80/20 road/gravel and ~$5k budget

[danwatters86]

Hey guys,

Just thinking of my next bike and hoping for some suggestions,

As the title suggests I mainly ride on the bitchumen (albeit pretty average quality around here) but would like to be able to take in more of the unsealed roads and paths too without worrying about anything.

A few things have popped out for me,

Canyon endurace at $5300
Specced with di2
(https://www.canyon.com/en-au/road-bikes ... be=BK%2FGY)

Cannondale caad13 at $3500 with 105 (i dont see the value in going up $1000 just for mechanical ultegra)
(https://cyclesgalleria.com.au/products/ ... 50ae&_ss=r)

Trek domane (105) at $4700
(https://www.trekbikes.com/au/en_AU/bike ... Code=white)

I believe all of these will take a 32mm tyre, Any thoughts on my choices? Thoughts on frame material, whether i should look at any bikes specifically marketed as allroad or gravel or ignore the hype as im inclined to?

Much appreciated

[blizzard]

I believe the Domane fits up to 38c tyres which puts it ahead of the other two for me.

[RonK]

I did like the Endurance but want lower gearing so went the Grizl instead.

https://www.canyon.com/en-au/gravel-bik ... /2968.html

[10speedsemiracer]

/
Giant Revolt Advanced 0 , gives you full Shimano GRX 800 with proper Shimano hydraulics and 40mm tyres, aaand a 2x crankset so the bike isn't completely useless on-road.

Only problem is, the big names have pretty much stopped making 2021 models and are gearing up for 2022, so it relies on you being able to find one. On the plus side though, it appears that 2022 series will be coming out earlier than we would usually expect, so there's that..

[danwatters86]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions,

Ive had another little idea form in my head..though it'll take me a little over budget, what are your thoughts on this frame:

https://www.curvecycling.com.au/product ... -belgie-v3

I could throw a 105 hydraulic groupset on, and then I'd only need to buy a bar/stem and some wider tyres (keep my current rims)
Would take me to about 5500 give or take. Anyone had first hand experience with Curve?

[BrownBike]

Curves look nice - I have experience of Bossi which are similar, you'd be struggle into keep it under that budget unless you already have most of the bits

[danwatters86]

Yeah i know..id have to reuse my current rims (probably don't do the frame justice) and forego di2 shifting for mechanical 105 (that doesn't bother me a great deal) but I'd still probably creep close to 6k.
Probably never need another frame again though!

[Thoglette]

Rivendell Roadini

Use your current rims and mech 105

Shame they’re nil stock

[g-boaf]

Rivendell Roadini

Use your current rims and mech 105

Shame they’re nil stock

"Notify me when available" - as for most bikes.

It gives up nothing to modern extreme bikes on smooth, ideal roads, and is far better in every way when conditions are crappy.

An example of 'mucketing' drivel if ever there was one. They could just say, we are building something aimed at those who want a classic bike look, etc.

Canyon endurace at $5300
Specced with di2
(https://www.canyon.com/en-au/road-bikes ... be=BK%2FGY)

This should be pretty decent. I have an Ultimate CF Evo which is extremely comfortable to ride on very poor roads so the Endurace should be fine. The CF Evo could go up to 28mm tyres though I never ever had to use any that large. I did ride it on some gravel surfaces here and there as well. It covered 28,000km without drama.

One thing I did do differently on my Canyon was install a Kogel ceramic bottom bracket that had cross-seals, the sort intended for cyclocross use. I rode that bike in all sorts of rubbish weather and the bottom bracket never gave any complaints or issues. The advantage of building up a frameset. I was lucky that it was back in 2019 I got that frame relatively cheap.

Any of the well known bike brands should be fairly safe choices, but I guess you'll be limited by what is available if you want the bike now.

[lone rider]

105 bikes are nearly $5K now?????

Jeepers.

Depends on the type of gravel, maybe budget for a second wheelset with different gearing and tyres if looking for a do everything bike.

[g-boaf]

105 bikes are nearly $5K now?????

Jeepers.

Depends on the type of gravel, maybe budget for a second wheelset with different gearing and tyres if looking for a do everything bike.

Yeah, that's right. In 2019, I purchased the frameset brand new from Canyon for the very lightest Canyon Ultimate CF Evo for $3799 and pulled parts off another bike to build it up. Nothing else needed. Can you imagine how much that would have cost now?

It's madness.

In 2012, a 105 bike in carbon (A Trek Madone 4.5) was $2.5K.

[lone rider]

105 bikes are nearly $5K now?????

Jeepers.

Depends on the type of gravel, maybe budget for a second wheelset with different gearing and tyres if looking for a do everything bike.

Yeah, that's right. In 2019, I purchased the frameset brand new from Canyon for the very lightest Canyon Ultimate CF Evo for $3799 and pulled parts off another bike to build it up. Nothing else needed. Can you imagine how much that would have cost now?

It's madness.

In 2012, a 105 bike in carbon (A Trek Madone 4.5) was $2.5K.

