Gravel bike advise

[ade towell]

All good points and a few extra for a bit of Bob and Paul - if you've got the money then yes go for it although some folk I know aren't so lucky with the brakes and indexing being bang on for both sets of wheels

 

[PaulSB]

Hey folks . Been pondering recently about buying a new winter bike and keeping my current winter bike stuck to the turbo its on now. but today I was marshalling at a club cx race and thought mabye buy a bike that does both . Not a full cyclo-cross bike as I wouldn't be racing but mabye somthing that can do parks and also club spins In winter . Would a gravel bike be the best choice and a quick change of wheels for the road days . Can anyone suggest the way to go .. thanks .

Rather than a gravel bike being the best choice I would argue a bike suitable for both winter road riding and gravel would be the best choice. This may sound pedantic but I feel there is a difference. I purchased a Kinesis Tripster ATR for this very purpose and it definitely ticks all the boxes.

Choose the right wheels and tyres in the first place and you won't need to swap wheels for your road days. I ride Schwalbe G-One Allround 35mm and can knock out 20mph if I have to but I prefer not to - seems fast enough for winter riding to me.

 

[Trigger369]

Thanks everyone for the replies and ideas . Have a better idea of what I want and need now so time to start looking at bikes . Many thanks agian

 

[vickster]

Merlin have some good value gravel/CX options. May even have stock!

 

[Rusty Nails]

Genesis Fugio looks quite good with an alu frame and a carbon fork and the ability to swap between the stock 650b wheels with up to 47mm tyres and 700c wheels with up to 40mm tyres.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Use my Diverge all winter now, might nab some 32c GP5000s if any deals on?

 

[alex_cycles]

I recently bought a 2018 Diverge E5 sport for exactly this - "gravel plus winter". 2 sets of wheels - one with the 30mm stock Espoirs, which seem OK on the road and another set with 37mm nobblies for the fun stuff. Took about 3 weeks to find one the right size on Gumtree within 100 miles of my house. 2nd-hand bikes are holding their value well at the moment, but you get more for your money as long as it's in good condition (this one hadn't been used much at all).

 

[Enigmaman]

Given the appalling state of the roads that most of us cyclists tend to prefer, gravel is way to go.

I have a triple ring Ti but since buying a carbon gravel during the first lockdown the Ti has become a dreamcatcher in the roof of the garage.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Given the appalling state of the roads that most of us cyclists tend to prefer, gravel is way to go.

I have a triple ring Ti but since buying a carbon gravel during the first lockdown the Ti has become a dreamcatcher in the roof of the garage.

That's just like me with my carbon Genesis Datum gravel bike and my steel Equilibrium.

I doubt if it is the bike, as the Equilibrium is great, it can only be the larger tyres, so I will try to find out the widest tyres I can get on that.

 

[vickster]

That's just like me with my carbon Genesis Datum gravel bike and my steel Equilibrium.

I doubt if it is the bike, as the Equilibrium is great, it can only be the larger tyres, so I will try to find out the widest tyres I can get on that.

Probably 28 with mudguards, maybe 30 without

 

[fair weather cyclist]

Isn't the E5 comp a x1 groupset upfront . Makes me think more suit for off Road .

If you're looking for a bike that is more suited for the road, then you should buy a road bike.

 

[Venod]

I keep posting these Planet X deals, I have nothing to do with PX, I just think they are good value, this bike would make an ideal winter bike and I would have no qualms about a bit of off road on it,

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/YBPXL...274404729&mc_cid=bcede69942&mc_eid=2d3c304298

 

[cougie uk]

I keep posting these Planet X deals, I have nothing to do with PX, I just think they are good value, this bike would make an ideal winter bike and I would have no qualms about a bit of off road on it,

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/YBPXL...274404729&mc_cid=bcede69942&mc_eid=2d3c304298

And Planet X will put a double chainset on if that's what you want.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Probably 28 with mudguards, maybe 30 without

I have 28s on there at the moment and they have plenty of room, so I am looking to see whether I can fit 30s.

The trouble with tyre sizes is that not all 30s, or any size, measure exactly the same when on a wheel.

 

[T4tomo]

Rather than a gravel bike being the best choice I would argue a bike suitable for both winter road riding and gravel would be the best choice. This may sound pedantic but I feel there is a difference. I purchased a Kinesis Tripster ATR for this very purpose and it definitely ticks all the boxes.

from the first review i google:

...what your saying is rather than a gravel bike, choose a gravel/adventure bike.
I agree that may sound pedantic.

Nice bike BTW

A gravel bike is pretty much road bike, with reasonably relaxed geometry, with enough clearance for decent sized tyres, achieved with either disc brakes or Canti's. You could make a decent one out of a 80/90's steel road/touring frame as they had clearance for 1 3/8th tyres.