Gravel/Bikepack nerds enter...

[bfree]

College bike = used bike worth $500 max, preferably <$300. Shit gets stolen so often you don't want anything nice.
I used a 10 year old rigid Stumpjumper hardtail built with some mid-level components and it was perfect for the various college uses you described. I still have it and mostly use it to tow the Burley trailer around now, but it's such a solid multipurpose bike.

[Supermoon]

If it’s going to live at college you may want to think about something like a used Surly Cross Check or something that would be ultimately capable but if it gets stolen or trashed it’s not the end of the world.

Then get the nicer bike for a graduation present.

[bodywhomper]

Yeah. The “have a bike at college convo” is “if it can be kept locked in your dorm room when not riding….” He ain’t moving in with a bike. It’s a walkable campus.

ETA: like the idea of a cross check (I have a 1x1)

[Name Redacted]

Suggestions for my kiddo as HS graduation gift. Our budget isn’t robust. It will likely end up at college (humboldt state). He’s at least 6’2”, lean, and long legs. Sierra foothills: road, gravel, dirt, and likely non-tech trails. He’d use it frequently to access the river via dirt in the steep canyon that we live in and to access town, errands, and more freedom of movement (no driver’s license). Our roads are steep. He hasn’t ridden a bike much over the past few years, so this is sort of his re-entry for him into riding more (but he’s been riding a bike since he was 3). We also live in bikepacking area, which is an interest for he and some of his friends (they’ve backpacked together). He wants flat bars and I’m thinking steel frame. I was also thinking mechanical over hydro brakes. 1x or 2x? Thoughts and suggestions? There are only a few shops in our local towns and only one that really markets itself for gravel bikes.

Don't go 1x1, but maybe a 1x1 w/ gears. Sacrilege I know. But yeah a fully rigid steel mtb would be cool.

I have a road bike I'm selling that would fit and be a low price, but it doesn't fit the need for off road. But it is fast because it is red as hell. Even the tires are red. He'd never be late for class.

[Skistack]

Salsa Journeyer has a flat bar version under $1k. It’s a Salsa, so it’s got a shit ton of mounts for bikepacking.


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[Peruvian]

Whomp - A nice bike is a great HS graduation gift. That being said, I totally agree that a campus bike is different than a gift bike. Save $100 or so from the budget for a beater for around campus. Simple is good and buy a solid U-Lock as well. I live in a college town and we have reports of stolen bikes daily. Most were either left unlocked or had a crappy cable lock on them.

[Iowagriz]

Agree on the cheap bike for campus, it getting stolen is highly likely.

Alternative gift is to get him the bikepacking seat bag and handlebar harness so he can get out for adventures on the cheap bike. Get bags that will transition to any bike.

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[Peruvian]

Agree on the cheap bike for campus, it getting stolen is highly likely.

Alternative gift is to get him the bikepacking seat bag and handlebar harness so he can get out for adventures on the cheap bike. Get bags that will transition to any bike.

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He can be one of the cool kids - https://bikepacking.com/tag/vintage-mountain-bikes/

I love that the old Bianchi hybrid in the one article is the same bike my wife rides as her townie (hers is original though).

[Dumbest Known Time]

My vote goes for the 90s mountain bike with some wild paint scheme. Put a microshift 1x9 11-50 drive train and some decent v-brakes or cantis. Better yet, find the frame and give him a parts budget. When I reentered the world of bikes, building up an old frame laid a great foundation for understanding how to tinker. If its something that he puts his own sweat into it will likely also increase the likelihood he locks it up.

[Kevo]

NPS roads in the closed to cars open to bikes sweet spots is definitely one of the highlights of spring. I've ridden the road to Sunrise at Rainer. Haven't yet made it to Crater Lake or North Cascades Highway for their windows yet.

I was aware of GTNP and Glacier. Good to know about Rainier and Crater Lake and North Cascades. I'll add those to the bucket list.

[bodywhomper]

Appreciate the suggestions!

At this point, I’m at the bike quiver idea, newer inexpensive-ish gravel bike that excepts 700c/29-er wheels (flat bar), disc brakes, rack/pannier attachments, likely steel, and a beater bike at school - if he decides to have a bike at school. Price point under $1k for the “good” bike. At this point, we’d like to get something that he can ride rather than build-up… he’s got plenty of other projects and life things pulling his focus in different directions, but I generally like that idea and several of his friends built up their bikes.

Of course looking into this makes me want a multi geared gravel bike for myself. I used to have a 93 steel stumpjumper that got stolen the day the kryptonite lock hack was revealed. Sucked! My current gravel bike is fixed gear. I can’t ascend out of my neighborhood with it.

[Peruvian]

Sub-$1,000:
Salsa Journeyer, Diamond Back Haanjo, and Jamis Renegade if alloy is okay. Marin Nicassio is you want steel.

