Tell me about your dream gravel bike

[choke]

I own it. Sure, other bikes interest me but this is such a great bike that I could live with it alone if needed. The one thing that I do wish I would have done is to request a threaded fork....that's the only flaw in it IMO.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Andy sti

Yep, that's mine!

Dammit! Why do you always have the best bikes on the site! I want one of those

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Dammit! Why do you always have the best bikes on the site! I want one of those

Best bikes AND best roads/groads/trails..

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[72gmc]

I still want a ti hampsten strada bianca with a steel fork, Paul racer mediums, and a list of 700x28 to 700x35 tires to try.

There are some beautiful disc brake, big tire bikes that tempt me, but I can't seem to shake the SB crush.

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

for the most part, everyone has described almost the exact same bike. maybe we've reached the high water mark of what a modern gravel bike has become?

I think it says more about the demographics of people contributing to this forum, and their fondness for titanium (or steel).

[kppolich]

Originally Posted by Andy sti

Yep, that's mine!

Looks perfect. Basically no logos, only change I would make is to have the 3rd bottle cage located inside the triangle and not under the bb area.

Really like the TwinSix Ti Rando if it were updated to flat mounts and a threaded bottom bracket.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

I think it says more about the demographics of people contributing to this forum, and their fondness for titanium (or steel).

I have three /four (if you include HT MTB) friends who have cracked their carbon gravel bike frames since Christmas. All different manufacturers. All non-crash related. Two of them manufactures didn’t warranty. Get a Ti gravel bike is my conclusion.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by joosttx

I have three /four (if you include HT MTB) friends who have cracked their carbon gravel bike frames since Christmas. All different manufacturers. All non-crash related. Two of them manufactures didn’t warranty. Get a Ti gravel bike is my conclusion.

Cracking in what use? Some rock grinding going on?

I have been of the camp loose thrown material and carbon makes little sense. But then again carbon MTB been surviving well mostly.

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by joosttx

I have three /four (if you include HT MTB) friends who have cracked their carbon gravel bike frames since Christmas. All different manufacturers. All non-crash related. Two of them manufactures didn’t warranty. Get a Ti gravel bike is my conclusion.

Doesn't change my statement.

If you asked the same question on another forum (e.g. weight weenies), they'd reach a different consensus.

[Andy sti]

Originally Posted by joosttx

I have three /four (if you include HT MTB) friends who have cracked their carbon gravel bike frames since Christmas. All different manufacturers. All non-crash related. Two of them manufactures didn’t warranty. Get a Ti gravel bike is my conclusion.

Wow! I cracked my HT MTB but it was an open mold Chinese frame and it served me well so I couldn’t complain. Those are some crazy numbers, that sucks.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

Doesn't change my statement.

If you asked the same question on another forum (e.g. weight weenies), they'd reach a different consensus.

Good point. I’m just amazed at the recent carbon gravel bike failures I seen.

[R3awak3n]

I hate that I have to agree but my OPEN has been kind of a nightmare. I would not buy one again. I need to make a better post about this but after finally changing gearing to 1X and being like, wow this is how this bike was suppose to be, I look at my seatpost clamp and it has pinched the carbon. I messaged OPEN and they tell me this is totally fine and I can ride like this but to me its not normal... I did nothing wrong, greased the bolt, torqued it to 4.5nm (with a quality tool), this should not have happened and if it has that is what the warranty is for (I feel like the warranty does not cover anything, they can always say its my fault). Anyways, for another time.
THAT SAID, the bike is a DREAM to ride, one of the best bikes I ever ridden, its incredible but I wish I had no problem with it and it had been a great bike.... it is my only bike I bought new, definitely the most expensive frame I ever had and the bike I had the most problems with... go figure. It sucks because otherwise the OPEN would be (and it was) a dream gravel bike but it has turned into a nightmare.


I like titanium bikes, they look awesome but without trying to disrespect a lot of people here, to me they all look the same and therefor a little boring. I think its an awesome material and to be fair, kind of perfect for gravel but if I was to buy one, I would paint it I also like steel and would love something with a carbon fork for those fast day rides and also a steel fork I can put a rack on. I think something like my Cielo Base racer but with space for bigger tires.

[fa63]

I already have my dream gravel bike, though it would be even dreamier if it had GRX Di2 or Etap :-)

What I really dream about is having more gravel roads I can ride without having to drive an hour or more to them...

[morrisericd]

Remember that Speedvagen sale? I just couldn't help myself. The only issue is we're in the dead of winter here in Vermont and all I can do is look at it on my stand for the next two months!

My gravel bike requirements: road bike set up with some drop and room for 38's. This bike is set up 650b with 48's on it. I'm going to get another set of 700 wheels for it (or another driver for my current CX wheels - damn you XDR driver!) and see which I like better. Most of the gravel I ride around here is just dirt roads with some occasional goat paths thrown in. I'd been loving my 35mm G1 speed tires on widish rims on my Routt RSL. The Routt was just a little too big for me with not enough drop. I always felt on top of the bike instead of in it. Looking forward to steel is real!

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by joosttx

I have three /four (if you include HT MTB) friends who have cracked their carbon gravel bike frames since Christmas. All different manufacturers. All non-crash related. Two of them manufactures didn’t warranty. Get a Ti gravel bike is my conclusion.

Can you provide any more details about the types of failures they had and the bikes they were riding? Would be useful input to know what to engineer around.