Got a Gravel bike on a C&V frame?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Great White North
Posts: 1,226
Bikes: 2013 Cannondale Caad 8, 2010 Opus Fidelio, 1985 Peugeot UO14, 1999 Peugeot Dune, Sakai Select, L'Avantage, 1971 Gitane Apache Standard, 1999 Specialized Hard Rock
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 548 Post(s)
Liked 473 Times
in
302 Posts
Got a Gravel bike on a C&V frame?
I'm not really sure I buy into the whole gravel bike craze but it sure is popular these days and seems like anyone on road bikes are changing over to gravel bikes. I just can't imagine spending another 3 grand on a road bike with a thicker wheel and tire to ride around on crush gravel paths? If you had a nice, carbon mountain bike, wouldn't you just take that out to ride with your gravel bike friends? Will they eventually put suspension on gravel bikes to hit some trails?
I'm thinking you could take a nice steel frame, road or mountain bike and turn it into a decent gravel bike for a lot less than 3 grand so show me what you got.
I'm thinking you could take a nice steel frame, road or mountain bike and turn it into a decent gravel bike for a lot less than 3 grand so show me what you got.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Evanston, IL
Posts: 5,129
Bikes: many
Mentioned: 63 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1455 Post(s)
Liked 1,405 Times
in
768 Posts
My Eisentraut Limited currently sports 32mm smooth tread Gravel Kings. I've ridden it on the Des Plaines River Trail a couple times this year with no particular problem (one tumble, but I chalk that up to pilot error). I think I could fit 35s with a more aggressive tread. That's probably all I need. In general, I think most production road bikes made before the late 70s probably have clearance for 32s, if not wider.
Maybe there's a difference I'm missing, but are modern gravel bikes all that different than modern cyclocross bikes?
Maybe there's a difference I'm missing, but are modern gravel bikes all that different than modern cyclocross bikes?
#3
Senior Member
Usually, vintage 70s racing frames can handle a 32. There are some exceptions. Pretty much all of the classic 70s and 80s touring frames can as well. No problems for me riding gravel on these types of bikes.
I'd reckon I've put more gravel miles on my old 70s Masi than most official gravel bike riders have put on their gravel bikes.
Likes For Salamandrine:
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,439
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5892 Post(s)
Liked 3,479 Times
in
2,081 Posts
There is a whole thread devoted to drop bar MTBs any one of which would make a fine gravel bike on the cheap.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...nversions.html
Cheap and easy? Take a vintage MTB and run a set of trekking bars:
Or you could do a 650b conversion:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...nversions.html
Or you could as fat a tire as you can stuff in a vintage bike. Most will top out at 35c.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...tage-bike.html
Or you can find a bike that was designed to be a road bike for bad roads. Some of the bridgestone XO series were designed to be "fire" road bikes, road geometry plus 26 inch tires. Back in the early 90s, 26 inch made a lot of sense if you wanted to run a wider tire. This is my XO 2.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...nversions.html
Cheap and easy? Take a vintage MTB and run a set of trekking bars:
Or you could do a 650b conversion:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...nversions.html
Or you could as fat a tire as you can stuff in a vintage bike. Most will top out at 35c.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...tage-bike.html
Or you can find a bike that was designed to be a road bike for bad roads. Some of the bridgestone XO series were designed to be "fire" road bikes, road geometry plus 26 inch tires. Back in the early 90s, 26 inch made a lot of sense if you wanted to run a wider tire. This is my XO 2.
Likes For bikemig:
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SF Bay Area, East bay
Posts: 7,709
Bikes: Miyata 618 GT, Marinoni, Kestral 200 2002 Trek 5200, KHS Flite, Koga Miyata, Schwinn Spitfire 5, Mondia Special, Univega Alpina, Miyata team Ti, Santa Cruz Highball
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1624 Post(s)
Liked 2,654 Times
in
1,248 Posts
Started a while back, but the parts went on another project. Miyata 618
Likes For curbtender:
#6
Full Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 393
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 170 Post(s)
Liked 264 Times
in
146 Posts
I'm not really sure I buy into the whole gravel bike craze but it sure is popular these days and seems like anyone on road bikes are changing over to gravel bikes. I just can't imagine spending another 3 grand on a road bike with a thicker wheel and tire to ride around on crush gravel paths? If you had a nice, carbon mountain bike, wouldn't you just take that out to ride with your gravel bike friends? Will they eventually put suspension on gravel bikes to hit some trails?
I'm thinking you could take a nice steel frame, road or mountain bike and turn it into a decent gravel bike for a lot less than 3 grand so show me what you got.
