Lynskey GR300 Project

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

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JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

This will be my first build project. I plan on building this throughout the year to find parts and spread the cost. I’ll post pics, actual weight and my reasoning as I go.

Please chime in with your experiences/thoughts on my planned setup/component selection.

Currently ride a 2016 Trek Emonda ALR5 on mostly rough roads/light gravel. I do train but don’t race. I appreciate the Emonda but it is a rough ride. In my new bike I am prioritizing comfort and durability as I plan on traveling with it. I also would like to be in the low 8kg and 8$k range. Getting in the 7’s would be ideal.

Reasoning:
Carbon or Titanium: I had my mind set on the Domane SL for years because of Isocouplers, carbon and dealing with Trek. I know it is heavy at 2.3kg but I prioritized comfort. I came across titanium and was drawn by the craftsmanship, raw look, no paint chips, durability and made in country. I haven’t ridden one but based on research, the 3/2.5 Ti is compliant in nature. I have ridden carbon and I loved it, but ultimately the durability and locally made pushed me towards titanium. Hopefully I am not wrong. I haven’t read anyone say they don’t like Ti. I know carbon is also durable, but I know I will be more comfortable flying with my Ti over carbon.

Lynskey GR300 vs Pro or Other: I went with the GR300 over the Pro because it is more compliant. Also, the 6/4 Ti starts as a sheet that is rolled and welded. I rather have seamless tubes. I went with Lynskey over all others based on price. The quality based on my research seems to be there. Most people who have had them speak very highly of them. In fact, I have heard them say “it is the best bike they’ve ever ridden”. Weight is similar to endurance/compliant focused carbon bikes. Same as the Domane at 2.3kg (with fork). Through the buying process, one guy at Lynskey was "hmm" but the other has been great to work with. I chose GR300 over Helix because of wider tire clearance (for future) and more endurance fit. Chose it over the Sportive because of inner cable routing.

Sram Etap AXS Rival vs Shimano Di2: I love my 105s and never thought about going to SRAM. However, the full wireless on this Ti bike makes it easier to travel with and can’t beat the price point. Coming from 105s, it is my understanding I will be happy with either electronic groupset. I want electronic because I think it will be fun and like the clean look.

M vs M/L (54 vs 56): I am 5’8.5” Exactly between most bike sizes. I put together the sketch below to get an idea compared to my experiences. I went M because it should be more nimble and I like to tuck in when I train; it is also 45g lighter! lol. Most of my riding is training. Honestly riding my brother’s 56 bike for hours I found it fine. So I think either M or M/L would have been fine. I felt M could keep my training riding position with the option of a bit more stack for exploring. Still in two minds about this. Open for feedback.

Legend: Rule is in cm.
Black: Current 54 ALR5 with 80mm x 17deg and 90mm x 7 deg stems.
Green: Domane 56cm with 100mm x 7deg stem I rode (Brother's bike)
Blue: GR300 M with different stems
Brown: GR300 M/L with different stems
Red: Actual GR300 location

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Anything in Act has been purchased or weighed.
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Volsung
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:08 pm

by Volsung

It's the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. Not super light, but the geometry is great.

I'm not using the stock fork, of which I have not heard great things.

by Weenie


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JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

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Last edited by JGolds on Wed Mar 02, 2022 3:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

Volsung wrote:
Wed Mar 02, 2022 2:24 am
It's the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. Not super light, but the geometry is great.

I'm not using the stock fork, of which I have not heard great things.
That is great to hear. What fork are you using? I did see they had an upgrade option to an Enve fork but said the tube head was a bit smaller so it wouldn't look so streamlined. I might still be able to get the upgrade. Though it was an expensive.

Volsung
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:08 pm

by Volsung

Bearclaw Ti super comfy.

JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

Volsung wrote:
Wed Mar 02, 2022 4:07 am
Bearclaw Ti super comfy.
Thanks.

Volsung
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:08 pm

by Volsung

One advantage of a M over ML (wife has a M) is a Revelate Tangle fits exactly perfectly. It's the same as my custom frame bag on my L.

JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

Today I tried the SRAM AXS RED and the Rival AXS shifters from a fit/form not operating prespective. I like the black on black of the Rival, it looks much nicer IMO than the Red however, the Red felt nicer to me and the base of the hood seemed to flow into the bar much nicer than the Rival. The Rival had a bit at the palm where it sticks out a bit. I wouldn't consider the RED because of 3x cost, but I would consider the FORCE because I understand it has the same feel as the Red. Anyone have thoughts on AXS Force vs Rival Shifters these? I do have wide hands.

