Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

BPP then Bromley Common is another way out

I'm here all week.
Don't try the bear steaks.

Good call! I don't get out that way much.

I posted in here that I was thinking about getting a Spa Rove, well, I did and it turned up today.

Knowing it was imminent I’d taken my wheels to work to seat the tyres with the airline there (swapping from massive knobblies to something a bit better suited to the grav).

Was going to chuck all the 1 x 10 stuff from my hardtail on out but the chain and gear cable were too short (kinda surprising as this seems a lot shorter than my mtb but routing is different) so I figured that was the singlespeed gods telling me something.

I went for a real cheap Trans X 70mm drop post from Merlin as I wasn’t going to have room for the 200mm drop post I have, but it turns out it has a bit of suspension too. Not sure if it’s intended or what but might be useful for gravel riding? I think it is intentional as the upper but doesn’t drop all the way down and it has the suspension action when dropped where posts I’ve had that have started getting a bit bouncy as they get gubbed have been solid when dropped.

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Looks like a blast.

Cheers. I think it will be.

I don’t think the current gearing (30:19) will be particularly good for gravel rides where I’m with anyone else but I’m off to the Lake District on Sunday where I’ll be either riding by myself or with Mrs M_V so should be fine for now. Cranks are direct mount Deores so I think I’m somewhat limited for larger chainrings.

Hoping it can tread that fine line between ‘practical’ and ‘too serious/boring’ which is a trap I’ve fallen into when I’ve set bikes up with things like guards and racks and dynamos before. No racks or dynamo in this yet but a dynamo is definitely in my mind as we leave the light summer nights (and mornings) behind.

Awesome bike

friend comes back from a gravel ride
ask them if their ride was was Ronny or SFAB
they don’t understand
I pull out illustrated diagram explaing what is ronny and what is SFAB
they laugh and say “it was a good ride!”
I ride the route the next week
its SFAB

I pull out illustrated diagram explaing what is ronny and what is SFAB

please share

[prays in PDF]

its SFAB

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.

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not quite the sticker / laminated card-worthy image i was hoping for :D

and a .jpeg

[boooos in French]

Are the Edge AL mudguards all comeing with dual stays now? The ones I got only had mono stays, I would have much prefered two! Or are they a different mudguard?

Edit: Just seen they're the new Bluemel Style I wonder if they're dual stays becuase the're plastic so its more flexy

Yeah Bluemel Style. They don’t seem overly flexxy, probably stiffer than the older style Bluemels but yeah I’d guess that’s the thinking.

Not sure what shape the city for the bracket is, not going to be easy to add another stay if it’s a square hole.

Bring back Draw Your Own Collisions.

I tried to increase the resolution

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severe lack of nettles on SFAB side

This looks mega. What's the clarence like with the guards? I'm feeling influenced...

FYI: Sigma Sport got me a Di2 Crux blanking plate for less than half what those mugs at Certini were asking.

Now you've got spare cash for suspensions.

Just nipped out having got it back from the shop today; what a bloody machine. Doesn't feel any slower on the roads. Feels incredible off-road with all that chatter removed. I'm a full gravel convert - this is now my go to bike. Why oh why did I not do this sooner?

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3.5 weeks until you sell it

More grass than gravel in Wales today.

Was a lovely ride...until the usual komoot route bullshit kicked in, my trailer broke (my fault) and I broke a spoke.

Ended up on the road. Dragged this lot up and over gospel pass.

Where did you get these again? 🤔😬😁