Official road/gravel biking thread

TOAST.

TOAST.

Active member
I am sure there are plenty of people on here that enjoy road or gravel biking in the summer so here is a thread where people can brag about how light their bike is or discuss the latest in lycra fashion. For everyone else you can bitch about how inconvenienced you are by cyclists while driving.
 
glad to have found this thread. got a little into road biking last summer but having to use my dads trek bike from the 90’s. Gets the job done but it’s a little small on me. Any suggestions on where to buy reasonably priced road bikes? Or do I just need to save up a ton before I can actually buy a nice bike?
 
Used to have a Marin Gestalt. I enjoyed that. Singletrack is interesting on 700c with drop bars
 
14300354:christianwearsch said:
glad to have found this thread. got a little into road biking last summer but having to use my dads trek bike from the 90’s. Gets the job done but it’s a little small on me. Any suggestions on where to buy reasonably priced road bikes? Or do I just need to save up a ton before I can actually buy a nice bike?
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I was using my dad's old schwinn le tour from the early 80s for two years until last summer when the rim bent and I decided to buy a new bike instead of replacing the rims. Bikes have been hard to find for the past year, I'd recommend looking on Facebook marketplace and buying used, wish I would have done that, I could have gotten a better bike for the amount I was willing to spend at the time. That's what I did for a mountain bike and got a much better deal, I did have to fix some stuff on it though.

Still being somewhat new to road biking, my biggest gripe with my bike that makes me wish I would have spent a little more is that the frame doesnt seem very stiff so I have been having a constant battle with the front derailleur trying to get it to not rub, sounds great on the stand but as soon as I start putting my weight into the pedals it rubs.
 
I have mixed feelings about the bike boom we have been experiencing since the beginning of the pandemic. I think it's great for people to discover this great, healthy, activity yet I'm fed up by the tsunami of bike n00bs and utter chaos that is the bicycle and bicycle part market is right now. Maybe I'm possessive over my passion.

I have been a professional Bike mechanic since 2019 and an amateur roadie since long before that. So forgive me for nerding out. I love riding 300kms+ in a day and spending 12+hours in the saddle. I've never really raced competitively but will give it my all and then some when chasing KOMs or PRs on strava. I ride a steel frame from the 70s re-built up newer mavic wheels, and 9 speed shimano dura ace, but with a modern hollowtech 50-34 crank and an XTR 11-32 casette. Gearing back then was for real racers, not casual riders like myself.

I am quite disappointed with the current direction of the industry right now as the push is for what is trendy and fashionable rather than truly optimizing user experience. The pro peloton is now riding bikes that are .7-1.2 kg HEAVIER than five years ago. Disk brakes are the biggest marketing scheme ever pushed on a consumer base. A pain for customers who don't understand the nuances and how to deal with their finicky nature. Plus say what you want, THEY RUB. Also the industry has taken the idea of integration and ran with it, hard. that Scott just came out and decided to integrate the shock into the frame for no real-world benefit. I am aware they did not originate this idea. Also companies are jamming the cables and housing so hard into the headtube it makes no sense for the average consumer. 1x is great for MTB but has no place where the accurate cadence is key to efficient pedalling and there is such a wide range of speeds ridden. Seatposts need not be anything but 27.2.

Proprietary parts and the push for integration are making bikes less like machines and more like appliances.

Also, road ain't gravel and gravel ain't road. The difference isn't just like using park skis for all mountain or all mountain skis for park.
 
^^Preach about the downsides of the bike boom. Biggest issues I have seen is a general lack of road awareness and proper behavior.

As a biker, nothing drives me up the wall more than a fellow biker acting like a complete idiot or being inconsiderate. There is zero reason to run a red light or a 4 way stop. There is zero reason to be riding 3 abreast. When riding 2 abreast, keep it tight and compact because anything less than that defeats the purpose and doesn't make it any safer for cars to pass than a long single-file line. I can't tell you the number of times I want to pull over and lecture fellow cyclists about their poor behavior.

However, FWIW, I don't see the uproar about heavier bikes because 99.9% of the riders out there would be better off losing 1-2 pounds off their body than their bike. When it comes to disc brakes, I agree that there will always be rubbing, even if it's minor. That being said, I do think there's a segment of the users out there that do benefit from them. The biggest benefactors I see are those living in hilly areas and like using carbon wheels. I know the risk of delamination is pretty slim but it can happen. Disc brakes almost entirely remove that possibility. The second biggest benefactors are heavier riders. Like it or not, discs do stop a hell of a lot better. And for heavier individuals that can help.

And yes, road ain't gravel and gravel ain't road. But all-road can do both ;).

