[Closed] Lets have a "show off your gravel bike" thread.

Some lovely rides here....where can I get some of those satori MTB drops in the UK?

Some really nice bikes on here. Really like those Norco Search. Stoney, your's is a delight - love it. Bumper your pics make me want to get out for a weekend.

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/345/19815213119_9bb84da7c2.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/345/19815213119_9bb84da7c2.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/wc19vv ]DSCN9560[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/67338272@N05/ ]james*o[/url], on Flickr

My current dirt tourer on some Italian military roads a few weeks back.

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3829/19380687043_44ef08d9ea.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3829/19380687043_44ef08d9ea.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/vwB63B ]DSCN0105[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/67338272@N05/ ]james*o[/url], on Flickr

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james*o, is that a new bike you are testing or a cobbled together frame fork and bits? 650b tyres? Like the pics on your flickr, looked like a great trip. Anymore news on the Pinnacle bikes 2016 range?

overnighter in Wales

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/262/20367563025_f58e1efdcd_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/262/20367563025_f58e1efdcd_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

Jupiter, yes to both new testing and cobbled together, just trying some things out of personal interest at this stage.
Pinnacle '16, won't hijack here but will be up on the Evans site unfashionably late, later in Aug. Or early Sept, post Eurobike.

Out and about on the Gower yesterday.

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Any recommendations for some flared drops? Fancy a bit more control when hurling myself down rocky descents.

Salsa Cowbell 2's?

+1 cowbell
Ali - is That Pwll Du? (spelling!!)

As an aside, readers may be interested to hear that Spesh are now doing a Fatboy slick in a 700xlots size with skinwalls! Only available in the US at the moment, I believe. Might be trying some as a winter road basher.

Skinwall tyres are just betterer.

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Are 29er gravel roaders allowed in here?

Ali - is That Pwll Du? (spelling!!)

I can answer for him that it is. I was also there yesterday - bloody busy (unsurprisingly given the weather). The climb up the other side is a bvgg€r, not sure if it's even possible to ride it clean

Yes JohnC, that's an interesting bike..

Tell us more 😀

Hell, yes, John!

The thing about these bikes to me is that they almost go back to what mountain biking/riding was all about for me when I got in to it.

Get on bike. Go. Explore. See what's out there, up that lane, along that bridleway. Over that hill. Just going out and riding. Not busting phatt movezz on da jumps or schralping teh gnat. Riding. Just plain, simple, brilliant riding.

Some nice bikes on here. A question for those posting bikes with tubs- do you actually take them out for long rides?? I'd love to use my cx more than for racing but I'm scared sh1tless about getting a puncture even a few miles from home... No way to repair on the fly right??

Use open Tub's then?

bikebouy - Member

Yes JohnC, that's an interesting bike..

Tell us more

Travers Rudy 29er http://www.traversbikes.com/travers-frames.html

Lauf Trail Racer forks http://www.laufforks.com/

Genetic Digest bars http://www.ison-distribution.com/english/product.php?part=HBGED44K

2 x 10 set up
Stans Flow rims
Brooks Cambium saddle

Use open Tub's then?

Apart from the grocers apostrophe, this is good advice!

I've pair of Soma Junebugs for flared drops.

Pardon my ignorance but what are open tubs? Do they fit on tubular rims?
Thanks.

Better off without. Open tubs ride nicely but don't run tubless which is part of the reason to use tubs. Less punctures.
Tubs do tend to puncture less than clinchers in my experience but understand that CX tubs are for CX not roughstuffing. They are narrow, 33m isn't it maximum.
I just carry a spare. An old one will be sticky enough at stretched accordingly.

separate thread about flared drops from a couple of weeks ago with some suggestions

[url] http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/gravel-bikes-cx-stylee-flared-drops-suggestions [/url]

Something to consider:

With 'normal' drops you can often ride through those annoying cycle-path chav-gates. Flared drops may well mean a dis-mount.

(I'm flare curious, but there are too many of the aforementioned width restrictions on my commute.)

mattsccm - Member
...Tubs do tend to puncture less than clinchers in my experience but understand that CX tubs are for CX not roughstuffing. They are narrow, 33m isn't it maximum....

I used to tour in the Oz outback on tubs. 🙂

But that was back in the 70s, and the real reason was the the rims were stronger. A 100miles from anywhere a bent rim is a deal breaker, but a puncture is just an inconvenience.

These days rims are great, and there's no way I'd bother with tubs.

