Linskey gr270

[buddybikes]

I am about to pull the string on 2019 leftover Lynskey GR270. Geo looks most attractive with 7.5cm drop and decent headtube to get so the drop won't be so bad with my bad back. So:
1. Ultegra 2x vs Force 1x? I am used to shimano, but force 1x seems decent for my needs
2. Wheels Vision Team 30 appears to be basic stock wheels, and for decent bike like this would be heavy rolling. Stans MK3 would be next upgrade
3. Is there anything else I should be looking at? Don't want to spend over 3,300.

Other option is to have a frame made which would be canti's and move stuff over from my older geekhouse.

I do want to go full ti this time around

[bigbill]

Are you going to do longer gravel rides on rolling stuff? I've never regretted my Ultegra 2X drivetrain with a 36/46 and 11-32. I could have used a 34 a few times, but the overall gear ratios available are good. 1X is easier to maintain, but you'd have to figure in the jumps between gears and chainline.

[livesadventure]

My brother recently bought a GR260 and it rides quite nicely on gravel. The finish quality is very good as well. If there’s a deal, I say take it.

Shimano or Sram, go for what you prefer feelwise. Even though I think Sram 1x makes most sense for gravel, I don’t like the feel of Sram, so for me Shimano it’s worth it. I disagree with the post above, I think a 46/36 has no place on a gravel bike. Not enough on the high or low end. If you ride anywhere with hills, I’d recommend a 50/34 or 48/32 with an 11/34 cassette, or even an 11/36.

Wheels will make a great difference in the ride, but iirc, the price to upgrade to the Stan’s from Lynskey isn’t all that favorable, maybe better to wait until a choice pair pops up here?

Have fun !


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[Clean39T]

If you have hills nearby, I'd go 2x and at least 34/34 as your low gear - 32/34 would be better.. Remember that bigger wheels have more circumference to turn over, so you need lower gears for an equivalent speed at the same rpm.

As for the wheels, check out HUNT - for under $400 you can get a pair of X-Wide gravel wheels that are designed for 35+mm tires and are perfect for graveling on rough surfaces.

At some point you have to ask if the complete bike route is worth it vs. piecing together what you want. An R7020 hydro group is pretty cheap, and from there you can pick the finishing kit and wheels that work for you. Coming in under $3.3K should be doable, and with no need to try to resell OEM parts that don't have much value in the used market.

There's also this: https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXTEMPR8000700/planet-x-tempest-r8000

$2399 w R8020 and RX800 rear mech. There's some OEM stuff on it, but still a nice build and plenty of room to make upgrades.

[XXtwindad]

Having set up my "gravel" bike as a 1X, I feel I can weigh in here. Unless where you live in mostly flat, I wouldn't do it. Not enough range. You're either going to be missing the top/lower end.

[semdoug]

I bought a GR260 with 105 during one of Lynskey's closeout sales. Nice bike and well worth the price. However, I should mention that I paid far less than the current price with 20% discount; mine was $1,850 with free shipping. My point, if you are not in a hurry it may be advisable to wait for prices to drop more.

[buddybikes]

Great - not in hurry. When did you buy?

[bigbill]

Shimano or Sram, go for what you prefer feelwise. Even though I think Sram 1x makes most sense for gravel, I don’t like the feel of Sram, so for me Shimano it’s worth it. I disagree with the post above, I think a 46/36 has no place on a gravel bike. Not enough on the high or low end. If you ride anywhere with hills, I’d recommend a 50/34 or 48/32 with an 11/34 cassette, or even an 11/36.

It all depends on where you live and ride. Every one of these threads has opinions based on where the rider lives. Most of my rides are rolling hills on pretty good gravel with the occasional wash. It's much like a road ride with bad pavement and poor traction. There are times I wished for a front 34, but the majority of my rides, 36/46 has been good. Are people actually spinning out 46/11's?

[semdoug]

Great - not in hurry. When did you buy?

Late October 2017

[Hilltopperny]

I will chime in as I have used both. I live in the southern Adirondack foothills and have run both Sram 1x and Shimano 2x on different gravel bikes.

My 2x set up is 52/36 with an 11-40 in the rear never let me down on the road or gravel/dirt. There are plenty of hills, rolling terrain and descents that this kind of gearing will comfortably allow me to ride without ever feeling under or over geared. The biggest detriments are in my opinion the chain slap in certain gears and the gear spacing, but I like it over the 1x systems I have used.

I have used both force and rival 1x groups and they function great. They are also great for climbing as I ran them with everything from 42t-34t oval up front and an 11-40 in the rear. The simplicity is nice, but I did end up spinning it out quite a bit. It is excellent if you are predominantly riding dirt/gravel, but lacked top end on the asphalt on descents and sometimes the flats.

