How is it and what have you built it with? Looking at one in purple as a possible replacement for my gravel bike with an eye that it could also serve as a 2nd bike for CX. Thinking 1x12 GRX with a 10-45 and 46t ring or possibly ekar. Main usage is all-road training, either fully road with bigger slicks or southern softie gravel in the new forest.
Just to let you know if you hadn't seen them but Merlin have had them on sale. They've only 54cm but if it fits it's quite a good deal (purple too).
https://share.google/NaRMXl7krWzBMcuYN
Thank you, I hadn't seen that but too small anyway sadly.
Merlin also have frame sets in all sizes for £749, both green and purple. I keep looking at them....
https://www.merlincycles.com/kinesis-gx-race-gravel-frameset-272795.html
£679 at Winstanleys. I keep looking and other than a Specialized crux (at way more £££££) I'm not finding other frames that look as interesting. Most 'gravel' frames are more MTB light than all road which is definitely not what I want.
I really should sell one of the existing bikes first before ordering the replacement!
Ooh, even better. I really shouldn't go and have a look.....
I agree, I've just sold a Cotic Cascade as it was too MTB and I've replaced it with a Cotic SolarisMax which is what I should have bought instead of the Cascade. I now want to sell my road bike and by a more roadey Gravel bike, like I used to have before I bought the Cascade.....
I've an older Cotic escapde (the in between qr rear, full carbon fork front version). It's been really nice but is heavy. I have considered just switching that to a 1x groups set but the QR rear makes wheel sharing a pain and TBH it's my oldest bike now and the grass is looking greener etc.
I'm currently reading lots of ekar reviews as Merlin have the groupset cheap.
Not a GX Race unfortunately but I do have the Athein Disc as a road bike and it's really nice and lively, and I like the classic round tubed looks (I run 2x GRX, 46/30 I think it is with an 11-30).
Definitely accelerates well and feels light, stiff/lively rather than springy/comfy but obviously that's with 28mm road tyres so I'm sure a bigger tyre would make it more than comfy enough but still nice and direct to pedal. I had an older Racelight CX bike as a light/fast gravel bike a few years ago and that was similar in feel, so I'd imagine they're all a pretty good bet.
I have one of these and really like it. I have used it for Gravel sportive (NY Moors, so fairly technical for gravel) and general gravel riding. It is also my winter audax bike, thus the 2x with campy cranks. The purple is lovely in the flesh. The picture was on the gravel sportive. I enjoy it for gravel and winter road rides.
Panda
Does anyone know if the stated weight of 1.69kg is frame and fork or just frame. One seems quite heavy the other quite light.
I have one to replace a stolen Kinesis Crosslight.
Used for commuting, New Forest gravel, club runs and touring (bike packing bags but in hotels)
Runs equally well on 40c nanos and 28mm GP5000s...
(if i can get images to work, that's it dressed for touring)
If you are in the New Forest, happy to let you meet it if you leave a child/car as deposit....
EDIT - re weight - no idea re F&F but as above is about 14kgs with 40c nanos and bags packed for 5 days, tool bottle full, drinks empty
ps yeah gravel needs weeding and bike in the wrong gear etc, but I was more keen to go ride than sort those things...
Those both look nice, thanks for the feedback all.14kg loaded is less than my current bike I think. The frame weight will be without fork. The fork fitted is 600g ISH according to Columbus I think. The quoted weight is inline with my hup Evo CX which is pretty light for alloy.
I've got one, 1x grx 11 speed, hunt 4s gravel wheels, use carbon bars, 3t carbon post, San Marco saddle, -17 stem.
It is firm/focused/fast, it's like riding a road bike that can go on gravel if that makes sense. It rewards effort like a road road racing bike and feels better when you push on. It's not a bimbler.
I used it as a while as a winter road bike but ended up deciding I much prefer a proper road bike with guards on the road all the time as I didn't like the gravel/road compromise.
A very timely thread, I'm currently on a Tripster AT that I use as both my gravel and road bike, and whilst it does both of those just fine I can't but help thinking that I might be better off on the GX Race, and that price at Win Stanley's looks unbeatable for new, I'm very tempted.
I'm sure it was about 1800g frame only.
It's ok weight wise but looks pretty chunky around the BB chainstay area etc so it's like they have focused on a balance rather than outright weight saving.
It is firm/focused/fast, it's like riding a road bike that can go on gravel if that makes sense. It rewards effort like a road road racing bike and feels better when you push on. It's not a bimbler.
This sounds ideal. I don't do much bimbling