EGBigelo

I've been thinking about adding a gravel bike to my collection since last year, but have no interest in riding on gravel or dirt roads. My current road bike is a Marin Argenta Elite, 105 equipped that I got a few years ago. I run it with 28mm tires, the max size. I guess you would say it has an endurance geometry.

While I don't ride gravel, I do ride on a lot of back roads and rough shoulders. I wouldn't mind something that's more comfortable and rolls better over the rocks and debris I come across on the road. The other thing I am looking for is something that's less twitchy and more stable going downhill.

I'm looking into the Checkpoint AL4 and the Jamis Renegade Expat LTD, which is steel. The last steel bile I had was when I was a kid and had a Schwinn Traveler, but wouldn't mind trying out a modern steel bike. But the Jamis has external cable routing, and I don't really like the look, but I don't know if that's an advantage or not.

So does it make sense to get one of those bikes and put 32mm road tires on it, like a GP 5000? Would one of those bikes be that much more comfortable that what I'm riding now? I guess a part of me just wants a new bike and to maybe seek out new adventures, I don't know.

mstateglfr 

If you don't want to ride gravel/dirt, why not just buy an endurance disc road bike and call it good? Lots of em clear 32s and 35s.
That Expat is overkill for only paved road riding.

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribbl...himano-tiagra/
This clears 32s, is steel, and has partial internal cabling.

Really can't think of options(road or gravel)at the Jamis price point that are steel, disc, and full internal cables.

Elvo

Try riding with 700x35 tubeless slicks at 35-45 psi. Total game changer.

thehammerdog

agreed.
i find 35's to be great. fast comfy go most anywhere.

EGBigelo

Honestly, that's a great idea. I didn't think about that. There are plenty of bikes in my price range (under $1500) that would work for my needs. The Ribble is nice. And I'm partial to Trek so the Domane might be just what I'm looking for.

Steve B.

And we wish you the best in finding one !!!!!

Seriously, shops are sold out. My very large LBS looks like they they started the process of re-locating, maybe 1/3 the on floor inventory, which was maybe 240 bikes, are gone. 3 week wait at least to get a bike built up IF you find one. They have ZERO appointments available in the next month for you to talk to a sales person.

OTOH, the larger manufacturers are doing ship to store, so at least with Trek and Cannondale you can order on the website, pay for it, they ship to your local dealer/ LBS, they assemble (3 weeks !) and can do curb-side pickup or deliver to home.

EGBigelo

You ain't kidding. At this point my choices are being based on availability and not by price anymore. That's ok though, it makes the bike hunt even more fun.

mstateglfr 

dwmckee, a member here, owns a shop near Pittsburgh that is very gravel centric. Might be worth looking into as some gravel bikes are designed to be cargo carrying adventure rides, and other gravel bikes are designed to basically just be a wider tire road bike. Maybe something is available in your range that fits nicely between what you have right now and cargo adventure.

Steve B.

Also check with REI, they have 2 locations in the Pittsburgh area, They sell Co-Op house brand as well as Salsa and Cannondale. The manufacturers have lifted the mail-order restrictions and are allowing shipment to store or home.

https://www.rei.com/product/159859/c...es-adv-22-bike

Also the C-Dale Toopstone 105, bit out of your price range but I own one and it's a really nicely appointed bike for the price.

https://www.rei.com/product/166454/c...-105-bike-2020

EGBigelo

Thanks mstateglfr and Steve B. . I'm a couple hours form Pittsburgh and it seems that's the area that has the bikes in stock (in my size) that I'm looking for. I've been contacting them to make sure they are open for sales, and have the bikes in stock.

dwmckee

My apolgies in advance for the commercial, but I guess I need to follow up on the kind intro from mstateglfr. We own SweetWater Bikes here in Pittsburgh. We are a family-owned shop and one of just a few in the US that specialize in gravel (and a bit of endurance), but I have to tell you that the endurance bike category has neraly been swallowed up by gravel or "allroad". We have at least 19 gravel bike models available in our shop that span 8 brands and 3 - 4 models of endurance bikes; and yes, we are starting to run out of common sizes. We help fit a lot of people on the best gravel or endurance bike for their needs, and because we carry so many brands we do not hard-sell you on the one brand we carry and try and convince you that is the best bike for your needs. We learn about your riding and what you want to do first before we help you zero in across all of the brands and models to find the best bike for you.

We run about 3 gravel group rides a month, always on new courses if you are interested in riding with us at some pont. There are about two thousand miles of gravel roads within an hour drive of Pittsburgh and we have nearly a thousand miles of those mapped out into our own group ride courses. Our rides showcase some of the most beautiful parts (and hills!) of western PA. They are no drop and cater to all levels from beginner to people that have placed recently in Dirty Kansa. We even do some free gravel coaching with new riders that are interesed in refining their skills. To minimize the number of people in the shop at any time we are now doing bike sales by appointment and that has helped us to spend more undistracted time with our customers. We do have appointment openings every day and can usually work with your timing needs.

Please call Laura at the shop if you want to make an appointment to check out many of the great gravel and endurance bikes that are available.

EGBigelo

I will for sure be calling this week. I looked at a Renegade and Checkpoint on Saturday, and I'm now more interested in that style of bike. The quick test ride I took was so comfortable. But I've always been a Trek person and would like to check out some other brands.

I appreciate the info.

dwmckee

Sounds good, we look forward to meeting you.
How tall are you by the way?
I am Don and I am usually there in the evening or on Saturday (I have a day job!). If you want to meet with me let Laura know and she will be sure to set a time when I am there.
We had a very fast group gravel ride tonight on a new route out at Bavington (east of Pittsburgh) and I am really whooped rigt now. Have a great evening.

Don

EGBigelo

I'm 6.0. I usually ride a 58cm, but when I was looking at the Jamis Renegade Expat Ltd specs, the 56cm geometry looks pretty close to the 58cm I ride. Actually, a lot of the gravel bikes I've been researching seem to run big.

dwmckee

We still have a few Renegade 56 and 58 models but things are going really fast and no new stock available for quite some time on many models. We have a few S3 and S4 models available and an aluminum one and one Carbon 58. We have a couple of Bombtrack endurance/gravel models, a few Giant Revolts, a 3T, some Felt endurance bikes (not sure sizes), several Salsa Warbirds you should check out (outstanding bikes for the price), a few Opens, a Salsa Warroad you can demo but not for sale, We have just one Expat LTD, but that is a small.

All of these will be less twitchy and more stable downhill.

We expect most of our 56 and 58s will be gone within a week the way things are going now so I suggest you come in by Saturday to be sure you have choices.

If you are riding mostly road then most stock gravel bikes would be better for you with a change to a good slick tire. We carry Rene Herse (Compass), Challenge, Panaracer, Vittoria, Schwalbe and Continentals; all make great road/gravel tires, but it is hard now even to get tires believe it or not. Much of the stuff folks would be buying now would have been made 4 months ago in Wuhan Province if they had not been shut down. I cannot stress enough that great tires (replacing stock) will really make a difference in comfort and performance, especially if you do a lot of road riding. Almost every stock tire, (even on expensive bikes) is mediocre for a lot of road riding. Really good tires are an excellent investment to get the max out of a good bike.

I hope that is helpful.

We are closed Sunday & Wednesday.