Also had a Specialized fit for my saddle width and to my surprise it said I should be on a 155mm (for Specialized, ~150mm should be fine in other). I have been riding 132mm for years and having narrow hips, I never thought I'd be on a 155. It so happens looks can be deceiving. I already have a SPECIALIZED POWER SADDLE 155mm and threw it on. I do feel more pressure on my sit bones as I am suppose to. Over the years I did get used to my 132mm though I feel more stable in the 155mm.

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JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

New parts. I have pretty much purchased the full component set except the shifters. I can't find them anywhere. Also, the bike is scheduled to be shipped April 5th.

Force Chain Weight (114 Links + the Powerlink). I suspect I will cutoff a few links so it will be less then what is shown. Decided on Force over Rival because it was only $5 and you get a better plating on the inner links which should help.
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2 SRAM AXS Batteries Weight. Best price I saw was at www.landrys.com but the charger wasn't available on the site so I couldn't reach the $99 free shipping. I ended up requesting Backcountry to pricematch, which they did and gave me an extra 5% off plus free shipping. Didn't realize but Backcountry's bike department is Competitive Cycles. After I ordered them, Landrys responded to me and said they would actually sell me the charger. I did like working with Landry's Bicycles and would consider them in the future.
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SRAM Braze-on Front Derailleur Clamp: 34.9mm with ChainSpotter Stop and mounting hardware weight:
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SRAM Headset Spacer Set, UD Carbon, Gloss Black Weight. considered getting TI head spacers but liked the idea of stem and up to be all black. Also saved some money.
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JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

I ended up choosing the standard SRAM DUB BSA BOTTOM BRACKET. It was a long decision process with a lot of research. Initially I was planning on getting Kogel's ceramic bearing BB but I found that their DUB BSA did not include a protection sleeve. I asked them why, and they said: "The plastic sleeve between the cups is designed to keep water and debris that may enter the bike frame from entering the backside of the bearing...Unfortunately due to the bearing size required for Sram dub, there is not enough space to machine a lip for the plastic sleeve to snap into. This is why the sleeve is on other bbs but not the dub ones". I then asked if they take this into account in their design and I got no response. That made me think twice and ended up digging further. I put a lot of emphasis on the BB because I believe it is a key bike part. It must counteract all the power you push and any issues are really felt through your feet and legs and even ears! Here is what I found.

Bottom Bracket Sleeve or No Sleeve:
  • Some say remove the sleeve if there was a hole in the BB shell to allow water out.
  • Others said it was dead weight because bearings have protection sleeves
  • Others said the tube sleeve helps keep the bearing sleeves in place
  • Others said it protects internal wires, not a problem for me as the wires loop below the BB.
  • I decided I wanted it because from my experience, water and dirt does get in the BB shell and I believe it would eventually get into the bearings with out it.
Ceramic vs Stainless Steel Bearings:
  • The ceramic bearings hold their shape which reduces friction. For the reasons below, I decided ceramic bearings are not worth the cost increase.
    • The raceways are metal, so any indentation just transfers to the raceways.
    • Most friction is due to grease and sleeves
    • Reducing friction results in reducing durability
    • Ceramic bearings are intended for high RPMs, a cadence of 100 probably won't benefit much
High quality Stainless Steel bearings vs SRAM's Stainless Steel:
  • Not all bearings are made the same, so higher end bearings should provide better balance between durability and friction
    • It seems the difference in friction watts between a high end vs low end is about 2Watts
    • Replacing threaded bearings is very easy, so durability isn't a big issue for me
  • I did consider Hawk-Racing (~$140), Chris King (~$190) or Cane Creek (~$140)
    • I didn't think that 2W was worth an extra $100. SRAM BB was $35
    • BB should be replaced around 10k miles either way, the extra $100 would be every 2-3 years.
SRAM DUB BSA BOTTOM BRACKET with 3mm washer for 68 Road DUB Setup.
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JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

Here is an update on my plan. So far I have been able to reduce the estimated cost by $700, I think I can get another $300 from the rims, would be awesome to get in the 6k's. As for the weight, I don't think I will hit 7s kg but maybe 17s lbs. That would be cool too.

