Thinking about a gravel bike

[cantunamunch]

The nice thing is, there are plenty of high end, super supple and fast tires in the market now in 40mm , so you do not need to be held back by a wider tire on pavement either.

I need a 38-40mm R2G tire that works on 25F asphalt, that digs through deep oak leaves, and that can climb 3-5% 33F mud. Think modeling clay training to be a Slurpee. Thoughts?

 

[scott43]

I need a 38-40mm R2G tire that works on 25F asphalt, that digs through deep oak leaves, and that can climb 3-5% 33F mud. Think modeling clay training to be a Slurpee. Thoughts?

You're going to need a bigger spreadsheet...

 

[wooglin]

Boy howdy. Who knew a simple thing like a bike could be so complicated?

 

[firebanex]

Boy howdy. Who knew a simple thing like a bike could be so complicated?

Welcome to Ski(bike)Talk.

 

[mikes781]

We have a 15+ page thread going on lift bars. This site just likes to be thorough!

I do really appreciate all the great advice here. Thanks all! Heading out shortly to visit a few shops.

 

[Petrus]

I have a Megamo, it’s a Spanish brand, not sure if you can find it in US
AL frame, carbon fork and hydraulic brakes with SRAM groupset.
it’s a good value for money, in my opinion.

 

[scott43]

So I wanted to kinda encapsulate the geo that seems to be going on these days. Here are 4 Canyon bikes from more or less the predominant "categories" in the same size more or less..

Grail (gravel race)
Wheelbase: 990
Top Tube: 531
Stack: 533
Chainstay: 415

Grizl (gravel tour)
Wheelbase: 1012
Top Tube: 541
Stack: 537
Chainstay: 420

Endurace (endurance road)
Wheelbase: 982
Top Tube: 525
Stack: 548
Chainstay: 415

Inflite (cx)
Wheelbase: 1000
Top Tube: 532
Stack: 527
Chainstay: 425

Domane:
Wheelbase: 1003
Top Tube: 530
Stack: 561
Chainstay: 420

So the things that jump out to me The endurance road bikes have the highest stack by a good margin, an inch pretty much. The chainstays are fairly close with the roadie and the Grail typically being shortest. The Domane has a longer wheelbase than the Inflite CX bike and the Grizl is the longest. The top tube lengths are all close but I would say the endurance bikes are in the shortish cockpit lengths giving a more upright, easier position. The biggest thing that stuck out was the Grail is basically a road bike with tire clearance. What does all that mean? I guess it's different for everyone..but for me..I think the Domane is appropriate for my aging, mostly road, sometimes gravel life. We'll see how that goes!!

 

[scott43]

I have a Megamo, it’s a Spanish brand, not sure if you can find it in US
AL frame, carbon fork and hydraulic brakes with SRAM groupset.
it’s a good value for money, in my opinion.

That's a nice looking bike brother.

 

[slow-line-fast]

rice/performance ratio of aluminum. Carbon doesn't make THAT much difference in ride quality..especially if you drop 5psi in the tires.

Alu is also way safer. Carbon frames have a nasty habit of spontaneously shattering.

 

[cantunamunch]

You're going to need a bigger spreadsheet...

*shrug* ride the terrain you've got ... I feel that Maxxis and Spesh are >< this close on tread design - maybe a Vittoria compound?

 

[mikes781]

I have a Megamo, it’s a Spanish brand, not sure if you can find it in US
AL frame, carbon fork and hydraulic brakes with SRAM groupset.
it’s a good value for money, in my opinion.

Unfortunately I’m not seeing it available in the US. Thanks though.

Went to a Trek store today and got to ride a couple of Checkpoints and Domane SL5. I felt more upright on the Domane. It seemed a little shorter and I preferred the Checkpoint. Didn’t really notice the weight different between the two Checkpoints including the one that was 7k that is not in the running lol. The electronic shifters were pretty cool though. They all felt very fast coming from my tank of a MTB. I’m sure that I had a eating grin on my face zipping around the parking lot. This shop guy also said that the cheaper Checkpoint was also a better pick based on where I plan to ride and how it fit me. Didn’t seem to be much in the way of propriety parts on the models that I looked at.

