Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

29 gravel = monster cross

Different bike geometry, wont look as cool in your instagram photos. Worth it just alone for the cheap mtb wheels you can pick up used. Also you'll probably be able to fit 650b 3.0 tires in a contemporary monster cross frame like a salsa fargo or bombtrack beyond.

1x for ground clearance, mud, aeros. For everything else there's a front derailer.

#hippyisalwaysright

It was a good idea to get more volume/contact patch when people were converting low-clearance frames. I still like 650B unless it's deep ruts when pedal clearance becomes an issue.

I would like to try 650 x something bigger than 50mm to see just how big a tyre I can fit on the Kinesis. #csb

In mtb it appears to have been relegated to mostly mullet bikes and small people now

650b looks naff in big bikes, people just started using to chuck massive rubber on bikes with no clearance. 29 is quicker on MTB, should make even more a difference in bikes with no suspension, smaller tires and drop bars.

I wouldn't say "noticeably". On an average wheel, you will save what, 60 maybe 100gr.
Even if it's rotationnal mass I don't think it will really matter.
PS : I'm not a racer, I run 1x everywhere :)

What’s the overall conclusion on the gearing chat? Who won?

I'd like to know this too

Isn't it bit like war or religion - there can't be any winners (except Big-Bike-industry if they get to sell you new stuff)?

Someone definitely won

What’s the overall conclusion on the gearing chat? Who won?

Can someone summarise the discussion and conclusions in 100 words?

1x sucks

It is better to have a front derailleur and double chainring for a 2 x setup in almost all cases, allowing for greater flexibility and range in the gear choices vis-à-vis varying terrain except when you don’t want that in which case you should go right there on ahead and use a single chainring with a low number of teeth and see how you get on with it because as Schopenhauer noted, true happiness is sadly an illusion but that does not per-se discount the noble aim of reducing misery nor by extension, adopting a phenomenological perspective to gearing choice.

It is better to have a front derailleur and double chainring for a 2 x setup in almost all cases

You're not wrong there

don't get hung up on the details man

It is better to have 1x and no front derailleur in almost all cases, allowing for lower weight, better aeros and better control except when you don't want that, in which case go right there on ahead and use a double chainring with all the teeth and floppy chain and...

@chiroshi but that's only 50 words see?

I won and even if I didn't I'll keep telling you I won until long after you've all lost interest/died.

2x ftw

Maybe next we can discuss how long a piece of string is.

Won't somebody please think of the gearboxes?!

I was hoping we'd get back to the 27.5 vs 29er argument. I want to know if I can skip buying 650 wheels and just get a "gravel" frame that clears 29x 2.2

I was hoping we'd get back to the 27.5 vs 29er argument.

me too

just get a "gravel" frame that clears 29x 2.2

@cake did

So many valuable arguments lately, only because Arkoses are out of stock?

Tyre size doesn't matter on Zwift

Just one piece of string? I have 2 pieces.

The other 150 words depict the frustration brought by the massive jumps in the large range cassette.