Non carbon allround, dare-I-say, gravel bike ... thoughts

[doctor-bond]

I’ve got a steel tourer, a steel road bike , some 26” MTBs and a carbon race bike.

I fancy something new and different to those (just because), am planning a LEJOG, don’t really trust carbon, and can access cycle to work schemes.

So, any suggestions, opinions and/or advice on a new tourer/gravel bike like this:

Cyclescheme buyable
Steel or ti (non carbon fork best, but would compromise)
Can fit wide tyres (45mm)
Would cope with LEJOG, camping, bits of off road.

So far I’m thinking Ribble or Genesis; anything else?

PS, why thru axles and do they release quickly?

 

[d8mok]

Re:

When looking for a gravel bike last year in Ti I went with a Enigma Escape. It’s really really good.

 

[doctor-bond]

Re:

Thanks, that’s just the sort of thing I had in mind but didn’t know about.

 

[d8mok]

Re:

 

[doctor-bond]

Re:

They look fantastic; I love the unfussy tubes and big tan walls.

How do find the 1x gear setup? I’ve read they can leave you searching for the right cadence on road, but don’t really believe it.

 

[d8mok]

Re:

Mine is running a 40T and if I was using it more on the road I’d go for a 42T. Tops out at about 28-30mph currently.

In terms of gravel riding I rarely use the top 6 gears. It’s mainly in 8th or 9th most of the time.

 

[2manyoranges]

Re:

Well....I used genuinely to be Too Many Oranges but I should change that to Too Many COTICs.

I love them (and Ragleys and Stantons) and the COTIC gravel bikes are wonderful things. 853. Soft riding, light, strong. Lovely. There’s also a great bike-packing article in Cranked #10. The rigids and hardtails there are

Genesis Longitude
Cotic Simple (yum)
Van Nichols Revel Stoke
Whyte 901
Genesis Caribou (fat bike ... hmmm)
On One 456
Cube Cross Ace

And all on wide rims - often around 35 mm internal...

 

[doctor-bond]

More food for thought .... 853 floats my boat, and Van Nichols...

(Damn this is going to be tricky)

 

[jimo746]

Re:

Not sure about Cyclescheme availability, but...

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/road.cc/ ... 6683%3famp

 

[hamster]

Also have a look at Spa Cycles - always well-thought-out machines in my view.