I picked up a nice Ti gravel bike with a CX geo that's pretty similar to my roadie and I have to say it's a lot of fun. Nowhere near as snappy but it is so smooth. A slightly more relaxed geo is appreciated as well when I'm going for a more casual ride. Haven't had the chance to take it off road yet but hoping I'll find some decent gravel in Ithaca this fall.

I'll try to get some pictures of it up later this week. It's got a sweet racing blue color pattern with some Mavic carbon rims+rainbow anodized spokes.
 
it’s not just about road bikers impeding car traffic, or the fact that they dominate the early morning canyons with longboarders but when cops show up only boarders get ticketed even though the cyclists are just as guilty,

How come road bikers are soft as fuk in general? Always acting like if you don’t bike in spandex and loin butters, you will never recover and aren’t shit. Meanwhile any stoner or out of shape adult can jump on a bike in a swimsuit and do the same ride with no complaints.

correlates so much with park skiing. Yea someone might show up to the park in a snowmobile jacket, Spyder, Arcteryx, idk.. anything you laugh at. But if they throw down just as hard as you, who’s the real idiot then?
 
14300798:theLiquor said:
it’s not just about road bikers impeding car traffic, or the fact that they dominate the early morning canyons with longboarders but when cops show up only boarders get ticketed even though the cyclists are just as guilty,

How come road bikers are soft as fuk in general? Always acting like if you don’t bike in spandex and loin butters, you will never recover and aren’t shit. Meanwhile any stoner or out of shape adult can jump on a bike in a swimsuit and do the same ride with no complaints.

correlates so much with park skiing. Yea someone might show up to the park in a snowmobile jacket, Spyder, Arcteryx, idk.. anything you laugh at. But if they throw down just as hard as you, who’s the real idiot then?
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Aero gainz brah

But seriously the "spandex" you are referring to has its purpose.

Cycling jerseys have pockets in the back and the shorts are padded. Totally worth bearing the judgement from insecure people to protect your taint and not have to carry a backpack or something.

**This post was edited on Jun 29th 2021 at 10:08:19am
 
14300798:theLiquor said:
Meanwhile any stoner or out of shape adult can jump on a bike in a swimsuit and do the same ride with no complaints.
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unfortunately this is far from the truth. I agree, wear what you want to wear, but not sure how that means biking is easy
 
I’ve been using my moms specialized Alle Elite from like 2005. It’s got a carbon fork and seat post and full 105 components

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And my flats ?
 
Flat rides suck, 35 miles and only 30ft elevation gain. At the beach this week and am ready for some elevation change and less wind.
 
14300778:.MASSHOLE. said:
^^Preach about the downsides of the bike boom. Biggest issues I have seen is a general lack of road awareness and proper behavior.

As a biker, nothing drives me up the wall more than a fellow biker acting like a complete idiot or being inconsiderate. There is zero reason to run a red light or a 4 way stop. There is zero reason to be riding 3 abreast. When riding 2 abreast, keep it tight and compact because anything less than that defeats the purpose and doesn't make it any safer for cars to pass than a long single-file line. I can't tell you the number of times I want to pull over and lecture fellow cyclists about their poor behavior.

However, FWIW, I don't see the uproar about heavier bikes because 99.9% of the riders out there would be better off losing 1-2 pounds off their body than their bike. When it comes to disc brakes, I agree that there will always be rubbing, even if it's minor. That being said, I do think there's a segment of the users out there that do benefit from them. The biggest benefactors I see are those living in hilly areas and like using carbon wheels. I know the risk of delamination is pretty slim but it can happen. Disc brakes almost entirely remove that possibility. The second biggest benefactors are heavier riders. Like it or not, discs do stop a hell of a lot better. And for heavier individuals that can help.

And yes, road ain't gravel and gravel ain't road. But all-road can do both ;).

I picked up a nice Ti gravel bike with a CX geo that's pretty similar to my roadie and I have to say it's a lot of fun. Nowhere near as snappy but it is so smooth. A slightly more relaxed geo is appreciated as well when I'm going for a more casual ride. Haven't had the chance to take it off road yet but hoping I'll find some decent gravel in Ithaca this fall.

I'll try to get some pictures of it up later this week. It's got a sweet racing blue color pattern with some Mavic carbon rims+rainbow anodized spokes.
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I agree with this take. I bike a lot of elevation and almost all the roads turn into dirt at some point. A bit heavier endurance / gravel bike with 30-40mm nubby tires is way more comfortable and fun and let's you go 20x the number of places than a pure road bike (I mean you can on a road bike it just sucks). I also love my disc brakes. Gives a ton of control on 14% grades on dirt road descents. Also like I can't spin a 34/28 nearly as comfortably as a 34/34 on long sustained steep climbs. I'm not *awesome* but I also don't totally suck. Firmly mediocre.

