Lets have a "show off your gravel bike" thread.

Some lovely rides here….where can I get some of those satori MTB drops in the UK?

Some really nice bikes on here. Really like those Norco Search. Stoney, your’s is a delight – love it. Bumper your pics make me want to get out for a weekend.

DSCN9560 by james*o[/url], on Flickr

My current dirt tourer on some Italian military roads a few weeks back.

DSCN0105 by james*o[/url], on Flickr

james*o, is that a new bike you are testing or a cobbled together frame fork and bits? 650b tyres? Like the pics on your flickr, looked like a great trip. Anymore news on the Pinnacle bikes 2016 range?

overnighter in Wales

Jupiter, yes to both new testing and cobbled together, just trying some things out of personal interest at this stage.
Pinnacle ’16, won’t hijack here but will be up on the Evans site unfashionably late, later in Aug. Or early Sept, post Eurobike.

Out and about on the Gower yesterday.

Any recommendations for some flared drops? Fancy a bit more control when hurling myself down rocky descents.

Salsa Cowbell 2’s?

+1 cowbell
Ali – is That Pwll Du? (spelling!!)

As an aside, readers may be interested to hear that Spesh are now doing a Fatboy slick in a 700xlots size with skinwalls! Only available in the US at the moment, I believe. Might be trying some as a winter road basher.

Skinwall tyres are just betterer.

Are 29er gravel roaders allowed in here?

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

Yes JohnC, that’s an interesting bike..

Tell us more 😀

Hell, yes, John!

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.

Some nice bikes on here. A question for those posting bikes with tubs- do you actually take them out for long rides?? I’d love to use my cx more than for racing but I’m scared sh1tless about getting a puncture even a few miles from home… No way to repair on the fly right??

Use open Tub’s then?

bikebouy – Member

Yes JohnC, that’s an interesting bike..

Tell us more

Travers Rudy 29er http://www.traversbikes.com/travers-frames.html

Lauf Trail Racer forks http://www.laufforks.com/

Genetic Digest bars http://www.ison-distribution.com/english/product.php?part=HBGED44K

2 x 10 set up
Stans Flow rims
Brooks Cambium saddle

Use open Tub’s then?

Apart from the grocers apostrophe, this is good advice!

I’ve pair of Soma Junebugs for flared drops.

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

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

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…

(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.

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.)

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 CFH, is exactly what it’s about.

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)

So I’m sporting now slightly upgraded Plug 3.

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.

franki, we’re on the same page here.

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.