LBS - "Gravel bikes? Never heard of them."

[silentbutdeadly]

...there are some purpose built gravel grinders available. The Niner RLT 9 is one of my favourites.

My favourite too. So favourite that there's one hanging in my shed...and the Scott CX bike has been reduced to a frameset and wheelset sitting on a shelf doing nothing.

It (and most other GG styled road bikes) can make a better do it all bike than a CX due to the longer and slacker geometry up front whilst still having short stays out the back (still get the sharp handling). And the bigger front end is stiffer than the Scott was with its Kinesis carbon fork. It still does singletrack but with greater stability due to the extra trail provided by the head angle and almost no toe overlap (rather than the foot blocking I used to have to manage). The other big difference is the extra tyre clearance over the CX frame so it'll fit 50mm tyres which most CX bikes just can't do...

Mind you...why city based folk would buy a GG bike is a mystery to me...

[richbee]

Mind you...why city based folk would buy a GG bike is a mystery to me...

Perhaps he lives in Brookfield and wants the most direct commute into the city - straight over the top of Coot Tha

[PiratePete]

My poverty class secteur is that bike for me haha. Just a bit of a diversion, what mud guards did you get - they look like they fit like a glove.

Us Divergions like to diverge... Mud guards are "Specialized Plug'n'Play Fenders" - These are definitely not PnP, and require drilling a hole in the rear one to suit frame size, and removal of an angle bracket on the front one (by drilling out rivits), to allow the guard to be attached to the threaded hole at the top of the fork.

Mind you...why city based folk would buy a GG bike is a mystery to me...

Perhaps he lives in Brookfield and wants the most direct commute into the city - straight over the top of Coot Tha

Close, Live at Acacia Ridge, and ride from here to anywhere. Lots of crap roads around SE Qld. Recently rode out to and along some of the BNE Valley Rail Trail:

[m@]

Odd - in my business I'm required to keep abreast of current trends and new developments.

I expect the same would apply to anyone who wants to succeed in business.

No doubt such apathy will likely see customers walking out the door with their money still in their pockets.

My thoughts exactly; I wouldn't get too attached to a shop that doesn't pay any attention to their industry or care what you as a customer actually want - chances are they won't be around for long.

[StevOz]

Does this qualify?...works for me......

[DrShifty]

And this one works for me.

[Bentnose]

I fitted a triple touring crankset and 40mm tyres to my Cube CX, the handling seems reasonably relaxed and have climbed up to 40% grades with its 26/36 low gear. Works as a Gravel Grinder for me, I even have a Ragley Lux bar to go on thanks to a member here, when I wear through the current bar tape I'll whack it on. In winter I fit 28mm tyres and mudguards, this bike has been ridden nearly twice as much as my other bikes combined since I bought it 3 years ago.

[RonK]

...have climbed up to 40% grades with its 26/36 low gear.

40% grades? I'd like to see that...

[Thoglette]

To OP, your LBS should know what a gravel grinder is, and the diff with a CX.

Odd - in my business I'm required to keep abreast of current trends and new developments.

Yup, the LBS probably has never heard of Jann Heine either.

FWIW: I'd put them in the space between XC MTBs (too slow), serious tourers (too heavy) and CX bikes (too twitchy)

[Leaf T]

This might cut it as a 'gravel grinder' if the size is right.....

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/252381359711?ul_noapp=true

[PiratePete]

Here is an article on the RideOn mag:

https://rideonmagazine.com.au/down-the-adventure-road/

So, what defines this category? Depending on a manufacturer’s interpretation, that’s actually a pretty fluid thing, but a general catch-all would go something like this—“the all-surface adaptability of a cyclocross bike but with the comfort of an endurance road bike, with disc brakes and clearance for wider tyres.” Or, put another way, a sensible bike that does a lot of things pretty well, can take a knock or two, and widens your horizons for exploration and fun. You’re right—that does sound awesome.

[WyvernRH]

Here is an article on the RideOn mag:

https://rideonmagazine.com.au/down-the-adventure-road/

So, what defines this category? Depending on a manufacturer’s interpretation, that’s actually a pretty fluid thing, but a general catch-all would go something like this—“the all-surface adaptability of a cyclocross bike but with the comfort of an endurance road bike, with disc brakes and clearance for wider tyres.” Or, put another way, a sensible bike that does a lot of things pretty well, can take a knock or two, and widens your horizons for exploration and fun. You’re right—that does sound awesome.

