Groadie

[warthog1]

Anyone been using their gravel bike on road?
I have been doing it a bit lately.
Both the roadie and the gravel bike have vector 3 PM pedals.
There actually is not much speed differential between them when riding alone. <1kmh.
I do have the fit quite similar. Got narrower bars on than it came with and have them only slightly higher than on the road bike.
48-11 top gear is good for 55-60kmh so that is more than enough by myself.
WR50 wheels prob help with a 28f and 32r tyre on, but the roadie also has 50mm wheels.
Anyway the better disc brakes and more comfort and grip from the wider tyres has put me off the roadie a bit lately.
Wondering if anyone else has put road wheels/tyres on their gravel bike and how they have found it?

[MichaelB]

Yep, the ICAN does both.

Pirelli Gravel M tyres on G1800 DT wheelset with 11-36 cassette, and a set of 35mm Conti GP Urbans on some CF rims with 11-30 cassette for road/commute duties

[warthog1]

Running 11-34 cassette on those road wheels and I don't mind it. No gaps that bug me too much up the top. 13 to 11 in the bottom of the cassette is not ideal but ok.
I can stay in the big ring until it gets over ~5%
I had some 35mm gravel king slicks on those wheels but they blew up large on a 25mm int rim. ~37 I think they measured.
It is quicker with the narrower tyres on it. The 28 is still slightly over 31 on that wide a rim. The 32 on the back is about 35 but the front is more important to be narrower I reckon.

[Retrobyte]

Yes, my commuter is a 1x11 gravelly with road tyres. It's an aluminium Norco so it's a lot heavier than my Bianchi Infinito roadie, moreso when you take into account the rack, trunk bag, mudguards (in winter) etc. My commute is largely flat so apart from the slower acceleration it's not a lot slower overall than the roadie on my 11km commute (only a couple of minutes difference). The geometry and fit are almost identical.

[warthog1]

The extra clearance for bigger tyres and guards would make a gravel bike a great choice as a commuter.
I miss the commute.

[Retrobyte]

The extra clearance for bigger tyres and guards would make a gravel bike a great choice as a commuter.
I miss the commute.

Yes indeedy - I am running 35mm tyres on the gravel bike on Bontrager Paradigm rims vs 28mm and Farsports carbon rims on the roadie. I do like the disc brakes on the gravel bike, I am definitely a convert.

[gsxrboy]

Yes, Trek Checkpoint SL6, most comfy bike I've every ridden (I did 2300kms around Japan recently with racks on)

Hunt SL50 aero with 28mm for road
Hunt 40CGR with 40mm for gravel

(original wheels now laced with dynamo for touring etc i.e. ran these in Japan)

All wheel sets with identical Sram 12s 40/10-44 and no probs running it on the road as I'm not mental about needing this particular cadence, just pedal and enjoy the ride

[warthog1]

Yes indeedy - I am running 35mm tyres on the gravel bike on Bontrager Paradigm rims vs 28mm and Farsports carbon rims on the roadie. I do like the disc brakes on the gravel bike, I am definitely a convert.

Ditto. Discs are great

[Mr Purple]

I've been half considering using the old Light Bicycle wheels with road tyres on the gravel bike when I upgrade the road wheelset, but can't really see the point.

Honestly the gravel tyres roll so well on tarmac anyway there's only 10W difference in it, as well as the few hundred grams weight saved. The gravel wheelset is actually lighter, so in the end the whole setup will be like the road setup but 2kg heavier, sort of defeating the purpose.

It would be interesting to see how much faster it is, but that's about it! Can see if you were definitely limited to one bike that you could get away with a gravel bike with two wheelsets though. Personally I'd just rather have two bikes.

[warthog1]

I've been half considering using the old Light Bicycle wheels with road tyres on the gravel bike when I upgrade the road wheelset, but can't really see the point.

Honestly the gravel tyres roll so well on tarmac anyway there's only 10W difference in it, as well as the few hundred grams weight saved. The gravel wheelset is actually lighter, so in the end the whole setup will be like the road setup but 2kg heavier, sort of defeating the purpose.

It would be interesting to see how much faster it is, but that's about it! Can see if you were definitely limited to one bike that you could get away with a gravel bike with two wheelsets though. Personally I'd just rather have two bikes.

It's about 10w per tyre for mine, so 20w
There is the aero too.
I have tried both, the road tyres are ~2kmh faster for me. The wheels they are on are also more aero too though.

[Mr Purple]

Of course - two tyres, so 10W each. Makes sense.

I think the issue I have is that putting road tyres on the gravel bike would probably make me 2km/hr faster, but actually riding the road bike makes me about 4km/hr faster so I can't really see the point.

Could definitely see the point in using a gravel bike with road wheels and tyres as a comfortable endurance geometry road bike though. They're just so much more stable than an aggressive road bike. Still reckon an actual endurance geometry road bike would do the job better, but not everyone wants a new bike!

[warthog1]

Of course - two tyres, so 10W each. Makes sense.

I think the issue I have is that putting road tyres on the gravel bike would probably make me 2km/hr faster, but actually riding the road bike makes me about 4km/hr faster so I can't really see the point.

You are faster than me so probably more difference.
At the same power my gravel bike is remarkably similar to the roadie.
I have put narrower bars and a -17° stem though, so pretty close aero dynamics wise.
I did a gravel event a while back and their is a lady here who is multiple Australian champion in several racing disciplines. I noted she had very narrow bars. I said "you don't like wide bars either" Her reply; " people say you need wide bars on a gravel bike, I'm like when and where do I need them?"
Have to agree.
Yes I wouldn't race the Revolt in a road race if I did still race, but just riding along at the same average power measured on both, surprisingly little difference.