But I reckon most of these gravel bikes are missing the point, their tyres are too narrow. Just get a 29er frame and set it up with road gear and 2.35" Big Apples. That's my current setup, and it's the best of all worlds - ride 20 to 30 miles, see an interesting track, end up on the other side of the mountain, and ride home on the road.

eg take yesterday's "road" ride...

[img] [/img]

(and it got worse 🙂 )

ahwiles - Member
Something to consider:
With 'normal' drops you can often ride through those annoying cycle-path chav-gates. Flared drops may well mean a dis-mount.
(I'm flare curious, but there are too many of the aforementioned width restrictions on my commute.)

I've got salsa cowbell 3s(I think) on my Vaya, they fit through those gate things you mean. Never understood the appeal of this type of bar until I tried them. Absolutely love them now.

ahwiles - Member
...With 'normal' drops you can often ride through those annoying cycle-path chav-gates. Flared drops may well mean a dis-mount.

I'm using narrow bars for similar reasons - there's more places you can squeeze through. The only place it is a disadvantage is if I try to ride technical stuff, but when the bike is set up for road, I'm crap on that anyway.

@epicyclo, those are some massive trees. Where was it?
FWIW I use my CX race bike for road/mixed rides with Grifo XS 34 tubs. The times it becomes an issue are down to the combination of my lack of testicular fortitude and canti brakes on carbon rim when on XC descents.
[img] [/img]
Notice lever application and zero retardation.

Oh and on wet road rides, see previous ref. carbon rims and cantis.
If it's a long (3+hour) ride then it's hydrabak, otherwise it's a bottle stuffed in a jersey pocket.
Another Salsa Cowbell 3 owner here.

Shedbrewed - looks like a familiar Spam winter final descent there.

Got my fastest finish last year, first time off-road on cowbell 2s

Had a great week in Snowdonia, putting the GT Grade through its paces.
I'm much impressed with the off-road capability. Decided to run Schwalbe Landcruisers and can report no punctures or cuts and they gripped pretty well on all surfaces I encountered. 🙂
(No issues with the wheels either Sofaking and it's had a good hammering now.)
[img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0YxaHNraPwL0V8GEafZXYjwm52cOWHFCgDYSm8fJ2HA=w685-h913-no [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nnRyu4BQxpFdr8ACC06BHGR_3fcvtxftdjoqNPnxd0Q=w1218-h913-no [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0qXQi45JxaivMzCL-9_2VhiyJHzX--d8ny4NYwq659M=w1218-h913-no [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vjZ4Nv7zwohWFV2RccBevkKznT0-F9yEC046oxvhA9E=w1218-h913-no [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/j4nBIGMdmCTNwGidJvbUW_rUEauU_oXubzf0oEA3pgA=w1218-h913-no [/img]

Im having a rethink on tyres now i think schwalbe marathons or mondials should be up the the job and provide enough of a grip off road/rolling resistance on road/puncture protection

The thing about these bikes to me is that they almost go back to what mountain biking/riding was all about for me when I got in to it.

Get on bike. Go. Explore. See what's out there, up that lane, along that bridleway. Over that hill. Just going out and riding. Not busting phatt movezz on da jumps or schralping teh gnat. Riding. Just plain, simple, brilliant riding.

This weekend I wanted to go for a bike ride, I didn't know where but I knew I didn't want to smash out Strava PB's. So I took my Gravel Grinder/Gnarmac/tourer out and just rode. I did some lovely canal towpaths, some quiet lanes, a few bridleways and even a bit a cheeky singletrack. It was awesome, not fast, just awesome. I'll be doing much more of this.

Agreed Lunge.
Mountainbiking in the main, has moved so far from what attracted me to it in the 80s. Even Singletrack Mag. has gone more and more Enduro and less relevant to me.
Adventure / Gravel Biking has reminded me how much I love cycling and exploring in the countryside.

Hi,

Peugeot died in commuting crash a month ago (Rust in Peace)

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So I'm sporting now slightly upgraded Plug 3.

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Here on the way to Meadowhall and then to Whancliffe.

Cheers!
I.

Took the tcx around swinley yesterday, had a blast - a fun duel with another rider on their cx bike.

Must say the lats,shoulders,forearms,wrists & hands still achey from roots,ruts,large stones etc - the labyrinth was a test to ride quickly with no suspension and low volume tyres!

