Road bike or Gravel bike?

Enduro

Orro wrote: »

been over the gap many a time on the road bike so i'll give it a go cheers.

defo time to explore!

East-West paper maps can't be beaten. They're hand surveyed. Accurate works of art!. Opencyclingmaps is also good.

gaffmaster

Can I ask the riders who are faster on their gravel/CX/winter bikes than their 2-3.5kg lighter road bikes, if the weather had anything to do with it?

Personally, some of my PBs are still from my old heavy road bike which I rode through storms. Getting pushed up hills by howling winds etc. Keeping the good/light bike for the best weather usually means you forgo a decent tailwind from time to time.

CramCycle

gaffmaster wrote: »

Can I ask the riders who are faster on their gravel/CX/winter bikes than their 2-3.5kg lighter road bikes, if the weather had anything to do with it?

I cycle my CX bike daily, over a 17km commute (one way) there is I would say typically a minute of a preference for the race bike on a typical day but this also could have to do with me. I was in Corkagh park yesterday and I was overtaking everyone as I turned into the wind as I kept the same RPM for a minute, my CX bike has identical gearing but wider tyres so I would probably unwittingly just mash the same gear in both at the same cadence and therefore go faster downhill but probably slower uphill. Commutes are also regulated by lights so the difference of a green instead of a red in one part of the commute could make a minute difference and the bikes are not accurately being compared.

Personally, some of my PBs are still from my old heavy road bike which I rode through storms. Getting pushed up hills by howling winds etc. Keeping the good/light bike for the best weather usually means you forgo a decent tailwind from time to time.

My best downhill times are with my CX bike, the brakes are just more comforting on technical descents in the wet, during the lockdown everything was so quiet i was certainly, stupidly, going way faster on technical descents.

Weepsie

There's a handful of roads I'd just kind of bash on through on my croix de fer that I would be having to careful on my road bike so in that sense it makes for faster speed. Also despite being heavier I've better gearing for hills so can kind of spin up on it

smacl

I find the diversity of adding some off-road makes me enjoy my cycling more. Enjoying it more makes me cycle more. Cycling more is making me fitter and lighter, which is in turn making me that bit faster.

In terms of weather, I'd tend to be more comfortable on the bike off-road in bad conditions. No traffic, the going is that bit slower and wooded routes are often less exposed. This also affords some extra cycling opportunities.

beauf

In bad weather on my MTB with slicks for commuting I find going off road isn't an option with the slicks. Really struggled on any off road rail with an incline. Just spin the back wheel. I'd consider a tyre with a little bit of a tread pattern if I was going mix it up on a regular basis.

But it's more fun of the road. Definitely.

a148pro

https://youtu.be/K2mNgOM2iRw

Among a number of (mostly junk) videos on the issue that advocate getting out there on far less than full blooded gravel bikes.

VonLuck

Instead of creating a new thread I thought it best to reply to this one. Does anyone know what the best gravel bikes currently in shops for under €1,500? Had been considering a new road bike but I'm liking the idea of this as an alternative.

CantGetNoSleep

Cube Nuroad or Giant Revolt are possibly your best options in that price range if you want to buy from a shop. Some smaller brands might have something too. Stock still not back to normal though.

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118006794#Comment_118006794

Someone else I was chatting to recommended the same two models. Know of any benefits of one over the other before I go off and do my own reserach?

Tombo2001

I looked at both when buying my bike; I think I preferred the Cube Nuroad - but the starting point has to be: what is available in the market place. There is a big shortage at present. There is no point debating the merits of a bike you cant buy.

The first thing I would say is go and sit on the two bikes if you can. Its very easy to get hung up on spec differences that are always going to be marginal at given price points.

CantGetNoSleep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118007480#Comment_118007480

I've had a Nuroad Ex. Used it for a few months while I was waiting for parts for a steel gravel bike I was building. Found it fine - quite comfortable. I've never used a Giant Revolt but have a Giant TCR as my main road bike.

My only problem with the Nuroad was the lack of tubeless ready wheels & tires. Tubeless is essential for me for gravel riding (allows much lower pressures) and it's an upgrade that would cost 3-400 euros extra so when you add that it is no longer the best spec for the price. Not sure if this is still the case on the 2022 models. Giant are a mainstream brand but tend to be one of the best in terms of value for money

VonLuck

Is the Giant Revolt tubeless ready?

I'm not too concerned on availability of bikes at the moment and can wait. I thought the bike to work scheme was 5 years but it's been changed to 4 so originally wasn't planning on buying for another year!

Tombo2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118007968#Comment_118007968

For me, I think there is a good chance you will have two sets of wheels with a gravel bike. The type of set up for muddy terrain or loose gravel is probably not what you want for paved roads.

byrnem31

I had a nuroad. It was lovely to cycle and very comfortable although a bit heavy.

I changed to an defy advanced 2 2020 and its both a gravel and a very quick endurance bike. Two sets of wheels, carbon hunt 33s with 32cc 4 seasons for the road. Then i have stock pr2s with 35cc gravel tyres for off road. So one bike with two sets of wheels is really like two bikes.

VonLuck

To be honest, I don't intend on doing much off road cycling. Primarily for commuting on roads, although some of them can be rough enough with potholes and poor repairs. The intention would be to have the flexibility with tyre sizes and similar performance to a road bike.

Peterx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/114368524#Comment_114368524

Strava heat maps, set to ride only on a laptop or PC plus the paper copy of the East West map make a great combo for finding and planning new loops. And even for finding good shortcuts between areas.

danoriordan1402

Picked up a Merida Silex 400 last year around that price range with the Shimano 2x10 GRX 400 Groupset , came with Maxxis Rambler 38mm "(Tubeless ready). Cracking bike, really enjoy getting out and about on it.

54and56

Hope people don't mind me hopping on and resurrecting this thread rather than starting a new one.

So I already have a 2020 Trek Domane which I love for all my road cycling and sportives etc. It was an upgrade from a 2014 Cube Peloton Pro and for me the changes from rim to full hydraulic disc brakes and 25mm to 32mm tyres was transformational. The Trek just eats up the road, is comfortable for all day sportives, handles really well with the 32mm tyres imparting a lot of confidence and knowing I can stop in a much quicker and controlled manner just makes everything more enjoyable.

I have a small holiday apartment in Spain which over the next few years will get more and more use as I have transitioned to a project centric role which enables me to take more time off and/or work remotely so I'm thinking of getting a bike to leave in Spain for both road and forest / trail cycling and I think a gravel bike with 2 sets of wheels (one with road tyres and one with gravel tyres) which can be swapped depending on what I'm heading out to do would be optimum as I'm more interested in lower gearing for climbing and facilitating some potential bike packing than higher gearing for flat out speed.

My budget will be up to €2,500.

Suggestions?

harringtonp

I'm in the process of making a Giant Revolt worked like that for me.

It came with a Giant wheelset with 45mm Maxis Rambler tyres and a 10-44 cassette.

Purchased a set of Scribe carbon road hoops which I'm in the process of fitting with 25mm slick tubeless tyres and a 10-30 cassette.

Once I take the scribe setup on its maiden voyage I can let you know how I get on.