Iwan Kemp Posted March 27, 2017 Share The use of gravel bikes have been on the rise. They are cool and quite fun depending on just how bad the terrain is. But though extended use riders have realised that a rigid (essentially) road / cx bike with adjusted geo is just not comfortable on some terrain and over longer rides. Hence the sudden increase of suspension forks being developed for them with some manufacturers even trying full suspension bikes. Really now? Isn't it time to pause and admit that what they are trying to do is invent a bicycle that is not quite like a gravel bike in that it is comfortable to ride over rough terrain at speed and in great comfort and that such a bike has actually been around for a while in the form of a MTB!? Next dev on a gravel bike will be a flat bar with some bar ends... Then even wider tyres. kvdp, michaelbiker, bikebloke and 37 others 40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterbean Posted March 27, 2017 Share Agreed. Saw that new full suspension gravel bike and had to laugh. Just get a mtb if that's the kind of bike you're after! Fruity and gummibear 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted March 27, 2017 Share http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.imdserve.com/images/news/2017/03/21/taipeid1_068-1490114648624-jgbs0d16ydpi-630-80.jpg Underachiever, Iwan Kemp, ChUkKy and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwan Kemp Posted March 27, 2017 Share I present to you exhibit A Underachiever and Odinson 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravity Posted March 27, 2017 Share 100% - horses for courses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwan Kemp Posted March 27, 2017 Share And exhibit B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odinson Posted March 27, 2017 Share Pump those brakes, Iwan. You want the gravel grinding hipsters to spill their Fair Trade, hand ground artisanal espressos into their waxed moustaches with such inflammatory statements?! I'm all for riding what makes you happy, but I won't let the industry tell me that some drop-bar frankenroadbike is superior to a vanilla XC 29er across a stretch of rough gravel. Edited March 27, 2017 by ØÐINSȪƝ jimmycool, DirtyDan, MTBFiend and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kom Posted March 27, 2017 Share The use of gravel bikes have been on the rise. They are cool and quite fun depending on just how bad the terrain is. But though extended use riders have realised that a rigid (essentially) road / cx bike with adjusted geo is just not comfortable on some terrain and over longer rides. Hence the sudden increase of suspension forks being developed for them with some manufacturers even trying full suspension bikes. Really now? Isn't it time to pause and admit that what they are trying to do is invent a bicycle that is not quite like a gravel bike in that it is comfortable to ride over rough terrain at speed and in great comfort and that such a bike has actually been around for a while in the form of a MTB!? Next dev on a gravel bike will be a flat bar with some bar ends... Then even wider tyres. Careful now, you may have just cottoned on to the biggest conspiracy of the century: how products are in a vicious cycle of re-invention to make money! Your point is valid for almost every niche of bicycle, and to expand any device in existence:The difference between phones of make Apple remain the camera?!? The difference between cars of make BMW, Merc and Audi remains a renewed maintenance plan?!? I can go onComing back to your point, i happen to be one of those gravel grinders looking for that sweet spot, but have loathed to fit a Lauf or a Lefty to solve what is the biggest shortfall of these bikes on dirt. I did Karoo-2-Coast last year and enjoyed smashing most of the climbs and flat stuff, coming down ou-pad was a life threatening experience, i just couldn't hold on and use brakes at the same time. I would have killed for a front end suspension solution for that one shortfall. This year I'm back at K2C, with a different tyre combo, running a softer 40c up front and the same 33c i ran for both last year at the back, tubeless of course. Underachiever, TALUS and samson99 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddy Gordo Posted March 27, 2017 Share So basically they ended up copying everyone else who are doing this to their mtb's #monsterCross bikes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted March 27, 2017 Share If people want it, build it..... Chris 3D, GLuvsMtb, ti guy and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shebeen Posted March 27, 2017 Share well it depends... Do we as the public want the bikes they make, or do they make the bikes we want? ...in this case, (AFAIK) it was a bunch of okes building up frankenbikes that got the industry to realise here is a new segment they can punt. Hell I just upgraded to 9 speed on my roadbike, works like a charm!! JanJan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted March 27, 2017 Share I present to you exhibit A If I put road handle bars on my Epic Sworks, wouldn't it be sort of the same thing? Iwan Kemp and IH8MUD 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchelicious Posted March 27, 2017 Share Old news, people have been doing it since the good ol 26er days.... http://www.bikehugger.com/images/blog/leadville_dropbar.jpeg dev null, Iwan Kemp and Yusran 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongoose! Posted March 27, 2017 Share knew it the whole time yes Ispeed_V, LOOK695, Underachiever and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yusran Posted March 27, 2017 Share I present to you exhibit A This is lacking something crucial... perhaps... mmm... what could it be? A dropper post? I personally would fit a dropper post before suspension on a gravel grinder any day. Drop bar MTB ftw Patchelicious and Baracuda 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shebeen Posted March 27, 2017 Share https://www.bikehub.co.za/features/_/gear/insight/gallery-bianchi-through-the-years-at-paris-roubaix-r2362 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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