This gravel bike frame is from Ican, who also produces MTB frames 😊👍🏼 I have one of their M17 xc 29er hardtail frames and although it eventually cracked after a couple of crashes, I'd still recommend them for quality... (I pushed a very lightweight xc bike through some Enduro trails)
I've ridden those trails, mate, and yeah, they're MTB trails 😊 You're a brave man for riding them on a Gravel bike, and deserve an extra baguette for it! 🥖🥖
I think a lot of your mistakes can be chalked up to not having the confidence or experience. It’ll get a lot better. You should definitely look into a dropper if you plan to do this more. The more you do mountain trails the less you will pedal strike. I’m really tall and use 175mm cranks and I rarely pedal strike. It’s just a matter of having the awareness of it and adjusting as necessary. It becomes second nature after a while. Under biking is tons of fun, but it gets better with more experience and the proper loadout.
The trick with gravel routes which start on pavement is to pump your tires up to firmer pressure than you'd want on gravel, and then let air out to your preferred gravel pressure, only once you're there. It saves a lot of energy early in a long ride.
Singletrack tips: Descending in the drops rather than the hoods may help with not going over the bars. Also, I suspect the behind the saddle camera mount may interfere with getting your weight back behind the saddle with no dropper. Finally, consider “ratcheting” your pedal stroke to get through tight, rocky spots. And if riding flats increases confidence, go for it. Keep it up! 🥖🥖🥖🥖
at 8:43, it's good you took the left lane which I think is ridable. But as most of the guys suggested here, I think its high time for you to build a XC mtb. I think you will tap that other viewers who are in to mountain biking. Stay safe and ride safe always Luke.
If you chuck on some wider bars it'll be a lot more stable and controllable on the rough stuff, less twitchy. Check out gravel specific bars, they're usually a lot wider than normal road handlebars.
@@winterwatson6437 On rough ground? Yeah. Yeah it is. Wider bars are easier to control on the rough, more stable, and produce far less twitchy front-end movement. Comparable arm movements on wider bars turn the wheel less.
Second all the other suggestions here to build an aliex XC bike. But if not, a simple improvement when riding steep stuff with a bike like that is to drop the saddle :)
Another outstanding video Luke. Your design with the front suspension would be so much better here on our washboarded gravel than the most main stream gravel packages. Have you seen any of the Chinese manufacturers start building/selling the Lauf style front forks? Dylan Johnson made good use of one in Unbound this year, they look pretty nice, but they're also quite spendy. Thanks for all the efforts you make for us.
This is a cyclocross route lol [update] that was based on the first times you were debating getting off the bike to carry/walk it/run up a hill... until I saw the rest of the video! Smashing! really great to see the routes and the capabilities
Lightcarbon MTB frames are great ;) And for XC / gravel you’ll want to stick with clipless pedals. Just reduce the release tension to minimum when you begin and as you build up confidence, you’ll be just fine
I upgraded an old Salsa Vaya to 650b wheels with 2.2” tires and an L-TWOO GR9 and it has proven itself to be a solid gravel and light MTB trail beast. That L-TWOO groupset is great.
Definitely time for an MTB build! I refurbished mine during COVID times for something to do and now run a 1 x 12 ltwoo set up with a Frankenstein Chinese fork running a fox grip damper rethreaded using non other than a tap and die set from AliExpress. Its mint.
I have a similar gold VG Sports 9 speed chain, it's still going strong after 8000 km, but I have been waxing it from the beginning. I am still using the same master link after several thorough cleaning and waxing. No issues.
Dear Mr Trace Velo. I can see that this trip was quite a success in terms of personal endeavour. I quite enjoy this sort of audacious undertaking of yours. I hope that you and your family is well. Yours sincerely, Mr Hanking.
I used to think gravel bikes are just 90s mountain bike....but then I rode a couple of new gravel "race" bikes (Canyon Grail and a Giant Revolt) Wow! They are fast and capable for gravel, dirt roads and decent on pavement. I'm slowly drinking the Kool-aid.
Pretty sure the first trail you started to descend on is what a big mtb channel was using the other year to test for trail bike of the year. So props for descending that on a gravel bike!!
Luke. It’s me again. I think you need to build an mtb from your usual sources. But knowing that you love your viewers I think you’re setting us for that mtb build. Give the people what they want. 🥖🥖🥖
you don't always need to do full pedal strokes while climbing over technical terrain, adjust your stroke to get through the gaps etc. i do this kind of thing on mtb and gravel bikes but most fun for me is my frankenbike hardtail with gravel groupset.
