Right Im thinking of rationalising the garage fleet to 1 full suss, a cheapy ss and a gravelly type thing

So what gravel bikes should I be considering based on the following:
1) Budget upto £2k
2) happy at 1 x 11
3) Hydraulic brakes
4) weight under 10kg

So far looked at:
Sonder camino ti looks promising but concerned it looks a little agricultural
Pickenflick but Im concerned as soon as I buy the price will drop
bish bash bosh-crap name and heavy for carbon?
genesis Croix de fer ti- bit over budget but nice
whyte- friston/gisburn

Your views would be very much appreciated

check out the NS RAG+ thread for general ponderings on a bike that might fit the bill. See also Rondo Ruut AL, Kinesis Tripster AT, Cotic Escapade

If you can find one, I’d go for a cannondale slate

Planet X London Road? A few people I know love them and have done things like the Torino – Nice rally on theirs.

Frame set kit is £300 at present, and you can spec it as you like. I’ve just bought one for this very reason, just building it up at the moment.

The world is your Lobster at £2k. You could spend a lot less and get a very decent ride.

What tyre clearance are you after?

Right Im thinking of rationalising the garage fleet

£2k should get you a Bowman frameset, nice wheels (Hunt or Hope something) and a 105 Hydro groupset if you fancy something different?

For me and the riding I intend to be doing for the foreseeable it has to be this

In Review: Bombtrack Hook EXT – Cyclocross Geometry with Mountain Bike Aspirations

If you need bigger clearance….Salsa Fargo Ti? (COI: I’m selling a frameset) Mine set up 1*11 SRAM hydraulic was 8.9kg without pedals.

Please blow your budget and buy this, STW needs you to do so

http://www.laufforks.com/true-grit/

Rondo AL and pocket the change for a riding holiday, Rondo ST and feel the steel love, stretch the budget and get a carbon.. like me.. the next three weeks are going to be a long wait

Pedals Bike Care Rondo Matic

Get in maaaa shopppp

I’d get the Rondo ^^

I have a NS Rag+ and it’s brilliant. Actually bought it from James and Ryan and would recommend them. Top service

Ooh I’d missed that Rondo completely, very nice indeed, a phone call to Pedalsbikecare tomorrow perhaps

Bokeh and some savvy build could come in at under £2k

thanks guys some new ones on me to review tomorrow when I’m working from home….

Tyre clearance wise 40mm should be fine

Good to see my Stw description wasn’t missed tomhoward ( or was it!)

Dougal- I may drop you a line

Might be selling my 57cm Kinesis Tripster ATR frameset in the next few days 😉

I don’t see the bike I own recommended, so you need to add that to your list, just because:

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/adventure/adventure/datum/datum-10

Salsa Warbird…

If I could get a warbirds for £2k I would be all over that

Andy-.drop me a mail on the tripster if it’s a large – I’m a smidge over 6 ft

Recommend-what-you-own. Sorry. Just picked up a Specialised Diverge Sport E5 (snappy name) on C2W. For a grand it’s really rather nice at exactly half your budget, if you don’t mind cable discs and a groupset that’s more of an upgrade thing than already-very-nice-thank-you.
That said, I tapped out a smidge under 40 miles / 3,400ft on Sunday as a shakedown ride on all kinds of surfaces without batting an eyelid and in considerably more comfort than I was expecting. I imagine for twice that price you’d get an even nicerer bicycle from that lot.

I Would suggest trying Rileys pickenflick and My Koga Pop, seeing as you had a nice Gryphon that you got rid of in record time and your habit of buying bikes like Sarah Jessica Parker goes through shoes, just to make sure that actually you like the whole gravel/ride/adventure thing and its not just a lack of riding leading to bike swapping striking again 😛

having said that have a chat to mark at One More Bike as he did get you that killer deal of the Salsa last time so you never know what he can do

Can I type from the comfort of my man-cave chair instead, please? It also has the potential benefit of adding content to the forum then as well. 😈

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/road-bikes/2017-cannondale-slate-ultegra-cyclocross-bike-grey_323902

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s194p7846/GIANT-TCX-SLR-1-2017

https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-arkose-ltd-adventure-road-bike-EV294853?

tomhoward – Member

Was that in relation to the statement or the grammar?

The LBS has just got in a 2018 Kona Rove ST & I’m having a hard time resisting.

A little from column A, a little from column B…

I will accept punctuation but not sure the sentence highlighted was grammatically incorrect- but thanks for the telling insight

Taz- leave me alone it makes me happy but I have been liaising with Riley but as I said I know that the day after I pay full whack for a pickenflick they will reduce it by 30% and that will make me sulk

On the Slate Im not convinced on little wheels for the intended use and as Cannondale are discontinuing in the UK Im probably not alone

Sorry Pop 😀

you out playing on bicycles tomorrow?

Depends on what you really want to use it for

I currently have a commuter bike, a nice road bike, a cross bike and a couple MTB’s

Technically i could do all of that on the cross bike, but its more about flat out riding fast, so am currently looking at another bike for an all rounder, more longer bike packing with mixed surfaces riding

Been looking a CdF, Tripster (the GF is a lovely bike and i almost got one last year) or currently in the lead, is the Mason bokeh, and am trying to get a test ride on one currently

Taz- yes

Dekerf- that’s sort of it- Im selling a roadie, a rigid mtb and a fat bike so this will be filling the gap for days when its not too technical/rocky and the focus can be on miles/views and not getting run over by lorries

Almost make sense Pop.
Few of the roadies i ride with swear by their Diverges. Though they use them mainly as winter road bikes.

Just put up my thoughts on my blog of the Whyte Friston. Will update further down the line as I wear it in more through the winter! 🙂

Linky to the review

TLDR

Do you like it?

Good review Orena- any advice on sizing- I’m tempted but at a smidge over 6ft I’m on the cusp of 56 and 58

Ridley X Trail

pop larkin – Member
Good review Orena- any advice on sizing- I’m tempted but at a smidge over 6ft I’m on the cusp of 56 and 58

Cheers pop 🙂

Hmmm…difficult one. I’m 5’8″ so right between the 52 and the 54, and got the 54. I’d probably say go for the 56 unless perhaps you’re long in the torso or arms..