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

[2manyoranges]

NovoC - at least this mayhem allows me to write articles which genuinely can say ‘they reinvented the wheel….’ And that surely makes it all worth it….(except for the horrific waste of the world’s resources in all this….)

 

[pw_pw_la]

Very glad this thread has been made, and that so many find themselves in similar boats.

Going to reread everything here very slowly!

I recently bought some Steelman cross forks at a bike swap because they were a bargain.

Seems like the best/worst place to start building some kind of cross/gravel bike from! ; )

Has anyone had any experience with Black Mountain Cycles? It seems like his Monstercross (MCD if you're disk inclined), Road + and La Cabra bikes would cover some of these bases nicely:

https://blackmtncycles.com/frames/
https://blackmtncycles.com/frames/monstercross-frames/
https://blackmtncycles.com/frames/road-plus/
https://blackmtncycles.com/frames/la-cabra-frames/
Seems like a really great guy, and is clearly indebted/inspired but the Norcal bike builders and scenes of yore...

I think he would be my first/preferred option once he has available stock again next year.

Pretty reasonable prices too...

 

[Tootyred]

That big old monster cross looks ideal. Cantilevers, steel, big tyres, 700c, tall head tube.....fantastic!

Oh....hang on isn't that a hybrid? NO, NO, I mean an 80s mtb, NO, yes, no, yes......

Im confused.....

Bugger it I'm off to ride my bike!

 

[velomaniac]

Personally I find a mildly tweaked hybrid works great for gravel. Gravel to me feels much like pre trail centre mtb which did involve a lot of farm track/land-rover track, paths and minor roads. So hats off to the roadies who have reinvented what I used to do but have made it popular again and encouraged the creation of organised events. Gravel shall take me into my dotage

 

[Mulemad]

Great thread. I am now going to stop browsing the internet for new bikes be they gravel, road or hybrid...or god forbid electric. I already have the best bike for me, since 1990; the 26" wheels are perfect for me at 160cm tall. Living out in the sticks means a lot of my riding has to be off road (but none of this downhill business). Most of the roads are in pretty bad shape and the scenery is great.
I love my modest DB Ascent with its smokey paint job.

 

[legrandefromage]

I put drops on my GT in 1993 whilst I waited for some money to buy my zaskar

Then sometime in 2007...

 

[Takingabreak]

These Raleigh frames build up into really versatile bikes. I built mine firstly as a gravel bike then fitted normal drops, mudguards and road tyres and used it as my winter road bike. They are of course built for 26" wheels and are a bit on the heavy side.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284517771925?hash=item423e94aa95:g:Xs8AAOSwopZhhVs~

 

[Takingabreak]

Or something like this might work - if you have a bit more flash cash to hand. It's a more touring geometry frame but is designed for some off road forays

https://spacycles.co.uk/m11b0s143p2702/SPA-CYCLES-Roughstuff-Frame-and-forks-

 

[TOMAS]

This was the first option, but it´s poor quality and stopping power lead to plan B.

Jesus.... im just imagining the power of these if ran with 26" rims.... laws of cantilever effect tell me they've got to have some force behind them!?

 

[hamster]

So the bike industry, after over-specialising, has rediscovered the go-anywhere do-anything bike that's not too slow on road, will handle moderate off-road and can take a load. Just like road tourers or early 90's MTBs.

In fact the sort of bike that suits most of us, most of the time.