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Show us your gravel/cross bike...

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Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational) This has to be the most physically intense sport ever invented. It's high speed bicycle racing on a short off road course or riding the off pavement rides on gravel like : "Unbound Gravel". We also have a dedicated Racing forum for the Cyclocross Hard Core Racers.

Show us your gravel/cross bike...

Old 01-24-22, 01:36 PM
  #5076  
Frkl
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Swiss Cresta Pro (1994-ish) drop bar conversion

Here is my Cresta Pro from about 1994. Cresta is a Swiss brand, and this was their top of the line, full XT-equipped cross bike. It's got a lugged Columbus Gara OR frame, so it is a steam roller but rides wonderfully.

As I got it used in 2019, with the stock flat bar, stock 150mm Zoom stem, and 700x47c Smart Sams:



In summer dry dirt mode with terrifying cantilever setup (since fixed), after converting it to drop bars and a 1x8 drivetrain:



And winter wet road mode:


Last edited by Frkl; 01-24-22 at 01:43 PM.
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Old 01-24-22, 02:23 PM
  #5077  
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Originally Posted by Frkl
In summer dry dirt mode with terrifying cantilever setup (since fixed), after converting it to drop bars and a 1x8 drivetrain:



And winter wet road mode:

Really neat to seen an older hybrid/gravel bike that can handle 47mm tires. Or handle 42mm tires with fenders(guessing on tire width).

What are you using to shift? I assume a thumb shifter, but I cant see that on the bars in your summer dry picture.
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Old 01-24-22, 03:34 PM
  #5078  
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
Really neat to seen an older hybrid/gravel bike that can handle 47mm tires. Or handle 42mm tires with fenders(guessing on tire width).

What are you using to shift? I assume a thumb shifter, but I cant see that on the bars in your summer dry picture.
Yes, the tire clearance on this bike is really phenomenal.

It can actually take plastic SKS Beaver Tail fenders with the 47s, too. The mounting hardware is barely visible in the summer picture. These are fine for dampness but not really suitable for winter in my opinion.

And yes, those are 700x42c Conti Contact Speeds with the full fenders, very good eye.

I am using a Deore 7 speed thumb shifter set to friction, which I prefer anyway. The Deores have the steel mounting hardware which can be bent and filed to fit a drop bar. You do need a slightly longer bolt too.
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Old 01-25-22, 04:17 AM
  #5079  
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Originally Posted by mikehuangsd
a 1x drop-bar gravel conversion on a 2007 Trek 7.3FX hybrid that I finished TODAY!


How do you like those shifters?
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Old 01-25-22, 05:06 AM
  #5080  
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
Really neat to seen an older hybrid/gravel bike that can handle 47mm tires. Or handle 42mm tires with fenders(guessing on tire width).

What are you using to shift? I assume a thumb shifter, but I cant see that on the bars in your summer dry picture.
Hello again with some more thoughts. I don't have a scientific sample or anything, but my impression is that dirt-road oriented all-arounders from this era that can take wide 700c tires aren't all that rare in Germany and Switzerland. They drew a lot of experience from wide tired, 700c transportation bikes that are ubiquitous here.

In the US the market really spit in the 1990s into either 26" pure mountain and 700c pure road, with hybrids really struggling in the sparce middle ground. But here, I would bet the middle is the majority of the market, and the "Trekkingrad" and "Crossrad" markets were heavily developed and very competitive.

Of course, in the early 1990s, one probably would have been hard pressed to find high quality 700c nobbies wider than UCI cyclocross regulation width. But Schwalbe made wide versions of the Marathon and Range Cruiser. These have more than enough tread for dirt roads and dry trail.

Thanks for your reply, it got me thinking!
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Old 01-27-22, 06:50 PM
  #5081  
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Originally Posted by IchbinJay
How do you like those shifters?
nice beefy tires.
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Old 01-27-22, 06:53 PM
  #5082  
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Originally Posted by BoozyMcliverRot
New tires,saddle, seatpost,QR levers,chain,chainring.







those bars scare me.....are they functional.
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Old 01-27-22, 06:57 PM
  #5083  
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Originally Posted by MrWasabi
I actually have a minty original Selle Italia Flite Ti perforated saddle that I bought back in my college days 25ish years ago. It's a comfy saddle but I just got a Brooks C17 Carved to try out too. I'll just stash the Flite and hang on to it if I like the C17 better. This isn't mine but it's the same one (in basically the same condition).

love it.
i have 2....get on line.
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Old 01-28-22, 04:43 AM
  #5084  
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Originally Posted by thehammerdog
those bars scare me.....are they functional.
Yes. They are actually very comfortable and give you better control with the wider reach when off road.
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Old 01-28-22, 08:55 AM
  #5085  
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Originally Posted by mikehuangsd
a 1x drop-bar gravel conversion on a 2007 Trek 7.3FX hybrid that I finished TODAY!


Very nice. I've often thought about a DB conversion on the Trek 7.#FX series. They're readily available & often for reasonably low money. Lightweight, room for 38mm tires. I'm surprised there's not more of these(DB converted) around on BF. I've searched a couple times and found very little..nearly zip. While maybe(?) not up to hard-core gravel riding, as an all-rounder..road, rail trail+, credit card touring bike..very good choice.

Last year a few friends chipped in and we bought a 2011 7.5FX for a newly divorced friend. Something to get her some fresh air and change of lifestyle...while athletic, she wasn't a bike rider..yet. I went through the bike and tweaked a few things. Put some decent tires on it and gave it a spin. While way too small for me..that bike was fast. The original hardcase tires were..awful..like riding on beef jerky, but a set of 38mm GK Slicks and it flew.

edit..the OP of this bike should add it to the DB mtb conversion on the CV forum. While not C&V...it would still be a welcome addition in the DB conversion world.

