tangerineowl

https://road.cc/content/tech-news/24...-triban-rc-520

That will be out later this year.

MichalisLaz

That's seems very nice. They have it on the website, but no availability. I will go to the Decathlon main store to see if they have any for display. It seems like a solid choice and quite a bit more reputable that the Serious. If not i will consider the Btwin 540 road bike or the serious gravel. i want to ride as much as i can before the winter hits me.
Also a few more options came up.
Giant Contend 3 2018 for 630
Trek Domane 2 AL 2018 for 700 and lastly
Kona Rove AL special edition for 729 (seems a nice Gravel all-rounder this one. Only its heavy at 12 kgs with a lower tier of components)

Do you have any experience with any of these?

I think i am almost over the whole "brand-thing", but not all the way.

jefnvk

The only thing I can add that I haven't already stated: when you're trying them out, make sure you're riding them over cobblestone and dirt paths like you will be commuting on. Tossing out any snow consideration, those surfaces are the main reason why I personally suggest a bike with a bit bigger tires.

VegasTriker

Have you considered buying a used bike for winter riding and then buying a new bike before Spring? When I lived in the US Midwest I did just that to keep from destroying my really good bike. I can agree on using wider tires in the snow too. My winter bike had 28mm tires and I recall occasionally crashing in the snow because the front wheel lost traction. I can't imagine riding that bike on cobblestone streets in the winter.

Maelochs

Considering it has 105 and can take 38-mm tires ..... for about €785 it's also very good deal

Maelochs

This is sort of the balancing point. How much of your riding will be on fair-to-good pavement and how much on dirt, how much on cobbles? if dirt and cobbles are ten percent, no question, get a road bike. if 30 percent .... the needle swings strongly towards wider tires. Fifty-fifty ... then the low gearing and 45-mm tires are the only solution.

That new Triban 520 offers 38-mm tubeless, which means you could run them at lower pressures for better performance on the rough stuff.

This is by far the best suggestion. Buy a cheap knock-around, and save up for Spring.

I cannot overstress that for real winter, a rigid mountain bike with 2.1 tires--at least--will be safer. Like VegasTriker, I cringe when I think of riding over wet, muddy cobbles on 28s.

MichalisLaz

Well, the ride will be maybe 75% at good pavement and 25 % for cobble, maybe less.

Now, only thing left to decide is whether i need the gravel bike for mostly road cycling, or the road bike for a partly cobble route. Or the gravel, would just be more robust, better handling and more forgiving to a beginner while not losing too much.

I will be bying on specs for the price since for the same price point a reputable brand like Trek and Giant offer lower tier components.

Maybe a second set of 32 tires for the road bike will do it?

jefnvk

I didn't click on @tangerineowls link earlier, but that does appear to be a decent compromise.

You didn't mention overall distances, but that is likely a lot of cobble. Make sure you ride the bike you pick over it. Its a harsh surface even on 35s, let alone 23s. And keep in mind if youre commuting, that you may end up wanting fenders, which reduces the tires you can fit.

At the end of the day though, I'm like Maelochs, don't want the responsibility of picking the wrong bike for you. Take all our advice and use it to make the right decision for you!

slater5mvp

What fenders are those on your road bike. They seem to do the job and not be so intrusive to riding.

jefnvk

Just cheap SKS, think the specific model was Bluemel. They were $25 or so from the local shop

MichalisLaz

This is my 10th post so in the next one i can send you a pic of the cobbles to have a better understanding!

MichalisLaz

These are the cobbles included in my route. Would they destroy a road bike with 25 -28 tires and max 32. Or, are these too light to care for a gravel bike? Cause other that that the rest is pure road. Thanks a lot!

Maelochs

Those don't look so bad .... horribly slippery when wet perhaps ... I have ridden over stuff like that when I lived back in Orlando, Florida .... old brick roads. Either bike should o well on thiose ( I think.)

Pick which ever one you like best---all the bikes you have suggested seem like they are well suited to the job. You might like riding one more than the other ....

MichalisLaz

With that said i got my new bike today. It is under some checks from the mechanics and tomorrow i will pick it up.

i decided on a Cannondale CAAD optimo 105 . It felt great and it was size 58 believe it or not.

Thank you to everybody who helped me through this post!

Maelochs

We are eagerly waiting for pictures and ride reports.

MichalisLaz

Right, so there she is.

Rides are so smooth and fast. Geometry is a bit sporty but i like it. One thing that you might help is that i noticed when pedaling at certain gears there is a faint \"click" "click" periodic noise. Maybe something is not aligned properly? Should i just go by the bike shop and let them take a look?

Maelochs

I am not sure what i s clicking but I know nothing should be.