Gravel? Don’t laugh! I’m just thinking out loud. Itch scratched

[The History Man]

I must say I’m disappointed. I thought I could count on at least a few of you to take the piss?

I’m off to me shed to fix saddles

Three hours. Toys back in pram ? Some of us have work to do. Like take 30 y9 round Jorvik and on a walking tour of York for the day. Betty’s was busy.

As for the bike. I think you must very bored. Steel is the way forward then you wouldn’t need all those bouncy measures.

 

[M_Chavez]

I'm also suspicious about fag paper clearances. My road frames deform enough under my weight for tyres to start rubbing the frame tubes. Once some grit gets in, that's like running a dremel grinder wheel on your tube. Even if there's no rub, the mud build-up on the tyres will be grinding the cf away.

Narrow wide chainrings can be had for £15 from China, so not really a big issue.

 

[Peachy!]

Ah ha! Some sport! Have at you!

Brakes, well yeah but whatever, I’ve got them on the low setting and ok they don’t have “the feel” but they operate and the bikes stops when I want it to.


Clearance, well I’ve probably mislead you there as the gaps more like 4mm tbh. Of course that’s too tight for the sort of terrain modern gravel bikes run on, but I’m aiming for tow path type stuff and crap road really.

Tyres flexing? Not really, these are rated at 60-90 and the walls feel quite stiff so I’m not perceiving any issues.

Thin/fat chainring, well I did look at getting one but I couldn’t find one in stock at the correct BDC and couldn’t be arsed to change the crankset.

As for the build being wrong, well it’s not wrong for me.
I wanted to make a road bike that could cope with going off-piste for a bit, just enough to have a crack at the cinder track in a day. Out of bits from the spares boxes.
Monday will be it’s baptism of fire and probably it’s last ride.

 

[The History Man]

Careful how you use the word ‘crack’,

Kiss of death and foreboding.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

You cant just sling stuff together!

He can, joking obviously

 

[Woz]

What you have built is a track inspired bike (tight clearance, no brakes) to be ridden on anything but a velodrome.

 

[Peachy!]

Oh I like @legrandefromage ’s idea of chucking more at it, so off go the ODI’s & on go some Amazon special foam chunky grips, extra soft for my riding pleasure.
Oh and it’s grown horns!

Now it’s ready for the Kessel run in 12 parsecs.

 

[M_Chavez]

Do you reckon the cf road frame is tough enough to take some offroad hits?

Also, slight offtopic - how tough are old 531 road frames? E.g. if one took a 1960-70s 531 frame, installed 35mm tyres and started riding it offroad (sensible XC, no jumps, etc), what are the chances of it falling apart?

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Also, slight offtopic - how tough are old 531 road frames? E.g. if one took a 1960-70s 531 frame, installed 35mm tyres and started riding it offroad (sensible XC, no jumps, etc), what are the chances of it falling apart?

I do this regularly with 25mm tyres, not pretty but it works. 35's would be fine. If your on gravel its a gravel bike

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Peachy are you not worried the carbon frame will break and inspect your colon? Or is the use as per M_Chavez?