Avalanche dust gravel bike any good?

[RossTopher]

@Gershom Basson please do give us an update. i'd love to hear how it rides and whether its something to consider down the line.

when the bike came out, i was looking all over for reivews but seems nobody has bought one. yours will be the first report back on the hub

[Craig Mack1]

On 3/5/2024 at 10:01 PM, Gershom Basson said:

Hey everyone I do appreciate all the feedback I'm probably going to get the Dust. I'll ride till the shifters give up the ghost then replace them with something else. Again appreciate everyone's input will provide feedback once I ride this bike. Thank you all have a lekker evening chow for now

Curious, did you go ahead and get the Dust. I'm very interested to hear your thoughts on it, since I have my sights set in it as well.

Thanks

[tinmug]

Hmmm. I wouldn't go with a (heavy) alloy frame paired with a Chinese groupset when there are far, far better bikes out there in the same price range on the used market. 🙅‍♂️

Those heavy bikes tend to be proof-of-concept bikes: you buy it (because new is always better, right?) to prove to yourself that (gravel) biking is your thing (spoiler: it is); then a few months later your eye starts wandering when you see a 'better' bike. They look so light (they are!), the drivetrain is so nice (it is! And you can get parts for it!). So you want to sell and upgrade but nobody wants to buy a used Chinese gravel bike for half-decent money ...

... so go straight for the throat: buy a half-decent known-brand bike (that you can resell for the same money if gravel bikes aren't your thing; only it will be your thing do you save time). 😎

EDIT: absolutely nothing against Avalanche whatsoever: they get lots of people into cycling, and that is always a fat plus! But the last time I lifted an Avalanche I cracked three vertebrae and tore a bicep (*slight exaggeration may apply). 

Edited March 14 by tinmug

[Gershom Basson]

11 hours ago, Craig Mack1 said:

Curious, did you go ahead and get the Dust. I'm very interested to hear your thoughts on it, since I have my sights set in it as well.

Thanks

Hi everyone, so I went to a bike shop I know and trust be dealing with them for years and I was advised for the amount of riding and racing I do they said I best be looking at Titan rather or a Scott. The sales guy did say Avalanche is a great starter bike but I'm no starter cyclist. So unfortunately I will probably take there advice and go a Titan as Scott a bit out of my price range. 

[Vaultboy]

1 minute ago, Gershom Basson said:

Hi everyone, so I went to a bike shop I know and trust be dealing with them for years and I was advised for the amount of riding and racing I do they said I best be looking at Titan rather or a Scott. The sales guy did say Avalanche is a great starter bike but I'm no starter cyclist. So unfortunately I will probably take there advice and go a Titan as Scott a bit out of my price range. 

@Titan Racing Bikes when will the 2024 alloy Switch models be available?

[Titan Racing Bikes]

9 minutes ago, Vaultboy said:

@Titan Racing Bikes when will the 2024 alloy Switch models be available?

Let me check and confirm...
 

 

[Titan Racing Bikes]

2 hours ago, Vaultboy said:

@Titan Racing Bikes when will the 2024 alloy Switch models be available?

We have the Titan Racing Switch LTD on the website and that's available from dealers nationwide. More models will be released later this year - around July/August.

[Skubarra]

3 hours ago, tinmug said:

Hmmm. I wouldn't go with a (heavy) alloy frame paired with a Chinese groupset when there are far, far better bikes out there in the same price range on the used market. 🙅‍♂️

Those heavy bikes tend to be proof-of-concept bikes: you buy it (because new is always better, right?) to prove to yourself that (gravel) biking is your thing (spoiler: it is); then a few months later your eye starts wandering when you see a 'better' bike. They look so light (they are!), the drivetrain is so nice (it is! And you can get parts for it!). So you want to sell and upgrade but nobody wants to buy a used Chinese gravel bike for half-decent money ...

... so go straight for the throat: buy a half-decent known-brand bike (that you can resell for the same money if gravel bikes aren't your thing; only it will be your thing do you save time). 😎

EDIT: absolutely nothing against Avalanche whatsoever: they get lots of people into cycling, and that is always a fat plus! But the last time I lifted an Avalanche I cracked three vertebrae and tore a bicep (*slight exaggeration may apply). 

