New gravel bike for 85% road

[gSporco]

Another hat in the ring for an Aspero. Lately im riding 85% on road with my 4.5AR wheels with 32mm gravel king slicks and im just as fast as my roadie group. Then i swap to my g23 wheelset with gravel king sk 38mm for rocky single track. This bike does it all, its pretty much an R5 that' takes big tires

I do the same but on my Parlee Chebacco. AR 4.5's with Schwalbe 30mm pro ones and G23's with 38mm Hutchison override. I haven't touched my road bike in weeks and wondering if I should just unload it.

Same dual wheel set up 4.5AR with 32 GK SLick and G23 with 38 GK SK

[Arvid]

Fairlight Secan with deep sections and 28/30/32s for road riding.
Awesome or stupid?

That's the setup I'm using and it's pretty great but it looks a bit weird from the front with a skinny tire. The only other gravel bike I can compare it to is my wife's canyon grail which feels a lot more stable and less like a roadbike than the secan. (But I get envious of the carbon and di2).

Please show me a photo of your Secan with deep sections, I beg of you. Push me over the edge.

Sorry for the late reply, it seems my account can't respond to PMs, I'll get you some pictures later this week work has been a bit hectic.

[MarkoP]

Just purchased a 2019 (lightly used) 3T Exploro Team. Need to decide how to spec it but I'm leaning to GRX Di2 (or Sram Force), and a 2x system with 700 tyres.

This might be the dumbest question ever but I like to ride bikes, not work on them Does the bike have to be set up with the hanging derailleur or is it possible to put on a fixed one? The hanging derailleur is the only thing I'm not keen on.

[MattMay]

Yeh the hanging derailleur is a solution in search of a problem. You’re stuck with it unless you want to risk gluing it into the frame. I’ve toyed with the idea of using 3M Emblem adhesive which is removable.

It’s fine if you work on the bike in a stand. But on the road fixing a flat it’s a royal pain in the butt.

[tepextate]

This might be a stupid question, but if I'm looking for a gravel bike, can I pick one that fits the same as my road bike (i.e., similar stack and reach that will allow me to get into the same position)?

Debating whether or not I need to get a new fit done ahead of getting a gravel bike, or if I can use the same fit coordinates as my very recent road bike fit!

I'm sure the answer is "it depends," but I'm wondering what most folks do. For what it's worth, my intended use case is the same as OP (85% roads).

[saba]

If you're riding the same roads, there's nothing to change.

But you aren't buying a gravgrav to ride roads.

I found my fit changed slightly, bicycle geometry meant a longer toptube, shorter stem, wider handlebars, a little higher for control offroad.

[tepextate]

If you're riding the same roads, there's nothing to change.

But you aren't buying a gravgrav to ride roads.

I found my fit changed slightly, bicycle geometry meant a longer toptube, shorter stem, wider handlebars, a little higher for control offroad.

Makes sense - thank you! Is there any reason why one would need to change crank length for a gravel bike?

[bikewithnoname]

Nope

[MarkoP]

Anyone have experience with both the Colnago G3X and the Scott Addict Gravel 10? Main use would be road with some light gravel/fire roads. Nothing too sketchy.

I can get the Scott for 10,100k CDN all in and the Colnago for 8,500k CDN all in. Both come with GRX Di2 and the Colnago comes with custom carbon wheels (made in Canada) with DT 240 hubs.

Is the Scott worth the extra 1600?

I have the Addict RC as my road bike and love it and the Gravel 10 has solid online reviews. The Colnago seems to have decent reviews but very little info on it.

EDIT - purchased the Colnago.

[gwerziou]

I'm looking at a similar situation re: % road riding. If money was absolutely no object, the Pursuit All Road would be of extreme interest. Not having quite that budget, the Factor LS is the bike I'm most interested in. An LS with an Ekar drivetrain, oh yeah.

[cerro]

oh, LS with Ekar, would be a dream. I'm building an LS this spring with AXS for road and gravel, hoping it will be faster than my current Specialized Diverge

[StevieB]

Another hat in the ring for an Aspero. Lately im riding 85% on road with my 4.5AR wheels with 32mm gravel king slicks and im just as fast as my roadie group. Then i swap to my g23 wheelset with gravel king sk 38mm for rocky single track. This bike does it all, its pretty much an R5 that' takes big tires

+1, or soon will be. Just pulled the trigger on one very similar to yours for about the same usage split. Same size/color, but GRX Di2. Already looking @ roadie wheels and various bits to get it lighter, but as long as it's 7.5kg or less in road trim I'm good!

[Tifosiphil]

Another hat in the ring for an Aspero. Lately im riding 85% on road with my 4.5AR wheels with 32mm gravel king slicks and im just as fast as my roadie group. Then i swap to my g23 wheelset with gravel king sk 38mm for rocky single track. This bike does it all, its pretty much an R5 that' takes big tires

I do the same but on my Parlee Chebacco. AR 4.5's with Schwalbe 30mm pro ones and G23's with 38mm Hutchison override. I haven't touched my road bike in weeks and wondering if I should just unload it.

Same dual wheel set up 4.5AR with 32 GK SLick and G23 with 38 GK SK

Quick one for you both on the Pro One's and the GK Slick, how are you liking them as I'm looking at both options currently.

I have been swapping between Corsas in 25mm and Turbo Cotton in a 26mm as I had them lying around but purely for vanity I think my gravel bike looks rubbish with such narrow tyres, I just can't get past all the space around the arch so looking to put a 30 or 32 in there

[Brokenladder]

oh, LS with Ekar, would be a dream. I'm building an LS this spring with AXS for road and gravel, hoping it will be faster than my current Specialized Diverge

Long-time lurker, first-time poster... I'm intrigued by this thread. I presently ride an OPEN UP w/GRX. It's been great, but I do find myself yearning for something more suited to the road. The challenge is of course not wanting/maintaining a road AND a dedicated gravel bike. While I grew up road riding/racing I'm now a middle-aged guy with a full-suspension bike and a hardtail as my principle entertainment; there's only so much riding one can do.... Is the Factor LS the likely answer--in terms of something current, off-the-rack that feels mostly like a road bike but also can [truly] handle a bit wider tire? The reality is I live in a city. Most "gravel" near me takes the form of rails-to-trails/bike path routes. It's pretty tame stuff. I could just go back to a dedicated road bike, but I'm dubious of how wide a tire really fits (from manufacturer to manufacturer...). First-world problems to be sure, but i'm curious to hear others' musings on the topic....

[MarkoP]

@Brokenladder Factor LS seems like a great option as do the Scott Addict Gravel 10 and 3T Exploro.

I have similar "needs" as you in wanting a very road inspired gravel bike as a back up to my road bike - mainly for light gravel and inclement weather road riding. I settled on the Colnago G3X GRX Di2) with 35mm tires but it's still being built up my LBS so can't comment on it yet.