jwls

I am looking for a new bike - for both packed gravel/light trail and road riding.


Last fall I had an inexpensive/a bit ill fitting road bike I used on the road primarily for fitness. My typical rides were 1-1.5hrs. To that end I'd like to join a weekly womens road ride in the future (20-30 miles). They also do some longer events. But close to home we have access to a number of packed gravel trails (and some poor paved road conditions), so I'd like a little more comfort on the crummy roads, and freedom to take the trails. Last fall I almost always ended up with at least a small portion of a ride on packed gravel. As well hubby has a new gravel bike and wants to use it on the trails and it would be great to be able to join him.

I'm guessing a second set of tires is in my future - and possibly a second wheel set depending.

To that end I've tried out a couple bikes at two LBS and would love some input as what I'm hearing there can be contradictory. I've looked at geometry charts, and in isolation I might be able to pick up what a change in BBdrop might do, but when combined with all the other changes I have a hard time translating that into what it feels like after an hour or two.


I've liked the CAADX Tiagra - felt like the most "fun" but it has been suggested I wouldn't like on a longer road ride?

Cube Nuroad Pro - at a different shop so not a back to back ride. I felt like I was a little slower, an illusion, the tires, change in the handling likely why. On this bike I was most aware of the handlebar width (420mm) which I believe all 3 are. I might be looking to change that to 400.

Specialized Diverge E5 Elite Womens - best saddle of the bunch (but I could also just use my existing). Thought this was a great ride as well - quite comfortable.


So is a more cross oriented bike something to stay away from for my planned use, and something more endurance oriented the way to go? Is the Diverge better to warrant the extra price? Or a CAADX and the money toward a second tire set.


For Tiagra/mech disc brakes on all, the Diverge is coming in $450 more than the CAADX and $300 more than the Nuroad. I could also get a CAADX 105 for the same price as the Nuroad.


Thanks for any insights/experience.

shoota 

First of all Kudos for doing your research.

Geo and BB drop - won't matter one bit for your described riding. I have spent a lot of time on lots of different bikes from road to to CX to gravel and bb height never made a hill of beans difference to me,

CAADX - Whoever told you that you won't like it on longer rides doesn't know what they're talking about. And of the three you listed it would be near the top on my short list.

Cube - At first glance it looks like a solid bike for the money. I don't have any experience with it though.

Specialized Diverge - Nice bike, but always more expensive than comparable bikes.

In my opinion you're looking for a cross bike with two wheelsets.

DrIsotope

Between the 3 listed, the Cube is the best outfitted (best brakes and tires of the three, easily) and most suited to "all around" duty. The only thing thing the Spesh has going for it AFAIC is the Praxis crankset, but that's certainly not enough to sway the decision toward it. As they're all aluminum frames and press-fit bottom brackets, I'd lean heavily toward the Cube Nuroad.

jwls

Thanks.
You're reconfirming my feeling that I'm choosing between the Nuroad and the CAADX (probably 105) for the bikes I have available to ride. I wish they were at the same shop for back to back test rides. It looks like hubby is buying a Nuroad. Matching bikes isn't my thing lol, but if that's the way it works out. I am hoping to ride them this week-end and go from there.

jwls

I found a Trek Checkpoint (AL4) in my size to ride last night. Just a 5 min ride (they were closing) but might be worth a return trip later today. The reach seemed a little long but need to get a better sense. Not sure adding another option to the mix is going to prove helpful lol. It felt a little closer to the Nuroad with the addition of hydraulic brakes.

shoota 

Checkpoints are great bikes. Hydro is pretty great too.

Rides4Beer

I just ordered a Giant Revolt Advanced 2 and will be doing the same thing. I'm not getting rid of my road bike, but I did order a second wheelset for the Revolt so I can run road tires and have a more relaxed/comfortable road bike when I want it. It also has better gearing for climbing.

fraba

https://www.opencycle.com/u.p.(p.e.r.)
Salty price tag but does exactly what you want: road (with 700cx28), light XC single track (with 650bx2.1) and gravel (with anything in between).

jwls

Thanks for all the replies.

