Gravel/Bikepack nerds enter...

[chaka]

Paging Springsproject... I assume you've seen this? Lachan Morton rides the GBDURO. your pics reminded me a bit of the scenery.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Paging Springsproject... I assume you've seen this? Lachan Morton rides the GBDURO. your pics reminded me a bit of the scenery.

Lachlan also set new Kokopelli record AND new Everesting record in the last 2 weeks. Fucking animal.

[plugboots]

He’s fun to watch. Those EF movies are just really well done.


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[springsproject]

Gonna finally get a bike-packable setup going and looking for opinions on a Karate Monkey vs Krampus.

I'm leaning towards Krampus. Thoughts?

I think the KM with a 140 fork would be sick, probably a lot more spry than the Krampus. But 29+ is 29+. My buddy just dumbed his Krampus down to a regular 29er because he was sick of the thicc rubber. Depends on where you're planning to take it I suppose

Paging Springsproject... I assume you've seen this? Lachan Morton rides the GBDURO. your pics reminded me a bit of the scenery.

Yeah that route looks incredible. It's cool to see what that guy is capable of, superhuman. The people that put that race on have another 200 mile route through the central highlands that finishes about 5 minutes from my house, hoping to ride it once the lockdown ends.

[chaka]

He’s fun to watch. Those EF movies are just really well done.


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Agreed, I was sucked in the other day catching up on the "alternative calendar" series. Really nice work.

[sethschmautz]

Starting to flirt with the idea of selling the road bike and the fat bike and buying a gravel bike with a second set of (road) wheels. I'm guessing my budget may end up around $2000. Where should I begin looking? I don't need new, but not opposed if there is good value out there right now.

Seth

[simple]

Um your local bike shop?

[rideit]

Haha, I don’t think local shops have Any bikes right now...

[simple]

Yeah I keep hearing that.

Again my Felt Breed for $2000 can't be touched IMO. Bulletproof bike so far and I've been hitting rugged trails with the 650*47c tubeless tires. I've pretty much stopped caring about MTN biking mostly because I never have to see any Enduro bros on my two track dirt road rides.

Even fastfred quit riding with me. Pussy

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

Starting to flirt with the idea of selling the road bike and the fat bike and buying a gravel bike with a second set of (road) wheels. I'm guessing my budget may end up around $2000. Where should I begin looking? I don't need new, but not opposed if there is good value out there right now.

Seth

@ $2k you're probaby looking at an aluminum frame with 105/GRX/Apex components (2x and 1x and 700/650b are all options for you). Be sure they have legit hydraulic brakes (this becomes a bigger issue if you're trying to cut money on the bike to get the wheelset and bike under $2k). There are dozens of options with those specs. Right now, with how few bikes are available I'd probably start with the Trek Checkpoint ALR5, Cannondale Topstone 105/Apex, Spec Diverge Comp/Elite E5 only because the bigger bike brands seems to have more in stock vs. the smaller companies (I just got a Checkpoint SL5)

[chaka]

Starting to flirt with the idea of selling the road bike and the fat bike and buying a gravel bike with a second set of (road) wheels. I'm guessing my budget may end up around $2000. Where should I begin looking? I don't need new, but not opposed if there is good value out there right now.

Seth

A sleeper bike to check out is the Diamondback Haanjo Carbon series. I've beat the shit out of a 2017 Carbon Trail, I think over 13k miles on it, with regular weighted commute loads on the frame, its holding strong. I found the parts spec to be a notch higher than competitive offerings at the time. Potential downside... doesnt have as much tire clearance as the newer geometries. If you can stretch your budget to $3k I see stock at diamondback.com for the highest end model (ultegra, decent wheels, etc). They can probably be found used as well.

[sethschmautz]

Thanks all. Was also perusing the Canyon website and it looks like their Al bike is right at about $2000.

[Peruvian]

Consider a steel frame as you should be able find a Kona, Salsa, or Surly in that price range.

the Cannondale Topstone brings value as does the Salsa Journeyman, Giant Revolt, and Spesh Sequoia.

