Gravel Bike

Trips, adventures, bikes, equipment, etc.
pete75
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by pete75 »

Anquetil and Nencini on the Gavia - Giro 1960. Amazing they managed that without gravel bikes....

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'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
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RickH
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by RickH »

pete75 wrote:Anquetil and Nencini on the Gavia - Giro 1960. Amazing they managed that without gravel bikes....

Image

GCN did a video comparing the speed of a road bike, a cyclocross bike & a mountainbike over a section of Paris Roubaix cobbles. The mountainbike was quickest for a given power output but they did point out that all the cobble sections of that race only constituted a small percentage of the total distance raced.

I used to take my road bike off road regularly on 25/28mm tyres. I even used to sometimes go off road with its predecessor on 23mm tyres (a Vitus 979 with not enough clearance for bigger tyres & bodged on mudguards, barely clearance for 23s). My current bike with 40mm tyres is a whole different world in terms of comfort & traction without being appreciably slower on the road shod with 40mm Voyager Hypers.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
pete75
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by pete75 »

RickH wrote:GCN did a video comparing the speed of a road bike, a cyclocross bike & a mountainbike over a section of Paris Roubaix cobbles. The mountainbike was quickest for a given power output but they did point out that all the cobble sections of that race only constituted a small percentage of the total distance raced.

I used to take my road bike off road regularly on 25/28mm tyres. I even used to sometimes go off road with its predecessor on 23mm tyres (a Vitus 979 with not enough clearance for bigger tyres & bodged on mudguards, barely clearance for 23s). My current bike with 40mm tyres is a whole different world in terms of comfort & traction without being appreciably slower on the road shod with 40mm Voyager Hypers.


On the Arenberg trench, which is very uneven stone setts rather than cobbles, my son left everyone else behind riding a Moulton APB on quite narrow tyres. Forget the size now because it was nearly four years ago and we upgraded to a TSR soon after - that trip proved the Moulton concept to us.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by Bmblbzzz »

If by "roughstuff bike" you're thinking of what the RSF classically used to use back in the days of yore, then yes, it seems like a good comparison. But both terms are suitably wide to encompass all sorts of intentions, designs and uses.
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by Bmblbzzz »

pete75 wrote:Anquetil and Nencini on the Gavia - Giro 1960. Amazing they managed that without gravel bikes....

Image

Great photo! And it is a gravel road (I expect it's smooth tarmac now*). But we should beware of falling into the "someone extraordinary did this so you can too" trap.

*Yep. Image
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by Bmblbzzz »

I've just noticed this section is called "Off-road cycling". That might be what roughstuff bikes were about (or might not) but it's not what gravel bikes are about; as the name suggests, they're about unpaved roads. Rough, muddy, stony, etc, but roads. (So in that case they're not the same thing; though in practice we come back to usage - bikes and words - and the gradation of distinction between road and track.
Bonzo Banana
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by Bonzo Banana »

Halford's have a bike branded the Carrera Subway and they sell it as a hybrid but apart from the rigid forks every single component is the same as a mountain bike and in the past mountain bikes with solid/rigid forks were just called rigid mountain bikes or even just mountain bikes (90s) with mountain bikes with front suspension called 'suspension mountain bikes'. I think its really down to the retailer what they feel makes the bike most appealing as there is some overlap of the definitions. I must admit I struggle to remember the difference between a gravel bike and a cyclocross bike I remember its something to do with the bottom bracket height and a slight difference in geometry but I can't remember which bike has which difference.
pete75
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by pete75 »

Bmblbzzz wrote:Great photo! And it is a gravel road (I expect it's smooth tarmac now*). But we should beware of falling into the "someone extraordinary did this so you can too" trap.


Well when I was a kid we used to go all over the place often on stuff a lot worse than that on 5 speed "racers". 27 x 1 1/4 tyres. Nowadays often go on worse than that with a normal touring bike, 32 or 35mm tyres. Nobody thought anything of it when I was young and I still do the same things with similar bikes.

This is what RSF riders did with normal touring bikes well before gravel and mountain bikes were invented.


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'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Before the term "gravel bike" was invented! And then expanded to include a range from near cyclocross to heavy tourer...

Comparing those RSF photos with the TdF one above, there's a huge difference in terrain.
pete75
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by pete75 »

Bmblbzzz wrote:Before the term "gravel bike" was invented! And then expanded to include a range from near cyclocross to heavy tourer...

Comparing those RSF photos with the TdF one above, there's a huge difference in terrain.


Yes there's a difference between rough stuff touring and top level road racing. Before gravel bikes per se were invented.My point is you don't need them to go on the sort of unmade roads cycle tourists might use. An ordinary touring bike is quite sufficient. A European style trekking bike will also serve the same purpose. My son has a VSF TX400 Rohloff. I'd back that against most gravel bikes on the rough stuff.

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'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
PH
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by PH »

pete75 wrote:My point is you don't need them to go on the sort of unmade roads cycle tourists might use. An ordinary touring bike is quite sufficient.

Has anyone ever said otherwise? Well apart from the marketers, but that's their job.
I know several people who would have looked right at home in the photos you've posted, they're now mostly riding modern bikes, they would have been then if there'd been the choice.
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by Bmblbzzz »

I'd agree - at least I'd say and I think some people would agree - that most bikes can do most things. Some are better at some things, some better at others, but - at least outside of top-level competition - most can cope with most things. My point was that "gravel" bikes largely are roughstuffy tourery bikes with a marketing spin and more modern technology. Not that it really matters.
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by Bmblbzzz »

pete75 wrote:Image

I really like this photo and I think there are some interesting points in it:
The rider appears to be wearing Tudor longs! :D (I think they're not actually but look similar)
He's using the now trendy again porteur style front rack with large front bag. He could be a Jan Heine follower today (fork appears to have largeish offset so probably low trail too)
Gumwall tyres and colour-matched luggage are also in fashion again, but purely aesthetic.
pete75
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Re: Gravel Bike

Post by pete75 »

Bmblbzzz wrote:
pete75 wrote:Image

I really like this photo and I think there are some interesting points in it:
The rider appears to be wearing Tudor longs! :D (I think they're not actually but look similar)
He's using the now trendy again porteur style front rack with large front bag. He could be a Jan Heine follower today (fork appears to have largeish offset so probably low trail too)
Gumwall tyres and colour-matched luggage are also in fashion again, but purely aesthetic.


My guess is that rider didn't give a damn about following trends and fashions. His luggage is matching as it's likely they only did it in that colour and 27*1 1/4" tyres almost all had brown walls. My luggage is matching - Carradice Super C only comes in black.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
pete75
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Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 2:37pm

Re: Gravel Bike

Post by pete75 »

PH wrote:
pete75 wrote:My point is you don't need them to go on the sort of unmade roads cycle tourists might use. An ordinary touring bike is quite sufficient.

Has anyone ever said otherwise? Well apart from the marketers, but that's their job.
I know several people who would have looked right at home in the photos you've posted, they're now mostly riding modern bikes, they would have been then if there'd been the choice.

I thought most touring cyclists tend to buy a frame and build a bike up using the components they want. That's what I've almost always done. About the only modern things on my Surly LHT framed bike are an A head headset and V brakes although they've been out 20 or more years. Bar end gear levers old fashioned, Stronglight triple old fashioned, Brooks saddle old fashioned, steel racks old fashioned, tubed tyres old fashioned , 8 speed hub old fashioned, front dynohub old fashioned, Cotton duck panniers and saddle bag old fashioned, frame pump old fashioned. What's your opinion on what I should do to turn it into a "modern bike" and how would it be an improvement? I'm interested to know what I'm missing out on.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
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