Custom set up.

[paul marais]

HRd tail. Rigid fork. Gravel tyres on 29er and super aggressive gravel/road  set up. With MTB handle bars. As aposed to buying a full gravel bike. 
 

thoughts ???

Edited September 21, 2023 by paul marais

[dasilvarsa]

Very Very Common setup U talking about. Search for a Thread.

 

[paul marais]

Sorry I am. Not so internet savvy. What you mean. ? 

[Lynskey]

3 hours ago, paul marais said:

HRd tail. Rigid fork. Gravel tyres on 29er and super aggressive gravel/road  set up. With MTB handle bars. As aposed to buying a full gravel bike. 
 

thoughts ???

What on earth is a super aggressive gravel/road set up? How do you do that with flat bars? I genuinely have zero idea.

[paul marais]

Very negative stem 

[guidodg]

[ChrisF]

4 hours ago, paul marais said:

HRd tail. Rigid fork. Gravel tyres on 29er and super aggressive gravel/road  set up. With MTB handle bars. As aposed to buying a full gravel bike. 
 

thoughts ???

 

The "purists" will tell you that only a bike with drop bars may be considered as a gravel bike.

 

 

While the rest us (me included) LOVE our hardtails with gravel tyres.

 

Your terrain will determine if you go with a rigid fork or if you keep the old suspension up front ....

 

 

TWO things to consider -

1. You will NEVER be as earodynamic on a set of flat bars ...  but Oooo so much more comfortable.

2. GEARING ... hardtails spins out on the long flat sections ....

 

These two items should be considered in terms of YOUR intended use ...

 

Gravel touring ... flat bars and granny gears for the win

 

Gravel rides with other gravel bikes ..... the comfortable position does mean you your drag will be more, but I am happy with this.  Gearing .... I now have a 40t up front .... on downhills I see the "real gravel bikes" ride off at over 50km/h ....

[dasilvarsa]

Plenty Ideas on this Thread Above

 

[splat]

6 hours ago, paul marais said:

HRd tail. Rigid fork. Gravel tyres on 29er and super aggressive gravel/road  set up. With MTB handle bars. As aposed to buying a full gravel bike. 
 

thoughts ???

And then what are you going to do with your fully rigid hard tail (90's MTB)?

Cross Country and Marathon races?
Munga? Freedom Challenge?
Gravel races?
Or touring / bike packing ?

What gears are you running ?
That is probably more important than your very aggressive bar and stem set up.

[Jewbacca]

1 hour ago, dasilvarsa said:

Plenty Ideas on this Thread Above

 

Yes, but if the OP does that then the same 9 people can't make the same comments on THIS thread!!!

Do you even internet?!

[PregoRoll]

3 hours ago, guidodg said:

Good heavens, I need a Mondraker in my life

[Dexter-morgan]

I went the El-cheapo way and I could not be happier, Silverback Sola 4 with Carbon fork and Gravel Tires. weighs 10.4kg with pedals -  1x10 gears (11-36) with a 42 Chainwheel from Rapide up front.

This is my morning ride Training bike.

[Bub Marley]

4 hours ago, guidodg said:

My local mechanic here in Cape Town has a Look XC bike also with a similar design. Looks absolutely beautiful tbh.

 

Wrt the topic. I’ve tried to get my XC bike more gravel friendly. I’ve bought a Farr Aero clip on bar which i love just to alternate some hand positions and get slightly more aero. Also put on Vittoria Terreno XC tyres. To me these are the fastest rolling tyres I’ve used so far. Not the grippiest for technical stuff but perfect for gravel races.

 

It also depends on what your goals are. If you are actually racing for position then your biggest drawback is without a doubt going to be gearing. I’d say that has a bigger impact than flat bars. However, if you’re not racing and just doing it for fun and fitness or whatever then yeah that’s what most guys are doing. Just bear in mind that if you change the forks to rigid then you’re essentially removing the mtb aspect. So if you wanna do techy trails and only have 1 bike then clearly this is not the best. If however you have another bike for the techy stuff, then I’d just get the gravel bike one time instead of gaffing around trying to convert.

[guidodg]

I have an E-Thirteen 9-46 12 speed cassette with a 34T in the front and I can do pretty much anything, from the steepest climbs even on singletrack to riding on the tar at 45km\hr.

Tires are the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M in 45s...awesome!

 

 

[dasilvarsa]

2 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Yes, but if the OP does that then the same 9 people can't make the same comments on THIS thread!!!

Do you even internet?!

I only Internet for a Good Laugh. Or If I'm Extremely Bored.

Have a Good day @Jewbacca

[NotSoBigBen]