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

Thanks all. Was also perusing the Canyon website and it looks like their Al bike is right at about $2000.

I don't know anyone who owns one, but the reviews I've read are super positive on that bike

[geomorph]

Any recommendations for a saddle bag in the 0.75 liter range? I broke the zipper on mine. Thinking a roll closure would be more durable. Also would prefer non Velcro attachment to the rails. Does such a bag exist?

[wendigo]

if you don't mind a bit more volume (3L) this might work.
https://www.revelatedesigns.com/inde...eat-bags/Shrew
they compress down nice though

[jamal]

That little ortleib deal?

https://www.ortlieb.com/micro-two+F9672

https://www.ortlieb.com/saddle-bag-two+F9411

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Consider a steel frame as you should be able find a Kona, Salsa, or Surly in that price range.

the Cannondale Topstone brings value as does the Salsa Journeyman, Giant Revolt, and Spesh Sequoia.

Steel has really grown on me. I honestly don't think I will ever ride aluminum bikes ever again.

[Flyoverland Captive]

Steel has really grown on me. I honestly don't think I will ever ride aluminum bikes ever again.

Do tell. My bikes have always been aluminum because I’m a cheapskate. Is the difference really that noticeable?

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Do tell. My bikes have always been aluminum because I’m a cheapskate. Is the difference really that noticeable?

I was really hesitant at first. My last 4 bikes were Alu > Alu > Carbon > Carbon. Really loved the efficiency of a stiffer bike and thought the whole steel is real was a load of crap, but I have been riding this steel gravel bike for about a month now and every time I ride it I love it more than the last ride. Sure, I am not gonna win races on it most likely, but for touring and gravel riding it makes alot of sense because it really is a comfortable ride which has some give, but not noodly or sluggish feeling like I expected.

Thinking back the alu bikes I had were just downright harsh for the most part compared to a steel bike.

[Flyoverland Captive]

Thanks; good to know. My biggest beef with alu is vibration; drives me nuts. In your experience, Steel vs carbon? Yeah, I know, so subjective, but every data point helps.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Thanks; good to know. My biggest beef with alu is vibration; drives me nuts. In your experience, Steel vs carbon? Yeah, I know, so subjective, but every data point helps.

My road bike (which not sits with dust on it since getting this steel gravel bike) and current MTB are both carbon so this was the first steel bike I had been on in like 10 years. The only place I miss the carbon is when getting out of the saddle on a punchy climb and wanting to just hammer up. You lose that efficiency/stiffness with the steel, but unless you are racing you don't need that stiffness 90% of the time anyway, especially if cruising/touring/bikepacking.

That said, I have never ridden any of the modern carbon gravel/cross rigs and still pine over them. Sure, if I had like 6k to blow I would jump on a Topstone or something, but if you want to spend less I would always go steel over alu. That's just me.

[simple]

A standard full carbon bike vs a standard full steel bike? They will not ride similar at all. Carbon is pounds lighter and much stiffer. Add a carbon fork to the steel bike and things change but only a little.

I'm a huge fan of steel but comparing the two is like looking at bikes 30 years apart.

This could turn into a very open ended discussion about so many nuances on so many things especially what you plan to do with the bike.

Just go ride a steel bike like a Surly and then a carbon bike like a Giant/trek whatever. In 5 minutes all your questions will be answered. Then you open up your wallet.

Or just get an aluminum bike which is the best of the two materials. Cheap, stiff, light, doesn't rust, but isn't fixable if it breaks.

[Flyoverland Captive]

Didn’t mean to start a debate, just looking for more data points. My roadie and gravel bikes are both alu, I haven’t ridden anything else. Except for five minutes on my friend’s top of the line Madone (she’s rich), which was so buttery smooth I started to question my choices in life.

[simple]

No debates needed. Ride a steel bike, a carbon bike, and your aluminum bike. It is all subjective. Buy one of each then you have your own data points. All bikes have their own unique ride quality.

My Madone cost $500 btw. It makes me feel rich.