Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

I love the 725 steel model and would make a good Arkose replacement but the full bike is actually cheaper than a frameset!

I've just got a Vitus energie apex. Very arkose-like but the tubing is better, the frame is lighter and it's amazing value at 850 for F+F, SRAM apex 1 hydro and a decent heavy duty WTB rims to novatec wheelset.
Only annoyance is the rear mudguard fitting could be fiddly with no bridges (great for mud clearance tough)

Their 725 offerings are quite good aren't they? The 725 Adventure ticks a lot of boxes too. They seem to have consolidated their line up in a smart way.

Shame the frameset pricing is off but I guess this is just them being smart and encouraging you to build a bike.

What are ribble like with sales, they've not touched down yet so assume it would be a long wait.

That bike is an absolute bargain. Shame CRC don't do the 10% BC discount any more.

They did me a tenner BC discount

Can't see if they're thru axle front and rear, not much information on the frameset.

On which? The 725? It does. 142/12, 100/12.

The Adventure 725 is boost however. Does take 2.8" though.

@spinnnout I mean...you could buy the whole OTP bike and sell the parts and you'll make some money back!

Perfect.

Time to swap the Arkose for this, the Hope hubs I got make it easier to swap axle to 12mm, the extra bottle cages mount, 72 degrees head angle (arkose is 71.5), steel frames and actually look pretty good on top.

Their bike builder incidated a 650b version of the Mavic Akisum too.

Reckon I can just sell the entire components and fit the Arkose part on it easily.

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The more I look at it the more I like it.

725, Di2 ready, full carbon fork, Progressive geometry (liking those reach measurements a lot), Good future proofing, 3 year warranty.

The Apex1 model comes with Horizons on Aksiums as standard for £1350. Hell yeah?

Selling the components will save you back a lot! Groupset alone is what? £350 minimum? Wheels will go pretty sharpish as well! That's 50% more or less saved?

You'd likey get about that for new Apex1, 3rd party chainset a bit annoying but yeah.

This gets my inner child quite excited but the steel is also growing on me or the Al. tbh they all seem great in their own way.

Oh man that 725 Adventure looks NICE

Don't need the wheels, maybe £120, groupset easily £150, brakes, let says £60 for a pair, tyres maybe £20 each (bear in mind we can't exactly sell it for retail), already it's cheaper than the frameset.

I like it cause it's colourway vaguely remind me of the Niner;

I've been looking for a steel frameset with a bit more 'adventure' capabilities to swap out with my genesis equilibrium disc.

options so far;
brother Kepler disc - on sale for £350 at the moment.
cotic escapade - nice but a bit more ££
croix de fer 725 - has straight steerer so limited on carbon fork options
fearless vulture
Ribble 725 - pricey frameset

any other steel frame options worth considering?

Genesis fugio? Heavy though

fugio is maybe a bit too much adventure?

Always loved those. Funny how everyone laughed niner off when they released their big clearance forks, but now everyone's losing their shit over more clearance.

@spinnnout It's all very well priced. That one is a big confusing. It's shod on knobblies, but has kinda steep geometry. I might just be a bit biased towards a proper MTB, but it does look capable for an ultra race!

It's a little frankenbike which is why my inner child is liking it, not sure I'd ever actually run knobblies! The stack is a little steep isn't it, nearly 2cm lower than the others. My bike fitter would point me toward the Al/725.

My main use is on road with panniers and the odd road race/tour/week in the alps/gravel weekend..one bike to rule them all(?!!). Now you don't see many carbon bikes with pannier mounts which sets off some alarms. I've asked for photos of one loaded but they haven't got any yet.

Why steel? Alu work just as well.

I have one and love it

I like skinny tubes, I already own 2 alu bikes.
#steelziz4realzetc

I have a CDF with a carbon fork and tbh all I ever think about is getting a steel fork so that I can mount a trendy front rack and get on the r**davist so I wouldn't worry about carbon fork options.

I have a CdF (as does another friend) & four friends have Brother Kepler Discs - we all rate them really highly. Great, versatile bikes.

I managed to get a carbon fork for mine too for not much on here (same is available for less than a hundred quid on eBay), half the weight of the steel one!

There was a Light Blue Darwin fork for sale on here for £50 a couple of days ago

Why buy a steel fork when you can buy a second bike with a steel fork.