I have a 2020 model Substance CRX with 650B wheels – highly recommend. Been a great bike.
I’ve also got a pair of 700c wheels, which I’m currently running, so can change as required. Current plans are 700c for dry/summer and will shift back to 650B and more knobbly tyres for winter.
Don’t have the suspension fork, but am running a Redshift stem which takes the buzz out.

Another +1 for Galibier from me

We went to Vaujany this summer (nr Alpe d’Huez)
Kids 17, 14 and 11 – it’s quite quiet but we like that. Loads of good walking there and cable cars can get you all over.
I took my gravel bike and did some great riding both on and off road.
It was our third visit there and we love it.

Thanks for that. Looks like a good route and good way to get into bikepacking. Time to get planning.

+1 for Vitus Substance. Great fun off road and not too shabby on it. I’ve got the 2020 CRX version (carbon, 1x and 650B wheels) although I’ve switched from the SRAM gears to GRX (much betterer).
Took it to the Alps a few weeks ago and it coped brilliantly with some alpine gravel but also was fine on some of the road climbs.

Been a 1 car family for a while, but about to go back to a 2 car family.
5 of us and eldest just passed his driving test. It was actually cheaper (well, will be after 12 months) to get a second car and insure in his name than insure him on existing car. Also helps with the issue of different activities in different places at the same time.

Hadn’t realised it was Cycle to Work Day either – just another gravel commute to Leeds for me, as per usual.

Family of 5 here (2 teenage boys and 10 year old girl) in a modern (4 year old) house and I put water on for 1 hour at 6am and another hour late afternoon. If everyone has showers I just whack it on for an extra hour.

Another Galibier fan here – currently have three pairs of their shorts and two pairs of tights (as well as several other items. All quality and very comfy – I seem to have accumulated quite a lot of their kit over the last couple of years and they are my go to for most things.
Also have Rivelo/Sports Pursuit bibs which are good value, but not as comfy – tend to mainly use under baggies now.
My Castelli shorts are about 4 years old and wearing out a bit, but still pretty comfy.

Nice to hear you and kids doing OK, just carry on carrying on. Small steps. They make a difference. Hope the counselling is beneficial for the kids.

Love mine. Just does its thing and takes the buzz away. I run 47mm tyres on 650b wheels. Also got the seatpost which is excellent.

I picked up a new Genesis Flyer a few weeks ago and love it. I’m SE Leeds based and use it to commute on road and off and find the gearing spot on for my needs. Also very pleasantly surprised by the Promax disc brakes.
If you can get a deal new or second hand I would recommend (in the time old tradition of recommending what you have).

I’ve converted a 2014 Giant TCX SLR to single speed and use as a general rubbish weather gravel bike/commuter.
I like the look of the Genesis Flyer, but keep looking for a single speed cross/gravel bike with hydraulic disc brakes but never seem to find anything.

@akira are the Flyer’s wheels tubeless ready?

Another recommendation for Aberfoyle! Went in the summer and it was absolutley fantasic.
On my first early morning ride out (family holiday so making most of it) started chatting with a local who took me round some routes.
I follow him on strava now and he’s been getting out quite a bit so looks as though there are plently of routes still open post Arwen.

I’ve set up an older cross bike single speed for commuting, gravel and some road use. I run it 42-18 with 35mm GravelKing SKs.

Start spinning too fast above 30kph but can get up 10% (short) off-road climbs as well.

I had a had a displaced radius head fracture in March this year. Operated on and plate and pins inserted. Was back on the bike within a couple of months.

Still have stiffness (especially in the cold) and it hurts to do press ups with palms flat on floor but it hasn’t stopped me doing anything.

I don’t mountain bike, but have taken the gravel bike on some red runs (Cannock and Sherwood so nothing too gnar) and that was OK – helped by Redshift stem.

Good luck with recovery.

