Gravel Bikes

I should never, ever go into a bike store. As I've posted, I'm thinking about getting another mountain bike, either a fatty or 27.5+. In thinking more about my bikes at my vacation place, I started thinking about having a road bike (friends come over with their road bikes and I can't really ride with them on my mountain bike, or times when the trails are wet and muddy and aren't supposed to be ridden). This is a rural area with more gravel than paved roads.

So I discovered gravel bikes. These are road bike frames with more upright geometry, road disk brakes, and wider tires (so 28-45c, as opposed to the typical road 20-25c). Using disk brakes allows for the wider tires. Plus I'm a weird bike fit (my road bike is custom) and these come pretty close to working for me. Seems like a fun option, but so many choices...

Anyone riding one of these?

 

You mean a cycle cross bike? The "gravel bike" is just another way of marketing another configuration...

 

No, although a cross bike would work for the riding I plan to do, but the geometry is not as good for my fit. Gravel bikes have a different geometry (more upright).

 

I've been riding a Specialized Diverge Expert since March. It is by some margin the best bike I've ever ridden. The riding geometry is almost identical to a Roubaix, their endurance bike. Main differences are slightly slacker steering, lower bottom bracket and shorter chainstays. On the road it rides like a road bike without being dead. But the frame is comfortable over gravel and trails. I've been riding more on trails and backroads where the roads aren't great, or not roads at all. Eventually I got tired of getting beaten up on a regular road and cross bike, which is not at all the same. Had a Tricross that I sold. They have higher BB's to clear obstacles on the course, and have a comparatively harsher ride with an aggressive geometry due to being race bikes.

I'm not racing, it just wasn't worth it. While the superior frame damping is significant it's the larger volume tires that transforms. I'm still running the stock 32c tires, but the frame will clear up to 38. I think 35 will be a happy medium. A lot owners have two sets of wheels, one for faster road riding and one that's wider.

The best thing about this class of bike is that not being limited to the road is Fun. I still also ride on the road but taking trails that connect roads, backroads that no one drives, taking the bike to less traveled places, has made riding so much more interesting. The carbon frame also has rack and fender mounts to add another dimension, and at some point it'd be fun to do some light touring.

The following are the bikes to consider in this category imo:

Specialized Diverge
Trek Domane disc SLR
Focus Paralane
GT Grade Carbon (though I couldn't get past the looks)

 

Vig--thanks. Great info. Your reasons for wanting a bike like this mirror mine. I rode a Specialized Diverge, and it just didn't feel good to me, though it is an excellent choice in the category. I haven't been able to find the Focus or GT to ride and I still need to swing by and try the Trek. Bike I have tried include the Felt V series (excellent fit but heavy), the Santa Cruz Stigmata (my top choice right now), the Salsa Warbird (my second choice) and the Specialized. I'll try a Niner RLT today, a BMC RoadMachine soon, and I'm trying to track down a Norco Search to ride.

Ultimately I think I want to ride 38c wheels, and I think I want to do a custom build, as I prefer SRAM shifting and braking, and I think I am going to do a 1x drivetrain.

 

Those are all steel bikes except for the BMC? Surly is another one that seems to be popular with the steel crowd. And beware the BMC maxes out around 30 or 32 tires. I test rode the 1x, and while it seems like it would be useful for cyclocross, TT, etc, it's a ***** trying to maintain cadence with such a wide and gappy cassette that's necessary to maintain a reasonably useful range on road bike.

 

Niner and Felt is AL, BMC is carbon, Norco is carbon, as are the Warbird and the Stigmata (many of these are either only carbon or both AL and carbon versions).

I'm torn between the 1x and 2x. I have been a triple guy (on both my road and mountain bikes) even in the face of compact doubles, wide range rear cassettes, etc. But my road rides on the bike will likely not be endurance long range use every watt efficiently type of rides. But it is my biggest doubt--do I go with a 2x and get slightly smaller steps but have more weight, duplicate gears, etc. or not? I did demo a Pivot Switchblade with a 1x and I rode it on a very mixed terrain MTB ride and I didn't really miss more gears.

I am riding the BMC just because. It does not accommodate a wide enough tire for what I am looking for.

 

I rode them back to back last year at Interbike...ill be back there next month and will have to see if I can really tell the difference...and I do ride them hard during the demo days at Bootleg canyon..

 

Okay, ordered a Salsa carbon Warbird frame. Supposedly one in the first shipment has my name on it. Setting it up with SRAM Force 1x11, disc brakes, etc. I'll report back when it is built.

 

The 1x is very intriguing. I rarely use the small ring, so it seems like a good idea.
On a gravel bike, it really makes sense to me for simplicity's sake. Maybe a 46 chain ring and 11-32 cassette would cover nearly every situation. Please report back with your impressions. I may get something similar.

 

My frame just arrived at the shop. Still waiting on some parts. Drivetrain will be 10-42 with a 42 tooth chainring. I can swap chainrings, though I can't order a stock crank with anything different. Trying to pick a bar, and deciding between light carbon (Easton) or even lighter aluminum (Thompson) for a seat post.

 

Just saw my bike today. Paint is beautiful. Had to pick bars--which I did (Salsa Cowbells). Should be ready tomorrow or Monday.

 

Ignore the funky seat color--it is a tester.
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Looks awesome!
I rode my old race road bike in the mud and grass a week ago. It works fine, but there were a few times I would like to have had some wider tires. I'm limited to 25c by interference.
I ran a 53/39 and 11-28 cassette. I really want a 1x drivetrain with canti brakes. I digress.

Your new bike is just begging for one of those epic gravel races. Gravel Cyclist Event Calendar | Gravel Cyclist: The Gravel Cycling Experience

 

Love the paint job. Get a Canyon VCLS or Specialized CG-R seatpost. Makes a big difference.