Who of you are thinking about buying a gravel bike?

[xamnam]

I have 2 gravel bikes I like them so much

[coppi]

My Momsen R355 is a fantastic bike, use it on long gravel grinds which I enjoy and can also handle sections of single track in- between, adding to my skills as you really need to concentrate !

My Bianchi now sits on the trainer and I even rode my 10th 94.7 last year on the gravel bike posting my usual time of 3:20 something...................

I also own a Norco dual suspension for fun on the trails and stage riding..............

[splat]

Because N+1

 

I don't need one, but have trouble differentiating between 'need' and 'want'.

[FloatingPivot]

I was, then I realised I'll always find a way to spend money on things I don't need for no reason while making someone else wealthier. Decided to sell my trail bike, hard tail and forego the gravel bike and instead buy a Pyga Stage that does it all well and only weights in at 11KGs.

 

I might still get one some day, but only because I'm stupid 

So... If something comes up for sale at a good deal youd take it? Im in the same waters as you. I just think it might be something I will really enjoy!

[FloatingPivot]

Yes, When I look at the 7 bikes in my bike room and contemplate the fact that I only ride one of them on a regular basis I realise that there is an empty space in my heart for a gravel bike. 

 

We all need to be respectful of the fact that various in depth studies conducted by some of the top brains in the world have proven without a shadow of a doubt that you cannot own too many bicycles. It is not possible.  

LOL, LOVIT!!!

[FloatingPivot]

I'm on record calling gravel bikes an industry hoax - but over the last few years I have fallen in love with drop bars and older road bikes - not always a safe option.  I ride alone a lot and I have endless miles of safe gravel at my disposal. I like my wife to be able to track me and fetch me if something went wrong and found myself riding a lot of gravel track on a full sus.

 

I built a gravel hardtail which I love and now I'm going to make it a bit more trail so I needed a "proper" gravel bike

 

So now I have this and I'm pretty sure that of my X amount of bikes, this will make up 80 percent of my mileage

The frame is temporary as I have a Curve Kevin on order with Benky - Ti appeals big time

 

This is PORN and should be banned!

[FloatingPivot]

Because N+1

 

I don't need one, but have trouble differentiating between 'need' and 'want'.

 

The struggle is real brother!

[EddieV]

The other awesome advantage about gravel bike riding is the tremendous strength training towards road racing. My commuter is a heavier gravel bike “2012 Ridgeback Flight 3” with drop (road) bars, and 40c's rubber. The extra continuous average wattage that I need is excellent for building endurance, while keeping with the geometry of your race road bike.  

 

When I get on my road bike it feels like a feather compared to the commuter.

 

I believe Wout van Aert’s success is built on this  

Edited March 10, 2020 by Eddie_V

[mecheng89]

Got one. Love it. 

[mecheng89]

My Momsen R355 is a fantastic bike, use it on long gravel grinds which I enjoy and can also handle sections of single track in- between, adding to my skills as you really need to concentrate !

My Bianchi now sits on the trainer and I even rode my 10th 94.7 last year on the gravel bike posting my usual time of 3:20 something...................

I also own a Norco dual suspension for fun on the trails and stage riding..............

Good time there. What tyres were you running?

[coppi]

Good time there. What tyres were you running?

Farr dot...............

[Sbloomer]

Farr dot...............

I ride the same. On the CTCT I got a number of comments on the “interesting tyres”

 

Not that well known in CT it seems

[MORNE]

I ride the same. On the CTCT I got a number of comments on the “interesting tyres”

 

Not that well known in CT it seems

you'll be surprised how many people (avid looking cyclists) don't even know what a dropper post is....

i was dumbfounded by the number of people asking why my lyne 'seatpost' looks like a 'shock'...and once you show them and explain....it's like they discover the earth is round for the first time haha

[WIPEOUT 1000]

I bought a gravel bike in 2018 after doing a lot of research on rolling resistance in the real world, i.e. not on rock hard & absolutely smooth velodrome. The science is interesting, but basically, on real roads, vibration not only fatigues but also absorbs momentum. I.e. if one can reduce vibration, one can go both further and faster for less energy and with more comfort.

 

Anyway, I concluded that I needed wider tires on my road bike and since most road bikes max out at 28mm to 32mm I decided to buy a gravel bike. 2 Years later and I've not ridden any of my road bikes since. My gravel bike's just a much better ride on road. It's no slower than my riding partners' road bikes, it's more comfortable, it corners and descends much better and because I run tubeless, fixing flats next to the road’s no longer an issue.

 

The one thing I find a bit of problem is finding suitable slick tires locally. I run 38mm Panaracer GravelKing Slick Tread TLC most of the time and for CTCT I used a pair of 32mm Continental GP5000 TL. It seems that in South Africa, people believe that you can only go offroad if you have knobby tires. This is not true, everyone who’ve done the Eroica or anything similar knows that one can ride gravel roads on skinny road tires, but wider works better. Recently, Ted King won the inaugural Steamboat Gravel Race on 35mm Rene Herse slicks.

 

[BrianD]

I bought a gravel bike in 2018 after doing a lot of research on rolling resistance in the real world, i.e. not on rock hard & absolutely smooth velodrome. The science is interesting, but basically, on real roads, vibration not only fatigues but also absorbs momentum. I.e. if one can reduce vibration, one can go both further and faster for less energy and with more comfort.

 

Anyway, I concluded that I needed wider tires on my road bike and since most road bikes max out at 28mm to 32mm I decided to buy a gravel bike. 2 Years later and I've not ridden any of my road bikes since. My gravel bike's just a much better ride on road. It's no slower than my riding partners' road bikes, it's more comfortable, it corners and descends much better and because I run tubeless, fixing flats next to the road’s no longer an issue.

 

The one thing I find a bit of problem is finding suitable slick tires locally. I run 38mm Panaracer GravelKing Slick Tread TLC most of the time and for CTCT I used a pair of 32mm Continental GP5000 TL. It seems that in South Africa, people believe that you can only go offroad if you have knobby tires. This is not true, everyone who’ve done the Eroica or anything similar knows that one can ride gravel roads on skinny road tires, but wider works better. Recently, Ted King won the inaugural Steamboat Gravel Race on 35mm Rene Herse slicks.

I have these Specialized Pathfinder tires on my gravel bike.  There is a slick strip in the middle so the rolling resistance is less on tar, but it has enough grip on the side when you corner on gravel roads.

 

 

 

[JohanC]

I managed a 02:48 on my gravel bike this weekend (TREK Checkpoint). Running 40c Maxxis Rambler tyres. I did built it up with 2x Force Compact crank if I ever wanted to use it for specific road races with road tyres. But I love these wider tyres, and the super comfortable ride it offers on the road. Lots of grip, durability and disc brakes - a win win.

 

So, I have been doing a fair bit of research here on TBH, and see alot of devided opinions on the matter.

 

One half are thinking its a consipiracy theory for bike manufacturers to keep taking our money.

The other half sees it as a practical solution to alot of things, ie. Replace your road bike with a gravel bike, its more comfy, you can easily go off the road on dangerous sections of traffic or climb curbs, you can do road races with them, all be it not UCI races, but who is checking. In fact, I saw someone do a sub 3 hour in the CTCT with a gravel bike....

 

I for one believe this is the bike that is in fact not the N+1 bike, but the bike that can give a person, the best of three worlds.

 

Whats your take on the matter, try and stay positie if at all possible lol