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

The Stradas are lovely, but on the road end of the gravel spectrum. Fine for mettalled road/track like those up on the Plain, but not as tough as a cross tyre proper.

Skinwalls ate making a comeback though, so watch this space for more choice.

@malvernrider – that looks like a sweet ride – they are not 26er road rims are they???

i had another thread up about building up classic road or mtb, and i was swinging to road, but seeing that pic above………….. 🙂

Thnks B2B 🙂

Ah, rims – they’re retro Sun Chinooks handbuilt on to some earlier more svelte XT hubs. Think they are lightweight MTB rims – I used to have some handbuilt CR18s on my old Rocky Mountain Thin Air and liked those very much so was delighted that these were available.

Not sure what I’d do if I was to start over, whether to go road or MTB, love the idea of discs too but tbh I haven’t suffered any with the Avid Vs for the use I give it. It was a lot of fun to build up and does the job with panache and comfort, can’t imagine getting rid. n+1

Build history and costings all here: (most pics sadly retired since imageshack changed)

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=101088&start=0

Received a really nice comment on the second page there from the Raleigh Special Products manager, chuffed to bits about that, I was.

^^Approved!^^

Back to tyres….

These look nice;
http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/new-express

And, from the people who make them;
Panracer Pasela

A little used bridleway type section from my commute into central London this morning. It’s a some but detour but it’s lovely. This is in zone 3

bikebouy – Member
Do you/anyone know of a “road” based tyre (no tread or just a very paired down tread ) with a width of 35mm’ish?…

Before I moved over to a roadified 29er, I liked Schwalbe Marathon Racers for gravel bike duties.

Schwalbe Marathon Plus here, bike is mainly a commuter

WTB Nano 40c came with the bike but barely used

I’d switch between if I could face taking the marathons off and on, they’re very tight!

Before I moved over to a roadified 29er, I liked Schwalbe Marathon Racers for gravel bike duties.

+1. Can’t fault them really. Never had a puncture in 5 years of use, roll fast at high pressures, good offroad at lower.

Has anyone spotted any shops with the new Schwalbe G-One in stock yet?

32mm marathon plus here too – bit on the narrow side maybe for some tastes but a good compromise for sealed roads and side walls don’t get worn thru and my skills are such that maintaining traction on steep ground isn’t a problem 8)

Tyres?

I’m a long time Pasela user but fitted the CAADX out with Durano’s. They are very light and zippy but have a belt for puncture protection. I’ve had 2 in ~2k miles; a big shard of glass and a big screw. Something really heavy might have stopped them but it’s unlikely. I’ll go for these again, they’re fantastic.

I’ve been using 35c Sammy Slicks for off road and they’re pretty swift off and on road and grip well. Obviously it’s been pretty dry this year (here at least) so they may well be crap in gloop.

Hi,

Vittoria Randonneur 28c for road duties and WTB Nano 40c front and Bontrager LT3 38c rear for off-roading on my Plug.

Cheers!
I.

Stopped for a spot of lunch today 😉

I do use XPlor 40 MSO’s but they’ve got too much tread 😕

Looking for more “baldness”
😆

Challenge Parigi Roubaix, or too narrow? They are a 27 but come up closer to a very round 29.

Bikebuoy, sounds like the Compass Barlow Pass for you. Or the Schwalbe Supermoto.

Schwalbe Marathon Supreme? I have a pair on my CX bike, roll nice so they do.

Cheers Guys.

As you can imagine I have almost every variety of Challenge Tyres except those Strada’s CFH uses, Clem don’t do anything other than the Xplors that tick the box so I’m now looking into those Compass Barlow Pass’s, ta.

The Xplors a fine Tyre BTW, I really do fancy “bald” and “big” on the CX for lane hacks..

8)

Anyone know the difference between schwalbe supremes and racers. Racers rarely get a mention but according to schwalbe roll and grip better and are lighter and they look to have more tread. In pics anyway as ive not seen in the flesh

I really do fancy “bald” and “big” on the CX for lane hacks..

