TyronLab

Monstercross builds are much cooler than stock gravel bikes. I have also realized that I'd rather pay the weight penalty and run MTB wheels (even on my gravel bikes) and have that surety that if I do get rowdy I won't break it, so you've got that as bonus with your build too.

While I love Monstercross builds, I don't much see the point of them if you're not running MTB tyres, a dropper, suspension, or something else that's MTB-specific. In that instance you just went through a LOT of hassle to build a gravel bike. Or you are planning on riding through peanut butter mud and need a LOT of tyre clearance permanently. That Epic build is sweet though.

I love that bike so much I'll sommer comment on it again. Next level up - gooi a dropper on that bad boy! And more photos please.

Daar sit jy my nou op my plek... A Knolly and a Santa Cruz aren't same-same though... You don't walk into a fancy bike shop and pick a Knolly up off the floor because it's expensive, you have to go out and build it on purpose. That bike is rad (although I'm still not a fan of coloured chainrings, regardless of which bike it's on)

The sad thing is it's *** ugly. I could handle the lilac frame on its own, but the lilac + kashima + golden chainring + lime green accents on the wheels + uncut steerer is just plain gross. It being a Santa Cruz I'm quite sure some early retiree in St Francis is going to ask his golfing buddies what the cycling equivalent to his X6M is, and he'll end up buying it. Queue the "if it has suspension you might as well buy a hardtail" comments.

@Titan Racing Bikes While we're on the topic, can you clarify the tyre clearance on the latest Switch models? I know the site says 700x50mm, just not sure if that's a 50mm tyre, or 50mm of space for tyres? Also, I know the seattube sticker states 650B x 2.1 would fit. Has this been tested as I'd be interested in running it in that config (I'm assuming the Aluminium and Carbon versions are the same).

Ermahgerd that is awesome! I've had that exact bike in my cart on Rapide, but unfortunately the Tigre's top tube is just way too long for a drop bar setup (for my proportions anyway). Congratulations of being a flippen badass! Edit: Slightly marked down for not aligning your tyre branding to the valve stem / rim branding, but seeing that it's a rad-as-balls local, drop bar, steel rigid bike you're excused.

I've owned a Titan Switch Pro Carbon and a couple of Rook Scouts (as well as other gravel-ish bikes). Gravel is like Autism, it's a spectrum (and, interestingly, also totally not caused by vaccination...). The Switch is more on the road side of the spectrum. Slightly more aggressive geometry, narrower and slicker tyres, and is a very flickable, agile bike to ride. The Scout is more on the MTB side of the spectrum. Bit burlier construction, more relaxed geometry that's a little more confidence inspiring off road, and being steel and having sliding dropouts makes it a bit more versatile. Both are oodles of fun, and I've smashed both on road, gravel and proper MTB rides.

Every time I see a pic of a Scout I miss mine. Are those the 650Bx50 Cinturato Ms? How have you found 'em? I'm surprised you're not getting rubbing in the fork.

Dude, ja. so many people go "no way I'm riding if it's too muddy, it's too expensive to repair afterwards!"... Yet if you get to a waterpoint you'll see a big line of riders waiting to lay their bikes down and some dude pressure washing the living daylights out of the BB / Chain / Linkages / Hubs, square on, zero mercy, while they chomp down on a jaffle.

