SamSpade1941 

Well I’ve been pondering a cross bike for a while especially since I’m not able to afford the gravel bike I want. I imagine I can do some under biking on gravel with this till I can afford a gravel specific rig.

Used but excellent condition Ridley X -Fire with 2 sets of wheels the Neuvation Aero wheels and a set of Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels . Both sets are 20/24 spoked so I will probably get rid of the wheels and get some 32 spoke wheels or some 36 spoke everything else seems ok . I’ll end up needing new cables , chin cassette etc .

Theres no damage to the carbon so I’ll re use everything I can and make It my gravel bike for now .

mstateglfr 

They definitely make sure you know its a Ridley!

Neat decision- get what you can for now and change later(if you even end up wanting to). Whats the tire clearance and how old is the bike?

chas58

Nice!

Cross bikes are great for mixed road & gravel. If your heart is set on doing 200 gravel only miles in a day (in a straight line), or bombing down loose gravel hills at high speed – there may be better bikes. But other than that, cross is great (assuming you can get the tires you need on there).

Ridley is good stuff. Congrats!

Elvo

How much? Tyre clearance looks limited if you need wider ones

ksryder

Yeah Ridley is a good brand but they are a very traditional European CX brand, which means you probably aren't going to be able to fit much more than 35s in there, I'm guessing.

As far as CX geo on gravel, I've been riding CX on gravel for years. You get used to it. Yes, I would like a bike with a slightly longer wheelbase and lower BB for stability, but that's a "want to have" more than a "need to have" for me.

SamSpade1941 

The bike is a 2009 and It will handle 35’s with a little room to spare . The two wheel sets that came with the bike have a set of 25’s and a set of 33’s.

i will end up ordering some gravel king 700x35’s. As I got through the bike and give it an overhaul

SamSpade1941 

Thanks I appreciate it , the deal was too good to pass up and froma what I had read the Ridley is a really tough bike and I wanted something durable .

SamSpade1941 

Yes I’ve noted that myself as well , this 56 cm Ridley is more like a 58cm in other bikes but that’s ok . I like a French fit in a bike so this will work . Eventually when I can get some money saved / sell some of my vintage steel bikes I will get a purpose built gravel rig .

Jakedatc

I would keep the better of those wheels for road riding or spare set with other kind of tread on them. I keep one set for my aggressive cx tires and the other with filetreads for gravel.

tFUnK

I had an alloy Ridley cx bike a while ago and it took 40mm tires well. I moved on to something else eventually because I preferred a frame with a greater bb drop for the riding I do.

Seattle Forrest

I had a set of Fulcrum Racing 7s. Indestructible. Keep the 5s until you actually need to replace them - which might be never.

SamSpade1941 

That is good to know, I am bit hesitant to keep and use them since they are 20/24 and I am big enough that I don't feel comfortable on wheels that do not have 32 or 36 spokes. By that same token I do not hop curbs or jump things with my bikes , so I may keep it in mind, and attempt to run them.

SamSpade1941 

From what I have read of the X-Fire MOD III which is this model ... It will accommodate 40mm tires , so I may be getting a set of 38 or 40 mm panaracers to run.

SamSpade1941 

Understand but my concern is durability based on my size and the low spoke count of the Neuvation wheelset and the Formula... I may keep the Formula set simply because @Seattle Forrest has said they are bombproof.

Seattle Forrest

I'm built more like a football player than a cyclist and I couldn't knock my Racing 7s out of true hitting potholes hard at speed coming down hill. This was years ago and things may have changed since then.

I used to have a GT Grade, it came with lousy wheels. They had 32 spokes but we're make by angry drunk children who hate cyclists, apparently. I kept breaking spokes until on one ride 6 or more of them broke. I took an Uber home with my bike, the shop warrantied the wheel, and the replacement was just as bad. That made me really nervous on dirt roads too many miles from cell coverage, and I bought the strongest wheels I could get after that experience - 24 spokes, still wonderful after 2 or 3 years.

The aweful wheels I had, a shop told me they were the cheapest spokes available. I think the quality of the parts and if the build is more important then spoke count. But I'm basing that on extreme cases.

Jakedatc

Yea, I was thinking for a road set so you could use it for N+1 where you wouldn't need it to be super strong. always good to have a second set. GF has a Ridley and really likes it so have fun with it.

SamSpade1941 

That is a good idea I may do that .