Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

Fair. I've got rid of 3 bikes so far this year and once the grav gravs are in Poland that's another two gone. I did buy another MTB though. Then I want to get say a Crux with two wheelsets and lose the SWorks Tarmac and the Mason Resolution, as the Crux will do road and gravel duties.
Will also see if I can get the missus riding the Stanton so she has access to an MTB.

I'll hopefully be left with a single road bike and the omnium cargo this time next month. Space pending I'll then get a gravel bike which I'd get two wheelsets for but I don't picture me using it on road, just a 700c set with something like 38c tyres for long days in the summer and a 650b 2.1 set for sfab and winter

You spelled 'with 33c for sfab' wrong...

You mean 23c gatorskins? etc

"23mm tyres should be enough for anybody"

• Bill Gates, 2007
  

[Tokyo Drift plays in the background]

Big bikes are great though. I (kind of) sized up on the bike I have now and I think it's better especially for the light touring and long day rides I use it for. I'd ride a 54 road bike and while this is called size 54 too, the toptube is 575 mm. The old one I had was great as a road bike but when the front wheel is slipping and bumping into stuff it felt like too much of my weight was on or ahead of it, while the longer bike with a 7 cm stem is much more relaxed, easier to ride with one hand when I have to dig my nose or whatever with the other on the rough stuff. Where's the schedule, when's the time for the geometry chat?

Geometry is a subject for all seasons

Just wait until we get back onto gear ratios

Could be the macro standardised reply for this topic 😂

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@monkdagola What size is the one you're looking to shift?

And thanks both @monkdagola and @KieranHC for the feedback! Will look to get a frameset via C2W

Looking for some North London road + gravel routes around 100k mark

These are the sort of things I'm looking for:#

https://www.komoot.com/tour/1182089663?ref=wtd
https://www.komoot.com/tour/1173803435
https://www.komoot.com/tour/1108129218
https://www.komoot.com/tour/1076766668
https://www.komoot.com/tour/1039007338
https://www.komoot.com/tour/1034577080
https://www.komoot.com/tour/1066634101
https://www.komoot.com/tour/794005994?ref=wtd

Any other good routes to share?

Summoning @giofox

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32584882

stayer did some really good north london gravel routes during lockdown but they don't seem to have them on their website any more. Anyone know where they are?

Personally I would avoid taking the Lea Valley canal towpath if you're on a nice bike. Too many muggings.

With that said, here are two routes that include it which I haven't tried but intend to at some point -

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32347330

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40167199

I copied those back in the day too.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32628996

from: https://ridewithgps.com/users/863972

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42377131

or also

https://www.strava.com/routes/3109873630270462960

The Mason is a 60cm. Probably won't switch it until end of summer though.

No worries that's way too big for me anyway, thanks!

Thanks for those who've added routes...I've added a couple more to my own list above.

I take it all back, gravel bikes are ace

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Took a little spin down the Wherryman’s Way this afternoon. Found zero gravel, but lots of long grass, nettles and weeds. Also lost my gears :/ found them after getting my knife out.

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gears

That was your first mistake

They are a curse.

I only ride offroad and mostly North/North-East of London, so feel free to grab any routes from my RWGPS, most of them from the past 3y should be offroad focused - generally 50% or less tarmac, a few have already been linked above (the Big Summer Gravel one @exteroceptive shares some bits with the Sacombe gravel @hippy shared)

EDIT: The Big Summer Gravel is absolutely ace at this time of the year