, so the 610mm stack on the "58cm" frame didn't concern me. But my back has been much better in recent years and this bike is now known as my "sportive aero brick," it throws away so much speed for effort that I finally fitted an adjustable stem this summer and at -40 degrees it gives a setup vaguely similar to a typical road race bike with all spacers above the stem. I'm glad I didn't cut the steerer, because I recently had to raise the bars for a random neck strain that lasted a month!

I don't know what I'd get if I was to buy a new bike these days. Part of me thinks a racey geo road bike, but then part of me thinks something like an On One Free Ranger or Boardman ADV 9.0 and have a set of road wheels equipped with nice road tyres.

The best bargain road bike I know of, if you don't mind rim brakes and skinny tyres <27mm wide is £635 for https://www.merlincycles.com/wilier-montegrappa-tiagra-road-bike-190094.html

The Plug is 120mm rear end, so single speed it shall ever remain. No way of fitting gears, plus it was only built over lockdown as a project to build a bike. It’s OK round town, it does that job OK and it’s quite fun to ride without being a hinderance to group riding or the fact I’m too weak it ride it in the hills.

The gravel bike rather than a road bike is probably down to comfort and the ability to run far wider tyres and guards. I’m the wrong side of 50, fat, unfit, fused spine, rebuilt knee, and glass wrists.

I’m not quite sure if I could live with a being a full roadie! 😉 Yet!

The gravel bike rather than a road bike is probably down to comfort and the ability to run far wider tyres and guards.

A lot of road bikes can do that these days.

I recently bought a Pinnacle Arkose 3, I find that it works very well as both a gravel and road bike. It came with gravel wheels/tyres so I bought some road wheels and it works well for both. It's comfortable and has sufficient clearance for 50mm tyres but it's got a 2x10 groupset so isn't too gravel orientated and still work is very well as a road bike. I have a Canyon VCLS seatpost and Ritchey Ergomax bars to help with the comfort and also run 36c tubeless tyres on the road.

Think I'm going to sell my road bike and single speed MTB to get an Arkose. I only use the road bike once or twice a year and the road in Cheshire are like bloody gravel tracks anyway.

I'm never going to actually want to race, so a couple of mph slower won't make much odds. Will probably keep the road bike wheels with the faster tyres for road trips.

I had a very similar process to the OP a couple of years ago. I wanted to do a 160km road event thing (like Ride London - y'know, not actually a race but you want to do well); but I hate the whole roadie scene - lycra, boring boring riding, etc. So I looked around at Ti gravel bikes as a compromise and settled on a CGR Ti.

It does the job: it's "road" enough to be able to keep up with mates and actually push myself on the road; but it's gravel enough that I'm happy wearing baggies while riding it; and the position isn't too extreme coming from decades of MTB.
But...
- it was heavy (>10kg).
- it wasn't very fast and more importantly, didn't feel it (in that way that can be a bit dispiriting) - so I swapped out wheels, tyres, stem and seatpost which helped.
- It got me into sort of enjoying road riding, and now I want a 'proper' road bike that feels lighter, faster, and more encouraging to really push myself.

Long story short - do it, it's a great gateway and gives you a fallback if it turns out you hate road riding. But do beware that if all goes to plan you'll probably have to buy new wheels and tyres at least, and possibly (in a few years) a whole new bike. And Ribble bikes are pretty good for the price IMHO

I would also note there are rowdy and less rowdy "gravel" bikes; the CGR is much more like an all-road-ish bike (Mason Definition, Giant Revolt, Croix De Fer, Diverge) than it is a rowdier bike like a Salsa, etc. With the right tyres it'll be fine. But so would a Defy or similar. It's up to you. Depends what you want the upper bound of your top speed/effort to be, and what else you want to do with it. (I ride just fine with the road club on a gravel bike, because I'm never going to get into the fast kids gang without losing another 10kg, wheras also having fun touring/packing/off-road is a nice bonus).

Just stick road tyres on it for the club runs. If you go down this route, you might want to budget for a second wheelset.

Alternatives in the 2x gravel bike area: Cannondale Topstone, Trek Checkpoint, Giant Revolt (from the big brands off the top of my head). As usual, it's 1x, but everybody loves the Free Ranger/CF696 - newer version can take a front mech - but I am not a fan of 1x11 for mainly road use.

Just get a road bike that can take 28c tyres whilst also having mudguards on - you need that for group rides in the winter.

I think the Planet X hurricane has rack / mudguard mounts and is titanium so looks nice. Whilst not being all out racey geometry. My mate has got one recently for commuting and he likes it - he’s not at all into road riding really.

Is the answer to this question not always Fairlight Strael?

If you enjoyed going road cycling and want to do more of it why do you want to buy a gravel bike?

I've got the ribble cgr sl (carbon frame) it's as fast as the road bike it replaced. It comfy for all day riding and keeps up with a group ride.

Takes 40mm tyres and mudguards. Has rack mounts and a threaded bb.

If you look at the geometry, there's not a lot of difference between that and the ribble endurance road bike, slightly less head angle and takes wider tyres.

