[Closed] Dirty reiver - Salsa vaya/fargo, jamis renegade, sonder camino al ?

All of them will get you around the Reiver course just fine.

Just get the pretty looking one.

All of them will get you around the Reiver course just fine.

true but they are slightly different bikes.

Vaya has longer chainstays; and is more tourer than cross on the gravel scale.  Personally I was never in love with my vaya and i replaced it with a cross bike due to it feeling slow.

I suppose my thought process is that if i get some thing more akin to cx bike then its not going to offer much different to my other bikes outside the reiver (carbon road bike, steel road bike, HT) . And due to my portly proporsions (FB), i want something relaxed and comfortable that will get me to the finish before cutoff. Also planning on doing maybe the gravel dash and grinduro type events.

the jamis is the most CX like on your list. Also consider 650b tyres - that'll be quite different to the road bikes.

Yes, had pretty much sold myself on the jamis a couple of weeks ago, but then the vaya deals came into play (and they are pretty) but the el camino is getting such good reviews also.

What were the issues with the vaya? Was it too heavy or more the geometry? Was it the steel fork version?

Really like the idea of 650b, seems a more comfy option from what ive read

Fire roads...lots of them, some go up, some come down. Some could be tramlined from timber extraction. The material they use for building the roads is big and lumpy if you arent on the swept line....So you want a bike that can deal with all of this, I`d suggest a 100mm full suss trail bike maybe a 29er even, but thats me.

Oh bloody hell, thats confused matters! As much as i would love a full suss a big reason i decided against my HT was that i thought it would be hard work having a bike with suspension with all the climbing.  I shall take those wide words and research some more (obviously getting some miles under my belt in between research as im more than aware its my legs that will be one of the most important components on the day, along with my mind!)

There is an ns rag+ in for sale section ?

Specialized Diverge

I’m not doing the dirty reiver but have just built a Vaya with 650b and absolutely love it

[IMG] [/IMG]

Thats a beauty fudge!

Very similar to what i was thinking, i think im going vaya just cant decide weather the carbon fork version would be a better choice at £599 over the complete build with steel fork at £720 (although with claris). I can steal the 105 group off another bike either way, thinking maybe slx rear derailleur & cassette using a wolftooth tanpan to use with 105.

How do you find the weight and how does she climb?

I bought the frame  and built it up from parts off a 2017 caadx

spec is

Full 5800 105 drivetrain 50/34  chainset

Hope pro 4 hubs on WTB Sti25 rims

Wtb byways tubeless

Salsa Carbon seatpost

Salsa Cowchippers

Candy pedals

To be honest the bike is faster than I expected it to be but damn is it comfortable! Climbs really well and here in Northern Ireland near the Mourne Mountains I’ve not struggled yet. I do plan to build up another set of wheels in 700c for just fast road days , with regard to the weight I haven’t weighed it yet but it’s as light as my Cannondale Caadx was 😀

Its definitely a bike I won’t be selling !!!

Would definitely recommend one.

Thanks Fudge, cracking build.  Going to price up some bits and decide either way today. Think the carbon fork version looks more 'gravel' and very tempted now ive seen how good yours looks and how impressed youve been. The only thing pushing me towards the steel for is the extra compliance on the rough stuff, although it may well be worth losing that for the weight saving and thru axle.

Ride anything that you feel comfortable being on all day.

More than one hand position

TUBELESS!

Good spread of gears.

Retro steel mtb with bar ends and large volume semislick tyres converted to tubeless?

; )

Moorsey that was my thought process too, as much as I liked the caadx I did want a steel frame cx/gravel/road bike. I’ve had numerous steel hard tails and loved them so hankered for a steel frame and I missed out on a couple of Vayas on the forum so when this was reduced it was a no brainier!

Also the Vaya with two wheel sets gives me so much versatility here where I ride.

Try5 - good call, looking forward to the day now just need to get comfy on the chosen steed now! retro steel mtb, pure class 🙂

Same thoughts fudge, im never going to be on the podium so its all about loving the ride, which i seem to do that little bit more on my steel bikes

Get the RAG+ from the classifieds (cough) 😉