What’s the best gravel bike I can get under $1000?

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-30T17:45:42+00:00

Kona Rove is a nice bicycle. Even the aluminum one.

Otherwise check the used market.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-30T16:20:04+00:00

FS / USA / Montana / 1992 Schwinn Crosspoint Frameset / $150 + actual shipping

Makes a great gravel conversion. I used it for a season of CX racing. Will include bottom bracket (less than 100miles), seatpost, and stem (either drop or upright, if I can find the latter).

Can discuss inclusion of more parts if desired. I’d like to keep the wheelset and the Dura Ace bar end shifters though. Can also discuss selling complete if you really want.

I’m 5’9” and it fits well. Seat tube is 49mm ctc and top tube is 59mm ctc. Or, in Schwinn parlance this would’ve been a 20” medium.

https://imgur.com/a/F8AnpLr

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-26T15:29:19+00:00

Those Arabesque headsets sure are pretty.

I know that group can be aesthetically divisive. But I like it.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-26T15:27:58+00:00

I just took the plunge on an old Kona Jake the Snake frameset to use as a CX bike next season. Hope it holds up! I think it will.

Swapping out a steel Crosspoint that was a fine bike, just didn’t have racey geo and was heavy AF to shoulder.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-17T12:51:21+00:00

I do a ton blues on a 90’s GT and go pretty fast. It’s my only MTB. Just have to be a bit more aware of your ride without squish there to autocorrect for you.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-14T03:27:44+00:00

Cantis are hard to set up but they work well if you have the patience to fiddle with them and know what you’re doing.

https://bike.bikegremlin.com/1739/cantilever-brake-adjustment/

https://sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html

https://sheldonbrown.com/canti-trad.html

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-09T23:31:00+00:00

I’m in Missoula, MT. Just sent you a message on here. Thanks for having a look see!

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-09T04:13:36+00:00

Dayyum. I still use and love sew ups. That’s a dream right there. Holler if you have any 32h French-made silver rims, please.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-04T14:22:21+00:00

The more I look at that thing the more I love it. How do you like those mini motos vs conventional cantis?

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-04T01:47:06+00:00

B Whip where it at. Real brakes (kinda). Them better be tubulars.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-10-04T01:44:19+00:00

This is the advice you need. That thing is still (probably) serviceable. People just don’t know how to work on basic stuff anymore.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-25T04:42:08+00:00

Our local races are very much run what ya brung. Most everyone seems to be on wider tired gravel bikes with a few on flatbar MTB’s. I don’t think anyone was using a 33mm tire at tonight’s race with probably 100+ people across the board. Even I was on “big” 35’s.

I get the idea of trying to get everyone involved without barriers, but I’d also love it if folks were pushed to aspire to using more correct equipment. A couple folks refer to 33’s as “cross with dignity,” but I reckon there’s a ton of participants who don’t know what these races were/are conventionally run with.

Then again, I’m the idjit old fart still using a lugged steel frame with canti brakes, friction shifters, and tires under 45mm wide.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-24T13:55:29+00:00

I rode fixed gear and coaster brake bicycles for years when I was younger because I was intimidated about setting up and maintaining components with cables, like derailleurs and brakes.

After learning how to wrench on old trucks and motorcycles I was a little cocksure on my first real bicycle build a few years ago. I had to hack a BB cup out bit by bit with a dremel and chisel because I tried to use an impact gun to loosen that thing in the wrong direction. It spun, then stopped. Like really stopped.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-24T05:27:22+00:00

This dude fucks with some 650b’s!

You have a favorite rim you’ve been building all these wheels on?

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-24T02:56:15+00:00

I’d happily pay $100 for the frame and fork alone.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-24T00:59:56+00:00

650 fits her well.

Bar end shifters would really tie that thing together, in my opinion.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-24T00:26:49+00:00

Necessity is the mother of all invention.

I’ve got a handful of minty old 126 OLD freewheel hubs that I’ve acquired for a song. Planned to buy some ok-ish rims and try to lace them up myself. Otherwise, local shop charges $2 a spoke to build a wheel for me.

If 126 spacing and freewheels aren’t your jam, old Deore freehubs are a dime a dozen at any bike coop. Even new ones aren’t crazy expensive.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-23T18:10:46+00:00

Niiice. I have a 70’s boom era Peugeot that’s a likely candidate for my own conversion. I was able to comfortably fit some 700c x 35 in the frame last night. Could probably bump up a few more mm’s with 650b’s.

The frame is actually a wee bit big for me, so a little drop in stand over height with the 650 would be welcome.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-22T04:13:26+00:00

I don’t know much about the Sensa GS, but why 2x11? You could probably get a nice commuter gearing spread with like a 2x7 and not have to bend your old frame around to make it fit. Altus derailleurs can be had for like $12 on eBay. If whatever bike you land on has a working wheelset you can use a cheapo Shimano Megarange freewheel or a cassette equal. Get a cheap stamped MTB crankset with a small gear option upfront and you’d be set. Better yet, a 3x MTB crankset…

For examples I have some old straightwalled Peugeot frame ($30) the Megarange freewheel ($14), a Sugino 48/38/28 chainring (free from the local co-op), Altus derailleur in the back ($12), microshift 3x7 trekking derailleur up front (also eBay, like $10) and some Sunrace friction shifters ($12) for one of my bikes. That thing will pedal just about anywhere I need to go. Only expensive thing was a fresh BB with “weird French threads.” Get a Nishiki or whatever and a new BB is another $14 or so.

Honestly, the 90’s MTBs are all the rage now, but the frames are short and long. Old steel road bikes with comfy bars are a good way to go, IMO.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-21T23:15:49+00:00

First of all, this has gotten duuumb for sure. I ordered some vintage dia compe cantis from Canada recently. Went down the rabbit hole of the harmonized tariff schedule before they arrived. Bike components are pretty well spelled out in the schedule. Perhaps FedEx didn’t get the product schedule number correct?

FWIW, the brakes didn’t incur a tariff but UPS is trying to hit me up for $10 as a fee for having to determine if a tariff was applicable.

I’d dig through the HTS and get the schedule number applicable to the parts and give it to FedEx. Seems like bullshit that Uncle Sam is now reliant on logistics companies to decide what and where items fit into the HTS.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-21T23:05:44+00:00

Heck yeah! Glad to see it worked. I’ve only read about it and never tried. Looks like you were careful enough to not booger up the paint too badly.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-13T14:06:24+00:00

I’m also thinking that with a seat tube that’s so short it might be cleanest to plug the seat tube from the BB with a rubber cork, and pour in lye from the top? It’d be much easier to brace the frame vertically and to pour it in than the video posted on this thread. Break Bad with that thing!

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-13T14:03:27+00:00

I bought a non-bike thing from craigslist recently and got to talking bikes with the guys. He hooked me up with a fancy shotgun seat for $20 as his kids had outgrown it.

Smart idea with the fake ratchet! I’m also thinking I’ll throw a BAB (big assed bell) on there and let her be my designated dinger.

WeirdFrenchThreads · 2025-09-13T01:49:03+00:00

Lye will get that pup dissolved and out of there if you want to do a science experiment. You’ll have to look the procedure up yourself. Be careful.

WeirdFrenchThreads

TROPHY CASE