[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Stat Brother]

I've gone full circle in 24hrs....

Do I really need an MTB?

Surely a cyclocross / gravel-adventure bike is what I need?

I can do a quick blast around the Downs, and use a variety of trails and gravel paths etc. plus I'd have a winter training bike with interchangeable parts with the road bike...

Hmmmmmm.....thinking cap Bold!!

The obvious question is where and when are you going to ride?

Having ridden through last year, winter road riding is pretty good, what with us being in Sussex.
But for this winter I want a bike that was built more for the conditions, firstly that means a frame able to take wider tyres.
Unsurprisingly 23mm slicks just didn't cut it last year.
The gravel/adventure bikes also have a longer wheel base to give them a lower centre of gravity.
Along with disc brakes, of which hydraulic is supposed to be preferable to mechanical.

This advert kicked it all off for me:-



Gravel bikes are a 'scene' in the US, and are now the latest 'must haves' over here.
Obviously the Cannondale Slate is a leftie, which must be uber hipster points

Then I kind of went through this lot:-

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/genesis-datum-adventure-road-bikes-first-look-44675/

http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/167513-buyer-s-guide-gravel-and-adventure-bikes-plus-12-best
I'm liking the Felt V85.
But the Jamis Renegade comes very highly recommended.

There's also this thread:-
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=13037239

I've been looking at cyclocross bikes too, mainly because Ian Field rides for http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/ who have a good shop in Chichester.

I've moved away from thinking I want a cyclocross as by and large the decent ones have smaller than compact gears which will be useless to me, and probably you too, plus they aren't designed for x hours of tarmac riding.

There is an event at Ardingly on 01.11.
http://www.londonxleague.co.uk/2015/07/round-7-sun-1st-nov-2/

I've been to one in Stanmer Park and an international event in Southampton, which was a very good day out.

All of this was rather bought to a grinding halt when [MENTION=12656]Pantani[/MENTION] correctly pointed out I should just been looking at a bombproof steel bike a la http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/ as they are designed for all seasons and will live longer than me.


Ok so having taken all that into consideration plus the fact I'd like to finally buy a bike from my LBS which limits me to Cube, Focus and Cannondale I'm probably going to plump for this, which is a bit of a cop out:-

http://www.cube.eu/en/products/road-race/attain/cube-attain-sl-disc-blackngreen-2016/
I think I can just about cope with the green (just)

It's a road bike, with disc brakes and can take 28mm tyres plus it has mudguard eyelets.
The only problem is it's not likely to arrive in the UK for a couple of months and I'll have £1000 cycletowork cheque landing on my doormat hopefully this week.
Patience isn't a strong point of mine.


Ok my eyes are now bleeding, as I'm sure yours are too so I'm done and am off to bed with a podcast!
.

 

[Pantani]

Not quite though. I'd have been well chuffed with my raceblades had they lined up properly. Because of the shape of forks etc, one end of the guard was rubbing the wheel while the other was about 3cm away from it. Lots of annoying bending of wires required.

Yep, race blades require the patience of a saint to get set up well. Especially as the packaging invariable means they have been bashed around in the back of a delivery truck. You get them just right, then you lean your bike against something...

And they are totally ****ed again. I've found a bit of rusting and road dirt makes them better though, the brackets do not slide along the stays so easy then.

It is worth checking that the plastic of the mud guard has not become twisted/warped. It does happen reasonably often, then you will never get them to sit right and stay there.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The obvious question is where and when are you going to ride?

Gravel bikes are a 'scene' in the US, and are now the latest 'must haves' over here. Obviously the Cannondale Slate is a leftie, which must be uber hipster points

I've moved away from thinking I want a cyclocross as by and large the decent ones have smaller than compact gears which will be useless to me, and probably you too, plus they aren't designed for x hours of tarmac riding.

Ok my eyes are now bleeding, as I'm sure yours are too so I'm done and am off to bed with a podcast!

The obvious question is also the hardest to answer. Given I don't currently have an off road bike - I don't actually know where it would take me!! As you may remember, I have been over the SDW on my road bike, so am confident a decent 'gravel' bike would probably go a lot of where I want to go. The question then is, as [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION] points out, will I want to go a lot further?

I'm close to your thinking, one of these gravel bikes, built for a comfortable ride, could easily knock out some tarmac miles as well as tackle single track, bridleways and footpaths maybe a sensible purchase. If I don't find I'm getting out off the tarmac much, then I still have a very competent winter / touring bike. If I'm loving the off road and want to extend that, then an MTB is next on the list.

Thanks for the links, very useful, I had seen that RoadCC article and it is compelling. Does your LBS do a 2 for 1 offer?

