If you want a low tech hardtail thats what you’ll buy…. if you want a jump bike you will buy a jump bike … the Transition klunker isn’t made for practicality its a ‘ruled with the heart’ purchase…

More than one person has professed a desire to own one … these will be absolute impulse buys and no doubt number of buyers will outstrip the amount Surf Sales bring to the UK.

They aren’t trying to imitate anything they are what they are and most people would spend more on a pair of forks than this whole bike costs.

I think events like the Bearbones 200 and the WRT afford people the opportunity to be introduced to bikepacking and then go on to craft their own adventure.

igrf, I hope you guys do bring them into the UK .. personally don’t see issue with price or selling them … I worked in a bike shop when SE re released the floval flyer and that was snapped up by dad’s in the shop buying their kids bikes at the time .. I see this being the same kind of market.

I doubt many will see serious Klunking but they will sell for sure.

If they were cheap enough I know I’d end up buying one – I know I shouldn’t, and I’d feel guilty afterwards, but I’d have to have one!

Agree with that ..

.. I will take one at trade price to get you started :)

I really like that Huntsman gravel bike … I am a little confused at the retroshift shifter as I struggle to see why you would go down that road over an sti or even a bar end shifter .. guess there must be some plus points as they are popping up on alot of the US bikes.

We don’t have ANY gravel races .. unless you wanna count the Kielder 100 :)

They are definitely not a niche or a fad in the US .. these bikes have come about through demand .. no point building a bike if no one is gonna buy it .. Salsa have sold all of their stock of Warbirds into dealers already hence the UK will be seeing maybe one or two.

http://www.gravelgrindernews.com/ .. great resource for anyone wanting to travel to do a grinder .. list of races down right hand side of blog is massive now … there seems to be another few added every week,

@Paul – Is there room to get bikes in the back for driving around, or do they go on a roof/rear carrier?

I use a fiamma bike rack .. best rack I have ever used and its permanently attached to rear door so bikes are locked to that over night.

I bought it from ebay for £120 and carries 3 bikes .. when not in use just folds up flat against door

When you say “slow” what are you doing down the motor way in something like that?

I usually sit at 65 on motorway .. slow as in when you reach a hill you will need to grab a lower gear … I have just had the fairly common 5th gear mod putting in a taller gear to drop my revs 450rpm in 5th .. better for longer hauls and should see better mpg.

Comments on these things holding their value are correct … you pretty much almost get back what you put in …. If you shop around you can get a good deal .. I would of expected to pay nearer £6000 for my van just got a deal as the guy needed to move it on…. its done a fault free 10 days in Europe over mountains .. love it :)

Doesn’t a Bongo do 25mpg at best with wind behind it though ??? Wouldn’t really want a camper that cost me more to use than a flight.

I have a VW T4 1.9td and bought it with full camper conversion for £4000 at the start of the year… I have spent alot more on it as its my pride and joy but still was perfectly useable when I first got it.

1.9td engine is slow but robust and easy 40mpg

I am without bike or would of gladly shown you a decent road ride … a ton of good stuff once you get out side city centre which is only a short ride

I’m tempted by the club ride idea but it would be my first and I wouldn’t want to a.) hold people up and/or b.) knock people over…

You won’t be out your depth at the Gosforth … trust me.

Not sure if you wanna hear this as you clearly want to spend some cash on a new frame but with my DHB bike bag ( big red and black thing) I can get bike in without taking seat post out just taking wheels off…

Riding in Iceland is great …

http://shoestring-racing.blogspot.co.uk/#!/2009/06/iceland-roadtrip-words-and-riding.html

Challenge Grifo or Clement PDX

They seem to consistently fetch £100-£120

What a ride from Phil … outstanding effort on what is one of the hardest mtb challenges this country can offer.

Self supported or supported still a great ride.

Think people need to relax a little about what 5teve is trying to put across in terms of a level playing field for all utilising mostly rules adopted from the US scene … 5teve himself has an enviable list of completed rides and is just trying to create a database of records.

Good luck Phil … this is a tough challenge rode it in one direction on way to east coast and was happy I didn’t have to make the turn at Fort William and ride back.

I think the rules people are having a go at weren’t made by Steve but adopted from the US guys … in those regards it would be considered ‘supported’ argument being your approach differs to one with slightly less regard for personal safety if you know you have a lift close by… anyway doesn’t detract from the enormous task ahead.

