I’m a bit slow to this, but to my perception – gravel bikes just seem to be what mountain bikes were back in the late 90s and early 2000s in terms of capability (apart from the odd looking bars).

If I had gravel roads leading to and from my house instead of paved tarmac and smooth concrete, then I might consider getting one – but that’s not the case so a road bike makes more sense.
If there was no singletrack for me to ride in the woods or mountains when I try to go mountain biking, then a gravel bike might also make sense there.,. But that’s not the case with that there either. I’d have to go searching for a decent gravel road spin.

I’ve not tried one or ridden one, but they don’t appeal to me.

Why do some people have to talk about Shimano pedals by using the code numbers, it means nothing to me and probably others unless you’ve owned that pedal and have memorised the number 🙈.

I have some Shimano enduro jobbies with not much support and the spd and I’d like to upgrade, not sure what they are mind. The Crank brothers Mallet look nice, and the Saint.

To the OP

I race with a 202 on the front and a 303 on the rear. The advantage of Zipp wheels is that you can buy them separately and not have to commit to a ‘wheelset’. I went with this combo after getting advice from another racer who used them and I’m glad I did. The 202 isn’t really effected by crosswinds at all but it’s still very fast, but I’m light so I could be blown off the road easily.

303 on the rear feels lovely and like others no problem with braking. Edit; the 303 is about 45mm and the 202 is about 35.

Another wheelset I’d be looking at if I were you is the Campag Bora. They roughly fit your weight and price.

……replied to wrong thread

The Weather Channel is a very good weather app. As detailed as you want.

Watching Strava and STW it does seem that 2-3 weeks ago people were saying “well 20-30 miles is Ok as an exceWatching Strava and STW it does seem that 2-3 weeks ago people were saying “well 20-30 miles is Ok as an exception for roadies who normally do 90 mile club runs on a sunday, the rest of us can get the cross bike out and do a lap of the local fields” has now become “20-30 is average, and I’d hate tho think I’m average so I’m off for a 4 hour ride over the tops”.

It also doesn’t help when there’s posts in the Bike forum with titles such as;
“Dark side riding best it’s ever been”

And…

“Has there ever been a better time to ride a bike?”

Interesting Shred, thanks. Have you tried the PL? Or any of the older versions.

Wow lucky I’m glad…!!! 🍀

The Concept is made by Giant in Asia, and to me just a (not very nice looking) cookie cutter aero bike. One persons dirt is another’s gold and all that though.

Yeah I just really like the look of the concept myself. I’ve yet to hear how it rides (apart from the online “reviews” which you can never trust.)
One online review I read recently, the reviewer said the new Lapierre Aircode was comfortable enough to ride for six plus hours, but he couldn’t have said that about the old Aircode… I rode mine for 47 hours straight, go figure 🙄😏. Slight tangent…
But I don’t think I’d like to buy a bike with Giant written on it, maybe I’m a total snob, who knows… I just have something against them.
True the C60 and C64 will probably hold value more.

I would like a Master as my winter bike, but would it work with Ultegra Di2 😆🙈😂 or would I need mechanical.

few months before going for prostate surgery

Was that related to your saddle issues?

For your use I think the PL series would probably be better than the N or PS – the longer length and the wider rear gives a more normal road bike feel and ability to move around, with the nose lobbed off obviously. Also, aesthetically less of a horror show than the other ranges if that matters to you. If/when I end up doing a transcontinential style race in the future I’ll probably train/race with an ISM saddle.

Oh cool thanks. I don’t know why I had almost forgotten about the PL, maybe I’ll go for that. I was looking at the saddle guide on the website but it’s quite short and a little vague / wishy washy.
From reading the website, it looks like you aren’t supposed to be on the nose of their saddles at all though? Maybe that’s why they’re shorter…. So your hips / pelvis can tilt more forward (instead of being forced more upright and back like some saddles). I’ve never tried one, just going by what’ve read.
I’ve tried an SMP and was on it for about six weeks, didn’t get on with it. I’m currently back on the Fizik Anteres I was on before that… it’s like a bullet constantly hitting you in the crotch area though, once on any road surface that isn’t pan flat.

Their response was much like yours… Spend long enough in the saddle, and you’ll find out, basically! 😂

Yes haha and that includes 24 hour mtb racing when it’s a very rough or extreme course (for racing that duration). Sometimes at about the 16 or 18 hour point, shifting can become a huge effort on the hands / wrists / fingers. And that’s with a top notch 1x setup. Slightly off topic mind, oops…

As for being alot less effort to change gears, what groupset mechanical group set have you been using? I have mechanical 105, tiagra and ultegra, plus di2 ultegra and etap on my road bikes, and the mechanical ones are no harder to change gear in the slightest. Unless you have the world’s weekest hands, mechanical shifting is zero effort whatsoever.

If you start to do ultra distance racing you’ll know what I mean. But if you haven’t raced ultra or you don’t do spins in the hills over 18 hours long, then there’s not much point in me going into details 😉😎

The 105 mechanical on my last road bike was flawless for two years (including winter riding) didn’t even need to be adjusted, so not sure this can be an argument for Di2. I would rather spend the Di2 money on wheels.