My main commuter is a “hybrid” bike setup as an x01 11-speed funkybar hardtail with 700 x (40+45) tubeless tires and she fliessss. Little dirt paths and roads for 3mile commuters are equally great🤙🏼
My everyday dilemma. 😂 Go out the door on the streets (bad patched ones): "would my old road bike be confortable on this?" See a dirt road, go on it for some kms till some rocky part : "would i be better just getting a xc mtb?" On my gravel I'm either a little underbiked or overbiked most of the time.
great to see some mountain biking on trace velo! I actually think you still can to a lot with that bike. with properly wide rims (30-35 mm inner width), race king protection instead of shield wall (not the same tyre, more supple on the trail, faster on tarmac), tyre inserts, really low tyre pressure, let's say 0.9-1.2 bars, and a dropper post I think you would have had a much better experience on the trails. you might not win xc races, but getting the tyre pressure low enough (and having wide rims and inserts that makes those low pressures work) makes a huge difference. also I would recommend trying riding more in the drops when it gets technical, I find it feels a lot more stable and you get better brake feel.
the cinematography is brilliant , looks soo good. informative and inspriational! hope you didnt sustain too much damage from the falls! shows the versatility of the gravel bike built. love the work and thank you for making my week, again!! 🐖🐖🐖🐖
100% agree that the use case for a gravel bike can be pretty narrow. Being shaken all day is no fun. I have called rides short being underprepared on a day that the gravel was more chunky than expected. Though, If you know ahead of time. I think that slight mods like a suspension fork, extra thick bar tape, and practicing techniques to avoid pedal strikes can get you through a whole lot. MTBers have more skills than road cyclists and being in the gravel world we get to try to learn some of those skills too.
My first “mountain bike” was my rally racer almost 50 years ago, I’d flip the drops upside down and ride the dirt trails around Liverpool with my mates. Skinny tyres meant loads of punctures but it was just so much fun. I then had a succession of mountain bikes, but was finally able to get back to drop handlebars when gravel bikes arrived. I love my gravel bikes, I can enjoy both the roads and the trails, but I wouldn’t use a gravel bike for the narly stuff, it’s meant for fast trails not technical routes 😂
Really enjoyed this video!! Underbiking is a thing, and you were underbiked for the more technical parts, but with the right perspective (which I think you ultimately adopted), you can enjoy being underbiked. I have a gravel bike similar to yours (2016 Cannondale Slate w/30mm Lefty fork and dropper seatpost). What you and I have are "adventure bikes" in the gravel subgenre, as opposed to "gravel race bikes" which are more like road bikes. I think you created a great gravel adventure bike - with a dropper seat post and shorter cranks, and a bit more practice, I bet you ride it a lot. And I would change out the tires too to 40 or 45mm with decent tread. That works for me and I ride MTB type trails on my gravel bike most every time I take it out.
Really enjoy your travel content, as well as when you source parts and do bike builds. You’ve a unique, fun and ego free perspective & hope to see you test your bikes is some more great places! Cheers. :)
Totally joining the choir of suggesting a MTB build - but as an MTB'er who likes to ride things like what you rode on my gravelbike (but no suspension, and 40 mm. tires ;)) on ocassion, it defnitely gets much harder much faster on the gravel vs. the MTB - so don't feel bad. I do it because it's fun (for me) but it's also very skill building. Though it is probably better (safer) to start building skill by being over-biked rather than under-biked :D. On the pedals: get the multi-release clips fra Shimano for SPD. They are like a half-way point between traditional clipped in and flats. I never run anything but these - same with my daugther. And while definitely not being pro, we do compete in national events, and she's even made two very respectable results at the Euro Youth championships. Cool video!
DONT join the dark side stay road the bike frame gears did very well for that terrain which was on day one awful keep safe knight velo loved the video.
Great Video Again. I can totally agree that Gravel bikes are more roady then Mountain Bikey. Setting up my Kona Rove whit more Mtb parts made a huge difference. 650b wheelset whit 2.25 Tires can change lot of how you tackle the terrain. You should give it a try. 🥖🥖🥖🥖
Nice video. I recommend you to do more of this kind of trail to progress. I ride a homemade gravel with 622x38 tyre and hard fork and it's very cool when it's hard and technical.
I absolutely agree with you Luke that the use case of gravel can be a bit narrow. I like them with some suspension and xc tires to mix road and trail better
I went to a "downcountry" bike this year from a dyed in the wool xc bike. First time with a dropper post and to be honest, I don't use it that much. It's the head tube angles, suspension travel and tyres that make the difference for me rather than the dropper.
Good little video Luke 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 and thankfully you weren't injured, apart from a bit of loss of dignity! It was an adventure, to be enjoyed, an experience! Tbh you're gonna get stick from all your viewers that have been banging on abour you building up Chinese mtb!!😂😂😂 chapeau mate🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
My best vacation memories of riding trails in Spain are actually from having a cheap shitty rental short travel MTB. It was a blast! Of course, I almost died a few times, one that time I was bleeding all over my skin because of an escape route I'd chosen (no amount of bicycle could have helped me to get out of there in a better shape) Conclusion: underbiking is the best, if you manage to survive.
