Middle_oab is not into his MTb, but does enjoy forest paths, easy blues, touring on road for a day, summers evening out to local villages on back roads etc. His favourite bike is our old Specialized hybrid on really skinny tyres until we hit potholes.

He also has managed to get school to agree that DofE silver and gold exped can be on a bike with some friends.

I may also be the same size and expect to share and use it for commuting.

I will keep him a cheap MTB for occasional days / younger brother will grow into.

So, suggest me some do it all bikes, gravel if you will. Boardman or Voodoo have some cheap deals at the moment, wiggle the Varenti Adventure Road range or Kona Rove DL, Evans a couple of Fuji or Pinnacles. Ideal bike is a Cannondale Slate with lefty – we like the idea of some Cush.

He is 6′ and growing at 15. Ideally on C2W or 0%, or if under £600 I will just buy and pay off.

Thoughts and suggestions.

Bump

Question – what hub spacing do these things have? Specifically a Kona Rove. I’ve a spare set of 650 wheels (Mavic Crossmax XL) that I’m wondering would just slot in as gnarly off road wheels…

Has it got to be a flat bar bike? Would a cyclocross bike with hydraulic discs do the job?

The Rove AL is drop bar, mechanical discs.

It’s CX but more laid back geometry, lower BB. The posher model with same frame is sold with 650 and phat tyres.

Just strikes me that the spare wheels, rotors and cassette I have could mean we have ‘rough road’ and ‘off-road’ mode at swap of wheels….

Kona Rove.

The only bits of the Rove I am not sure on:
– Claris shifters – are they not the ones with the odd hidden button for gears that you cannot operate from down on the drops?
– poop glittery brown or black as frame colours….

The nice bit: GoOutdoors will do it on 20% discount (maybe 30%…)

Any suggestions for lighter, disk braked, drop bar bike that can also take my spare 650b wheels with chunkier tyres (ideally 15mm bolt through at front)?

Sonder Camino Al ?