Lots of people use 45mm tires. Shoot. Even I used 42s for my western tour because of unfamiliar unpaved roads.

But the OP and his socks already know plenty of people use wide tires like that.

Sure. Put on your 45’s.

I find it interesting that when listing the top features, tube storage, multiple mounts and (insert adjective) geometry are prominent.

Are there any gravel bikes without these features

Something new please

At least on a Canyon you can Grizl with your Full Monty so they’re trying.

I do know more than a few people who've had to stop an backtrack to find their storage cover or one who had to order a new cover. So in the mountain bike world, maybe they can rattle loose.

Still, a bare bike stripped of all bags and bottles is a beautiful thing. The internal storage is just trying to accomplish that and let you carry some things.

Mike's argument here, that molded in downtube storage is unnecessary, isn't actually that far off from my feelings.

He presented it like that guy at a party that you don't want to talk to, who gets way too close to you, and rambles some nonsense that is not nearly important enough to listen to this damn fool.

45 mm tires are just a tad bigger than 1.75", correct (1.77)?

Hmmmm ... all a bit sad, really. These threads, and op's posts within a thread, read a bit like Eben Weiss's musings on cycling culture, but with all of the wit, humour, background knowledge/experience, and intelligence stripped out.

Put a battery in there and pretend it is an e-bike.

Apparently Specialized was the first to offer down tube storage. Strange it was not patented if it’s such a mentionable feature.

In other news bikes are shaped like triangles and the wheels are shaped like circles. Also Lance spelled backwards is Ecnal which is planet in Star Trek, who was sponsored by Trek, Lance! Who was the captain of the Enterprise, James Tiberious Kirk. who has the letters T, R, E and K in it, coincidence, I think not! George Takei who played Lt. Sulu, Patrick Stewart who played Captain Picard, Johnathan Frakes who played First officer Will Riker, all have a name that can spell TREK. There is also a Trek Dealer in Italy called Star bikes. Gene Roddenberry was born in Texas and so was Lance. Gene Roddenberry's ashes were flown into space in the cargo compartment of the space shuttle and some Trek gravel bikes have a cargo compartment. Too many coincidences here, read between the stars, man, there is a conspiracy and we are all wrapped up in it.

If you don't see a post from me tomorrow I will be locked up in the deep state nines secret cells, I didn't die in vain. Spread the Truth "Star Trek Bicycles" Don't let the truth get phasered.

What is he talking about ?

The sock drawer is packed.

My gravel bike uses a frame from 2019.

It does not have top tube storage mounts, does not have downtube storage, does not have excessive mounts(just 3 bottle mounts on the main frame triangle and fork), and has geometry that closely mimics my main road bike.
It currently has 45mm Terra Speed tires mounted.



Your comments are overly general and exaggerate. This is typical of your posts.

It's 2025. Try to follow the bouncing ball.

Your caterwauling and mewling over things of which you don’t approve is quite tiresome.

.

Trying to see where I fit in the wacky world of Deason.

I’m a Lance.
I have a beard, but no tats or piercings.
I have and like the down tube storage on my MTB and wish I had it on my gravel bike.
I like my heavy 47mm gravel tires.


Prediction for his next thread - dropper posts.

I am thinking anodized tubeless valve stems.

.

Feel free to express your insecurities, however, this thread is about the mass proliferation of down tube storage as a prominent mentionable feature.

Actually it's about someone yawning about one thing, in this case down tube storage, then bashing most features of a genre of bike, in this case gravel, when the whole point of gravel is versatility and adaptability. What do you propose? That manufacturer's offer specific bikes for different types of gravel riding with 7 different models? And of course they are promoting features with relative or perceived benefits, they are in the business of selling bikes after all.

I have red ones. They match the ♥️ tattoo on my calf. Totally boss.

I liken it to a car manufacturer highlighting a cup holder in its top three selling features.

You always seem unable to understand that your preferences are not universal, which is a rather childish form of egotism.

-- Mike "Please pay attention to me" Deason

I can fit my Norvan shell or 2 bananas in there so it’s not all bad. The feature, which is now almost universal among carbon bikes, has become redundant in promotional material

PRO TIp. Add a reminder if you store bananas in there and rarely use the feature.

The same frameset in 2025 is basically identical in features and geometry, except for the addition of a few fork blade mounts.
No downtube storage to speak of still.

My point in saying it's from 2019 is that it is modern. Are you claiming that isn't modern?

At 5:31 AM no less.

I am unaware of steel or aluminum frame bikes, whether gravel or endurance, which have downtube storage.

MikeDeason - care to counter? Those frame materials make for a lot of the market.