Well as you can see from other replies above, Di2 is pretty much fit and forget. All you need to do is charge it when needed. I’ve been on my Ultegra Di2 since the start of 2015, and I do 10 , 12, even 18 hour training rides. All that’s needed changing is the rear mech, one wire, and cassettes and chains from wear. Faultless.
Much nicer to ride than 105 mechanical too, you have no argument regards that.

Yes, Di2 definitely worth it. Di2 just makes road riding much more enjoyable imo. If you enjoy it more, you’ll want to ride more which is a good thing – simples.
It’s a lot less effort to shift and the gears just work all the time.

I can’t comment on either of those bikes, I think “endurance geometry”, “endurance bikes” is just a bit of codswollop though, just a selling point. Maybe that’s just me but I do ultra road and long distance stuff on standard race geometry.

The more standard mould frames will tend to be lighter, stiffer and allow radical aero shapes if you want that sort of thing, but in some ways are very similar to what every other brand does albeit with some extra Cambiago sparkledust

Presume you are referring to the Concept. It does look slightly similar to other aero framesets on the market? That Cannondale jobby being one., what’s it 6… just a bit more sexy?!

Ive been lucky enough to own quite a few Colnago’s over the last few years as a friend is their UK brand manager and i used to build their team DI2 bikes for them

Thanks for that! Good tip. Yeah I think there’s about 250 grams weight difference between the C60 and C64 framesets.
Do you have any experience at all with the Concept? Funny how the Colnago website itself doesn’t give much info about it.

Don’t get me wrong, the Concept is nice, but it’s not a C60/64.

Both just different though? It looks like aero on the Concept is the main difference? With maybe a slight weight penalty too. I don’t have any of the weights, pretty sure I’d be a 48. Or are they both very different to ride…
I would be ordering online too as don’t know any local dealers for them.

Do tell where you can get one for that price…usually it’s that much for frame only.

Concept is significantly cheaper than the C64 / C60. But yes, that’s about the price of the c64 frameset on a good day.

Well I can say that from 2012 I have owned five different 29ers, three HT and two FS, the most recent purchase being last year. I would say the changes in geometry have been pretty radical throughout , I wouldn’t say they levelled out or that they were small changes.

Sorry what? 2016 is ‘older’?

The big change in bikes happens in earlier 2010s I think, then it levels out, when 29 inch wheel geo got sorted out. After that it’s smaller changes.

My ‘modern’ bike is 2013 and it’s great.

There’s been big changes to enduro bike / trail bike geometry over the last few years. I really like my 2016 Transition Smuggler, but the new ones are much different. Designed around a shorter stem again, and slacker angles.

So mine is 11 speed.
And I speak in kilometres 😉

To John – Not sure if mine is 10 or 11 speed actually, I’ll have to check.

Mines heavily used, racing and riding in all weather probably done 40k over the 5 years I’ve had it and been flown a handful of times.

Sounds about the same as me. I’m away for some or a large part of the winter but during the year I’d probably get 5-9k on it.

Maybe it’s just that we’re all in similar positions then!

Oh yes I forgot about that, the battery has been replaced once or twice over the years – was just no longer holding a charge well, that kind of thing.

Hi, I’ve read all the replies and I’m going to say something a bit different to everyone else.

Not all aero wheels are made equally.

A 42mm aero carbon rim does not equal a 42mm aero carbon rim. Different brands have small differences in the shape to help deal with crosswinds. If you look at Zipp with the tiny holes like a golf ball, Fast Forward which have an indentation under the braking surface and bulge out a bit away from that, and Vision rims which are different again.

I’m not sure what rims are on your bike, but most top end wheelsets can deal with winds pretty well. I have a pair of Vision 40s and a pair of Zipps also (202 on the front and a 303 on the rear… approx 35mm, 45m) both very stable wheelsets.

If you’re confident they are good wheels, then I’m not sure. The bike might have twitchy geometry…. or maybe try a bike fit? Maybe it’s not the bike for you but hate to say that, I haven’t ridden it though.

Seriously? They are probably the most at risk of extended period of inactivity & need to keep active daily – as above chances of contracting covid-19 in an external setting is pretty minimal.

Yes seriously. That is the message over here. We have been using the word “cocooning” whereby elderly people and high risk people have all their shopping and errands done by family or people in the community, they don’t leave their door.
They certainly should not be going to busy shops if unavoidable. A walk up and down the stairs should be sufficient, if wanting fresh air then a few minutes walk from the front door is all that should done for the high risk group at the most.

Not in central London it doesn’t, those os us with the facilities need to check their privilege. Not everyone has a garden to go into and some need to be outside for exercise and mental well being. Even the French have realised this and are allowing autistic people to visit comforting places (to them) in Paris.

Yes, even in London. The virus doesn’t care where you’re from, if you’re a Londoner or a northerner or a Scouse , old, fat, rich, whatever. Everyone can catch it,
My sister lives there and says most of the parks are rightly closed already. Why should it be any different there? If you want to get outside, walk somewhere from your front door – pass people at a distance.