 

[Stat Brother]

The obvious question is also the hardest to answer. Given I don't currently have an off road bike - I don't actually know where it would take me!! As you may remember, I have been over the SDW on my road bike, so am confident a decent 'gravel' bike would probably go a lot of where I want to go. The question then is, as [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION] points out, will I want to go a lot further?

I'm close to your thinking, one of these gravel bikes, built for a comfortable ride, could easily knock out some tarmac miles as well as tackle single track, bridleways and footpaths maybe a sensible purchase. If I don't find I'm getting out off the tarmac much, then I still have a very competent winter / touring bike. If I'm loving the off road and want to extend that, then an MTB is next on the list.

Thanks for the links, very useful, I had seen that RoadCC article and it is compelling. Does your LBS do a 2 for 1 offer?

In the cold light of day it does feel very 'emperors new clothes', esp when compared to something like this:-
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/sale/road-bikes/genesis-croix-de-fer-ltd-2015-road-bike.html
but I can't lie I have found the reports and reviews incredibly appealing.

I can't ever see myself waist deep in mud, but having a road bike that'll take tyres for well walked tracks around Arundel etc can't be a bad thing, even though that'll be once in a blue moon.
The thought of putting my bike in the car to go off for a ride, leaves me cold!

If Cube let me down and I have to start my search over again, that Genesis will be top of the list.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I can't ever see myself waist deep in mud, but having a road bike that'll take tyres for well walked tracks around Arundel etc can't be a bad thing, even though that'll be once in a blue moon.
The thought of putting my bike in the car to go off for a ride, leaves me cold!.

Likewise. I'm onto gravel paths 2 mins from my house to get into the Downs. I can see myself having an hours lunchtime blast round the trails up to the Dyke, but I've walked these and even when wet, would imagine them fine without the need for suspension etc. The Genesis does look nice, especially given Han Solo likes them...

 

[Stat Brother]

Likewise. I'm onto gravel paths 2 mins from my house to get into the Downs. I can see myself having an hours lunchtime blast round the trails up to the Dyke, but I've walked these and even when wet, would imagine them fine without the need for suspension etc. The Genesis does look nice, especially given Han Solo likes them...

If you happen to be over this way, the Hargroves in Chi is a very good shop, esp for browsing.
It's quite new has a load of room (unlike their previous shop) and plenty of everything.

 

[Stat Brother]

Are you forever losing your bike [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION]



http://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/...da798740c72b0e5d1f&utm_source=affiliatewindow

 

[Stat Brother]

For anyone interested, basically [MENTION=3858]Motogull[/MENTION], the lights I ordered from The Hun on Friday morning, arrived this morning.

First impressions in a not quite pitch black back garden is that they are amazingly good.

I'll be using them for riding on Thursday, but in the meantime it lit my whole garden really well.
The arc spreading outwards will easily cover 3/4ers of the road if riding down the middle.
I anticipate them picking out half the road and a good few feet of verge.

They semi circle the light and although it's strongest directly in front even the furthest edges are probably brighter than any 'standard' light.
It lit the 7th chimney stack down the road, with is the other side of an intersecting close.

Just to pee me off as I'm writing this an advert for Rose bikes has popped up with the light a tenner cheaper.
http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/...riteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=criteo2

Unless something disastrous happens on the road I think that'll prove to be a fantastic price.

 

[Bold Seagull]

If you happen to be over this way, the Hargroves in Chi is a very good shop, esp for browsing.
It's quite new has a load of room (unlike their previous shop) and plenty of everything.

Just parked mine next to a Genesis Croix de Fer tonight up at the school. Lovely looking bike. Hard 35C tyres on, looked like it would take a 38 at least too. Just a solid looking, simple designed piece of kit. I seriously liked the look of it.

What I might do is get some 35C tyres, stick them on the Holdsworth (which has reasonable brake caliber clearance) and hit the Downs to see how it feels. It won't tell me a huge amount given no disc brakes, down tube friction shifting, but might tell me enough that a X / adventure bike is going to be all that I need, rather than fun time suspension...

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Any of you cyclistes know what ride/event I would have seen going up Preston Drove this morning about 8.15. Must have been about 50 or 60 riders in total, all in red'n'white'green kit with what looked like 'M1' printed on their shoulders. Had a couple of official looking cars and vans following them with spare bikes, blokes with clipboards etc.

 

[Stat Brother]

Any of you cyclistes know what ride/event I would have seen going up Preston Drove this morning about 8.15. Must have been about 50 or 60 riders in total, all in red'n'white'green kit with what looked like 'M1' printed on their shoulders. Had a couple of official looking cars and vans following them with spare bikes, blokes with clipboards etc.

You're not going to believe this but they crossed my path yesterday, just north of Chichester.