Regarding flared bars - the Grade has own-brand Droptune bars with 14 degree flare.
Initially I didn't like them (having only ridden "proper" road bike drops before,) but the extra width, elbows out position really proved itself on the looser, more technical sections of descents last week. I'm not sure I'd want any more width / flare though, as the drops are nearly on the limit of what I find comfy on the road.

Mountainbiking in the main, has moved so far from what attracted me to it in the 80s. Even Singletrack Mag. has gone more and more Enduro and less relevant to me.
Adventure / Gravel Biking has reminded me how much I love cycling and exploring in the countryside.

I don't live near any gnar/enduro type trails and I have no interest in driving to ride. When I was a kid I got on my bike at the front door and rode off, that riding generally involved a few roads, some bridleways around the fields, maybe the odd play in the forest. It was, and still is, awesome. I could take a 6" travel bike around my local trails but it would kill them and make them dull, even my 140mm hardtail felt overbiked for some of it.

This whole gravel/gnarmac/all-road/whatever marketing term you care for thing has really hit a chord with me. As someone who has all but given up on off-road riding this may just save me from the darkside.

Mountainbiking in the main, has moved so far from what attracted me to it in the 80s. Even Singletrack Mag. has gone more and more Enduro and less relevant to me.
Adventure / Gravel Biking has reminded me how much I love cycling and exploring in the countryside.

This +1 🙂

I think it's probably worthy of a whole new thread !

Ali - is That Pwll Du? (spelling!!)
I can answer for him that it is. I was also there yesterday - bloody busy (unsurprisingly given the weather). The climb up the other side is a bvgg€r, not sure if it's even possible to ride it clean

Cheers Ferrals....
This indeed Pwlldu. The climb the other side is nigh on impossible so it's usually bike up onto the shoulder and a brisk jog. Or....a sneaky ride along the footpath up Bishopston valley to meet the bridleway.

the latter being my favourite!

edit. the other good option is down the backingstone lane bridleway from pyle corner and up the other side.

Cfh +many

I think we all think the same thing here don't we. Bikes and fun. 😆

I've been tempted on occasion to go to Swinley, not quite managed it but do fancy a pootle'age around the Surrey Hills off road..

Any takers for this? Be nice to get a few of us out..

Anyhoos, not wanting to spoil our party here but anyone been over to grit.cx lately ??

I use Grit.cx from time to time, but the forum is a bit quiet.

oxym0r0n - Member
Shedbrewed - looks like a familiar Spam winter final descent there.
Got my fastest finish last year, first time off-road on cowbell 2s
POSTED 2 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Yup. Shortly after that I went straight into the brambles, cracking bit of target fixation on my part.
Only the second time I've done it but enjoyed it.

I love this thread

I use Grit.cx from time to time, but the forum is a bit quiet.

Quiet is a bit of an understatement, it's virtually dead over there with 2 posts in the past 5 days!

I've just had a quick look on the site and despite being a subscriber I never realised that they were up to issue 5 with the magazine as I don't think I bothered downloading it after issue one.
It's a shame as I had fairly high hopes for the site and the magazine but it's never really happened.

I ride my cx bike round the Surrey Hills pretty much every weekend, we could arrange a Saturday or Sunday meet (9am-ish, returning about 4pm)? Maybe do the full "mixed-surface" ride and start and finish in, say, Richmond-upon-Thames? Might be a long day, but its perfectly possible (no faffing, mind).

I've only the one 'all rounder' so if has to do the commute, the road runs with the road group I go out with, some easier st stuff, big sky bridleway cruising days and as above sometimes I like to just go for a ride with a bit of everything. My stock Boardman CX won't win any prizes against the fancy stuff in this thread but in smiles per mile per pound spent it's already close to my best ever bike. Already starting to contemplate a frame transplant for something a bit fancier.

Fancy that aP! would prefer to meet outside of London from my point of view though!.

Anyone fancy doing an Isle of Wight ride this Sunday?

Saw this on sister site Grit and have put an order in:
http://grit.cx/news/2015/08/lindarets-roadlink-affordable-wide-range-gearing

Was aware of the goat link for mtb but this seems great for a light loaded hilly tour I have planned. Also good as I have lots of 10s mechs and my 9spd xt that was used for bigger cassette time has died.

^^ I'd buy one of those but they don't make em' to fit SRAM 😐

As for the Surrey Hills ride, I'd be up for that 😀 I'd offer up we meet at 1030 though, near some cafe or other then ride out, stop for tea, hack back for 1600.. ( that's my itinerary for most long'ish days out 😆 )

The thing about these bikes to me is that they almost go back to what mountain biking/riding was all about for me when I got in to it.

