Lookimg for a gravel bike but facing my usual issue of needing a short seat tube.
Ideally looking for something with an effective top tube of 530 ish but need a seat tube under 450.
I did like the Planet X Freeranger but the seat tube is much too long for me. Canyon Grail much the same. Im also right between a 2XS and XS and no way to try one first.
Giants Revolt was at the tip of the list but i think will be too long in a small and the XS is not available yet.
Any suggestions on brands to look at? Carbon and not silly money.
Topstone?
https://www.cannondale.com/en-gb/bikes/road/gravel/topstone-carbon/topstone-carbon-4-c15402u
ST - 410, TT - 533
Thanks, I'll have a look.
Im right between thier sizes too so will need to try one out.
Salsa warbird is 525 440.
Mrs_oab has had a Giant (CX bike, but Giant do very small frame sizes) a Marin flat bar (small, but came up as small as the tiny Giant) and now a Merida flat bar eBike (gate of a frame triangle which is misleading as the reach/stack/geometry generally is much smaller than the frame looks).
Do you mean Giant come up smaller than the specified measurements? Or just smaller than other brands when comparing small, medium, large etc?
They seem to offer a true XS frame size. Like tiny. mrs_oab is 5'1" and they are almost too small.
Liv Invite XS
https://flic.kr/p/2ik7AnV
And Liv Lust XS
https://flic.kr/p/Md58xH
BUT you do have to peek at geo charts - her new Merida looks huge, but contact points are very similar to the Liv Invite
https://flic.kr/p/2p6vE8j
I sat on a Liv Devote in a small which felt ok in terms of seat to bars. That had an effective top tube of 525 with an 80mm stem. The mens equivalent has an effective TT of 550 with a 60mm stem. So could put a slightly shorter stem on. But the seat tube is right on my limit at 450mm.
The Revolt does have an XS option but frame only and no stock.
But the seat tube is right on my limit at 450mm.
Mrs_oab is ok climbing off hers. It's like having an old school road bike - just get used to a higher TT?
I just means id probably not be able to have a dropper
No you would not.
But does a gravel bike need a dropper? What sort of riding you you envisage it for? We ride roads, tracks and occasionally more off-road - and it like the 25+ years we rode pre-dropper post. Skinny tyres, nippy handling, no dropper, flat or drop bars.
IMO, our mountain bikes are geared up for proper off road and steepness.
Our 'do it all bikes' are a totally different set up and usually are for a totally different riding experience.
Both can of course be used - and we just accept a compromise in the ride. Makes it fun.
I've got a dropper on my gravel bike and spent an age faffing around to get a level I liked (too poor for the GRX version with the left STI setup for dropper duties which is the only setup that feels nice to use imo).
Got to confess, I'm not sure it was worth the setup hassle, cost or weight penalty. If I was building again, I don't think I'd bother.
