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Gravel Bikes - Should we stop and tell the industry now?


Iwan Kemp

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Exactly why I think it's not a fad - just slightly adapted for the purpose. Besides for the geo difference the biggest thing for me is tyre clearance is much better. CX bikes were never designed to take wide tyres because of UCI rules...

I run 40c Maxxis Ramblers on my Crux, that’s gravel enough for me.

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That is PROPERLY unique... details please... how, how much, what's it like? How are you going to build it up?

 

First saw a frame at lbs locally and then in CT last year, just looked supercool, wanted one.

 

Not overly light, but it's said that bamboo is gram for gram stronger than steel etc. 

 

Want to build a proper gravel bike, so looking for advice from guys who've built theirs.

 

Some advice?

 

Don't ride it in the wet for extended periods of time, well I woodn't...

 

Yeah.... will keep it in mind.

 

How's that frame for stifness?

 

Will let you know, apparently not stiff from what I read. Wanted to take one for a ride when I picked mine up in Lusaka, but we were very late, and they did not have one available to ride.

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For what it's worth, if I were in the market for a new "road" bike to replace my Alpina, I'd actually get a graveller

 

If that ever happens, please send the Alpina back, I have a lekker space in the alcove above my coffee machine to wall mount it.
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Gravel bikes are awesome. Cape Town is just a playground. 

 

Muizenberg to Tokai, hit the mast, down to the greenbelts, up to the K=bosch contour, up to Block house, down to Tafelberg road, down to the Nek, hit Smitswinkel, chappies, then choose to either do the peninsula or ride the greenbelts through sun valley and back home.

 

That's just 'some' easy local close to home options. Include the silvermine loop, the cape point reserve.... If you are close to the Tygerberg trails the options are also thrown at you. 

 

If I was forced to only have 1 bike for the rest of my life (living in Cape Town and not near a crazy bike park etc) I would choose my gravel bike.

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Did my first "MTB" event this weekend on my steel (4130) road bike with 28mm tyres. (11.5kg ).

 

I will definitely think twice before doing similar event on my normal MTB .  The steel frame was buttery smooth, soaked up all the bumps, flats was damn fast on the "skinny" tyres at 5bar.

 

Now just to find one with gears …. n+1

Edited by Karman de Lange
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Gravel bikes are awesome. Cape Town is just a playground. 

 

Muizenberg to Tokai, hit the mast, down to the greenbelts, up to the K=bosch contour, up to Block house, down to Tafelberg road, down to the Nek, hit Smitswinkel, chappies, then choose to either do the peninsula or ride the greenbelts through sun valley and back home.

 

That's just 'some' easy local close to home options. Include the silvermine loop, the cape point reserve.... If you are close to the Tygerberg trails the options are also thrown at you. 

 

If I was forced to only have 1 bike for the rest of my life (living in Cape Town and not near a crazy bike park etc) I would choose my gravel bike.

Shout if you're Jozi side, will show you around some routes here. Lot of it is a mix of gravel/tour though. But that's what makes it so awesome.

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  • 2 months later...

 

Overall I like it but that fork - THAT FORK!!!!  When the bike costs 10 bajillion dollars why in jeebers name could they not design a fork that matches.

 

OCD Eldron cannot see anything else in that picture....

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Overall I like it but that fork - THAT FORK!!!!  When the bike costs 10 bajillion dollars why in jeebers name could they not design a fork that matches.

 

OCD Eldron cannot see anything else in that picture....

 

My favourite part is the Forkflap

They really sat down with their marketing department before launching this beauty!

post-615-0-78282000-1540298546_thumb.jpg

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My favourite part is the Forkflap

They really sat down with their marketing department before launching this beauty!

I was wrong. That's worse...

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