Gravel bikes

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

clearance for 27.5x2.2" or I'm not even looking.

This sounds like a mountain bike.

[Frankwurst]

The Rawland rSogn checks all the boxes for me. I have one and it is the complete monty for me.

[jtbadge]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

This sounds like a mountain bike.

If these are mountain bikes, I would actually want to own a mountain bike:

[sparky33]

Originally Posted by prototoast

If you make something that's more "monstercross", every single customer is going to say they want something more like a fat tire road bike. If you make a fat tire road bike, everyone is going to say they want something more monstercross.

This is probably true.
The niche now has sub niches.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Something for tall people who aren't all leg, or weigh 400 lbs: ~62cm top tube, ~72.5° STA, head tube < 230mm and not made out of the heaviest, deadest tubing found would be very welcome.



Alas, you'd probably sell only one.

Wait till you see my Rock Lobster...



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[binouye]

I'm actually thinking of buying an alloy gravel bike this year. I own a Salsa Colossal (fendered, the wet day commuter) and a 29er converted to monstercross use, and will try to replace them both with 1 bike. It needs fender mounts, and rack mounts would be a plus. The 700c WTBs I run on the monstercross are ~43 actual mm wide and I want room for those, maybe a little bigger (I used Schwalbe 700 x 50 semi-slicks for a while), but I want to be able to swap wheels between 700 x 43 (dirt rides) and 700 x 30 slicks (commuting) and not have the geometry too messed up with either set of wheels. Bento box mounts would be a plus, so would 3rd bottle mount. I don't care about dropper posts at all (on this bike), probably best with a 27.2 post. I'm thinking a 56cm tt frame would have 430ish chainstays, 70mm BB drop, 71 or 71.5 hta, 73.5 sta. BSA threaded BB, or go wild and use a T47!
The Ribble AL gravel frame ticks most of those boxes, but I think its ugly. The Rondo Ruut looks good, but the Al frame only comes as a complete bike. I might get one anyway, but I would take off the components right away and rebuild it properly -- with Campy (mostly so I don't have to relearn shifting, as my other bikes are Campy 11). Because I like my current 700 x 43 setup, I have been ruling out the gravel frames that only clear up to 35ish. I've got the Colossal for that already.

[Joxster]

Thanks for the replies, we've already got a carbon gravel/adventure/CX bike in the range

https://www.tifosicycles.co.uk/shop/bikes/cavazzo2019/

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

This sounds like a mountain bike.

My ideal here is drop bar road-ish geo with some nice fat meats on it. Any number of companies do this in carbon or steel already. Harder to find in alloy. Used to rip up local green and blue XCish singletrack with any amount of paved/dirt road connectors between trail centers. Sometimes not enough bike, sometimes too much, almost always fun.


My MTB is 150mm travel front and rear.

[simonov]

Originally Posted by jtbadge

If these are mountain bikes, I would actually want to own a mountain bike:

<snipped the photos for less scrolling>

Those are mountain bikes. Nothing wrong with that and mad props to anyone who is willing to shred enough gnar to warrant tires like that. But most "gravel" roads can be easily and comfortably traversed on 28-32mm tires. Lugging something like that around for a mixed terrain ride sounds exhausting.

Then again, my favorite gravel bike was a Spooky Skeletor HavocStaff with GravelKing 28s, so what do I know.

[donalrey]

Make 26" tires great again!

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Wait till you see my Rock Lobster...

I'd say dibs, but recently jumped in a builder's queue myself .

[David Tollefson]

Originally Posted by simonov

But most "gravel" roads can be easily and comfortably traversed on 28-32mm tires.

"Most" where you live. Not necessarily elsewhere.

[jtbadge]

Originally Posted by David Tollefson

"Most" where you live. Not necessarily elsewhere.

100% this. Someone makes the "28s or 32s for everything" any time the "g" word is mentioned on this forum. And it's just not true.

The gravel in two of the three places I lived is a total drag to ride on skinnies like that. Chunky Flint Hills gravel in Kansas averages the size of a fist. And fire roads in the mountains in LA are always washed out or covered in sand. The more width, the better.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by donevwil

I'd say dibs, but recently jumped in a builder's queue myself .

Congrats!

Care to share more? Or I can be patient...

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[simonov]

Originally Posted by David Tollefson

"Most" where you live. Not necessarily elsewhere.

Definitely where I live. And about 12 of the other places I've ridden gravel, including southern California, New England, North Carolina, Colorado, Arizona and others. I'm sure there are places where gravel roads are gnarly, but then I'd rather be on a mountain bike. For most actual roads, giant tires are a drag.