Gravel bikes

[dave303e]

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

I was going to do EA stanford on my gravelbike in feb last year to prove your exact point, There was a sandy section for 4km otherwise the rest was hardpack gravel. Would have been a winner.

I seriously considered putting 40mm tyres onto my hardtail for ARWC. However, after doing the course I am glad I took my hardtail with 2.25 tyres, this is a teamsport afterall so the gain is only really there if you do it together. 

Zuurberg pass with no suspension, that baviaanskloof 4x4 track, the final muddy stuff in the forestry roads??? norrafok, it was definitely the gnarliest terrain he ever put on. 

 

 

100%, you need all 4 on gravel and you need to cherry pick the event, but I think for a 120 you will easy get away with it

[nonky]

2 hours ago, _David_ said:

Will definitely get the job done, I see Dylan Johnson did Leadville on a Drop-bar hardtail.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-dylan-johnson-leadville-100-2023.html

 

Formerly known as a "monster bike" or "monstercross bike"?

[ct_rider]

Gravel tyres on a 29er wheel, does the tyre fit?

[MongooseMan]

2 hours ago, _David_ said:

Will definitely get the job done, I see Dylan Johnson did Leadville on a Drop-bar hardtail.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-dylan-johnson-leadville-100-2023.html

@Benky has also recently (?) built up one:
https://www.strava.com/activities/11103409747

[Bub Marley]

2 hours ago, _David_ said:

Will definitely get the job done, I see Dylan Johnson did Leadville on a Drop-bar hardtail.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-dylan-johnson-leadville-100-2023.html

Im curious as to how much difference chunky tyres would make compared to skinnier gravel ones on district roads?

 

[cadenceblur]

13 minutes ago, ct_rider said:

Gravel tyres on a 29er wheel, does the tyre fit?

Yes 

[MongooseMan]

20 minutes ago, Bub Marley said:

Im curious as to how much difference chunky tyres would make compared to skinnier gravel ones on district roads?

 

Dylan Johnson (owner of the dropbar bike pictured) would argue wider is always better, unless you need to clear mud. 

https://www.instagram.com/dylanjawnson/p/C2dIgQcOa0w/?img_index=1

Bigger tyres = lower pressures = lower rolling resistance

 

 

Edited April 4 by MongooseMan

[Bub Marley]

19 minutes ago, MongooseMan said:

Dylan Johnson (owner of the dropbar bike pictured) would argue wider is always better, unless you need to clear mud. 

https://www.instagram.com/dylanjawnson/p/C2dIgQcOa0w/?img_index=1

Bigger tyres = lower pressures = lower rolling resistance

 

 

Yeah but this is excluding the aerodynamic penalty. Common sense tells me a narrower 42mm tyre will be faster on a flat district road than a 2.2” mtb tyre? Maybe my way of thinking is still old school.

[MongooseMan]

4 minutes ago, Bub Marley said:

Yeah but this is excluding the aerodynamic penalty. Common sense tells me a narrower 42mm tyre will be faster on a flat district road than a 2.2” mtb tyre? Maybe my way of thinking is still old school.

A few points:
- Aero vs rolling resistance is a tricky one, esp since aero is very personalized (and often non-intuitive)

- Wider tyres would likely also have more puncture protection, so even if it costs you a nett 2W in aero, you'd save hugely on any flat repairs

- Wider tyres at lower pressures are more comfortable, which in the long run with allow you to be faster.

 

[dave303e]

a big kicker as well on gravel is the gearing, much broader options

[Bub Marley]

2 minutes ago, MongooseMan said:

A few points:
- Aero vs rolling resistance is a tricky one, esp since aero is very personalized (and often non-intuitive)

- Wider tyres would likely also have more puncture protection, so even if it costs you a nett 2W in aero, you'd save hugely on any flat repairs

- Wider tyres at lower pressures are more comfortable, which in the long run with allow you to be faster.

 

So ideally we need gravel bikes with enough clearance for mtb tyres. Basically like his Felt bike he’s riding this year.

[MongooseMan]

Just now, Bub Marley said:

So ideally we need gravel bikes with enough clearance for mtb tyres. Basically like his Felt bike he’s riding this year.

That would be his fundamental argument, yes  

[Bub Marley]

Just now, MongooseMan said:

That would be his fundamental argument, yes  

At least that tells me now to get a gravel bike which the biggest clearance when i do decide to get one. Was also thinking maybe convert the hardtail, put a rigid fork in with drop bars but then you still have the gearing issue.

[cadenceblur]

4 minutes ago, Bub Marley said:

At least that tells me now to get a gravel bike which the biggest clearance when i do decide to get one. Was also thinking maybe convert the hardtail, put a rigid fork in with drop bars but then you still have the gearing issue.

Ticks the boxes

[Kom]

My 2024 Crux came with Shimano GRX 820 12-speed mechanical which ive spent some time with.

Ive now changed the front chainring to 42t and the rear cassette to a 10-51t which gives me a nice pedalling range from 0.82 -> 4.2 (originally came with 40t and 10-45t cassette 0.89 -> 4.0).

For those wanting a poor mans mechanical mullet, its hard to beat Shimano durability and value, but can honestly say that the smoothness of my 1x11 SRAM Force is missed.

FWIW im using a "goatlink" to allow my medium cage derailleur to absorb the larger cassette.

Also im not crazy about the chain-line on a non-boost setup. There is a heap of resistance with the chain this far over .

 

Edited April 10 by Kom

[nathrix]

My Niner still feel too much like a mtb (and it does not look so lekker) compared to my Ritchey SwissCross, so i will be converting it back to mtb later which was awesome…