Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

I can hear your thots!!

Can you not realise that a bike with a long wheelbase, even for its type, and big wheels/tyres won't have nippy handling?

Long wheelbase does not always equal slower handling.

This is largely down to the geometry of the bike, the Arkose have a higher than normal trail than a road bike for additional stability which result in it feeling less nimble than a road bike, slightly more nimble with smaller wheels though.

The most nimble bike I have ridden is my audax bike with a very low trail of 35mm despite it's wheelbase being longer than my road-race bike.

What's wrong with the ride quality of a C40, a bike that won Paris-Roubaix five times?

Methinks you're putting too much faith on the bicycle considering Matthew Hayman, an exceptional rider managed to won Paris-Roubaix on an aero road bike that wasn't build with the cobble in mind;

To me all this wheelbase talk is nothing but buyer fodder.

No, that just mean you do not realise.

What won it there was the fact he rode the goddamn race 15 times.
C40 isn't that nimble either, rides wonderfully but far from nippy. If I'd ever want a gravel bike, I'd like it to handle like a C40.

What won it there was the fact he rode the goddamn race 15 times.

Bingo.

Scoble's picture:

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What are your thoughts on the Diverge? 20mm shorter chainstays than the Arkose, and 1 degree steeper head angle, same offset, but can't see the trail measurement for Arkose to compare. Seems like it might be a bit more "nippy".

C40 isn't that nimble either, rides wonderfully but far from nippy. If I'd ever want a gravel bike, I'd like it to handle like a C40

Don't get an Arkose then.

I had a Croix de Fer before and the frame felt dead, but a bit of life in the handling. Brother Kepler looks a pretty good compromise between being able to take 42c tyres (which the CDF can't) and not being too big.

What are your thoughts on the Diverge? 20mm shorter chainstays than the Arkose, and 1 degree steeper head angle, same offset, but can't see the trial measurement for Arkose to compare. Seems like it might be a bit more "nippy".

I have ridden it (2018 model) and it felt closer to the Roubaix than the Sequoia (the Sequoia felt almost identical to the Arkose but heavier), it felt like a fun bike to ride but alias was too expensive to buy and somewhat felt like a compromise, like why can't it feel more like the Tarmac if they made it feel like a Roubaix? it feel like it can be pushed very hard but it still scream at you that it's not a race bike.

It feel like they're being cautious with the handling of the Diverge, rather than proper gravel, or proper road.

Having a proper road geometry bike with massive tyres is a huge bag of fun.

I never really think about wheelbase, I only notice it in cities where I have to do tight turn, all I notice is the handling of the bicycle, whether it's allow me to make minimal input or more work in a turn.

Latest Croix de Fer can take 42mm tyres, even massive 650b too.

Don't get an Arkose then.

Pyrolite fit the bill, 72.5 degrees head tube, big 50mm rake, and 650b.

I just got my Tripster ATR. Not ridden an Arkose, but I was pleasantly surprised by how nimble the Kinesis felt on its test ride yesterday. Haven't compared the geometry, but that's not my particular area of expertise so will leave for others to compare

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Sorry mate, not #tukt enough to be nimble, let alone nippy or chuckable.

I was going to come here and just do a shameless plug of my Diverge on the classifieds, didn't expect it to be this relevant. Obviously @edscoble is totally wrong, the Diverge is the bestest wonderfulest ever, especially in a glossy red colour that massively improves handling or whatever else.

Anyway, shameless plug here.

PS – naturally I didn't ride any of the bikes you guys are talking about, so I'm in no position to say x is better than y or whatevs. But the Diverge is nice, I like it.

What’s a #tukt when it’s at home?

the Diverge is the bestest wonderfulest ever, especially in a glossy red colour that massively improves handling or whatever else.

Is that before or after you decide to sell it?

Joking aside, it is a cracking bike, the new one even moreso, my observation is merely a personal preference of how I want my bike to ride, which to be fair I should have said that in the first place.

Whaaaat? No way, the old model is where it's at! :)

Tbh I'm only selling because of this. Selling bikes is sad. I just wheeled it out to take some pics, and I rode it back home, fuck. It's the bike I did my first (and only) 400km ride, so good over long distances. When I traced my DIY routes I always put a good 20% of bridleways, I know it's cliche, but having a bike like this really changed the riding I do. So good.

So Pyrolite is nipplier than Arkose @edscoble?

Geometry sheet suggest so.

Can you not realise that a bike with a long wheelbase, even for its type, and big wheels/tyres won't have nippy handling?

Ever ridden a Jones bike?

Oh man I want a Jeff Jones so bad.

asks simple question, gets wheelbase debate
I just wanted a road bike that’ll clear 35c with guards!

I'd go for Bowman Pilgrim, Genesis Equilibrium, Kinesis, etc... Not a gravel bike but a road bike with discs and some tire clearance. But not all of these will clear 35c

The surly midnight special is ideal. It’s really fucking expensive though.