Confession time.....I'm gravel curious !

[CassidyAce]

I was planning riser bars, i never got on with drops. So literally transplant a full set of early 90s mtb kit onto a 700c frame.

Tyre size seems to be an issue, whilst i don't need mega wide, to be able to get 2.1" in would be great, but them in not sure there is an old skool, 700c, steel, cantilever frame that takes them is there?

The surly cross check ( not that i really want to buy one!) only takes 45mm apparently.

1996 Marin Sausalito, San Rafael, Stinson, or Larkspur: these are cromo, hybrid bikes that might not quite take a 2.1" tyre, I'm not sure, but I reckon you could get a 700x50c in, depending on the tyre. I had 40c on my Stinson and there was room to spare. These ride nicely, with a springy ride quality, and look pretty much like 90's MTBs scaled up to take 700c wheels. (See also: https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1995-marin-stinson-streetfighter.415363/#post-3050890)

I'm referring to the 96 Marin range because I can vouch for them but you could look at the surrounding years and other manufacturers had their equivalents: Specialized Crossroads, Ridgeback 50-something-or-other, etc. One of the selling points of 29-ers is that it's a better wheel size for taller riders so, if you want the frame and technology of the 90s combined with 700c sizing, looking at some of the 90s hybrids from MTB manufacturers might be worth your while. There are usually examples to be found on ebay.

 

[Tsundere]

Because of the geometry and the quality of the tubing, decent rigid steel MTBs from the retro era are ideally suited for this role, I recently converted a 1990 Team Marin for exactly this type of riding with flared dirt drop bars and it's an amazing ride, if I do it again I would definitely go for a taller steeper stem, slightly wider drop bars and play around with the gear ratios.

 

[Carge]

I've had an Orange Gringo for years and years that I've used as a towpath mile muncher - aka gravel.
44T up front - 9spd rear - rigid forks (Pace or Tange summat).
26" wheels and Conti Speed Kings roll really well - or recently some 700c with CX or chunky road tyres.
Disc brakes - so no faffing there.
Flat bars - cos I like to get my head up and enjoy the view - not head down roadie style drops.

 

[Tootyred]

Problem is the size for me. Very few decent mountain bike come with big head tubes. My 89 marin is 180mm, thats just about ok! But more than an hour or two is well enough!

In riding a 150mm at present on risers ( it was an experiment basically making it 180mm), but it killing me on long rides!

Im 6'4", my touring bike has a 235mm headtube on 700c wheels with 50mm of steerer too!

I had thought of the Stinson / old dawes galaxy etc route, just wondering if anybody's done it as a off road setup and how the bike handled it really. The biggest issue i can see is tyres and how well say 40mm of knobbly tyre copes with bumps.

Hence the gravel bike analogy.

Can a gravel bike be used seriously off road, or is it really just for....well.....gravel and what we laughingly call roads here.

 

[half cog]

Not for serious of road use. They soon get outfaced. I am using a ridley cross bike as a winter bike with studded ice tyres.Swap them for cross tyres in summer and hack the bridleways.It depends how much abuse the body can stand as to how usefull it would be.What is needed is for someone to reinvent an a head flex stem. Just enough to protect the wrists and arms.Having said all of that its very nice to use bridleway links on a winter road ride.Going out this afternoon and its snowing like hell.Something nice about the peace and quiet of a winter ride in the snow. Just need to keep an eye out for cars

 

[Tootyred]

Not for serious of road use.

I did wonder....

The battering i can take, i never went down the suspension route, its the angles im struggling with. Age/ height / back probem is not a good combination!

I might see how my reyt-pack trackie turns out, then consider my options again!

I can always get one of those huge huge overburys THM has is my immediate plan "A" fails!

Finally, any of you guys stuck 425 or even 445 a to c into a standard early 90s frame? Wondering is it really messes with the handling or if it might be another means to an end.

 

[Tootyred]

Like this one

Photo copyright of THM himself.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Someone above mentioned Specialized Crossroads... If I was to do it, one of these in Tange would make a lovely starting point. I like the curved tubes.

 

[CassidyAce]

Problem is the size for me. Very few decent mountain bike come with big head tubes. My 89 marin is 180mm, thats just about ok! But more than an hour or two is well enough!

In riding a 150mm at present on risers ( it was an experiment basically making it 180mm), but it killing me on long rides!

Im 6'4", my touring bike has a 235mm headtube on 700c wheels with 50mm of steerer too!

I had thought of the Stinson / old dawes galaxy etc route, just wondering if anybody's done it as a off road setup and how the bike handled it really. The biggest issue i can see is tyres and how well say 40mm of knobbly tyre copes with bumps.

Hence the gravel bike analogy.

Can a gravel bike be used seriously off road, or is it really just for....well.....gravel and what we laughingly call roads here.

It depends on what you call 'seriously off road'. I think this video shows what you could expect to get up to on a gravel bike:

And this is just showing off, but in a very good-natured way:

 

[maxhc]

You are not alone, that's for sure.

Yep ... here´s my Sunn frame graveled:









And yes, lotsa fun delivered