BigPoser

First a little on me. I am currently riding and racing on a Fuji SL 54cm bike. I'm 5' 11" tall if that helps at all. I race in about 10-12 races a year and am regularly in local fast (and sometimes not so fast) group rides. I generally get about 100 miles a week and more if time allows.

I've recently been toying with the idea of getting a gravel, adventure, cross bike, but don't know all that much about that segment. With that said, I get great team deals on Fuji and I can get a great deal on a Felt F4X, but I'm not sure it's what I'm really looking for.

So what I think I'm looking for is a bike that I can do anything on, go anythere. I'd like to have a 1x upfront, but I can always convert if needed. Big tire clearance is a must. Prefer hydro brakes, but I hear the TRP Spyre is an awesome mechanical disc brake. Don't want steel. Thinking that something like this, Fuji Bikes | Jari 1.5 would be ideal, but would like to know what else is out there from other brands that are similar. Budget would be no more than $1600 at this point.

Thoughts, advice and opinions are very welcome.

Thanks in advance.

shoota 

How big is "big tire clearance"?

BigPoser

I think like a 700x42 or 650b x2.0 is plenty big. But then again, I'm not super familiar with this area. I'm only real familiar with road tires and some mtn tires, specically 29er's.

fietsbob

cyclo cross is a lap race , often in a park for public spectator access..
they last 45 minutes, top category 15 minutes longer..

being a lap race there is a pits, bike swaps are permitted, there, if you broke stuff , punctured, or it just got too muddy..

it includes obstacles forcing you off the bike , to jump over then re mount..


Gravel races are kind of like MTB races , but on gravel farm roads, so not a gnarly a course.
you got farm roads in Bakers field.

you go out with your friends , may not loop back .. It's a new thing . now the industry caters all sorts of high end stuff..



CX has a tradition going back to Europe. in the early 50s they got a championship series going..







....

cellery

Gravel is quickly becoming a diverse area. The best bike choice can vary considerably depending on your style - whether you want to gravel race, or do the adventure riding thing - or go far (Fargo) and do light bike packing.

My personal style is of the adventure & bikepacking variety. For that reason I ride a Specialized Awol Comp with 1x rival drivetrain. It's Reynolds steel, it's heavy, long wheel base, low bb, more upright style. I run 42mm sawtooth (semi slick) tires but have done 2.0 mtb knobbies with this bike. It is a fantastic bike but I would think twice about entering a cx or gravel race with it... Maybe if I just cared about finishing, haha. I've done a few of what you would call 'fast' gravel group rides and the AWOL kept up fine.

I think if you specifically want to -race- gravel (Dirty Kanza, Chino Grinder) but also do some of the rougher adventure stuff , you might look into Niner RLT 9, Specialized Sequoia, Raleigh Roker or similar - just a couple standout bikes in my mind that fit the category of being both race-able as well as comfortable all day adventure rigs. Certainly there are a lot of quality bikes in the gravel road category nowadays. Good place to start is the Riding Gravel site run by Guitar Ted: Riding Gravel - The Home of Gravel Cycling

shoota 

Most true gravel bikes can run 42s, most true cx cannot. There's plenty of info out there, just keep googling and reading, googling and reading..

canklecat

I saw a fellow yesterday breaking in his new Salsa Warbird with Schwalbe Sammy Slicks. Sweet bike, lightweight enough for roadies to enjoy as an all around bike, but pricey.

Last I checked a couplafew weeks ago Performance had some great closeout deals on Fuji gravel bikes. They're not easy to find through their online catalog so you might email or call Performance and ask about closeout older unsold gravel bikes. If they still have 'em available those Fuji gravel bikes would come in well within your budget, even if you substituted tubeless, other tires, etc.

BigPoser

Thanks all. From what I've seen so far, I'm seeing Specialized Sequoia and Diverge, Norco Search, Fuji Jari, Cannondale Slate, Giant Anyroad CoMax, and a few others that I can't remember.

I thought that I mentioned it in my OP, but I don't plan on racing this bike, but do plan on doing some gravel events. Gravel/Adventure is definitely what I'm going for I think. I believe cross would be too racy for me, although I really like the way they look.

I'll keep looking and learning in the meantime.

TimothyH

My Niner RLT 9 RDO is marketed as a race bike but I would not hesitate to load it up for bikepacking and am slowly working toward that.

Another great site to read is https://www.gravelcyclist.com


-Tim-