ph0rk

Not sure if this fits here or the touring subforum - I'm thinking maybe better here because I don't plan on carrying much weight.

I'm pretty new to randonneuring (ok, entirely new), but I have a 200k scheduled in a few weeks. Longer term I have my eye on some longer distance rides - I'd like to ride from the Appalachians to the coast (in Virginia along 76) which is around 350-400 miles. I'd like to build up a bike for the task and I'm not having much luck picking a frame.

Current frames are a Trek Domane and Trek Crossrip. Both will do the job, but neither puts a grin on my face. Neither frame is drilled for downtube third bottle cages, and I go through lots of water.


Needs: stack around 575, reach around 375 - what my current Domane sits at. This is a larger challenge than it sounds. I'm sure there's some wiggle room with seat setback, seat tube angle, and so on. I'd prefer not to have a short stem to keep steering stable.

The Crossrip is 560 and 387, and it took a rather steeply angled stem to work. This isn't aesthetically a problem, but it limits inside triangle space so fitting bottles is a pain (need to use a side loader on the seat tube) and there's no room for a frame bag.



Wants: clearance for big tires (700x40mm or 700x45mm), fender capability, 3x bottle mounts, steel frame, carbon fork, disc brakes, threaded BB (BSA or T47). This bike will travel unkempt roads and in the rain.

Secondary wants: throughaxle dropouts, sliding rear dropouts - not deal breakers, but would be nice.

Loads: I don't anticipate carrying much other than 3x 26oz water bottles, a day or more of food, and a change of clothes/toiletries, tube and tools (and my credit card). Frame bags work fine for this, and a large seat bag plus a handlebar bag and top tube bag should be more than enough. I have this setup currently on a Trek Crossrip and I can carry more than I need with that bike. (That bike is longer and lower than I like and the frame is otherwise stiff, tire clearance with fenders is also not so great).

I've compiled a list of stack and reach measurements for about 27 different frames and few are close to what I need - many of the newer gravel bikes are too stretched out for me. Not really feeling custom right now for this bike. A salsa Vaya is high on my list, but I worry it will be taller and shorter than I'd like (in a 55, stack is 609.1 and reach is 363.8). Maybe not - I've test ridden complete Vayas and liked the handling generally, the newer frames have a slightly different geometry but the trail figures look quite close. I'm mostly sure I'd like a steel rather than alloy frame.

Is the Vaya going to be overbuilt for my loads? What other bikes might I be missing (i.e. bikes that aren't what the gravel scene is currently raving about?). Rehabbing an old frame isn't really in the cards because I'd like discs and would prefer a modern wheelset, and for how light I'd ultimately like this setup to be, I'm pretty set on the carbon fork.

I know that Gunnar (and the like) are always an option, but I have to think there are more frames like this already available - I just can't find them!

Bikes I've cataloged thus far (some much lower than I would have guessed!):

clasher

The Fuji Jara is pretty close to meeting your stack and reach numbers in the 54 size. It has a BB386 though, but a praxis adapter could get you a BSA threaded BB so you wouldn't have to worry about creaking.. I don't know much about the modern BBs so I can't comment. Another one that looked close was the specialized diverge women's model, seems like they make them less stretched out that the men's version. That might apply to other models out there, I'm not sure.

tangerineowl

https://crustbikes.com/products/the-dreamer/

medium is 572/379. No sliding dropouts.

That's the lightest production steel frame on your list by a mile. A light steel frame would be ideal for your intended use in my view.


I'll see if I can find anything else out there.

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https://www.lastcalldistro.com/xcart...-gatherer.html
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575 / 375. Frameset shipping mid-year. Somewhat different spec than what you're chasing (designed around big 650b. Steel fork), but I thought I'd add it anyway.


576 / 375. Raleigh Stuntman. You'd have to purchase the complete bike and swap out the alu fork for a carbon. Somewhat heavier frame: 631. Not sure if a 2x crank fits.

575 / 378. 2018 Masi CXGR Supreme complete bike. Can fit 700x45. Looks like it only has two bottle mounts though.

ph0rk

I hadn't noticed Crust's The Dreamer. How magical is their steel? I think I'd need the small rather than the medium, for the standover (I don't think 803mm would be comfortable; 790 is probably as high as I want to go). So that puts it at 551/374.

I finally got some geometry numbers from Fairdale - their RockItShip is a 568/382 with clearance for 41mm tires, 790 standover. I heard from All-City about the Cosmic Stallion, and it will only fit 41mm tires, also (their website is wrong) - the frameset is also sold out in my size so I'd have to go with a complete bike, which I'd rather not do.

The Jamis Renegade Escapade is available as a frameset (Reynolds 631, but nowhere as beefy as the stuntman), and it has similar specs to the cosmic stallion with a touch more tire clearance.

Tops in the running right now are a Vaya, a Renegade Escapade, a RockItShip, and a The Dreamer.

I think that I'll want to play around with the WTB resolute (700x42) in "gravel mode", so the cosmic stallion and probably also the RockItShip (they claim 700x41) might be out.

unterhausen

I don't think anyone is using magical steel. It's 8/5/8, so it's pretty stout, depending on what you are used to riding. A little less stout than most production bikes with similar clearances. People like Crust's frames a lot. I have no experience.
https://crustbikes.com/products/the-dreamer/

Classtime 

Treat yourself to a Rivendell. If I could sell my Milwaukee for what I think its worth I would and replace it with a Rivendell. They are TOO COOL.