[Closed] Lets have a "show off your gravel bike" thread.

Pardon my ignorance but what are open tubs? Do they fit on tubular rims?
Thanks.

Better off without. Open tubs ride nicely but don't run tubless which is part of the reason to use tubs. Less punctures.
Tubs do tend to puncture less than clinchers in my experience but understand that CX tubs are for CX not roughstuffing. They are narrow, 33m isn't it maximum.
I just carry a spare. An old one will be sticky enough at stretched accordingly.

separate thread about flared drops from a couple of weeks ago with some suggestions

[url] http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/gravel-bikes-cx-stylee-flared-drops-suggestions [/url]

Something to consider:

With 'normal' drops you can often ride through those annoying cycle-path chav-gates. Flared drops may well mean a dis-mount.

(I'm flare curious, but there are too many of the aforementioned width restrictions on my commute.)

mattsccm - Member
...Tubs do tend to puncture less than clinchers in my experience but understand that CX tubs are for CX not roughstuffing. They are narrow, 33m isn't it maximum....

I used to tour in the Oz outback on tubs. 🙂

But that was back in the 70s, and the real reason was the the rims were stronger. A 100miles from anywhere a bent rim is a deal breaker, but a puncture is just an inconvenience.

These days rims are great, and there's no way I'd bother with tubs.

But I reckon most of these gravel bikes are missing the point, their tyres are too narrow. Just get a 29er frame and set it up with road gear and 2.35" Big Apples. That's my current setup, and it's the best of all worlds - ride 20 to 30 miles, see an interesting track, end up on the other side of the mountain, and ride home on the road.

eg take yesterday's "road" ride...

[img] [/img]

(and it got worse 🙂 )

ahwiles - Member
Something to consider:
With 'normal' drops you can often ride through those annoying cycle-path chav-gates. Flared drops may well mean a dis-mount.
(I'm flare curious, but there are too many of the aforementioned width restrictions on my commute.)

I've got salsa cowbell 3s(I think) on my Vaya, they fit through those gate things you mean. Never understood the appeal of this type of bar until I tried them. Absolutely love them now.

ahwiles - Member
...With 'normal' drops you can often ride through those annoying cycle-path chav-gates. Flared drops may well mean a dis-mount.

I'm using narrow bars for similar reasons - there's more places you can squeeze through. The only place it is a disadvantage is if I try to ride technical stuff, but when the bike is set up for road, I'm crap on that anyway.

@epicyclo, those are some massive trees. Where was it?
FWIW I use my CX race bike for road/mixed rides with Grifo XS 34 tubs. The times it becomes an issue are down to the combination of my lack of testicular fortitude and canti brakes on carbon rim when on XC descents.
[img] [/img]
Notice lever application and zero retardation.

Oh and on wet road rides, see previous ref. carbon rims and cantis.
If it's a long (3+hour) ride then it's hydrabak, otherwise it's a bottle stuffed in a jersey pocket.
Another Salsa Cowbell 3 owner here.

Shedbrewed - looks like a familiar Spam winter final descent there.

Got my fastest finish last year, first time off-road on cowbell 2s

Had a great week in Snowdonia, putting the GT Grade through its paces.
I'm much impressed with the off-road capability. Decided to run Schwalbe Landcruisers and can report no punctures or cuts and they gripped pretty well on all surfaces I encountered. 🙂
(No issues with the wheels either Sofaking and it's had a good hammering now.)
[img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0YxaHNraPwL0V8GEafZXYjwm52cOWHFCgDYSm8fJ2HA=w685-h913-no [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nnRyu4BQxpFdr8ACC06BHGR_3fcvtxftdjoqNPnxd0Q=w1218-h913-no [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0qXQi45JxaivMzCL-9_2VhiyJHzX--d8ny4NYwq659M=w1218-h913-no [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vjZ4Nv7zwohWFV2RccBevkKznT0-F9yEC046oxvhA9E=w1218-h913-no [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/j4nBIGMdmCTNwGidJvbUW_rUEauU_oXubzf0oEA3pgA=w1218-h913-no [/img]

Im having a rethink on tyres now i think schwalbe marathons or mondials should be up the the job and provide enough of a grip off road/rolling resistance on road/puncture protection

The thing about these bikes to me is that they almost go back to what mountain biking/riding was all about for me when I got in to it.

Get on bike. Go. Explore. See what's out there, up that lane, along that bridleway. Over that hill. Just going out and riding. Not busting phatt movezz on da jumps or schralping teh gnat. Riding. Just plain, simple, brilliant riding.