I've had an idea stuck in my head for a few weeks now. It's been keeping me up at night and occupying my every spare thought, and I need Bikehub's help to make sense of it. I've been wanting a Salsa Cutthroat / Curve GMX forever, as they're perfect for the type of riding I do and what I think a lot of people in SA (in Gauteng at least) do, and actually represent a great option for someone that's starting out riding. Frame specs: Relaxed gravel bike geometry Drop bars intended as the primary control configuration with a short-ish stem (50mm) so that you could use flat bars too. Slacker head angle (~69°). Increased stack height for comfort and balanced handling (targeting level saddle and bars). Tapered head tube with a 490mm Axle to Crown to accept rigid MTB forks or 100mm suspension forks. Clearance for 29x2.4 tyres. Sliding dropouts, for SS setups. 31.6mm seatpost for dropper compatibility. 38t chainring compatible. 1x Specific You could then configure this bike to your intended budget and preference: Drop bars (46cm wide on a M frame, 20° of flare) or flat bars (760mm wide) Single speed or geared (10-speed Microshift Advent due to interchangeability between flat and drop bar controls, reliable, cheap) Rigid (aluminium or carbon) or suspension (100mm Air Fork) Rigid seatpost or Dropper (~125mm) The Drop Bar / Geared / Rigid Aluminium Fork / Rigid Seatpost version should, by all accounts, be pretty affordable. Slap a set of fast rolling Rekon Races on there and you've got a bike that can tackle 75% of the single track JHB has to offer, but won't suck riding around your 'hood or with an entry level roadie group if you're a beginner. The issue I have is sourcing. I have worked extensively in manufacturing, but nothing in this realm, so I'm not sure what the current supply chain economics look like. Who makes custom frames (maybe components) at small to medium scale? Full international sourcing of complete bikes? Partial international/local sourcing? Local sourcing and assembly? What's the minimum order quantities like (10 / 100 / 1000 / 10000 units?) and at which point does volume scaling make sense? What are the cost drivers (do through axles and sliding dropouts triple the price vs. vertical QR, or doesn't it matter)? These are the questions I have not the foggiest idea about. Maybe this becomes just a one-hit wonder for me alone to have and use, but something inside me feels there could be more here. There may or may not also be a design in the making...

See, same-same!

I actually researched this quite a bit when I was prepping for last year's Apocalypse-Level Transbaviaans. Good waterproof clothing has a breathability index too, which keeps you ventilated so you're not in a Woolies potato cooking bag. I've had good success with Decathlon if you're like me and can't stomach "proper" cycling kit prices. I also got a Ciovita Videx jacket for transition and cold season rides. That, plus a normal cycling jersey, plus arm warmers, has kept me relatively comfortable all the way down to a (dry) -5C. Throw the Decathlon rain jacket over that and I've been in a wet -5 and was snug as a pug in a rug.

I hope the Cotic is OK... 😁 ****s, sorry dude that sucks. Big bikes allow big speed and big fun, but unfortunately also big injuries. Heal up quick! Sidenote; Are those KISS socks?!? Because if so, I hope they're OK too as that's awesome!

I realized that I won't find "The One" until I scrape together the cash and lus to build a proper monstercross bike. Your incessant posting of your fine examples makes me properly jealous.

Then you need to accept that there will inevitably be more of this: And less of this: Did I choose bearded, floral-wearing gravel bikers drinking chardonnay on purpose? Yes, yes of course I did.

Look, guy, I'm not going to pretend to know you or know your story, but I followed a similar trajectory. I had a starter XC bike and started cultivating my skills. That meant going faster and trying more technical riding, up to the point where the XC bike "wasn't cutting it". What that actually means (and what we oftentimes don't want to admit) is that it wasn't giving me a sufficient buffer to compensate for the gap between my skillset and the gnar/speed I was riding at. So I upgraded to a more trail focused hardtail that was way more capable, but now it gave me too much buffer. That meant I went looking for increasingly technical things to ride as I, as I assume most do, have the most fun in that sweet spot where you're pushing, but still within your limits. With the extra capability the bike gave, easy trails were now boring. After a bit I again reached that point where I was running out of the buffer the bike was giving me when I pushed it, but now I was riding things (and at speeds) that meant the consequences of getting it wrong were starting to get pretty big. And I was only really having fun in those specific situations which, looking back, was actually a tiny fraction of the riding I was doing and what our trails in GP offered. What I did (and the point behind the background schpiel) is go the complete opposite direction and buy a gravel bike. Now I ride comparatively easy trails at sane speeds, or ride more technical things at a crawl, but still get that on-the-limit rush and fun factor because I'm mostly under-biked. The consequence of coming down while doing so is vastly reduced (unless there's some unfortunate freak occurrence) due to the reduced speed, and riding rigids with skinny tires at warp speed down proper chunk is so not-fun that I don't even attempt it, effectively cock-blocking my own stupid man brain. Oh, and riding to-and-from the trail is infinitely more fun when you're not dragging a lot of bike with you unnecessarily.

