Show me your gravelbikes....inspire me.

[zennmotion]

Originally Posted by David Kirk

I would like to take just a second or two to echo the sentiment of a few others that most any bike can be a gravel road bike. One does not need huge tires and wide brakes to have fun on a gravel road. As long at the road isn't full of big rocks or deep holes that can't be ridden around most any road bike will do.

I've been riding gravel on a nearly daily basis for the past 10 years in Montana and for a life time previous to that on a straight up road bike, with 'normal' road tires and brakes and in all that time I've never damaged a wheel and cut a sidewall on a tire once..........once in a good 20 years of riding skinny tires on dirt/gravel. I flat a few times a year on the road and seldom on gravel (good mechanical reasons for this that I won't dip into at this point).

I sometimes ride with folks who will not take a turn off the well traveled and paved path onto a quiet and smooth dirt road for fear that their wonderbike will suddenly burst into flames if they do so. But I'm here to state that most any road bike will come out the other side NOT on fire and the only change will be the deep smile on the rider's face. I feel for those that look at said dirt road and pass by for fear of damaging the bike. Unless you go way out of your way to hurt and flat out abuse the bike it will be fine and you will have fun.

So I urge you to not worry that you have 'only' 23's or 25's and just ride the bike on what ever road you find in front of you. You'll have more fun, your bike will be fine and you'll have just that many more roads and riding loops open themselves to you.

Take the road less traveled and enjoy. I got out yesterday for about 1 1/2 hrs and a solid hour of it was on dirt with 25 mm tires and carbon wheels..........and they held up just fine. Just like a hundred rides before. Explore and have fun!

Dave

Yep. This ^ Except that Montana is mostly dry. Permawet roads, like at spring thaw time need wider floaty tires to avoid a slog through a bog. And space for fenders is really nice to protect your drivetrain from a wet sandblasting from road grit. But the question is, do you really ride much in those conditions that you need a "special" bike? I think the gravel road fad has come as a result of looking to escape increased traffic on the roads, and a marketing response to a growing realization that it's stupid to design a road bike with less than enough clearance for 25-28mm tires.

[Erik_A]

I ride a 2008 LeMond Poprad Disc on longer "non-competitive" gravel rides:

Gallery: LeMond Poprad Disc Review - BikeRadar
First Impression: LeMond Poprad Disc | Commute by Bike
Update: Lemond Poprad Disc | Commute by Bike
LeMond Bicycles Poprad Disc Cyclocross Bike Reviews

The frame is made of True Temper OX Platinum steel ( OX PLATINUM Bicycle Frame Tubing by True Temper Sports ). and way nicer triple butting than any 4130 steel CX bike that I have seen. 40c is the largest size tires that will fit in the rear. I don't see that as a problem though; as I do (in addition to gravel) single track on it very effectively.

[spaced_ghost]

Originally Posted by Erik_A

I ride a 2008 LeMond Poprad Disc on longer "non-competitive" gravel rides:

I used to have the non-disc version. awesome bike.

[Erik_A]

I agree, for non-race bikes I love steel. I also had a "slightly lighter" Lemond Zurich with Reynolds 853 tubes (that I sold to get the Poprad); I actually prefer the Poprad (even for urban street roads). The TT Platinum OX is sweet steel; very similar to the 853, which the oldest Poprads came with). I looked for awhile and would have had to go custom for anything close to this frame quality - and luckily the 59cm frame fits well. Just bought the frameset used and built it up myself.

Originally Posted by spaced_ghost

I used to have the non-disc version. awesome bike.

[spaced_ghost]

Originally Posted by Erik_A

I agree, for non-race bikes I love steel. I also had a "slightly lighter" Lemond Zurich with Reynolds 853 tubes (that I sold to get the Poprad); I actually prefer the Poprad (even for urban street roads). The TT Platinum OX is sweet steel; very similar to the 853, which the oldest Poprads came with). I looked for awhile and would have had to go custom for anything close to this frame quality - and luckily the 59cm frame fits well. Just bought the frameset used and built it up myself.

yup. i kick myself daily for selling that thing. the 55 likewise fit me perfect. i will own one again one day. although hopefully not in white and blue.

[Erik_A]

The 07/08 disc version is a nice red. If you do MTB-ing on the Poprad the discs are nice.

Originally Posted by spaced_ghost

yup. i kick myself daily for selling that thing. the 55 likewise fit me perfect. i will own one again one day. although hopefully not in white and blue.

[evo111@comcast.net]

Gravel roads, mountain bike trails, and road - it does it all!

Ok not so good on the rocks - or more due to my lack of skills.

32 mm challenge tubulars - comfy not too much drag on the road.

[evo111@comcast.net]

It cleans up well but just a little dirt from the last ride

[sparky33]

Kirk MRB with tires du jour

[dd74]

Do you guys notice less braking power with cantilever brakes as compared to caliper? I've heard cantilever aren't as strong.

Then, I guess the alternative would be disc brakes if someone were building a new frame and wanted "ultimate" brake power.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by dd74

Do you guys notice less braking power with cantilever brakes as compared to caliper? I've heard cantilever aren't as strong.

Then, I guess the alternative would be disc brakes if someone were building a new frame and wanted "ultimate" brake power.

IME you run out of traction before you run out of braking regardless of what kind of brake you're running.

Upside to discs: all weather performance. Brakes the same wet or dry
Downside: heavier, needs dedicated wheels, heavier forks, etc.

Upside to rim brakes: you already have wheels that will work, pads easy to find at pretty much any LBS, lighter,
Downside: less power, more affected by wet/nasties

M

[sparky33]

Originally Posted by dd74

Do you guys notice less braking power with cantilever brakes as compared to caliper? I've heard cantilever aren't as strong.

Then, I guess the alternative would be disc brakes if someone were building a new frame and wanted "ultimate" brake power.

Every brake type has pros and cons. Mini-Vs are hard to beat on power in the world of rim brakes.
Canti's are rad. Some cantilevers are truly terrible, but with a certain amount of attention you can get a good cantilever to work really well.
I don't want to start a tangent thread.

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by dd74

Do you guys notice less braking power with cantilever brakes as compared to caliper? I've heard cantilever aren't as strong.

Then, I guess the alternative would be disc brakes if someone were building a new frame and wanted "ultimate" brake power.

I have just one little thing to add in regards to canti brakes..........even the best cantis can be set up poorly and will work like crap. And and as an added bonus it's easy to set most up poorly.

The length of the straddle cable is the thing that can be fine tuned the easiest and will give the biggest changes. Get it right and things are very good.....get it wrong and they will suck.

When I used to work in shops and MTB's came in (all had cantis at the time) it was rare to see them set up well. Cross bikes are the same way these days. It seems like it must be a lost art to set them up well but it's oh so worth it.

dave

[DDYTDY]

Wanted clearance for big rubber, dual pivot calipers, quicker handling then my Double Cross but not as twitchy as my Crossbow.

Brought wheels with 29mm FMB PR's to the kids at FF and this is what they built around them.

FF0019



http://fireflybicycles.com/category/...dpack-cloutier

[Vientomas]

Originally Posted by DDYTDY

Wanted clearance for big rubber, dual pivot calipers, quicker handling then my Double Cross but not as twitchy as my Crossbow.

Brought wheels with 29mm FMB PR's to the kids at FF and this is what they built around them.

FF0019



http://fireflybicycles.com/category/...dpack-cloutier

Very Nice!