Most of the bikes shown in the first few minutes are Giant TCX SLR aluminum cross bikes. Pretty much a bike you can do anything with, too - I can attest to that. Road, trail, gravel, commute, even some light touring.
Hi all - A quick update on the fork shudder I talked about in this video: I switched out the front Shimano rotor for an Avid rotor and the problem went away. Also, Felt said I was riding a pre-production fork, and the current one has a stiffer layup.
I ride that very same dirt in Boulder using el cheapo $11 32c Forte Metro-K tires on my Redline Conquest Team CX bike. They may not be the lightest and you can't set them up tubeless because of their wire bead, but at 400 grams they're not too heavy and roll well on pavement. They grip decently for a slick tire off road as well, and they've held up well against the type of punishment I give them due to the confidence I get from not being afraid to abuse cheap equipment!
Felt is definitely a wonderful machine. My adventure bike can take 46-622 tires easy which is almost insane. I like the gearing they offered on the Felt I wound up using a 26 39, but when you load up camping gear it makes sense.
I don't own a road bike due to being scared to death of dying from behind by a driver needing to type LOL on their phone while piloting a 3500lb object at 60mph....... This type of riding however looks pretty damn fun, even though I could do it on my MTB.
We all have very short lives, and death is something no one can escape. May as well die doing something you love instead of being a coward. Too blunt? Get some balls man
the last thing anyone needs is someone mixing with traffic who is not confident and will more likely cause damage or death due to improper handling of the information their environment is sending them. i agree with your point as i wont let unknowns or perceived dangers dictate that i dont ride on roads and enjoy my commutes..but i respect thunderstucks decision. you should too and not call someone a coward if you don’t know why they may prioritize their safety over very real danger concerns in doing something they may only just enjoy. That is not a constructive way to approach someone who needs help building confidence by saying they are cowards and to grow balls. i like to get others out on the roads at their own pace and give them advice on increasing their safety not berate them when they feel out of their range of comfort. This will then lead them to give up entirely.
"Yeah I think this type of riding is going to be come more and more popular." Trans-Iowa, the first gravel race is on to its 13th race. Dirty Kanza sells out in hours. All bike brands now make gravel bikes. Yep Don, I do think this might be popular.
Its an evolution of an old school mountain bike with a touch of road, I would love that bike with a narrow, flat and straight bar with stubbie bar ends
Always good to hear Mr. D voice, sounds the same as the "velonews" days. But there is no choice when good fried chicken is on offer. Just ordered some Vittoria 32c.
It looks like you guys are riding a lot of the trails more traditionally used on XC mtb runs. I have done similar in the UK and there seems to be a belief that you should only ride your mtb in trail centres. Bridleways and canal toepaths are great places for notching up the easy miles in great countryside. Luck
nice video. thanks. The critical point of the frame regarding tyre clearance is 42mm broad ( 2:48 ) - I guess the chainstays. Any Felt VR rider here, who rides the Felt VR with a 35mm, like the Pana GravelKing SK, which tends to build up to real 36-37mm? ...it would be only 2.5 - 3mm between tyre and chainstays on each side. Would this be ok, or is damage of the chainstays in the long run very likely? thank you.
Fork shutter when braking on gravel criss bikes seem to be common, I'm running an Enve CX fork and have shutter as well, not bad but it comes and goes. Could it be the brake pad material..?
It *could* be the pad/rotor interface, but it could also just be a fork that gets overpowered by a heavy rider (ahem) in hard braking. I'm swapping out different parts to isolate the issue, and will update my review when I get it figured out. Thanks.
That's (ahem) what I think my problem is, in combination with variable tire/surface interface when braking; shudders start and then just feed on themselves.
I'm 78kg and got shudder when everything was new, not so much now as a reference to rider weight. I wonder if it is any different with hydro vs mech Calipers. I suspect it is the physics, relatively thin fork vs torque forces.
Are 32/33mm tyres wide enough to be comfortable over gravel at the right pressure? Or do you need to 38/40mm to get a cushioned ride? Anyone with a gravel bike please advise.
It depends on how rough your gravel roads are. In Colorado we ride a lot of dirt roads on 25s or 28s. But BR's Josh and Reuben will tell you for something like Dirty Kanzaa you'll want 38-40, as those roads are horrid. Where do you ride?
