Originally Posted by
Smaug1
Originally Posted by Iride01
You say your $2500 budget doesn't support a gravel bike with a CF frame. However Specialized and Trek have some that have a CF frame and 11 speed Shimano or SRAM groups on them. I imagine other places do too. Might be just spring sale pricing, but they do offer you another choice to complicate this hard decision you must make.
Or are you wanting top of the line electronic shifting and other top tier components?
Thanks, I will look into that. I don't need electric shifting and could even forgo hydraulic brakes. I don't think I want a 30 lb. bike though. I see that entry level carbon gravel bikes are at the top of my budget. I looked at a couple Trek Checkpoints at a LBS this weekend, and I really like the SL5. I don't have a preference between SRAM or Shimano really, but I DO have a preference for a nice low climbing gear, and that either means changing out the chainring on a single chainring model and crippling the top end or a dual chainring model like the SL5.
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I thought a regular gravel bike that isn't a e-bike was still part of the choices you were mulling over. Those won't be 30 lb. A Specialized Diverge with CF frame is just over 20 lbs I think. And I don't consider it's 11 speed Shimano 105 entry level. I wouldn't even consider Tiagra entry level. They perform almost as well as DuraAce or Ultegra. However they don't have the weight savings of those groups.
And how much lower gearing do you need? This Diverge gives you a 40 front and 42 rear sprocket. I'd think you could pull stumps out of the ground with that! <exaggeration><grin>
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/di...=350266-217055