Thoughts on my ride today...gravel bike...

Why would you want one? Why not a hardtail mountain bike? Do you own a gravel bike? Why?

 

I own, and ride, a gravel bike for several reasons. (I also own and ride a hardtail mtb. I do not own or ride a full squish pansy machine.)

1. It's a different ride.

2. It takes a little more finesse in some spots. Other places it's just a slower road bike.

3. It's just plain fun.

4. It's heavier than sin. It has no suspension. It's - different.

Other than that, I got nuthin.

 

For me, all-road or multi-surface (Don't care the GG moniker) is where it's at. Most my longer rides involve at least 50% road and then the trails are really smooth. So no need for suspension or even grippy tires. But the 45-55mm tire size gives you enough suspension and cush so that when you do ride dirt you have some suspension built in as well as low-pressure grip. Road bars let you get aero and down in the drops, and more importantly, multiple hand positions so you're constantly moving. If you're riding smooth stuff, and mixing dirt + road, a drop bar bike is kinda' nice. The lower position sucks for singletrack IMHO, so if I'm going to be riding ST I don't choose that bike. It drops me too low/forward, so my neck gets sore. Final point is that it adds some fun to basic trails. The more suspension and larger tires you have, the tamer the trails get. So if it's already a tame trail, why not under-bike it so that it adds a bit of challenge/skill to ride it. So long/short of it is comfort, efficiency, and fun. But only if your riding/trails compliment the bike.

 

I do not own a dedicated gravel bike, but I do own two hardtails (one of which is equipped with slick tires to battle the urban landscape) and three dual suspension bikes (cumulative between my wife and me). Accordingly, I've been called a cheater and a pansy and a slow poke. It sounds like I need to buy a gravel bike [and convert it to a single-speed] ASAP so I can try to redeem myself.

 

Don't have one.

Don't have any desire to have one.

Any ride that I'd do on a gravel bike....I'd just as soon ride my SS.

Any ride that I need my SS for....I wouldn't bring the gravel bike.

My wife loves her CX bike.....she rides the damn thing like a mtn bike. Mounted up some 45c tires, it almost is.

 

Like @Runs with Scissors above, I have a heavy gravel bike... Kona Sutra. Hanging on the wall is also a Hardtail that is usually set up single speed, and a Hightower (p-bike ). I also have a road bike or two, but they haven't seen any miles in a couple years. I'd reach for the gravel bike over them any day, even with the speed and weight penalty on pavement.

I wouldn't have the Sutra as my only bike, but it's nice to take it out for longer spins. I've been running 700 x 50 tires, which are equivalent to 1.9". It'll handle the tamer trails around here like Brown, Cherry Canyon, Mount Lukens, etc... Like @Cyclotourist says above, under-biking is a fun way to mix things up. It's also a great way to mix up the fitness and spin...

 

Very valid questions. I had those same thoughts a while back so I bought a really nice used one and had some fun with it and ultimately sold it cause it just wasn’t me and I refused to spend any money upgrading it. Mine only had 700x35 tires on it and I certainly should have at least tried something wider with a bit more tread.It’s a totally different animal than a hardtail MTB. I probably should have kept it as it was something different and I now have 3 mtb's and probably a 4th coming soon.
Gravel bike is definitely faster on blacktop and relatively smooth fire road type climbs. Not as fast as a road bike on blacktop but close. Gearing is typically taller and you don’t usually have as low of climbing gears but can still climb pretty steep stuff as it's just mind over matter. They are easy to put in longer miles. They beat the crap out of you if you try to ride it like a hardtail mtb but that's actually kinda fun. My problem was descending on dirt with drop bars and near bald tires with no dropper is just reckless and scary as sh!t. Some guys are comfortable riding em in the dirt and can rail singletrack just fine but I wasn't one of those guys. Worst of all my wife always made fun of me when I rode it saying I looked like a roadie even with my baggie mtb gear on and I just couldn't take it...