On the bike boom...honestly the people I know who are the most into cycling are WAY worse than the newbies. Things they enjoy: going into the other lane to pass cars at 35mph-45pmh on windy mountain descents, tailing cars, running stop signs to chase strava times, odd desire to bike on busy roads, etc. Newbies are worse at signaling, riding 3 abreast, paying attention, etc.
 
14307082:gravel said:
also strava can lick my balls
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Curious as to why strava get so much hate? Is it just because people riding recklessly and like dicks trying to get koms or is there more too it?
 
14307132:TOAST. said:
Curious as to why strava get so much hate? Is it just because people riding recklessly and like dicks trying to get koms or is there more too it?
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I'm curious too, as a self-professed #stravawanker who also recognizes how toxic it can be

Nice to see a gravel thread on here. Seriously thinking of doing a 400km route over the May long weekend. Chill pace, 100 km a day over four days. Will be my first solo trip. Just deciding if it's worth trying to guerilla camp it or rely on $$ campsites. I always worry about getting the bike stolen when tenting. Things aren't quite rural enough where I am to rule it out.
 
Just picked up this used beauty for a steal-800$ in near perfect condition. Full carbon Jamis Xenith T1

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Got a Kona rove with my money from ski coaching and have been loving it so far on and off the road. Over 100 miles on her already
 
Appreciated the help from NSers when I was looking for a bike a few yrs ago. Not the best bike by any means (if anything it's an entry level) but certainly the best I've ever had. Really makes longer 30-60mi rides very enjoyable and with the shit roads, sidewalks, and bike trails here the gravel bike excels.
 
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My 2020 Brodie Romulus. Nothing special but it's my baby daily rider plus a little adventuring. Steel frame, gonna put GRX one-by on it and go to 700c wheels when parts are actually available lmao
 
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Did 24 miles of gravel and small spots of pavement on the Erie Canal with my dad. I wanna bike pack it this summer of fall I think. Don’t know if I will
 
My gravel bike is Marin Gesalt x11 with 650b wheels.The end of ski season is always hard to balance great spring skiing with training for big rides before the heat of summer. I am riding the 100 mile course at Lost and Found ride in 2 weeks which will be the longest off rode ride I have done. My best bike leaning pic

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Plan is to ride 100 miles tomorrow. It's supposed to be 95°F, so realistically I'll probably get 25 in, say fuck this and turn around.
 
14451152:TOAST. said:
Plan is to ride 100 miles tomorrow. It's supposed to be 95°F, so realistically I'll probably get 25 in, say fuck this and turn around.
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dope, what's the route?
 
Don’t have pics but me and my dad did a solid 25 miles on a gravel trail from Madison/Verona Wi to Mt Horeb and back yesterday. Super cool little European mixed with 1900s downtown. Plus there was crazy troll statues everywhere. Hugely bummed that I forgot my riding shoes back in NY cause riding that in some new balance dad shoes kinda sucked
 
14451212:mattytru said:
dope, what's the route?
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1047296.jpeg

Took some random roads down to Maryland than hopped on the rail trail for 35 miles toward home. Last 20 was road and hills again. Overall went much better than I thought it would. Last 5 miles sucked but more because my back than legs. Route should have had less elevation but my garmin didn't update the route before I started and I didn't realize it.
 
14451252:TOAST. said:
View attachment 1047296

Took some random roads down to Maryland than hopped on the rail trail for 35 miles toward home. Last 20 was road and hills again. Overall went much better than I thought it would. Last 5 miles sucked but more because my back than legs. Route should have had less elevation but my garmin didn't update the route before I started and I didn't realize it.
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How hot is it there?
 
14451252:TOAST. said:
View attachment 1047296

Took some random roads down to Maryland than hopped on the rail trail for 35 miles toward home. Last 20 was road and hills again. Overall went much better than I thought it would. Last 5 miles sucked but more because my back than legs. Route should have had less elevation but my garmin didn't update the route before I started and I didn't realize it.
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looks sweet. got any pics? my lower back has been bothering me recently on the saddle as well. probably should have a bike fitter take a look at my set ups.
 
14451346:mattytru said:
looks sweet. got any pics? my lower back has been bothering me recently on the saddle as well. probably should have a bike fitter take a look at my set ups.
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Nothing worthy of stopping to take a picture of. A few cool murals along the rail trail, but I see those fairly frequently and will probably take pictures on a shorter ride sometime.
 
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