On Friday we only did 5 runs.
{}{} Sunday GTM {}{}
- Thread starter CBJ
- Start date
How was the Gunbarrel? A little touristy, but decent for a steak...
Yeah. 22oz ribeye was titties. We hit the bongshed prior to dinner, so it was a rather drawn-out affair.
The GT Grade is a max c35 so that is what I run. I run the Panaracer Gravel and I have been really happy with that choice. Its only when it gets really muddy uphill I loose traction and I like how they ride.
The interesting thing is that the entire hub with skewer is essentially the same price...
Are you on a Rocky? Apparently there is a warranty issue there. The pawl sizes were mis-specced to the drive ring teeth. A buddy of mine had his replaced not too long ago.Awesome day of bikes, beers and bongs. Rode on some treaty crusty snow...and ice.
Pretty sure something is broken in my rear hub, though. It sounds like a Diesel engine and snaps with torque.
Chain Reaction sells it cheaper then QBP to the shop.
Yeah its a Rocky, thanks for the tip. I took it to the shop today and the dude just shook his head. He said the distributer in Quebec has been taking 2-3 weeks to resolve these issues. I told him that's no bueno and he agreed. So they are going to take a look at the hub today/tomorrow and file the warranty claim and then let me take the bike back so I can continue to use it (until it really) breaks.
My shop (Phat Moose) here in Ottawa have the replacement parts on hand. My buddy with the Rocky brought it in for repair (not knowing about the warranty issue). They swapped it out on the spot. I really like my shop.
This is my first gravel tires before this I was only running road tires. Wider is better of course.
2.1 WTB Nano's 
Denmark has no rocks and very few roots so 35mm more than enough also a balance between grip and weight. My only grip problem has been a wet root and muddy grass outweighed by good speed elsewhere and plenty of cornering grip.
@CBJ & @jonKranked :what gravel bikes are you guys on? I'm toying with the idea of getting an All-City Nature Boy for my commuting needs. It's a Cyclocross frame. Is there a major difference between cross bike geometry and gravel bike geometry? What I like about my cheap cross-bike now is how zippy and playful it is, but still fairly stable for a road bike - which is very important for riding in the winter....
@Full Trucker ... whats that fairly cool CX bike you got last year??
I'm neither of those, but I went with a Soma Wolverine frame for my commuter build that you've seen and liked, iirc. Cross geometry. All of the eyelets. Sliding vertical dropouts and split seatstay for belts.
gravel bike = marketing
I'd agree except my Wolverine (and similar Salsa offerings and the like) are actually quite different from road or cx bikes. 50 mm tire clearance or 45 mm + fenders (my 47 mm + fenders are tight as expected) but with cx-ish geometry overall.
Salsa plus plenty of others have had bikes like their Fargo, Vaya for years. I lusted after a Singular Peregrine for a long time ~ 7+ years ago but never made the purchase. Gravel bikes is just the new marketing buzzword for bikes with good clearance that can be used on more than just asphalt.
I happily use my 29er, currently running 3x9 with rigid fork for my "gravel" rides which generally also encompass singletrack and road into them too.
From what I understand, CX bike geometry is steeper than a "gravel" or "adventure" bike geometry. Similar to the difference between a road race bike and a road touring bike. I could be wrong, but that's what I gleaned from the 7-1/2 minutes of research I did on the topic.
Advocate Cycles Lorax and it is rad. I dig it. Plenty of awesome options, many of which have been identified in this thread already. I saw an All-City something-something at a shop downtown and it was like BAZINGA that thing is rad. It was possibly a Macho Man Disc, but also maybe not? gNope, nevermind... it was a Cosmic Stallion. Good looking bike.
I have a buddy in town with a Soma he has set up as a commuter with Nitto sweeper bars, a S/A rear hub, Gates belt drive (he works at Gates), and all the goods. Super rad bike, neat to see it built as an upright commuter.
Agreed that the name is a marketing thing, but the bikes are different than other bikes in spec and geo.
Isn't there something about top tube length too? Could reach be shorter on CX bikes?
There was a Cosmic Stallion in the stand at my shop this weekend. yes indeed, very bazinga.
how did he get the belt on through the frame? That's the one thing I don't understand about belt drives... how are they routed through the rear triangle? can they be "broken" like a chain can?
The Wolverine has a coupler on the drive side seat stay. It's pretty stealth... this isn't his bike but you can see the coupler in this pic:
This is my buddy Josh's actual bike:
Actually, he used to post fairly regularly as motionboy2 on RM back in the day...