KonaRider125

The Niner RLT 9 has a fairly relaxed endurance geometry, compared to my road bike its much more comfortable for long rides. When I get off road the bike just feels extremely planted and stable.

Competitive Cyclist has the 3 star build with SRAM Hydro brakes(if that is what you mean by wet brakes) for $2500. JensonUSA also has a few sizes left of the 2015 model with Ultegra hydro for under $2000.

jfk22

Can you get your wife to talk to my wife, please?

trail_monkey

Build your own. You can make a nice bike with components YOU WANT. I bought a $600 Vassago frame/fork combo for $350 bucks as a 2015 frame closeout (last november 2 days after black friday). Then I bought some Race Face Ride cranks from Jensen USA for 60-70 bucks. Then spokes and nipples from Bikehubstore.com for maybe $100. Tom at Vassago cycles will supply parts to his customers to build his frames at cost and he is very good at communicating back and forth. I bought a front and rear Shimano XTR M8000 hub set from Tom for $50 bucks a hub (you couldn't even find these hubs for sale online yet they were the new models). He sold me a Cane creek headset for $45 or so and a can of frame saver rust preventative for $10. I then bought everything else from my local Trek dealership and spent under $1000 (see attachment of my receipt). I wanted a Shimano drivetrain but went with Sram because I wanted a clutch mountain bike derailleur with road bike levers and that's not feasible with Shimano mountain sets. I did do all my own work including lacing my own wheels. Total investment..... $1595.06

P.S. in 2014 I did a similar build using on Soma B Side mountain bike only using Hope hubs. The nice thing about building your own is you can build it "how you want it" and not have to settle for what the manufacturer gives you on their model. Some may argue that you cannot spec a bike together as cheap as the manufacturer but the reward is worth it to me. I bought a Jamis a few years ago and within months upgraded the crankset, chainring, BB, stem, bars, seat, fork, tires, and pedals. I might as well of built my own.

osco53

Yeah I follow ya Trail Monkey I really do.... BUT !

I set aside so many hours a week to ride. If I get 10 to 12 hours scattered across three days out of each week I feel like I am on top of things. My Mountain bike gets priority, say two rides a week when possible. Leaving me 3 or 4 hours for my other riding.
When I retire I fully Intend to build more than one bike But now, for me, I need to walk Into one of my local bike shops and say, "Ok That one",,,"Call me when It's ready to pick up and with any luck I can pick It up within a day or two."

Other thing Is, I've eyeballed three different makes of bikes each in my Local bike shops that have the components I want.
Still when I add up a build It will cost me more, I cannot seem to find these super low prices you find and that's most likely because I do not have the time to search them out.

Plus The frames I find are all more race geo and or very expensive...

trail_monkey

I understand. I love to build things. I build in the winter when I normally don't ride as often anyways although I plan to start changing that habit!

osco53

Oh no need,, here's how I did It,,

I FIRST let her get something she wanted, A $2300 scooter

osco53

Central Florida,, Winter here means Leggings, long sleeve Jersey's, a skull cap and some full fingered gloves, nothing more~
The Summer storms limit my riding a little but the fight Is always between, working out, cycling, work and home life.

The SwampClub.Org single track rides get soggy In the summer, some of our clay based trails close for three or four months.
That's part of the reason I want to Gravel Grind...

trail_monkey

Midwest here lol

1242Vintage

Nearly the same in California. We used to get rain January through April but not anymore. Epic drought put an end to wet weather cycling. Don't even have a rain jacket anymore.

Went on a 40 mile gravel ride today. One of the guys was on a Diamondback Haanjo. Really nice bike. I Spent most of the ride trying to keep up.

Hill-Pumper

I have both a Niner RLT Steel, and a GT Grade Carbon 105. Most people would think that these bikes are have quite a bit of of overlap in use, but there are enough differences to justify both for me. I started out with the Grade, thinking it would be my gravel bike, to compliment my Ti road bike. What happened was that the Grade proved to be as capable as the Ti bike, plus good gravel bike. As I progressed into more garval ridding, I found the GT really was limited by it's max tire size of 35C. It works good for hardpack gravel, or smaller loose riding. When faced with deep or big gravel, I could ride it, but it was not a fun situation. About a month ago, I built the Niner up. While it does not have the miles on it that the Grade, does, I can say it is a better gravel bike hands down. The 40C tires alone mean the world in deep, loose gravel. I have yet to put slicks in the RLT, but just from riding it on the pavement to get to the gravel sections, it seems like it should hold its own as a road bike. I do notice that the Niner steers a little quicker due to the head angle, but certainly not enough to be bothersome. So, I tell this whole story just to have you consider how you will use the bike before buying. If I were going to be more road orientated, then something like the Grade makes sense. If deep gravel is more what you'll be doing, then along the lines of the Niner.

osco53

Ah but the ? my Inquiring mind wants to know Is what bike were YOU on ?

osco53

Your points of Interest pointed me right back at the Cross Rip 3,,

I want the ability to run 40c or wider. The Trek takes up to 46c/1.8" It seems,
Tubeless most definitely !
The bike will be used In soft stuff but not often,
I'd guestimate:
75% Pavement including crappy streets, sand at Intersections, sidewalk cracks etc...
20% hard packed shale/gravel
5% soft stuff,,this mostly from wandering too far off the beaten path,,,

I want to explore the green swamp but not Croom

Those Niner's are In second place,
The Giant any road comax fell way back In third,

osco53

As I look and read I'm finding to tick all the boxes I need to spend $1,800 - $2200

Of the many bikes I see, The bikes you folks are showing me I'd have to order on my own with no LBS support.
Most seem to be more CX/race oriented and from the Invaluable Info I am getting here I feel I need to stay close to the Gravel Geo. And maybe even closer to the more relaxed touring wheel bases and geo.

