McMitchell

Thinking about selling a couple Mtn bikes and buying a gravel bike. I have two Mtn bikes, 27.5" tires and a Focus Cyclocross bike. I am about 5'7" tall, 160 lbs. I will turn 70 next month.

I ride on paved roads in the community we live in often. These roads get gravel dumped on them regularly. The roads have steep hills and tight turns. North Georgia Mountain environment. I also have a gravel road that I can ride regularly from our home. There are many gravel roads and trails in North, GA, which I may ride. I think I may have "outgrown" single track/rougher trails.

I rented a Lauf True Grit bicycle from my local bike shop, medium frame. The bike felt a little too close to my Focus Cyclocross bike. Gravel racer? It did have a more "relaxed" peddling position, but not as relaxed as I was looking for. I have a 30-31" inseam which can make it difficult for me to stand over the top bar on road/cyclocross bikes & the Lauf. The newer relaxed gravel bike geometry is approaching MTN bike geometry, lower top bars. I liked my return to drop bars. My back, hands and arms had less issues during and after the ride I did on the Lauf vs the Focus bike.

I am thinking about embracing 650B tires. I tend to need a small to medium frame which may work better with 650B tires. I am also reading reports that imply these tires may have advantages on rougher terrain. I have been studying: Salsa Journeyman, Surly Midnight Special, Kona Rove....I am looking for something that I can attach fenders, racks to. It rains here often. There's are stream & spring crossings in the roads I ride.

JonathanGennick 

I wish I were up to speed enough on drop bar options to make specific bicycle suggestions. I do LOVE the 650b tire size in this application. WTB's line of Horizon and related models have been game changing and let me do mixed up rides that include bits of pavement, gravel roads, double-track, and even some Michigan singletrack all in the same ride. I've been having so much fun with these tires and their versatility. They lend a feeling of stability and comfort in rough terrain that is much appreciated.

Photo below showing my Priority 600 -- flat bars, not drops -- on a local ATV trail that I ride often. It's got the rack and fenders that you mention, and even has built-in lights. There's a beaver pond that sometimes floods an old rail grade on the same route by 3-4 inches. I have no problem riding through that. The rail grade is solid though, and a stream crossing might present a softer surface under the water.

For drop bars, I'd probably look first to Salsa and it appears that you're already there and doing that.

ironwood

27.5 and 650B are the same.

ericzamora

650b gravel bike??? Do it! Gravel bikes come in two styles right now... the more comfortable geometry, and the more racy style. Look for the former. And plan to go tubeless.

eric/fresno, ca.

mstateglfr 

Most any new gravel bike can take a 650 wide tire wheel too. Just find what bike you want and get a 650 wheelset too.
Or sure- look for 650 stock gravel bikes.

some ideas to start that are frames or full builds...
Black Mountain Cycles Road+
Black Mountain Cycles MCD
Soma Wolverine
All City Gorilla Monsoon
Salsa Fargo
Salsa Warbird
Surly Midnight Special
Bombtrack Hook EXT
Fairlight Secan
Masi Giramondo
Norco Search Steel

golftdi

May I show off my Midnight Special?

jlaw

I like the 3 bikes that you mention and have suggested them to others, although have no personal experience with any of them. The closest I've gotten is that two friends each recently purchased the Salsa Journeyman 650b. It is a good spec. for the money. It is an aluminum frame. but with big tires rolling at 25 - 30 psi you may be fine comfort-wise.

650b may also fit you better than 700c for a given frame.

Depending upon the frame, 650b might also give you more clearance between the tire and the fender - fewer problems with debris. Get yourself some fenders with quick-release tabs.

The tires you use will contribute greatly to the feel of the bike - tons of searchable threads re: tires on this site. I bought some very expensive 'supple' tires this year and I love them. I would run tubes unless you have problems with frequent flats from thorns, etc. - then try tubeless.

Try before you buy.

davei1980

A quick search of Chain Reaction/Universal Cycles showed some good options for 650b/27.5 gravel bikes with clearance for 2.1" tires. Sounds like a winner to me!

With the proliferation of disc brakes, I sense the swap to 650b is way easier than before.

Metieval

Salsa Journeyman 650b, unless you are looking for higher end, then look to a Salsa Warbird 650b.

Revolt Advanced would need to be swapped to 650b and it can be.

tangerineowl

I'd tend to think at your height a 650b would be a good fit. I'm 5'9.5" and have played around with a few different 650b tyre sizes, finding for myself that I don't like to go smaller than a 47/48mm for the rolling feel. I really like the feel of a lightweight 2.1/2.2" like the Thunder Burt liteskin.

Yes the tyre rolls slower than a 700c but that extra cush is great.

I'd have a good hard look at the Black Mountain Cycles Road+ frameset in steel. Great value and the front end geo could be relaxed enough for you. Standover from what I remember is low enough across the sizes.