Hi all – finding myself really enjoying the road miles currently so I’d like to to build a proper road bike.
I can repurpose a lot of my gravel bike (and i always like to custom build) so any ideas for a cheap frameset?

I really want to be able to run big tyres (28, 30mm?) and it must be disc brake. I love steel bikes but presume cheap steel is gonna be weighty, in which case I may aswell just keep my gravel bike.

Other option is one of these and swap my 11speed hydraulic 105 stuff over? Is it a bit weighty though?

https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bike/equilibrium-disc-10

This being the obvious place to look:
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FTPXPCEVOD/planet-x-pro-carbon-evo-disc-frameset

Anyone know if it will take 30mm tyres? Is that a bit big? (my 42c gravel tyres are the skinniest ive ever owned!).

@eddiebaby bought one of these recently and might by able to shed some light on max tyre size, but at ~408mm chain stay length, I’d be surprised if a true 30mm tyre would fit (my Cube has 415mm stays and could just about squeeze a true 32mm in, an oversize 28mm GP4000S II fits fine).

If you’re only going down to 30mm, I’d just get some nice wheels for your gravel bike unless it’s a tank? Is it more along the lines of a cross bike with a smattering more tyre clearance, or a slacked out mostercross? If the former, just get some lighter wheels or 32mm tyres on your exiting ones.

Speed difference is only about 5% between by road bike and my cross bike, although they feel very different, to the extent that there’s at least one set of corners on a regular route I can fly round on the road bike (it’s a downhill strava segment) , but the cross bike is significantly off the pace, it’s just lazier tipping it into turns. And I don’t tend to take the cross bike on long road rides, so that 5% is working hard to keep up with the road bike, the gap would widen if I tried to do a century on it.

I’ve got (measured) 27mm tyres on my road bike and there’s ‘clearance’ between the tyre and the front mech band. I don’t think any sporty bike is going to take a 30mm tyre, you’ll have to look at something a bit more relaxed, something from the sportive or ‘all-road’ (other marketing terms are available to cover those bikes which aren’t quite gravel bikes but can probably handle the odd sustrans path) end of things.

If you can stretch the budget, a friend has one of the PX titanium frames built up. It is a thing of beauty.

I don’t think any sporty bike is going to take a 30mm tyre

A Specialized Tarmac SL6 disc frame will easily take a measured 32mm tyre on a 22mm internal rim. Not exactly budget though.

I’ve got a PX pro carbon evo and I really don’t think it would take 30mm tyres. Reckon 28 would be a push. I’m running 25’s at the moment and there’s not that much room left.

I bought my son a pinnacle dolomite frame set from Evans for £175, alu frame and carbon forks, that will take 32’s I think.

I reckon 25s are the safe max on 18mm internal rims. These are Schwalbe Pro Ones.

Max tyre size for Planet X Pro Carbon Evo disc

I have a caad12 disc frameset in my basement that I never got around to building up if 54cm fits you?

I have a caad12 disc frameset in my basement that I never got around to building up if 54cm fits you?

Have sent you a PM about this although your PM seems to be Joseph and not Continuity.  I’m not sure the CAAD12 has the tyre clearance that the op mentions.

Thanks

Chris

I’d checkout the Ribble Alloy endurance frames – I’ve got one for a winter bike and really rate it – you can get a ‘raod’ one that’ll do 28s without mudguards, or I think they basically do the same kinda bike in a CX version that’ll take a lot more tyre width.

What do you consider budget?

I was looking at disc road bikes recently and ended up with a complete new-old-stock Boardman.

But secondhand was also an option.

Whats the “gravel” bike?

Most have fractional differences from standard road geometry anyway unless its an evil ch.

Just swap the tyres for some slicks and slam the stem.

I’d seriously consider wheels and tyres for your gravel bike unless it’s some sort of fairly extreme gravel bike. I think you’d likely notice more difference in wheels and tyres than a road specific frame.

What’s your current gravel bike?

Most have fractional differences from standard road geometry anyway unless its an evil ch.

It varies, but there’s lots of <71deg HA gravel bikes which is the point at which Id start to think of them as slack-er than a cross bike (and a lot slacker than a road bike).

Id ride my cross bike with big slicks on the road if it was my only bike, but its like comparing a sports car (lotus elise?) with a sporty car (mondeo st220?). Its quick, but not that quick.

Well a cyclo cross bike will have a high BB too which will make you feel slower

Most “gravel” geo keeps the bb low like a road bike

yeah more modern gravel may have a slightly slacker ha, most don’t still though

gravel will likely have longer stays like a touring bike, which will make a difference

road frame will be a little lighter and maybe flexier