I’m in the market for a cross bike

SShhhhh …. don’t call it a ‘cross’ bike people will be back on here in no time telling you about the poor cable routing again :)

So we have established its not a cross bike… Padding for the 3 peaks is acceptable and not a reflection on your masculinity … Most cross races don’t long enough carry sections to warrant shouldering a bike… Oh and we have bugger all gravel racing in the UK.

What it is is an awesome gravel racer …. May be a good off roader on the disc brakes … Although it was never meant to be would be a great fast tourer on slicks with rack less bag system … I miss anything ???

Oh yeah it’s not NICHE !!!!!!! :)

Padding? Padding???
Do you put eyeliner in your pockets too?

Yeah I am just not a real man as I would use padding to aid my carry sections but we are now some way off the original post

The only effective means of protecting cables for cross is to drill out your cable stops and run full length outer … Some manufacturers are already offering this on their bikes.

In 2 seasons I have ridden 1 course that had a run up long enough to warrant shouldering a bike and for 3 peaks the carry sections are so long padding the top tube is a good idea anyway

But routing the cables along the top tube instead of underneath wouldn’t affect it’s ‘gravel racing’ ability, and it could be argued that routing them underneath exposes them to more spray from the wheels.

It’s an attempt to produce a niche bike that’s actually worse than it would have been had they done it with a bit of thought rather than an attempt to be different.

Unsure of the reasoning behind cable routing but to be fair most gravel races seem to be very dry affairs … They gave extra tyre clearance to allow a bigger volume tyre for comfort while racing.

It’s an attempt to produce a gravel racing bike … And it’s awesome… If it was an attempt to produce a cyclocross bike or a commuter it would have a lot of flaws but Salsa have set out to build the best bike for racing gravel.

I really hate that everything different is labelled niche … Niche in my view is engineering something for no other reason than to be different … This is clearly designed to be utilised for any of what must be near 100 gravel races in the US … Clearly not niche

No it’s not a crosser, it’s an almost cross bike with silly cable routing which essentially renders it less fit for purpose.

But it’s made for gravel racing and its perfect for that .. So surely that makes it entirely fit for purpose

It’s a crosser with crap cable routing. Poor show.

No it’s not a crosser… Otherwise it would have been the Warbird cyclocross bike :)

As a Vaya owner I am looking forward to trying a more aggressive set up geometry wise …. And will be racing cross on it :)

niiiiche

bike or racing on gravel ?? neither really in the US

Yeah Warbird would be perfect I would imagine in NZ …

http://kiwibrevet.blogspot.co.uk/

Gravel racing is pretty big in the US ..

http://www.gravelgrindernews.com/

…we just don’t have enough gravel although these things are great for mixed off/on road riding :)

Gravel Racing????

Dirty Kanza 200

I have my name on a Warbird for sure … Vaya has been awesome but this is even more aggressive..

Gravel racing is a full on death march .. I love it :) .. (no shouldering of bikes needed just ability to suffer for many hours)

The ti version looks great too :)

West highland way to east highland way to speyside way :). That might be a good day on the bike

I keep thinking about it but it’s a head kicking … Prefer my ‘long’ rides to not traverse the same ground twice …. Much easier to get your head into a route when your not thinking about how much the return leg will suck :)

One thing is a given whether you are going there and back .. in 24 minutes or 24 days .. the riding is awesome :)

great pic b r

Has it actually been ridden ‘non stop’ yet ?? without sleep ??

It makes no difference as this route has been doubled only a handful of times .. the fast times will come from those who tackle it without sleeping .. I have ridden it in one direction and it was tough enough for me to think the 24 hour double would require an exceptional ride.

More stupid to run gears at front I think as they clog and more likely to unship your chain ..much prefer a 1×10..

I have ran 38t up front but now run 40t with 12×28 cassette

If you haven’t got a low enough gear then its quicker to run after all its cross racing :)

Have run Tufo Cubus in past but going for Clement PDX this year .. will also duplicate in clincher on training wheels.

No idea on weight sorry … It’s more than light enough to race and frameset was used by a few national riders last year … Mine is for sale but if you were anywhere near Newcastle feel free to come pick it up :)

If you are going to race on canti’s Forme Hiver is fantastic value..

Gutted I will be missing this…

Balint, the photographer in question, invested a huge amount of time and energy into this project.. passionate about what he does so should definitely be supported.

… and Stybar is a fricking legend to boot !!!! The king of the mid race air of anything he can jump…

You want decent then Kevin Winter in Ferryhill … unsure on cost but he does a proper job