Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

GLWS and all that but were you the guy on a podcast speaking at an overnight audax, maybe The Cycling Podcast service course? Think you said you had a carradice bought off here, I also think @plasticniki may have been on it as well

There is gravel in the photo it's legit

Have a look at Riverside Touring 920, Sour Purple Haze, Kona Sutra, plus others like the Pipedream ALICE that are available as a frameset. Handy list here - https://bikepacking.com/index/drop-bar-mountain-bikes-29er/

If you only need 27.5×2 there's loads of options these days

I have explored these bikes already, my main problem is either availability or costs - Pipedream finally has revised the geo and has proper 70 mm BB drop, but just the frameset would be 66% price of used Trek 920 that I could buy (let alone if customs add some toll for shipping to Poland). Adding any decent wheels and hydro drivetrain would make it cost even more. I have been attracted by Sutra for a long long time, but basically since 2020 the only ones I have seen available in Poland or second-hand in my size were the basic SE alloy ones.

Unrelated to your discussion but spotted you were Polish or in Poland and noted these guys on my twitter feed the other day: https://bikepacking.com/news/2022-rondo-ruut-x/

I know them very well, but Ruut is quite racey and I don't think it fits mudguards at all. Bogan would be more interesting for me, but again, Apex 1 with 11-42 cassette and mechanical brakes just doesn't cut it for me. For flatter areas sure, but now that I have moved to the south of Poland, it's much more mountainous here.
I could make my Equilibrium more fitting, but with SS cage rear mech I wouldn't gain much lower gears without swapping entire drivetrain.

Whereabouts are you? My missus is from down south (between Zakopane and Krakow). I've got a 'cross bike and an MTB that live at her parent's place for when I go over there. Not done much off-road there though to be honest.

Question - are there any nice mtb parks in Poland?

Trek 920 I bought on the forum. Photo from September, now running guards and 50mm GKs. Could just about get the Mezcal 2.25 under guards but no room for mud.

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Yes, there are several networks of singletrack trails in the mountains, for example Single Track Świeradów or Singletrack Glacensis.

Very close, I live near Wadowice, also between Zakopane and Kraków. Haven't done any trips yet, just a few road rides, but I would like to explore the off-road trails too, but nothing technical, I am definitely not a MTB guy and prefer dirt roads to technical Singletrack.

How do you rate it? Is alloy F+F any worse than steel in your opinion?

https://www.velonews.com/gear/gravel-gear/swiss-side-publishes-wind-tunnel-results-for-gravel-tires/

I like it with this setup. Has kind of made my XC bike redundant for the kind of riding I do, and I don’t have a drop bar gravel bike but this has done all I ask of it so far. The frameset material has never really crossed my mind, it’s very comfortable with large tyres, carbon seatpost (if that makes any difference). Steel would probably be heavier and I’m not sure for what benefit, maybe repairable if you are touring the world.. Only down side is 100x15 front axle is a bit less common.

Bit of gravel near my mums house (Silver Sands, South Australia)

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This road was so good.

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Very weigh weenies fodder. Incredible findings

It’s priced at €4,900/$4,650

wut

But it has 'variable geometry'

(Two holes in the fork)

Very nice. Portrait mode sucks though.

grav$$$$ls

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Looking at building up a new project since my road bike was stolen recently. Thinking more 'all road' than gravel and can wait a little time to find the right thing. I prefer Shimano but with massive lead times on OTP options would I have a better chance of completing a bike by Spring by getting a frameset and slowly picking up bits I can source myself?

That photo is very low resolution. Can you spot the rear mech for me? Grx?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXKz4HnlPoN/?utm_medium=copy_link