The message here is stay safe by staying indoors.

from my point of view as a person with secondary progressive MS it is **** ignorant to tape up seats etc, i need to sit down regularly and get of my throttle bafang ebike to relax my muscle spasms before i am fit enough to climb back on to continue, There are elderly/infirm or those with mobility difficulties who also need to sit down reguarly – if such measures are taken then you remove the ability for such people to get outside and exercise – if i don’t get out at least a few times a day my leg muscles lock up to such an extent that i will need permanent care, thankfully i stay in a very rural area of galloway where such measures are not necessary in my town.

I’m sorry but you should not, NOT be sitting on public benches at this time. That is one sure fire way to catch or spread the virus.
Imagine someone with the virus who has been coughing and spluttering and sweating goes to sit down on a bench in a park (and let’s say they touched parts of it that you end up touching), you or whoever sits down on the same bench moments later… virus has spread to another person.

Nobody is saying you can’t get out and exercise (you are probably high risk category too?), but it makes sense for parks and especially benches not to be in use and closed… unless someone was to sanitise the bench after every use which isn’t going to happen. Go on a short walk from your house but don’t go far, it’s all we need for the moment.
Elderly people have no reason to go outside at all at the moment, families and communities do all their shopping.
Speaking from Ireland.

In Ireland we have to stay within a 2km radius from our house for exercise and shopping , only a few exceptions for going outside it (going on a spin isn’t one of them) … and there are police checkpoints everywhere. I wonder will it be like that in the UK soon. If not, the virus will likely get much more out of control there than here. I’m not a scientist but just going by what I hear every day. The UK approach seems to be quite relaxed, up until very recently.

If you aren’t convinced then try watching the documentary which was on Sky One a few days ago about the epicentre in Italy: Coronavirus Into the red zone.

Try living in Ireland, you can’t ride or drive or exercise outside a 2km radius from your house. And there are lots of Police checks. But enjoy it over there until Boris catches up!

16 year old bike I paid £300 for

Not even a bike with Di2 makes you feel it’s worth the upgrade? Or have you not tried that. What 16 year old gears are you on….

Colnago framesets look slightly overpriced on paper, since you can pay 5,500 (or a notch below) just for the frame, fork, headset and seatpost. That’s for the C64 at full whack in fancy colours. There are some deals around though.

Bit late to this post but I just want to go out on a wing and say a few things.
The system 6 is a bike I’ve sought after for the last year or two, never got a chance to own or ride one but I do like them a lot and heard good things.

One thing I want to say is with road bike frames, stack height and reach are two important numbers that can make a frame / bike suitable for someone (or not). You can change around the stem length and headset spacers etc, but ultimately if the stats and geometry of the bike don’t match up to your body, you won’t have an amazing time riding it, and possibly a disappointing “new bike day”. Why am I saying this? It drives me bananas when I read reviews about bikes, often on well known websites, and they say things like “it felt very long and stretched out”… or, “it felt a bit cramped”… etc.

A dreamy ride or a lovely bike for you might not match up with someone else, we all have different proportions. So I’d take all advice with a pinch of salt.
I’ve been to a good bike fit and I know exactly what measurements to look for in a frame, some frames are way off to what I need.

But… I do think aero bikes / frames are the way to go. I ride a Lapierre Aircode, I still remember the day I test rode it and how fast it felt compared to my old alloy tubing traditional road bike. Randomly it fits me spot on too (but I did go down a size).

Merlin cycles have good sales on the Aircode, they are lovely but don’t read the reviews. I raced the race around Ireland Ultra on mine last year (47 hours)…I’m currently toying with the idea of going to discs but both my fancy wheelsets I bought last year are rim only. First world problems.

Yeah that’s one thing I like about ti bikes, they do look timeless… there’s lots on crc or at least there was. I’d eventually like a nice ti or steel frame to build up as my “winter bike”, but not got enough parts lying around yet.

Nice looking steed, very clean. I think a lot of people overlook the need for a road bike. Next thing you’ll want “need” a carbon aero one. 😉

Supply will be restricted

I guess we just don’t know what the supply is for everyone.

Another question – if I have my eyes on a medium to high end Italian handmade frame (I actually do , a Colnago which are made in Italy), what are the chances of those going on a massive sale 😁😆🤔.

Anything Continental are safe, GP4000 or 5000.. been using them for years. Long lasting, fast rolling.

For a jacket, you really need to decide what your priorities are. Breathability second over waterproofness – okay, But if you go too cheap it won’t be breathable at all. If you’ve owned Gore tex before (from a reliable brand), you” know it’s waterproof AND breathable.
It needs to be washed with nik wax once every few months or once a year depending on how much you use it, but most items of clothing need to be washed anyway so I don’t see this as an issue. I would avoid buying packable or paclite jackets personally, as they are never going to be as good quality or as durable as a good quality two or three layer GTX jacket. But you have to think if this is a priority for you. Decathlon – be wary of, in my experience (buy cheap buy twice).

Lots of different cuts and shapes to jackets, I really like my Mountain Equipment Gore Tex jacket, don’t remember the model name, its a shell jacket but its still being made. But had it over three years already and still looks new to the day I got it after lots of use and long hikes.