Raleigh Cadent 2 on gravel
08-06-23, 04:15 PM
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Raleigh Cadent 2 on gravel
My buddy wants to use his Raleigh Cadent 2 as a dedicated gravel bike. If this would be a reliable idea, are there any changes he should make to the bike such as tires, gearing, etc...
08-07-23, 06:14 AM
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https://www.bikeconnection.net/produ...2-371952-1.htm
https://onlinebikes.com/products/ral...-2-hybrid-bike
https://www.bikeride.com/raleigh-cadent/
Not sure what a "dedicated gravel bike" might be. There as many ways of riding on gravel as there are of riding on pavement.
Most people who ride regularly on gravel seem to recommend tires at least 38 mm wide .... I assume those would fit the frame. Wider might be better .... but that depends on the road and the rider. Some gravel rides include everything from sand to packed earth to mild single-track, and some are just well-groomed dirt roads.
As far as that bike goes, 24-speed Shimano, but cheap 24-speed Shimano ... keep it adjusted and the shifting should be fine. The gearing is perhaps a bit high for a dedicated gravel bike, but since it is a triple you could ride in the bottom two rings and have all you'd likely need .... 32x32 is a fine low gear if you aren't climbing walls, or if the road isn't really soft.
I'd say it should be a perfectly solid beginning gravel bike. Some of the parts are really cheap (plastic brake levers, one person mentioned) and won't survive a few crashes or serious abuse, and likely aren't replaceable, so you would need to buy better parts .... which is good, anyway.
For a person who just wants to have some fun on gravel and isn't going to race or try to keep up with serious hard-core gravel-grinders ..... check max tire width, and ride the thing until it disintegrates. Nothing inherently wrong with the bike, it is just a cheapish bike. Not unsafe, not likely to completely self-destruct in normal use.
https://onlinebikes.com/products/ral...-2-hybrid-bike
https://www.bikeride.com/raleigh-cadent/
Not sure what a "dedicated gravel bike" might be. There as many ways of riding on gravel as there are of riding on pavement.
Most people who ride regularly on gravel seem to recommend tires at least 38 mm wide .... I assume those would fit the frame. Wider might be better .... but that depends on the road and the rider. Some gravel rides include everything from sand to packed earth to mild single-track, and some are just well-groomed dirt roads.
As far as that bike goes, 24-speed Shimano, but cheap 24-speed Shimano ... keep it adjusted and the shifting should be fine. The gearing is perhaps a bit high for a dedicated gravel bike, but since it is a triple you could ride in the bottom two rings and have all you'd likely need .... 32x32 is a fine low gear if you aren't climbing walls, or if the road isn't really soft.
I'd say it should be a perfectly solid beginning gravel bike. Some of the parts are really cheap (plastic brake levers, one person mentioned) and won't survive a few crashes or serious abuse, and likely aren't replaceable, so you would need to buy better parts .... which is good, anyway.
For a person who just wants to have some fun on gravel and isn't going to race or try to keep up with serious hard-core gravel-grinders ..... check max tire width, and ride the thing until it disintegrates. Nothing inherently wrong with the bike, it is just a cheapish bike. Not unsafe, not likely to completely self-destruct in normal use.
08-07-23, 02:28 PM
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It is a low initial cost hybrid. Ride it till it is done and then buy your dedicated gravel bike. The bike as is, isn't really great for much but has wide enough tires to ride on gravel.
08-07-23, 06:44 PM
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I think what started my friends train of thought was he bought a nicer road bike and he hadn't been using this bike. He asked me my opinion of changing the gearing to have lower gears while also making into a 2x front and using it as a gravel bike.
I told him I would expect it could be possible, but recommend he calculate the total cost before changing the gearing and buying gravel tires. I suggested the cost may be high enough to justify he sell that bike along with the money he would've spent on upgrades and buy a gravel bike if he's really wanting a gravel bike. From the little information I can find online, a 35c tire might be close to the maximum width he could fit on that frame and I'd expect he'd really appreciate running a wider tire if possible.
I mentioned he might be able to set it up with 650b wheels and that might give him the ability to put on a wider tire.
I think his main thoughts were that he's not really using the bike so why not set it up for gravel roads. The area he lives is a bit land locked, so he doesn't have a lot of routes to ride from his house. I appreciate all your advice. Maybe he should just ride it the way it is, or possibly put a different set of tires on it...
I told him I would expect it could be possible, but recommend he calculate the total cost before changing the gearing and buying gravel tires. I suggested the cost may be high enough to justify he sell that bike along with the money he would've spent on upgrades and buy a gravel bike if he's really wanting a gravel bike. From the little information I can find online, a 35c tire might be close to the maximum width he could fit on that frame and I'd expect he'd really appreciate running a wider tire if possible.
I mentioned he might be able to set it up with 650b wheels and that might give him the ability to put on a wider tire.
I think his main thoughts were that he's not really using the bike so why not set it up for gravel roads. The area he lives is a bit land locked, so he doesn't have a lot of routes to ride from his house. I appreciate all your advice. Maybe he should just ride it the way it is, or possibly put a different set of tires on it...
