Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

no! bad!

Just needs a basket and a frame pump

Oooh yeah. And some SPD sandals

Not sure if this has already been posted. Apologies

Triggered.

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@cake ‘s perfect bike

Reported for bullying.

Just wait until he starts mtb'ing and then get your own back

My current setup. Mainly commuting on it but getting some good weekend rides in just wish smaller gravel bikes didn't have to default as step-through design!

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That’s “compact Geo” not “step through”, no?

Looks good nonetheless.
What’s the rational behind having a cage and pump mounted under the downtube when there isn’t one already mounted on top of it?

I'm being melodramatic...envious of taller people and their more traditional/horizontal top tubes! The pump is down there cos I wanted it out of the way. Normally use that cage for a tool bottle so guess the pairing made sense in my head.

I’m looking into a new bike and need some advice please.

I currently own a Bowman Pilgrims Disc (the original version) which I use for commuting duties. At least I did, but I now no longer commute as I’m WFH for the foreseeable. So I thought I’d fit some gravel tyres to mix up my road miles with something a bit more adventurous. Specs said it’d take 32 tyres, so I bought some IRC knobbly 32’s and fitted them today. They don’t bloody fit as the clearances are too tight.

So, I’m now thinking of selling the Bowman and sourcing something that will do everything other than road miles. A commuter, tourer and gravel bike. It must run disc brakes and I’d like it to have mudguard mounts, rack mounts (not a deal breaker) and be able to run proper off road tyres (not sure what max clearance should be though). Frame material isn’t particularly important.

So, what should be on the shortlist and what key questions am I not asking?

Thanks in advance.

Cue is in the thread name.

Fair enough. I’m just having a read about them as we speak and they look good. I suppose I should have asked “other than the Arkose, what else should be on the shortlist?”

A shortcoming a pal found recently when touring w/ arkose is the fork - not really suitable for load. Not saying don't get an arkose, just something to bear in mind

not really suitable for load

Can you expand on this? Thanks

In this case they wanted to mount cargo cages, it wasn't an option. Sorry, this was a lot more specific than "not suitable for load". I don't know how the fork fares with axle mounted racks or anything like that

Good to know. Thanks

If you want to run a front rack then a carbon fork isn’t the best option

the only downsides of the arkose as far as I can glean are: difficult (impossible? nitto m18?) to mount a front rack due to fork; and, no bosses for top tube bag like you'd see in e.g. the open UP frameset and other gravel frames (this one is a minor minor issue)

get the arkose

A 2nd hand steel fork (w/ a headset reducer i guess) if/when touring comes around won't be a huge outlay

Ribble CGR was on my list.. ended up with a bargain Arkose

Needs a 66º head angle, and 35mm stem with swept back drops then we're nearly there

Vitus/wiggle bikes are also a good bargain option. Spare money for a more road worthy wheelset.

Great. Thanks for all the suggestions, I’ll have a good read up.