I am not a groader - Page 3

Mzilliox · #31 02-08-2018, 07:37 PM

The thing about gravel riding is you kinda have to go looking, and then i want a nice road bike during the search. but when things are not polite its nice to have bigger tires, thus the all road. around my parts going from pave to gravel to pave again is pretty common and easy to do, and the more gravel i ride the less people honk and be stupid.

but for me a lot of my gravel rides require 5-10 miles of roads to get there and same for the way back. i dont want to ride some slow as hardtail or crap bike and im not gonnna drive my car to the trail, so a sweet all road is pretty nice to have.

thats why

Elefantino · #32 02-08-2018, 11:45 PM

Bought a groad bike for RVV and P-R, will likely keep it as move to North Carolina beckons and some nice groad riding out there.

Haanjo (we had another name for it!) is a nice one, Weisan pal. You'll like it.

Hilltopperny · #33 02-09-2018, 05:30 AM

I like the option to go off road. I have tons of different trail systems just outside my front door and even right from my backyard. The roads out this way are also littered with potholes and such in the spring so the extra tire volume helps.

My rides consist of just me and I enjoy riding in nature without really seeing many vehicles or people for that matter. I still do some straight up road rides, but I'd say it's a pretty even split between trails, gravel and paved roads.

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ergott · #34 02-09-2018, 06:10 AM

For me a ride doesn't have to be epic to break out my "gravel bike". I love easy spin days where I just grab a light trail nearby for a few miles. A little more solitude and beautiful scenery. It's a ride I wouldn't normally do on a road bike.

Also, I don't think a "gravel bike" has to be specced for extreme epic rides all the time. My setup is just 650X42 slicks (Gravel Kings) and it's more than capable for all but proper mountain bike trails. I can also ride to and from any trails in comfort and with good efficiency on the road.

To knock it out of the park the bike is fender ready so in spring when the roads are full of sand and salt I can enjoy a nice ride and not spend an hour cleaning it up.

Different strokes for different folks, but I really think a bike somewhere in between that bike you posted and a more traditional 23-28mm road bike gives you all with almost no compromise. Even in that middle ground there are more than enough choices depending on where you want to be along that sliding scale.

El Chaba · #35 02-09-2018, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeatnik

Gravel riding, it's kind of like driving from Malibu to Watts looking for some good hardcourt b-ball. Adding an unnecessary layer of complexity and possibly danger for the sake of perceived adventure.

Ya, I do it about twice yearly.

LOL That is solid gold there and so true....

oldpotatoe · #36 02-09-2018, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spoonrobot

The technical skills and fitness required to be a good, fast gravel rider are not for everyone. Kudos to Diamondback for working with you to resolve this to your satisfaction.

Ooorrrr it's just isn't that much fun for 'some'..You imply if you don't 'groad', you somehow lack fitness and technical skills..I ride dirt roads around the republic every once in a while and it just isn't that much fun to me...as riding on the road..Moots Vamoots with 27mm Pave tubulars..

IMHO, of course.

gemship · #37 02-09-2018, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Ooorrrr it's just isn't that much fun for 'some'..You imply if you don't 'groad', you somehow lack fitness and technical skills..I ride dirt roads around the republic every once in a while and it just isn't that much fun to me...as riding on the road..Moots Vamoots with 27mm Pave tubulars..

IMHO, of course.

Did you watch the video that Weisan linked in his OP? I did and it was awesome. 150 miles of backcountry from Reno to Nevada, the filming was really on point with these two fit guys flying up and down this rough country. It really makes one want to buy that bike! Alas reality sets in... for me personally I work as hard if not harder digging clams for a living as those guys ride their bikes. At the end of a long day I am not going to ride a bike like those guys do and for now I don't even ride a bike like you do. But a man can dream can't he?...ahh yes a man can dream. So I can't fault anyone for an impulsive purchase.

On that note shame on some posters for flaming me about wanting to get a bike the likes of the Specialized turbo evo and other electric assisted full suspension mountain bikes. After all the concept and videos on these bikes are just awesome.

Not necessarily snubbing you as I agree one shouldn't have to ride hard to enjoy riding anything anywhere. It just seems like the race on Sunday sells it on Monday like you say but the reality is for some like me...we work Monday on thru to Sunday. Gosh I hate the greed bug. You know it's bad when you admit you're just wasting money on bikes like this Diamondback because you work too much.

joosttx · #38 02-09-2018, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luwabra

im laughing pretty hard at this thread already... different strokes for different folks. I hate traffic. I like the quiet, the nature viewing, the access to everything hard pave to dirt, the slower pace. YES the racing is sketchy AF but remember no worse than any crit ive ever been in. heres a map of my unique situation to illustrate. The red is gravel.

