Anyone Successfully Ride Their Gravel Bike on Single-Track?
#76
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Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
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#77
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Or else. And don't claim you didn't see the warnings.
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#78
Went out today on my "gravel" bike. <...> A little insane but really fun. Cyclocross tubulars at low psi dampened the roots and rocks. Kettle Moraine, southern Wisconsin.
Note that the wheels are Campy Tipo with Mavic tubular rims. These wheels are almost 50 years old. Just slightly out of true after 12 miles of brutal singletrack.
Note that the wheels are Campy Tipo with Mavic tubular rims. These wheels are almost 50 years old. Just slightly out of true after 12 miles of brutal singletrack.
#79
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First Experience W/ Opus 650b Gravel Bike on Singletrack..
I took the bike on a thorough 1.5h thrash on some singletrack near my house. Mostly tight, winding, flowing hard packed sand, ridden with rocks, roots and short but steep elevation changes.
- the 40t front ring didn't place me at any significant disadvantage, as the bike is quick .
- the bike performed admirably over everything, including moderately challenging bits of terrain where even my carbon 29er would have broken a bit of a sweat.
- The bike was very fast, agile, planted and supremely balanced.
- To put the singletrack I ride into perspective, something like a 26x2.4 tire seems to be the most ideal tire diameter for these tight turns while offering ideal cushioning. The 650b x 45 still felt a tad clumsy and under cushioned around some bits.
- II was surprised that bottom bracket clearance wasnt too much of an issue here. My XC bike has an extra 25mm of clearance, yet it didn't make much of a difference.
- I was chasing after a highly experienced rider on a Trek full suspension 29er, which really helped me gauge the pros and cons of each bike. Sometimes I struggled and lost time on sections with short, steep climbs ridden with tree roots, sometimes we were more or less even, other times, I was easily able to gain on him. (Mostly because he let me)
I enjoyed the experience tremendously, although some parts of the trail I would definitely avoid riding on my gravel grinder next time. The bike performed quickly, accurately, and with excellent stability on some really challenging sections of the trail while still holding its own in places where speed and agility couldn't be used to its advantage. For a bike with geometry shadowing that of a road bike, it's incredible how composed it manages to be over some truly rough terrain.
Although I'm not a novice, the guy I rode with was able to smoke me no matter the terrain. This helped me fortify on the idea that the quality of the bike you ride is virtually irrelevant without the right rider.
- the 40t front ring didn't place me at any significant disadvantage, as the bike is quick .
- the bike performed admirably over everything, including moderately challenging bits of terrain where even my carbon 29er would have broken a bit of a sweat.
- The bike was very fast, agile, planted and supremely balanced.
- To put the singletrack I ride into perspective, something like a 26x2.4 tire seems to be the most ideal tire diameter for these tight turns while offering ideal cushioning. The 650b x 45 still felt a tad clumsy and under cushioned around some bits.
- II was surprised that bottom bracket clearance wasnt too much of an issue here. My XC bike has an extra 25mm of clearance, yet it didn't make much of a difference.
- I was chasing after a highly experienced rider on a Trek full suspension 29er, which really helped me gauge the pros and cons of each bike. Sometimes I struggled and lost time on sections with short, steep climbs ridden with tree roots, sometimes we were more or less even, other times, I was easily able to gain on him. (Mostly because he let me)
I enjoyed the experience tremendously, although some parts of the trail I would definitely avoid riding on my gravel grinder next time. The bike performed quickly, accurately, and with excellent stability on some really challenging sections of the trail while still holding its own in places where speed and agility couldn't be used to its advantage. For a bike with geometry shadowing that of a road bike, it's incredible how composed it manages to be over some truly rough terrain.
Although I'm not a novice, the guy I rode with was able to smoke me no matter the terrain. This helped me fortify on the idea that the quality of the bike you ride is virtually irrelevant without the right rider.
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#80
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If anyone is curious, here is a picture of my bike !!
If the bike had room for tires thicker than 50mm wide, some sort of front suspension similar to the Oliver left fork on the Cannondale Topstone Carbon, and a lower front chainring such as 34 or 36t, or even a 30/46 2x setup, this thing would dominate my $4000 carbon Felt XC bike on any of the terrain I face riding moderate singletrack.
If the bike had room for tires thicker than 50mm wide, some sort of front suspension similar to the Oliver left fork on the Cannondale Topstone Carbon, and a lower front chainring such as 34 or 36t, or even a 30/46 2x setup, this thing would dominate my $4000 carbon Felt XC bike on any of the terrain I face riding moderate singletrack.
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#83
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#84
Newbie
MTB to Gravel
I have the same question as the OP. As for the answers, maybe a suggestion to get from MTB to gravel would be helpful. The answers given above mostly relate to the riders who have already mastered the switch to gravel.
#85
Sunshine
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- The OP asked if anyone successfully rides their gravel bike on single track.
- Countless people said 'yes', because its an incredibly common thing.
- You have the same question, but want to know how to get from MTB to gravel?
Like, do you really mean you want to know what the best way is for you to move yourself between a location with singletrack and a location with gravel roads? If so...drive, or ride your bike.
Or do you mean you want to know what the best way is to transition from the discipline of MTB to the discipline of gravel? If so...just buy a bike and go ride gravel roads, its simple and quick transition to make.
There really isnt much 'mastering' required when it comes to gravel riding. Everything is common sense, if you have ridden singletrack. You already have experience with loose surfaces and uneven surfaces.
#86
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I just got a Checkpoint SL5. Road it on some single track as part of a local multi-surface ride. It brought back memories from 30 years ago riding my first mountain bike with no suspension. Except the gearing was better. Wider tires would help. My time for the section was a little slower than on the current mountain bike.