Me too! Just waiting to wear the current crop a little more before I splurge another £80 on tyres for the same bike. I was strictly a 1 set of tyres at a time man until I bought the Peregrine, I currently have Thunder Burts, CX speeds, Race Kings, Fat Franks and GP4S in rotation for just the peregrine. Although wife’s Swift has had a couple of goes on the TBs.

I am slightly upset the Supermotos won’t fit in my forks…

Stevens Vapor Disc. Readied for baby fun duties. Alpkit 20l drybag perfect for snacks, tools, nappies and baby sundries!!

nedrapier – Member
…I am slightly upset the Supermotos won’t fit in my forks…

It’s why I sold my Peregrine.

Anyone used the trigger pro 2bliss tyres, are they any good? Riding a mixture of road, hard pack and crusher and gravel trails. Ta.

What did you get in its place, epoxy close?

Or epicyclo, if I override autocorrelation. Autocorrection.

Just ordered the surlly knard 700×41. Get good write ups. Any real life experience?

Ok, anyone know where I can get a set of those Barlow Pass’s?

Firestarter – how do those top tube bags get on with paint on top tube ? I have the revelate one and used some duct tape under the straps..

Ok, anyone know where I can get a set of those Barlow Pass’s?

Velo Vitality is the only importer of them i believe,

Paint is unmarked but then again shand paint is awesome. Ive not taped anything up I’ll ride it til its battered then send it back for new paint 😉

nedrapier – Member
What did you get in its place…

I road-ified my 29ers. (They weren’t getting ridden because fatbikes are more fun.)

Currently riding this

Agree so much with the sentiments on this thread.

I really do fancy “bald” and “big” on the CX for lane hacks..

As mentioned a couple of pages back, Spesh Fatboys.

Fat. Bald. Skinwall. Pick three.

AFAIK, however, Spesh UK aren’t bringing the skinwall version in to the UK. Worth a call to your local Spesh dealer, though. Or I can check the system when I pop in to my LBS tomorrow if you like!

Also, 2016 Diverge in 1×11 Crabon Fribe FLAVA!

Hmmm. Nice. Would be nicer with skinwalls, of course.

Hmmm. Same quandary as with the Barlow Pass

Do I want skinwall or not? There is something purposeful about all black, and the frame’s already ticking the “classy” box (IMO)

Votes?

Do I want skinwall or not?

What madness is this?

OF COURSE YOU WANT SKINWALLS YOU FOOL! 😉

That frame colour, and the accents on it, would look utterly lovely with skinwalls.

yeah, but, no, but..,

Spesh Fatboys eh? they look like 45’s to me… will check out the black jobbies then decide.

As for your singular, yup I’d go skin walls too.. Like it with the knobblies on… 8)

That carbon diverge looks cool too.. and agree about the tan walls….

Quick update for you – Checked on the SBC trade system today and they are only bringing in the black ones at the moment.

Booo! Hiss! Etc!

However, word from within Spesh is more promising, as in “Watch this space”.

Also, that Diverge above isn’t on the UK listings, sadly. However….(again!) it’s one of those things that may change if there’s enough demand. That said, I reckon that’s a pretty niche product in an already niche market! Looks lovely, though!

How “fast” are the fat boys ?

I went on a club run for the first time on Thursday, everyone on road tyres apart from me ( vittoria mx front, conti speed rear). I need faster…..

Well, they’re;
Fat – So they’re comfy
Slick – So they run smooth
Take decent pressure – So they’re fairly fast

They are, above all, fat and not massively light. That said, if it was a compromise tyre, well worth a look.

Oddly, chatting in the LBS earlier, it appears that the Panaracer Paselas are actually lighter than my Challenge Strada Biancas! Didn’t see that coming! Don’t feel as sprightly or as fast as the SBs, though.

Okay, here’s a riding one – X with lots of nice Salsa kit, whiskey forks, 105, spires, proII on velocity disc and RRs. Would like to see if some 40mm nanoraptors fit…