MudLark

Diesel, could you please explain a little bit better exactly what went wrong with the disc brakes? I am curious to understand better exactly how the failure occurred.

Nah. Not for me. If what I want is no longer available in Shimano (or SRAM), I'd rather go for other less prominent brands that still offer cable,

I wouldn't take it if it was free. I'm so fed up with having to charge so many devices and dying batteries as it is anyway. IMHO, if it's analogue and it works well, it's better than anything with a battery that needs charging or replacing. And its more environmentally friendly. But maybe I'm just the grumpus.

Look, you can still buy square taper bottom brackets. Never mind that, you can still buy cotter pin bottom brackets! It's going to be a loooong time until rim brake parts are no longer available. They are going to be around for many years still. But discs are better, specially in the wet. And you can fit wider tyres. But as you say, for the same money, you get a nicer rim brake bike. Disc brake bike will likely have a better resale though. Entirely your call.

Touche.

Interesting but our local paraffin wax is made by SASOL. So while the above may be valid for U.S.-made products, I am not sure that is applicable to locally made products.

Ja, agree. Quite often ride Delta and Emmarentia as well as Alberts farm and bits inbetween etc on an older Spez Diverge. Just watch your speed on the downhill from the top of Delta down towards the kiddies play area. Lots of roots and ruts. No problem on a dual sus MTB but can get hairy on a gravel bike.

Thank you. FWIW – and this is purely perception-based – I did have 43 mm GravelKings on the Pro Caliber at one stage but I do find that the bike seems to roll better with 2.2 RaceKings. But there is as you say a very big difference between 35 and 45. Unfortunately my current bike (Diverge) won't go beyond 38 at a push and I'm currently rolling on 35. And I'm happy with that bike with that setup for riding around Johannesburg's rather dodgy tar roads and occasionally tacking along a footpath or something like that. But for more ambitious riding I will need different rubber. Anyway, I will fiddle the ProCaliber a bit more while I start looking around at other options.

I suspect that any MTB conversion is not going to be a bike that covers ground fairly quickly. But it may be that I am wrong. I'm going try to fiddle the Procaliber a bit more because outside of the fact that its a bit slow, it's actually a really sweet 'do anything' bike. It handles surprisingly well (35mm stem and flared bars) and is really very comfortable. But as I say, it doesn't cover ground quickly.

I have though done that already. Procaliber based. But its not ideal. I find it very slow. I might try to fettle it a bit more but I suspect that geometry plays a key role and that there's only so much you can do to get it a bit faster. I have an old (circa 2016) Spez Diverge that I bought recently and I just love. It is suuuuch a sweet bike. It rides like a dream and at 8.1kg is pretty light for that class of bike. But you can't fit more than 35mm (maybe with luck 38mm) on to it. Basically I'm looking for something pretty similar that will take at least a Race King 2.2. I need something that will cover ground at a quick clip (like the Diverge) but that can also handle some sand etc. I suspect I might take a good look at a Checkpoint although at 9.7kg its a shade on the heavy side.

Hi guys, I am for various reasons trying to identify a list of locally available gravel bikes that will take a 2.2 (or 2.25) tyre on a 29er rim. So far I have a Trek Checkpoint and some of the Curve bikes. Is there anything else? Cheers, ML

Absolutely. Which is why, just like when using a Thule platform rack, one had better not overtighten the clamp. Viewer discretion advised, etc. 🙂

Why would that be? Incidentally I have 5 carbon bikes that I work on quite frequently this way. I clamp them at the point where the bike balances more or less between front and back. Haven't come unstuck.... yet....

Weird. I only ever clamp a bike by the top tube. I only work on my own bikes though.

Thank you to each of you for taking the time to respond. I'll mostly likely be riding on an older spez Diverge with 35mm tyres so a bit of mild gravel or shoulder riding is an option. But will sometimes also use a MonsterCross bike or MTB. Will check out the suggested routes on google maps etc.

Thank you very much.

Thank you but its a closed group and I can't access any of their ride data/segments.

Hi guys, What is the safest route out to the Cradle and back from Johannesburg's northern suburbs? Road and MTB. I'll be riding from the Croft & Co area. Any good place to find a GPX file? Cheers, ML

Man alive. I don't even run 2.35 on a mountain bike. But then I don't do a lot of slippery and mud type of riding. Mostly dry fast hardback with some loose gravel and sand. Now and again some wet stuff.

Actually, you joke but I do find those standard gravel bike bars cannot be entirely adequate when riding a trail on a gravel bike (not this bike, which seems okay, I think because of the front shocks).

It *has* rear suspension (of a kind). It has Trek Isospeed. So it is a soft/flex tail bike.

I sometimes wonder whether the whole gravel bike thing isn't just going to end up something very close to this:

Thank you Droo.

I ride mostly ride alone. Problem solved. 🙂

Is anyone on this forum able to 3D print elastomers? I have a somewhat older Specialized Diverge that is really a very nice light fast bike and the Zerts inserts are showing their age. I'm wondering whether there is somebody who can scan them and print replacements out of a suitable material.