Congrats on the new bike Rides4beer. It's been interesting asking for advice at the LBS. I have had one person tell me that I should be looking at cross bikes and another tell me I don't want one!
I haven't been able to take the Checkpoint out for that longer ride yet - some home renos and bad weather causing timing issues with getting to the shop. I really want to like it, but I am also aware that I felt like I was reaching when I took it for the quick ride (54). The first bike I rode when I was looking was a 52 Checkpoint and I recall describing it as very "knees and elbows" and hadn't liked it. So from a pure initial fit standpoint I think I'm looking at the CAADX (Tiagra or 105) or Nuroad Pro (Tiagra).
How much should the crank and cogs figure into my decision. CAADX is 46/36 crank and either 11-32 or 11-28 and the Nuroad is 50/34 and 11-34? I live on the prairies so no real hills to ride - just some shorter elevation changes for typically man made reasons. I will need to go check what I'm riding now.

And fraba that u.p.(p.e.r.) looks amazing!! And spendy!

shoota 

You'll get differing opinions on this so I'll give you my initial thoughts. The correct gearing is largely a combination of the terrain, types of rides you do, and how fit/strong you are.

For example, my mom is in her 60s, doesn't ride fast hard group rides and isn't physically strong. She needs low gearing, like 46/30, 11-32.
By contrast, I ride the same roads but I'm in my 30s, ride hard/fast (or at lest I try to ), and am physically stronger than her. I could get away with 50/34, 11/32.

Long story short, I think for what you're describing the 46/36 on the CAADX would suffice. If you need lower for some reason, putting a 34t chainring in place of the 36t is super cheap and easy. If you need more then replacing the 46t with a 50t is cheap and easy as well.

Sorry for the long winded explanation.

fraba

Spendy, you're right! But with 2 sets of wheels, it replaces 2.5 bikes (road, gravel and light XC MTB). So in the end, it costs less no? That's what I said to my wife anyway

Rides4Beer

Thanks! Picked up my Revolt last week, I've now had a chance to do a 31 mile gravel ride on the 40mm tires, and a 40 mile road ride on the 28mm GP5Ks. If someone doesn't race, then I would absolutely say that a gravel bike with two wheelsets will do everything they need to do! Even with the 48/32, I had no problems matching my usual speeds on my regular loop. Spun out around 35mph, but that only affects a couple of sections of that route, and my average speed was exactly the same as on my road bike, except the gravel bike is more comfortable and the disc brakes are fantastic!

Riding on gravel was amazing, bike was extremely comfortable and stable, can't wait to get out there again!

jwls

Sooo, last summer got busy. I put a shorter stem on the old bike and figured I'd see if I could get any good deals in fall, with a (hopeful) better understanding of what I wanted. Fall here rained and was miserable. And I saw the Liv Avail AR would be available in spring (and that had appeal for me). So I put off buying until this spring. Oops!! Now there are (really) limited bikes available and I'd really like something new - having fewer activities available this summer. No Avails locally - and no one is willing to guess when they might get any in - so much for waiting.
I run 25s on the current bike. I will move to 28s for road riding on the new. Maybe 30? And then something wider if I'm doing longer gravel rides with hubby on weekends (dependant upon the bikes clearance).
I went to a local shop today that carries Norco (I'm in Canada) and tried out a Search and Section. The options are Tiagra/mech brake on the available in my size. My complaints are probably petty - the welds are ugly! And something seemed to rattle, maybe in the brifter? And likely could be solved. I don't know anything about Norco's (and the internet is limited).
There remains a '19 CAADX105 SE (mech brakes) or maybe the ability to order the 2020 CAADX 105 with Hydro (+$400). The Nuroad Pro remains available (Tiagra Mech) and is the cheapest. There is also a '19 Diverge E5 comp. or '18 diverge sport. I had headed into this spring thinking I'd like 105/hydro but with limited options, and being unsure how much it will matter to me riding in the prairies, I guess I'm flexible.
I'm a researcher by nature, which generally makes decisions harder. Also, the limited (and ever shrinking) options, and lineups to get into shops make it harder (my local shop just reopened for test rides - pent up demand!). My thinking is that CAADX and Nuroad probably still best fit the bill? But that the diverge might be the bike I like the most on gravel (future shock), and if I ride more than I think and an N+1 happens next year, a road bike and diverge might be a better pairing? Anything I should consider? Stick with what I've got on the road this summer and wait until Geo between Nuroad/Caadx/Section feels pretty similar.

Metieval

See if any Canadian shop has a Giant Revolt Aluminum 105 bike!
I almost regret not driving up and grabbing one before all this lockdown crap.

jwls

My fear is committing to a bike I cannot ride, being uncertain on size. Maybe less so with the Revolt than the Avail. I found an Avail AR out of province that is tempting. But I'm sort of in the mid zone between sizes and I don't have enough experience to know which way I'd want to go. But I have got to say this lockdown makes it a bit more tempting to gamble.