I'm thinking you could take a nice steel frame, road or mountain bike and turn it into a decent gravel bike for a lot less than 3 grand so show me what you got.
Miyata Sportcross
Likes For ctak:
#7
bOsscO
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 746
Bikes: 2024 Spec Crux, 2015 Norco Search S1, 93 Mongoose IBOC COMP
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 296 Post(s)
Liked 356 Times
in
212 Posts
I'm not really sure I buy into the whole gravel bike craze but it sure is popular these days and seems like anyone on road bikes are changing over to gravel bikes. I just can't imagine spending another 3 grand on a road bike with a thicker wheel and tire to ride around on crush gravel paths?
Eventually? They already have...
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NW Burbs, Chicago
Posts: 12,070
Mentioned: 201 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3018 Post(s)
Liked 3,844 Times
in
1,418 Posts
Likes For iab:
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Greenwood SC USA
Posts: 2,254
Bikes: 2002 Mercian Vincitore, 1982 Mercian Colorado, 1976 Puch Royal X, 1973 Raleigh Competition, 1971 Gitane Tour de France and others
Mentioned: 55 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 823 Post(s)
Liked 1,396 Times
in
694 Posts
This is my purpose-built all-road bike, a 1973 Raleigh Competition running a Surly Dingle 17/19T fixed cog with 42/44T chainrings, so I get a 70-in pavement and a 60-in gravel fixed gear. Someday I'll spend the money for a White Industries Dos Eno 20/22T freewheel for the flop side of the hub, giving me 60-in road-ish and 52-in single-track-ish freewheel gears. The tires are 35 mm Continental Cyclocross Speeds.
But honestly, I've ridden most of the fire and dirt and gravel roads in this part of South Carolina with 26-28 mm tires on this Mercian fixed-gear. Not too much of a handicap, really.
But honestly, I've ridden most of the fire and dirt and gravel roads in this part of South Carolina with 26-28 mm tires on this Mercian fixed-gear. Not too much of a handicap, really.
Likes For rustystrings61:
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,180
Mentioned: 481 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3818 Post(s)
Liked 6,752 Times
in
2,626 Posts
As noted previously, you can often convert vintage frame to 650b x 38mm wheels, and have at those gravel roads. Here’s my Holdsworth Special:
Likes For nlerner:
#11
Senior Member
If you had a nice, carbon mountain bike, wouldn't you just take that out to ride with your gravel bike friends?
Will they eventually put suspension on gravel bikes to hit some trails?
I'm thinking you could take a nice steel frame, road or mountain bike and turn it into a decent gravel bike for a lot less than 3 grand
Furthermore, serious consideration needs to be paid to what's actually being expected of different bicycles being ridden by different riders from different areas. A road bike that can just squeeze 32mm tires is sometimes a fantastic candidate for a "gravel" bike in an area where the gravel is all well-maintained hardpack, but may be a very poor choice for other situations. There's a lot of "it depends" here.
Likes For HTupolev:
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Great White North
Posts: 1,226
Bikes: 2013 Cannondale Caad 8, 2010 Opus Fidelio, 1985 Peugeot UO14, 1999 Peugeot Dune, Sakai Select, L'Avantage, 1971 Gitane Apache Standard, 1999 Specialized Hard Rock
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 548 Post(s)
Liked 473 Times
in
302 Posts
All great options here and I was thinking of maybe getting a 90's mountain bike like bikemig's Trek above and using that with a tour tire instead of mtb bike tire. I actually have a Trek Antelope 800 that I use as a grocery getter. I think all of your bikes look nicer than what they are offering as gravel bikes in the shops now.
#13
Senior Member
I don't know if this qualifies as a gravel bike or not, but it was done on the cheap............like zero dollars cheap. I picked this up last Fall during community clean up days and was inspired by the Covid Challenge here on C&V to get it ride worthy. I did not do the ride part of the challenge. The bike is currently being used for gravel and rail trail paths. A bit on the heavy side but it gets the job done.
__________________
Be where your feet are.......Lisa Bluder
Be where your feet are.......Lisa Bluder
Likes For r0ckh0und:
#14
Senior Member
I brushed on a fun paint job and some wider Kenda tires on my Mercier. Still putting back together. Looks like a gravel bike to me. Still trying to find some gravel to ride on. I do have the Green Bay trail, but its crushed limestone and pretty much dead flat. Going to have to put fenders in soon with the wet weather approaching.
Likes For big chainring:
#15
multimodal commuter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,808
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times
in
339 Posts
I never thought of it as a gravel bike, but I could put some pretty knobby tires on the CERA now that it fits 26" wheels.
I don't have any bikes that I'm not willing to ride on gravel.