This weekend I wanted to go for a bike ride, I didn't know where but I knew I didn't want to smash out Strava PB's. So I took my Gravel Grinder/Gnarmac/tourer out and just rode. I did some lovely canal towpaths, some quiet lanes, a few bridleways and even a bit a cheeky singletrack. It was awesome, not fast, just awesome. I'll be doing much more of this.

Agreed Lunge.
Mountainbiking in the main, has moved so far from what attracted me to it in the 80s. Even Singletrack Mag. has gone more and more Enduro and less relevant to me.
Adventure / Gravel Biking has reminded me how much I love cycling and exploring in the countryside.

Hi,

Peugeot died in commuting crash a month ago (Rust in Peace)

[img] [/img]

So I'm sporting now slightly upgraded Plug 3.

[img] [/img]

Here on the way to Meadowhall and then to Whancliffe.

Cheers!
I.

Took the tcx around swinley yesterday, had a blast - a fun duel with another rider on their cx bike.

Must say the lats,shoulders,forearms,wrists & hands still achey from roots,ruts,large stones etc - the labyrinth was a test to ride quickly with no suspension and low volume tyres!

Regarding flared bars - the Grade has own-brand Droptune bars with 14 degree flare.
Initially I didn't like them (having only ridden "proper" road bike drops before,) but the extra width, elbows out position really proved itself on the looser, more technical sections of descents last week. I'm not sure I'd want any more width / flare though, as the drops are nearly on the limit of what I find comfy on the road.

Mountainbiking in the main, has moved so far from what attracted me to it in the 80s. Even Singletrack Mag. has gone more and more Enduro and less relevant to me.
Adventure / Gravel Biking has reminded me how much I love cycling and exploring in the countryside.

I don't live near any gnar/enduro type trails and I have no interest in driving to ride. When I was a kid I got on my bike at the front door and rode off, that riding generally involved a few roads, some bridleways around the fields, maybe the odd play in the forest. It was, and still is, awesome. I could take a 6" travel bike around my local trails but it would kill them and make them dull, even my 140mm hardtail felt overbiked for some of it.

This whole gravel/gnarmac/all-road/whatever marketing term you care for thing has really hit a chord with me. As someone who has all but given up on off-road riding this may just save me from the darkside.

Mountainbiking in the main, has moved so far from what attracted me to it in the 80s. Even Singletrack Mag. has gone more and more Enduro and less relevant to me.
Adventure / Gravel Biking has reminded me how much I love cycling and exploring in the countryside.

This +1 🙂

I think it's probably worthy of a whole new thread !

Ali - is That Pwll Du? (spelling!!)
I can answer for him that it is. I was also there yesterday - bloody busy (unsurprisingly given the weather). The climb up the other side is a bvgg€r, not sure if it's even possible to ride it clean

Cheers Ferrals....
This indeed Pwlldu. The climb the other side is nigh on impossible so it's usually bike up onto the shoulder and a brisk jog. Or....a sneaky ride along the footpath up Bishopston valley to meet the bridleway.

the latter being my favourite!

edit. the other good option is down the backingstone lane bridleway from pyle corner and up the other side.

Cfh +many

I think we all think the same thing here don't we. Bikes and fun. 😆

I've been tempted on occasion to go to Swinley, not quite managed it but do fancy a pootle'age around the Surrey Hills off road..

Any takers for this? Be nice to get a few of us out..

Anyhoos, not wanting to spoil our party here but anyone been over to grit.cx lately ??

I use Grit.cx from time to time, but the forum is a bit quiet.

oxym0r0n - Member
Shedbrewed - looks like a familiar Spam winter final descent there.
Got my fastest finish last year, first time off-road on cowbell 2s
POSTED 2 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Yup. Shortly after that I went straight into the brambles, cracking bit of target fixation on my part.
Only the second time I've done it but enjoyed it.

I love this thread

I use Grit.cx from time to time, but the forum is a bit quiet.

Quiet is a bit of an understatement, it's virtually dead over there with 2 posts in the past 5 days!

I've just had a quick look on the site and despite being a subscriber I never realised that they were up to issue 5 with the magazine as I don't think I bothered downloading it after issue one.
It's a shame as I had fairly high hopes for the site and the magazine but it's never really happened.

I ride my cx bike round the Surrey Hills pretty much every weekend, we could arrange a Saturday or Sunday meet (9am-ish, returning about 4pm)? Maybe do the full "mixed-surface" ride and start and finish in, say, Richmond-upon-Thames? Might be a long day, but its perfectly possible (no faffing, mind).

