Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

A great help, thanks!
I hadn't looked at Arne before, looks nice.

No worries, even when heaving, there are still relatively hidden spots down there. Can also take a dip (be it a bit muddy underwater) on Bramble Bush bay beach before reaching the ferry.

Probably already known, the Square and Compass on your way out is a must for a cider and a pastry.

I told my LBS owner friend recently that I was after a cheap road bike to use as a full-time turbo trainer bike, and could he keep an eye out in case he got a decent something in as a part-ex or whatever... popped in yesterday to be presented with this, part of his collection that he's trying to downsize. He's owned it from new, and kept it thoroughly maintained.
Obviously this is far too nice to be shut away in the loft - so after a bit of brainstorming, the cheap Carrera I bought recently is going to end up with road tyres on it to be used as the turbo bike and this one is getting chunky tyres on it to become my gravel bike.
Not the way that I had planned things, but sometimes things just work out...

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You must be a nice customer!

Those trekking Cannondales with steel fork are great. My mum had one that I rode a lot as a teenager.

I like to think so, yeah :) Didn't get it for nowt, but definitely got an excellent deal on it. And the knowledge that it's been expertly maintained for all of it's life is pretty priceless.

This is better, there’s really good 38mm gravel tyres out there for it if it fit.

Gearing is brilliant, they’re better than a 1 by as it offer a lower gears than a 40t chainring with 11-42r

if you want good brakes, compressionless cableset and shimano mini v brakes will make a big difference

Rode London-(almost) Brighton-London offroad on the summer solstice. Leg down was fast and along a trusted route. SDW is always nice and tough. The return leg was almost all rideable except for one minor rerouting excercise, but much slower/tougher going. 12.5h riding over 16h elapsed time, finished broken but happy.

More thoughts and pictures here (give me a shout if you want to ride the route): https://www.strava.com/athletes/6088420

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Nice pics!

What aero carbon 'race' gravel bikes are out there that still do decent duty as a road bike? (Assume a wheel swap for different duties).

ie. something like the Exploro but without all the issues @PhilDAS has highlighted for us over the years :)

Are OpenUp any good or do they have the same issues as the Exploro?

Bit of a dredge but did you ever get a diverge? One has been waving at me from the local dealer for a while now so interested to know what you think of it if you did?

not explicitly aero but my road bike is broken atm and have been riding the crux as my road bike. has been nearly road bike fast. officially incompatible with shimano 2x but it is working just fine for me.

The new Vitus?

Willier Rave SLR?

officially incompatible

... is how I roll.

A mate lent me his Crux over the Winter as he brought my Boardman back into condition.
Enjoyable bike, 'special' seat post, (not a full on dropper), took out most of the irritation from poor quality road surfaces, and articulating stem absorbed front wheel chatter. Big & wide tyres also added to comfort. I'm old and slow, but wasn't appreciably slower on this Crux.

I know nothing about the Crux. How does it sit vs Diverge?

Vitus

Substance?

https://vitusbikes.com/collections/substance/products/vitus-substance-frameset-07e7

Could work. 27.2 "normal" seatposts preferred and no press fit BBs.

I know I said aero but I'd prefer more standard bits on it.

Crux looks good. Why are they 2k in the USA and 4k here though?

Diverge is full gravel, crux is the evolution of the CX race bike so a bit racier

Cervelo Aspero is not a cheap option but ticks the boxes

Yes. I’d get a crux or that

I'm old and slow too and I'm looking at retiring the Tripster to Poland and since I have MTBs now for anything slightly rough I want more of a 'roadie' gravel bike so I can lose the Tarmac and maybe Mason road bikes and just have one bike to do gravel and road.

Does the Crux come with weird seatpost and stem or were they aftermarket? I already have an eeSilk shockpost and a RedShift shock stem so they could be added to any bike, in theory.

Frameset rider weight limit: 125kg

Oh look, for a mere £4200 they have my size in stock in a very subtle colourway...

https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Cervelo/Aspero-5-Disc-Gravel-Frameset-2023/V1OY

#sickburn

I'm still under that... just.

Cozzy Livs init