Help needed - building up a gravel hardtail
10-23-20, 03:36 AM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Help needed - building up a gravel hardtail
Hi All,
I have the opportunity to get a Merida hardtail Carbon frame and am thinking of building up a light bike for gravel riding and a bit of shortish backpacking. I already have some Stans crest carbon wheels and am thinking of an XT drivetrain and brakes.
Appreciate any thoughts on the forks, bars (flat) and tyres! Thankyou.
I have the opportunity to get a Merida hardtail Carbon frame and am thinking of building up a light bike for gravel riding and a bit of shortish backpacking. I already have some Stans crest carbon wheels and am thinking of an XT drivetrain and brakes.
Appreciate any thoughts on the forks, bars (flat) and tyres! Thankyou.
10-23-20, 05:42 AM
#2
Senior Member
Lots of tyres out there. Depends on the width and tread you're chasing for certain surfaces.
e.g. the tubeless 44mm ReneHerse filetread weigh around 330gm. (1mm thinner at the center than their other filetread offerings).
At the moment am trying out the 375gm Furious Fred at 45.5mm (narrower alternative to similar tread height/pattern on 2.1" Thunder Burt liteskin).
e.g. the tubeless 44mm ReneHerse filetread weigh around 330gm. (1mm thinner at the center than their other filetread offerings).
At the moment am trying out the 375gm Furious Fred at 45.5mm (narrower alternative to similar tread height/pattern on 2.1" Thunder Burt liteskin).
10-23-20, 06:44 AM
#3
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Ill just toss out there that flat bars become the devil for me after a couple hours.
If your bikepacking is so shortish its under a couple hours, Id be good with a flat bar, but otherwise I would look at something with some shape to it that offers multiple hand and body angle positions.
If your bikepacking is so shortish its under a couple hours, Id be good with a flat bar, but otherwise I would look at something with some shape to it that offers multiple hand and body angle positions.
10-23-20, 11:16 AM
#4
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Lots of tyres out there. Depends on the width and tread you're chasing for certain surfaces.
e.g. the tubeless 44mm ReneHerse filetread weigh around 330gm. (1mm thinner at the center than their other filetread offerings).
At the moment am trying out the 375gm Furious Fred at 45.5mm (narrower alternative to similar tread height/pattern on 2.1" Thunder Burt liteskin).
e.g. the tubeless 44mm ReneHerse filetread weigh around 330gm. (1mm thinner at the center than their other filetread offerings).
At the moment am trying out the 375gm Furious Fred at 45.5mm (narrower alternative to similar tread height/pattern on 2.1" Thunder Burt liteskin).
I'll say the TB is probably as fast as anything out there on pure gravel. If its mixed pavement and gravel, the FF is going to pull ahead on the road, especially in the turns. The TB has low rolling resistance, and if I'm just going in a straight line on a MUP, its faster than I would think. Those corner blocks really change the handling on pavement though. The FF feels a lot like a road tire on pavement.
10-23-20, 12:44 PM
#5
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Jones bars!
- Many hand positions
- Ability to strap gear to it
- Room for lights, Garmin, bell, etc.
- Jones handlebar pack available and very useful
- Butted aluminum version is reasonably light at 520 g
Likes For Rolla:
10-23-20, 12:49 PM
#6
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Thread Starter
I have those two. They are great gravel tires.
I'll say the TB is probably as fast as anything out there on pure gravel. If its mixed pavement and gravel, the FF is going to pull ahead on the road, especially in the turns. The TB has low rolling resistance, and if I'm just going in a straight line on a MUP, its faster than I would think. Those corner blocks really change the handling on pavement though. The FF feels a lot like a road tire on pavement.
I'll say the TB is probably as fast as anything out there on pure gravel. If its mixed pavement and gravel, the FF is going to pull ahead on the road, especially in the turns. The TB has low rolling resistance, and if I'm just going in a straight line on a MUP, its faster than I would think. Those corner blocks really change the handling on pavement though. The FF feels a lot like a road tire on pavement.
Lots of tyres out there. Depends on the width and tread you're chasing for certain surfaces.
e.g. the tubeless 44mm ReneHerse filetread weigh around 330gm. (1mm thinner at the center than their other filetread offerings).
