Votec VRC Comp or Ridley Kanzo Speed GRX600?
04-02-21, 10:07 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Votec VRC Comp or Ridley Kanzo Speed GRX600?
Hi! I'm planning to buy my first gravel bike. As the corona situation trimmed my budget significantly i cannot spend more than 3000 euros (roughly the same amount in dollars) on it. I did some research, found two models which i like and could afford. Votec VRC Comp 2021 and the Ridley Kanzo GRX600. I've read some reviews but i'm honestly not sure if i should really trust these, as these portals are mainly sponsored by manufacturers. I'd like to ask if someone has personal experience with these? Thanks!
04-03-21, 05:58 PM
#2
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,617
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10970 Post(s)
Liked 7,496 Times
in
4,192 Posts
The Kanzo Speed and Kanzo Adventure both come in grx600 setups. Which are you looking at?
The Votec is limited to about 35mm tires. The Kanzo speed is about the same.
That'd eliminate both for me. No interest in that limitation for how/where I ride.
The Votec is limited to about 35mm tires. The Kanzo speed is about the same.
That'd eliminate both for me. No interest in that limitation for how/where I ride.
04-04-21, 07:30 AM
#3
Full Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 257
Bikes: Space Horse Disc, Domane SL5 Disc
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 64 Post(s)
Liked 29 Times
in
17 Posts
I agree with mstateglfr that both frames are limited in respect to tire clearance. I'd pretty much consider these bikes to be closer to endurance road bikes. The Votec also use's Mavic's Speed Release which is like a hybrid of a thru-axle and QR dropouts, designed to make wheel changes easier. To me, it kind of defeats the purpose of a true thru-axle, and I never have any issues removing wheels on my thru-axle bikes.
I can't vouch for Votec, but I briefly owned a Ridley X-Trail and I would have no reservations owning another one. It was well built and great riding, just the wrong size for me. The Kanzo Adventure might be worth checking out for a similar price and up to 47mm tire clearance.
I can't vouch for Votec, but I briefly owned a Ridley X-Trail and I would have no reservations owning another one. It was well built and great riding, just the wrong size for me. The Kanzo Adventure might be worth checking out for a similar price and up to 47mm tire clearance.
04-07-21, 03:55 AM
#4
Obsessed with Eddington
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Brussels (BE) 🇧🇪
Posts: 1,330
Bikes: '16 Spesh Diverge, '14 Spesh Fatboy, '18 Spesh Epic, '18 Spesh SL6, '21 Spesh SL7, '21 Spesh Diverge...and maybe n+1?
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 532 Post(s)
Liked 621 Times
in
368 Posts
If it's down to these two, I'll give you a purely biased opinion...I know the guys at VOTEC, I used to race a nutty local unsanctioned CX series (Die Goldene Ananas) with them in Stuttgart and have ridden the VOTEC Gravel Fondo in 2018 and 2019. Their bikes have gone from well designed and engineered aluminum framed gravel race bikes to high end carbon in about 4 years. I also know a couple of guys who have bought VOTEC frames and built them up in the last year while teleworking...they swear it's the best gravel bike they've ever owned.
For a bit of context, the gravel in that area of Germany is strictly forest maintenance roads (logging, forest ranger access, hunting (yes, Germans hunt))... BaWü strictly prohibits riding a bicycle on ANY trail less than 2m wide (fines can be hefty if a cyclist is caught on the "single trails"), reserving them ONLY for walking or horses. Soooo, gravel riding in that part of Germany is fast af, like road fast, the VOTEC bikes are well designed for that. They are not well suited to single trail with lots of rocks and roots trails.
For a bit of context, the gravel in that area of Germany is strictly forest maintenance roads (logging, forest ranger access, hunting (yes, Germans hunt))... BaWü strictly prohibits riding a bicycle on ANY trail less than 2m wide (fines can be hefty if a cyclist is caught on the "single trails"), reserving them ONLY for walking or horses. Soooo, gravel riding in that part of Germany is fast af, like road fast, the VOTEC bikes are well designed for that. They are not well suited to single trail with lots of rocks and roots trails.
Likes For Badger6:
