Gravel Bike Help.

Ben-e

Captain Critter!
A sub 10kg steel Surly? Keen to know the spec. The Marin CX commuter thingameejig weighs 9.8 with carbon wheels/cranks/forks/bars/post and a fairly light alloy frame. Weighed with tubeless 38mm Gravel King's so probs bit more with current 43 mm GK knobbies. The 43 mm tyres really transformed the Marin though. Focus Mares couldn't take anything that big from memory.
Both bikes below were kerbside frame finds that i checked the numbers on. I mostly look at reach /bb height + drop but certainly within specs we are talking about. I'm keen on converting this SS MTB 29er to a SS commuter on 2.5 tyres. That way I will need a new MTB...
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Here's last years effort from a kerbside Fluid MTB frame find. Just over 10 kgs from memory.

View attachment 364245
Yes, a Bridge Club, med, 1x11. I have calculated good weight savings with carbon forks, light wheelset and carbon cranks, plus a decent finishing kit. Also using Ti fasteners where possible.

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Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Watching Johann Barelli ride the Commencal on some double blacks is entertaining.


Sweet looking bike actually.

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Ben-e

Captain Critter!
What about this?
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/au/fastroad-sl-1
I never use my drops on my roadbike anyway...
Amazing value! It's got a great spec and geometry is pretty good / more pavement oriented, though. The tyres are 32mm wide, which might be too narrow - I was cycling with a mob the other day, I'm running F43mm R38mm and someone was running F&R49mm, the speed difference was very apparent. So personally, I wouldn't get a bike/frame with less than 50mm tyre clearance, also future proofing..

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DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Amazing value! It's got a great spec and geometry is pretty good / more pavement oriented, though. The tyres are 32mm wide, which might be too narrow - I was cycling with a mob the other day, I'm running F43mm R38mm and someone was running F&R49mm, the speed difference was very apparent. So personally, I wouldn't get a bike/frame with less than 50mm tyre clearance, also future proofing..

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Might be worth a look though. I'm not looking at bush bashing or heavy duty gravel bike work. My back won't take that anymore. I'm just after something for gravel roads and sealed that's more comfortable than my drop bar bike
 

Daniel Hale

She fid, he fid, I fidn't
dare i say it a carbon ht 29er is what u want, more capable than gravel bike, just throw a 36t oval ring on it, with some 2.2 ikons, get some short aero extensions if u want to go real fast
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
dare i say it a carbon ht 29er is what u want, more capable than gravel bike, just throw a 36t oval ring on it, with some 2.2 ikons, get some short aero extensions if u want to go real fast
Which is pretty much the Giant I posted up...
 

leitch

Feelin' a bit rrranty
Love the niner, for 26" gravel is a slow drag, bit overpriced imo
Bit overpriced yes but so is everything on FB at the moment ($5000 v1 Bronson anyone?), and for a nice 853 frame with the bones of a decent build it's not bad. All Niners are 29" - the clue is in the name.
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
Don't buy a flat bar for road riding. It's pretty windy up your way sometimes and you want something 'different' to ride.

Plus that Movistar team kit of yours just won't look right on a flat bar.
 

Daniel Hale

She fid, he fid, I fidn't
If you do this just careful with geometry.
i ran quite a short stem, like a 50mm - kept reach similar to the hard tail it was designed for -i actually liked the handling, long stems on loose stuff or rough rocks w drop bars made me thought i would crash frequently
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Don't buy a flat bar for road riding. It's pretty windy up your way sometimes and you want something 'different' to ride.

Plus that Movistar team kit of yours just won't look right on a flat bar.
I can always get a different kit. So do you think there would be that much difference between riding the hoods on a drop bar bike and the bar ends of a flat bar road bike?
 
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