Who of you are thinking about buying a gravel bike?

[Jewbacca]

better gearing than a BMX some might say

hahahaha I would suggest ALL would say that, not just some!

 

But nowhere near as cool...

[Pikey]

better gearing than a BMX some might say

Some only need bmx gearing,so i’ve been told . Not sure it’s a true story though.

[andreas17777]

So... how many of you are running Shimano GRX? Any reviews or comments?

I'm running GRX 810 derailleurs, crank and 105 shifters (grx shifters were way too expensive). My gearing is 2 x11, 48/31 crank and 11-32 cassette. So far i'm loving it.

[NotSoBigBen]

Am I the only one not really a fan of 'gravel bars'?

 

I run standard bars on both my gravel bikes and yes I have tried gravel bars, wide and not so wide .... Don't like them

[Kranswurm]

A 100km shortcut between Laingsburg and Ladismith is reason enough - the added challenge of no suspension just adds to the excitement.  Did learn quickly that your rear mech must have a clutch or smooth gear shifts are not possible 

Looks very cool

I don't believe I am familiar with that pass

[Monark]

So what decent bars are available...

[Ashchest]

I have the 1 x 11  Rival 1  with Apex shifters combo

42 front and 11 - 42 in the back

Love it!    When time comes to replace the chainwheel I will definitely put a 44 on it and ...

If I ever get to the point of getting a second wheelset then I might consider an XD hub with 10-42 which will complement the setup on the down and straights.

 

Can't fault the setup - with already 3800 km's on it and going smooth and strong.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

So what decent bars are available...

Curve make some - personally just switched to some really wide ones and love them

So many hand positions

Edited March 12, 2020 by Waynemol

[Prince Albert Cycles]

Am I the only one not really a fan of 'gravel bars'?

I run standard bars on both my gravel bikes and yes I have tried gravel bars, wide and not so wide .... Don't like them

You are not the only one

[Monark]

Curve make some - personally just switched to some really wide ones and love them

So many hand positions

What did you switch to?

[Vetseun]

My gravel bike on my way to the start of the CTCT on Sunday . Maxxis Ramblers 43's on , was considering buying a set of 35/38C road tyres but did not want to spend that for one tar event per year . Had a fantastic ride , nice gearing for and old man , good grip , hydraulic discs and no worries about punctures . On our dirt roads I sometimes long for a shock and I have a Lauff on the shelf but that will spoil a beautiful bike ?

OMG. Dream bike material.If it was the bike alone I would have had a wank. But would feel creepy with you looming back at me. Maybe forward me a pick of the bike alone?

[Wayne pudding Mol]

What did you switch to?

Curve bars 500 - wider than that at the drops - when you ride on the hoods, because of the flare, your wrist is completely straight which helps in terms of comfort

[Bikeguy]

You are not the only one

 

Also not a fan - especially on our super fast Lynskeys (nudge nudge) - so found the Salsa Cowbell 440mm is a healthy compromise - enough flair to allow for my handlebar bag but still fits in with the morning roadie group 

[Pikey]

Haven’t tried the wider bars ( don’t personally like the look of them ) so cant say. But have the same itm bars as on my road bike. I like the hand cut out on the bars. Never considered going wider really.

[Fat Boab]

I ride with Spez AWOL handlebars. Only 12 degs of flare so quite road-like but with a bit of extra width. Sitting in the drops is actually quite comfy.

[Calculus Bikes]

Hi Dylan, thanks for the shout-out.  Looking forward to get you riding on your CALCULUS asap. 

 

Nice and racy geometry on this project for a gravel.

 

 

I bought myself a gravel bike and then subsequently started selling my other bikes. The only bike I have left other than the gravel bike is my MTB which I am also planning on selling. In my opinion a gravel bike is the only bike you need. When you ride on the road you are a bit slower but you have the option to hop onto the gravel shoulder which is super fun. It is definitely not as capable on the technical stuff as a MTB, but that's part of the fun. On actual gravel it's amazing, you can really put the hammer down like you do on a road bike, but you are out there somewhere rather than on the roads.

 

I recently contacted the guys at Calculus Bikes ( http://calculus-bikes.com/ )  who are putting a gravel frame together for me. So I will move my components over from my current gravel bike onto their custom geometry frame. I'm really excited. I had the option to make it more on the aggressive side, super relaxed or anywhere in between. I went for a fitment where we played around with my position until it felt perfect. I haven't ridden the bike yet, but I'm eager to see how it fares on bike packing and gravel touring missions.

 

I attached an image of their design, for interests sake.