I like your proof-of-concept theory 😀

Only problem is that the "few months later your eye starts wandering" apply to all new gravel bikes! Not just the cheaper entry-level ones 🤣. At least the hit you take on the entry-level bike is not as big.

[Ant in the NL]

On 3/14/2024 at 6:11 AM, tinmug said:

Hmmm. I wouldn't go with a (heavy) alloy frame paired with a Chinese groupset when there are far, far better bikes out there in the same price range on the used market. 🙅‍♂️

Those heavy bikes tend to be proof-of-concept bikes: you buy it (because new is always better, right?) to prove to yourself that (gravel) biking is your thing (spoiler: it is); then a few months later your eye starts wandering when you see a 'better' bike. They look so light (they are!), the drivetrain is so nice (it is! And you can get parts for it!). So you want to sell and upgrade but nobody wants to buy a used Chinese gravel bike for half-decent money ...

... so go straight for the throat: buy a half-decent known-brand bike (that you can resell for the same money if gravel bikes aren't your thing; only it will be your thing do you save time). 😎

EDIT: absolutely nothing against Avalanche whatsoever: they get lots of people into cycling, and that is always a fat plus! But the last time I lifted an Avalanche I cracked three vertebrae and tore a bicep (*slight exaggeration may apply). 

Almost agree with you, I bought an Avalanche Reflex Pro 29er and my mate bought a Silverback Stride 29er (both L frames) - I have a 1x12 L-Twoo and he's running Shimano 2x9....my bike weighs in around 1.1kgs lighter than his and is smooth as silk (approx 12.5kgs for the Avalanche) . His 2x9 set up needed a good few fiddles by CWC to get it running ok. He has a "better" Suntour shock and obvs Shimano brand components - both bicycles less than ZAR 10000 new

.

Probs is noone knows what to upgrade the L-Twoo crank for example here in the NL 🇳🇱 where I've relocated to as they fear the "unknown" 🤣🤣 and Durbanville Cycles have been horrific at replying to emails and phone calls that I've made from here to get their advice. 

.

Long story, steerclear of DVC if you want good after sales service, and I love my "cheap" Avalanche 29er 

[RossTopher]

On 3/14/2024 at 7:47 AM, Gershom Basson said:

Hi everyone, so I went to a bike shop I know and trust be dealing with them for years and I was advised for the amount of riding and racing I do they said I best be looking at Titan rather or a Scott. The sales guy did say Avalanche is a great starter bike but I'm no starter cyclist. So unfortunately I will probably take there advice and go a Titan as Scott a bit out of my price range. 

Sounds like a classic case of upselling. I am willing to bet most of the Dusts weight/limitation is in the groupset, wheels and tyres.

Youre going to have to go to over 30k for a decent Speedster Gravel, and the Titans come with mechanical discs, as those fsa cranks with bbs made of cheese and fsa parts supply issues (good luck getting an omega chainring or bb), so it's double the price for good wheels and a carbon fork.

Is it really worth an additional 10-15k. Are you going to get twice the satisfaction/experience as the Dust?

Again, you've proved you can do all the races on the Estrada, you may be faster and more comfy on something else, but that is probably something higher up than the shops suggestions.

You could blow your budget now, or ride something that works and slowly upgrade wheels, tyres and groupset, making it quintessentially yours.

 

As for resale value... The Scotts and titans that land on the hub (and there are many) either sit forever, or sell for a massive discount. Perceived value based on "brand". Titan was once viewed how many now portray avalanche.

[Dicky DQ]

I was sitting between the dust and the switch. R3k difference between the to and the switch has SRAM.

I went for the Avalanche. Did my first road ride today. Well my fitness was the limiting factor. I see the Ltwoo (whatever) does not have a clutch so this could be the reason for skipping gears on rough stuff. At lease I still remember the old 3x MTB group sets that everyt5hing jumped off. So we will see.

Re the weight, the frame will NOT be the main contributor, rather the wheels etc.

Scary part is my saddle of choice costs 20% of the Dust total and my Seatpost another 20%.
 

Entry level is as entry level does. Just go ride.