I think the Checkpoint SL5 and the Topstone Carbon 3 are in the running. Want to get back on the Topstone. Stopped by another shop later in the afternoon. They were getting ready to close but chatted with them a bit. He suggested considering a Giant Revolt Advanced 2 and Cervelo Aspero GRX810 which is getting out of my budget. Will probably go back tomorrow and give them a ride.

 

[crosscountry]

Why only 28mm? It’s a serious question, your bike fits much bigger.

If you don't need the big tires, smaller tires are lighter. Faster acceleration. "Feels" even faster when you jump on the pedal. (At 115 lb, I ride a 25 on my road bike, 32 on my gravel, ONE SINGLE pinch flat over 10 years! )

A few other random observations/comments:

I felt more upright on the Domane.

"Cockpit feel" can also be influence by swapping stems of different length. Ideally, a really professional shop should put you on the trainer, watch you paddle, measure you to arrive at an optimal geometry. Then, change stems on the test bike to match as close to your ideal paddling position as possible before sending you out on the roads.

Same model bikes of different price point is mostly the price of the components. (sometimes frame material, although most of times, different material come with slightly different geometry).

My years of buying bikes, I found top tube length is the most significant parameter. Get that right, the bike handles "neutral".

 

[mikes781]

@crosscountry is that a fitting that gets done afternoon you get close with a certain frame? He did mention that we could tweak the fitting with different stems.

 

[crosscountry]

@crosscountry is that a fitting that gets done afternoon you get close with a certain frame? He did mention that we could tweak the fitting with different stems.

Many shops only offer to do that when you've found a bike you want to buy. But some shops offers that as a starting point. They do need a "candidate bike" to start with.

Some shops offer that as a "service" for a fee. But depends on how (un)busy the shop is, and how serious (or captive) the buyer appears to be, may offer to do that, just that, no mention of fee. I was offered that latter free service when I said I want to buy a xc bike, some 10+ year ago. It was winter, they were the only dealer of a particular brand in 100mile radius. (back then, there're very few cx bikes one can choose from) They just took my word and believe I was serious. I did buy a bike from them not too long after.

 

[Tom K.]

So I wanted to kinda encapsulate the geo that seems to be going on these days. Here are 4 Canyon bikes from more or less the predominant "categories" in the same size more or less..

Flawed poll, err spreadsheet. HTA needed IMO!

 

[scott43]

Flawed poll, err spreadsheet. HTA needed IMO!

Grail: 71-73.5
Grizl: 70.5 - 73.5
Endurace: 71 - 73.5
Inflite: 71 - 73.5
Domane: 71.3 - 74.2

Not all that different frankly..

 

[crosscountry]

Boy howdy. Who knew a simple thing like a bike could be so complicated?

Bike simple?

It's got a lot of moving parts. It aren't simple.

Anyone who could explain the physics of HOW a bike stay upright, gets the Nobel prize.

(And anyone who could build a robot that can ride a bike, gets to be millionaire).

We haven't even touch on mountain bikes. Never mind fat bike, e-bike...

That said, any bike will get you from point A to point B, with a smile (and a lot of sweat). Even a Hufft will do.

In between all that, @mikes781 needs to find what fit him best.

 

[scott43]

You know just the other day my buddy was saying back in the day we all had the same saddle and we just got on with it. To @martyg point earlier, sometimes we get to paralysis through analysis... Just ride I guess..

 

[crosscountry]

By all means find the "best" of what one can get his hands on. Why settle for less as a paying customer?

But a bike is one of those toys that, even if it's all "wrong", it'll still put a big smile on our face at the end of each ride. The only difference is how much sweat and pain to go with that smile.

People tend to gravitate to ride more on what the bike is most suitable for. So if you have a bike that's a good climbing bike, you end up climbing for the heck of it. If your bike is fun and fast on road, you'll ride a lot of road as a result. So think what you would enjoy the most. Don't let the edge cases derail the search.

 

[wooglin]

Bike simple?

It's got a lot of moving parts. It aren't simple.

Anyone who could explain the physics of HOW a bike stay upright, gets the Nobel prize.

(And anyone who could build a robot that can ride a bike, gets to be millionaire).

We haven't even touch on mountain bikes. Never mind fat bike, e-bike...

That said, any bike will get you from point A to point B, with a smile (and a lot of sweat). Even a Hufft will do.

In between all that, @mikes781 needs to find what fit him best.

I stand by both of my posts in this thread.