Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

Jos had 2,1" tyres with drop bars too, though with steeper geo.

I wouldn't call it steep as the head angle and fork rake is pretty apt for off road, with a steep seat tube.

I 100% get it tho, being able to get to places without needing to plan your ride being the key factor, and when it come to tyres bigger than 47mm, you can pretty much get away with slick.

Kojaks

notsureifserious.gif

2" Kojacs look spot on under 60mm GBs

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Why?

The bike definitely has 2" Kojaks on it. But I had mudguards so I'm loathe to add the ones I have. They were originally bought thinking they could clear the 2.3" Fat Fred or Big Boris's or whatever the fuck Schwalbe calls their balloon tyres.

Hmm, I really thought there'd be a huge difference. As I said, I hate mudguards so it's probably just the fact that even thinking about fitting them has made the bike uglier.

It was ridable though and someone might like it. Maybe the weight distribution was off with my setup, though my position was the same as on roadbike.

I just built a 650b wheelset for my Pelago Sibbo, a gravelbike with pretty much roadbike geometry. It's lots of fun like that, quicker to turn than with 700x40 and better grip, easier to adjust your line mid corner and easier to do tighter turns. On gravel that is. On paved road it actually kind of oversteers with these tyres, making sharp turns weird, not as smooth as roadbike. On gravel with the wide 650b (48mm GK SK measures almost 50mm on the i25 rims) it feels kind of like what narrow 700c feels on asphalt. Though the change is really not that dramatic as 700x40 or 35 is great on gravel too and I think more versatile and the difference isn't that big but anyway.

And obviously the bigger volume should help me to not dent rims that often and it also helps keeping the traction on a rocky climb as the softer tyre doesn't bounce off rocks like the narrower one on a rough gravel road.

And while this all might be obvious, it's interesting to try them.

Because.

Hahaha you think I care about rolling resistance on this bike? The tyres that the Kojaks replaced weighed over a kilo.. each! They didn't roll so much as crushed everything in their path.

https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/off-road_tires/crazy_bob

The Kojaks went on because it makes the bike faster, lower and easier to carry up stairs. I was thinking about putting the Bobs on again just for the silly factor.

I know it's a pub bike...

over a kilo each

Resistance training.

Condor is the pub bike
Inbred is the SS commuter

I've also got some slightly lighter (800g each) Fat Franks or Big Apples or something on the SS dualie. They might end up on the Inbred as I'm sure they'd ride nicer.

I had 650X38b tyres on a bike that was designed for 700X40c so I know exactly what you mean. The lower BB helped with stability but the change in trail did not help the front end.

The BB on the Sibbo is pretty high, no? 68mm is in road bike geo territory in theory (pretty high still) but if you fit fat tyres on the resulting BB height is going to quite substantial IMHO. But then I like low BBs...

The cable rub on the fork is making my teeth itch.

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Yeah it feels somewhat tall with 700x40. And 650x48 lowers it to the basic roadbike height. Good for using two wheelsets of different size.

Interesting how much like a roadbike Sibbo feels on gravel with the wide 650.

I can't unsee that it has a 28 spoke front wheel and a 24 rear

And no pedals.

It look very Planet-Xy.

Ouch

Posting that bike is the second worst thing I've ever done on this forum

After starting this thread

I’m in a quandary. Anyone had rims that were ‘too small’ for tyres to stay seated on? They’re not even tubeless...

Not over pumping them either - probably only 40psi

Thought I'd drop a quick review of a carbonda fork here - seeing as it's attached to an Arkose.

Long story short, after a pointlessly long search for a carbon fork with cage mounts which doesn't cost £300+, I did the potentially stupid and life-endangering thing and bought a carbonda gravel fork.

The steerer looked ropey as anything on arrival so I wasn't filled with confidence, took it to a bike shop who suggested it was probably okay and had it fitted.

Week and a bit later - following 800 odd km across the Pyrenees and into Spain with some crazy forest paths and it didn't break, and I still have all my teeth. So good news for anyone else looking for something similar. Here's some pictures:

Yep, some shit tier nologo fixed / as wheels. Bead would just blow off when you put any air in.

Damn. That rather sucks - reckon that using tubeless tyres with tubes in them would help solve the looseness a bit?

I’ve got g-ones they have been fine, it’s just wtb nanos and rapid robs that really arent.

Perhaps, but I don't think I'd want to risk it. What are the rims?

Put a bit more layer of tapes on it, also inflate slowly and check seating.

Not the first time I've seen this, and it can be nigh on annoying trying to get it to seat properly.