No such thing as "wrong bike" practice practice practice! Sure having the right equipment makes it more enjoyable. Keep at it Luke. It takes time. You can't expect to go from road to gnarly trail and ride it perfectly. As for "wrong crank length" that's rubbish L and XL MTBs come with 175 cranks just like road bikes. Or did you have 185s on? 😂 You're doing great, practice practice practice 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks for the cool ride thru the country. It's cool that you have a friend over there. Nice review of your bike. Love your videos, and looking forward to the next. 🥖🥖👍👍
Mountain bike with drop bars? But for real, a dropper post is going to get your weight down and over the rear wheel more than a rigid seatpost. Great video! I would recommend a trail bike for your next build!
🥖 165mm cranks are pretty common in the mtb world, and with the emtbs they’re even going down to 150mm! For drops, PinkBike’s Cathro gives very different advice to the common ‘lean back’ which has been working well for me!
@@dunkelfalke-fv9yt For DH/ FR they are truly useful because you ride down. Going up requiers cranks with longer arms, to make climbing easy. That's what I was talking about)
I will say that as a mountain biker, that sort of slow, technical riding does lend itself to a shorter steeper bike and actually clipless pedals too. if you get good at track stands and hopping about while stationary the clipless pedals will give you more precision with where the back wheel is and also more explosive power for getting over obstacles! the one thing you may want is a dropper post, I couldn't imagine riding trails without one on a cross bike.
I ride road, gravel and MTB. I love my MTB mostly because of the technical terrain in my country. Gravel can be a good option if you are near trails but have to ride in tarmac for a while but anything technical por single track is just awful.
For gnarly downhill you need to hold the bars on the drops and get your center of gravity back towards the rear wheel. That alone helps a lot against going OTB. Cracking video mate, I wouldn't mind seeing you build a mountain bike! Personally, riding MTB helped me a lot with confidence on the road as well 🥖🥖🥖🥖
I ride my cx converted to gravel bike on more mellow single/double track which is more than gravel paths on 700x35 knobbies. Anything more off-road a mountain bike would be best but I call it underbiking, and it’s fun.
Speaking of dropper post. I have ltwoo grt and made it work with a dropper. I just ordered ltwoo r9 left shifter for front deraulier, fiddled a bit with internals, removed some springs and thumb shifter and was left with perfect dropper post lever. And to match the look of groupset i have swapped carbon brake lever to this new handle - fits perfectly
as a mountain biker i know there is a good blue trail at swinley forest that is suitable for gravel bikes, it's good fun too, just don't go there on the weekend when it's busy or you'll just be terrified by all the mountain bikers tearing past you on the downhills
A gravel bike is not a mountian bike. Not long enough, slack enough or suspensiony enough. You can make them tolerable off road but I've learned the hard way I'm faster and happier on a lightweight hardtail and I'll take the compromise on the tarmac. A dropper post makes a huge difference. It's difficult to overstate just how much. Fair play to you for riding that though! Looks like a fabulous trail! 🥖🥖🥖
I just bought a new gravel bike. I chose it because it has a remote internal dropper post. PS Get a dirt drop and ride the drops instead of the hoods on the techy parts. The Ritchey Beacon is a good one.
🥖🥖🥖🥖😎 I've crashed on trails I've ridden previously without issues... No shame in feeling the fear! It's meant to be fun right? Yes, that bike probably wasn't quite up to the job or you might not have the required skills and confidence..or both... It really doesn't matter... You do what suits you 😊👍🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖👍🏼 bikes, trails, baguette, ham, cheese.... Perfection 👌😎
I have the Drive 6 boost MTB wheelset and I've broken the rear wheel twice. :\ First broke 2 "spokes" on an XC trail and then busted the rim edge and rim bed on a rocky descent in Leadville. I'm handy enough with carbon fiber repair, so I've fixed it myself both times and still out there thrashing them all the time.
Ok, this was absolutely a sign, after watching this video I went on my own gravel ride that was way too tough for me and my bike. I know exactly how you felt. 🥖
You could also look at a bike whiuch is more focussed on the off-road spectrum of gravel bikes. I know that doesn't hit the spot for your "testing chinese components" niche, but bikes like the new steel offerings from Cotic (Cascade), Kona (Sutra LTD), Fearless (Vulture) or Genesis (Vagabond) come much closer to mountain bikes than gravel bikes and do sit more firmly into that Venn diagram than most modern gravel bikes - which are really slightly more upright road bike frames (they still tend to have quite steep geometry). Worth a try if you really want to explore what's possible.
24:09 I don't mean anything by it, but I feel you need more experience/training on rough trails to really determine whether or not the bike is capable. I actually had a nearly identical setup, considering I bought my frame because of your initial review. Ican frame, elite road wheels, conti raceking, and a redshift stem instead of a suspension fork. So, the bike not only felt capable on all manor of single track, rockbeds, and of course fire roads, but was so capable I sold my mountain bike because of it. That is all to say, having ridden roughly equal amounts of road and off-road in my time as a cyclist, a beefed up gravel bike is plenty to tackle most of what we have in socal at least, even on a bike that may have been a little too big for me.
