[cybersnow]

ok, I have decided to add a road type bike to my stable. Use will be mostly road but some dirt and gravel. I would like a steel, titanium or aluminum frame, disc brakes and at least a Shimano 105 gearset, but not stuck on shimano. I would like to be able to have a tire range from the mid 20s to mid 30s depending on the ride. I think a road race type bike might be too aggressive and would like more of an endurance geometry as I will also use it for light touring. I really don’t understand the difference between a gravel, endurance or cyclocross bike. Any suggestions?

 

[cwtch]

Endurance bikes sit you more upright but typically have smaller tyre size range than cross or gravel bikes. Cross bikes will usually have the most aggressive riding position of the three but not always.
I would go gravel or cross as a standard endurance road bike won't handle dirt roads well due to geometry and tyre sizes.

What size bike do you ride?
I know of a 2018 Trek Crockett 5 in a 50cm frame that is like new and about half price of new for sale. Would be a good bike for all that as it is disc, has rack mounts, takes up to a 38c tyre, is aluminium and has a fairly comfortable relaxed geometry.

 

[rola643]

That is one small frame!

 

[cybersnow]

It sounds like a good bike, but not sure about the size. I typically ride a 54, am 5’9” tall but only have an inseam of 30”. So I am dealing with the trade of sitting up straight or having the bike hit me in the privat parts if I have to step off the pedals. I will hit the local Trek shop on Monday and ride the 50, 52, and 54.

 

[cwtch]

That is one small frame!

Yep, it is Sprockets bike.

 

[cwtch]

It sounds like a good bike, but not sure about the size. I typically ride a 54, am 5’9” tall but only have an inseam of 30”. So I am dealing with the trade of sitting up straight or having the bike hit me in the privat parts if I have to step off the pedals. I will hit the local Trek shop on Monday and ride the 50, 52, and 54.

I am afraid the 50cm would be way to small for you.

 

[kneedrachen]

Endurance: Giant Defy
Specialized: Roubaix or Secteur (Roubaix is carbon, Secteur is aluminum)
Trek: Domane
Fuji: Roubaix (funny how that works)
Cannondale: Synapse

 

[cybersnow]

Thanks knee, I looked at the bikes on line. I have noticed that roadbikes, in addition to a different geometry, also use a different set of gearing. In looking at cassettes I noticed road bikes typically have 11-32, gravel bikes 11-36, and mountain bikes 11-42. I wonder if 11-32 with a roadbike crank set will be ok for riding on roads with 5% or greater grades. While probably really faster on semi flat terrain, not sure at my age if that gearing isn’t a little too aggressive for me. Headed to my LBS to look closer ay frame size and starting to think I might have to buy a ti frame and then build a bike from the ground up.

 

[superj]

sprocket has retired from riding?

 

[kneedrachen]

11-28 was considered pretty wide a few yeas ago compared to the 11-25/11-26 that was typical of road bikes a few years ago. My TCR has a compact crankset mated to a 11-28 and it was considered a mountain goat at the time. My Roubaix is equipped with a compact and a 11-32 rear end. 5% with a 11-28 is going to be hard than an 11-32 but I think that most companies settle on comparable gearing and then the retailer fills in its demand. I honest cannot recall (minus TT/tri-dork) seeing any bikes on the floor at the 3 local LBSs that did not have a compact, simply due to the terrain of this area. For me, the compact with the 11-32 has not had me wanting for anything lower. While I understand the trend to 1x system, when you look at the gearing (~33-88 GI, IIRC) a compact with a wide range cassette in the rear will get you much better range albeit at a slight weight penalty and the dark magic of front derailleur set up.

 

[MilesR]

sprocket has retired from riding?

NOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

[cwtch]

sprocket has retired from riding?

No, she is just selling the Cross bike. She still has her road bike and just got a new gravel bike. I looked the other day on her Garmin and she has been riding a lot.

 

[cybersnow]

What about building a gravel bike frame, with a mountain bike cassette, and a road bike crank?

 

[kneedrachen]

before getting that crazy with a hodge-podge, permitting its in your budget, maybe look at the Nuvinci 360 or the golden ticket, Rohloff 14. This allows your to run a single ring up front and if you wanted to, a belt rather than a chain. Again, $$$$$ but pretty damn reliable and the GI spread us much greater than a 11 cog rear and a double (or even triple) up front.

 

[cwtch]

What about building a gravel bike frame, with a mountain bike cassette, and a road bike crank?

SRAM stuff in 11spd is interchangeable and you can run road cranks and MTB cassettes or vise versa. Shimano I for some reason don't think you can. Could be wrong.

 

[rola643]

before getting that crazy with a hodge-podge, permitting its in your budget, maybe look at the Nuvinci 360 or the golden ticket, Rohloff 14. This allows your to run a single ring up front and if you wanted to, a belt rather than a chain. Again, $$$$$ but pretty damn reliable and the GI spread us much greater than a 11 cog rear and a double (or even triple) up front.

Xela, a mod that used to freuqnt this site, to this day runs a Rohloff and has raced with it in the Land Run 100. He loves that setup with a gates belt.

Here is a nice, but dated now, article on it.
http://bikepacker.com/reeb-sams-pants-one-bike-bike/

 

[fpl1]

3T makes a pretty killer gravel bike now. The Exploro model is awesome. I would absolutely love to have one myself. Several friends have them and rave about it. Might be worth a look if someone carries them near you.

https://www.3t.bike/en/3t-bikes/exploro-2.html

 

[cybersnow]

SRAM stuff in 11spd is interchangeable and you can run road cranks and MTB cassettes or vise versa. Shimano I for some reason don't think you can. Could be wrong.

I found that out on my Fargo build. My LBS recommended Shimano level MTB gearing and a flat bar set up. When I looked at going to a drop bar, I found I also needed a new rear derailleur as the new brake/shifter wouldn’t work with the MTB derailleur. Next build will try SRAM.

 

[cybersnow]

Xela, a mod that used to freuqnt this site, to this day runs a Rohloff and has raced with it in the Land Run 100. He loves that setup with a gates belt.

Here is a nice, but dated now, article on it.
http://bikepacker.com/reeb-sams-pants-one-bike-bike/

Thanks, it is an interesting article. The only rohloff I have ever ridden was an e-bike in Germany. It was smooth as silk. I am not sure I want to invest that much money right now. But then again, there is that potential trade of going steel and putting the money into a rohloff. Do they have a set up for drop bars?

 

[cybersnow]

I did go look at the explore, but it is a carbon fiber frame. Had a bad accident a few years ago with one...only ride metal now. But THANKS!