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thewoodsman
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2022 7:08 pm

by thewoodsman

I have been building up my Lynskey gravel bike for a few years. Size M (5'8", 31" inseam). I started with the frame, transferring parts over from my old bike, and upgrading as I can. Taking a different approach--durability above all, saving weight where I can--but probably spending a similar amount.

i9 wheels. cannot justify cost of carbon (marginal performance gain; do not like deep rims) and the hubs are bombproof. got a second wheelset for gravel instead. road wheels are 150ish grams heavier and several hundred $$ cheaper.

Chris King bb & headset. expensive, but lifetime warranty on the bearings, not that I have ever had to replace them on any bike I have owned. I originally did not use the sleeve because they sent the wrong part. I use the sleeve now; much cleaner in there.

Upgrading to AXS this spring as parts some into my LBS. 1x with Easton crank, so only need the levers and rear der. Went with Force for a number of reasons: better durability (based on years of using force and rival, although the gap is closing); better rear der. performance (orbit fluid damper); ability to add wired blips (wireless available now, but I do not like the feel of them); and more adjustable lever. Feel of force v. rival lever...different, but you will get used to either; would not let that make the decision. Force chain for sure, but also consider force cassette--I always go with force/x01 level for chain and cassette because it is the best miles for your dollar.

JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

thewoodsman wrote:
Thu Mar 17, 2022 6:01 pm
I have been building up my Lynskey gravel bike for a few years. Size M (5'8", 31" inseam). I started with the frame, transferring parts over from my old bike, and upgrading as I can. Taking a different approach--durability above all, saving weight where I can--but probably spending a similar amount.

i9 wheels. cannot justify cost of carbon (marginal performance gain; do not like deep rims) and the hubs are bombproof. got a second wheelset for gravel instead. road wheels are 150ish grams heavier and several hundred $$ cheaper.

Chris King bb & headset. expensive, but lifetime warranty on the bearings, not that I have ever had to replace them on any bike I have owned. I originally did not use the sleeve because they sent the wrong part. I use the sleeve now; much cleaner in there.

Upgrading to AXS this spring as parts some into my LBS. 1x with Easton crank, so only need the levers and rear der. Went with Force for a number of reasons: better durability (based on years of using force and rival, although the gap is closing); better rear der. performance (orbit fluid damper); ability to add wired blips (wireless available now, but I do not like the feel of them); and more adjustable lever. Feel of force v. rival lever...different, but you will get used to either; would not let that make the decision. Force chain for sure, but also consider force cassette--I always go with force/x01 level for chain and cassette because it is the best miles for your dollar.
Thanks for the feedback...so how do you find the Lynskey thus far, and the size? I am just a 1/2 inch taller with an inseam closer to 32".

i9 wheels do sound pretty nice, especially being made in NC. Zipp also makes them in the US, which I appreciate. I haven't ridden carbon wheels so I can't really speak from experience but from research it seems it is a big riding difference, though the question is how much of that is just people justifying the $$ they spent. Since I am upgrading my whole bike, I won't know how much improvement is due to the carbon rims...we'll see..but I am excited about the carbon rims. I have had an aluminum rim hairline crack at the spoke nut before, fortunately Bontrager honored their warranty and sent me an upgraded rim. With that experience, warranty was high on my list and most carbon rims now come with lifetime warranty and crash replacement so that helps.

The lifetime warranty on the CK BB are very appealing, I will probably look into those if/when I have to replace the SRAM BB. But for $35 I figured I couldn't go wrong and save some money upfront. As for the headset, I don't understand why upgrade it. The frame comes with Cane Creek 40, which should be decent. But the handlebars don't spin much on a road/light gravel bike. I am not saying it is not worth it, just that I don't get it. The BB I understand, it has to support all your power and continuously spin. Maybe it is one of those things you don't know until you try.

I did consider the 1x but I do like having that quick gear jump of the 2x, like when I want to stretch my legs and stand for a few seconds or during transitions between ascending/descending or during interval training. Nice thing about the AXS is I can easily which to a 1x, if I am going to do an epic gravel or exploring trip.

Interesting comment about the durability between Force and Rival. I hadn't really thought about that, if anything, I thought the new Rival might be more robust using the metal lever and not having the blip connections but I only have used Shimano so I don't really know much about SRAM. I did upgrade to the Red Crankset (mostly because I love the way it looks) and am considering the Force Shifters/Brakes because those components don't really need to be replaced. As for the derailleur, in the past I have had to replace the RD (damaged from tar pebble) and the cassette (worn out 11 tooth), and of course the chain but $5 makes sense to get the Force. So from my experience I didn't want to upgrade those parts now, I probably will as/if they need replacing. The Orbit fluid did make me thing twice though. I think the universe will make my decision about the shifters, honestly, it will probably come down to availability.