I've only the one 'all rounder' so if has to do the commute, the road runs with the road group I go out with, some easier st stuff, big sky bridleway cruising days and as above sometimes I like to just go for a ride with a bit of everything. My stock Boardman CX won't win any prizes against the fancy stuff in this thread but in smiles per mile per pound spent it's already close to my best ever bike. Already starting to contemplate a frame transplant for something a bit fancier.

Fancy that aP! would prefer to meet outside of London from my point of view though!.

Anyone fancy doing an Isle of Wight ride this Sunday?

Saw this on sister site Grit and have put an order in:
http://grit.cx/news/2015/08/lindarets-roadlink-affordable-wide-range-gearing

Was aware of the goat link for mtb but this seems great for a light loaded hilly tour I have planned. Also good as I have lots of 10s mechs and my 9spd xt that was used for bigger cassette time has died.

^^ I'd buy one of those but they don't make em' to fit SRAM 😐

As for the Surrey Hills ride, I'd be up for that 😀 I'd offer up we meet at 1030 though, near some cafe or other then ride out, stop for tea, hack back for 1600.. ( that's my itinerary for most long'ish days out 😆 )

The thing about these bikes to me is that they almost go back to what mountain biking/riding was all about for me when I got in to it.

I was thinking the same thing too the other day out on my "gravel" bike it suddenly reminded me of trundling about Dorset forests and bridleways on a diamondback ascent during my youth and all the long trips I was going to do with my bike (and never did)...

I kind of view my MTB a bit differently now, it's more for quick and easy thrills than the whole explore and adventure side of things... Gravel/CX/Gnarmac whatever the buzzword dejour might be drop-bared offroad capable bikes are definitely a winner for me, but I think maybe it's something I had to sort of "grow into"...

they almost go back to what mountain biking/riding was all about for me when I got in to it.

ATBS, all good.

[IMG] [/IMG]

As for the Surrey Hills ride, I'd be up for that I'd offer up we meet at 1030 though, near some cafe or other then ride out, stop for tea, hack back for 1600.. ( that's my itinerary for most long'ish days out

I'd be keen for this too. Live in peaslake so would join somewhere along your route, poss cycling out to meet you as you come up from London. Summer lightening on leith is good fun on a cross bike, as are some of the peaslake trails so happy to navigate round those sections if required.

The thing about these bikes to me is that they almost go back to what mountain biking/riding was all about for me when I got in to it.

Yeah this, i started riding in 91, my 1st bike had 1.75 inch tyres so not a huge amount bigger than the 41mm tyres my Salsa came with, also if you want to ride dirt around here ( Leics ) you need to ride plenty of tarmac to link it all up and moutain bikes are very tedious on the road, so the Salsa makes a lot of sense to me, you do have to be careful on wooded single track though.

shedbrewed - Member
@epicyclo, those are some massive trees. Where was it?

Between Conon Bridge and Muir of Ord. It's an old forest, but the winter gales flattened a lot of trees, so they've come in and done the lot. There's 50 rings visible on those logs.

just posting here to keep in touch with this thread as i contemplate n+1
🙂

We could meet @ Giro in Esher for essential coffee, cakes £12,500 bike purchases....

Here's my newly completed Salsa Fargo. Sorry its not photographed in it natural habitat!
Really looking forward to getting it muddy![URL= http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b589/christoflatham/41C4E222-09AB-48BE-95E3-FCE085F3D504_zpsxfyop4bf.jp g" target="_blank">http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b589/christoflatham/41C4E222-09AB-48BE-95E3-FCE085F3D504_zpsxfyop4bf.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Here's my newly completed Salsa Fargo

looks like will be lots of fun - I'm no geek - whats the chainset? doesn't look like a road standard

This morning's ride, my first col. Not the biggest, but it was hard enough.

[img] https://goo.gl/photos/HmJcESuNNbMtZsaR9 [/img]

Aargh, can't get the image to work from my phone!!!!

Slightly surprised I've not punted mine up in this thread. Here it is last year, midway through a roads, byways and pubs trundle round Hertforshire last year with The Lovely Wife. Currently on CX Speeds, also worn GP4S and Thunder Burts. The bike, not the wife.

[img] [/img]

antigee

Its a MTB SRAM S1000 chainset. It is essentially a 29er MTB frame and will as such, only that a MTB crankset

christof - Member
antigee

Its a MTB SRAM S1000 chainset.

cheers will look at the options on that run 9 speed triple mtb/touring on my pro6 but want to go 10 speed