Caliwild

That is awesome! One of the masters...

bikemig 

This is likely a '73 Motobecane Grand Record. It has a lot of clearance. I'm running 700 x 35c Schwalbe Marathon Mondiale tires. The gearing is good as well: 50/34 up front and a 14-28 five speed in the back. Thanks to nlerner for the Nervar 631/633 crank with the 50/34 rings. I
I took it for a shake down cruise today which includes some gravel roads. I like how this bike rides over gravel.

The paint on the bike is crackled which happens to some of the early 70s Motobecanes. It's perfect for a gravel grinder:

SpudBoi

Question for you all that like to use vintage C&V for your gravel rides: I'm wondering if you feel like you should size down on the frame if you may be doing a bit more technical riding on your rig? Or do you stick with your road size and go for it? My background is in mountain biking and my MTB bikes have all been smaller frames than my road bike.

vicyclist

Downsize. I ride a 56 on the road. My gravel bike is a 53. The added clearance has saved me plenty of pain.

mstateglfr 

I wouldnt downsize if that results in a significantly different fit, like a much shorter top tube. Gravel riding is just road riding on unpaved roads. If a road bike fits- replicate it.
I have to come off my gravel bike mid-rid as frequently as I come off my road bike, which is about never. I guess if you are needing to emergency dismount frequently, a lower top tube height may help?...but maybe a different bike would be best for whatever type of riding you are doing at that point.


ETA- I ride 63-65cm road bikes and my current gravel bike is a 58...but thats because it has a sloping top tube. The stack and reach of my gravel frame is actually almost exactly the same as my main road frame.

vicyclist

Rapid dismounts are rare on the road bike, but I find them to be much more frequent on the gravel bike, depending on where I'm riding. On most logging roads, for example, it's not an issue. But around here there are a lot of disused and deteriorating logging roads, not to mention trails of varying quality. I avoid anything "technical", but I still find plenty of times I need a quick dismount, whether it's suddenly swerving off a narrow trail to stop for an oncoming road-hog, coming up on a fallen tree at a blind corner, or losing traction on a 20% grade while riding over sand and golf balls.

Inusuit

Does this count? 1989 Specialized Rock Combo. Since the picture, I've replaced the tires with Schwalbe Land Cruisers for more traction on the loose stuff.

zachfromkc

Ooh I like that pink frame!