JGolds
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:02 pm

by JGolds

Got some new parts.

Silca Titanium Bottle Cage: Love these things, love the color and how they were hand made down in Indianapolis. They are very very light, so much they feel very delicate. Fortunately they come with a 25 year warranty, otherwise I would question the durability.
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Rival AXS Cassette 10/36T. Choose this because I do travel to Colombia and that 1+ ratio will come in handy. If I went Force I could have saved around 30grams. Maybe when time comes to replace it.
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Centerline XR Rotor - Centerlock 160mm. Went with these for the fanning feature. Anything to help reduce risk of noise. And I really like the way they look. These were interesting, one was 129 grams and the other 131.
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SRAM Red AXS Crankset 46/33T 170mm. Main reason I went for this is because I love the way it looks. They are also almost a pound lighter than the Rival set. I normally ride 172.5 but based on some research decided to go down a size. I prefer to ride higher cadence and at 5'8.5" the 170mm theoretically will be better. Maybe even shorter but didn't want to deviate too much. Super excited about this part along with the bottle cage holders. Going on vacation next week when I return, the bike should be ready for shipment! Now I just need to find these damn shifters.
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by Weenie


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thewoodsman
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2022 7:08 pm

by thewoodsman

Love the Lynskey. Ti in general is my preferred frame material, and this is well made, love the geometry, and Lynskey has phenomenal customer service. I have ridden a few other Ti bikes...did not notice a difference, but so many parts it is hard to tell sometimes. I came from a carbon Giant TCX with most of the same components and that I did notice, especially on rougher roads. Sizing is spot on for me, running setback post and 80 or 90 stem. A little closer reach than previous bikes because I have a wider bar. Not an agressive position; I think my saddle rails are 68cm from bb, 30mm stack.

I have not spent enough time on carbon wheels to get a solid feel for the differences, less than 300 miles road/gravel, maybe 150 miles mtb, but if I cannot feel a difference with hard riding over that distance, not hyped to spend so much for it. I do care about hub durability, and the stiffness of i9 straight pull spokes, especially the aluminum spokes, is really nice. Rarely have to true them, never feel like they are letting the surface tell them what to do.

Cane Creek is great stuff. You used to be able to upgrade the headset that comes with a Lynskey to the Cane Creek 110, but not necessary; the 40 is solid. I have used CK or CC 110/hellbender for the past 15+ years--durability first, support bike companies with great people, never have to worry about it. They are also easily serviced, which I do about once a year. I have definitely thrashed a cheap bb or three. Managed to wreck one headset, but that was a lot of beach riding.

I like the simplicity of 1x, and I have always been comfortable with a wide cadence range, so the tradeoffs are not so bad for me. I have appreciated 2x at times, but never stuck with me. I noticed you got the 10-36 cassette, does that mean you have the XPLR der? If you cannot run a 10-44, 1x might be a stretch unless you go pretty small with your chainring. Of course that depends on your elevation and surface conditions.

You really cannot go wrong with Rival. The drivetrain wear parts will not last as long as Force, but I do not think the difference is that much (unlike the mtn side, where x01 is giving me ~3x the life of gx). The derailleur is probably more of a preference than a durability gain at this point, especially with AXS and not having to worry about cable tension on the rear mech. The levers never go bad; that was mostly a feature thing for me.

Availability is rough. I got my order to my lbs in early Feb, hoping to have it all here by late April. Also building up a hardtail this year...already have some parts in, ordering others, unlikely to be done until mid summer.

Quick note on crank sizing: I have had two bike fitters and a physical therapist tell me to get shorter cranks, specifically 165. There are several articles online that suggest different ways to measure (some function of inseam or tibia/femur length), and the fitters/docs echoed those formulas, which put me in the 160-167.5 range. Not that I am having issues, but as I swap parts, I am going smaller. Tried 165s for a month last fall on a borrowed gravel bike and really liked it. Subtle, but felt good. My hardtail will have 165 (coming from 175, as is standard on most M mtbs). Gravel is 172.5 and just waiting to upgrade until next year, assuming I find a decent 165 road option.

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