Gravel bikes

[NC_lurker]

28 minutes ago, Ant1234 said:

The second wheelset option defs seems like the way to go from what I've read here.

Also, as a side note I have a die hard MTB riding mate that 'crossed over to the darkside' and bought a decent road bike a while back, very quickly got a gravel bike and sold the road bike...now you can get him off the gravel bike unless he's doing MTB stage racing 

Gravel bike on the road makes a lot of sense for the majority of SA cyclists. More relaxed setup, more confidence inspiring braking (let's not get sidetracked..), and the option to ride wider more comfortable tyres on often pothole strewn roads - that's for you non-Capies 😉

I currently own both an endurance road bike (2015 Cannondale Synapse carbon frame disc brake) and a gravel touring bike (Specialized Sequoia steel frame). In winter on the road I ride the gravel bike more than my road bike. The cheapy 35c road tyres deal far better with all the debris washed onto the verge than my more expensive 28c road tyres. I save my gravel tyres for actual gravel riding - second wheelset. 

I've definitely considered replacing both bikes with a lightweight carbon gravel bike, but at the moment there's no real benefit given that I currently have specific tools for specific outings. Only benefit would be more space to buy another bike 😆

[Jbr]

Yeah.. I have high end MTB, Gravel and road, and I end up only riding my Gravel bike. MTB is too expensive to ride (Lefty needs a service every 90hours...) and the road bike is less comfortable, and like Lurker says, Gravel bike is a bit safer with better braking power, plus you have more freedom to connect different roads and go accross some places that aren't rideable on the road bike to access quieter areas. Every time I go to classic suikers/chapies ride I get so many close calls, whereas when I go Durbies side on the gravel bike, connecting as many gravel roads as I can it's so peaceful and safe. It's a no brainer.

In the end I almost only ride my road bike when there's a race.

Edited April 2 by Jbr

[Prince Albert Cycles]

Thank you enjoying all the feedback and views.

[Spinnekop]

Looking back at some of my riding stats over the recent years

2022:  Road 38%
           Gravel 46%
           MTB 14%

2023:  Road 44%
           Gravel 42%
           MTB 12%

2024:  Road 46%
           Gravel 48%
           MTB 2%

To me my road bike will always be my first love.  Fast.  Light.  Exciting
Gravel is 20% less efficient than the road bike but makes training harder and commuting easier
The MTB seems to be the clear loser where I did a couple of MTB rides (long stuff) but now do those rides on the gravel bike as most routes in Gauteng are not technical. 

Edited April 2 by Spinnekop

[Headshot]

i saw some people riding gravel bikes up Swartberg this weekend. I think they and many others decided to sell them after the descent. 🙂 

[Headshot]

33 minutes ago, Prince Albert Cycles said:

Thank you enjoying all the feedback and views.

Are there any decent MTB tracks in Prince Albert - nothing on Trailforks and little info elsewhere. Karoo terrain has the potential to be such fun proper mountain biking territory.

[Prince Albert Cycles]

22 minutes ago, Headshot said:

Are there any decent MTB tracks in Prince Albert - nothing on Trailforks and little info elsewhere. Karoo terrain has the potential to be such fun proper mountain biking territory.

No . No tracks . We just ride the dirt roads . We have a local who is trying to build a track between running a guest house and a restaurant. The rest of us are old geezers who are just trying to stay upright.

[Headshot]

2 minutes ago, Prince Albert Cycles said:

No . No tracks . We just ride the dirt roads . We have a local who is trying to build a track between running a guest house and a restaurant. The rest of us are old geezers who are just trying to stay upright.

Thanks. Spent the Easter  weekend there and loved it. The dry river beds have some potential for technical riding I think...

[dave303e]

2 minutes ago, Prince Albert Cycles said:

No . No tracks . We just ride the dirt roads . We have a local who is trying to build a track between running a guest house and a restaurant. The rest of us are old geezers who are just trying to stay upright.

I also live rurally, nearest tar is a good few km away. I borrowed my godfathers gravel bike in Dec for a test ride in our area. I did a big dirt road loop that I always do on the mtb and I was sold. This year I am focusing on running, but at the end of the year I will definitely be investing in a gravel bike.

[Bike Dewing]

Yeah upgrades I guess.. my 2018 gravel bike doesn’t have the clearance(35)that is the standard now(40+)..

which works for me actually as I’m running 28 on the road 99% of the time, but if I was gravel riding I’d definitely want to upgrade.. 

[Skubarra]

1 hour ago, Spinnekop said:

Gravel is 20% less efficient than the road bike but makes training harder and commuting easier

I think with the right tires the difference would be far less? 

Only have been riding a gravel bike for a very short time but my gut feel is that 90% of people participating in funrides (ie everyone outside the real sharp end of the field) won't be worse off if they swop their road bikes for gravel bikes with road tyres.

[Spinnekop]

17 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

I think with the right tires the difference would be far less? 

Only have been riding a gravel bike for a very short time but my gut feel is that 90% of people participating in funrides (ie everyone outside the real sharp end of the field) won't be worse off if they swop their road bikes for gravel bikes with road tyres.

Very much so agree yes.
My GB's tyres are specifically for fairly crappy offroad.  42mm riding at 2bar.

If I go 35mm, say Vittoria (hard sidewall) and jack it up to 3bar, I can keep up with the road club ride quite easy.
 

[Nick]

3 hours ago, Shebeen said:

@Nick might have stats on the gravelbike classifieds but I think it's mainly because there are more around. Tell you what I don't see much of in the listings - fatbikes...

I haven't done any verification on these numbers so don't take them as fact but....

The number of gravel bikes listed for sale per quarter:

The number of enquiries sent to gravel bike advertisers per quarter. A sign of shopper demand.

[Iwan Kemp]

4 minutes ago, Nick said:

I haven't done any verification on these numbers so don't take them as fact but....

The number of gravel bikes listed for sale per quarter:

The number of enquiries sent to gravel bike advertisers per quarter. A sign of shopper demand.

It would be interesting to see the same stats for road and mtb. 

[Headshot]

As more and more of SA's roads turn to gravel, so the demand for the bikes increases. Gravel is the new road?

[Bike Dewing]

57 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

I think with the right tires the difference would be far less? 

Only have been riding a gravel bike for a very short time but my gut feel is that 90% of people participating in funrides (ie everyone outside the real sharp end of the field) won't be worse off if they swop their road bikes for gravel bikes with road tyres.

I’ve watched a video of various tire widths being tested and the 35 performed the best.. think it was 28, 35 and a 40 or it was 45 on a descent.. 

gravel bike geometry is quite relaxed so can be made to fit most people fairly easily.. they are great, I love mine to bits.. starting to think a race bike will be good to have as well but the gravel will probably always stay in the rotation..