Do you still ride your MTB after you got a gravel bike?
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Mostly this ^^^^grover wrote: ↑Sun May 27, 2018 2:50 amMaybe 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!
I've ridden the CX bike round some of my local trail loops, i can get there 30 seconds sooner (it's only 5km) but i have to take a different route to normal (more gravel roads, less rocks). If i took a CX bike on my normal route it would involve walking much of the first 1.5 km and several dismounts in the last km........ some of it has even resulted in a fall on the mtb.
Some of the actual trail loops are doable, but anything fun will involve getting off, or sliding down a rock face on your knees/elbows/face. Especially if we've had any rain.
I just use the CX for CX racing and the odd gravel hack. Or towing the kids in the trailer.
On the plus side, the trend for bigger tyre clearance on road bikes means my next one might be a lot more capable on the hardpacked gravel roads and lanes round here. So the CX will get even less use.
Oh, the roads round here are desolate. On a 50km evening ride i might only see between a dozen and twenty cars moving outside of the towns i pass through. I have done rides where it's even less than that. So no real need to ride a gravel bike, except a good number of the roads are just hardpack!
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Since getting the gravelbike, the Full Suss Spark hasn't had a ride this year, trails are absolute filth right now, and with fenders theres no real winter maintenance, no suspension pivots full of trail slop, drive chain stays pristine, some of the more mundane trails are feeling alive on the gravel, and the increased speed is also great. I'll probably get on the full sus again once Spring and dry trails arrive!
A gravel bike is faster on gravel roads. A MTB is faster on trails. A gravel bike works better for rides that may be half on the road, half on gravel roads.
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That mostly depends on the MTB. A xc bike with a low position can be ridden as quickly as a gravel bike. I used to have a bike like that I used to take it on fast club runs and keep up.
Many MTBs are set up with a non aero rider position. Fix that and they get a lot quicker.
Many MTBs are set up with a non aero rider position. Fix that and they get a lot quicker.
Ive only jsut finished building my gravel bike a week and a half ago...so far the amount of snow is what determins if i ride the mtb (ice spiker pro tyres=epic grip) og the gravel (marathon winter plus=less epic grip). but in spring i think im going to be doing big kms on the gravel bike for sure!
Then it becomes both a bad gravel bike and a bad mtb.bm0p700f wrote: ↑Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:35 pmThat mostly depends on the MTB. A xc bike with a low position can be ridden as quickly as a gravel bike. I used to have a bike like that I used to take it on fast club runs and keep up.
Many MTBs are set up with a non aero rider position. Fix that and they get a lot quicker.
Can you MTB on gravel bike? Sure, as long as you stay within the limitations of tires and geometry, so it really depends on what your mountain biking consists of.
It depends on the individual.
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I sold my roadbike after buying a gravel bike.
I still ride my MTB all spring, summer and fall on trails you wouldn't want to take a gravel bike on.
I still ride my MTB all spring, summer and fall on trails you wouldn't want to take a gravel bike on.
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I think I would consider selling my road bike rather than MTB. The position, the tires, the gearing ratios and the lack of suspension are why I can't ride XCO with any gravel bike (or actually I could, but that would be painful and slow).