I am in the market for a new bike. I am 50 plus old guy riding a cannonale six that I bought in 2009. I like easy 15 to 20 mile rides on the road at an easy pace and I am done any kind of racing or triathlon.
The bike that I get, I plan to be riding well into my 60s, shocking as that may seem to me.
What should I get? I was originally think a cannondale synapse, or something similar like a trek domaine. But after a couple of bike techs insisted that gravel bikes are it, and that road bikes are for dinosaurs, I started thinking that maybe those hipsters were on to something. The more upright position of a gravel bike, and the wider tires, might be better for the soon to eligible for AARP me. Or not.
Tells us about your rides. Are they spirited group rides? Fun around the town ride alone?
You have mention two great bikes. My guess at this point is either would be good. A gravel bike might be more “comfortableâ€.
I am 68, still love my tribike and “fast†rides on the road bike. Very individual decision you get to make.
I think the Endurace is great for this sort of use case. Relaxed fit like a gravel bike without all the added weight. It’s nearly as light as the Ultimate and fits 32mm tires officially, so likely 34-35mm in reality. Plus it has the suspension seatpost.
A current generation Trek Domane will have an endurance fit, meaning taller head tube and be able to handle up to a 38mm tire width.
A Trek Checkpoint, their gravel bike, has a longer top tube, not a endurance fit and can handle up to a 45mm tire.
Both bikes have rear Isospeed to give some minor compliance to your ride.
So do your research if you get steered towards a gravel bike, just because it can take wider tires doesn’t mean it’ll be the bike for you in ten years. I think a Domane would though.
Take my advice with the caveat that I also work at a Trek bike shop.
Meh, don’t get a a gravel bike unless you’re actually regularly riding challenging gravel. The segment is evolving, and the typical geometry is getting more mountain bike like every year. Long and slack isn’t really what you want on the pavement.
You can get all the tire clearance you’d ever want for pavement with better responsiveness with an Endurance or All-Road bike. The Synapse is nice, but I’d go with something there had even more tire clearances. The carbon Domane fits up to 38c tires. 5 years ago, that alone would have made it a “gravel†bike. The brand new Argon 18 Krypton fits up to 40’s! I find that bike really intriguing.