Another Gravel Thread

[Hilltopperny]

If you can find a Salsa Warbird I would recommend trying it. No toe overlap, comfortable, versatile and should be easy to move along if you do not end up liking it. I have had quite a few allroad/gravel bikes over the past few years and am smitten by mine. It is the ultimate gravel bike that is still well mannered enough to enjoy on regular roads. It fits as big a tire as I would ever need on a drop bar bike and it can be built up into a pretty light bicycle to boot.

[slambers3]

A couple of my buddies have those canyon grail AL bikes and absolutely love them. I’d make an argument for a cheaper AL option for entry into gravel on the basis that you can thrash it, put it away wet etc without feeling terrible about abusing a handmade work of art. They’re less likely to be critically damaged by rock strikes, and any harshness in ride will be mitigated by the larger tires you’ll use. I’m on a 2019 crockett and this could easily be the one bike I use for 90% of the rides I do now (save for trail stuff and actual road racing)

[mistermo]

Originally Posted by slambers3

[Metal bikes are] less likely to be critically damaged by rock strikes....

I'm not directing this specifically to slambers but to the group as a whole. I've seen this position presented many times when comparing carbon gravel bikes to metal gravel bikes. On the surface, this makes sense BUT.... is this really an issue? Are there examples of carbon bikes that have failed from rock strikes? I've taken some good hits from rocks while bombing downhill (on both materials), but nothing has even come close to causing damage, permanent or otherwise. Have I been lucky or is this a red herring against carbon?

[Hilltopperny]

Originally Posted by mistermo

I'm not directing this specifically to slambers but to the group as a whole. I've seen this position presented many times when comparing carbon gravel bikes to metal gravel bikes. On the surface, this makes sense BUT.... is this really an issue? Are there examples of carbon bikes that have failed from rock strikes? I've taken some good hits from rocks while bombing downhill (on both materials), but nothing has even come close to causing damage, permanent or otherwise. Have I been lucky or is this a red herring against carbon?

I am with you! Having owned a couple of Parlee Chebaccos, a Stigmata and now a carbon Warbird. They were all pretty tough bikes. I am also over 200# and never had any issues with any of these bikes. Modern carbon bikes are pretty tough when done right IMO.

The only bike that I had for the same purpose that dented(not catastrophically) was an aluminum cx bike that had some pretty thin tubing. It came to me pre dinged from what looked like a handle bar strike. Still a great bike though!

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by mistermo

Have I been lucky

Yup, you have.

I've had 2 bikes that I've had to repair (bought them used, no warranty) when they were never crashed. I've had 2 others that I had to fight hard to get warrantied that I did buy new (lifetime? good luck with that if your local rep sucks).

If I can help it I'm never buying another carbon bike.

[Hilltopperny]

Originally Posted by .RJ

Yup, you have.

I've had 2 bikes that I've had to repair (bought them used, no warranty) when they were never crashed. I've had 2 others that I had to fight hard to get warrantied that I did buy new (lifetime? good luck with that if your local rep sucks).

If I can help it I'm never buying another carbon bike.

Curious as to what brands, what they were designed for and how old these carbon bikes were? I can definitely understand this point of view having 4 different bikes fail in one way or another!


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[Andy sti]

Originally Posted by .RJ

Yup, you have.

I've had 2 bikes that I've had to repair (bought them used, no warranty) when they were never crashed. I've had 2 others that I had to fight hard to get warrantied that I did buy new (lifetime? good luck with that if your local rep sucks).

If I can help it I'm never buying another carbon bike.

Or maybe you’re just really unlucky. I think you are in the minority.

[mistermo]

Originally Posted by .RJ

Yup, you have.

I've had 2 bikes that I've had to repair (bought them used, no warranty) when they were never crashed. I've had 2 others that I had to fight hard to get warrantied that I did buy new (lifetime? good luck with that if your local rep sucks).

If I can help it I'm never buying another carbon bike.

From rock strikes?