Thanks. I am in the UK. Most of the tracks near where I live look like the photo from this site. www.new-forest-tourist.co.uk/new-forest-bike-rides/bike-rides-near-brockenhurst-lyndhurst-and-beaulieu/ I don't think it is particularly bumpy, but I would need at least 28's to ride it in some comfort.
Road newbie here. I want to try gravel riding (our roads here are almost the same as shown in the video) on my typical road bike w/ 25mm tires. Will 85psi be enough to get me comfy & avoid punctures?
For mixed-terrain riding, it's really good. Not super light, but that's not the point of this model. It rolls relatively quick on pavement, and gives some reassuring grip in the dirt.
Who does that 46/30 chainset? Been looking something like that for credit card touring. Maybe even something slightly smaller. Eleven speed Mt bike chainsets have got a little too small.
Hey Troy. FSA calls that crank 'modular adventure'. It has a tiny BCD so you can get the 30t ring on there. www.fullspeedahead.com/products/cranksets-road/sl-k-light-adventure-modular-bb386evo/
I don't understand the appeal of this style or riding. Either it's fast on paved surfaces with a road bike, or challenging technical or flowing trails on a MTB. Gravel roads and trails with rocks and pot holes seems like a disaster with small tires and no suspension. Maybe this would best be done on a 29er XC bike?
bike suit helmet, shoes, glasses .... äääh i don't wanna race or break any record....Tyres??? some solid GP 4000-5000 contis- they made in germany and ready for everything
Awesome review, but shame on the bike shop serving animal flesh to cyclists. What an insult, and an obvious lack of understanding of cyclists. If they had any clue, they would have had some healthy carbs for the riders to enjoy, such as a, vegetables and rice or pasta, pasta marinara, and/or a lot of fruit. The only way to cycle, is eating vegan or plant based. Pathetic
I have said in on your other videos, I love this format. It's not a straight review, but a story and so fun to watch. Looks like a lot of fun!
Confirmed - just about the best bike/trail review I've ever seen!
Thanks, Michael. We'll do more!
Best voice of all the bikeradar presenters hands down. This man should do movie previews and the like.
Yeah allways great topics and tests from Ben !
Man, your voice and the music suit this video just perfect.... Good job.
Most of the bikes shown in the first few minutes are Giant TCX SLR aluminum cross bikes. Pretty much a bike you can do anything with, too - I can attest to that. Road, trail, gravel, commute, even some light touring.
Hi all - A quick update on the fork shudder I talked about in this video: I switched out the front Shimano rotor for an Avid rotor and the problem went away. Also, Felt said I was riding a pre-production fork, and the current one has a stiffer layup.
A different trick ive used is two different brake shoe compounds (L,R), keep the unused shoes and swap both when worn.
I ride that very same dirt in Boulder using el cheapo $11 32c Forte Metro-K tires on my Redline Conquest Team CX bike. They may not be the lightest and you can't set them up tubeless because of their wire bead, but at 400 grams they're not too heavy and roll well on pavement. They grip decently for a slick tire off road as well, and they've held up well against the type of punishment I give them due to the confidence I get from not being afraid to abuse cheap equipment!
The price is right on those bad boys!
Felt is definitely a wonderful machine. My adventure bike can take 46-622 tires easy which is almost insane. I like the gearing they offered on the Felt I wound up using a 26 39, but when you load up camping gear it makes sense.
I'd go for the grilled chicken and Schwalbe 38c
I don't own a road bike due to being scared to death of dying from behind by a driver needing to type LOL on their phone while piloting a 3500lb object at 60mph....... This type of riding however looks pretty damn fun, even though I could do it on my MTB.
We all have very short lives, and death is something no one can escape. May as well die doing something you love instead of being a coward. Too blunt? Get some balls man
the last thing anyone needs is someone mixing with traffic who is not confident and will more likely cause damage or death due to improper handling of the information their environment is sending them.
i agree with your point as i wont let unknowns or perceived dangers dictate that i dont ride on roads and enjoy my commutes..but i respect thunderstucks decision. you should too and not call someone a coward if you don’t know why they may prioritize their safety over very real danger concerns in doing something they may only just enjoy. That is not a constructive way to approach someone who needs help building confidence by saying they are cowards and to grow balls.
i like to get others out on the roads at their own pace and give them advice on increasing their safety not berate them when they feel out of their range of comfort. This will then lead them to give up entirely.
