Grizl Cf SL 8? I coveted that too but I’m on the Board of Directors of a nonprofit community bike shop and couldn’t do the direct-to-consumer. awesome bike! Great choice! Love seeing the bike pics!
Ya’ll posting gravel bikes when I have been heavily considering buying a gravel bike to get me back in the game.
Yeah that's right. Had been considering another Specialized but I couldn't resist the matte green look. That's understandable though, a lot of talk on Reddit LBS issues with Canyon but I haven't had to take mine in yet. It seems great but also a little hard to tell cause I'm also running 45s, so not a straight comparison to my road bike. Does feel like less vibration makes it through the post though.
I used to follow a lot of people. But I have not been on but about 1x a year for about 5 years. I hate my life.
mine came with 38s and I’m considering bumping to 50s but they may be overkill. Then long term I want another wheelset with slicks.
Yeah that bike basically had everything I wanted, and the 2023 version doesn’t have eTap on that model, so I went ahead and pulled the trigger. I would have been more than happy with a couple models down probably, but I figured I should just get what I want. Can’t wait. The Revolt gets amazing reviews in general, but I’ve been eyeing a Giant anyway for awhile since it just seems like Giant gives you the best “bang for your buck” often times. They are the largest bike manufacturer in the world, and they have the economies of scale working for them.
That's exactly right! I didn't want to mention "value" and make it sound like I was insinuating low quality. But they definitely spec their stuff best for the price. Only thing comparable so far as I can tell is Canyon, which is an appealing brand as well except for the LBS factor. I'm a fledgling MTBer but when I was on the market last year I was looking for a 12-speed drivetrain, 29" wheels, and a dropper. You'll be shocked to know Giant had the best, lowest-priced offering with those specifications. And it's been everything I'd hoped it would be.
So far in my research, I am coming up with the Co-op ADV 2.2 and the Canyon Grail 6. My requirements are GRX or better components, 2x (as a spinner that rides at 95-105 cadence at almost all times, giving up the range of gears is hard), and under $2k. Any other gravel bikes I should be looking at that meet those criteria?
You sure you'd want that odd double decker bar on the Grail? BTW in case you haven't seen this in your research: GRX 400 is Tiagra equivalent GRX 600 is 105 equivalent GRX 800 is Ultegra equivalent I don't have many recos at that range but it's always fun to look at bikes so I'll peak around!
Holy shit, I only saw the side view of the Grail. Yeah, that bike is out. I am fine with any of those 3 group set levels. A lot of bikes in this range understandable are equipped with Claris or equivalents of the other brands. This bikes goal is to get me in the saddle and training again. Have my eyes set on The Belgian Waffle Ride in KS in the fall and trying to make it to Unbound in the spring if I am lucky. If I stick with it, which is a big unknown now with kid in the equation and my ever-expanding work requirements, I will invest in a bike more suitable to my obsessive tendencies.
I was peaking at the coop offerings and this Cannondale seems to fit your criteria well. Plus it has thru axles, a carbon fork, threaded bb, and tubeless-ready wheels. Not too shabby! https://www.rei.com/product/208191/cannondale-topstone-2-bike
It checks in at half a pound lighter which is nice. Is there $400 in additional value in this bike vs the co-op Adv 2.2? I have no clue.
No, I am in Texas. Did spend time in KS for high school and college though. Brother and friends still in KS though.
I’ve seen the Giant Revolt Advanced 3 for going for $1999. It fits all of your criteria, and obviously I think it’s a great bike since I just bought one lol.
Hydro vs mechanical brakes is among the biggest differences but it could just come down to build quality and how it feels. does rei’s satisfaction guarantee/return policy still apply to bikes?
Also of note. I was doing some maintenance today and managed to do what I do best: turn a minor shifting issue into a moderate one.
Oh my god I can’t imagine that one. I’m so capable of beating myself up I might not have made it through the night.
Yeah, I still have it to remind me that I have no idea what I’m doing and to just take it to the shop.
do I need some sort of cycling shoe if I will mainly just be commuting on my REI Bike 5ish miles each way for work?