__________________
www.rhmsaddles.com.
www.rhmsaddles.com.
Likes For rhm:
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: STP
Posts: 14,491
Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 821 Post(s)
Liked 257 Times
in
142 Posts
All of these are fine on Class five.
More tire is preferred if on sand and loose river rock.
Nothing worse than a road grader "improving" roads right before we get there.
Last edited by gomango; 10-19-20 at 07:41 PM.
#17
Cheerfully low end
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,980
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 646 Post(s)
Liked 1,045 Times
in
668 Posts
This one (88 RockHopper) goes great on road, crushed stone trails and actual gravel roads.
This one (85 Schwinn Sprint) is great on roads and on crushed stone trails when they are reasonably dry and firm. I don’t take it on real gravel because I have the RockHopper.
And that’s it. No bikes that can’t at least tackle crushed stone trails.
Oh, I’ve run them both with drop bars, but running SS, I prefer these touring bars that offer more versatile positions to ride while standing.
Otto
This one (85 Schwinn Sprint) is great on roads and on crushed stone trails when they are reasonably dry and firm. I don’t take it on real gravel because I have the RockHopper.
And that’s it. No bikes that can’t at least tackle crushed stone trails.
Oh, I’ve run them both with drop bars, but running SS, I prefer these touring bars that offer more versatile positions to ride while standing.
Otto
Last edited by ofajen; 10-19-20 at 07:31 PM.
#18
Senior Member
I found this 1973 Cinelli Speciale Corsa on Kijiji a few years ago and it was in rough shape, having spent the previous 6 years leaning against a shed in Sudbury, Ontario (yes, including winters). I ride a 58cm frame and this thing is huge, a 61cm but I figured I could rescue it and find some sort of use for it.
It sat for many years inside my own shed and then I had the idea to make a French-fit gravel grinder out of it. Still a work in progress, as you can see, but those are 32mm Gravel King slicks on there and they feel great on the road.
It sat for many years inside my own shed and then I had the idea to make a French-fit gravel grinder out of it. Still a work in progress, as you can see, but those are 32mm Gravel King slicks on there and they feel great on the road.
#19
Sophomore Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,530
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,059 Times
in
633 Posts
Welcome to my nightmare, my French Fit Gravel Bike.Not very C or V, unfortunately. A little flexy, but very stable at high speeds, nice handling, springs right over bumps, those fork tips dance like crazy.
Running some very tough Conti City Ride 32's, for goathead season.
Running some very tough Conti City Ride 32's, for goathead season.
Likes For Lemond1985:
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Medford MA
Posts: 2,089
Bikes: Ron Cooper touring, 1959 Jack Taylor 650b ladyback touring tandem, Vitus 979, Joe Bell painted Claud Butler Dalesman, Colin Laing curved tube tandem, heavily-Dilberted 1982 Trek 6xx, René Herse tandem
Mentioned: 80 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 964 Post(s)
Liked 1,451 Times
in
723 Posts
C&V gravel? Heh, it's the only thing I do! René Hubris builds.
Nishiki Sport, 700x35 Gravelkings, 1x7, under 25lbs and under $300, using BOC parts!
Lent my friend an issue of Bicycle Quarterly, which started her lusting after a Moots Routt, but her budget was only 1/10 the price. I told her this was the closest we'd get - and I think I'm right.
Panasonic Touring Deluxe, to which a few braze-ons were added. Gravelking 38s fit perfectly.
Univega Specialissima, budget build for Gravelking 700x38 and rinko using foundling oddball but top-shelf parts, for a friend who lives on a gravel road in Vermont, in order to convince him to start cycling, since he lives in gravel mecca! The gravel tires fit, just barely!
Extreme budget parts bin build Univega Gran Turismo. Everything on here was a reject from some other build. Even the spokes on that 27" dynamo front. Eats gravel for lunch with those fat Schwalbes.
Ron Cooper, outfitted with the Compass Barlow Pass tires and rather clunky but extremely nice Rivendell racks:
Trek 61x from 1983. Fast and supple with Pari-Moto 650x42s, this thing rips up doubletrack from the NEK to the Cape. Pretty involved build, adding canti posts and other doodads, and re-raking the fork. But it's an easy rinko, super fast, pretty light, and very durable. Did my first two centuries down the cape on this bike after building it. Was easy enough on me to go explore the lovely gravel around Truro the next day after each.
Nishiki Sport, 700x35 Gravelkings, 1x7, under 25lbs and under $300, using BOC parts!
Lent my friend an issue of Bicycle Quarterly, which started her lusting after a Moots Routt, but her budget was only 1/10 the price. I told her this was the closest we'd get - and I think I'm right.
