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


Iwan Kemp

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Should have called it a Forkskin

 

LOL!

 

That actually does sound faster!

 

I can guarantee you that name will disappear from future editions of this bike  :lol:

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  • 5 months later...

Looks ugly but if I had endless cash I'd possibly buy every new thing apart from fat bikes and ebikes

 

I'd give up work and play with my bikes

 

But that's not reality and I don't even really want this

 

That's my litmus test - do I want?  Need is irrelevant

 

For me a nice superlight hardtail with a lauf fork and some 45 gravel tyres is my idea of a gravel bike

Edited by Waynemol
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A year later, and it's still being worked on.

 

https://bikerumor.com/2019/04/11/niner-mcr-full-suspension-gravel-bike-flies-closer-to-production/

 

When you reach the point that you feel that you need this bike, don't you stop to ask yourself: 'is this really the right bike for the job ?'

 

2020-NIner-MCR-9-RDO-full-suspension-gra

*Unpopular opinion suit on*

 

To be frank, for 70% of our trails, and the endless dirt roads our country has, I can totally see the point of a dual susser gravel bike. You get the aero position and efficiency of a road bike but you can take it off road and, critically, it can flatten out the corrugations of our rougher gravel roads.

 

Sure, you won't bomb down DH tracks, but for riding to a tame trail (like most in GP) on the road, doing a lap or two and riding home it'll probably do a great job.

 

To be frank, I don't think that'll be any less capable off road than my Sola seeing as it has a dropper at least, but should be much more efficient getting to the trail.

Edited by TyronLab
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As far as I'm concerned riding 'trails' and anything vaguely technical with your hands on the top of the drops, fingers poised on those levers is a load of crap ... They are narrow and you are plenty forward but I'm sure the 'superior' riders amongst us will find it a blast

 

And yes I've tried it, I use my gravel bike for what it was intended but could just be me as usual

Edited by NotSoBigBen
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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.

 

Please correct me if I am wrong but isn't a gravel bike a MTB with drops and 700 wheels?

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Please correct me if I am wrong but isn't a gravel bike a MTB with drops and 700 29" wheels?

 

Fixed.

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