You got a lot of stoplights/stop signs on the way? Clipping in is the shit but it's not worth it when going through downtown districts or other dense street grids where you have to unclip every 90 seconds
I have the dual use pedals, if you want to have the option to do either on the same bike. VENZO Multi-Use Compatible with Shimano SPD Mountain Bike Bicycle Sealed Clipless Pedals - Dual Platform Multi-Purpose - Great for Touring, Road, Trekking Bikes https://a.co/d/eUB5w2G
Yep, I’d just rock these ones below (only because I like the way Crank Bros feel way more than SPD). I have these on my Peloton, for example, because sometimes I just feel like wearing sneakers. https://www.backcountry.com/b/crank-brothers-doubleshot-1-pedals?CMP_SKU=CRNH00W&MER=0406&skid=CRNH00W-BLABLA-ONESIZ
Wow bro super happy to hear you’re going to commute. No better way to start and end a workday. And 5 miles is such a good distance. Enough for some modest exercise but not too long. Commuting is what really got me into cycling but it’s unfortunately not practical for me anymore with job and kid responsibilities. I used money I saved on gas to save for bikes and bike stuff. And yeah regarding the shoes I’d just ride in tennis shoes or whatever for a while. You’ll likely start developing a list of things you’d like to upgrade first to fit your personal preferences (grips, saddle, etc), and shoes/pedals might not top the list. I hope it comes in soon and you love it. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions as you’re getting to know and breaking in your new bike!
It is happening guys. Getting everything set up in my office today. Charging batteries on sensors and di2 so I can make my first of many 1 hour training sessions at 5:45 am. If I am still logging time daily in 2 months, gonna buy a gravel bike and sign up for the October Belgian Waffle Ride in Lawerence, KS. Nothing like a 200k gravel grinder with ~8,000’ of elevation gain to teat one’s fortitude and commitment. Thanks for the motivation bike bros. My lord I am not looking forward to these rides while I get back to a decent amount of fitness. Once a month passes, will probably be out on weekends foe rides. I ain’t even trying to clip in on Dallas streets until I get back in the saddle a little bit.
https://www.theproscloset.com/products/2020-gunnar-hyper-xx-l Absolutely geeking over this bike right now. Yes, over what I was looking to spend but the components and curb appeal of this bike are gnarly.
For me, it simply comes down to this. I do not feel safe riding my bike in Dallas. We have a serious anti-cycling culture in this country and Dallas is a large city that is not very pedestrian/cyclist friendly. Cycling lanes in this town are parking lanes and no one does a thing about it. So for me, it is a gravel bike to go drive out of town on the weekend and put sone miles in. I can drive out 30 minutes and find some safer routes that are far less traveled.
One can ride a grav bike on the road but a 23 mm road bike is limited to the tarmac pretty much. I love my road bike but ever since I got a fat bike a few years ago I’ve been craving more adventure and off-road stuff. Dont get me wrong I still mostly ride pavement but I also ride mostly at night so the slightly less aggressive stance helps me see a little better and the wider tires can help if I don’t see a little pothole or bump in time. Plus I can take crushed rock paths or hop on some single track if I want. And rural gravel riding is adventurous and peaceful at the same time.
Have you all heard of #30DaysofBiking? Just wrapped up today. It’s my second year doing it. It’s largely about getting people to do more daily activities on bike instead of car but I think of it more as training and a mental challenge. Some numbers for this year: 520 miles 39 hours Three states Four bikes Hi temp 84 Low temp 24 Pavement, dirt, gravel Snow, ice, rain, fuckloads of clouds and wind I’ll post a couple of my favorite leans Spoiler
Thanks, Roubaix. Got it for $3000 1.5 years after a 75yo man bought it new and realized he had too much bike.
I have a Specialized Sirrus X 2.0 that I’ve been riding for ~2 years. Bike shop is trying to get me to upgrade to the Specialized Diverge Elite. I mostly ride up to the bars but occasionally ride to the river and considering some longer rides - mostly pavement. Any advice much appreciated.