 

^^^^This X1000^^^^ I had a gravel bike but put flat bars on it, never took it on dirt and used it as a "road" bike 5-6 times a month. I have no desire to ride a fully rigid bike of any sort on dirt. I haven't done that since the first Rock Shox Mag 20 came out in the early 90's.

 

I found myself doing extra credit on my road rides—taking the scenic route. When that bike needed replacement, I got a gravel bike, and I’m glad I did.

It’s always the wrong tool for whatever surface you are on. Don’t care. For some of the rides that I do, it is appropriate.

It has two missions-road rides with the wife, and fire road in the Santa Anas.

It’s better than expected on road. It is snappy climbing fire roads, and it definitely brings back memories of 1995, getting beat to death by washboard ruts.

Also more traction than I expected, but remember I had been riding 25c slicks around Peters Canyon and Black Star. So I didn’t expect much. “Under-biking” was mentioned above. I guess that’s true, this bike does add to the sense of adventure in loose corners.

it makes you appreciate how far mountain bikes have come.

I like riding from home, and feeling like I went somewhere.

it’s a bike. It’s fun. It’s an English three speed with eleven speeds.

N+1.

 

I'm going to be honest here. I'm looking for a gravel bike solely to do riverbed runs near my house. I'm too old to ride in an aero stance for long distances, and I've found that a hardtail with road slicks to be uncomfortable. It's been a hell-of-a long time since I've been to the trails and I miss it a lot. I guess my reasoning is that I can still get some workout closer to home in the concrete jungle until I can get my fitness back to tackle the hills. I miss riding and I miss y'all hooligans.

 

I see no downside here!

 

Glad to see you in solid form, Mark.

Gravel, whatever. They’re all good fun. Carry on...

 

https://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/mtn-biker-or-cyclist.9153/#post-209706

This is what it boils down to for me.

 

I was never really in the market for one, but having a buddy with a bike shop, I was able to demo the latest and greatest and get my fill of gravel bikes that way. About a year ago my wife and I were at the shop and noticed there was a new gravel bike in town. Enter the Lauf. It was love at first demo for both of us. After a second demo we were convinced we had to have gravel bikes. For us they're the ultimate tool for covering big miles, road, dirt or both. Mine replaced my road bike and weighs just over 18 lbs with pedals. My wife and I both have been MTBing for well over 20 years and agree this is our best bike purchase ever.

 

This is actually a great question...
When I started Mountain Biking in 1990, my world was cross country. All hardtail, chrome moly, no dropper, 3x8 transmission, skinny cross country 26" tires, narrow bars, bar ends, water bottle cage.

When full suspension came out, I said, "This is stupid!"
Then, I ended up riding for a company called Proflex who built full suspension race bikes.

When Camelbak came out with hydration systems, I said, "This is stupid!"
Then I got sponsored by Camelbak and wore a 50 0z. race pack and never touched a water bottle again.

When bar ends went away, I said, "This is stupid, we need bar ends!"
Then my bar ends went away and I never missed them.

When we went from 8 speed to 10 speed, I said, "This is stupid, why do we need so many gears!"
Then I got 10 speed and my range of climbing and top speed increased.

Then came the reduction to 2x10 and I thought, "This is stupid! Why would you limit your gear ratio?"
Then 1x10. Then 1x11, then 1x12...
Then Dropper Posts.
Then Wider Bars.

Maybe all of the above is not in the exact chronological order, but you get my point.
@mike said it without all my fluff.

I have pushed back on cycling technology because at the time it did not make sense to me. Or I would beat on a brand or a consumable bike product based on a narrow view or observation, for personal reasons.
I don't do that any more...

Gravel Bike? Why not?
I think our equipment of choice are more likely based on our geographical location, and our terrain options and choices.
I live in a predominantly fire road area, it would make sense for me to own a Gravel Bike. I do not own one. But I might in the future.
I own 3 bikes: A Carbon Ibis DV9 Hardtail, a Carbon Full Suspension Santa Cruz Hightower, and a Steel Road bike I never ride. I could and would easily switch out my road bike for a gravel bike if I was so motivated.
I never want to do road so a road bike is out for me. I love dirt.

