Gravel Bike Porn

Let’s do this. I’m considering a couple of options (still) including a giant advanced pro sx and a niner RLT 9 BDO. Show me what you got.
Include tire clearance (we ain’t got no hills in North Central Florida, but we have sand).

I ride a stock Focus Mares CX. More of a true CX bike as 40C tires would barely fit.
As a light rider I think I can get away with slightly thinner tires.

I would consider an Orbea Terra if I just wanted a single purpose gravel bike.

http://i64.tinypic.com/29wjqz8.jpghttp://i64.tinypic.com/29wjqz8.jpgI built a Seven Red Sky this year. Mix between road and gravel bike. You can safely put up to 32mm tires on it. Rode it in a wet and muddy gravel/dirt race recently and it performed well.

I’ve got one of these…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ7Nj4hg2tb/?taken-by=blackdogenduro

and I’m getting one of these in November…

http://www.jlaverack.co.uk/jack-range/

Happy days :slight_smile:

Wifey’s new bike. Firefly custom titanium with full carbon seattube/integrated seat post. It’s an absolute thing of beauty.

http://i66.tinypic.com/5lc2ty.jpg

https://instagram.com/p/BaOleoWBP8q/

GT Grade for me. Love this bikehttps://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lnx35bQLuz_OpJHG1r4Q4S_oUWYTX1PHX26ntTVrnygC4h40bjfRMjvYhtETyM7Bnps2qgbFNRtqOSGqK5HEHVrp5M6suX0tq4oLsglqUKizL5fV3n-MRI_IgCDH4bBWlgbkev3UD5kBSYcZ7NWZ_LJ8TgTIecPKbROwEoebzYNqJfVNByT2NgfT-nlI-6oxhYjS7zCHIENgajm5HmvEtdUW3C0l4KobMcEjXZWr5zpg99Dqm86gV6DkFCTnLxo4_DRbp41U8l1V9Q6Jl4fKOoPRhjOxdn3EUHN6kCRCCDF0_52gDqj3pF2OA_ZvdpIVBQxDHFoACBe2Da507C4Tqqr8XZ_R5LS08Ygg_Uvv3tXuzJSSI_CV7lmv1dxzl97NXjNPclcVOaflyvX1-it8EDMl80q87ks4z4JxH6lLazy5L6jZOsygCPHPuBLtOnQj0cFmPlVgL_AOZTtcEt1BPjpP1X0g0LdMFAYHbyVfw0vie_5Y_VQwk1JlLGM_qPpHN2grhmxedaR667RWy3txMN_y-qksfOKzEXk_vEx3Vp3TvfYIS3iqOm8MPQkrymWsqA4x0tfWVHTkGSwvzm_DCD8f0MH76CBK2QNpgM_i3DNi_0VT5G6_TVZISN09vKc7xKEolccAjf9OsSUb8J9m3EtmXw83EBLcxhas=w1814-h1020-no

My new BMC is being delivered today!

http://i65.tinypic.com/2nkoyog.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/210msyc.jpg
(photo credit: PB Creative) !((photo credit: PB Creative) )

Fuji Jari w/Compass Snoqualmie Pass 700Cx44 tires

Here’s what I wrote about it last spring after being asked about it post-Belgian Waffle Ride:

“Bang-for-the-buck”, it’s really mind-blowing. The frame/fork is only $550 list. They’ve got the geometry right so it handles great both on and off road (it’s currently my favorite bike for paved descents…just barely edging out my '86 Bianchi road bike). The rear dropouts are both QR and thru-axle compatible. It can handle 700c tires up to 47mm wide (IIRC) and it appears with a 650B wheel, even wider. Fender mounts (including fork eyelets), rack mounts, 3 water bottle positions, and even a set of top tube mounts for a bag/bento are all included. And the chainstays easily have clearance for even a standard road double crankset (53/39).
I picked up the frameset a few months ago and swapped most of the parts over from my previous MTB frame-based “all-road Frankenbike”. As shown, it built up at just a hair over 20lbs. Of course, the Zipp 30 Course wheels and Compass Snoqualmie Pass tires help keep the weight reasonable.

Having ridden a 3T at Interbike last year (so having a point of comparison), I like to call the Jari a “poor man’s Exploro” :wink: Yes, it’s that good…and it even outshines the Exploro in a couple areas IMHO.