I think the last bike I bought was around 2019 and I found a felt F2 with Ult di2 that a bike shop had sitting there for 2 years and discounted it to sell it. I paid $3k and sold the stock shimano wheels for $250. Add a PM and wheels and its probably $5k all up. I think I'd be going down the build path rather than pay the prices listed here.

[baabaa]

Maybe just me, but consider that at these sort of prices, it will set back biking in Au years - we have had solid growth in people riding for the sake of riding and and e-biking. While I understand that some people may/ will want a 5000$ bike to get rubbished on our rubbish off tar roads - that trek with the in-frame glove box thing could be one of the funniest things I have seen on a bike from a large player in the bike industry in decades.

[RonK]

that trek with the in-frame glove box thing could be one of the funniest things I have seen on a bike from a large player in the bike industry in decades.

Not new - copied from the Specialized Diverge. And very practical.

[redsonic]

If you're shorter, there is a Curve Belgie disc frameset on eBay atm:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/26517070647 ... SwZ9hgkhSQ

[baabaa]

Not new - copied from the Specialized Diverge. And very practical.

I give that latch and hinge set up about 300 ks of corrugations and then it will be gaffer tape time (and then good luck getting replacement parts like that in a few years time).
Also the mice that are about NSW now do find that type of plastic very tasty - The old small saddle bag behind the seat still seems to manage that job of carting bits that you may need very well.

[RonK]

Not new - copied from the Specialized Diverge. And very practical.

The old small saddle bag behind the seat still seems to manage that job of carting bits that you may need very well.

I don't know about the Trek, but the Diverge can accommodate a light rain jacket, a couple of tubes and gas cartridges, patch kit, pump and multitool, so a bit more useful capacity than a small saddlebag.

[briztoon]

Might be a bit late.

Is there much difference between an Endurance road bike, compared to a cyclocross bike?

There’s a guy who rides a cyclocross bike in a group I sometimes ride with, and he has no problems keeping up with the group at 30kph. It’s only when the fast guys on their aero bikes jump off the front on long flat sections, that he struggles to keep up.

[baabaa]

Umm how about a cx bike with road gearing will do better on tar than the majority of road bikes with cx gearing will do off tar?
Really all depends on what you value - just going fast or the the quality of the outing. Going slow on nice sportive type road bike on well graded dry dirt roads is really quite special, as soon as it gets wet even an wide rubber adventure bike with low gearing can be fun but it is a task and worse still is the after ride clean and the time and cost needed to maintain.
Key - get a half decent sportive and then pick up a cheap low spec or even better an fugly single speed cx and you will will be in for most rides and, your bikes will last a lot longer. Also riding a flat bar cx bike with lower gearing than cx and just higher than mtn bike ratios lets you ride a lot more single track type routes with out angst.

[cynicalmike]

I did the same as the thread title suggests, bought a gravel frame and built it up with the eagerness to ride mostly gravel for a while but am riding mostly road now in its road configuration (ultegra everything). I like it because it's my forever bike more or less, the frame is solid and I can use it for everything, and because it's Ti it won't get nicks in the paint from stones (or you can get a frame protector on the underside). But the insane cost of a quality Ti frame that's main marketing point is inability to rust (really, everything else is overrated or comes with drawbacks) meant I could have probably just bought a cheaper alloy gravel bike or frame+parts and a top road carbon and rode both with less hassle.

I can change out wheels (have road and gravel wheelsets) and Di2 groupsets if I want to but it's a bit of effort to do it all the time, but being Di2 I can use road shifters on a MTB front and rear derailleur (these two must match but I hate that). I have been able to use the same chain but could easily have two chains for perfect chain sizes but going between a smaller ring up front (38) and bigger at back (42) and then big up front (53) to smaller max at back (34) means it's acceptable in a wide range. I prefer the clutch type rear derailleur for zero chain knock so I could probably just buy a GRX Di2 groupset and possibly never have to change at all and just change out the wheels but it wasn't released when I was building and even then it would have been full RRP if I waited and I prefer to buy in between new revisions of groupsets for bigger discounts.

- CX and gravel frames are typically heavier
- Riding on dirt in winter with the occasional puddle will get your bike dirty real fast (more cleaning needed)
- As mentioned swapping wheels just isn't it sometimes, changing cranks/chainrings, chains to suit cassette sizes, and derailleurs (clutch is really necessary in gravel) can be a pain (and I wouldn't do it in a cable setup, only di2)
- If getting one bike fits all, then definitely get something strong enough to tour with, so it has rack mounts for bags, and a fork with eyelets for front racks so that enables a 3rd option for your bike.

I found gravel is awesome in winter in national parks for the wildlife and lack of people on the trails (ie. idiots) and road for a summer of cycling where there's more roadies on the road so a very tiny fraction better in motorist attitudes (anecdotal).

[brokenbus]

I saw this add on Facebook the other day. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 8363430272
Has anyone had any experience with Jason as it seems like a reasonable deal.