Be a cyclist.
Enjoy the ride.

"Why would anyone ride an eBike? That is so stupid!"

 

ALL GREAT RESPONSES! Thanks for playing along! I have never been a road bike guy but lately, these new gravel bike things have piqued my interest lol! And I think the last sentence in Mikie's response is interesting! E-bikes seem to have a bit of a bad rap right now but who knows what the future holds. I have to admit I thought about an e-mountain bike for a minute but decided against it because I don't think I'm old enough for one Who knows...might have to add a gravel bike to the stable in the future......

 

I used to live where I could be on dirt in three minutes, and on fun singletrack trails in 10. Two years ago we moved not far away, but while I can still be on dirt in a few minutes, the fun singletrack trails are further (30-ish minutes) away. But I do have close access to horse trails and fire road. Thus the gravel bike.

I'm still riding a lot of the trails I used to, but the gravel bike makes it a different experience. And it makes long sections of pavement more bearable. Now I find myself looking for routes that provide a nice mix of road, dirt and bike path to ride it on.

I have three mountain bikes - a full-squish trail bike, a hardtail and a rigid steel singlespeed - and each makes the same ride a different experience. A bike that you just can smash into stuff can be a lot of fun; one where line choice is much more critical makes you think more and requires you to hone your skills - still fun, though. The gravel bike is just an extension of that. And while I still have a road bike, I'm a lot more likely to reach for the gravel bike. It's more fun and keeps me off busy streets, which also makes my wife happy.

 

If you do enter the market for one, be prepared for as much diversity in the gravel bike scene as there is in the mountain bike scene... A lot of it depends on where you're coming from. The roadies who want to try dirt for the first time seem to gravitate to gravel bikes that are just a hair more robust than a road bike, with road gearing, geometry and tire clearance to match. They seem to think fire roads are pushing the boundaries of safety and sanity. Those of us who came to it from dirt might be more interested in a bike that leans more mountain than road. The Sutra I have probably weighs more than my hardtail- easily 10 pounds heavier than the Lauf that @UPSed rides. Its geometry is also pretty close to the El Mariachi I used to ride everywhere just a few years ago. The Sutra is steel and heavy! But I also have no issue taking it down rocky roads and trails...

My point is to try a variety and see what you like... I threw a leg over aluminum, carbon and steel. It was like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. One was too soft, one was too hard, and one was just right... The steel was the clear winner in the "hop the curb" contest, and I went with it. No regrets, and I'll never sell that bike.

 

And... I just saw on Facebook and Strava that a gravel rider did the Luge twice yesterday... in 5:29 on some skinny ass tires!

 

At least I know you read it....

 

I was tempted to channel Herzie and take issue with that jab, but I glanced at my FS frame hanging on the wall where it's been for months and realized I'm a hardtail rider. At least this month... Keep em coming.

 

I have a full suspension and I still agree with Scissors Man... It's a P-Bike. I find it a much more meaningful experience to figure trails out on the hardtail. More smiles!

Above I said that I wouldn't have the Sutra as my only bike, but also that I'd never sell it... On the other side of that coin, if I were to sell a bike, it would be the full suspension. No question that's the one that would get kicked to the curb first.

 

My full-squish is getting zero miles on it. Nice to have, but if I had to sell something, it would have to go.

 

I would no problem, ride my gravel bike down the Luge. ‍♂️

 

You are outside the curve!

I saw one on Zen Trail in Saint George, which was a real eye opener.

 

I've ridden down the Luge twice. I won't ride anything down that again. To me, it's just not that enjoyable.

Monroe TT is much more worthy...and I've ridden the Sutra down that on 40mm tires.

 

No

Just... no.

But I freely admit, I am not a cyclist. I'm a mt biker.

 

I am impressed that you used the word piqued properly! Not peaked or peeked. Well done sir!

 

The myriad abuses of this word should concern us all.

Or not.

 

You used myriad correctly!! Websters is about to cave in and let it be OK to say "a myriad of..." Shudder It's a substitute for "many" not for "lot" .