Show us your gravel/cross bike...
#2701
n00b
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Location: Austin, TX
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Bikes: Surly Karate Monkey, Twin Six Standard Rando
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yup, just tried it. A 32mm knobby fits both front and rear. No room for fenders or mud though. 35mm slick maybe. I took it on a long test ride and that bike is smooth! I see now what people mean when they say that a slack Ha slows down steering." At speed going downhill, it's extremely stable, really holds its line. Not exactly "nimble" but it is confidence-inspiring.
Last edited by mack_turtle; 12-23-13 at 01:59 PM.
#2705
2 Wheels > 4
My first season
This was my first cyclocross season and it was a blast, I am hooked. Rode my first race in January on my mountain bike then started searching ebay and craigslist and came across this nice Trek XO1 with many carbon upgrades. Got 6 more races in in the fall and can't wait till next year.
#2707
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: SW Ohio
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Bikes: Classic lugged-steel road, touring, shopping, semi-recumbent, gravel
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1990 Bianchi Axis. Pics to follow...
I would like to point out here that I believe "gravel grinding" will probably be the bike riding of the future due to more roads, particularly in rural areas, being abandoned due to lack of maintenance caused by budget cuts and lack of resources.
I would like to point out here that I believe "gravel grinding" will probably be the bike riding of the future due to more roads, particularly in rural areas, being abandoned due to lack of maintenance caused by budget cuts and lack of resources.
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#2708
Goathead magnet
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question about gravel bikes:
I have a Pake C'mute steel cross/commuter that I built up as a mutt with random parts. it weighs a ton (at least it does to me, 150 pounds of skin and bones)! It has friction 2x9 shifting. I mostly use if for commuting to work but I also take it on long road rides and I would like to do some gravel grinders starting with the Texas Chainring Massacre in January. This bike can handle 40mm+ tires but I think it's overkill. I do not have the space or the budget for multiple bikes, so I need a true do-all bike that can handle the above duties. I have a mountain bike for true off-road riding.
I would like to get a more road-ish bike that can handle a rear rack for commuting, but will take some gravel-worthy tires for the occasional gravel race. I have been eyeing the Novara Verita and, as an REI employee, I can get a great deal on it. I can probably sell my C'Mute and get a Verita with that money. the Verita should be able to handle 28mm tires with the included fenders and I think I can get some 32mm knobbies in there without fenders. I am going to experiment with that today. the medium Verita has a 540mm ETT, 70.5° HA and a 73° SA. that's a slack HA! if 32mm knobbies fit in that frame and fork, would the geo of that bike be suitable for the occasional gravel race, or would the handling suck?
I have a Pake C'mute steel cross/commuter that I built up as a mutt with random parts. it weighs a ton (at least it does to me, 150 pounds of skin and bones)! It has friction 2x9 shifting. I mostly use if for commuting to work but I also take it on long road rides and I would like to do some gravel grinders starting with the Texas Chainring Massacre in January. This bike can handle 40mm+ tires but I think it's overkill. I do not have the space or the budget for multiple bikes, so I need a true do-all bike that can handle the above duties. I have a mountain bike for true off-road riding.
I would like to get a more road-ish bike that can handle a rear rack for commuting, but will take some gravel-worthy tires for the occasional gravel race. I have been eyeing the Novara Verita and, as an REI employee, I can get a great deal on it. I can probably sell my C'Mute and get a Verita with that money. the Verita should be able to handle 28mm tires with the included fenders and I think I can get some 32mm knobbies in there without fenders. I am going to experiment with that today. the medium Verita has a 540mm ETT, 70.5° HA and a 73° SA. that's a slack HA! if 32mm knobbies fit in that frame and fork, would the geo of that bike be suitable for the occasional gravel race, or would the handling suck?
#2709
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,625
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
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#2710
Riding like its 1990
Fitting some fatter tires to the typical Randonneur / Touring bike and hitting gravel.
Dry gravel here in SoCal.
ridesgoneby.blogspot.com
Dry gravel here in SoCal.
ridesgoneby.blogspot.com
#2711
Old. Slow. Happy.
