Light (carbon), flat bar gravel/cx/xc(/hybrid?) moon on a stickery…

I have an On-One Dirty Disco that I’ve flat-barred, and for what I do with it I love it. And what I do with it is pretty much literally the “stuff we called mountain biking in the 90s”, i.e. I’m riding the same unmade roads/tracks, towpaths, old railway lines, some light xc-y type stuff that I rode my rigid purple-forked Marin on in 1994.

I like it because it’s really light and nippy. However, a) there’s something up with the rear dropouts which means the rear wheel has a tendency to not sit straight which is becoming an increasing ballache and b) it’d be nice to have room for slightly bigger tyres, especially with guards in the winter (it’ll do 38mm max, but not with guards)

So, I’m after light (so probably carbon), flat bar (tried the ‘gravel drops’ thing, prefer flat), rigid, ability for up to say 42mm tyres, under £1500 ideally, and available through a seller that takes the Halfords C2W vouchers.

Whaddya got?

Something like this?

https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Trek/FX-Sport-Carbon-4-Hybrid-Bike-2023/VVRO

I guess basically you’re describing a swanky hybrid. Or with the the increasing tyre clearance of road frames, maybe a flat-barred road bike. No idea what though, Flat-barred Camino would work too, but feel pretty much like a rigid mountain bike I think.

I hear you on the DD drop-out btw. The problem is that the driveside one doesn’t have any sort of metal plate protecting it from wear, so can easily get worn by a QR that comes very slightly loose. I epoxied a plate onto the drop-out and use a wheel with an RWS through axle for clamping precision/delusion.

I guess basically you’re describing a swanky hybrid

Yeah, probably. That Trek is pretty dull looking though, even for a hybrid, eh?

 The problem is that the driveside one doesn’t have any sort of metal plate protecting it from wear, so can easily get worn by a QR that comes very slightly loose.

Exactly, except that on mine it’s the lack of that plate on the non-driveside, which like you say has now worn

Boardman adv9.0 is close to requirements but they don’t have a flat bar one as far as I can see. They do some flat hybrid bikes but only with the alloy (model number 8.x) rather than carbon (9.x) frame.

could probably sell the drops and grifters and be almost cost neutral though.

could probably sell the drops and grifters and be almost cost neutral though.

The thing is, I have a history/pile of “things I will sell to make it cost-neutral”, that never get sold, and I don’t really want to add to it.

On-One Whippet, with some not quite as MTB tyres?

On-One Whippet, with some not quite as MTB tyres?

Sounds sensible, or you could stick a carbon fork on any hardtail TBH.  The only downside is gearing. You’ll probably want to go upto a ~38t chainring to offset the faster tyres and reduction in gearing due to the reducing diameter.  Which might limit you to higher end XC frames intended for racing, or older ones that took 2x chainsets.

Not carbon but the Marin DSX range is a good contender.

Saracen do a levarg FB (flat bar) model which looks decent. Reduced to £799 at the moment as well. its not carbon but is cheap.  Get rid of the terrible chainset and it’ll nice.

I’ve tried a few times to make the kind of bike you’re looking for.

Probably the closest I got was a Trek Crockett CX frame built up with flat bars. It was pretty bloody quick!

Not carbon but the Marin DSX range is a good contender.

And would complete the circle back to that old purple-forked Marin 🙂

Marin DSX you say?
Mrs oab liked her one. But, it’s a very harsh riding fork, wheels were not that light disappointingly, and cannot take a front mech.
But fast, handled more like an MTB than gravel, nice paint job and made her smile.

Would the new odd ball framed Sirus work?

Love my DSX. As above, handles more like a MTB….I did the vast majority of the Macc Forest loop including charity lane last week on it. I put some Hunt wheels on mine. I do wish that it was faster on roads though.

EDIT: I’ve got it in my mind that you’re based in the Peak IHN? I’m in Congleton…. you’re more than welcome to try the Marin if you’d fit a medium.

Exactly, except that on mine it’s the lack of that plate on the non-driveside, which like you say has now worn

Yeah, I meant non-driveside 🙁

Would the new odd ball framed Sirus work?

On paper, yes, one my eyes, hell no. Holy mother that’s an ugly bike.

I’ve got it in my mind that you’re based in the Peak IHN? I’m in Congleton…. you’re more than welcome to try the Marin if you’d fit a medium.

I am, yes, and that’s very kind, but I’m too gangly of limbs to fit a medium.

Unfortunately there appear to be exactly f’all DSXs available to buy in the UK.

There is however an O-O Whippet on eBay, near me, up for £450 ONO…

Take a look at the Giant FastRoad range, the Advanced is carbon fibre, AR offers more tyre clearance and mounts. Super comfy in carbon and their weird D shaped seat post.

I might just be able to help you- you have a DM (well three actually because I cocked things up!)

Probably the closest I got was a Trek Crockett CX frame built up with flat bars. It was pretty bloody quick!

I put flat bars on a CX bike and it was just as fast as when using drops but somehow more fun, flat bars lead me to messing about more (jumps, manuals, wheelies etc,.) than drops.

If the body position remains low the aero difference is fairly minimal with just arms being further out and when riding at gravel/off road speeds I found it made no difference.

https://www.balfesbikes.co.uk/bikes/gravel-adventure-bikes/specialized-diverge-expert-e5-evo-gravel-bike-2023-in-green__30494 (Specialized have increased the length etc so it works properly with flat bars rather than just sticking some on a drop bar frame).

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/hybrid-bikes/city-bikes/roadlite/roadlite-al-cf/roadlite-7/3282.html (various aluminium and carbon versions but not sure on the tyre clearance)

https://www.balfesbikes.co.uk/bikes/gravel-adventure-bikes/specialized-diverge-expert-e5-evo-gravel-bike-2023-in-green__30494 (Specialized have increased the length etc so it works properly with flat bars rather than just sticking some on a drop bar frame).

I’ve been looking for one of those for a decent price for a while but haven’t seen them discounted in the past. Now they are there’s none in my size. Typical!

Might have to wait and get one on cycle to work when it opens again.

I can’t help thinking of putting thinner tyres or eventually lighter wheels on whatever carbon 29 hardtail takes your fancy.  Last years Cube reaction from somewhere?

29er hardtail with light wheels and gravel tyres probably isn’t a bad shout. I’m sure there’s a few frames out there that’ll take 36t or 38t chainrings so should be plenty fast enough for most of us.

Not sure about the C2W scheme, but my On-one whippet with a carbon fork it superlight and great as a ‘old school’ mtb/hybrid. (it’s kitted out with much lighter wheels and bits etc:

Running 45c gravel tyres, 36t chainring (with lots of clearance for more)

It’s also my ‘bikepacking’ bike, i just swap the fork for a 130mm Pike. Takes about 15mins.

Whippet is a good shout, esp. if you get one 2nd hand. You needn’t go too narrow on the tyres either, you could go fast but fatter xc tyres in 2.1-2.2 and it’d be more versatile.