Last edited by fishboat; 01-28-22 at 09:00 AM.
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Old 01-28-22, 01:34 PM
  #5086  
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Just finished a new build based on an ICAN X-Gravel frame with hand-build wheels using Light Bicycle rims laced to 350 hubs, and a Campagnolo Ekar 1x13 drivetrain.



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Old 01-28-22, 01:58 PM
  #5087  
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Originally Posted by keithdunlop
Just finished a new build based on an ICAN X-Gravel frame with hand-build wheels using Light Bicycle rims laced to 350 hubs, and a Campagnolo Ekar 1x13 drivetrain.



How do you like that frame? How did you order it?
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Old 01-28-22, 02:58 PM
  #5088  
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The frame is great! Seems to be constructed really well and it was a pleasure to build (plastic internal cable routing guides was a nice touch). The geometry hits a sweet spot between a fast CX bike and a bikepacking bike. Ordering on the ICAN website from their US warehouse was easy and shipping was fast.
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Old 01-28-22, 04:23 PM
  #5089  
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The twisted stays on that ican are interesting. Wonder if it's appearance only or if there is some claimed benefit.
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Old 01-29-22, 05:19 AM
  #5090  
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Originally Posted by keithdunlop
Just finished a new build based on an ICAN X-Gravel frame with hand-build wheels using Light Bicycle rims laced to 350 hubs, and a Campagnolo Ekar 1x13 drivetrain.



Sharp looking bike. How do you like Ekar?
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Old 01-29-22, 05:21 AM
  #5091  
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Just replaced a Cervelo R3 and Giant Revolt with this:




Have two sets of wheels, the stock Reserve with gravel tires and Zipp 303S with some 28 S-Works Turbo.
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Old 01-29-22, 11:40 AM
  #5092  
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In

For the gravel bikes. They look so beefy kinda like a car with appropriate tire thickness 🔥
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Old 01-31-22, 05:37 PM
  #5093  
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Originally Posted by phrantic09
Sharp looking bike. How do you like Ekar?
Campy's Ekar 1x13 is a great shifting system. It takes a little while to get it dialed in because the cog clearances are really tight, but once it's set, it's wonderful. I also like the newly designed thumb shifter which I hope they migrate to the road groups.
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Old 02-03-22, 10:00 AM
  #5094  
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Frame and Fork: 1970's Italian Clara picked up at local co-op

Crankset: SR CR 170mm 110 BCD 48/34


Bottom Bracket: BB-6400 Italian Threaded

Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-Z202

Rear Derailleur: STX RD-MC32

Shifter/ Brake Levers: Sensah Ignite 2*9

Cassette: CS-M770 11-34

Chain: KMC X9

Hub: Shimano RM30

Rims: AT750 Bontrager

Tires: Schwalbe G1 All Round 700*40's

Brakes: Balilla Center Pull

Brake pads: Origin-8 Sport Road

Headset: Ofmega

Handlebar: Kona Black Flared Gravel

Handlebar Stem: Giant Connect

Handlebar Stem Adapter: Profile Design

Bar Tape: Cinelli Cork Gel (Black)

Saddle: Giant Contact SL Neutral

Seatpost: SR 26.2 Integrated Seat Clamp
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Old 02-03-22, 12:28 PM
  #5095  
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Wildsau CX convert

So I have this 06 Roubaix, which has been a do-it-all ride for errands/shopping/around-town/raindays/social group rides bike. And it's been admirable in doing that.
so I have way too many bikes and adding another would just be another of too many 'things' to upkeep/maintain/find space for...
so, at this point, adding another bike - gravel bike - is way out of the question... until I start selling some bikes off.
so, we have great MTB country in my valley, but 'gravel' riding ? not so much...
drive 50+ miles and things open up a bit for things rideable with something more 'gravel-ish'
so, I just did a quikie 'convert' of the Roubaix, by using a Shimano R500 wheelset hanging around (really great budget wheels!) and popping on some Schwalbe CX Comp tires - 32mm (pretty much the max width this gen. Roubaix was designed for...)
so, here it is - gravel/singletrack dirty... LOL!

Wildsau - '06 Spec Roubaix w/CX tires & standby Rockshox seatpost
so I rode last night at my nextdoor green space, close approx of 'gravel' with quite a bit of mtb terrain thrown in...
took about a mile to get the CX legs back, but was a Hoot!
Found a Rockshox seatpost to fit... (I have a few...) and will ride that today, to see how much more the Wildsau can be driven.
I think this will be fun for local stuff and maybe worth the drive to SLO county, where there are quite a few decent gravelish roads....
It's stay 3x - 52/39/30, but maybe change cassette from 12-25 to 12-30 if I decide I need lower gears.
I likie !
Ride On
Yuri
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Old 02-03-22, 02:36 PM
  #5096  
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Lynskey GR300 frame and fork built with Sram Force AXS eTap wide group and Boyd Altamont wheels.
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Old 02-03-22, 10:24 PM
  #5097  
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Originally Posted by Camilo

Lynskey GR300 frame and fork built with Sram Force AXS eTap wide group and Boyd Altamont wheels.
do you live on molo'kai or just visiting?
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Old 02-04-22, 04:09 PM
  #5098  
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Just visiting. We've been there several times, as well as all of the other islands except Lanai. Molokai suits us very well. Love it there.
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Old 02-04-22, 06:34 PM
  #5099  
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Open UP

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Old 02-06-22, 02:21 PM
  #5100  
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2016 bianchi c-sport

Here's a 2016 Bianchi C-sport hybrid, in drop bar 1x9 mode, 700x40c tires. This one got a full repaint.



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