Gravel bikes

[Kom]

4 hours ago, nathrix said:

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…

Ride what you got .... and if you can - get a crux so you can be faster than everyone else on gravel 🤣

[betaboy]

.. the “crux” of the matter is, I have other hobbies…, it’s called a wife.

[Kom]

5 minutes ago, betaboy said:

.. the “crux” of the matter is, I have other hobbies…, it’s called a wife.

head of finance only tracks the color of the bike, just dont change color and number of them in the garage and you're good

[betaboy]

2 minutes ago, Kom said:

head of finance only tracks the color of the bike, just dont change color and number of them in the garage and you're good

LOL.. looking at trading her in. I need a new madam speaker of the house! 

[NicoSmit]

Good evening sorry for the sh@#$ question what do you need to convert a hardtail mtb to a gravel bike ?I know you need new brake levers and......?

[Kom]

2 hours ago, NicoSmit said:

Good evening sorry for the sh@#$ question what do you need to convert a hardtail mtb to a gravel bike ?I know you need new brake levers and......?

Are you going to keep the suspension fork or go fixed?

Some notes around component compatibility:

1-Sram 1x11 is not actually compatible between thumb and brake shift levers - you need the right RD

2-Sram hydraulics works fine between post and direct mount calipers i.e mtb calipers work fine with brake shift levers

3-as mentioned throughout this thread, the size of the front chainring can be limiting on a MTB, potentially maxing out at 36/38t which will limit your overdrive.

4-geometry on a MTB for gravel purposes can be tricky, you're going to pedal hard for the bike to "float"

That is all - ignore anything else anyone else says - o wait - its keyboard friday ...

Edited April 11 by Kom

[Wannabe]

I converted my old hardtail Haibike aluminum frame to a gravel grinder from left over spares in my stash I built up over the years.

Used old Shimano wheels, fitted with Panaracer Gravelking 40x700c tires (looking for one more Mtb tire with not too aggressive thread in 1.95 (50") width for a more plush ride )

Group set is a well used Sram Force 10spd shifters mated to an X9 rear derailer and Force front derailer. Shifting is flawless and dropped chain is a non-issue. 

Cassette is Sram 10 spd 11-36.

Chainring is Sram 38-26 for an almost 1-1 final gear (Looking for a bigger chainring though as I spin out on the road when trying to stick with the roadies)

Handlebar is a Rapide Gravelbike item, bought new

Fork is a Moroso M5 rigid alu item I bought second hand on Bike Hub for the princely sum of R500

Brakes are Tektro Novela MS mechanical items, single pot but works well enough once properly set up. They are mated to 160mm discs.

Seat is a Fizik Kium saddle. 

All items, tires included are second hand with the exception of the handlebar, tape, cables inners and outers and chain. 

This whole build cost me less than R2000, as I had all the items collected over the years.

This bike is called "Okkie", as its ook nie n Mtb nie, maar ook nie n padfiets nie. Lol.

This bike is a feast to ride on both road, gravel and not too rough or technical trails.

 

The photo below is not the final product, as I changed some of the components as the build progressed, but it gives an idea of the result.

 

Edited April 12 by Wannabe
Added content

[Super Sywurm]

On 4/10/2024 at 9:39 PM, Kom said:

head of finance only tracks the color of the bike, just dont change color and number of them in the garage and you're good

I once made the mistake of asking my wife what the colour of my bike is.  She did not know and I told her that I can now buy new bikes and she would not notice.

Know she knows exactly what I ride.

 

 

Stupid me!!!😭

[i24]

On 4/2/2024 at 7:07 AM, 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

 

The more this tread goes on, the more the fashion gets back to my "pavement special". A rusty, vintage, rigid, steel frame, Hansom MTB.

It is currently rolling on 50mm touring tyres and has 3x7 gears (but the frame and cantilever brakes will accommodate full knobbly MTB tyres). The rigid steel forks have that forward bend typical of 70's bikes which give them a little flex.

I just have to wait for the straight bars (with 90's style bar end extensions which definitely don't help) to come back into fashion. And it is made out of heavy duty tubing which weighs plenty and the rust on the spokes does not help with aero ☹️

I have ridden it to the wireless mast on Tokai on MTB tyres - once - then I bought a suspension MTB. I have also ridden the Tokai green belts, on touring tyres, which it handled surprisingly well. It's limitation is corrugated gravel district roads - those are a killer and I would definitely chose a suspension bike for them next time.

 

[i24]

15 hours ago, NicoSmit said:

Good evening sorry for the sh@#$ question what do you need to convert a hardtail mtb to a gravel bike ?I know you need new brake levers and......?

Fit 40mm or 50mm gravel tyres, convert it back to 2x gearing (if you previously did the 1x thing), and look for one of those semi-drop type bars that accommodate your existing hydraulic leavers, or fit some "aero extension" bars in board of the brake leavers (time trial bike style).

Then wait for this thread to reach the conclusion that you are on the optimal mount 😏

[NicoSmit]

It is a KTM Carbon hard tail with Hydraulic brakes what kind of Brake levers do I need on the gravel bike handle bars ? I think the mechanical brakes currently on my GB would not work .

[Bub Marley]

I thought of doing this as well. But everytime someone posts a pic of there conversion I get put off more and more. 

[cadenceblur]

Yeah, it’s not for everybody, can be costly depending on your approach, the geometry and look of your bike is also a factor, a bit biased, but i think mine came out okay🤔

Edited April 13 by cadenceblur

[Wannabe]

1 hour ago, Bub Marley said:

I thought of doing this as well. But every time someone posts a pic of there conversion I get put off more and more. 

You saying my bike is ugly........

 

Still needs a respray, but I cannot find the right color paints to obtain a "camo" look, only with diagonal lines. 

Edited April 13 by Wannabe

[Bub Marley]

On 4/13/2024 at 4:52 PM, Wannabe said:

You saying my bike is ugly........

 

Still needs a respray, but I cannot find the right color paints to obtain a "camo" look, only with diagonal lines. 

In Think it looks better the way it was intended to look. And so far, this is applicable to everyone’s bike. 
 

I think keeping the flat bars and just changing the fork gives the bike a sleeker look. 

[Super Sywurm]

Which one to buy, or not to buy, and why?  I'm no gravel expert.  Price is pretty much the same.

https://titanracingbikes.com/bikes/switch-ltd-edition/

or

https://www.cannondale.com/en-za/bikes/road/gravel/topstone-alloy/topstone-2