Help me pick the right bike - is a gravel bike right for me?
04-23-24, 12:21 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Posts: 5,946
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1829 Post(s)
Liked 1,706 Times
in
982 Posts
Suspension for a gravel bike may be overrated. Mine came with 700 x 45 tires and space for wider ones. There was an option for a suspension fork adding weight which I declined. Unless your gravel bike choice allows the fork to be locked out, you will lose efficiency on smoother surfaces. I have a dual suspension mountain bike which is great on rocky rooty single track, but it is a pig anywhere that the surface is smooth. There is a short Strava gravel stretch near me that I take pretty often. My mountain bike is the slowest, my gravel bike is much faster, but the fastest times I have recorded there were on my road bike with 700 x 28 tires. If you can lock out the fork on your current bike and find space for wider tires, you may get more speed out of your current bike.
Forest paths can be many things. There is a local area where we ride. Some parts are pretty smooth, but some others are really difficult. One path which we call "rocky road" is extremely hard to get through. Other sections could be easily done on a road bike. A few years ago, a couple of friends did a trip to Moab. I have been there and despite elevation and climbing which are harder than our local trails, when they got back they were having trouble getting through our local rocky trails
Forest paths can be many things. There is a local area where we ride. Some parts are pretty smooth, but some others are really difficult. One path which we call "rocky road" is extremely hard to get through. Other sections could be easily done on a road bike. A few years ago, a couple of friends did a trip to Moab. I have been there and despite elevation and climbing which are harder than our local trails, when they got back they were having trouble getting through our local rocky trails
Last edited by alcjphil; 04-23-24 at 12:28 PM.
04-23-24, 09:12 PM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,519
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7662 Post(s)
Liked 3,506 Times
in
1,850 Posts
https://www.cannondale.com/en-us/bik.../urban/bad-boy
https://www.cannondale.com/en-us/bik...-boy/bad-boy-1
Alloy frame, 27.5 wheels, 40mm tires, Shimano Alfine 8-speed (307% gear range) with a 46-tooth crank ...... New it is a $2300 bike. Not what I would call a "city cruiser."
If the hub isn't reliable, I would echo what others have said and have it looked at. Those IGH hubs are known for being bullet-proof--a little heavier but unbreakable.
Seems for gravel that is all you would ever need. If you wanted to ride actual MTB trails, even ... maybe the tires would be a little narrow ..... but for gravel? Check out Cannondale's "gravel" offering, the Topstone ... https://www.cannondale.com/en-us/bik...y/topstone-ltd
04-26-24, 12:57 PM
#28
Expired Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,610
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3697 Post(s)
Liked 5,507 Times
in
2,792 Posts
AI ftw! 
04-26-24, 02:10 PM
#29
Commuter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: SE Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 563
Bikes: Main Bikes: 2023 Trek Domane AL3, 2022 Aventon Level.2 eBike, 1972 Schwinn Varsity, 2024 Priority Apollo 11
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 259 Post(s)
Liked 340 Times
in
206 Posts
I just came across this sale on a Cannondale that I think would be PERFECT for your wants:
https://www.cannondale.com/en-us/bik...efty-3-c62371m
https://www.cannondale.com/en-us/bik...efty-3-c62371m
- Carbon gravel bike
- Front suspension just like on your Bad Boy
- Adds eBike functionality
04-26-24, 02:33 PM
#30
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ontario
Posts: 149
Bikes: Road: 1972 Raleigh Competition,1989 Marinoni, 1990 Limongi. MTN: 1990 GT Team Avalanche, 1991 Rocky Mountain Blizzard, GT Team RTS , Rocky Mountain MSL 50 Element, CCM fat bike
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 35 Post(s)
Liked 81 Times
in
50 Posts
A gravel or endurance bike with tires that are 33mm or greater would be good.
I also think that you could address some issues on your bike
-add a larger chainring for higher top speed
-the handle bars do look pretty high, maybe a stem that angles down. handle bars called "Corner bars" or a mountain version of mustache bars.
it might be hard to sell your bike in this market, that Is why tinking about hanging onto yours is worth considering
I also think that you could address some issues on your bike
-add a larger chainring for higher top speed
-the handle bars do look pretty high, maybe a stem that angles down. handle bars called "Corner bars" or a mountain version of mustache bars.
it might be hard to sell your bike in this market, that Is why tinking about hanging onto yours is worth considering
