lazyeye

I just bought a Giant Anyroad 2 from my LBS.

FRC928

A bottle and a cage.

mtn_cyclist

I just got these Chinese carbon wheels today. I'll put road tires on them for pavement use.

bobwysiwyg

Along these lines but for my butt. Picked up a Satori suspension seat post best $25-$30 I've ever spent.

BigC_82

Waiting on my new trp hylex rs brakes for gravel build bike

ZepoL

First of all, gravel riding is new to me. I just picked up a 2017 Diamondback HAANJO Comp. Two short rides so far and me likes.
After these rides I'm thinking I could use a carbon seatpost or something like the seatpost Specialized made with Zertz.
What is done to help riding on the rough stuff other than standing and let your legs soak up the abuse?


Any update on how this has worked for you?

What's the verdict?

bobwysiwyg

Zepol, my verdict is a big thumbs up. Did 70+ miles mixed surface riding on vacation last week. Thirty-five of them on the Kal-Haven Trail. Would definitely recommend it for easing that jolt to one's lower spine.

rumrunn6

those look fun. looking forward to pics of them dusty from a trail

chas58

I have had some Maxxis ramblers on for about a year. I think they are wonderful. Fast and light, I couldn't ask for more. I do some hard road rides (running in a fast paceline), and they do well. Lower the pressure and I take them on single track, and they do well. I really like the them.

chas58

Yeah, I just bought a set of them for 50% off at Jensen. They come in tomorrow. Found them a little cheaper ($25), but it was a cheaper version of the tire.

The version I got is Schwalbe's fastest tire - the 60mm version. Gotta go wide to get the lowest rolling resistance!

they are going on the GF's bike. She never rides mountain bike trails, so the knobby tires are a boat anchor for her. The stock tires probably have 80-100 watts of rolling resistance. A pair of these Schwalbe's have less than 20 watts of rolling resistance. That is just crazy that a 60mm tire has less resistance than their high end race tires!!!

chas58

The Specialized CGR is about worthless. I guess it takes my stiff aluminum bike and makes it feel like a more compliant carbon bike, so there is a little benefit. For $200, its disappointing. It needs a LOT of seat post showing (more than the thudbuster), so it doesn't fit all of my bikes.

The Thudbuster ST is wonderful. Every gravel bike should have one. The best way to describe it is that it is like adding an inch to your tire size and then cutting the tire pressure in half. I had originally bought one for the stoker of my tandem, but when I tried it on my gravel bike I couldn't take it off. So I bought a second one...

ZepoL

chas58, thanks for the heads up on the Spec CGR. That seatpost is surely not cheap to just try out and be disappointed with.

I see that most are happy with the Thudbuster ST. I am going to do some more research on it.

shoota 

Good to hear!

u235

Rhinodillo liners for my SpeedRides and a MuckyNutz gut fender.

My front der is bent out of whack and I've been riding the last 400 miles manually moving it back and forth as required (to be honest, I rarely use the small 34) and that was going to be next but after reading above, maybe a Satori suspension seat post instead
I have one my hybrid and never really considered one for the gravel bike. hmmmm..

ZepoL

Zefal top tube bag and Garmin cadence sensor cos I'm a geek like that.

HTupolev

It's because it is a high-end race tire.

ZepoL

Shimano SPD 520 pedals and MTB shoes.
And finally got the bike fitted. Feels oh so good.

chas58

LOL, true. At $160 retail for a pair, they should be. Still, 5 years ago people would laugh at you for suggesting that a 60mm wide tire would have less rolling resistance than schwalbe's best road bike racing tires...

TimothyH

Kitsbow Geysers Jersey.

Looking for gear better suited to gravel, stuff that isn't so delicate that it will fall apart when wearing a Camelbak, little longer sleeves and drop tail, will hide stains, etc.

Kitsbow makes some high end MTB gear which might translate well for gravel. This one is 43% Merino and has two zippered pockets, one on the chest and another waterproof in the rear. $83 at Backcountry. Last one in gray.

I'm hoping the front pocket will fit a whole bagel.




-Tim-

DomaneS5

A bell. Got tired of saying "on your left" on the rail trails.

egear

New to me Salsa La cruz build. Frame and fork for $300. King headset BB7's and a nice seat post, mix of 105 and Ultegra. Needed new cables and housing. Using a set of Reynolds CX rims and some 40c Soma tires that are crap. New tires and Easton EC70 AX bar on the way. Rode for the 1st time since build up yesterday. Its a quick bike that's for sure. The cassette may not work for gravel but I have one and a 105 long cage to solve that issue. Muddy yesterday really muddy.

Donto

Same here on the DB Haanjo Carbon Comp, just arrived this week and liking what I'm riding. I've been thinking about a seatpost with some give and also something along the lines of a Redshift shockstop stem. These old bones like some comfort features! Bit longer term might go either TRP RD/HY or the Shimano RS505 Hydraulic STI Levers & Disc Brake Calipers Set.

TimothyH

Castelli Perfetto for $69 at Backcountry.

In three months everyone will be complaining about the cold and a jersey like this will be $169.

Marcus_Ti

Had to go and buy a new saddle....the covering on my SMP is beyond shot after 8 years in the line of sweaty duty....could get the old saddle recovered, and probably will, but that'll take weeks.

Thankfully ColoradoCyclist had $54USD off SMP.

Marcus_Ti

Years of sweat ain't kind to an 8 year old SMP...New Saddle Day. First the old:





And Ze New..