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[TomP]

I purchased a GR270 about a month ago with Force 22. I did change the crank to a subcompact 48-32, but planned on that up front and already had it. I am very happy with the bike. No issues or complaints at all.

[james9793]

I went with the Helix Pro rim brake with mechanical Ultegra. I fricken love it.


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[biker72]

I bought a Helix Sport Disc with 105 hydro. This is a really nice bike. Very well put together. Apparently they ran out of their stock Lynskey forks so they put an Enve on my bike..no charge.

[SlowPokePete]

I've got almost 11,000 miles on my GR260 that was a year old this past 4th of July was the first ride. About half on the original I-9 / Carbon rim 700c wheels and half on 650b with SON dynamo in the front.

The bike has been great with Ultegra but I did change the rings to Absolute Black oval 30/46.

SPP

[DRZRM]

I'll echo that if you have hills, you will likely want Ultegra x2. I'm running a 46/36 up front but switched the small to a 34, and the 11-34 in back. 34/34 works for me, I'd think about going to a 46/32 if it were convenient...where is that Easton EA90 crank? I'm 1x on my MTBs but for gravel, I like the better coverage and smaller steps.

[buddybikes]

RI - flats around where I live.

Biggest reason for the possible change is bike position. I need something more relaxed than my Geekhouse Mudville (anyone interested in 56 canti ping me) and my old Fat Chance TI (same on the later). Do I need anything this fancy no, but tough sh*t, I like nicer stuff to work and sit on....

thx

[Drmojo]

mmm
mouth watering here...
I nearly bought one at American Cyclery in SF ca. 1989
Instead I got a one off Ibis Ti mt bike—polished Ti with polished Ti bar and stem.
Both were rigid no shocks. I test rode both albeit for quick spins.
I went for Ibis as I had an Ibis tandem and Scot Nicol was such a nice guy!
If I had not just bought an Erickson 29er rigid...
I would want that Fat Chance
slOjO

[TiminVA]

I've run 1X and currently Ultegra 2X on gravel and if my rides were 100% gravel, or close to, 1X would be my choice. The issue for me is gravel rides where I live are at most 50% gravel, the rest pavement. I never missed the top end of 1X on gravel, but needed it on pavement. Also, I live in a very hilly area.

[NHAero]

Steve, it's not fully clear to me what you're planning to ride on. How much off-road? Just dirt roads, or some singletrack?
I ran a 1x on a road bike here on MV, fairly flat and certainly climbs are short, and riding alone, not in a pack, a gear-inch range of 101-33 worked fine (42T front, 11-34 Ultegra 11s cassette.) I run a 1x11 on my MTB where I have a real stump-pulling gear and spin out at 24-25 mph, which is fine for the singletrack here.
On my dropbar converted softtail Litespeed with file tread 26x2.2 tires, I ride pavement and dirt roads and singletrack. It's the bike I grab for errands and commuting where I know I can get to where I'm headed with a lot of off-pavement riding. The 2.2 tires are great for the occasional deep sandy patches I hit here. That bike is a 2x11, with a 100-18 gear-inch range so I can still get up the short rocky rooty bits of singletrack here. The 42T large ring and 40T large cog in back mean I'm almost always riding that bike in the large ring, almost like a 1X11. I set the cranks to center on the center of the cassette.
On my Anderson all-road, I run 2x11. No singletrack, but dirt roads for sure - it's what I rode on D2R2. 700x37 smooth tires, running 55/60 psi. That bike is 44-33 front and I vary the cassette - 11-40 for D2R2, sometimes 12-34 (an 11-34 with the first cog swapped out). Ranges are 109-23 for D2R2 and 100-27 other times. I liked having the higher top gear for D2R2 where one can easily hit 50 mph on some of the paved downhills (long since spun out at that speed!)
Are you riding your Firefly? How is that geared?

[buddybikes]

Pretty simple, RI road/paths after leaves fall through March. I am riding my Firefly daily to slowly build from my fusion (2nd one). The fusion, of course, has caused some issues with amount of bending. Just jumping up on crossbike with 11'+ bb height and just the feel of the higher bb (my ff is 80mm drop) I don't like. Jumped on the Fat yesterday, after stressing myself paddling, and I said to myself I just won't use the classic mtb setup.

I expect light off road but mainly road use.

[NHAero]

I think I'd go 2X in that case.


Pretty simple, RI road/paths after leaves fall through March. I am riding my Firefly daily to slowly build from my fusion (2nd one). The fusion, of course, has caused some issues with amount of bending. Just jumping up on crossbike with 11'+ bb height and just the feel of the higher bb (my ff is 80mm drop) I don't like. Jumped on the Fat yesterday, after stressing myself paddling, and I said to myself I just won't use the classic mtb setup.

I expect light off road but mainly road use.