Testing bikes on different terrain is sometimes so fun. I once took my roadbike with 23mm tires to woods. Not the best running over tree roots etc on footpaths that are just some routes people have walked on. 😃🥖🥖
You’ve done well on that trail. Many would sport full armour and full sus for that kind of riding. But when one is willing to try things, even a fixie with 23s on will do. Tried that myself and loved it all while convinced this is going to be my last ride 😉 Just keep spinning chico!
Another helpfull thing - use a regular bar because it allows you to use the Shimano GRX SUB BRAKE LEVERs they sure make quite a difference - in combination with a dropper post !!!
Come to Southern California - lots of smoother trails than what you were riding in Spain, but also definitely "off road". I ride a steel rigid "gravel" bike on 50mm tires/~20psi, and have a blast. For those rock gap/drops you were having trouble with, pop your front tire across the gap (wheelie/manual) so it won't get caught or deflected.
Ace video Luke. I stuggle to see the case for a gravel bike. I think its just a marketimg a sales exercise by bike companies. I have a road bike for the road and smooth hardpack, and a hardtail XC mtb for the rougher stuff. I just dont feel i have the required control of the brakes or steering with drop bars on rougher terrain. Time for a 29er mtb hartail build 👍🏻
I’ve been caught out by rocky stuff on the Grabbler. Not much fun. But I’ve also ridden the blue route at the Forest of Dean and had a thoroughly good time. Recommended :)
I’m not sure what the adjustment on your fork is, however could you try a stiffer spring, or more air pressure if its an air fork if you are bottoming out a lot? Also I think you found the limit of ‘underbiking’ 😂 Loved this and the rest of your videos. Technical MTB trails are difficult for even seasoned MTBers without full suspension, the compliance in the frame helps with traction.
3:55 Just some info on your tires... you are running the Race Kings in the Pure Grip compound, which is significantly slower than the more expensive Black Chilli ProTection variant. I have both and its a night and day difference ;)
By the way, the pedals if they are standard SPD are ok. I find much more confidence clipped than no clipped. You just need to easy them so that they have not too much holding tension. Be clip less and any time you have to jump you go scorpion style...
As always an entertaining review of your experiences. Actually thought of building on a similar frame from Ican. But actually think that some parts from China has started getting a bit expensive. But looking forward to seeing if you will go MTB🤗👍
I think you need a real mountain bike, AliExpress style!
I was just about to type something similar.
Yes please
Amen!
Yeah baby!! Awesome idea!!!
I love my mountain bike, but under biking with a gravel bike is also a blast.
Time to build an xc bike luke , best thing you will ever do there the best 👌 🥖🥖🥖🥖
Forget Strava for MTB. Use Komoot and Trailforks. You get used to clipless on MTB as well. Also, get a dropper post.
Looking forward to the MTB build
Time for an AliExpress XC bike
This gravel bike frame is from Ican, who also produces MTB frames 😊👍🏼 I have one of their M17 xc 29er hardtail frames and although it eventually cracked after a couple of crashes, I'd still recommend them for quality... (I pushed a very lightweight xc bike through some Enduro trails)
I've ridden those trails, mate, and yeah, they're MTB trails 😊 You're a brave man for riding them on a Gravel bike, and deserve an extra baguette for it! 🥖🥖
I think a lot of your mistakes can be chalked up to not having the confidence or experience. It’ll get a lot better. You should definitely look into a dropper if you plan to do this more. The more you do mountain trails the less you will pedal strike. I’m really tall and use 175mm cranks and I rarely pedal strike. It’s just a matter of having the awareness of it and adjusting as necessary. It becomes second nature after a while. Under biking is tons of fun, but it gets better with more experience and the proper loadout.
The trick with gravel routes which start on pavement is to pump your tires up to firmer pressure than you'd want on gravel, and then let air out to your preferred gravel pressure, only once you're there. It saves a lot of energy early in a long ride.
Would LOVE to see you build a mountain bike ala aliexpress.. cmon, be fun, you’ll get a ton of views!
Sweet trails!
Time for a AliExpress mtb build.
Can't wait! 😊
Singletrack tips: Descending in the drops rather than the hoods may help with not going over the bars. Also, I suspect the behind the saddle camera mount may interfere with getting your weight back behind the saddle with no dropper. Finally, consider “ratcheting” your pedal stroke to get through tight, rocky spots.
And if riding flats increases confidence, go for it. Keep it up! 🥖🥖🥖🥖
Or just get a mountain bike and enjoy your riding.
Now its time for a mtb build! Hardtail gang!!