No idea of the tire clearance, but even with the 700C x 53 tires (installed below), it is enormous:

http://darkspeedworks.com/photos/roadsmall.jpg
.

I’ve got the Why Cycles R+ Force Carbon Kit. I have a 10-42 cassette, and I’ve been riding with 40mm tires. The bike has done gravel, grass, singletrack, and cross. I am going to put on Schwalbe Pro One Tubeless tires for the road when it gets wintry and I’ll put away the rim brake bikes.

Diamondback Haanjo Trail. Currently stock. Handles singletrack pretty well, good road & gravel road behavior. Runs 42mm tires stock, should take 45’s on 700 rims, can also run 650b, I think up to 50mm (haven’t tried yet).

haanjo_small.jpg

Mine is the Orange OPEN U.P. (now the Classic). I’m running 2.1" 650B Schwalbe Thunder Burts. Clearance gets a little tight near the dropped stay, but I’ve no issue with rubbing. While I love the orange, I kind of wish I was in your position to be buying today. The NEW U.P. looks a lot cleaner with the new fork and there is also the option of the U.P.P.E.R if you’re a weight weenie.

FWIW, the 3T in the back can run the same rubber as the OPEN.

https://i.imgur.com/X1u7o1U.jpg

I have the same bike and absolutely love it
.

How’d it do for cross? I’ve wanted an all 'rounder bike and thought about grabbing this or a Dean Antero but I’m a little apprehensive just given the reputation of overseas titanium. I’m not a little guy and throw down decent power…

My 2017 Diverge on Mt Evans - it goes anywhere!

Diverge1.jpg

I’m very new to cross, but I never once felt like I had to fight the bike. To me, it cornered well and got up to speed with no problem. I have the old i9 wheels (rebadged Reynolds Assaults), and the bike weighs in with egg beaters at about 18 pounds with the big 40mm Ramblers. I don’t know if you can ask for much better from an alloy cross bike with 41mm deep rims and 40mm wide tires.

In all reality though, CX is an easy day for this type of bike. I’m not a ‘little’ guy and currently come in around 75kg. I did a gravel gran fondo that had about 20 miles of washboard downhill. I charged through the washboards and the bike came out like new. I was way more nervous about having carbon handlebars than having overseas titanium.

.
DSC00802.JPG

Built this about 2 years ago around a steel frame from Ride Endpoint, called the Coffeegrinder. Had wheels made by a local guy, (ErGottwheels.com) with White industries hubs and a front dyno for some B&M Lights. Also have a Thomson dropper post and they gave me a beta handlebar mount for gravel bikes. Using Ultegra Di2 w/hydraulic discs. 700’s are tight with my 35mm Schwalbe G-Ones but just capped 5K on this with most of it commuting. Recently brought the stem further down with a spacer rearrangement.

2016-03-23 14.45.54.jpg

Thanks for this, Tom. I’m in the same boat as Francois…considering my gravel/adventure bike options. After photographing the Hell Hole Gravel Grind stage race the last 5 years, I told the race dudes I’m riding it next year. Just need a bike. So many good options. A lot of people riding carbon out there, but after watching the carnage the last 5 years…not sure I want to go that route.

But also, so little funds I want to spend after already buying a QR PR6 and a Litespeed CR1 this year.

I like that the Fuji has some eyelets. This rig will pull double duty as a daily commuter rig as well. Another reason not to go carbon.

The Fuji, with a good kit on it seems like a decent option.

Thanks for this, Tom. I’m in the same boat as Francois…considering my gravel/adventure bike options. After photographing the Hell Hole Gravel Grind stage race the last 5 years, I told the race dudes I’m riding it next year. Just need a bike. So many good options. A lot of people riding carbon out there, but after watching the carnage the last 5 years…not sure I want to go that route.

But also, so little funds I want to spend after already buying a QR PR6 and a Litespeed CR1 this year.

I like that the Fuji has some eyelets. This rig will pull double duty as a daily commuter rig as well. Another reason not to go carbon.

The Fuji, with a good kit on it seems like a decent option.

De nada…yeah, I’m quite agog at how good of a deal this aluminum frame/carbon fork setup is: nearly as light as a carbon frame setup with MORE features…and inexpensive to boot. Although it’s less likely to get damaged with hard use (as compared to carbon)…even if it does, it’s no big expense to just get another frameset at that price!