Adventure road bike

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Jumbosausage1

New Member
Hi guys, I'm after some recommendations on which bike to purchase. I haven't had a bike for 22 years but recently took up the opportunity with the cycle to work scheme. I'm thinking an adventure road bike would probably be my best option as I'll likely be using it 80% road and 20% gravel tracks etc. I'm not really sure where the difference lies between adventure/gravel/hybrid bikes so I'm also hoping you good folks can point me in the right direction. I'm limited to using Evans or Halfords and although I have £1000 from the scheme I can also add to this if needed. I'd say £2000 maximum is my budget if it's worth going the extra.

Thanks in advance.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Adventure/gravel are basically the same depending on the company's marketeer's preference, have drop handlebars, often disc brakes and a rigid fork. A hybrid bike has flat handlebars and either a rigid or suspension front fork. Most these days probably have disc brakes

I don't think Halfords let you add to the voucher value, but there are other retailers which take Halfords vouchers. Evans do I believe but you'd need to check

I wouldn't personally spend £2k on an all year commuter when you've not hadn't a bike for a long time. Even a grand Is probably overkill for the bike alone, but you'll want to keep some of the voucher value for lights, pannier rack, full length mudguards, pumps, basic tools, big lock, clothing etc

Budget to insure the bike too (cheapest likely through your home insurance)

In terms of bike, try some out. Evans Pinnacle Arkose range are well regarded If decided to go the drop bar adventure route
 
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Location
Loch side.
The primary identifier with gravel/adventure bikes is tyre clearance for wide tyres - typically up to 45mm if the smaller 650c wheel format is used and 38mm or so for 700C format. Standard road bikes with caliper brakes top out at about 28mm max tyre size.

Thereafter it is disc brakes vs rim brakes and...

thereafter comes all the nonsense "features" such as funny flared drop bars, hundreds of mounts and bosses for lights and lasers and machine guns, carriers, mud guards, fork bottle holders and whatever the fashion of the day is.

Ignore any differences by way of "geometry" and "comfort" and "eons in the saddle with no pain". All of that is BS.

Both adventure/gravel bikes and road bikes typically have drop handlebars.

You honestly don't need an adventure bike for gravel or even forest roads. I regularly ride those on my 25mm tyre road bike and millions of people had done so before my day.

Adventure bikes is a new category invented to fill the gap for desire for a new bike after everyone who had a 26er MTB upgraded to a 29er or 650-er. Once that market was saturated, they searched for the next new thing and invented adventure bikes.
 
The primary identifier with gravel/adventure bikes is tyre clearance for wide tyres - typically up to 45mm if the smaller 650c wheel format is used and 38mm or so for 700C format. Standard road bikes with caliper brakes top out at about 28mm max tyre size.

Thereafter it is disc brakes vs rim brakes and...

thereafter comes all the nonsense "features" such as funny flared drop bars, hundreds of mounts and bosses for lights and lasers and machine guns, carriers, mud guards, fork bottle holders and whatever the fashion of the day is.

Actually a lot of Adventure/gravel bikes can take up to 2.1" tyres and 700c's around the 42mm mark and most will come now with (flat mount) disc brakes and thru-axles.They will also quite likely be (shock horror!) one by gearing(ie no front derailleur).

They also make a lot of sense as a single bike as they can take a variety of tyre sizzes so can be used as a commuter/off roader or even as a road bike.

And the multitude of mounts can come in handy when used for touring duties.

Have a search online and see what's available and what people do on them.
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
Sure tyres can go go up to 47c but the bigger they are the slower they'll feel on the road. Something around 32-38c is a good medium.
Single front chainsets are fashionable right now but with fewer gears the greater the jump between them. A triple will cover all your bases. Try to look at a few models and read reviews plus comments from users on here to get an idea of what might suit you.
 
Location
Birmingham
Sorry don’t agree.
most compact chain sets cover most needs (2 at front, not a triple)
yes wider rubber can be slower but if you ride slower anyway it’s marginal trade off for more rubber contact area therefore grip and braking power plus wider means lower psi so more comfort.
it depends on our own preference, so go test ride !
 
OP
OP
Jumbosausage1

Jumbosausage1

New Member
@Jumbosausage1 where are you based? How hilly will your commute be?

Between Leeds and York and it's not hilly at all.
 
Location
Cheshire
Hi guys, I'm after some recommendations on which bike to purchase. I haven't had a bike for 22 years but recently took up the opportunity with the cycle to work scheme. I'm thinking an adventure road bike would probably be my best option as I'll likely be using it 80% road and 20% gravel tracks etc. I'm not really sure where the difference lies between adventure/gravel/hybrid bikes so I'm also hoping you good folks can point me in the right direction. I'm limited to using Evans or Halfords and although I have £1000 from the scheme I can also add to this if needed. I'd say £2000 maximum is my budget if it's worth going the extra.

Thanks in advance.
I would recommend this
489244

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialize...I2OmmvIOf5QIVSs-yCh29_A0FEAkYByABEgIhyfD_BwE#

I bought the Sport version for £2k a few months ago, which has the same great frame and i really like the headshock system which smooths out cruddy roads. I was worried it would be much slower than my road bike on the black stuff but not so. It can definitely do the rough stuff on 38c tyres, although i am changing to 32c for mostly road use.
 

Kajjal

Guru
Location
Wheely World
I would recommend this
View attachment 489244
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialize...I2OmmvIOf5QIVSs-yCh29_A0FEAkYByABEgIhyfD_BwE#

I bought the Sport version for £2k a few months ago, which has the same great frame and i really like the headshock system which smooths out cruddy roads. I was worried it would be much slower than my road bike on the black stuff but not so. It can definitely do the rough stuff on 38c tyres, although i am changing to 32c for mostly road use.

I also have the Diverge Sport. The headshock works really well and with the 38mm tyres it is good off road until it gets really rough. I did a three hour off road ride through forest, gravel track and single track. For mainly road use fitting narrower tyres is a good idea. The gearing is also a little easier which is useful as well.
 

BigMeatball

Senior Member
I agree with all the people who said to not spend 2k on your first bike. I wouldn't even go over 1k.

If you haven't had a bike for so long, 500/1k/2k bikes are all going to feel the same so just stay on the cheaper side, buy the accessories you need (mudguards, helmet, lights, and so on...) and save the rest to buy a better bike sometime in the future.

Adventure/Gravel/Cyclocross are pretty much the same type of bike with the same features: drop handlebars, larger tyres, aluminium frame with carbon fork, disk brakes. There are plenty of good brands from halfords and evanscycles to choose from: cannondale, pinnacle, boardman...they're all excellent bikes.

I recently bought a Boardman adv 8.8 which has been just perfect so far.
 
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Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
I've had Giant Revolt for a couple of years now and it's been OK - good for the use you describe too.

Next time I would look for better brakes than the Tektro Mira cable disc brakes and I'd want thru-axles, and I would want it to weigh less than the 12.5kg the Revolt's packing.

I like the 35mm Smart Sam tyres which roll well on the road and give good purchase on gravelly lanes. The bike is faster with those than with 32mm Randonneurs - it seems to bowl along on a cushion of air more easily than with harder smaller tyres.
 
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