I was thinking the same thing too the other day out on my "gravel" bike it suddenly reminded me of trundling about Dorset forests and bridleways on a diamondback ascent during my youth and all the long trips I was going to do with my bike (and never did)...

I kind of view my MTB a bit differently now, it's more for quick and easy thrills than the whole explore and adventure side of things... Gravel/CX/Gnarmac whatever the buzzword dejour might be drop-bared offroad capable bikes are definitely a winner for me, but I think maybe it's something I had to sort of "grow into"...

they almost go back to what mountain biking/riding was all about for me when I got in to it.

ATBS, all good.

[IMG] [/IMG]

As for the Surrey Hills ride, I'd be up for that I'd offer up we meet at 1030 though, near some cafe or other then ride out, stop for tea, hack back for 1600.. ( that's my itinerary for most long'ish days out

I'd be keen for this too. Live in peaslake so would join somewhere along your route, poss cycling out to meet you as you come up from London. Summer lightening on leith is good fun on a cross bike, as are some of the peaslake trails so happy to navigate round those sections if required.

The thing about these bikes to me is that they almost go back to what mountain biking/riding was all about for me when I got in to it.

Yeah this, i started riding in 91, my 1st bike had 1.75 inch tyres so not a huge amount bigger than the 41mm tyres my Salsa came with, also if you want to ride dirt around here ( Leics ) you need to ride plenty of tarmac to link it all up and moutain bikes are very tedious on the road, so the Salsa makes a lot of sense to me, you do have to be careful on wooded single track though.

shedbrewed - Member
@epicyclo, those are some massive trees. Where was it?

Between Conon Bridge and Muir of Ord. It's an old forest, but the winter gales flattened a lot of trees, so they've come in and done the lot. There's 50 rings visible on those logs.

just posting here to keep in touch with this thread as i contemplate n+1
🙂

We could meet @ Giro in Esher for essential coffee, cakes £12,500 bike purchases....

Here's my newly completed Salsa Fargo. Sorry its not photographed in it natural habitat!
Really looking forward to getting it muddy![URL= http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b589/christoflatham/41C4E222-09AB-48BE-95E3-FCE085F3D504_zpsxfyop4bf.jp g" target="_blank">http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b589/christoflatham/41C4E222-09AB-48BE-95E3-FCE085F3D504_zpsxfyop4bf.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Here's my newly completed Salsa Fargo

looks like will be lots of fun - I'm no geek - whats the chainset? doesn't look like a road standard

This morning's ride, my first col. Not the biggest, but it was hard enough.

[img] https://goo.gl/photos/HmJcESuNNbMtZsaR9 [/img]

Aargh, can't get the image to work from my phone!!!!

Slightly surprised I've not punted mine up in this thread. Here it is last year, midway through a roads, byways and pubs trundle round Hertforshire last year with The Lovely Wife. Currently on CX Speeds, also worn GP4S and Thunder Burts. The bike, not the wife.

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antigee

Its a MTB SRAM S1000 chainset. It is essentially a 29er MTB frame and will as such, only that a MTB crankset

christof - Member
antigee

Its a MTB SRAM S1000 chainset.

cheers will look at the options on that run 9 speed triple mtb/touring on my pro6 but want to go 10 speed

Where are all the 35mm tubeless cross\gravel tyres?. The WTB's looked like a good option until I found out they don't like Stans rims.

Failing that what's the current all round all surface favourite for tubes?, I've had enough of my thorn collecting SB8s.

Bontrager somethings? Cx0 cx3

And the compass Barlow pass are apparently good tubeless

Mountainbiking in the main, has moved so far from what attracted me to it in the 80s. Even Singletrack Mag. has gone more and more Enduro and less relevant to me.
Adventure / Gravel Biking has reminded me how much I love cycling and exploring in the countryside.

Same here, although was '89 I got into mtbs - so mostly 90's bikes where I cut my singletrack teeth. Before that I used to go everywhere on a 10 speed racer, mostly towpath but would do woodland as well in the dry! For me it's been mostly about getting outdoors and having a belt around, small adventures, light touring, sometimes longer. I still like to hammer singletrack on an FS hardtail, but prefer explorating for a full day with a bit of gear strapped on.

