Your Dream Wet Weather/CX/Gravel/Commuter Bike

The spirit of Grav-lo-cross. No but seriously, cyclocross and gravel go here!

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Conza
Posts: 244
Joined: Sat Oct 07, 2017 3:28 am
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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by Conza

Hi all,

Looking for some advice and recommendations.

I have my dream road bike—18' BMC Team Machine SLR01 One Disc, but I am now thinking about a more general purpose bike. An all-rounder of sorts.

Breakdown:
  • Want something I am ok with being thrown around, getting supremely dirty, riding in the wet, gravel, mud etc.
  • If it could keep up with others on a slow shop ride that would be even better
  • Don't want to have a high end premium mentality (but want it to last; thinking Shimano 105 at least?). Aim is to not be entirely paranoid leaving it locked up at the shops/pub/work bike cage.
  • Don't care about weight per se.
  • Frame: aluminium, titanium?
  • Discs.
  • Fenders/Asssaver.
  • I don't do CX yet, but looks a whole lot of fun.
  • Very flat in Melbourne (mostly).

Use:
  • Raining, or big chance of rain
  • Trails
  • Commuting to work
  • Ride around town, shops, to the pub
  • Maybe CX

Recommendations/suggestions:
I am sure there are others out there who have had similar plans. Really not sure what path to go down.

(1) Single speed
(2) CX
(3) Gravel Grinder
(4) Adventure

Feel free to shoot me some links, post your bike, or the one you are thinking about etc. Any help greatly appreciated. :beerchug:
It's all about the adventure :o .

by Weenie


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NickJHP
Posts: 462
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 2:22 am
Location: Canberra, Australia

by NickJHP

I put together one based on a Kinesis Tripster ATR v2 Ti frame. The frame is rated for 700c tyres up to 40mm with guards or 45mm without or 650b up to 2.1 inch. I went with 650b 48mm tyres on DT Swiss MTB wheels, as I could comfortably fit guards over them with plenty of clearance, and there are some really nice 650b balloon tyres available (I used Compass Switchback Hill tyres). It uses flat mount discs, 12mm thru axles front/rear, rack and mudguard mounts, three waterbottle cage mounts, etc.

Here it is pristine before it ever saw dirt. I've also had it out on some of the medium pace bunch rides around here - the fat tyres roll out pretty well, though the extra weight of mudguards, rack, saddlebag, etc can definitely be noticed on hills.

Image

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Image

Nick


jemima
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:36 am
Location: Perth

by jemima

My first thought was that ti and locking? it up at the shop doesn't compute.

May as well look through Curve's ti offerings, as they're in Melbourne.

For an alu option I'll suggest a Mason Bokeh frameset, or the soon to be released alu frameset from Bowman Cycles.

1x with a narrow range cassette if its fairly flat in your area.
Curve Grovel ti.

dim
Posts: 596
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2017 11:25 am
Location: Cambridge UK

by dim

if you are in Australia, look at the Curve Belgie (There were a few in last years Indian Pacific Wheel Race in Oz:

Image

If you something cheaper, look at Specialized Diverge Comp:

Image

If you can get Whyte in Australia, look at the Whyte Wessex:

Image

I've just bought a used Whyte Suffolk for commuting (alu frame with carbon fork) , but the full carbon Whyte Wessex is on my wishlist for some Audax rides
Trek Emonda SL6
Miyata One Thousand

Multebear
Posts: 1395
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 10:11 pm

by Multebear

Riding around town = you need gears
Raining, or big chance of rain = clearance for fenders
Trails = clearance for bigger tires
Commuting to work = gears
Ride around town, shops, to the pub = cheap and not too flashy -> aluminum or steel frame with inexpensive groupset and garniture
Maybe CX = clearance for bigger tires and mud -> cx bike

The Cannondale Caad X with Sora or 105 would be a excellent choice for that. Ticks all the boxes.


emotive
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2016 10:40 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

by emotive

I bought a used alloy Focus Mares with Rival, mounted some 35mm Compass slicks for smooth commuting, and on a $300 second set of wheels I put some 40mm Clement MSO's for weekend gravel riding.

It weights 9.7kg, so I see a 1km/h slower commute than the 2kg lighter road bike with 28mm tyres, but I find myself more often choosing comfort over speed when riding solo, and getting to work 1 minute later.

I've really enjoyed riding fire trails, rail trails, and the Amys Gravel Fondo route too, and can see more weekends exploring off road. Now I want a bike with 45mm tyre clearance and 7.5kg weight. There isn't anything on the market unless you build it yourself, so that's the plan, starting with a Carbonda CFR696 gravel frame.

moyboy
Posts: 492
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:19 am

by moyboy

For commuting i'd go for:

1. Disc brakes
2. Carbon belt drive
3. Internal gear hub
4. Braze ons all over!

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nickf
Posts: 1428
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:34 pm

by nickf

I need something with a air conditioner and a shower built in. I couldn't imagine commuting in 100% humidity and 95 degrees. I don't see how you guys pull it off. I can easy pedal 5 miles and be drenched in sweat.

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ultimobici
in the industry
Posts: 4460
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2004 2:45 pm
Location: Trento, Italia
Contact:

by ultimobici

Had this to play with last summer. It’s currently getting tweaked to allow mudguards to be fitted, as well as a repaint. Not keen on green! Image
Clearances are enough to allow 650B tyres up to 2” without guards or 1.75 with guards.

The plan is to have 650B for road & bridleway use, with or without guards, and 700c cross tyres for hacking about Epping Forest.

Currently it’s having mudguard fittings added as well as a respray as I’m not keen on green!


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jemima
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:36 am
Location: Perth

by jemima

emotive wrote:
Tue May 29, 2018 5:05 am
I bought a used alloy Focus Mares with Rival, mounted some 35mm Compass slicks for smooth commuting, and on a $300 second set of wheels I put some 40mm Clement MSO's for weekend gravel riding.

It weights 9.7kg, so I see a 1km/h slower commute than the 2kg lighter road bike with 28mm tyres, but I find myself more often choosing comfort over speed when riding solo, and getting to work 1 minute later.

I've really enjoyed riding fire trails, rail trails, and the Amys Gravel Fondo route too, and can see more weekends exploring off road. Now I want a bike with 45mm tyre clearance and 7.5kg weight. There isn't anything on the market unless you build it yourself, so that's the plan, starting with a Carbonda CFR696 gravel frame.


Don't forget the build list and final pics.
Curve Grovel ti.

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Conza
Posts: 244
Joined: Sat Oct 07, 2017 3:28 am
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Contact:

by Conza

Thanks all! Haven't forgotten about this. Currently prospecting.

Feel free to throw more ideas, your own builds etc, my way.

Belt drive though - thoughts? More commuter specific obviously. Long term savings? Benefits?
It's all about the adventure :o .

romanmoser
Posts: 573
Joined: Sun May 06, 2018 8:30 pm

by romanmoser

Moots Routt RSL

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



jemima
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:36 am
Location: Perth

by jemima

Conza wrote:
Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:05 pm
Thanks all! Haven't forgotten about this. Currently prospecting.

Feel free to throw more ideas, your own builds etc, my way.

Belt drive though - thoughts? More commuter specific obviously. Long term savings? Benefits?


My top options:-
1. Go visit the Curve guys.
2. Purchase a Bowman Pilgrim's Disk frameset or an alu Mason Bokeh frameset and build it up
3. Purchase a Crust Lightning Bolt v2 frameset from the .au Crust site (frames ship from Syd) and build it up.
Curve Grovel ti.

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