Dude, try some CX racing this winter to up your skills and confidence. CX is usuay very friendly. Keep up the great vids.
That's exactly the stuff I was doing in 1996 on a steelie with 2.25 tires an no suspension at all. I think you've got a pretty good rid all in all.
at 8:43, it's good you took the left lane which I think is ridable. But as most of the guys suggested here, I think its high time for you to build a XC mtb. I think you will tap that other viewers who are in to mountain biking. Stay safe and ride safe always Luke.
Embrace the pedal strike! I remember this from MTB years. 😂
If you don't smack your pedals at least once a session, you're not mountain biking.
I love riding that stuff on a gravel bike. A tip would be to use the drops when riding the tech. Your bike control will be MUCH improved.
If you chuck on some wider bars it'll be a lot more stable and controllable on the rough stuff, less twitchy. Check out gravel specific bars, they're usually a lot wider than normal road handlebars.
yeah, this bike is definitely held back by its bars 😘
@@winterwatson6437 On rough ground? Yeah. Yeah it is. Wider bars are easier to control on the rough, more stable, and produce far less twitchy front-end movement. Comparable arm movements on wider bars turn the wheel less.
Second all the other suggestions here to build an aliex XC bike. But if not, a simple improvement when riding steep stuff with a bike like that is to drop the saddle :)
Another outstanding video Luke. Your design with the front suspension would be so much better here on our washboarded gravel than the most main stream gravel packages. Have you seen any of the Chinese manufacturers start building/selling the Lauf style front forks? Dylan Johnson made good use of one in Unbound this year, they look pretty nice, but they're also quite spendy. Thanks for all the efforts you make for us.
This is a cyclocross route lol [update] that was based on the first times you were debating getting off the bike to carry/walk it/run up a hill... until I saw the rest of the video! Smashing! really great to see the routes and the capabilities
Lightcarbon MTB frames are great ;)
And for XC / gravel you’ll want to stick with clipless pedals. Just reduce the release tension to minimum when you begin and as you build up confidence, you’ll be just fine
Oh Luke, bless your heart. Some people LIVE for underbiking trails like that.
I upgraded an old Salsa Vaya to 650b wheels with 2.2” tires and an L-TWOO GR9 and it has proven itself to be a solid gravel and light MTB trail beast. That L-TWOO groupset is great.
Definitely time for an MTB build! I refurbished mine during COVID times for something to do and now run a 1 x 12 ltwoo set up with a Frankenstein Chinese fork running a fox grip damper rethreaded using non other than a tap and die set from AliExpress. Its mint.
My ltwoo 1x10 (A7) has been terrible, but that might be caused by a bent cage - switching it out for a advent 1x9 to see if it improves.
I have a similar gold VG Sports 9 speed chain, it's still going strong after 8000 km, but I have been waxing it from the beginning. I am still using the same master link after several thorough cleaning and waxing. No issues.
Are you sure your chain hasn't passed 0.5% ?
@@AllanHundeboll I ride mainly on the flats and I don't generate huge amount of power, mainly steady long efforts, like 80km time trials.
Dear Mr Trace Velo. I can see that this trip was quite a success in terms of personal endeavour. I quite enjoy this sort of audacious undertaking of yours. I hope that you and your family is well. Yours sincerely, Mr Hanking.
This is the perfect video that i will show tgo my friends when they ask me for the limits between bikes! pure quality content Luke 👏👏
I used to think gravel bikes are just 90s mountain bike....but then I rode a couple of new gravel "race" bikes (Canyon Grail and a Giant Revolt) Wow! They are fast and capable for gravel, dirt roads and decent on pavement. I'm slowly drinking the Kool-aid.
Pretty sure the first trail you started to descend on is what a big mtb channel was using the other year to test for trail bike of the year. So props for descending that on a gravel bike!!
Luke. It’s me again. I think you need to build an mtb from your usual sources. But knowing that you love your viewers I think you’re setting us for that mtb build. Give the people what they want. 🥖🥖🥖
I love being ‘underbiked’ and embrace the hike a bike. Excellent content.
you don't always need to do full pedal strokes while climbing over technical terrain, adjust your stroke to get through the gaps etc. i do this kind of thing on mtb and gravel bikes but most fun for me is my frankenbike hardtail with gravel groupset.
My main commuter is a “hybrid” bike setup as an x01 11-speed funkybar hardtail with 700 x (40+45) tubeless tires and she fliessss. Little dirt paths and roads for 3mile commuters are equally great🤙🏼
As you say, there’s only a very narrow “use case” for gravel bikes, if at all. You can do everything if you have a road bike and a mountain bike.
A gravel bike is a really road bike with bigger tyre clearance
My everyday dilemma. 😂 Go out the door on the streets (bad patched ones): "would my old road bike be confortable on this?"
See a dirt road, go on it for some kms till some rocky part : "would i be better just getting a xc mtb?"