Panasonic Touring Deluxe, to which a few braze-ons were added. Gravelking 38s fit perfectly.
Univega Specialissima, budget build for Gravelking 700x38 and rinko using foundling oddball but top-shelf parts, for a friend who lives on a gravel road in Vermont, in order to convince him to start cycling, since he lives in gravel mecca! The gravel tires fit, just barely!
Extreme budget parts bin build Univega Gran Turismo. Everything on here was a reject from some other build. Even the spokes on that 27" dynamo front. Eats gravel for lunch with those fat Schwalbes.
Ron Cooper, outfitted with the Compass Barlow Pass tires and rather clunky but extremely nice Rivendell racks:
Trek 61x from 1983. Fast and supple with Pari-Moto 650x42s, this thing rips up doubletrack from the NEK to the Cape. Pretty involved build, adding canti posts and other doodads, and re-raking the fork. But it's an easy rinko, super fast, pretty light, and very durable. Did my first two centuries down the cape on this bike after building it. Was easy enough on me to go explore the lovely gravel around Truro the next day after each.
__________________
Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
Last edited by scarlson; 10-19-20 at 08:15 PM.
Likes For scarlson:
#21
Disciple of St. Tullio
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: State of Jefferson
Posts: 746
Bikes: Ciöcc, Bianchi, DeRosa, Eddy Merckx, Frejus, Hampsten, Kondor, Losa, Magni, Pegoretti, Pelizzoli, Pogliaghi, Scapin
Mentioned: 38 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 268 Post(s)
Liked 337 Times
in
141 Posts
35s fit on this 1966 Frejus.
Likes For Choke:
#22
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,674
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: 11033 Post(s)
Liked 7,579 Times
in
4,227 Posts
And why must $3000 be spent? Why not $2200? Why not $900?
- I've never found a mountain bike that fits comfortably enough to ride fast for a couple hours straight on the short side of ride length.
- I have 0 interest in riding a flat bar for a couple hours straight on the short side of ride length.
- Full suspension sounds completely miserable for a 40mi gravel road ride. It is massive overkill.
You created some easily defeated positons then knocked em down. Strong work.***
My first gravel bike was an early 90s Univega Via Activa hybrid that was converted to drop bars with bar end shifters, 40mm tires, and stock 3x7 gearing. It was a blast for getting started but had limitations for what I wanted.
My second gravel bike was a Black Mountain MC steel frame and fork with modern 2x11 drivetrain and canti brakes. It was an incredible bike and the frame is now set up for commute/touring, but I wanted to try some new things.
My current gravel bike is a Fairlight Secan 853 steel frame with carbon fork. 44mm head tube, tapered steerer, 2x11 shifting with hydraulic disc brakes, and thru axles. Its simply been incredible.
My gravel bikes have cost more each time, but each time they have been better for what i want. None have cost $3000.
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/re...dvanced-2-2021
$2500 gets you a carbon frame and fork, 2x11 hydraulic disc shifting, flared bars, thru axles, and good general gear range.
No idea why $3K is the price you set.
Why not reference this for $800? https://www.statebicycle.com/collect...-tan-650b-700c
Cost $285
Cost $1400
Cost $2350
#23
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,674
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: 11033 Post(s)
Liked 7,579 Times
in
4,227 Posts
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 2,046
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 838 Post(s)
Liked 1,082 Times
in
522 Posts
Welcome to my nightmare, my French Fit Gravel Bike.Not very C or V, unfortunately. A little flexy, but very stable at high speeds, nice handling, springs right over bumps, those fork tips dance like crazy.
Running some very tough Conti City Ride 32's, for goathead season.
Running some very tough Conti City Ride 32's, for goathead season.
#25
Not lost wanderer.
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Lititz, Pa
Posts: 3,354
Bikes: In USA; 73 Raleigh Super Course dingle speed, 72 Raleigh Gran Sport SS, 72 Geoffry Butler, 81 Centurion Pro-Tour, 74 Gugie Grandier Sportier
Mentioned: 73 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 890 Post(s)
Liked 1,017 Times
in
534 Posts
I ride a 73 Raleigh SuperCourse in the states, running a re-dished 7 speed hub and a 2 speed 17-21 freewheel and a 46x42 set of chainrings making it a dingle speed.
Here in Cambodia I ride just about anything I have including a Centurion Pro-tour, a 2012 Fuji steel Stratos, along with a couple of other bikes including a modified Hybrid.
Here in Cambodia I ride just about anything I have including a Centurion Pro-tour, a 2012 Fuji steel Stratos, along with a couple of other bikes including a modified Hybrid.
Last edited by bwilli88; 10-20-20 at 06:46 AM.