Do you still ride your MTB after you got a gravel bike?
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Since I got my Specialized Crux I've only ridden my MTB one time in the last year.
I can ride the same trails on my Crux. I'm forced to go a lot slower over rocky sections and don't bomb down hills but overall I find riding the Crux more fun, more of a challenge, and satisfying.
The Crux also allows me to link up roads, gravel roads, and trails into a single ride from my front door. With the MTB I never want to ride it on the street which means loading it in the car and driving to trails.
I can ride the same trails on my Crux. I'm forced to go a lot slower over rocky sections and don't bomb down hills but overall I find riding the Crux more fun, more of a challenge, and satisfying.
The Crux also allows me to link up roads, gravel roads, and trails into a single ride from my front door. With the MTB I never want to ride it on the street which means loading it in the car and driving to trails.
I suppose it means that you are neither a hardcore MTB rider nor you go on the hardcore trails.....
I have 2 MTBs (hardtail/ fully) but I am a road biker and I know that if I get a gravel bike I will not use much my MTBs for the two reasons above....
I have 2 MTBs (hardtail/ fully) but I am a road biker and I know that if I get a gravel bike I will not use much my MTBs for the two reasons above....
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It all depends on your trails, my FS MTB, gravel bike, and road bike all see time on very different terrains/trail. I’ve ridden my gravel bike in monster cross mode on the MTB trails but the FS MTB is just more fun when riding more than an hour.
Firefly Ti Road Disc
Firefly Ti Gravel Disc
Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Disc
Santa Cruz Blur 2019
Gaulzetti Cabron Disc (Retired to the Kickr after an accident)
Firefly Ti Gravel Disc
Rock Lobster Team Tig SL Disc
Santa Cruz Blur 2019
Gaulzetti Cabron Disc (Retired to the Kickr after an accident)
Maybe it's a function of where you live.
For me. I can ride mtb trail from my door. I can ride quite roads from my door. I have a gravel/cyclocross bike but it's barely getting ridden except for racing. It's slow on the roads compared to my roadie. It's less capable on the trail than my mtb. For me it's quite a niche ride that would take in terrain/roads that would be best for the gravel bike. The biggest determinant is probably the people I'm riding with and what they're going to ride that day!
For me. I can ride mtb trail from my door. I can ride quite roads from my door. I have a gravel/cyclocross bike but it's barely getting ridden except for racing. It's slow on the roads compared to my roadie. It's less capable on the trail than my mtb. For me it's quite a niche ride that would take in terrain/roads that would be best for the gravel bike. The biggest determinant is probably the people I'm riding with and what they're going to ride that day!
That describes it right now. The trails around here just aren't hardcore and I don't seek them out. I've just been enjoying the challenge of riding the Crux a little bit more.
I have a Specialized Camber 29er. It feels like it can roll over anything so doesn't offer the same challenge.
I would think the answer really depends on your cycling background. I have a disc brake road bike, mtb, and CX bike and the trails in my area are moderate enough that I have ridden them on both mtb and cx bike with no issues. Despite being a life long competitive (ish) roadie, but as it was soon time to end my competitive aspirations, I concentrated solely on cyclocross from 2009-2014. So when a roadie friend started spending the majority of his time exploring gravel roads earlier this year, he opted for his open mold dual suspension mtb with the suspension locked out, where as the wife and I opted for our cx bikes.
- Michael
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"
Where do you live? I'm looking for a location like that.grover wrote:Maybe it's a function of where you live.
For me. I can ride mtb trail from my door. I can ride quite roads from my door. I have a gravel/cyclocross bike but it's barely getting ridden except for racing. It's slow on the roads compared to my roadie. It's less capable on the trail than my mtb. For me it's quite a niche ride that would take in terrain/roads that would be best for the gravel bike. The biggest determinant is probably the people I'm riding with and what they're going to ride that day!
Nope. Roads in the Dandenongs are rarely quiet now. Too many bogans and tourists trying to kill you.
North East is the place. 10-15km from the CBD. It's not perfect. Longest climb is only 10minutes unless you go all the way to Kinglake. But within 10 minutes I can ride for hours and barely see a car with lots of 2-5 minute steep climbs. Similarly your mtb rides have to be longish to get decent climbing. But I'm on singletrack in a few minutes from my door.
There's also heaps of gravel roads though. So if your preference was for that it'd actually be an ideal place to just ride gravel loops. It's just that at the moment I'm prefering mtb or road when solo. I find myself only doing gravel loops in a group ride.
Yeah they are getting busier and busier. I'm looking at tree-change from Bayside and better riding is definitely on the list of must-haves. Only road riding though. Was considering Belgrave area, havn't really looked around Eltham/Warrandyte kind of area because it's quite a bit more expensive.
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Still in the honeymoon phase with my new 3T Exploro, but in the first month it’s been 3:1 gravel:mtb. 650b 47mm tires let me go just about anywhere, from the house.AJS914 wrote:Since I got my Specialized Crux I've only ridden my MTB one time in the last year.
I can ride the same trails on my Crux. I'm forced to go a lot slower over rocky sections and don't bomb down hills but overall I find riding the Crux more fun, more of a challenge, and satisfying.
The Crux also allows me to link up roads, gravel roads, and trails into a single ride from my front door. With the MTB I never want to ride it on the street which means loading it in the car and driving to trails.