I just don't want cable disk brakes.
I want Shimano Hydro's.
I don't want Sram anything,
It seems the Shimano stuff costs more as a whole, ok That's fine, I like It better anyway.
I want to start with a 2 x system and 11 speed out back.
When I spring for a second better wheel set I can add a wider range cassette and feel I will have more options with a shimano 11 speed..

I've got a Specialized dealer pretty close to me,
A Giant, Scott, and Cannondale dealer within 20 miles,

But my closest LBS Is a Trek Dealer and a very good one..
I simply must give them a 'Plug'

Brandon Bike Works......

I will not pull the trigger on the Trek just yet, going to hold off, keep reading, maybe ride a few more.
They had 2016 LTD's on sale for $1399 I think~~ In case anyone Is Interested..

Podagrower

My current stable includes a Giant Defy carbon bike and RLT steel. I have over 7,000 miles on the Defy and almost 500 miles on the RLT (got it in June). Two star build, cable operated brakes and 11 speed 105 groupset. Is it comfy? I rode a century on it the second weekend I had it. Is it roadable? I have it set up for commuting with a rack and panniers and have used it for group rides like that, it's a little harder to run the same speed as the Defy, but for under 50 miles it's not an issue.

I wanted full hydraulic brakes, but put priority on the steel frame which limited choices a lot.

1242Vintage

I was on my old school alloy Crux with an ailing bottom bracket and balding tires. I know what it feels like to go down on gravel at speed so I was taking it easy on every corner and hammering through on the straights to catch back up. Guys on gravel bikes or cross rigs with wider tires were kicking my butt. Don't mind that since I got a real good workout.

I'm getting a new race bike for the season. Crux expert with SRAM 1x11, carbon frame and hydraulic brakes. Just waiting for our team order. Other bikes I looked at were a Niner BSB and a Santa Cruz Stigmata. Decision came down to pricing.

osco53

Crux expert, Niner BSB and the Santa Cruz Stigmata, all very nice but I'm not that devoted to the craft yet and those are well over budget for me.

Those represent second bikes to me If and when I want deeper Into CX...

osco53

Take a look see,, I found this Interesting..

Slowhead

I didn't see anyone mention the 2017 Specialized Sequoia Elite and the 2017 Salsa Vaya GX.
There is some positive chat about the new rubber on the Sequoia, 42mm and tubeless ready.
The Vaya is more of a adventure bike and has a relaxed geometry.

GeneO 

That was an excellent well rounded comparison in my opinion. Don't find too many with that quality, knowledge, and thoroughness.

Pendergast

I've watched a lot of his videos over the years. He seems like a really knowledgeable and sensible guy. I can't remember if he mentions it in that particular video, but he's from northern Florida which could mean the types of roads/terrain he's riding might be similar to what osco53 would be riding. I don't know Florida well enough to know for sure.

osco53

Northern Florida has,,Hills. more than I have In central Florida.

But If I want to climb on pavement all I have are Interstate overpasses, they work, Interval style.

My Mountain bike rides are In the old phosphate mines, a few places Like Alafia and Balm Boyette were left behind before the state mandated land reclamation went Into effect. Meaning our mountains go down not up
These places were left to go wild when the phosphate drag lines moved on, strip mining,, leaving us this wonderful playground.

We have many wide paved MUPS and quite a trail system, Lots of long Gravel roads on top of the levee at Trout Creek to Flatwoods and through the green swamp...

From a diistance I did observe a team practicing on a Cyclo race course at flat woods, was strange watching what looked to be road bikes coming out of the flats,(Mostly level Single tracks), then climbing the levee and then riders picking up the bikes and running/jumping over obstacles of pvc pipes. I know the woods well were they vanished Into,,dark, thick cypress and scrub oaks, Mud you ask? ,, You Betcha !
There is a yearly race out there, the guy In that video surly would know about it,,I forget the name of the club.
Could prolly be found on Swampclub.org

osco53

And the trigger has been pulled.

My closest LBS and Trek dealer made me an offer I could not refuse, just to end my hunt and suffering,

Trek Cross Rip 3 $1889.10 plus tax, I'm happy...
Us Swamp members get a 10% discount on every thing we buy at participating bike shops

Thanks again people for all this Info, I learned tons, I'm gonna ride the wheels off this bike I promise !

Garfield Cat

But what does your wife say?

SkunkWerX

Congrats!!!

I am also eyeballing the Crossrip, have been for a while and just stumbled on this thread. I need to look at the 3 vs. the LTD, but it's calling my name.
Please give us feedback and initial reaction once you get some miles on it. please and thanks.

trail_monkey

Congrats! Enjoy the ride.