I use The Planet X Strix – cost me about £15 a year ago. Does a good job on the gravel routes on my commute. Definitely value for money.
Still use a Hope Vision One which must be at least 15 years old on another bike.

Vitus Substance if you can get one. Whichever fits your budget.
I’ve got a Boardman 8.9 and find it heavy, dull and uninspiring. Since got a Subtance CRX and like night and day in comparison.

Oh well, photo post fail. Nothing to see here…

Just done a loop from Aberfoyle up the gravel road, round Loch Venacher and back. Stunning.
Stopped at the Achray Farm ice cream place. Delicious. They weren’t open but when I got there but went out of their way to serve me.
50km on total. Beautiful ride.

I did it on my gravel bike a few months ago – the climbs were great as were the few smooth downhill sections. The brake bumps not so good.
Perfectly doable but my back hurt afterwards.

Really sorry to hear of your loss.
S

Doesn’t answer your question, but I have an old Giant TCX and went single speed – makes a great winter/bad weather bike and definitely a cheaper option.

I’m 5’5 and ride a Vitus CRX in XS. Great fit for me but would probably suit someone slightly shorter.
I thinK 650b wheels definitely the way to go.

I quite fancy it in 1x with the 10-36 cassette. I don’t think I’ve ever used the 42t on current cassette.

Another Galibier fan here. Love their kit. Tends to be my go to for most stuff now.
Also got some Rivelo shorts from Sports Pursuit which have been good.

My gravel set up as below

<img src=”6E1CD7EB-5CBD-47E4-8199-A83D66481D21

Top tube bag with snacks, keys and wallet. Tool keg on downtube with inner tube, tool and dynoplug. Pump on frame.

Phone goes in back pocket generally.

Friday evening on the sscx
<img src=”http://DFB65122-475A-4639-B760-5A55EBEE19C6
This morning
<img src=”http://7B967D25-89E9-449E-8979-15182C378E9A

I went from a 7 Plus to 12 Pro. I’m a midget and found the plus too big butvthe size of the 12 promise great.
Massive imorovemall round and really impressed with the camera but admittedly not tried the raw photos yet.
I love just having it in back pocket when cycling for random photo ops. Either use Siri to open camera or my nose on the camera icon on the lock screen if in a deadzone signal wise!

+1 for Galibier Deep Barrier Gloves. I wear them with some silver infused gloves as liners which I got from the Reynaud’s shop.
Wore them in -5C on New Years Eve and for the most part my fingers were OK (once I stopped faffing around taking photos and carried on riding!).

Went out this morning and there was no snow – so minutes later everything was white

<img src=”66E570F2-6022-48C0-8F70-08D3979F033B

@ads678 the second pic is on “The Avenue” – heading towards Temple Newsam from Bullerthorpe Lane direction.

Ads678 – I cycled over that same bridge this morning. Was cold out there, but beautiful.

<img src=”6E1CD7EB-5CBD-47E4-8199-A83D66481D21

<img src=”D1196AB6-2797-4BBD-9FE6-73F945DAE378

So, so, sorry to hear this.

I run Ventures. Fine them good all round tyres but did struggle today in the gloopy conditions.

Gone for Gravelhuggers myself – as said previously, not the prettiest but they do the job. This was this morning on way to work and tyres were slick with mud.

Also had the 8.9 ADV – aluminium. The orange one. Good all round bike I found it heavy and slow compared to my road bike and that was with lighter wheels and 32mm road tyres on for road duties. It did feel a bit dull though.

Weight was less of an issue off road.

If the one you are looking at is the carbon one may well be a bit lighter and more responsive.

Average of:

328 rides per year
22.9km per ride
7526km average distance per year
Since 2012

Lots of commutes in there – but over the last few years I have been extending the commutes and use them as training rides as well.

S

Stem, bar interface?

I was there a few weeks ago and a section of the Monkey was shut. Did on a gravel bike – climbs were great, the very uneven braking ruts on many of the descents were hard work. Back was aching at the end of it. Fun though.