I'm not a fan of steel so I'd personally pick the alliminium frame and 28mm or wider tyres and save some weight and money over the steel frame. I'd also look to upgrade the wheels too.

The alliminium frame weighs 1680g and the carbon fork 410g (+/-5g size M). With full bikes builds starting from 9.8kg for the Pro Build

The internally routed full monocoque Toray T800/T1000 frame weighs 1.15kgs and the full monocoque carbon forks 450g. Full builds can start from as little as 7.5kgs, a 105 build with default finishing kit weighs in at approximately 9kgs.

How do roadies survive British roads? I brought my road bike back from Spain where I use 22mm tyres. I tried to commute on it but the roads are in a shocking state. Currently pricing up a gravel bike.

32mm GP5000 on the rear for comfort, 23/25mm on front for marginal aero gains. 😉

How do roadies survive British roads? I brought my road bike back from Spain where I use 22mm tyres.

I ride a fair bit in Spain and they've got some shockers over there as well. But when it's good it's absolutely brilliant, some absolutely fantastic roads. But here in South Wales there's a some pretty good roads as well. Use 25mm over here the same as Spain. Never felt the need to go bigger for normal day to day rides. Got a gravel bike but only use that with gravel tyres if I'm going of road.

How do roadies survive British roads?

28mm tubeless, carbon bars and decent bar tape, and make the most of the rare occurrence of newly laid tarmac.

I disagree with those saying get a road bike. Unless you’re actually racing, a road bike is not necessary. A gravel bike will be almost as fast and far more comfortable and versatile. They’re all anyone who rides mainly on road needs. Just get the lightest one you can find (I’d avoid steel unless using it for bikepacking and go for alu or carbon). My Diverge is genuinely the best bike I’ve ever owned.

In the tried and true spirit ofrecommend what you have - a Light Blue Robinson. Reynolds 725, room for 35mm with guards, 38 without.(I haven't tried but looking at the clearance I'm pretty sure you can get a guard on the front with a 38. Back might be tight).
Frame is lighter built than a Croix de fer, It's a little shorter in the stack than full on tourer or gravel, a little longer in the top tube, so quite a nice midpoint between road and gravel. I decided that if the geometry and 38s weren't enough for whatever I wanted to ride, I'd get out the hardtail with it's 2.2s.
It's a much more comfortable ride and position than my full on road bikes. It's a little heavier and slower but then not getting constant pinch flats on 23s.....

Planet x London Road ti £1500 at the moment.

I had an alu one and it was a great bike. It'll take 40mm tyre with mudguards, but works as a road bike as well, I ran mine with 28's for road riding and it was pretty fast and comfy.

Just googled the Fairlight… so nice

I wouldn't class mrs_oab and I as road riders.
I discovered that we're still not sure of drop bars.
Our bikes are more 'do it all' - 36mmm(ish) slick tyres, full guards. Mrs_oab runs flat bar and bar ends, I've persevered with drops.
I've a rack on for the commute and occasional tours.
They're way faster than MTB or even gravel tyres, they're comfy. We watch the view and take a brew with us in bar bags.

Perhaps more 'touring' than road race, and better tools for what we do.

How do roadies survive British roads? I brought my road bike back from Spain where I use 22mm tyres.

28 minimum, it's the 21st century.

But no joke: I ride on slickish GravelKing 35s (no nibbles at all) at about 55-60psi, and people sometimes seem bewildered til I point out that a) there is barely any rolling resistance loss given my performance level and b) comfort.

I had the same questions twice, as a person who doesn't like road bikes....

I bought a road bike... sold it 2 weeks later.

i bought a different road bike,.... sold it 2 weeks later..

Sometimes the answer to what bike for someone who doesn't like road bikes, is a MTB 😀

The Plug is 120mm rear end, so single speed it shall ever remain. No way of fitting gears,

Sturmey archer 3 speed hub? Thats what i put in my ss road bike.

For social group road rides a gravel bike would be fine and you would have a bit more flexibility wrt offroad.

I use a PX Freeranger as my winter road bike, gravel bike, CX bike, commuter.

It is light and fast, takes a full guard, and I can run 45s on gravel and 32s on road group rides.

Mine is set up with Ritchey beacon bars and redshift shockstop stem, so its a bit more off road focussed. I have a couple of wheelsets too both set up tubeless.

TBF though weeksy,that's you with everything. 😉 😀
I am looking at a new frame(carbon) for the road and it will be gravel based.
For me it just gives more choice with tyres and bolting stuff on for touring/bikepacking.

But no joke: I ride on slickish GravelKing 35s (no nibbles at all) at about 55-60psi, and people sometimes seem bewildered til I point out that a) there is barely any rolling resistance loss given my performance level and b) comfort.

I use the 32's (TLC)on the road stuff here in Spain, its a nice tyre and compared to the mad prices people will pay for gp5000s dirt cheap.

+1 for the Diverge. Love mine, it can keep up with local road rides and thats running 1 x 10 and 40mm G-one's.
I like the comfort and position which at 50yrs plus is always a bonus.
So much so one of the roadies I ride with has just bought a Ribble CGR Di2 with 105 after he tried my Diverge. He commented on the more comfortable position, but he wasn't sold on the 1 x 10

Is the answer to this question not always Fairlight Strael?

