‘Gravel’ bikes?
Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew
- BigdummySteve
- Posts: 2974
- Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2016 9:16 pm
- Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
‘Gravel’ bikes?
I’m sure this has been done before, possibly even by myself, but entertain me.
I’ve a Fargo which I love, it’s a mountain bike which just happens to be built to suit dropbars.
Recently I’ve been doing a lot of mixed riding, roads, tracks and even proper gravel!
Even with the vittoria terreno‘s I’ve fitted (2.25”) I’m often over biked on the Fargo.
I usually still have all the bags/ fittings attached so potentially could drop some weight but it I fitted a skinny set of wheels/tyres in the Fargo would I be a world away from a light weight gravel bike?
I’ve a Fargo which I love, it’s a mountain bike which just happens to be built to suit dropbars.
Recently I’ve been doing a lot of mixed riding, roads, tracks and even proper gravel!
Even with the vittoria terreno‘s I’ve fitted (2.25”) I’m often over biked on the Fargo.
I usually still have all the bags/ fittings attached so potentially could drop some weight but it I fitted a skinny set of wheels/tyres in the Fargo would I be a world away from a light weight gravel bike?
We’re all individuals, except me.
I woke up this morning but I’m still in the dark
I woke up this morning but I’m still in the dark
-
- Posts: 9282
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 8:19 am
- Location: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
I put some slicks on my IndyFab steel deluxe once... Then got a road bike following that. 5 or so years later I concluded that i could have made the Indyfab into an vaguely exciting road/gravel bike...
I'd not change the wheels. Just the tyres and you're off... i want a silent freehub too btw
I'd not change the wheels. Just the tyres and you're off... i want a silent freehub too btw
- BigdummySteve
- Posts: 2974
- Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2016 9:16 pm
- Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
30 years ago! I used to have a skinny slick shod wheel set for my diamond back, used to go roadie hunting, blast past them and casually take the first available turn off
We’re all individuals, except me.
I woke up this morning but I’m still in the dark
I woke up this morning but I’m still in the dark
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
Nah only about 4-6 lb s awaywould I be a world away from a light weight gravel bike?
Its a steel frame it will never be lightweight but I am sure it would work
- BigdummySteve
- Posts: 2974
- Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2016 9:16 pm
- Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
So about the weight difference of 4 water bottles, or perhaps 6 if I took all the bags off.
We’re all individuals, except me.
I woke up this morning but I’m still in the dark
I woke up this morning but I’m still in the dark
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
People get obsessed with bike weights.BigdummySteve wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 11:16 pm the Fargo would I be a world away from a light weight gravel bike?
The less it matters, the more some seem obsessed with it.
Have you ever seen the numbers (timed, hilly laps) of a comparison of two equal bikes one with a few kg more weight?
Marginal. Absolutely marginal.
It's in trail biking where the difference can be felt more, fast, regular direction changes, riding over boulders, down chutes, hoping over streams, accelerating out of switchbacks, braking, short, very steep tech climbs etc. All this happens constantly when riding single tracks.
This is where weight is felt.
Two or three kg's more weight on gradual climb 1 h on a smooth dirt road or tarmac will have about the same effect on your riding time and effectivity as wiggling with your right toe for 20 seconds.
I'd definately stick with the Fargo. Many options on that frame.
When I want to make my bikes fast simply put on faster tyres.
When I want to go fast on easy terrain it'll be a faster rolling, more subtle tyre. I grab the bars inside to loose some drag where possible. Rolling resistance and aero have much more significance than weight for anything between road and very easy single track riding.
And narrow tyres aren't always faster, same goes for higher air pressure.
-
- Posts: 1459
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:04 pm
- Location: Scottish Borders
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
My steel (+ carbon forks) CX/Gravel bike weighs in about 20.75 lbs, I'd be surprised if a Fargo could get anywhere near that?
It doesn't make me faster in any way but a nice lightish bike just feels nice to ride in some ways, lively.
If I already had a Fargo I liked I would probably just use that though.
It doesn't make me faster in any way but a nice lightish bike just feels nice to ride in some ways, lively.
