Gravel Bikes
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@scarfmace said in Gravel Bikes:
@RobeOfTheMagi said in Gravel Bikes:
Ritchey Swiss Cross
I don't know the brand
Here's an introduction to the Legend Tom Ritchey:
But you're right. Since it's a cyclocross frame, the tire size is smaller than we'd expect in a gravel bike. To me 40mm tires are still quite big. I'm more concerned about the lack of braze-ons and the more racy geometry. I'm by no means a racer.
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@RobeOfTheMagi
Cool guy, thanks for sharing! I'm new to cycling so basically everything I know is from deep diving the internet and I'm more into the technical part then the people part of stuff.
I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of braze-ons because most bags these days come with straps or Velcro mounts, just look at brands like tailfin, they can get you in full bikepacking gear without using a single bolt.The geometry is something a lot of people talk about and it all depends on your own style, I think that if you get the proper frame size it wouldn't matter all that much, a lot can be compensated by seat height, stem length and selecting the correct drop bars. A bike fit would be something I would recommend, I've done one myself after riding about 3 months and the difference is massive in comfort and performance.
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@BalticBob looks like a bad @ss one to me
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@derek111 awesome, I love that sticker! Fit's perfectly to my part pace style of riding.
Another topic, I normally don't ride my bike in boots because my pedals smash my boots and it feels like trash. Sometimes however, it's required when it's really cold and I choose to ride to work, because riding bikes rules. Does anyone have some suggestions of boot friendly pedals which aren't extremely slippery?
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I feel like RaceFace MTB pedals would fit that bill @BalticBob https://www.raceface.com/products/chester-pedal-2020?variant=31913986490450
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@BalticBob I love my OneUp Components composite flat pedals. They are affordable (in Canada) and do the trick. I swap out for them on any of my bikes when I don't want to clip in, be it gravel or mountain bikes.
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I have the Crankbrothers "Stamp" and they grip anything that touches them, including your shins
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I have the stamp pedals on my MTB and they rule, big fan. Anything with metal pins generally has a bad relationship with my shin but it recent years it’s been my boots taking the brunt of the beating. I attribute this 100% to my improved bike skills, rather than the fact that I bought boots
I’m leaning toward some plastic pedals for the winter / boot season. If Crankbrothers makes a plastic stamp, well, that might to the answer.
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My ride the last few months. Got away riding my Trek Remedy and started to use this one. Not sure which category this belongs. It has some Gravel geometry but is also a city commuter. Overall I'm pretty happy with this!
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After months of tinkering and making micro changes to seat height, setback, dropbars etc. I finaly start to zero in on the perfect bikefit. Also, my girlfriend is starting to get jealous of all the attention the bike gets from me.
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days are getting shorter, evening rides more quiet... -
here's my chumba terlingua. needs to be ridden more. i've been opting more for my SS mtb mostly.
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I sold my catering company, decided to treat myself and bought some carbon rims. It's getting nasty outside
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@dugafola They are the Zipp 303 XPLR SW's
I really like the way they look on my bike and the are a big upgrade coming from ALU DT-Swiss in terms of acceleration speed responsiveness.
Here are my remarks:
1 I ride a Shimano GRX 1-12 groupset so my XT cassette uses Microspleen, I had to buy a separate freehub body and cap (an additional 80€). Most other brands have Microspleen as a standard option. It's clear to me that Zipp wants you to use SRAM instead. Also the PN's for this kit where not easy to find and not in stock at the EU importer.
2 the rims are 32mm wide and stretch my 45mm tire out to a 50mm, this is great for stability going straight but the tire profile suffers a but in the corners, I'm running Pannaracer Gravelking X1's right now but will switch to the 50mm gravel specific tires goodyear has developed for these rims when the current set wears out. I'm betting this will improve my grip in the corners.
3 de fact they are 54mm deep also makes them more unstable in crosswinds, but on the upside they help a lot in headwinds or tailwinds
4 the ZR1 DB Hub has 66 points of engagement and you can hear that, it's almost like a buzz instead of the typical klick sound, I quite like it, also it's not very loud so I don't feel like a dick when I coast behind somebody.
5 the correct tire pressure is very important with these, not only because of the hookless design but also to prevent sidewall punctures.
They are not the cheapest or lightest rims on the market today but overall I'm happy with the upgrade. Also the lifetime warranty Zipp offers gives me the confidence to do whatever I want with these.
"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."
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@scarfmace nice! i picked up the 303s a year before the new rims were released. they are only 23mm internal but let me run 50mm+ tires with a nice profile.
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@scarfmace as the Zipp Brand Manager, seeing this post makes me really stoked! glad you are enjoying the wheels. I had the pleasure of racing on Zipp when I was a pro and now working there, I've had the pleasure of riding pretty much every Zipp wheel made since 2015. I can wholeheartedly say that of everything we've ever made since I started riding Zipp the XPLR are my favorite wheels.