Beat me to it - if you like steel then buy a Strael and be happy (once it eventually arrives...)

What was holding you back most on that ride? The single-speed set-up? Bike weight? Lack of fitness?

If you buy a steel bike WITH gears, it's unlikely to save weight.

If I were you I'd have a good look at the various gravel/allroad/endurance road options and think about where you're gonna ride it.

So if you're not actually going off-road, an alu or carbon endurance bike might be just the ticket. They can take pretty big tyres now.

I was looking at a CGR as a winter road/bikepacking/occasional gravel bike. They're a little weighty but do seem a great all rounder. I used to have a steel Charge plug 5 (before the 5 went ti, and the rest went Alu) and it was great - commuted on it with 40mm G-ones which did everything.

ONly thing to keep in mind, if you're out on a club run. with quick roadies on road bikes, you will be slower on a gravel bike/have to work harder to stay in the bunch. Part of the reason for selling my Plug was the clubber became a handlebar chewing exercise, vs. cruising along happily on my supersix.

Something like a Synapse or other endurance road will happily take 38's now.

In short, buy a endurance road/adventure bike with 2x rather than a 'off road focused' gravel bike with knobblies and 1x if you want to really enjoy the road.

Come, join us on the dark side, it's fun...

ONly thing to keep in mind, if you’re out on a club run. with quick roadies on road bikes, you will be slower on a gravel bike/have to work harder to stay in the bunch. Part of the reason for selling my Plug was the clubber became a handlebar chewing exercise, vs. cruising along happily on my supersix.

This +1

I've also got a Plug setup for solo road riding and commuting (32mm tyres, guards, fixed gear). And while it's lovely and comfortable, it's undoubtedly slower and harder work than the CAAD road bike which has 25c (measured as 27.5mm) tyres and generally light parts.

It's not that you can't stick some slicks on a gravel/CX bike and join a clubrun, it's just that if you're already struggling to hold on then it's making it harder. I fairly regularly take the plug or CX bike out with 'roadies', but only the ones I know are looking for a ride 1-2mph slower than I could manage on a road bike so we're all working at the same RPE (or at least desired RPE).

Position wise, higher bars off-road aren't always better either, I raised mine when I swapped bars and it was genuinely awful to ride, the front end was all over the place with no grip as it was unweighted. That's not a flexibility limitation, it just ceased to work at all off-road above a certain point. So don't bank on an off-road biased bike allowing higher bars either. Something aimed at audax/touring might be a better bet at a compromise between roadie weight and handling (because you want it to 'feel' fast) and a comfortable position.

I suppose the thing to consider OP is specifically 'what' for, and 'when' is this bike going to be used?

What: Is it just for joining Road chaingangs, or is it likely to pick up some additional duties? Might you want to take it off-road or use it to commute? could it's role feasibly expand?

When: Is it going to get used through the winter/year round, or only when it's sunny and dry? (be honest with yourself).

If it's exclusively for club road rides and isn't going to see a wet ride then get a "Proper" skinny tyred, guard boss free road bike, and only turn up on Dry days from March to late September...

If there's a chance that you might want to dabble with Gravel/Commuting/touring and/or ride during Autumn/Winter/spring then a 2x "gravel/all-road" type bike makes better sense (like a CGR, Arkose, etc) I'd throw some robust ~32mm road tyres in the budget and some guards (nobody will thank you on wet group rides if you turn up without guards). and go from there.

I think by default now a newly purchased drop-barred bikes are going to be disc equipped, so that whole "discussion" is really irrelevant. Groupset wise? People seem to think they need 105/GRX 600 on their first road/gravel bike, but Tiagra is just fine. And you'll either be looking at posher bikes in 18-24 months or putting it in the classifieds/ebay...

I ride in a road club with about 200 members. Not one rides a gravel bike or a steel bike, even in the 'steady' group. For me it would just make your life harder with no real benefit on the road.

If you are just dipping your toe in the water, I would pick up a cheapish used road bike to get you going. Perfect time of year to find a bargain!

I've got a gravel bike and a road bike, and would choose the road bike on the road every day. The gravel bike is more upright, heavier and slower handling. But then I don't like 'Endurance' yawn road bikes either.

I get the feeling that a lot of people who 'don't like road bikes' actually just don't like the 'idea' of road bikes and/or of road cycling as they perceive it. I'd try and ride one - demo or borrowed - you might be surprised. And if you're going to be regularly riding with a group on the road, it makes good sense.

I ride in a road club with about 200 members. Not one rides a gravel bike or a steel bike, even in the ‘steady’ group. For me it would just make your life harder with no real benefit on the road.

Now that is just weird (and stupid). My club will have at least 3 steel bikes out on any given weekend (say 30-40 riders) and they will be in all groups. You can double that number in winter.

A steel frame weighs around 1kg more than a carbon one - less than two bottles of water and less than that you will sweat out on a hot ride. In other words, an insignificant difference for a club rider.