Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

Had so much fun riding in the snow last night on my Terra C (with Challenge Limus CX tyres).

Head mechanic at my LBS is leaving for Rapha and riding back from his leaving drinks late last night there was loads of untouched, virgin snow. So good.

Nice one ed. I actually think the Tiagra/RS505 levers are even comfier than the more expensive options.
I ran mine as a 1x, but with near enough same ratio as you 11-40/46

I want another Arkose.

The geometry looks so weird. It looks super long and super low. Are the stack and reach numbers around somewhere?

I have a soft spot for Holdsworth; my dad has one from ~1970 that I rode for a while which was great. Like Raleigh and many other brands they did produce a load of rubbish too, I think in the 80s.

That bike is a bit weird though. Seems more like a PlanetX bike with a Holdsworth logo on it. I would have liked it if they'd stuck with steel and designed something more like the Rondo Ruut St. There's plenty of appetite for steel gravel bikes.

Edit: classic paintjob with cursive details and colour bands on a chunky carbon frame looks a bit off to me as well

@Momentum

We don't have many of those in the UK

The Cotswolds, Dartmoor, The Wye Valley, most of Shropshire, most of Wales, Somerset, Dorset, Avon, Cumbria and Norfolk all have old roads or forestry access roads marked as bridal paths that’d be great on these Treks.

Arguably fitting a narrower rear to allow some mud would be wise.

Seems more like a PlanetX bike with a Holdsworth logo on it.

It is. Holdsworth are not Holdsworth any more.

It’s a gravel bike. It’s meant to be long.

A Stache or other similar 29er + bikes make decent all rounders with a change of tyres, 3" for mountain biking and 2.1 xc tyres for longer less technical rides.

@PhilDAS Yeah, I know. But they could have built Holdsworth-style bikes and sell them under the Holdsworth name. If they're selling Chinese full-carbon bikes under the Holdsworth name what's the distinction been PlanetX and Holdsworth?

@GigiDags Sure. Just curious about wheelbase and stack/reach.

Russ Downing... I think He knows what he likes. He is tiny though and runs a tiny saddle to bar drop.

There isn’t one. You’re have higher expectations of Planet X than they deserve. They’ve done the same with Viner. Now they churn out the same generic Chinese frames under 4 names and think that means more people will buy them. If they kept their 4 companies distinctly different they may have actually appealed to a wider audience. But that would be too clever

I fit 2.4 x-kings to mine in winter, and it has loads of clearance. Also, chupas will kill you on anything other than dirt/dust/gravel/cinder... you have been warned.

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Yeah. The other Holdsworths on the website are all classic-looking steel things - a tourer, a road bike, a fixie/single-speed. A steel gravel frame (with carbon fork if you like) would have fit nicely. I was hopeful!

I love that bike, shame they don’t have it for 2018 in rigid.

Been trying find a rigid for with cage mounts for a while now that’ll fit.

I did find the RS405/505 more comfortable than the old RS685, as the hood part is more or less as slim as the mechanical version, the RS685 felt thicker than even the old 105 5700 on the hood.

RS405 is definitely underrated.

shame they don’t have it for 2018 in rigid.

This.

I think I want one.

Ace.

I love mine.... it's really light and with the short stays, immensely flickable. Anyone who thinks that 29+ is slow or cumbersome is welcome to have a go... it's a hooligan thing and I find myself doing stupid moves as I know I'll get away with it!

Except in mud with Chupas on. You'll get killed in the face.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-bikes-ener­gie-cyclo-x-bike-apex-1x11-1/

£835.99 with the discount! Bargain.

So Chupas on the road aren't ultimate pain and misery? I might have to continue to look into this!

Press release - http://road.cc/content/tech-news/237829-trek-launches-checkpoint-gravel-bike-isospeed-adjustable-geometry-and-45mm

If you're ever near Stansted airport, you're welcome to have a spin

I think this is pretty cool. Hopefully it'll get a funky Project One colour option like this:

I think someone just needs to buy a Pinnacle Pyrolite, then we can change thread title...

@edscoble - I can pick up TRP HY RD's and XM319's on Formula hubs to bring my battered Jamis Aurora Elite (2017 model) back to life for £175 (cracked rear rim in Tajikistan). Do I do this and trial her on gravel, or do this and get the Pyro too...