So, these gravel bikes ...

[delb0y]

I've been pondering on the very same questions as KneesUp for much the same reasons. I have my road bike (Tricross with 28mm road tyres), my trail bike (same Tricross with original 32mm tyres) and a very old mtb too. When I go out on the Tricross I tend to try and find tracks, tow-paths, lanes, and the like if possible and even with the 28mm tyres it handles all such things pretty well. But if I do need to blast (well, tootle) along a B road or, Heaven forbid, an A road it does that too. As you say, when we were kids it never crossed our minds, we just did it. I've come to the conclusion that it's those pesky marketeers being very clever again. They are very good at creating want. I'm reminded of the Keith Richards documentary when he was talking about what happened when they got a TV for the first time and it coincided with the advent of a commercial channel. Suddenly, he said, it was want, want, want.

That said...

 

[Spiderweb]

Planet X London road frame set available for £199 size large, only one left in Zesty Lime.
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRPXLONRODDP/planet-x-london-road-frameset

 

[Cycleops]

This a Specialized AWOL I bought down here for very little money. All cro-mo frame. It had been built up with poor quality components so I'm in the process of changing them. Only the wheels were original. Just put on a Deore hollowtech triple chainset, Alivio rear mech 12-32 cassette and Schwalb Cross tyres. Will be converting it back to drops with Sora shifters.

Just perfect for the tracks and roads here. It is available as a frame but don't know where you'd find one.

 

[John_S]

Like the posts above the versatility of these sorts of bikes definitely appeals.

Unfortunately I'm not going to be lucky enough to magic up an N+1 anytime soon but if I could wave a magic wand and make a bike appear out of thin air as well as the already mentioned Mason Bokeh looking very nice these have caught my eye.

Fairlight Faran:-
https://fairlightcycles.com/faran/?v=7516fd43adaa

Kona Rove:-
http://road.cc/content/tech-news/22...rove-adventure-bike-choice-steel-or-aluminium

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Another vote for the Planet X London Road.

Mine's great

 

[Nibor]

Had a London Road and an Arkose I prefer the Arkose for it's more relaxed riding position more comfortablr for me.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Couple of thoughts:

https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/sonder-camino-al-frame-and-fork

https://www.cotic.co.uk/product/escapade

 

[tribanjules]

Ive put vittoria rubino 35s on my cx and it goes on gravel cobbles towpaths and roads without having a second thought. Not been on theother n+1 bikes since i did the tyres as its ticking the boxes for me

 

[Cycleops]

Ive put vittoria rubino 35s on my cx and it goes on gravel cobbles towpaths and roads without having a second thought. Not been on theother n+1 bikes since i did the tyres as its ticking the boxes for me

Do bikes have thoughts? I've always wondered about that.

 

[tribanjules]

Do bikes have thoughts? I've always wondered about that.

My sat nav does. Evil ones. Always finds the hills for me

 

[mustang1]

I ride a road bike and I've also had a couple of CX bikes (I believe they are identical to gravel bikes but the marketing department likes us to buy more bikes so splits them up in these hairline segments you see).

I enjoyed riding the road bike on the road. When the traffic lights were still green, I would kick it and see if I can get past before they turn red. Loads of fun. On the CX bikes, I never even tried: wheels and tires were top-heavy and slow.

The CX bikes were great for exploring, weekend adventures, and commutes (full mudguards, rack) but they were no where near as much fun as the road bike. I sometimes toy with the idea of getting another CX/gravel machine to swap out for my MTV which gets no use (not because it's not fun, but because I don't like cleaning the mud off it or me afterwards).

The thing with CX bikes is they are no good on road with off road tires, and they are no good off road with road tires so I'd still need two wheelers, pretty much like what you suggested.

Will be interested in what you end up with.

 

[Elybazza61]

Steel option-725 Reynolds.

http://www.lightbluecycles.co.uk/Sport/5LB5DVM2K/Darwin-One-By-MT

http://www.lightbluecycles.co.uk/Sport/5LB5DV12Z/Darwin-One-By

 

[Elybazza61]

The thing with CX bikes is they are no good on road with off road tires, and they are no good off road with road tires so I'd still need two wheelers, pretty much like what you suggested.

Will be interested in what you end up with.

No problem with my Planet X XLS on road,could hack along nicely with 28 Hutchinson Sectors and Schwalbe S-Ones.

Only reason it's been replaced for the commutes is the lack of mounts for a rack.

 

[Crackle]

Steel option-725 Reynolds.

http://www.lightbluecycles.co.uk/Sport/5LB5DVM2K/Darwin-One-By-MT

http://www.lightbluecycles.co.uk/Sport/5LB5DV12Z/Darwin-One-By

Hallelujah steel forks on a steel bike. I've never understood this trend towards carbon forks on steel bikes. If I want a steel bike I don't want any carbon on it. They're nice.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

My MTB isn't cutting edge (it's 27 years old, and fully rigid)

Not to worry, many of us raced for years on rigid bike, now 'hard-tails(?), without suspension forks
Heck!!. I even used 1.5" tyres on my Pace Research (raced MTB 1990 - 1996 ish)
Then, when I bought another MTB, in 2007, but with bouncy forks, I still used 1.5" tyres

my 'road' bike isn't a race bike (Ribble Audax) but I don't want to buy a new bike and then find that, actually, I use the MTB still when I go on trails and through the woods, and the Ribble when I know I'm sticking to roads. It needs to be decent at both, but as my other bikes aren't top of the range specialists, I am hoping that it would be good enough off road for me and lighter than the MTB, and not much heavier than the Ribble ... Oh, and finally I'd like to use it to tour sometime, so ideally it'd have rack mounts front and rear.

Erm....
I have these

Ribble CGR - 35mm max, quite bright

Aren't '42' viable, sure one test stated that they are, but mine has '28' Schwalbe Durano
They're the widest I've used on the road, in probably 25 years (Tioga 1.25" slicks, on the Pace)
The Schwalbes were fine here, albeit on a totally dry surface, on Sundays ride on the old pre-TurnPike road, near Tadcaster, but I did write;
It started off, as just a gap in the hedge, with a steady descent, changing to rock-steps, as it was seemingly at the bed-rock (it is in limestone quarry territory)
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1871049

I'd not call it a full blown 'Hollow-Way', but it was on the verge
The steps would have been an issue, on the 'blue' Ribble, with its '23' section tyres,

I'm only at the 'this might be a good idea' window-shopping stage, but any input from those who own any of the above, or have alternatives to suggest, or think the whole idea is stupid and I'd never ride it because I have the other two bikes much appreciated

The 'blue' is a lot lighter, & feels sprightly in comparison, especially on the hills
the CGR is possibly a better all-rounder, due to the hydraulic discs (for bad weather, 'modulation'/;feel' is superb!!!), & the fatter tyres are better for it as a commuter