[find_bruce]

I went the other way, use my road commuter on gravel. 47mm tyres & discs so pretty cruisy.

Went a step too far yesterday - Thought Blackbutt Creek track through a bushland reserve would be a pleasant diversion form the busy road at peak hour.

Yes the view was pleasant, but the track was pretty rough - lots of Sydney sandstone outcrops & could only manage 11.9km/h despite it being almost entirely downhill. Think you need a proper mtb for that one

[warthog1]

I went the other way, use my road commuter on gravel. 47mm tyres & discs so pretty cruisy.

Went a step too far yesterday - Thought Blackbutt Creek track through a bushland reserve would be a pleasant diversion form the busy road at peak hour.

Yes the view was pleasant, but the track was pretty rough - lots of Sydney sandstone outcrops & could only manage 11.9km/h despite it being almost entirely downhill. Think you need a proper mtb for that one

Must have been rough.
I run 40mm tyres and just get off the saddle and let the bike take the shock.
Some here have gravel bikes with a suspension fork but it is only short travel. Helpful on corrugations apparently.

[find_bruce]

It looks pretty good in this pic via trailforks

but it was a lot more washed out when I went

[warthog1]

That looks reasonably smooth prior to the washouts. Bummer

[MichaelB]

I went the other way, use my road commuter on gravel. 47mm tyres & discs so pretty cruisy.

Went a step too far yesterday - Thought Blackbutt Creek track through a bushland reserve would be a pleasant diversion form the busy road at peak hour.

Yes the view was pleasant, but the track was pretty rough - lots of Sydney sandstone outcrops & could only manage 11.9km/h despite it being almost entirely downhill. Think you need a proper mtb for that one

Must have been rough.
I run 40mm tyres and just get off the saddle and let the bike take the shock.
Some here have gravel bikes with a suspension fork but it is only short travel. Helpful on corrugations apparently.

I miss my Slate - yes, the little bit of suspension was pretty good, and now really miss it on the ICAN. Some (actually most) of the easily reached gravel sections lead into MTB trails, which tend to get really rocky and not ideal for a fat guy on a fixed frame.

[warthog1]

I miss my Slate - yes, the little bit of suspension was pretty good, and now really miss it on the ICAN. Some (actually most) of the easily reached gravel sections lead into MTB trails, which tend to get really rocky and not ideal for a fat guy on a fixed frame.

No desire whatsoever for a suspension fork here. Miles and miles of dirt roads and tracks around. I use the gravello on the road also (as per thread). It would just be unnecessary weight and drag there and an annoyance.
Those who have the Revolt x have multiple other bikes too.

[jaseyjase]

Technically a Cxoadie ? haha

My State Bicycle Co Thunderbird in single speed mode is my commuter whip, 50/16 ratio currently on 40mm Pirelli Cinturato H. On the flats i can usually sit on about 36 at about 95rpm.

But my commute is a tad undulating so need gear accordingly.

[MichaelB]

I miss my Slate - yes, the little bit of suspension was pretty good, and now really miss it on the ICAN. Some (actually most) of the easily reached gravel sections lead into MTB trails, which tend to get really rocky and not ideal for a fat guy on a fixed frame.

No desire whatsoever for a suspension fork here. Miles and miles of dirt roads and tracks around. I use the gravello on the road also (as per thread). It would just be unnecessary weight and drag there and an annoyance.
Those who have the Revolt x have multiple other bikes too.

Horses for courses.

[warthog1]

I miss my Slate - yes, the little bit of suspension was pretty good, and now really miss it on the ICAN. Some (actually most) of the easily reached gravel sections lead into MTB trails, which tend to get really rocky and not ideal for a fat guy on a fixed frame.

No desire whatsoever for a suspension fork here. Miles and miles of dirt roads and tracks around. I use the gravello on the road also (as per thread). It would just be unnecessary weight and drag there and an annoyance.
Those who have the Revolt x have multiple other bikes too.

Horses for courses.

Yeah I'd have one but bikes are expensive so can't afford too many.
I rode my groadie today and stopped for drinks at a servo.
Got talking to an old fella who had filled up. He asked me how I go for punctures. "Great I said, tubeless tyres with latex sealant". He was amazed.
We then got onto price, starting with the price of the tyres. I told him the bike is worth about $7k to replace with all of the gear on it. Power meter pedals, radar rear light, cycling computer, 50mm carbon disc braked wheels. He was shocked.
Strange how we become desensitised to just how stupid the pricing of bicycles is.

[warthog1]

Technically a Cxoadie ? haha

My State Bicycle Co Thunderbird in single speed mode is my commuter whip, 50/16 ratio currently on 40mm Pirelli Cinturato H. On the flats i can usually sit on about 36 at about 95rpm.

But my commute is a tad undulating so need gear accordingly.

Fizik Arionne with zero setback seat post
I could ride that but the rear cog would need more teeth probably.

[cyclotaur]

I’ve used my 2011 Caadx (CX) as a road bike many times over the years, in big road events like ATB, Alpine, Amys. I also ride my 2019 ScottAddict Disc on gravel a lot, but not ‘off-road’ that much. So it works both ways.

The Caadx can take up to 35s, the Scott up to 32s.