Well, I don't race on gravel, but the sensation of speed is pleasing to me and I like to push my performance at times. So I'm out.
But I can't see how a three speed hub is going to be any good. When I was in the Cairngorms this year I found lots of gravel roads in the bottoms of valleys which would have been fine, but down here the valley floors are full.of towns so the gravel and lanes go up the sides and are frequently very steep. I might have been persuaded if I were a hipster and it had proper gears. And proper brakes since the lanes are steep on the way down too.
molgrips
....And proper brakes since the lanes are steep on the way down too.
I like the feel of winding a bike out too, so I know what you mean. It's pretty hard to beat.
The number of gears is a personal preference, and the 3 speed hub is well proven, but I am surprised that Pashley didn't offer the 5 speed hub with its wider range.
I find the problem on steep gravel isn't usually gearing, but traction. That's the limitation on my 3 speed Pompino with 38mm tyres when I hit the steep stuff. I haven't ridden in your neck of the woods but there's some reasonably steep stuff up here north of the Cairngorms.*
I use the same drum brakes on the bike I usually race in the StrathPuffer. They are perfectly adequate for the job, and have very nice modulation, and that is an advantage for descending on steep loose gravel. I haven't found anything I'm prepared to ride down where the brakes are a limitation.
Like most cable brakes, how good they are really depends on the quality of the levers and cables used. Sort that out, and they are perfectly ok..
*Ironically our local group of Rod-brake Roadster Randonneurs have settled on the Cairngorms to get a decently long gravel loop because it's not too steep for some of the [s]less fit riders[/s] older bikes.
I find the problem on steep gravel isn’t usually gearing, but traction.
Interesting point there because I find having been riding 1x9 lately that the worse the surface the lower gear you can get away with. Gradients I could easily handle by standing up and heaving on the bars on smooth terrain become impossible on loose stuff as doing so means I have to put my weight far forward which means less weight on the back and it spins. So on better trails I could probably get away with lower gears.
Of course I can hover my bum over the saddle to get my weight back but it's much harder work than properly standing up at low cadences.
