Originally Posted by
TenGrainBread
If you are going to do 1x on the front, you better be prepared to either get a chainguide or a modern RD with a clutch, along with a narrow-wide chainring. Any bit of rough stuff and the chain will drop otherwise.
Also a 39-25 low gear is pretty damn hard, especially for a gravel/singletrack bike. You'll probably want something closer to 1:1. My 1x gravel bike has a low gear of 40:36.
What's the tire clearance? A bike with road calipers isn't going to be able to fit any tire that I would ride in gravel or mud frequently...
I would save the powdercoat for a more beat up frame. And the gravel/cross idea for a bike with the right clearances and canti mounts.
Yeah those are all good points.... I think I have decided to not powder coat.... I am not sure I was thinking of a "hardcore" gravel/cross bike but rather something I wouldn't be completely lost on if I decided to take it camping and ride it on logging roads w/ my kids.
My other bike is a single speed track bike so....