At the moment am trying out the 375gm Furious Fred at 45.5mm (narrower alternative to similar tread height/pattern on 2.1" Thunder Burt liteskin).
e.g. the tubeless 44mm ReneHerse filetread weigh around 330gm. (1mm thinner at the center than their other filetread offerings).
At the moment am trying out the 375gm Furious Fred at 45.5mm (narrower alternative to similar tread height/pattern on 2.1" Thunder Burt liteskin).
10-23-20, 12:52 PM
#7
Newbie
Thread Starter
Ill just toss out there that flat bars become the devil for me after a couple hours.
If your bikepacking is so shortish its under a couple hours, Id be good with a flat bar, but otherwise I would look at something with some shape to it that offers multiple hand and body angle positions.
If your bikepacking is so shortish its under a couple hours, Id be good with a flat bar, but otherwise I would look at something with some shape to it that offers multiple hand and body angle positions.
10-23-20, 12:59 PM
#8
Newbie
Thread Starter
Thanks for the suggestion Rolla - I’ll have a closer look at them (I’ve always wanted to try them) but they feel a bit overkill for the normal riding I’ll be doing (1-3 hours with an occasional day ride).
Last edited by Murf58; 10-23-20 at 01:10 PM. Reason: Error
10-23-20, 03:36 PM
#9
Senior Member
the Satori Deviant Bow Carbon bar from Taiwan has some backsweep+rise and is a good price and weight. I use their carbon flared dropbar.
Re fork options, the old 3T Luteus clears a 29x2.1+ and is a good weight. They came in qr and thru-axle. Sometimes they pop up secondhand or on discount.
I like the svelte Spork3 also. The Fairlight Cempa fork is another lightweight but out of stock at the moment.
https://bikepacking.com/index/forks-...e-cage-mounts/
Re fork options, the old 3T Luteus clears a 29x2.1+ and is a good weight. They came in qr and thru-axle. Sometimes they pop up secondhand or on discount.
I like the svelte Spork3 also. The Fairlight Cempa fork is another lightweight but out of stock at the moment.
https://bikepacking.com/index/forks-...e-cage-mounts/
Last edited by tangerineowl; 10-23-20 at 03:53 PM. Reason: txt
10-24-20, 02:25 AM
#10
Newbie
Thread Starter
the Satori Deviant Bow Carbon bar from Taiwan has some backsweep+rise and is a good price and weight. I use their carbon flared dropbar.
Re fork options, the old 3T Luteus clears a 29x2.1+ and is a good weight. They came in qr and thru-axle. Sometimes they pop up secondhand or on discount.
I like the svelte Spork3 also. The Fairlight Cempa fork is another lightweight but out of stock at the moment.
Re fork options, the old 3T Luteus clears a 29x2.1+ and is a good weight. They came in qr and thru-axle. Sometimes they pop up secondhand or on discount.
I like the svelte Spork3 also. The Fairlight Cempa fork is another lightweight but out of stock at the moment.
I will check out some reviews on those satori bars - thankyou.
10-24-20, 10:27 AM
#11
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I use them on my Blackborow and my son has them on his Bridge Club. Excellent hand positions and plenty of real estate to strap bags/rods as needed.
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10-25-20, 02:27 AM
#12
Senior Member
Furious Fred review:-
Today's ride was fairly flat overall, across small gravel over hardpack. Dry conditions.
Never really got the chance to rail long corners on these; mostly straight line stuff.
Pretty happy with them across these conditions and on sealed roads, which they roll across at a pretty good speed for what they are.
Only having a 1mm? knob height in the center, they're never going to have the greatest grip climbing steeper stuff I suppose.
At steady speeds they hold a line pretty well. At high speed (40km+) they can start to slide around a bit when hitting softer sections.
Today's ride was fairly flat overall, across small gravel over hardpack. Dry conditions.
Never really got the chance to rail long corners on these; mostly straight line stuff.
Pretty happy with them across these conditions and on sealed roads, which they roll across at a pretty good speed for what they are.
Only having a 1mm? knob height in the center, they're never going to have the greatest grip climbing steeper stuff I suppose.
At steady speeds they hold a line pretty well. At high speed (40km+) they can start to slide around a bit when hitting softer sections.
