FatMuz
Likes Dirt
I've been having fun the last few months playing with and exploring the Gravel Bike World. It seems I timed it well with the way the weather here in South East Qld has smashed the trails. I've beeen playing with a Nordest Super Albarda (Think long slack steel framed gravel bike) and a Ritchey Outback - Classic Steel gravel bike with more conservative but also with their own take on geometry. After a couple of months of riding I've settled on the Ritchey and will move the Nordest on.
At 55 years of age,with developing arthritis and a nerve problem in my right hand, comfort is a major consideration. Both bikes are awesome but the one deciding factor in this case is the length of the rear half of the frame. The Ritchey rear end is stretched out to 453 mm, while the Nordest is at a more compact 420 mm. That's a massive 33 mm difference and it really shows in the riding. The Nordest rear wheel is tucked in right behind and partially under the rider (as seems the trend today) while the Ritchey is stretched way out behind the rider, allowing the extra frame flex built into the triple butted tubing to create what I believe is the most comfortable road/gravel/touring bike I've ever ridden.
My ritchey is finished off with a Rockshox XPLR Ruby Race 40mm suspension fork, Sram wireless AXS Shifters, paired with a 1x Sram Eagle cassette and RD. The wheels are DT Swiss GR1600 and not pictured is a recently purchased Rockshox AXS XPLR Dropper post. It's not a mountain bike but is so much fun on green rated single track... damn fast too.
At 55 years of age,with developing arthritis and a nerve problem in my right hand, comfort is a major consideration. Both bikes are awesome but the one deciding factor in this case is the length of the rear half of the frame. The Ritchey rear end is stretched out to 453 mm, while the Nordest is at a more compact 420 mm. That's a massive 33 mm difference and it really shows in the riding. The Nordest rear wheel is tucked in right behind and partially under the rider (as seems the trend today) while the Ritchey is stretched way out behind the rider, allowing the extra frame flex built into the triple butted tubing to create what I believe is the most comfortable road/gravel/touring bike I've ever ridden.
My ritchey is finished off with a Rockshox XPLR Ruby Race 40mm suspension fork, Sram wireless AXS Shifters, paired with a 1x Sram Eagle cassette and RD. The wheels are DT Swiss GR1600 and not pictured is a recently purchased Rockshox AXS XPLR Dropper post. It's not a mountain bike but is so much fun on green rated single track... damn fast too.