[bodywhomper]

Sub-$1,000:
Salsa Journeyer, Diamond Back Haanjo, and Jamis Renegade if alloy is okay. Marin Nicassio is you want steel.

Thx!

[alfajores]

Sub-$1,000:
Salsa Journeyer, Diamond Back Haanjo, and Jamis Renegade if alloy is okay. Marin Nicassio is you want steel.

All great. Had a Haanjo Carbon and sold it to someone now regularly racing it in the CO/UT circuit with good results. Used to roll in a crew of Haanj-hoes (Haanjo and Haanjenn) in the Bay Area. We would show up with a bike rack completely full of them and set out in non-spandex for long rides. Great bikes on crushed rock and gravel. With a cheap road wheelset, they cruise on pavement.

@Whomper, Do you build bikes or are you looking to buy a rideable bike? I just picked up a Reeb frame in Large that would fit and have a ton of XT, XTR, and such parts around. Could probably make a 2x10 or 1x10 with the parts for a really kick ass bike in the $1100 price range. LMK.

If you are browsing PinkBike, you might find some Niner RDOs in Steel that are really affordable. Those bikes are impressive and their value is high when used.

[Dumbest Known Time]

I was aware of GTNP and Glacier. Good to know about Rainier and Crater Lake and North Cascades. I'll add those to the bucket list.

The North Cascades weekends are at the discretion of Washington DOT and depend on the plowing progress along the highway. I think this weekend is the last open to bikes weekend. They communicate pretty well about it on their social media channels or if you reach out.

The road to Sunrise at Rainer is more of a if you know, you know, type of affair. Or at least it was the last time I did it a few years ago. I don't think the park actively advertised it or encouraged it nor did they bring down the law if you went and did it.

[phatty]

The North Cascades weekends are at the discretion of Washington DOT and depend on the plowing progress along the highway. I think this weekend is the last open to bikes weekend. They communicate pretty well about it on their social media channels or if you reach out.

The road to Sunrise at Rainer is more of a if you know, you know, type of affair. Or at least it was the last time I did it a few years ago. I don't think the park actively advertised it or encouraged it nor did they bring down the law if you went and did it.

North Cascades is done for bikes only. Opens for cars tomorrow, May 10.

[evdog]

Wish Yosemite would have some bikes only days. They give you a ticket if they catch you on it before it officially opens.

[davjr96]

Yosemite has bike only days some years for highway 120

[evdog]

Maybe. But before the highway officially opens they seem to treat even the roadway like wildnerness...no bikes. I know a couple riders who have gotten tickets on it.

[Peruvian]

At least not every event has to be a money grab.

Detoor in Northern VT is $28. Only space for 75 cyclists. Race it or ride it.

https://www.bikereg.com/detoor?fbcli...X5bB8igRB8hLvM

[MegaStoke]

Has anyone on here ridden the entire Arizona Trail? I’m getting serious about racing the 800 this October and would be psyched to chat with someone who’s done it.

[Iowagriz]

I think we have at least two that have done it. Evdog and another whose name I can't remember now.

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[bodywhomper]

@Whomper, Do you build bikes or are you looking to buy a rideable bike? I just picked up a Reeb frame in Large that would fit and have a ton of XT, XTR, and such parts around. Could probably make a 2x10 or 1x10 with the parts for a really kick ass bike in the $1100 price range. LMK.

This is an awesome offer - thanks!

I (and the kid) have too many irons in the fire to build up a bike in reasonable time right now …. Though I have built or rebuilt a few bikes before, which was very fun and satisfying.

[evdog]

Has anyone on here ridden the entire Arizona Trail? I’m getting serious about racing the 800 this October and would be psyched to chat with someone who’s done it.

Yup I've done the 300 and 750 (last yr before it upped to 800). My TR is here somewhere. Schillingsworth who posts here occasionally is the race director and has done the 750 as well as multiple 300s.

[MegaStoke]

Yup I've done the 300 and 750 (last yr before it upped to 800). My TR is here somewhere. Schillingsworth who posts here occasionally is the race director and has done the 750 as well as multiple 300s.

I just finished reading your TR, props on the ride and also a solid report.

A few questions if you don’t mind:

How much water carrying capacity would you recommend?

Am I retarded to want to do it fully rigid? I’m thinking 29x2.6 with Tannus inserts might be enough cushion for me. For reference I had fun on the BCT fully rigid and would do it again, but idk just how much rougher the AZT gets.

Speaking of tires, how burly do I need to go to not flat? I’m thinking Rekon 2.6 EXO+ or similar. I generally don’t damage my tires, but AZ can be pretty sharp…

How much would you say is hike-a-bike for a competent technical mountain biker, bearing in mind fatigue and the loaded bike?