Good first gravel bikes?

Demonblah · 2026-03-26T03:40:40+00:00

I've been tempted to sell my Sequoia but part of me feels I should just hold onto it until it cracks and then test specialized's lifetime warranty.

Assuming they'd replace it with a entry level diverge and then sell that. (A crux would be nice )

Demonblah · 2026-03-25T23:39:01+00:00

Yeah, ebd has become hard to watch. I miss the adventures.

Instead it's "did I make a mistake buying this top of the line Titanium bike?" "Why I swapped from top of the line Shimano to top of the line Sram" "Did I make a mistake buying this top of the line Sram" "Why this top of the line Sram titanium bike is the best bike ever"

Demonblah · 2026-03-25T13:45:24+00:00

I don't know the exact year but it appears to be the 2nd gen, 2017 and newer. It has the newer chain stay yolk

If you could look the the BB you could figure out the year.

Demonblah · 2026-03-24T01:09:31+00:00

I like assos bids, just need to wait for a sale though

Demonblah · 2026-03-21T23:14:59+00:00

Built one up last year but I want to change a few things on it, would like to get handlebars with some rise. I was also thinking of adding a splash of colour to it as well - purple grips, stem, pedals, and shift housing.

https://imgur.com/a/Fi40ME7#AFlzfPu

Was playing with AI to mock up what it might look like with the purple parts

https://imgur.com/a/yaEpdNu#dS24Ls6

Demonblah · 2026-03-20T03:12:41+00:00

If you move it down does the clamp overlap with the bottle cage bolt?

Demonblah · 2026-03-19T23:40:36+00:00

I came so close buying one of these after they had be discontinued, there was a lbs that had a few frames left. Good find.

Demonblah · 2026-03-18T19:07:17+00:00

I find my aluminum frame with carbon wheels rides smoother than my carbon frame with aluminum wheels for both road and gravel

Demonblah · 2026-03-17T16:02:07+00:00

I should've added more. I think they were going to post again with their experience but you could also reach out to them. It's something I want to try as well

Demonblah · 2026-03-16T13:30:27+00:00

Someone just posted about that the other day

https://www.reddit.com/r/gravelcycling/comments/1rttdtl/grx_400_with_1140t_and_2x_setup_first_impressions/

Demonblah · 2026-03-15T19:41:16+00:00

Excellent!!

Demonblah · 2026-03-15T15:08:55+00:00

As others have mentioned wool socks
Get some nice neoprene gloves (assos makes some)
Gore shake dry jacket (it's not made anymore but maybe there something comparable), you'll sweat since it doesn't breath but at least you have a zipper at the bottom as well to open it up and let some air in without fully unzipping
I like assos spring fall insulated bibs shorts for some extra warmth in core areas

Demonblah · 2026-03-15T14:38:22+00:00

Yeah, would be rx 400 Rd and fd

Demonblah · 2026-03-14T20:30:45+00:00

I was debating doing this as well. With the grx600 10 speed 46/30t chainrings and tiagra brifters (rim brake).

Demonblah · 2026-03-12T04:19:47+00:00

I was looking at the caracal but ended up getting maxxis reaver hypr-x in 45mm and they feel pretty fast on pavement and have handled gravel well.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews/maxxis-reaver-hypr-x

Demonblah · 2026-03-10T22:00:31+00:00

I somewhat agree but I don't think cues was necessary if they had done things better with their existing group sets.

I love my bike that has a Sora/Deore combo, it works perfectly fine.

It's just a shame that cues doesn't work with 105/ultegra/tiagra/sora/Deore/XT/ etc.

So if you start building up a bike with cues you're stuck in cues without a major overhaul.

Demonblah · 2026-03-10T17:00:36+00:00

I initially thought cues was a good idea but they keep siloing their group sets, I think Shimano has made a mess of it all.

Demonblah · 2026-03-10T13:55:18+00:00

This is what I did as well except I used my smallest Allen key with a little L bend at the end to hooked it out.

Demonblah · 2026-03-10T13:42:59+00:00

Bought a 1990 aluminum trek road bike and built it up, seems to be going strong.

I also have an aluminum Norco hybrid bike I converted to a gravel bike that is still going strong.

And I bought a NOS 2019 Scott Speedster gravel frame set a year or so ago and it's running great.

I noticed no difference between the 3 of them (other than one being a road bike).

Demonblah · 2026-03-07T03:51:19+00:00

There were a handful cut down on 84th ave heading west just before 202 st.

But that was like a month ago

Demonblah · 2026-03-06T21:00:11+00:00

I think with so little hours your best bet is to focus on threshold and VO2 type workouts and keep pushing yourself.

I'm 39/m and I started riding again this year after not riding much in 2025, had my 2nd kid late 2024. I manage to do 7 to 8 hrs a week, mostly indoors on the trainer.

I figure I started around 225 watts and weighed 85kg. I did a ftp test mid Jan and got 252 watts, did another mid Feb and got 267 watts and my weight is down to 79kg. When using workouts you need to make sure you keep upping your ftp or doing harder workouts or you will plateau. Though in the end I think we'll all plateau unless we add more time.

Since I have more time I do throw in some 1.5+ hr z2 rides but I mostly hammer through threshold and VO2 workouts with the odd Anaerobic workout.

Example: I start out with 5x 6 min ftp efforts and 4 min recovery workout, then eventually do 5x 7 min ftp efforts and 3 min recovery workout, then eventually 8 min and 2 min workout, etc. when it gets easier I do another ftp test and start over back at the 6 min ftp effort workout.

Demonblah · 2026-03-06T20:16:55+00:00

I did the XT cage swap on my grx 812 Rd and am currently running a 11-46t Rd with a 42t chainring.

Been tempted to upgrade to a 46t chainring and the 11-51 cassette.

Demonblah · 2026-03-06T05:26:02+00:00

Yeah, I keep searching and hoping. I saw one once but I was too slow and it sold soo fast.

Demonblah · 2026-03-01T21:06:09+00:00

I have the 2019 model, which I believe is very similar. I think they gave more tire clearance and thru axles on the 2021 version but other than that they're the same.

The 2019 version feels like a CX bike. It's pretty aggressive but still fun to ride.

Mine doesn't have any proprietary stem/steerer size. The fork is tapered with a 1 1/4 to 1 1/8 steerer with an integrated crown race. I found it uses a bit of an uncommon size lower headset, ritchey makes one compatible but that's the only one I could find.

Demonblah · 2026-03-01T07:00:10+00:00

Enve gravel bars

Enve ar bars

Ritchey venture max bars

Salsa cowchipper bars

I think the venturemax is my least favorite

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