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Sector 28 front by GRAVELBIKEcom, on Flickr
#2712
Senior Member
I've posted this picture before, but here's my Cross Check. Was intended for chip n' seal riding and not a true gravel grinder, though a swap to fatter tires would fix that. LBS and I worked out a build about about a year ago with 105 groupset. Other than normal seat adjustments, I've changed very little.
Once the weather turned nice and the crud was washed off the roads, I did drop to 25mm tires from the 32s that are shown. I did redo the decals so they pop a little more.
Once the weather turned nice and the crud was washed off the roads, I did drop to 25mm tires from the 32s that are shown. I did redo the decals so they pop a little more.
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#2713
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As of yesterday I can now call this my gravel grinder:
I took it out yesterday on the Oregon's Perry Roubaix route. I didn't really get the whole gravel grinder scene before, but now that I've done it I do see. It was a blast.
My 700x35 Schwalbe Marathon Supremes worked great for this route, even when the gravel turned chunky with no bare strips in the road. I'm not sure they're the kind of tire I would recommend, but they worked.
My rear shift cable snapped 32 miles into the ride and I ended up limping back to the start with the chain on the 14T rear cog. I was really glad to have a triple at that point.
I took it out yesterday on the Oregon's Perry Roubaix route. I didn't really get the whole gravel grinder scene before, but now that I've done it I do see. It was a blast.
My 700x35 Schwalbe Marathon Supremes worked great for this route, even when the gravel turned chunky with no bare strips in the road. I'm not sure they're the kind of tire I would recommend, but they worked.
My rear shift cable snapped 32 miles into the ride and I ended up limping back to the start with the chain on the 14T rear cog. I was really glad to have a triple at that point.
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#2714
Banned
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How do you guys feel about unorthodox colors on cross bike? I know my buddy James loves his Stybar Crux.
Full details on the bike and more pictures here: https://blog.artscyclery.com/road/art...bike-check-12/
#2715
Ghost Ryding 24/7
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Bikes: Giant Defy with Dura Ace group, & Ksyrium SL's,Specialized Allez Shimano mixed/mashed,2011 Opus Sentiero,2008 Kona Jake the Snake,Custom built track/fixed,Stumpy Hartail,Kuwahara/ET bike.
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How do you guys feel about unorthodox colors on cross bike? I know my buddy James loves his Stybar Crux.
Full details on the bike and more pictures here: https://blog.artscyclery.com/road/art...bike-check-12/
I was going to get one of my Spesh painted to match Sybar's Crux. Not sure if I want to build up another CXer, or just go & paint 1 of my current bikes.
#2716
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Well building up a freshly painted frameset is going to be just as much work as building up a brand new one so you might as well just take the opportunity to buy that one you were looking at. I imagine it looks damn good and painting is going to cost a lot anyway.
#2717
Riding like its 1990
What bars are those? They look very compact.
I'm going to try and sell my redline conquest and get something steel for gravel/touring.
I'm going to try and sell my redline conquest and get something steel for gravel/touring.
#2718
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Those are the stock bars from the Jake. I think it's a trick of the camera angle. They're not quite as compact as they look there.
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#2719
Goathead magnet
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Fitting some fatter tires to the typical Randonneur / Touring bike and hitting gravel.
Dry gravel here in SoCal.
ridesgoneby.blogspot.com
Dry gravel here in SoCal.
ridesgoneby.blogspot.com
#2720
Full Member
How do you guys feel about unorthodox colors on cross bike? I know my buddy James loves his Stybar Crux.
Full details on the bike and more pictures here: https://blog.artscyclery.com/road/art...bike-check-12/
pink is punk! i like james' style...
#2721
Ghost Ryding 24/7
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I've built up most of my bikes, so I can handle it.
If the frameset is the E5 I may bite, the only thing that's keeping me fro snatching that Crux, is its darker pink where this one is white. Its leading me to believe it may not be a E5.
#2723
Ghost Ryding 24/7
Join Date: Aug 2011
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