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Ah, these bikes are to make really shitey boring places seem interesting? Get ye now.
and the bike being discussed is completely wrong for gravel like that above
these bikes are all too niche, and are trying to force a need in the market where non exists. I'm a personal fan of the cannondale slate but recognise that it has a really limited appeal. Even cannondale recognised that when they stopped bringing it to the UK.
Lauff found a gap in the market and have exploited it well. I don't rate it as a fork at all but applaud what they have done.
"Ah, these bikes are to make really shitey boring places seem interesting? Get ye now."
to be fair if you find any part of being outdoors in the fresh air "shitey and boring" you clearly have issues
Bike wise, its not for me, but bombtrack do make some lovely bikes and its always good to see folks trying different things. Jeesus remember the gnashing of teeth and wailing over disc brakes, 29ers, oval chainrings etc.
For a supposedly wild out-there Adrenalin fueled kind of peoples desperate to wear pseudo motocross kit and be gnarrcore to the max, mountain bikes are some of the conservative, unimaginative sheep 🙂
where the **** do these endless miles of actual gravel exist
Shit loads around here near Newbury, on the Ridgeway etc.
For “gravel” riding on the UK, I’m struggling to see the disadvantages of an XC MTB.
Ride I did of around 70km the other day had about 30km on "gravel" these tracks would have been dull as **** on an mtb and the road bits purgatory. As it was I had a great time. Till a wasp flew in my helmet and stung me!!
Rush hour!!
Are folk on here still getting hot under the collar about what and where other people ride?
What a waste of time/effort.
Are folk on here still getting hot under the collar about what and where other people ride?
What a waste of time/effort.
seems to me folks are commenting on the real world usefulness of a newly launched bike.
In terms of time and effort it's just words typed on the internet. so exactly as useful, if not more so, than your useful comment above.
You're not wrong jonnyboi. Tazzy has it though - conservative bunch on here.
Personally, I much prefer the look and spec of www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13088069 Salsa Cutthroat.
Way beyond a bike budget I expect to have anytime soon!
Thing is, for some 'gravel' I could happily ride my Brompton along on that. For other 'gravel' I'd want a MTB
It's quite a broad spectrum, to me it's anything from slightly broken tarmac through to farmers double track
I do 1.6 miles of 'gravel' on the way home, it's on an arkose with 32c marathon plus tyres. It's fine, but it is bumpy. I haven't tried it on my Brompton, it's smooth and comfy as anything on a rigid MTB. I've seen hybrids, MTBs and the odd road bike on this 'gravel' section
Atlaz
I’m holding out for Super-Mega-Turbo Gravel, myself.
Been there, done that 7 years ago... 🙂
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Ride I did of around 70km the other day had about 30km on “gravel” these tracks would have been dull as **** on an mtb and the road bits purgatory.
Road isn't purgatory on the right MTB, it can be just fine. I've ridden a lot in the Ridgeway area and I much prefer my rigid 29er over a drop bar hybrid. I wouldn't fancy a gravel bike there myself but I'm not going to beat you up over it 🙂
@epicyclo - not a lot of clearance on that front!
With respect, you can’t be riding very far or fast on average ‘gravel’ tracks and forest roads if 25C is still comfy or doesn’t pinch flat? I’d kill my 25mm road bike wheels or I’d loose ability to grip the bars if I took it to Wales or similar to ride service roads.
No I don't ride that far, around 20 miles of gravel on a typical ride. I do ride fast though. I don't find gravel roads any less comfortable than rough tarmac roads as the surface is softer and it moves rather than being solid broken tarmac.
I also don't pinch flat as my tyres are pumped up fairly hard and as I said I didn't really notice any drop in comfort from when I used 38c.
As for killing your road bike wheels, they are a long stronger than you think and I have been riding gravel roads on road bike wheels for 15 years with no issues whatsoever.
Road isn’t purgatory on the right MTB, it can be just fine.
In your opinion, not mine.
I’ve ridden a lot in the Ridgeway area and I much prefer my rigid 29er over a drop bar hybrid. I wouldn’t fancy a gravel bike there myself
Your opinion, not mine.
Maybe if I had a rigid 29er I'd ride that but I dont I have a gravel bike that suits 95% of the riding I do these days if I swap tyres about once in a while. It does solo road rides, group road rides, touring, cx races and the gravel/mixed surface arsing around rides I like to do.
In your opinion, not mine.
What bike, out of interest?
I'm not anti-gravel bike. I like them, I'd have one if I had space and money, however I'd mostly use it on rough tarmac for me as like people have said, there's not that much proper gravel round my way. Of course, if the only choices were gravel bike and long travel FS, the choice would be different, but if I were buying either rigid 29er or gravel bike, for mixed on/off road riding, down here the choice is clear IMO.
Been there, done that 7 years ago
10 years ago for me. 😛
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3128/2750617436_5f627e9789_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3128/2750617436_5f627e9789_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/5c4CJy ]2008_0810fodniche0056[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
What bike, out of interest?
Specialized Diverge.
The thing that I dont get is that people see Gravel bikes as niche or limited whereas I see it as a jack of all trades, true it doesnt master much but it does lots of things well enough.
Nobeerinthefridge - That bit was absolutely bloody horrid. And, yes, boring.
I think the same of my 29er 🙂
You can clearly ride the terrain a gravel bike is good for on any bike.
