Early gravel bike foundation (EGBF)

what is the EGBF?

EGBF works to help local communities conserve their early gravel bikes they depend upon; transform markets and policies toward 35-42c tyres; and protect and restore quick release and IS mounts. Our efforts ensure that the value of 4130 is reflected in decision-making from a local to a global scale.

EGBF connects cutting-edge conservation science with the collective power of our partners in the field, more than 1 million supporters in the United Kingdom and 5 million globally, as well as partnerships with communities, companies, and governments.

Today, bike manufacturer activities put more pressure on early gravel bike ideals than ever before, but it’s also people who have the power to change this trajectory. Together, we can address the greatest threats to this genre and protect the early examples of gravel bikes that sustain and inspire us.

Why is the EGBF needed?

Increasingly as gravel is adopted into the mainstream at both the industry and cyclist level we see a perversion of the pure and humble beginnings. Big bike wants to sell us more race bikes, small bikes wants to sell us more boutique jewellery. However the foundations of early gravel bike were humble and earnest, rediscovering old bridal ways with comfy tyres and a solid frame, on something just right to connect all the sections with a bit of road.

For many this was there only bike, or a parts bin bike, something they threw together, but some companies leaned in to the idea very quickly in realising people wanted a robust cross bike with a tad more clearance. or the cross bike with mudguards which people quickly used to put a bigger tyre in.

There was a sort of DIY / make do spirit to it all which is lost in modern gravel bikes, make do and lose chain stay paint was the mood. We see increasingly that gravel bikes are increasingly becoming XC bikes or race bikes, while the other end is an arms race for the most invested in a steel frame, i'm sure this is something we can all see to be regression.

what is an Early Gravel bike?

steel frame
tig welded
carbon fork or non carbon fork
uni crown fork
lugged fork
minimal rack mounting points
mudguard mounts
2 bottle cages, no more (some later examples may have a downtube boss)
IS mount
Post mount
Quick release
tyre clearance for 700x35 - 700x42 or 650bx48
doubles or 1x
cable or hydro discs
Drop bar

What is not Early Gravel Bike

flat mount
through axel
tapered headtubes
excess bosses
chunky carbon forks
excess fork bosses
bikes with modern off road clearances
"boost"
ebikes (they had not been invented yet)
2nd wave gravel/ lifestyle gravel tropes
slack steel drop bar frames
retro mtb conversions
riser/swept/trekking bars
Carbon frames

debatable early gravel bike features

muguards
racks
baggage
paul components
tubeless
mtb rims on drop bar frame
aluminium frames

Characteristics of a Early Gravel bike

pre instagram era, no fancy wank or 2nd wave gravel features such as bougie tyres and cotton bar tape

cnc isn't banned but it's definitely not bold ano and more functional

no tiny stems, this is very much 2nd wave gravel

lots of European tyres, road adjacent parts, zipp, deda etc maybe with logos removed

it's not a cross bike, while many were adapted from cross bikes these models are distinct

racks were present but uncommon, this bike may be used for commuting but its still built for day rides

you may be tempted to post rim brakes, please do not, they're not early gravel bikes but cross bikes or retro mods

examples of Early Gravel Bike frames

genesis CDF
brother Kepler
raleigh maverick
on one kaffenback
surly straggler
all city space horse
soma double cross
soma wolverine
fairlight faran
pinnacle arkose
ritchey swiss cross (cross bike with trad gravel clearance)

here we managed to find some pictures of these rare creatures, some of which have sadly been hunted for parts since, or traded in for 2nd wave gravel bikes

a loss I'm sure we can all agree, which makes our preservation efforts all more important

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Signed.

Hold on, there’s no petition?

Too easy

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you may be tempted to post rim brakes, please do not, they're not early gravel bikes but cross bikes or retro mods

But but but

[Redacted] tyres were too big

No

Aluminium is allowed

@Maj this thread is gran fondo bikes with extra clearance, you are on 2nd warning for shitposting

unfortunately we just do not have the funding or scope to protect rim brake bikes, if anyone else is aware of an organisation which could help raise awareness for this cause, please post it up to help such a fine bike.

For now EGBF is solely focused on the preservation of bikes outlined in post one.

These might fit here :D


(both mine)

the first one yes, can you let our registration team know where you spotted it and we will get it logged and tracked. a very impressive spot, with the HPlussons too, very much of its era.

second one is a FBNPNA unfortunately, due to our grants and funding being ring fenced we cannot spare resources to monitor this example, please forgive us.

Is this thread a fucking wind up?

good thread. list for the EGBF di cut sticker sets starts here 👇🏻

1. cozey
   

can I get an adjudication: are any arkoses EGBF-compliant (disregarding frame material please ofc)

rediscovering old bridal ways

Is this an allusion to the other meaning of 'village bike'?

did this bike ever see gravel?

It says: I am two bidons you could probably use.

i think once when I rode it through Beckenham

Where does the EGBF stand on dynamo lighting?

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Qualifies?

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Feels like my Croix de Fer qualifies.

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My Swiss Cross also in a sense that the frame design is like 25 years old & pretty unchanged - pre-gravel?

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some really fine conservation work in here, friends, truly really appreciate it.

just last year alone we saw a 34% drop in alexrims and a 12% drop in OEM finishing kit, all while simworks, stans, and nitto saw an uptick of 40%. If these trends continue we could see the elimination of EGB's within the next product cycle.

Little things such a eschewing cotton tape for tacky rubber, keeping your standard road chainset, or even something as small as putting an alpkit tail bag on can really show support for this important conservation issue

Your hard work is truly appreciated, and we can preserve this truly unique and loved bike as part of the country side.