Show me your gravelbikes....inspire me.

[etu]

Originally Posted by bitt3n

Where is this, Hawaii?

coastal view trail coming down from mt tam/pantoll

[Luwabra]

Originally Posted by gomango

All depends.

This last fall I rode 60+ miles of the Almanzo 100 route in southern Minnesota.

The roads were hard as a rock in most places, so very few spots where a 40 would make sense.

So a tire like a Speed Max, Grifo, or even the narrower Almanzo or Eroica tires would be great choices.

Now, we did 47 miles two weeks ago in the mud, snow and ice and the Nobby Nics on my Fargo could have been wider. That was a royal mess.

There's all kinds of research indicating wider is better for gravel, more comfort, low resistance on and on. I started racing on 32's and the trend has quickly widened significantly at least for the lead groups. I'm currently running 35 and see no reason to go narrower. Just my .02

[Luwabra]

This thread is fantastic btw. So many stunning machines. Great job all of you.

[dancinkozmo]

Originally Posted by wooly

I sold my last road bike last year (Sachs ) but I just wasn't riding the road much. However I've realized that I needed something better than my hardtail to ride with my buds occasionally on the road and fondos.

Came across a NOS Salsa Warbird Ti on MTBR and the project started.

Here she is:



Built her up with Force 1x11 hydronic group bits except a rival derailleur. Bars stem and post are form a forumite. My local shop built my wheels: Dt 240 hubs laced to Stans Grail rims. Schwalbe 38mm tires. Can't wait to get this thing on the road and gravel tomorrow morning.

Stoked!

would love to hear a ride report...im considering an alu warbird on sale at a shop locally to replace my surly pacer makeshift gravelbike.

[joosttx]

[AllanVarcoe]

AMAZING shot!!!

[justaute]

Untitled by kenneth_yuan, on Flickr

[12snap]

That Warbird is beautiful. I'd love to find one of the Ti versions myself.

Originally Posted by wooly

I sold my last road bike last year (Sachs ) but I just wasn't riding the road much. However I've realized that I needed something better than my hardtail to ride with my buds occasionally on the road and fondos.

Came across a NOS Salsa Warbird Ti on MTBR and the project started.

Here she is:



Built her up with Force 1x11 hydronic group bits except a rival derailleur. Bars stem and post are form a forumite. My local shop built my wheels: Dt 240 hubs laced to Stans Grail rims. Schwalbe 38mm tires. Can't wait to get this thing on the road and gravel tomorrow morning.

Stoked!

[trener1]

So this isn't really going to fit in with all of the super sweet rigs in this thread.
But I decided to just dip my toe in, instead of diving all in so I picked up a bike for cheap.
Got myself a Charge Plug 3.
It's made of of Tange Infinity tubing.
Sports a sora 9 speed drivetrain and some low end disc breaks.
It's pretty much all stock but I put some 40c tires on and a bigger cassette.
It's technically sold as a road bike, but with such massive tire clearance and disc breaks I figured that it would be the perfact gravel rig
I have to say that the ride quality of the frame far exceeds the price tag. I actually can't believe how well it rides, and the paint job is also super nice (doesn't come out as nice in the photo)

[Ronsonic]

Originally Posted by trener1

So this isn't really going to fit in with all of the super sweet rigs in this thread.
But I decided to just dip my toe in, instead of diving all in so I picked up a bike for cheap.
Got myself a Charge Plug 3.
It's made of of Tange Infinity tubing.
Sports a sora 9 speed drivetrain and some low end disc breaks.
It's pretty much all stock but I put some 40c tires on and a bigger cassette.
It's technically sold as a road bike, but with such massive tire clearance and disc breaks I figured that it would be the perfact gravel rig
I have to say that the ride quality of the frame far exceeds the price tag. I actually can't believe how well it rides, and the paint job is also super nice (doesn't come out as nice in the photo)

If that's anything like the Charge Filter I'm rolling on it's a great gravel and bad road bike. Not bad on some trails either. Mine was a bargain build, also. Very soon to be decked out in Veloce. The frame really deserves a good build up.

[AllanVarcoe]

Originally Posted by trener1

Charge

I love seeing people happy with inexpensive bikes enough to put money into them and use them beyond their intent.

[trener1]

So by doing a quick google search it looks like the Filter is a cross bike, while the Plug was sold/marketed as a road bike, so I assume that the geometry is different, perhaps that is why you are saying that the filter isn't good on the road?.
In any case I have one only taken my plug on a few rides and I have to say that so far it feels just as home on the pavement as it does on trails and easy singletrack, in fact I am totally blown away how well it handles on the road.
I'd say that the only real weakness are the breaks which totally suck, but the frame is amazing, and even the Tiagra parts feel decent. (and this is coming from someone who runs Dura Ace on my full time roadie).

[sandyrs]

Originally Posted by trener1

So by doing a quick google search it looks like the Filter is a cross bike, while the Plug was sold/marketed as a road bike, so I assume that the geometry is different, perhaps that is why you are saying that the filter isn't good on the road?.
In any case I have one only taken my plug on a few rides and I have to say that so far it feels just as home on the pavement as it does on trails and easy singletrack, in fact I am totally blown away how well it handles on the road.
I'd say that the only real weakness are the breaks which totally suck, but the frame is amazing, and even the Tiagra parts feel decent. (and this is coming from someone who runs Dura Ace on my full time roadie).

I think what he meant was that it's a good bike for bad roads, not a bad bike for roads.

[edward12]

I lusted mightily after a Rock Lobster for years. Paul was a pleasure to work with - he is indeed a master frame builder. My inspiration was the drop bar MTB's of the late 80's. The gearing (10 sp) is 38/26 up front and 11-34 in the rear. It also has spacing for 2.1 inch tires.

[AllanVarcoe]

I'd like to try a set of those bars one day.

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