Who of you are thinking about buying a gravel bike?

[Jakkals.]

Dont do it Fanie.

[Clinton H]

I got two , best most versatile bikes I've ever owned .

The way SA roads are going it might become the new road bike for us all . 

[Pieter-za]

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.

I have the same on my Crossrip.  Share you sentiments  

[JulienR]

I pulled the trigger this weekend and bought a Trek Crockett 5 (not strictly a Gravel bike but a CX bike). I too like the idea of having something versatile that i can use on the road and on light trails

 

Are there any good trails in Gauteng other than around the Cradle? I stay in Bedfordview?

[bertusras]

How many mountain bikers use their bikes to its full potential? Very few, I'd think. 

 

Southern Africa is literally criss-crossed with perfect gravel roads. Millions of kilometres of them. A road bike is obviously not the best choice of tool for district (or worse) roads, a mountain bike is good but perhaps overkill. The gravel bike is near perfect. Plus you can tuck in when there is wind or just enjoy the many different hand positions for relief. They weigh little, have tough wheels and very decent brakes (if hydraulic) and are pretty cheap to maintain. Get a second set of wheels and skinny tyres and you have a pretty reasonable CTCT machine as well. 

 

What's not to like?

 

And no, you don't have to grow a beard and drink yuppie coffee.

 

Yeah, this was my reasoning behind getting one. I stay in the east of Pretoria, and within a couple of minutes you've got dirt roads for days. I constantly see people rolling around on R100K S-Works to go have a coffee at Rosemary hill, and I just wonder, what's the point. Fair play to them, they can ride what they want, but the gravel bike is just faster across dirt roads, and tar, than an MTB would be, and that's why I enjoy mine. And I've done a rocky 10km/800m climb to the top of the communications towers near Sabie and it was totally capable. It was a bit hairy on the descent at times, I'll admit.

 

 

 

[coppi]

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.

 

 

 

Have a look at the Farr dot gravel bike tyres.........................

[Grease_Monkey]

Have a look at the Farr dot gravel bike tyres.........................

 

I am going to be replacing my Farr Dots with the Spaz Pathfinders when the time comes. The Spaz tyres are much lighter and have slightly more reliable casings, also have more grip in the dirt with the same slick centre - win win and win.

Edited March 10, 2020 by Grease_Monkey

[Trackside]

I also got the GR titanium bike last year, since then my mtb and road bikes hardly ever get ridden...

In an effort to resolve the n+1 financial strain, I have invested in what I believe is my trilogy of bikes, carbon road racer, steel mountain bike and my titanium gravel bike over the last few years. The "problem" is the gravel bike has become the go to bike and I should have rather invested in a second wheelset for the GR  rather than a dedicated road bike, i.e. skinny wheels / tyres for road and wide tyre wheel combo for offroad. The spare wheelset can also accommodate suitable road gearing, to offset the ultra compact front chainring set upfront, when trying to hang with the roadies on Marine Drive loop.   

 

My decision to purchase the gravel bike was also dictated by my work (renewables industry in the Little Karoo and all of the Northern Cape), and the mountainbike was too slow to cover larger distances over our off weekends. A decision I don't regret, as it also very easy to add the bikepacking gear for the overnighters I end up doing.  In short the gravel bike allows for speed and comfort to explore large areas.

[andreas17777]

I have a Farr Steel Gravel bike. I love it. It's insane what the bike can do on gravel. You have to change your style of riding, or for me I had due to it being 5kg heavier than my road bike.

[TyronLab]

I've strongly considered getting a gravel bike as my next purchase in stead of a road bike. I tend to do a lot of road miles getting to and from trails, and the lack of technically challenging trails within a ride-able distance makes my current bike overkill, even though its a 120mm Plus Hardtail.

 

I seem to be dragging a lot of bike along on the road only to ride trails that don't necessarily warrant it, and doing a lot of training on the road with a roadie group.

[Super Sywurm]

After reading this, I started Googling gravel bikes.

 

D@MMIT! 

[coppi]

I am going to be replacing my Farr Dots with the Spaz Pathfinders when the time comes. The Spaz tyres are much lighter and have slightly more reliable casings, also have more grip in the dirt with the same slick centre - win win and win.

I don't do  specialized  

Edited March 10, 2020 by coppi

[WIPEOUT 1000]

I have a Farr Steel Gravel bike. I love it. It's insane what the bike can do on gravel. You have to change your style of riding, or for me I had due to it being 5kg heavier than my road bike.

 

My Litespeed Gravel (Large) weighs approximately 8.4kg's in CTCT mode. Not a lot extra compared to my other road bikes. 

[JohanC]

#CHECKPOINT

[andreas17777]

My Litespeed Gravel (Large) weighs approximately 8.4kg's in CTCT mode. Not a lot extra compared to my other road bikes. 

My frame is a porker, steel fork and frame. Maybe i'll get a carbon fork, but not too bothered about the weight. Road bike is 7,2 kg gravel bike is 12,5kg. I can't really compare my farr frame with a litespeed as the pricing difference is enormous. 

[Pikey]

My Niner has doubled up as my road bike for the last 10 months . I do have a road bike but having been in the uk for the last 10 months it just makes sense . The 1x is at times a little difficult to find the perfect gear but I just spin more and save my legs. Have road specific wheels & tyres as well as gravel.

 

The rlt in sa is brilliant . If mostly gravel 42 sawtooth,brilliant to absorb some of the bumps. Half road half gravel spaz trigger 38’s, so much quicker . And really a great all round Tyre , probably my fav gravel Tyre .

 

I ride my gravel bike more than any other bike and have now owned it for a year. By my standards that’s a fair bit of time. And it ain’t going anywhere .

 

Fav bike ever ...Built it from the frame up and there’s nothing i would considering changing unless going 2 x & getting rid of my road bike permanently .

 

2nd last pic exploring jhb south early last year ...last pic walkerville road route.

So are they versatile,Absolutely if you not racing .

 

As for the adventure factor, not sure they beatable .

Edited March 10, 2020 by Pikey