Hmmm, with the exception of the disc brakes (am improvement IMHO) sounds like the sort of thing that Roberts, Tony Oliver, Bob Jackson, Mercian or Swallow were building as rough stuff or 'tough' touring frames in the UK about 1986.... just built in steel back then.
(and I own one....)


Yawn,... it just all come around again when the marketing folk need a new angle...

Richard

[Lukeyboy]

Also keep in mind depending what brands of bikes the lbs sell they might have their own meanings/classifications for their bikes/knowledge. What one manufacture might promote as a dedicated gravel grinder another might classify them as cross terrain. Others might also incorporate them into the CX series under a different model name. Its like how Canon change the stickers on lower end cameras for different markets despite being 100% identical.

[Holesy]

What GG's from the major manufacturers are avaliable in Aus? Is there anywhere I can look at a Jamis Renegade?

[geoff_tewierik]

What GG's from the major manufacturers are avaliable in Aus? Is there anywhere I can look at a Jamis Renegade?

Three shops in Melbourne have it.

https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/s?query ... 20Renegade

[outnabike]

Past me looking at going MTB riding for sport riding, but seems as though a lot of the relevance is in the eye of the beholder and a bit of sales talk thrown in.
I am betting if you took two good similar MTB bikes and label one a gravel grinder it would satisfy many riders.Just tell the customer what he wants to hear. After all that is what these various manufactures are doing to create a a niche market. And nothing wrong with that either .It is using all your resources to claim a market share.

Just have a look at Surley and the different designs and way out names the give their stuff, Yep they make a big dummy and actually sell it to big ......

I mean the samples of the members pics are all nice bikes and they all would be capable on gravel.

The ride from say Dandenong Park to Patterson river is 17 klm and and 95% gravel of all different persuasions. Ok it is all flat going. But that makes my bike a real gravel grinder as well.

Its a bit like the term "Road Bike". Well ain't they all?

[find_bruce]

Nothing new about a gravel bike - oppy had one built for his 1937 ride across the Nullarbor

Here we go... Click on this image to go through to an imgur album of the photos I received yesterday.

[Thoglette]

Hmmm, with the exception of the disc brakes (am improvement IMHO) sounds like the sort of thing that Roberts, Tony Oliver, Bob Jackson, Mercian or Swallow were building as rough stuff or 'tough' touring frames in the UK about 1986.... just built in steel back then.
(and I own one....)

The problem is that, from about '96 onwards, one couldn't buy a "lightweight/offroad tourer" without commissioning a bike from a bespoke builder.

The various touring bikes had gotten more and more suited to eighteen month tours of outer Mongolia and less suited to quick jaunts - and one needed to be "in the know" to find one. Road bikes tyres kept getting skinner. And MTB was concentrating on downhill

I'm not surprised that this 'niche' has finally re emerged

[Bentnose]

...have climbed up to 40% grades with its 26/36 low gear.

40% grades? I'd like to see that...

Templestowe Hill Climb is 41.3% paved, I can't get up a 40% gravel climb, I have to stand on the pedals even with the 26/36 low gear, traction then becomes a serious issue on gravel.

[Thoglette]

Templestowe Hill Climb is 41.3% paved, I can't get up a 40% gravel climb, I have to stand on the pedals even with the 26/36 low gear, traction then becomes a serious issue on gravel.

YouTube of someone riding up here

There's footage of cars out there racing up it. Unfortunately, like many of the old courses it was made extinct by a combination of suburban sprawl and the modern expectation that racing will be safe (to paraphase Sir Jackie Stewart) (vale Catalina, Amaroo and Oran Parks to pick just NSW)

[Calvin27]

I am betting if you took two good similar MTB bikes and label one a gravel grinder it would satisfy many riders.Just tell the customer what he wants to hear. After all that is what these various manufactures are doing to create a a niche market. And nothing wrong with that either .It is using all your resources to claim a market share.

The problem is take a mountain bike and it will be a slug on the road, whereas the graveleer will maybe be 90% of the road bike.

[Ross]

What GG's from the major manufacturers are avaliable in Aus? Is there anywhere I can look at a Jamis Renegade?

Specialized Diverge

[rifraf]

Considering I've spent over $1000 there and the feedback isn't getting any better, I think I'll be finding a new LBS to support (WA, NoR, suggestions welcome). The convenient location is not worth putting up with the lack of customer service in general. The vibe is the retail equivalent of "get off my lawn."