On my gravel I'm either a little underbiked or overbiked most of the time.
I’ve been asking you for quite a few years to build a mountain bike. I’d love to see you do it 😊 🥖
I've been telling you to get a hardtail for the longest.....come on broski. Dooooo it!!!
A hardtail is the best allrounder
Don't listen to him, Luke, if you go down that rabbit hole you'll soon have to mingle with people who call each other "broski".
great to see some mountain biking on trace velo! I actually think you still can to a lot with that bike. with properly wide rims (30-35 mm inner width), race king protection instead of shield wall (not the same tyre, more supple on the trail, faster on tarmac), tyre inserts, really low tyre pressure, let's say 0.9-1.2 bars, and a dropper post I think you would have had a much better experience on the trails. you might not win xc races, but getting the tyre pressure low enough (and having wide rims and inserts that makes those low pressures work) makes a huge difference. also I would recommend trying riding more in the drops when it gets technical, I find it feels a lot more stable and you get better brake feel.
Gravel bikes are really at home on fire trails like those that crisscross the New Forest - recommended if you haven’t ridden those yet!
The terrain really needs to be sort of smooth.
the cinematography is brilliant , looks soo good. informative and inspriational! hope you didnt sustain too much damage from the falls! shows the versatility of the gravel bike built. love the work and thank you for making my week, again!! 🐖🐖🐖🐖
100% agree that the use case for a gravel bike can be pretty narrow. Being shaken all day is no fun. I have called rides short being underprepared on a day that the gravel was more chunky than expected. Though, If you know ahead of time. I think that slight mods like a suspension fork, extra thick bar tape, and practicing techniques to avoid pedal strikes can get you through a whole lot. MTBers have more skills than road cyclists and being in the gravel world we get to try to learn some of those skills too.
Really enjoyed this Trace Velo on tour style video
My first “mountain bike” was my rally racer almost 50 years ago, I’d flip the drops upside down and ride the dirt trails around Liverpool with my mates. Skinny tyres meant loads of punctures but it was just so much fun. I then had a succession of mountain bikes, but was finally able to get back to drop handlebars when gravel bikes arrived. I love my gravel bikes, I can enjoy both the roads and the trails, but I wouldn’t use a gravel bike for the narly stuff, it’s meant for fast trails not technical routes 😂
Really enjoyed this video!! Underbiking is a thing, and you were underbiked for the more technical parts, but with the right perspective (which I think you ultimately adopted), you can enjoy being underbiked. I have a gravel bike similar to yours (2016 Cannondale Slate w/30mm Lefty fork and dropper seatpost). What you and I have are "adventure bikes" in the gravel subgenre, as opposed to "gravel race bikes" which are more like road bikes. I think you created a great gravel adventure bike - with a dropper seat post and shorter cranks, and a bit more practice, I bet you ride it a lot. And I would change out the tires too to 40 or 45mm with decent tread. That works for me and I ride MTB type trails on my gravel bike most every time I take it out.
Really enjoy your travel content, as well as when you source parts and do bike builds. You’ve a unique, fun and ego free perspective & hope to see you test your bikes is some more great places! Cheers. :)
Totally joining the choir of suggesting a MTB build - but as an MTB'er who likes to ride things like what you rode on my gravelbike (but no suspension, and 40 mm. tires ;)) on ocassion, it defnitely gets much harder much faster on the gravel vs. the MTB - so don't feel bad.
I do it because it's fun (for me) but it's also very skill building. Though it is probably better (safer) to start building skill by being over-biked rather than under-biked :D. On the pedals: get the multi-release clips fra Shimano for SPD. They are like a half-way point between traditional clipped in and flats. I never run anything but these - same with my daugther. And while definitely not being pro, we do compete in national events, and she's even made two very respectable results at the Euro Youth championships.
Cool video!
I would always recommend komoot for route planning, specifically for off roading.
DONT join the dark side stay road the bike frame gears did very well for that terrain which was on day one awful keep safe knight velo loved the video.
Theres a joke i saw in a mtb forum that gravel riders are either mountain bikers that got scared of the trails or road bikes who got bored of roads.
Good effort on the gnarly stuff, thats why I have dropper posts on my gravel bikes.
Great Video Again. I can totally agree that Gravel bikes are more roady then Mountain Bikey. Setting up my Kona Rove whit more Mtb parts made a huge difference. 650b wheelset whit 2.25 Tires can change lot of how you tackle the terrain. You should give it a try. 🥖🥖🥖🥖
Nice video. I recommend you to do more of this kind of trail to progress. I ride a homemade gravel with 622x38 tyre and hard fork and it's very cool when it's hard and technical.
I absolutely agree with you Luke that the use case of gravel can be a bit narrow. I like them with some suspension and xc tires to mix road and trail better
Great video as always, also the perfect description of the limitations of the current standard for gravel bikes.🥖
I went to a "downcountry" bike this year from a dyed in the wool xc bike. First time with a dropper post and to be honest, I don't use it that much. It's the head tube angles, suspension travel and tyres that make the difference for me rather than the dropper.