If one person prefers a gravel bike and another a mountain bike I am not sure what the issue is. Unless you are in a race where you would pick the fastest bike for the situation just ride what you like riding.
I am not sure what the issue is.
There isn't one! All bikes are good, the market will dictate if the OP's bike will be successful or not. Buy what you want, ride what you want.
singlespeedstu
10 years ago for me.
Ah, but that's just ordinary gravel with skinny 2" tyres, not real hyper-gravel with 4" tyres. 🙂
I was toying with the idea of getting a rufty tufty racer style bike to save the FS from unsuitable miles but was concerned it would not be suitable for the likes of me due to my hallion tendicies, but...
...As ugly as this thing is (no offence) it gives me inspiration to do something along these lines with my 456 Summer Season half-bike that's hanging up in the shed (just need forks/front wheel and stem i think) instead.
A few Q's for those who have made their own bike like the above...
Can you run normal mtb brakes levers with bars like that?
Any ideas where i can get 26" rigid forks for a reasonable price (note: i don't have the ebay/paypal)
(If anyone is selling the above bits feel free to message me)
Ta
If its a specific bike for that set up, maybe, judging by the amount of steerer spacers used, they've spec'd too short a head tube on it.
..... or you could run it as is, and add riser drop bars to tick another niche box.
…As ugly as this thing is (no offence) it gives me inspiration to do something along these lines with my 456 Summer Season half-bike that’s hanging up in the shed (just need forks/front wheel and stem i think) instead.
A few Q’s for those who have made their own bike like the above…
Can you run normal mtb brakes levers with bars like that?
haha none taken ! It's actually great fun and perfect bikepacking bike for me
that there above has a 27.5 2.8 upfront rather than a 26, was a 29 upfront for a while for extra goofy points
if you want to use normal mtb levers then a pair of mary bars upside down is pretty comfy, yes I did this for a while, same bike years ago with 26" front wheel...or look at soma sparrow bars they will take mtb levers
unless it's a 16" summer season frame then you might be able to tempt me with it 😉
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1866/43524388924_8ab820be7b_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1866/43524388924_8ab820be7b_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/29j6SsG ]DSC02959[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152483482@N05/ ]Shawn McFarlane[/url], on Flickr
I’m a personal fan of the cannondale slate but recognise that it has a really limited appeal. Even cannondale recognised that when they stopped bringing it to the UK.
The problem with the Slate was road bike gearing and fragile tyres. I've got one and attended to the above and it is a fantastic bike. Probably my most used bike at the moment, it is just a shame that cannondale didn't recognise that with a couple of tweaks you have a great bike for the UK.
There isn’t one!
No issue to you or me perhaps but seeing there is a fair amount of anti-gravel bike shit every week then clearly an issue for many people.
As for killing your road bike wheels, they are a long stronger than you think and I have been riding gravel roads on road bike wheels for 15 years with no issues whatsoever.
Fair enough, and as you say road bikes were used as 'gravel' bikes long before all this stared up. I guess it depends on the gravel roads, as does so much of this. I'd just pinch flat and ding rims too much on the byways and tracks I think of when people talk about 'gravel'. But US county roads can be better to ride than most tarmac lanes around here.
The main reason I see some benefit in big tyres (or a sus fork, though not my cuppa) is for the long rides that make these bikes interesting for me. Linking lanes and byways has been a big part of why my rides got longer over the last few years. I guess if I lived somewhere with more MTB terrain I'd ride all day/weekend on that when I could.
to be fair if you find any part of being outdoors in the fresh air “shitey and boring” you clearly have issues
That's right up there with 'all riding bikes is good' in the bullshit bingo stakes.
Pedaling up a dull fire road might be great because it's 'outdoors' to some people. To others, who like a bit more excitement in a bike ride, it's probably shitey and boring. I know where I sit on the debate.
Horses for courses!
It's a great looking bike that will be perfect for some people in some places..
I have an arkose that is better on the road than any mountain bike I have ridden but not as good as a mountain bike on anything remotely rough.
I should imagine this would be much better off road than my arkose but still better than a mountain bike on roads.
It’s a great looking bike
No. It isn't.
perfect for some people in some places..
Yes.
Well I think it is,and so do others.
<div class="bbp-reply-author"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.8rem;">I like my gravel bike but that looks shit.</span></div>
It's like you read my mind.
As for suspension... Cannondale headshock would suit me for short travel .
PS: my phone still hates this forum...
As for suspension… Cannondale headshock would suit me for short travel .
My Diverge has a mighty 20mm of travel in a similar set up. It did seem odd that Canondale went with a lefty on the Slate.
Fair enough, and as you say road bikes were used as ‘gravel’ bikes long before all this stared up. I guess it depends on the gravel roads, as does so much of this. I’d just pinch flat and ding rims too much on the byways and tracks I think of when people talk about ‘gravel’.
The gravel I ride are the fire roads around the New Forest. They are certainly not heavily compacted US gravel and have a lot of loose stones, pot holes, ruts etc,.. I have never pinch flatted or dinged rims as I keep pressures high enough but punctures are very common so I have to use much tougher tyres than I would ideally like.
Because I only ride for a couple of hours comfort has never been an issue. I suppose it I road for 8 hours a day I may have a different choice of bike.
I’d just pinch flat and ding rims too much on the byways and tracks I think of when people talk about ‘gravel’.
High pressure and ride light, you'd be fine.