It's this http://www.thepca.co.uk/big-bike-ride-2.html, The Professional Cricketers Benevolent Fund.

Some bloke trashed his brand new Specialized Tarmac SL4 on day 3.
I appreciate that means nothing to you, but all the geeks are now wincing.

 

[Stat Brother]

Just parked mine next to a Genesis Croix de Fer tonight up at the school. Lovely looking bike. Hard 35C tyres on, looked like it would take a 38 at least too. Just a solid looking, simple designed piece of kit. I seriously liked the look of it.

What I might do is get some 35C tyres, stick them on the Holdsworth (which has reasonable brake caliber clearance) and hit the Downs to see how it feels. It won't tell me a huge amount given no disc brakes, down tube friction shifting, but might tell me enough that a X / adventure bike is going to be all that I need, rather than fun time suspension...

Colin picked up the top of the range Croix from Evans' warehouse sale a couple of weeks ago.
It had something like £900 off
He's pretty pleased with it, although he says it's noticeably heavier than all his other bikes inc his very first, a Boardman Road.

 

[Motogull]

If I had lights like that SB, I'd become a nocturnal rider.

Too much hype about these 'gravel' bikes. Over in Murca, especialy California, fine as they have amazing terrain. But over here, there ain't that much suitable trackage is there?

 

[Bold Seagull]

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

You're not going to believe this but they crossed my path yesterday, just north of Chichester.

It's this http://www.thepca.co.uk/big-bike-ride-2.html, The Professional Cricketers Benevolent Fund.

That's the fellas - great spot!

 

[Stat Brother]

That's the fellas - great spot!

I could hardly miss them.
They were strewn all over the place leaving The White Horse Chilgrove as I was charging down a graveled 'secret' road that links with the main road across the pubs entrance.
It was almost a memorial ride!!!

 

[Jeep]

I think I put gravel bikes in the same bracket as hybrids. They're OK, but I would almost always wish I was on a proper road bike or mtb.

When we played away at Halifax in the late 90s I saw a secondhand Puch racer in Shays Cycles for £39. It's done the gentle off road trails of the Cairngorms and even a few in the West Highlands. It's 27 x 1 1/4 wheels are happy enough to trundle along shod with £8 Michelin tyres. However, it is far too flexible for tight singletrack, and generally tree roots are beyond it. Nowadays it's a pub bike.

 

[Stat Brother]

I think I put gravel bikes in the same bracket as hybrids. They're OK, but I would almost always wish I was on a proper road bike or mtb.

When we played away at Halifax in the late 90s I saw a secondhand Puch racer in Shays Cycles for £39. It's done the gentle off road trails of the Cairngorms and even a few in the West Highlands. It's 27 x 1 1/4 wheels are happy enough to trundle along shod with £8 Michelin tyres. However, it is far too flexible for tight singletrack, and generally tree roots are beyond it. Nowadays it's a pub bike.

At least 2 sections of my Monday ride was on good quality single track farm roads, probably nearly 10 miles in total.
I rode them fine, but with absolutely no confidence.
Sure the crunching noise of a high speed gravel bend sharpens up my senses, but I could do without pooping myself every time it happens.
These roads are only going to get worse over the next 6 months but the other option is follow the cars.

Had I been looking for a winter bike last year I don't think gravel/adventure bikes were even on the agenda.
I'd have bought a Genesis and been happy a larry.
As it is I'm still not fully committing to a specific gravel bike (unless Quest get a Felt V85 in stock) but I do think, because I've been suckered in by the reviews, there's a place in the market on our roads over winter for these kinds of bikes.

 

[Pantani]

Just parked mine next to a Genesis Croix de Fer tonight up at the school. Lovely looking bike. Hard 35C tyres on, looked like it would take a 38 at least too. Just a solid looking, simple designed piece of kit. I seriously liked the look of it.

What I might do is get some 35C tyres, stick them on the Holdsworth (which has reasonable brake caliber clearance) and hit the Downs to see how it feels. It won't tell me a huge amount given no disc brakes, down tube friction shifting, but might tell me enough that a X / adventure bike is going to be all that I need, rather than fun time suspension...

I've been mulling over getting a Croix de Fer for many years now. Love them, they are really nice bikes to ride too.

 

[Pantani]

Colin picked up the top of the range Croix from Evans' warehouse sale a couple of weeks ago.
It had something like £900 off
He's pretty pleased with it, although he says it's noticeably heavier than all his other bikes inc his very first, a Boardman Road.

It is gonna be though isn't it. It can take panniers front and rear, and is made of steel. Even the Boardman will be aluminium. The Croix de Fer will last you a life time though, the Boardman, not so much.