Gravel drivetrain and tire recommendation

[p nut]

I've got a frame I'm building up. Steel, canti brakes, with clearance of 42c (so the builder says). I'm located out West and will be riding on typical terrain out this way. Usually, dry, hardpack, some chunk. Basically, see footages from Crusher in the Tushar, or Rebecca's Private Idaho. A nice tubeless tire to ride terrain like that. I'm thinking Gravel King at this point.

So far, I have the following:

WI hubs (Shimano 11s) to Pacenti SL23.
Paul Mini-motos F&R

I would like to stick with Shimano for this build. I like Campagnolo; however, I have heard they don't play well with Paul brakes. Besides, the wheels are already set up for Shimano. Plus, read further...

I've used 5800 and they were good. Just had to deal with chainslap. Which is why I am wondering about going 1x. 46T ring up front and XT 11-42 (or 46) in the back with XT derailer w clutch. I have heard Wolftooth Tanpan works great. I'll lose a bit of top range, but won't be too bad, I don't think. If I do go this route, what to do with the left shifter? Can you gut a Shimano shifter?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[AngryScientist]

i have a few thoughts:

46 x 42 is not nearly low enough for me on challenging loose terrain climbing. i want and need 1:1 at a minimum.

if you think you need the top end, (which is questionable on gravel IMO, i ran a bike with 38x11 as my top gear and was fine with that, but admit i could have used a BIT more top end), than consider going to a WI ENO crank with 46/30 chainrings. that will allow a much more reasonable cassette stack out back with nice jumps between cogs.

[donevwil]

I'll second the 1:1 as an absolute minimum. Many don't initially realize how much havoc 700 x 42 tires wreak on typical road'ish gearing. I've used the 28 x 30 on my BMC Mcross with Compass 44s (that only measure 40) many times on the road, let alone off-road. Granted I live in a very hilly area with steep climbs.



FWIW, Paul mini motos work well with Campy levers as do any of their other rim brakes. You must be thinking the Klampers (disc) although they now offer a Campy specific arm.

[brownhound]

I use mini-motos with Campy 10 on my gravel bike. Works just fine.

Incidentally, I have compact upfront and 11-29 cassette on the rear.

[Luwabra]

i run a 50/34 and 11/32 so not 1:1 but i def don't have mountainous climbs to deal with.

gravel king sk's are the bang for the buck. i love them they blow up big on a wider rim.... my 35's measure out at 37+ on a stans 18mm interior rim.ztr i believe.

fun stuff

[palincss]

Originally Posted by donevwil

I'll second the 1:1 as an absolute minimum. Many don't initially realize how much havoc 700 x 42 tires wreak on typical road'ish gearing.

What do you mean by "havoc"? Certainly a tire that big would raise the lowest gear by almost 2 gear inches compared to a 23mm tire, but that's no more than the effect of 2 fewer teeth on the large rear sprocket, and hardly deserving of being called "widespread destruction" or "devastation".

[bigbill]

Hard to beat Ultegra 8000 for bang for the buck. You can go to 11-34 (officially) so you miss the 1:1 by just a gear with the 36/46 crankset. I'm a hard core campy guy, 4 bikes with campy 10/11, and then the gravel bike with Ultegra and it works so well. It's very light and precise. The new style FD may be the best feature, it's not intuitive to set up, I had to watch youtube to figure it out, but it really does the job with easy adjustment. It uses a set screw to take up cable slack so you can get it close, clamp the cable and use the set screw to adjust.

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by palincss

What do you mean by "havoc"? Certainly a tire that big would raise the lowest gear by almost 2 gear inches compared to a 23mm tire, but that's no more than the effect of 2 fewer teeth on the large rear sprocket, and hardly deserving of being called "widespread destruction" or "devastation".

Yep, forgot to put havoc in quotes or pick an appropriate emoji. My apology to all literalists.

When one runs Campy 10 and is already using a 12-30, needing 2 more teeth is a very expensive proposition.

[ptourkin]

What the others said. 46 is a huge chain ring, esp if you are going dirt. The popular size for mixed use started out as 42, and that's still what comes stock, but unless you are chasing groups on the road or racing on rolling dirt, most of my crowd has downsized that considerably. Consider the position on the bike and what it will be like to grind out a climb - you won't have as much traction as a cushy, knobby mtb and if you have to stand, you will almost certainly spin the rear wheel.

I'd consider 42 the max, and smaller probably better. I started out 40 11-42 on my Traildonkey and swapped down to a direct mount 36, which I'm very happy with.

[eBAUMANN]

I use 42t (with 28t out back) for cx racing and 40/42t (with 32-42t out back) for gravel stuff.

I would not recommend a 46t front ring unless you live in a very flat place.

[jtbadge]

Shimano 2x 11s with a compact crank and 11-32 cassette.

Mini Motos or CX8.4s.

I like WTB Nanos, but they are ****ty in the mud.

Also gravel is so regionally specific in terrain, elevation, and what even constitues “gravel” that I would take all recommendations on web forums with a Flint Hills-sized chunk of salt.

[p nut]

I've got plenty of climbs, living in the rockies. I did have a Warbird, which came with 46x36 and 11-30. It was adequate for what I did. I am not a big spinner. More of a masher. So it did well, although I think 34x32 low gearing would be better. Which is why I thought 46 and 11-42 was a good compromise. But I will look into a smaller front ring.

I will just have to research what I need to do with the left shifter.

[sparky33]

Originally Posted by p nut

I've got plenty of climbs, living in the rockies. I did have a Warbird, which came with 46x36 and 11-30. It was adequate for what I did. I am not a big spinner. More of a masher. So it did well, although I think 34x32 low gearing would be better. Which is why I thought 46 and 11-42 was a good compromise. But I will look into a smaller front ring.



I will just have to research what I need to do with the left shifter.

As you like it.
46t is a large 1x ring but 46x42 is still a bit lower than 36x30 so the ratios aren’t crazy by the numbers, especially if you aren’t a spinner. The good thing is that switching 1x chainring is pretty easy if you change your mind.

[p nut]

Thanks for the inputs. I am heavily leaning 1x and will start conservative at 42T (x 11-42) first and adjust from there, if needed.

Follow up question on that. I noticed SRAM offers some nice 1x packages. I’ve never used Sram before. Looks like I don’t need the Tanpan if I go that route. Any thoughts on that vs Shimano set up?

[Andy sti]

Sram 1x is great. It just plain works and it works all the time. No fuss, no messing with it, no troubles. Some may not like the ergos but I have no problem with it. I have force 1 hydro on 2 bikes and never have an issue.

If you're planning to do Crusher and RPI I would consider a 2x but plenty are doing it on 1x. Just remember that hour long climbs at 10,000 ft get hard.

As for tires check out the new Vittoria line. I've been using the dry tire and really like it. Set up tubeless super easy and rolls pretty well.