Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

I mean, yours are definitely carrying some “cargo”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X53ZSxkQ3Ho

Was thinking of your front pocket, ya ken? ;)

I was going to hashtag it #boastpost but then I thought that might be grooming so went with the classic wide load vid.

No gravel in Perthshire, scenery’s really shit too, don’t bother coming.

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That's one wild cockpit you've got there

It's ugly as fuck innit?!

First proper use of the bike since I made the flexstem and fitted it and those bars. Went really well, definitely took the edge off the vibration and bumps that usually would have me feeling fatigued.

@amey, is this yours?

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Hope this is the right thread..... I might be a bit too far "roady" maybe??

looking for recommendations for an 75% road, 25% light gravel bike. have tried to dig through previous posts, but there are a lot of them! Aiming for:

approx 35 mm tyre clearance (without mudguards)
clean, simple look ie no vertical "kink" in the seat stays
nice and comfy - doesn't need to be fast
2x groupset
would like to avoid the "big" manufacturers if poss
don't mind buying bits and pieces slowly and building up / mixing and matching
No fixed thoughts on frame material
up to £2k ish, hoping to get something 2nd hand so more expensive (when new) possible

Ribble CGR (probably carbon) seems to come up in this thread a bit and is probably my front runner, and Giant Defy seems to get a lot of love, but probably not gravely enough. For some weird reason I'm not a huge fan of Strael. Can't help feeling there's something more interesting out there though....?

Any thoughts or suggestions gratefully received!

THanks

Cueckpoint.

Handle like a road bike with 32mm, very stable to ride with 45mm.

Or Domane, clearance for 38mm tyres.

big manufacturer, but since you mentioned the Defy also check the Contend AR

Is the 25% with a different wheelsetand specific gravel riders or just on your road wheels when you encounter it on any ride? Matters as I'd get different bikes for each option.

Picked up a cheap Carrera that had been bought during the COVID boom, then sat unused for over 2 years. Practically brand new - and after a quick trip to the LBS to straighten a bent rear derailleur, and then a few tweaks and additions at home, I've now got a sub-£50 fun bike to go bombing around the local gravelly-type paths.

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Put some shimano mini v and you’re sorted

Was that the sea defences on the big gravel path? Passed someone taking a photo there this morning about 7am, wasn't you?

Same wheels. No idea what wheels, but with something like 32mm gravelking slick, or even gatorskins perhaps.

I'd go for a road bike and road bike geo then. Don't bother with gravelking their terrible fitting. Strada challenge maybe. I run 36mm all the time, fast and comfy.

I'd say get a strael but I'm biased.

Nah, this was at about 7pm the other night.

OK, now I'm curious, what if two different sets of wheels.....?

If your 25% was serious gravel rides, not soft gravel on road rides. Then I might consider something with wider tyre clearance and maybe more relaxed geo. Then second wheels with something 40c and knobby.
That said, I find gravel bike geo on the road to be a bit sluggish, if you enjoy riding descents.

Sounds like you're after a modern CX bike. They deal with gravel pretty well and are better than a gravel bike on road, especially in the hills. Bottle cages and fat tyre compatibility are pretty standard nowadays. Double chainrings setups aren't uncommon either

Liz LOVES her giant TCX rides like a roadie with 32mm tyre and bombs the grav grav with the best of them with 700x42mm lumpy tyres or even 650bx47mm lumpier tyres. They are cheap as chips now as well, but that’s only because Liz paid top dorra an age ago. You’d need to add a front mech, if you felt the need, but the mount is there and if you like the SRAMs you can just add a shifter lever to the left hand bifter.
But I’d get a Straggler, because I’m like that.

Kinesis RTD frameset build when your size is in stock.

Hang it on the wall until you figure out where the build funds are coming from!

Or track down a secondhand complete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0n3gJ8aFOM&ab_channel=GuyKesTV

That new Vitus endurance thing, or Ridley did something similar

Thanks for the suggestions - some stuff I'd never have thought of