My 'gravel bike' is a humble home-brewed affair - ie a well-loved mid-90s Raleigh Special Products cromo mtb with full retro XT, Sun rims, Schwalbe Marathons, full guards, Ti flat bars and bar-ends. I since ditched the Gripshift for thumbies and it works a treat, is fairly light, very forgiving ride, quite indestructible and surpringly quick for a 26er.

[IMG] [/IMG]

Found some road that had yet to be dressed properly, was a proper bit of gravel road, wasn't very long but loved it

[URL= http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s189/ben_p1/F5CC47DF-0A31-4B66-BF83-AB2384703309.jp g" target="_blank">http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s189/ben_p1/F5CC47DF-0A31-4B66-BF83-AB2384703309.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

@malvernrider - that looks like a sweet ride - they are not 26er road rims are they???

i had another thread up about building up classic road or mtb, and i was swinging to road, but seeing that pic above.............. 🙂 🙂

soooooo
there must be some compromise between stiffness for climbing and comfort on the ruffty tuffty gravel stuff?

Hi.
Long time lurker here, I registered just to post in this thread.

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5496/9771990596_7ce4f38504.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5496/9771990596_7ce4f38504.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

Time for a Tyres update Shirley?

Almanzos's I've been running since it's been baking hot and bone dry dusty tracks have been very excellent. Running them for faster riding and grip on bone dry trails. Grip wise they've been suprisingly good in a mix of conditions, on bone dry hardpack they've just gripped like they're stuck to the ground with no spinout even when climbing hard. Provided the trails are not covered in shale or deeper dust/dry mud these are the best tyres I've used in these conditions. On the road/lanes that are less roads than they are unsurfaced blobs of random tarmac and they've gripped like stink. All that gravel and field run off has just been blasted away. Pressures I'm running have settled into 35psi rear and 30psi on front. On occasion I've gone up to 45 rear and 40 front for mainly bad road/lanes but thats about it. I tried running them down to 25 rear and 20/25 front but got a couple of pinch flats and since I get cheesed off with these I've upped the pressures. They do grip well down at these pressures mind, but I can't see any reason to run them this low.
Wear, well they're the fine tread (small diamonds) with small knobs on the edges of the casing and I've done about 2.5ks on them and they've yet to show signs of wear. The sidewalls have started to discolour slightly but then they are skinwalls afterall.

T'is all for now.

Oh, I'm off up to Epping later for a blast and looking forward to a Hack in some Pine needles.
😯

Tyres? I started with 28mm Vredestein Senso Xtreme's, very road orientated but surprisingly capable on light off like towpaths and the like.

I've now put on a pair of On-One Gravel Roads in 33mm, these are much better off road and not as slow as I feared on the road either. I'm running them at 50 PSI but I think I'll drop that to 40 something for the next ride.

Do you/anyone know of a "road" based tyre (no tread or just a very paired down tread ) with a width of 35mm'ish?
Use? well road rides only, may use on shitty lanes but more long distance cross lane country rides..
Weight? well I'd like the lightest possible but also with some puncture protection (a little, like the Stradas mentioned that CFH uses)
I know I can get hold of Challenge's Strada Bianc's (the tan walls that CFH uses) but they're 30mm max.. I'm looking for something similar but a bit wider..

Thoughts??

BB I'd be looking at the Compass and Grand Bois tyre ranges.

I have fitted some Strada Biancas and ridden 300km so far, quite happy with them as I'm mostly on the road at the moment, but would prefer more volume like you say.

I have a steel road bike - that Ribble one - which I use as my commuter, takes guards and a rack etc, etc. It's very nice to ride and I like it a lot but it has awful tyre clearance, 25mm is pushing it. So the thought has been going round my head that really I should get a different (still steel most likely) frame with better tyre clearance. Would open up a few more possibilities for using the bike too. But then why not get one that takes discs as commuting in Scotland in winter means discs are a good idea. And if I do that then I'd need new wheels as mine don't take discs. So that's me up to frame, wheels and brakes. Hmmm. Now that's almost a whole bike...

Wow, that escalated quickly!

Nice to see the Amazons making an appearance here:

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Tyres wise, I go for:

Smart Sam 35c for mixed rides with a fair amount of road.
Smart Sam 47c for proper offroad.
Marathon Winter 35c for the snowy wastelands.

I headed out for a short ride this afternoon, the idea was to do some interval training as my average is pretty poor at the mo, anyway, about 10 minutes in and I was fed up of training so popped down a dirt track, found a bench and chilled out for 10 or 12 minutes in the sun watching the water foul on the pond, lovely. 🙂

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