Are concerned breathing the glyphosate or dicamba in the dust on those dirt roads in Iowa?

joosttx · #39 02-09-2018, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeatnik

Gravel riding, it's kind of like driving from Malibu to Watts looking for some good hardcourt b-ball. Adding an unnecessary layer of complexity and possibly danger for the sake of perceived adventure.

Ya, I do it about twice yearly.

I live in Watts. Frankly, i find riding on the dirt more pleasant and peacful than riding on the road. But if I had to drive to do it I would not do it much.

joosttx · #40 02-09-2018, 07:51 AM

Hey weisan if you like to Reno to Nevada city ought to check out the Reno to Mendocino (coast on Norcal) which adds 200 miles and 15k of climbing. We ride the roads in the video but I have to say the Mendocino mountains are even more beautiful.

oldpotatoe · #41 02-09-2018, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemship

Did you watch the video that Weisan linked in his OP? I did and it was awesome. 150 miles of backcountry from Reno to Nevada, the filming was really on point with these two fit guys flying up and down this rough country. It really makes one want to buy that bike! Alas reality sets in... for me personally I work as hard if not harder digging clams for a living as those guys ride their bikes. At the end of a long day I am not going to ride a bike like those guys do and for now I don't even ride a bike like you do. But a man can dream can't he?...ahh yes a man can dream. So I can't fault anyone for an impulsive purchase.

.

Yup, but I think this would be more fun...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDqt3_OGp6s

Luwabra · #42 02-09-2018, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joosttx

Are concerned breathing the glyphosate or dicamba in the dust on those dirt roads in Iowa?

much less so than breathing the air in LA or any metropolis area.

gemship · #43 02-09-2018, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Yup, but I think this would be more fun...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDqt3_OGp6s

Haha, now your talking! I love my motorcycles. Last summer I made an impulse purchase on a 1975 Yamaha rd250 completely original with patina. The guy that sold it to me recommended it be ridden only on short rides to the ice cream stand. Well I rode that bike more than a few times a hundred miles north of home and back. It wasn't totally an impulsive purchase as I wanted a vintage two stroke bike for the longest time but at the time I was too gun shy to spend the money on more collectable, expensive Kawasaki triples. So I saw this bike at the local motorcycle shop at just the right price and had to have it.

Getting back to the video you linked. So I have this other bike, a gsxr1000, you know a fully faired sport bike with clip ons and just too racy for long rides however I was on one such long ride and I ran into a BMW guy. He was on a gs1150 adventure with the aluminum panniers. What a bike! Yes I like your style and I want his bike on those roads! My bucket list adventure, thank you for reminding me

Btw that Haanjo Diamondback bike can actually mount front and rear panniers. I guess I am aloof to the new carbon frame mountain bikes. Never thought one would be stout enough for such duty. I would be looking more toward a steel frame bike but it's really an impressive mount in that regard.

Tandem Rider · #44 02-09-2018, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joosttx

Are concerned breathing the glyphosate or dicamba in the dust on those dirt roads in Iowa?

I'm not trying to be snarky here, but in the 27 years I lived in Iowa, riding thousands of miles per year on gravels, I have never seen the county road departments spraying herbicides anywhere. Mowing of the ditches and easements is generally left up to the landowners, generally farmers, who only apply herbicides to production. The "greenspace", to use a modern term, surrounding crops, is a necessary part of agriculture so farmers make an effort to prevent herbicides from going where they are not wanted, not to mention extra cost for chemicals. Now, dust from a field, which is rare anymore, is a different matter, I would be concerned about that. No-till production has stopped most farm dust. There was probably a lot more reason to be concerned before we knew even there was a health risk from the herbicides.

oldpotatoe · #45 02-09-2018, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemship

Haha, now your talking! I love my motorcycles. Last summer I made an impulse purchase on a 1975 Yamaha rd250 completely original with patina. The guy that sold it to me recommended it be ridden only on short rides to the ice cream stand. Well I rode that bike more than a few times a hundred miles north of home and back. It wasn't totally an impulsive purchase as I wanted a vintage two stroke bike for the longest time but at the time I was too gun shy to spend the money on more collectable, expensive Kawasaki triples. So I saw this bike at the local motorcycle shop at just the right price and had to have it.

Getting back to the video you linked. So I have this other bike, a gsxr1000, you know a fully faired sport bike with clip ons and just too racy for long rides however I was on one such long ride and I ran into a BMW guy. He was on a gs1150 adventure with the aluminum panniers. What a bike! Yes I like your style and I want his bike on those roads! My bucket list adventure, thank you for reminding me

Remember those well..something about that era(late 60s/70s) 2 strokes from the 3 that did 2 strokes..Friend of mine had one of these..VERY fast. Suzuki X-6 Hustler, Kawasaki Mach3...