Good little video Luke 🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖 and thankfully you weren't injured, apart from a bit of loss of dignity! It was an adventure, to be enjoyed, an experience! Tbh you're gonna get stick from all your viewers that have been banging on abour you building up Chinese mtb!!😂😂😂 chapeau mate🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
My best vacation memories of riding trails in Spain are actually from having a cheap shitty rental short travel MTB. It was a blast! Of course, I almost died a few times, one that time I was bleeding all over my skin because of an escape route I'd chosen (no amount of bicycle could have helped me to get out of there in a better shape)
Conclusion: underbiking is the best, if you manage to survive.
Wonderful enjoyable content, many thanks from down under 👌
No such thing as "wrong bike" practice practice practice! Sure having the right equipment makes it more enjoyable. Keep at it Luke. It takes time. You can't expect to go from road to gnarly trail and ride it perfectly. As for "wrong crank length" that's rubbish L and XL MTBs come with 175 cranks just like road bikes. Or did you have 185s on? 😂 You're doing great, practice practice practice 👍🏻👍🏻
Nice job out there👍🏼 I think you did great for a non mountain biker! Thanks for the gorgeous views!
Very much agree with your conclusions. I think a good carbon hardtail mtb w dropper and 2 wheelsets would be a great setup for anything off the tarmac
Thanks for the cool ride thru the country. It's cool that you have a friend over there. Nice review of your bike. Love your videos, and looking forward to the next. 🥖🥖👍👍
Mountain bike with drop bars?
But for real, a dropper post is going to get your weight down and over the rear wheel more than a rigid seatpost. Great video!
I would recommend a trail bike for your next build!
🥖 165mm cranks are pretty common in the mtb world, and with the emtbs they’re even going down to 150mm!
For drops, PinkBike’s Cathro gives very different advice to the common ‘lean back’ which has been working well for me!
175 cranks are pretty common. 165 in the MTB world? Maybe in another universe? eMTB's are cheaters, they can ride even without pedals))
@@Gonzo_The_Great 165mm is basically DH/FR only. Unfortunately.
@@dunkelfalke-fv9yt For DH/ FR they are truly useful because you ride down. Going up requiers cranks with longer arms, to make climbing easy. That's what I was talking about)
I will say that as a mountain biker, that sort of slow, technical riding does lend itself to a shorter steeper bike and actually clipless pedals too. if you get good at track stands and hopping about while stationary the clipless pedals will give you more precision with where the back wheel is and also more explosive power for getting over obstacles! the one thing you may want is a dropper post, I couldn't imagine riding trails without one on a cross bike.
I ride road, gravel and MTB. I love my MTB mostly because of the technical terrain in my country. Gravel can be a good option if you are near trails but have to ride in tarmac for a while but anything technical por single track is just awful.
For gnarly downhill you need to hold the bars on the drops and get your center of gravity back towards the rear wheel. That alone helps a lot against going OTB. Cracking video mate, I wouldn't mind seeing you build a mountain bike! Personally, riding MTB helped me a lot with confidence on the road as well 🥖🥖🥖🥖
I ride my cx converted to gravel bike on more mellow single/double track which is more than gravel paths on 700x35 knobbies. Anything more off-road a mountain bike would be best but I call it underbiking, and it’s fun.
Speaking of dropper post. I have ltwoo grt and made it work with a dropper. I just ordered ltwoo r9 left shifter for front deraulier, fiddled a bit with internals, removed some springs and thumb shifter and was left with perfect dropper post lever. And to match the look of groupset i have swapped carbon brake lever to this new handle - fits perfectly
as a mountain biker i know there is a good blue trail at swinley forest that is suitable for gravel bikes, it's good fun too, just don't go there on the weekend when it's busy or you'll just be terrified by all the mountain bikers tearing past you on the downhills
A gravel bike is not a mountian bike. Not long enough, slack enough or suspensiony enough. You can make them tolerable off road but I've learned the hard way I'm faster and happier on a lightweight hardtail and I'll take the compromise on the tarmac. A dropper post makes a huge difference. It's difficult to overstate just how much.
Fair play to you for riding that though! Looks like a fabulous trail! 🥖🥖🥖
I just bought a new gravel bike. I chose it because it has a remote internal dropper post. PS Get a dirt drop and ride the drops instead of the hoods on the techy parts. The Ritchey Beacon is a good one.
🥖🥖🥖🥖😎 I've crashed on trails I've ridden previously without issues... No shame in feeling the fear! It's meant to be fun right? Yes, that bike probably wasn't quite up to the job or you might not have the required skills and confidence..or both... It really doesn't matter... You do what suits you 😊👍🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖👍🏼 bikes, trails, baguette, ham, cheese.... Perfection 👌😎
I have the Drive 6 boost MTB wheelset and I've broken the rear wheel twice. :\ First broke 2 "spokes" on an XC trail and then busted the rim edge and rim bed on a rocky descent in Leadville. I'm handy enough with carbon fiber repair, so I've fixed it myself both times and still out there thrashing them all the time.
