Gravel bikes

[Spinnekop]

45 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.

Cool and interesting.
Thanks for this.
So demand climbed after Covid and stayed.
Should be interesting to plot on same graph demand for road and MTB?

 

[Nick]

1 hour ago, Iwan Kemp said:

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

 

1 hour ago, Spinnekop said:

Cool and interesting.
Thanks for this.
So demand climbed after Covid and stayed.
Should be interesting to plot on same graph demand for road and MTB?

 

A brief look at the numbers for road and MTB don't show as interesting a trend as gravel bikes, mostly flat.

I'll possibly take a deeper dive shortly and create a separate thread about it and some others things.

[Prince Albert Cycles]

3 hours ago, Headshot said:

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

Were you on a Revolt ? Saw you on Saturday morning riding back to town

[100Tours]

11 hours ago, Prince Albert Cycles said:

As someone who started the wonderful life of being a cyclist some 36 years ago and obviously then on a road bike my passion for road bikes and road riding still exceeds the one for mountain bikes.

First forced to switch to mountain biking for road safety reasons when I lived in cities and now because of where I live I find the looks of a combination of the two ( gravel bikes ) very sexy .

So browsing through the adds for gravel bikes this morning just looking ..I have one .. and seeing the number of really nice gravel bikes for sale made me wonder why are these bikes for sale .

Are guys upgrading or disillusioned with what they found riding gravel riding to be ?

Looking forward to some responses.

Arno

 

My experience was that my first gravel bike (Spesh Diverge 1) was very nice on tar, but not 'gravel' enough for SA. The early bikes were probably more CX than gravel in their concept.

Number 1 issue for me is tyre clearance - my personal belief is that only 45 mm is enough, and if you're stuck with a gravel frame that tops out at 38 or 40 then before long you're going to be re-selling. My current steed will take a 50 and I'm very happy with that. less than 45 and you're goinng to ride too hard a pressure and still you risk punctures.

The problem is that once you've found the right tyre width now you can't find the appropriate gearing. it doesn't help having MTB tyre clearance if you're stuck with a maximum 42t front ring. There are a special few bikes that get this balance right (Giant Revolt, Canyon Grizl), and the rest are still searching. Shopping for road bikes doesn't have quite the same learning curve.

 

 

[cadenceblur]

Interesting chat, my “gravel bike” - a HT I converted to one has no issue with no tyre clearance and I’m comfortably running a set of 45’s. 

but I’m maxed out at 40 up front - I wonder if a spacer of sorts could sort this out?

[RobertWhitehead]

I currently have two gravel bike builds or should I say potential builds which I've been reluctant to start as I've been unsure if there's a market for them . Turns out....... 

[Prince Albert Cycles]

11 hours ago, 100Tours said:

My experience was that my first gravel bike (Spesh Diverge 1) was very nice on tar, but not 'gravel' enough for SA. The early bikes were probably more CX than gravel in their concept.

Number 1 issue for me is tyre clearance - my personal belief is that only 45 mm is enough, and if you're stuck with a gravel frame that tops out at 38 or 40 then before long you're going to be re-selling. My current steed will take a 50 and I'm very happy with that. less than 45 and you're goinng to ride too hard a pressure and still you risk punctures.

The problem is that once you've found the right tyre width now you can't find the appropriate gearing. it doesn't help having MTB tyre clearance if you're stuck with a maximum 42t front ring. There are a special few bikes that get this balance right (Giant Revolt, Canyon Grizl), and the rest are still searching. Shopping for road bikes doesn't have quite the same learning curve.

 

 

In my humble view a gravel being bike being more road bike than mtb 2 x is the solution . I find the GRX 46/30 with 11-34 on my Topstone perfect . 2 x 10 being as inexpensive as bicycle parts can get 

[100Tours]

12 minutes ago, Prince Albert Cycles said:

In my humble view a gravel being bike being more road bike than mtb 2 x is the solution . I find the GRX 46/30 with 11-34 on my Topstone perfect . 2 x 10 being as inexpensive as bicycle parts can get 

Agreed - I am a 2-by for gravel guy. Now if there were only 10 speed hydraulic lever options..

[Prince Albert Cycles]

2 minutes ago, 100Tours said:

Agreed - I am a 2-by for gravel guy. Now if there were only 10 speed hydraulic lever options..

There is . Shimano GRX 400

[100Tours]

4 minutes ago, Prince Albert Cycles said:

There is . Shimano GRX 400

True. I'm a snob - I like the hydraulic routing on the ultra levers better 😁

[_David_]

This thread is making me think of scratching an itch I don't have; I'm now considering a gravel bike. Please educate me on what would make a gravel bike better than the light carbon hardtail mountain bike I already own. 🙂

Does it come down to gearing and efficiency on the road?

[mecheng89]

16 minutes ago, _David_ said:

This thread is making me think of scratching an itch I don't have; I'm now considering a gravel bike. Please educate me on what would make a gravel bike better than the light carbon hardtail mountain bike I already own. 🙂

Does it come down to gearing and efficiency on the road?

It all depends on where you ride more regularly.

IMHO, on the road/light gravel road, there is nothing quicker than a gravel bike due to the better aero. I've managed to hold on to a road bunch at 60kph before spinning out (50/11). However, once it becomes remotely rocky, you've better off with a hard tail.

But once again, it's not about the bike but the rider. I've had HT riders cream me on an open gravel road. 

[tinmug]

@_David_ Better hand-position variety. Much lighter. Simpler. Wide range of tyre options; i.e. right wheel width for the job. All of these combined equals more speed (and in some cases more comfort). 

The downside is that people might confuse you with a hipster. 

[Shebeen]

16 hours ago, Nick said:

 

A brief look at the numbers for road and MTB don't show as interesting a trend as gravel bikes, mostly flat.

I'll possibly take a deeper dive shortly and create a separate thread about it and some others things.

That would be cool, even if just a crude way to confirm what we think we know! 

My bike closet is (currently)

MTB (2014 carbon hardtail) + Farr gravelbike + 18yr old alu/carb roadie

the mtb is used for long rides and AR racing

the gravelbike has two wheelsets now and does the most - including to shops and back

the roadie now sits on the dumb trainer, but got taken off for the argus.

 

There is serious overlap between the gravelbike and mtb, and gravelbike and roadie if you switch gravel wheelsets. I should probably swap out the mtb for a duallsus but it doesn't seem to be a priority right now.

 

 

 

 

[Bub Marley]

2 hours ago, _David_ said:

This thread is making me think of scratching an itch I don't have; I'm now considering a gravel bike. Please educate me on what would make a gravel bike better than the light carbon hardtail mountain bike I already own. 🙂

Does it come down to gearing and efficiency on the road?

I’d say your biggest upgrade would be gearing. You’d be able to fit a larger chainring which should make a huge difference on your flats and descents.

[Vaultboy]

15 hours ago, 100Tours said:

 

Number 1 issue for me is tyre clearance - my personal belief is that only 45 mm is enough, and if you're stuck with a gravel frame that tops out at 38 or 40 then before long you're going to be re-selling. My current steed will take a 50 and I'm very happy with that.

 

I agree fully. My gravel bike runs 47mm, which I really like the feel of. I think Dylan Johnson was on to something when he said that the ideal tyre for gravel bikes are thin casing 2.2 MTB tyres.