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Have road and gravel bikes...should I sell one?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway
View Poll Results: Should I sell?
Keep both bikes....n+1!
34
69.39%
Sell the Lynskey since most riding is on the road
7
14.29%
Sell the Roubaix because the Lynskey can to road/gravel
8
16.33%
Voters: 49. You may not vote on this poll

Have road and gravel bikes...should I sell one?

Old 10-19-21, 01:26 PM
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Have road and gravel bikes...should I sell one?

This year, I built up a Lynskey GR300 with GRX Di2 that was supposed to be my 1 bike to rule them all. I broke a shifter right before my A event, and with parts availability being what it was, I either had to buy another bike or skip the event. I don't have any cycling buddies my height otherwise I maybe could have borrowed a bike. I bought a Specialized Roubaix Expert and I'm absolutely in love with it.

The Lynskey is more versatile, but realistically I've only tried a handful of gravel events but it was primarily used on the road. The Roubaix is more comfy and rides more easily (subjective, I know) on the road than the Lynskey with road tires. I like the idea of riding more gravel, but it hasn't really worked out that way.

I'm thinking about selling one of these bikes. I don't need the money, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to recoup some. Hopefully with the used market being what it is I wouldn't totally lose my shirt. Any thoughts?
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Old 10-19-21, 01:28 PM
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It's your decision, but personally I love having a backup/beater/foul weather/organ donor bike so my vote is to keep both.
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Old 10-19-21, 01:38 PM
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"Have Road And Gravel"? Wasn't that a TV series back in the 60's, about an itinerant gunslinger?
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Old 10-19-21, 02:08 PM
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Where is the option for "buy a third?"
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Old 10-19-21, 04:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Mojo31
Where is the option for "buy a third?"
To be fair, option 1 is 'Keep both bikes - N+1!", and since N here = 2, N+1 means get a third bike. At least, that's how I read it.
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Old 10-19-21, 04:45 PM
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Originally Posted by genejockey
To be fair, option 1 is 'Keep both bikes - N+1!", and since N here = 2, N+1 means get a third bike. At least, that's how I read it.
The Roubaix was the n+1 since the Lynskey was supposed to be my do it all bike.
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Old 10-19-21, 05:18 PM
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I've a Cannondale Topstone 105, that I have a 2nd set of wheels and road tires for. I ride this as my slow ride road bike. I keep my carbon Di2 bike as it's 5 lbs lighter, feels quicker and is more enjoyable on fast group rides. If the carbon died, I might not replace it, I'd get a set of light carbon wheels for the Topestone and use that for everything.
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Old 10-19-21, 05:48 PM
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Originally Posted by datlas
It's your decision, but personally I love having a backup/beater/foul weather/organ donor bike so my vote is to keep both.
I have a Road and CX bike.
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Old 10-19-21, 07:11 PM
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I was going to vote for the Roubaix with a second set of wheels for gravel riding. However, it doesn't look like the Roubaix has much tire clearance (33 mm?). A 700x32 or 700x33 tire (if such thing exists) wouldn't be a very nice gravel tire. Hence I voted for the Lynskey as that bike would be the most versatile of the two with two wheel sets.

My 2021 Trek Domane has 700x32 tires for my road wheels and 700x38 tires for my gravel wheels. While the latter isn't a huge tire, it's more than I've needed for the 10% of the time when I actually ride off road.

BTW, pictures of both bikes might make me change my mind
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Old 10-19-21, 07:40 PM
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both
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Old 10-19-21, 08:40 PM
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One bike? What are you, in elementary school?
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Old 10-19-21, 09:36 PM
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If you have a bike and don't like riding it, rather why keep it?

Perhaps you should look for a gravel bike with similar geometry(stack, reach, chainstay, bb drop, trail) to your Roubaix. That way you have a gravel bike like you want, but with riding characteristics that you like
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Old 10-19-21, 10:00 PM
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Going off the what the OP wrote, keep the Roubaix which you "love". It sounds like you don't love the Lynskey the same way, so I vote sell that instead of having it sit.

Look for a bike that fits like the Roubaix, but with wider tire clearance, if you ever get the urge to ride off pavement.
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Old 10-20-21, 03:49 AM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
If you have a bike and don't like riding it, rather why keep it?