Ok, this was absolutely a sign, after watching this video I went on my own gravel ride that was way too tough for me and my bike. I know exactly how you felt. 🥖
You could also look at a bike whiuch is more focussed on the off-road spectrum of gravel bikes. I know that doesn't hit the spot for your "testing chinese components" niche, but bikes like the new steel offerings from Cotic (Cascade), Kona (Sutra LTD), Fearless (Vulture) or Genesis (Vagabond) come much closer to mountain bikes than gravel bikes and do sit more firmly into that Venn diagram than most modern gravel bikes - which are really slightly more upright road bike frames (they still tend to have quite steep geometry). Worth a try if you really want to explore what's possible.
Luke, can't imagine a worst set of wheels for that terrain than those! 🥖🥖
24:09 I don't mean anything by it, but I feel you need more experience/training on rough trails to really determine whether or not the bike is capable. I actually had a nearly identical setup, considering I bought my frame because of your initial review. Ican frame, elite road wheels, conti raceking, and a redshift stem instead of a suspension fork. So, the bike not only felt capable on all manor of single track, rockbeds, and of course fire roads, but was so capable I sold my mountain bike because of it. That is all to say, having ridden roughly equal amounts of road and off-road in my time as a cyclist, a beefed up gravel bike is plenty to tackle most of what we have in socal at least, even on a bike that may have been a little too big for me.
Looking forward to the ATB BUILD 💪
I would love to see some mtb content coming from you
Great video cheers Luke!
Testing bikes on different terrain is sometimes so fun. I once took my roadbike with 23mm tires to woods. Not the best running over tree roots etc on footpaths that are just some routes people have walked on. 😃🥖🥖
You’ve done well on that trail. Many would sport full armour and full sus for that kind of riding. But when one is willing to try things, even a fixie with 23s on will do. Tried that myself and loved it all while convinced this is going to be my last ride 😉 Just keep spinning chico!
Tubeless tires are a must in Spain. So many thorns and spiked plants everywhere. It's very hard for a tube to survive on a trail.
Id love to see you tackle the mtb side of biking with your talents :)
Another helpfull thing - use a regular bar because it allows you to use the Shimano GRX SUB BRAKE LEVERs they sure make quite a difference - in combination with a dropper post !!!
Youve never done Paris Roubaix then 😂 @20:00
Come to Southern California - lots of smoother trails than what you were riding in Spain, but also definitely "off road". I ride a steel rigid "gravel" bike on 50mm tires/~20psi, and have a blast. For those rock gap/drops you were having trouble with, pop your front tire across the gap (wheelie/manual) so it won't get caught or deflected.
Ace video Luke. I stuggle to see the case for a gravel bike. I think its just a marketimg a sales exercise by bike companies. I have a road bike for the road and smooth hardpack, and a hardtail XC mtb for the rougher stuff. I just dont feel i have the required control of the brakes or steering with drop bars on rougher terrain.
Time for a 29er mtb hartail build 👍🏻
I love my gravel bike, I even rode some part of the South Downs Way on it...though after that trip I added an XC bike to the stable.
I’ve been caught out by rocky stuff on the Grabbler. Not much fun. But I’ve also ridden the blue route at the Forest of Dean and had a thoroughly good time. Recommended :)
I absolutely loved this episode ❤😂
I’m not sure what the adjustment on your fork is, however could you try a stiffer spring, or more air pressure if its an air fork if you are bottoming out a lot? Also I think you found the limit of ‘underbiking’ 😂 Loved this and the rest of your videos. Technical MTB trails are difficult for even seasoned MTBers without full suspension, the compliance in the frame helps with traction.
3:55 Just some info on your tires... you are running the Race Kings in the Pure Grip compound, which is significantly slower than the more expensive Black Chilli ProTection variant. I have both and its a night and day difference ;)
You can use "ratchet pedaling" to avoid pedal strike and keep your pedals near 9 and 3
Easier said than done
By the way, the pedals if they are standard SPD are ok. I find much more confidence clipped than no clipped. You just need to easy them so that they have not too much holding tension. Be clip less and any time you have to jump you go scorpion style...
One thing missing for going more MTB-like - dropper post !!! 😉
That was wild 🤣 ~ What a video, love it 😘
As always an entertaining review of your experiences.
Actually thought of building on a similar frame from Ican. But actually think that some parts from China has started getting a bit expensive.
But looking forward to seeing if you will go MTB🤗👍
You must come to Spain more times ... I love your videos. Regards from Canet de Berenguer , Spain
“I’m not equipped for this”