Reddit for cyclists who enjoy riding and racing gravel

Got it yesterday and took ik out right away. Had a fantastic day of riding. Best decision in a very long time getting this bike.

I was eavesdropping in the locker room of my gym back in Spring and heard a woman ask her friend if she knew anyone looking for a gravel bike. Couldn't resist the temptation so I went up to her and inquired about it. I've been so happy with my Diverge ever since :)

Took this photo of these mennonite girls back in August outside of Waterloo Ontario. I can't imagine pushing off this gravel barefoot.

New to cycling? New to gravel? Don't know which bike you need to get the job done? You're in the right place!

Please use this thread to for help picking out your perfect ride. Whether you're completely new to the sport and have no idea where to start or have two specific bikes and need to know the nitty-gritty of Shimano 105 vs. SRAM Apex 1, you'll find the answer you need in this thread.

For a subreddit devoted to this type of discussion during the rest of the week or for other types of bikes, please check out /r/whichbike.

Just built it up finally stretched its legs on some gravel

Rodeolabs flaanimal, sram rival axs, dual sided power meter. Carbon bars n stem, spinergy GXX wheels, Thomson masterpiece seat post. Glad I got back to steel it eats bentonville chunky gravel up rolling 2.1s on a drop bar bike is so great!

I was wondering if anyone runs flat bars. I am coming from a mtb background and I really don’t like drop bars. I never see photos of anyone running flats so I was wondering if some folks in here do.

Unfortunately we don’t have that many gravel roads in the part of holland where I life (NHN) but I’m really enjoying my new bike. On the todo list there’s a fix to get the angle out of my Garmin holder. It clamps on the steer which is going from thick to thinner at that place, giving an angle to the holder. Some extra tape or rubber should do the trick.

The front shifter on my current setup broke, so it seems like a good time to look into just taking it off and getting a 1x setup rocking.

To my knowledge, I'll obviously need to change my crankset to a 1x, but I'm unsure what alterations are needed on the rear end. Running a 810 derailleur with an 11-34 at the moment.

My main questions I guess are what's a sensible rear cassette size to go for and what alterations am I likely to need to make to the rear derailleur to make it compatible?

Edited to correct rear derailleur number.

Cheers!

I'm interested in viewpoints I might be missing on an upgrade I'm looking to make on my Specialized Diverge, taking it from the stock 2x11 to a 1x drivetrain. I'm weighing the pluses and minuses of GRX RX810 and GRX RX820.

The original drivetrain is a typical Specialized mix of Shimano: GRX R600 crankset (46/30), GRX RX810 derailleurs, GRX RX600 shifters, GRX RX400 brakes, and a 105 cassette (11-34).

I'll upgrade the brakes and actually go with a Wolf Tooth 38T chainring. I've already put on a set of Zipp 303 XPLR wheels (very nice ride, by the way).

I live and ride in western Colorado. By way of reference, my events this coming year are likely to include BWR-Utah or Wild Horse Gravel, SBT GRVL, RAD Gravel Fest, and Grassroots Gravel. I'm still recovering from a pretty dramatic skiing accident, so I don't spend a lot of time on the small end of the cassette.

Here's what the two options look like on Bicycle Gear Calculator:

https://preview.redd.it/v2m13oizojyd1.png?width=1282&format=png&auto=webp&s=f27eb728b4fe13bedd9b9b2a288501084df2f9af

Why change, you might ask? The current drivetrain has a lot of overlap on gearing that I'm looking to minimize. I want to get a better chainline, with more practically useful gear options. And the 1x setup will be marginally lighter.

Respectfully, I'm not really interested in additional views on 1x vs 2x. ,There are a number of threads already here on that, with well-reasoned and practical points on both sides of that question. firmly understand the pluses and minuses on both sides of that and I'm set on the 1x option for a number of reasons.

I just put in for the 100, first attempt and didnt donate to a charity, but I did provide a story. Does anyone actually know the odds? I’m gathering around 30%?

I’m wondering if my ideal bike exists, and if not why?

I really don’t like proprietary parts. I think every proprietary seat tube shape and locking mechanism is a downgrade over a standard round seat post clamp . I think every integrated bar with finicky internal routing is a downgrade over a round two-piece bar and stem.

I’m basically looking for a Specialized Crux… except it’s too fragile and waaayyyyy too expensive. If they offered a frameset that was 200-300g heavier, using lower modulous carbon fibre (both cheaper and stronger), for half the price, that would be it.

They already made a great frame in the tarmac SL5 disc. Just make that with more tire clearance and keep the price down.

Is there any company making this?

Hello. Does anyone know which "large manufacturer" Ceccotti copied this frame from?

https://preview.redd.it/8kbgh984bjyd1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=944073a8416b05fc230959bc789ac62a1462fe77

Hello. Does anyone know which "large manufacturer" Ceccotti copied this frame from?

Figured I'd get with the times and swapped out my 40mm Tufo thunderos for the 48mm Thundero and went from a 175mm crank to a 170.

Makes a massive difference. First ride out hammered out PRs for power and speed and it wasn't close. Pedaled down descents I'd normally coast on and pedaled around turns I used to brake for. Also with those 170s and a higher cadence I was able to maintain more power with less muscle fatigue.

Relatively easy swaps and they've made More of a difference than any other upgrades I've tried.

Neighborhood pedal. Recent rain and snow has mostly dried up making for great late Fall conditions.