Perhaps you should look for a gravel bike with similar geometry(stack, reach, chainstay, bb drop, trail) to your Roubaix. That way you have a gravel bike like you want, but with riding characteristics that you like
Not sure gravel and road geometry are at all the same. My gravel bike is set up to mimic my road bike but there is a reason the geometry is different.
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Old 10-20-21, 05:25 AM
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Originally Posted by waters60
Not sure gravel and road geometry are at all the same. My gravel bike is set up to mimic my road bike but there is a reason the geometry is different.
It won't be exact, but it can certainly be similar/close. Gravel geometry isn't singular- an Evil Champis Hagar is significantly different compared to a Trek Checkpoint.

This is the same for road bikes since an endurance bike will have different geometry compared to a crit bike or a brand's lightweight climbing bike.
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Old 10-20-21, 06:18 AM
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Originally Posted by katsup
Going off the what the OP wrote, keep the Roubaix which you "love". It sounds like you don't love the Lynskey the same way, so I vote sell that instead of having it sit.

Look for a bike that fits like the Roubaix, but with wider tire clearance, if you ever get the urge to ride off pavement.
I LOVE the Roubaix...it felt "right" the instant I test rode it. I've typically had to buy bikes without test rides because no one seems to stock 61cm!! If it could take a 38mm tire it would probably be perfect. I like the Lynskey, don't get me wrong. It's not as snappy as the Roubaix but certainly more versatile. Plus Ti should outlast me. I feel like I have to wear lycra on the Roubaix and I don't feel guilty for being slow on the Lynskey for just cruising around/Z2 rides.

It seems like there's a consensus in the poll! I think I will keep both and I really appreciate everyone's help thinking through this. Is it OK to spam with pictures haha...


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Old 10-20-21, 04:20 PM
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I'm not a Spesh fan personally, but it's a much nicer looking bike too.
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Old 10-20-21, 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by katsup
Going off the what the OP wrote, keep the Roubaix which you "love". It sounds like you don't love the Lynskey the same way, so I vote sell that instead of having it sit.

Look for a bike that fits like the Roubaix, but with wider tire clearance, if you ever get the urge to ride off pavement.
You're really not supposed to make this much sense in the road forum, but we'll look the other way this time because it's great advice.
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Old 10-20-21, 04:37 PM
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Sell the gravel bike and buy a new road bike, then sell the original road bike and buy a new gravel bike.
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Old 10-20-21, 05:39 PM
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Originally Posted by tomato coupe
Sell the gravel bike and buy a new road bike, then sell the original road bike and buy a new gravel bike.
Breed the road and gravel bikes for ten generations and see what you wind up with.
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Old 10-21-21, 02:01 AM
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Sell them both and buy a CX bike. That is, if you can find an actual CX bike with a high bottom bracket and not a gravel bike they're calling CX. What's funny is on Specialized's website they have a cyclocross page with the CruX, and on their gravel bike page they also list the same CruX. And it has a 72mm BB drop. It looks almost like a road race bike that fits big tires which would be good for the OP.
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Old 10-21-21, 09:41 AM
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It turns out that I ride my road bike way more often than my Ti gravel/adventure bike. The road bike is better for the hilly small group rides I do.

But the gravel bike is set up most of the time with fenders and 28mm tires, and a rear rack. It has lower gearing too.

This is a great setup for getting out after a rainstorm, when the roads are still soaking wet. I stay completely dry.

And for all-day rides, where I can bring extra layers and lunch and camera. Steep hills or rough roads won't be a problem, either.

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Old 10-21-21, 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by FrankTuna
The Roubaix was the n+1 since the Lynskey was supposed to be my do it all bike.
The operative word there is "was."

Now, it's just of part n. You still need the +1.
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Old 10-21-21, 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by PoorInRichfield
I was going to vote for the Roubaix with a second set of wheels for gravel riding. However, it doesn't look like the Roubaix has much tire clearance (33 mm?).
I use a Roubaix as my gravel bike (and road bike and commuter bike ..). It has ~4mm clearance or more with most 700x35c tires, so those plus some helicopter tape on the closer spots for those super muddy days and I am in business. So far no problems at all. Note the clearance increased as of 2020 model year. I am currently running 25mm internal width rims with Conti Terra Speed 35c. The bike is fantastic on fast gravel and tolerates windy bumpy single track fine in small doses.

Anyway looks like a non-issue for the OP but wanted to clarify for other potential Roubaix owners.
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Old 10-21-21, 10:13 AM
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I have 2 gravel/adventure bikes; 3 road bikes; plus one bike that kinda does gravel/road/commute/ ... (& I've got a city bike that's none of the above)

My rule: look at the mileage log at the end of the year, if a bike isn't getting ridden ... sell it!

I'm fortunate to have the space for this collection, the budget to maintain them, and Frau Toad is supportive (she talks me out of selling bikes )

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