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As a winter bike and for country lanes. I did have a cx bike in the past but I sized it wrong and sold it after 6 months.
Basically want to use it for cruising the canal and very light trails instead of getting my full suss completely filthy. And having to change the tyres back to more suitable mud tyres.
I've looked at the following
https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-malt-g-tiagra-gravel-bike-2019-114706.html
Budget £650 Max.
Rigid 29er and either put 27.5 plus tyres, 29er tyres or skinny tyres on. So much choice.
I love my rigid 29er, nice steep angles and a high sweep flat bar. Basically I need the big tyres, as there's no way I'm mincing down the local rocky tracks trying to be on-trend. I can link the tracks up with nice singletrack if I am in the mood, it handles almost all of it.
Any links as I'm really after buying off the shelf. Too lazy build one.
For me it is pretty much +1 what Molgrips said. I even use some 100mm forks for many rides. I may not be on trend but I am happy with the results.
https://imgur.com/gallery/eCPNha9
i saw these in the Alsace this summer - never seen anything like it. The Dutch guy said he had had them for 20 years so it looks like the flat v drops dilemma has been running for some time.
got me think could there be a market for ergonomic type grips to clip onto the sides of drops to produce a similar flat bar extra hand position?
Personally I like both and but am loving my new Vagabond running 2.1 x 29 with drops. It is heavy but once rolling no local terrain will knock her off course. I am sure the steel frame is adding to the comfort.
Basically want to use it for cruising the canal and very light trails
Depends what you mean by this but more importantly what you prefer riding. I would cruise the canal and ride light trails on a 25c tyre road bike while others would take an MTB. Nothing wrong with either choice, both bikes can do it but it really is down to what sort of bike you enjoy riding the most. I would enjoy myself just as much on a rigid MTB (I used one a few years ago) but I personally didn't like or find I needed suspension fork.
Some places the MTB would be more enjoyable, other place the road type bike so I settled on a road type bike with riser bars as does exactly what I need, goes fast, handles well with risers etc,. for the terrain I ride on.
I’ve got both a cross bike and a rigid 29er. Generally the 29er is more comfortable and capable off-roadbut the crossbike is more fun for some riding and is obviously better on the riad. It sounds like you’re at the cross/gravel end of the spectrum but only you really know that.
I've got both (Arkose & rigid stooge). I much prefer the stooge for the kind of riding you mention. Comfortable upright riding position and plenty of bar leverage for woodland tracks.
It's a couple of mph slower on the road but no big deal.
<span style="display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Rigid 29er and either put 27.5 plus tyres, 29er tyres or skinny tyres on. So much choice.</span>
Two sets of wheels then? How often do you change wheels/tyres? Sort of the point of a gravel bike is having something that doesn't need fiddling around with. (For me anyway!)
I've just pulled the trigger on a Longitude for exactly what you describe, plus commuting.
I've went for a standard 29er set up with 2.1 tyres.
Once CTW vouchers are released at work I'll get 27.5+ setup for a dabble into bike packing.
I did think of Vagabond or CDF but I really couldn't get on with drop bars.
You could go for something like a Pinnacle Lithium, which is basically a 29er as it fits 2.1-2.3 inch tyres
My partner has one with On One sweepy bars, Hope/Stans wheels and Maxxis 2.1 rear, 2.35 front, and it's perfect for light XC/gravel
I have an arkose for commuting and two 29ers for fun, one rigid SS and the other rigid geared
Even with bigger off road tyres on the arkose, I'd probably still take the rigid 29er. It's quite remarkable how good they are as an all rounder
For a winter bike i would be looking at e-bay, search for 29er mtb and several come up for around £400 including a cannondale trail SS which would be perfect for winter. Not sure what size you are though...
+1 weenie rigid 29er here
Was a Cube Reaction but I've just swapped that for a new Scott Scale. Sub 9kg and wicked.
For non tech riding I find flat bars to be pretty uncomfortable and much prefer drops mainly for the variety of positions available.
I looked at that Merlin when I was looking for a gravel bike a month or so ago. Its ok, but lacking in tyre clearance. Check out the Vitus gravel bikes on CRC, starting at £600, very versatile bikes.
For non tech riding I find flat bars to be pretty uncomfortable
I have high sweep narrow (by today's standards) bars (On One Fleegle) and Ergon grips. This is an outstanding combination. I doubt I'd like normal flat bars on the same bike.
At that budget, the STI shifters account for quite a bit more of the bike, so for new bikes, you'd end up with quite low rent components elsewhere. So a new £650 rigid MTB is likely to be slightly better value than a CX/gravel bike of the same value.
Put that budget into a well looked after, used bike, and the options open up considerably.
Personally, for that kind I've riding, I'd choose a CX/gravel bike every time, and my Saracen Hack, and then On One Pickenflick have been by far my most used bikes (by a long stretch) for the last 5-6 years.
If you're looking for an off-the-shelf option how about this from Alpkit https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/sonder-frontier-build-nx1-rigid-hobo
I'm currently loving using an Arkose in that role. It works for me as it is also my road bike
A rigid MTB with the correct bars would also be great. Actually my old hard tail with slicks is hardly slower.
The thing to avoid is suspension fork as this price they bring nothing to the party
To echoe what is said above a Pinnacle Lithium would work well in this role
If you go with a rigid 29er then a properly swept bar like a Jones or an On-One OG adds a lot of comfort IME. Fleegles are good too, if you want something less swept.
So Pinnacle Lithium then?
Or Buy a Cheap 29er take the invetible Suntour Pogo stick forks off and slap some rigids on.
Or just Balls to it buy a 29er Hardtail and put some fast rolling tyres on like Conti X kings.
Thinking I would prefer a Hardtail but £650 budget only gets one with a cack Suntour xcm or Rockshox xc30 coil fork.
Just don't want my Full suss running through 12 months of slop.
And it's totally wasted going up and down a Canal and light gravel roads.
Evans have a few clearance things, like this...
I've recently had this discussion myself, ended up putting 40c "gravel" tyres on my rigid giant xtc. It's great for cruising around on mixed terrain, commuting etc and easy to swap in 29er tyres on a different wheelset for xc riding. Tried a jones bar for a while, felt better on tarmac but have swapped back, personal preference.
Not noticeably slower than pals on gravel bikes on the road which was surprising but I do spin out 38/11 quite easily when out with others on compact/sub compact chainsets, it's fine when riding solo though.
The one thing I do really miss on my 29er frame is the ability to run full length mudguards, mudhuggers are fine but feet/legs get constantly soaked and bike is filthy from just commuting and using canal paths on a regular basis. If buying a new bike for winter bimbling I'd put that high on my list.