If I already had a Fargo I liked I would probably just use that though.
-
- Posts: 8144
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:56 am
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
Yep. I still hanker after a nice lightweight cross/gravel bike in place of my Amazon - and that's Ti/carbon. So, I guess my answer to the OP would be that the Fargo would be far from ideal, though obviously usable.a nice lightish bike just feels nice to ride in some ways, lively.
- Bearbonesnorm
- Posts: 23905
- Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:53 pm
- Location: my own little world
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
There's so many other factors than simply weight - the available gearing and obviously riding position will both make a real difference to how 'easy' any bike is to ride.
May the bridges you burn light your way
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
I am a self confessed weight weenie, so I may think differently to others.
Does weight make a difference? Yes.
Does it matter? It depends.
I think it comes down to % of your body weight, so lighter riders will feel it more.
The style of riding also matters, racing for example it really can help. Rotating weight is easier to notice, but also the centre of gravity..
But as Stu says, lots of other factors and tyres are a huge one. Have a light bike and stick some slow rolling tyres on and it will suck. Have a light 29er MTB but low gearing and it will feel slow on the road and flats.
There is also the mental aspect. If you think its faster, because you have saved weight that can help
Does weight make a difference? Yes.
Does it matter? It depends.
I think it comes down to % of your body weight, so lighter riders will feel it more.
The style of riding also matters, racing for example it really can help. Rotating weight is easier to notice, but also the centre of gravity..
But as Stu says, lots of other factors and tyres are a huge one. Have a light bike and stick some slow rolling tyres on and it will suck. Have a light 29er MTB but low gearing and it will feel slow on the road and flats.
There is also the mental aspect. If you think its faster, because you have saved weight that can help
- fatbikephil
- Posts: 6511
- Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:51 pm
- Location: Fife
- Contact:
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
I ditched my fargo for the straggler. (sounds like gravelw***ers annonymous there) Seriously the fargo frame is a lot stiffer than your typical (steel) gravel bike (my mates firs gen fargo was a lot springier than my second gen one - they did this to address wobble issues when loaded up) so a fargo on 40's will be lot harsher than (say) a straggler on 40's. Overall I've found the straggler to be as comfy as the Fargo was and pretty much as good on the dirt. I convinced my self that the benefits of the extra tyre width on the fargo was compromised by the drop bars. In other words the drop bars were the limiting factor for rough stuff, not the tyres. Or something. Try it, see what happens
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
Sold my Fargo as it sat right between my 29er hardtail and my Camino Ti gravel bike. If doing an off-road ride with road linking prefer hardtail, if doing road ride with off road linking then prefer gravel bike. Obvs.
Would not be without either of them.
Would not be without either of them.
-
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2015 8:39 pm
- Location: Cheshire
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
BSD...I had a very similar conundrum about 18 months ago, I have an old school
Cannondale F500, but my main ride is a Salsa Mukluk ( plus a 9 zero 7 build),
I had the itch for a gravel bike and bought a Genesis Vagabond frame & forks,
Built it up with nice kit etc......first 20odd mile ride was hugely disappointing
To the point that I broke it up and sold it on, if I'm doing a towpath/gravel
Ride I put 2.5 Surly E/t's on the Muk, it's a far nicer ride, after I've tested the
New build, one will stay fat and one will be getting a 27.5+ wheelset built
Cannondale F500, but my main ride is a Salsa Mukluk ( plus a 9 zero 7 build),
I had the itch for a gravel bike and bought a Genesis Vagabond frame & forks,
Built it up with nice kit etc......first 20odd mile ride was hugely disappointing
To the point that I broke it up and sold it on, if I'm doing a towpath/gravel
Ride I put 2.5 Surly E/t's on the Muk, it's a far nicer ride, after I've tested the
New build, one will stay fat and one will be getting a 27.5+ wheelset built
Re: ‘Gravel’ bikes?
Thing is, if you buy a gravel bike will you end up bike buying a hardtail (I know your fargo is a hardtail, but I mean a flat bar one) to balance is out