+1 for these. I ran a set of TR29-25 complete wheels for a bit on my rigid MTB (including a Munga Grit), rode 'em as if I stole 'em, and they were unscathed and straight as an arrow even with my~90kg hooning them around. for a 1600g wheelset that's sub R6k, it's a no-brainer.

This statement is useless without pictures...

At this stage I think they should rebrand all of the road races in GP as Gravel events, unless it's on Kayalami. Now that I think about it, you'll get the added bonus of mountain bike entries (because anything with less than two "shocks" is a road bike, mountain bikes are the best gravel bikes) while you still get all of your steadfast roadie entries (just check the bike that won the "gravel" worlds?), and having shitty marshalls and stupid little detours becomes part of the "adventure". ... Did I just save road racing?

As someone that ritually posts post-ride, quasi-mud-covered-bike pics to Strava, lets call a spade a spade on the "look" here... That darker brown sidewall of the Pirelli tyre is just oh-so-chic compared to the custard yellow of the Maxxis tan wall. Best paired with darker frame colours (ideally all-black). Gravel King (SK or not) in 43c is your top pick if you think an Epic is the ultimate mountain bike, and drive a silver 3-Series / white Fortuner. 650B x 2.1" Crossmarks or Mezcals if you're the guy in a lycra/baggy mixed outfit proclaiming "riding mountain bike trails on a mountain bike, or any bike with suspension, is for softcocks" at the trail head.

I've never understood the fuss about randos wheelsucking. Maybe because I ride alone a lot of the time, so I'm used to sitting in the wind anyway? Or maybe because I don't give a ballsack hair about the "performance" of my ride (time, average speed etc)? What does a wheelsucker actually do to detract from your ride? Sure, it's maybe dangerous if he's half-wheeling you on a bad road, but that's very seldomly the case and, when it is, a quick and loud "DUDE?!?" with a show of the pimp-hand usually gets them to move. I've rando wheelsucked plenty, especially when I was less fit, trying to get home a little earlier. I've also been rando wheelsucked a bunch, and generally it either results in helping a less experienced rider get home quicker / safely or a lekker impromptu race.

The less sarcastic (but obviously less entertaining) version of "how long is a piece of string" is "what are you planning on riding?". If its mostly smooth gravel with a heavy mix of tar, the Vittoria Terreno Dry is a blisteringly fast tyre, but is relatively flimsy so it is prone to puncturing and doesn't like sharp rocks. Cinturato Hs are almost as fast, but quite a bit more robust (and heavier). The Rambler and the Gravel King SK are better bets for slightly rougher gravel, where you might need some more grip and robustness, and only slightly slower on tar / smooth sections. Cinturato Ms are very robust and grippy, but don't roll too bad either. Fit as wide as your frame will allow with clearance, and ideally pair it to a lekker wide rim.

Is that Thaba? If so, I've never seen it that green before.

Get ready, mother city, the vrou and I are officially doing this on the tandem (first time for both of us)! I'm really stoked for it. My parents did it twice on a tandem when they were my age too, so it has a bit of tradition / continuation specialness too. Cheaped out and used all of my Voyager miles to get tickets down and back, so arriving the Saturday just after lunch and flying back the Sunday evening. Riding it with two very new cycling friends, so it'll just be for the atmosphere and to do it with them, couldn't care less about the time. I'm still putting in some "training" which, in my book, is just sticking to doing four somethings a week (looks like 3 rides and 1 run at the moment).