ThunderStruckCoach If they type is correct, that's fair enough but if they do typo that would suck.
I think the title is a little misleading. It's more like "Light Felt bike review and a day of dirt riding, with a casual mention of tires."
"Yeah I think this type of riding is going to be come more and more popular." Trans-Iowa, the first gravel race is on to its 13th race. Dirty Kanza sells out in hours. All bike brands now make gravel bikes. Yep Don, I do think this might be popular.
I've been riding around on a Felt V55 and loving it. Plenty of tire clearance to do whatever.
Let the "Just get a crossbike..", "Ive done that kind of riding on my MTB for years.." comments begin.
Flat bar crossbikes are no-go for roadies. Very slow, and uncomfortable.
Gianniz27 very slow?, they are as fast as cross bikes with the same tyres
Gianniz27 to
Love the music.
Its an evolution of an old school mountain bike with a touch of road, I would love that bike with a narrow, flat and straight bar with stubbie bar ends
and after 10 years they re gonna ride red bull rampage with a road bike?
Always good to hear Mr. D voice, sounds the same as the "velonews" days. But there is no choice when good fried chicken is on offer. Just ordered some Vittoria 32c.
Thanks, Ismael. Vittoria 32s sound like butter.
It looks like you guys are riding a lot of the trails more traditionally used on XC mtb runs. I have done similar in the UK and there seems to be a belief that you should only ride your mtb in trail centres. Bridleways and canal toepaths are great places for notching up the easy miles in great countryside.
Luck
says who?
good trip report. need to find some stuff like this in los angeles
My choice is crossbike. I'm riding so much gravel roads and also single tracks that it works for me.
nice video. thanks. The critical point of the frame regarding tyre clearance is 42mm broad ( 2:48 ) - I guess the chainstays. Any Felt VR rider here, who rides the Felt VR with a 35mm, like the Pana GravelKing SK, which tends to build up to real 36-37mm? ...it would be only 2.5 - 3mm between tyre and chainstays on each side. Would this be ok, or is damage of the chainstays in the long run very likely? thank you.
Looks like a lot of fun.
What trails did you guys ride? I live in co and would love to ride those
Wow great music!!!
The title of this video is very misleading. I was expecting a discussion of tyre choices not a bike review.
Fork shutter when braking on gravel criss bikes seem to be common, I'm running an Enve CX fork and have shutter as well, not bad but it comes and goes. Could it be the brake pad material..?
It *could* be the pad/rotor interface, but it could also just be a fork that gets overpowered by a heavy rider (ahem) in hard braking. I'm swapping out different parts to isolate the issue, and will update my review when I get it figured out. Thanks.
That's (ahem) what I think my problem is, in combination with variable tire/surface interface when braking; shudders start and then just feed on themselves.
I'm 78kg and got shudder when everything was new, not so much now as a reference to rider weight. I wonder if it is any different with hydro vs mech Calipers. I suspect it is the physics, relatively thin fork vs torque forces.
is it the fork blade or stear tube that is shuddering?
Good work
Fun review with a lil extra 🍗
Are 32/33mm tyres wide enough to be comfortable over gravel at the right pressure? Or do you need to 38/40mm to get a cushioned ride? Anyone with a gravel bike please advise.
It depends on how rough your gravel roads are. In Colorado we ride a lot of dirt roads on 25s or 28s. But BR's Josh and Reuben will tell you for something like Dirty Kanzaa you'll want 38-40, as those roads are horrid. Where do you ride?
Thanks. I am in the UK. Most of the tracks near where I live look like the photo from this site.
www.new-forest-tourist.co.uk/new-forest-bike-rides/bike-rides-near-brockenhurst-lyndhurst-and-beaulieu/
I don't think it is particularly bumpy, but I would need at least 28's to ride it in some comfort.
Looks beautiful! Judging from the photo, you'll be fine on 32s.
its a continum, bigger equals less "casing tension" higher tpi equals less stiffness. choose your combo!
Road newbie here. I want to try gravel riding (our roads here are almost the same as shown in the video) on my typical road bike w/ 25mm tires. Will 85psi be enough to get me comfy & avoid punctures?
85psi in a 25mm should be plenty to avoid pinch flats. The best thing to do is experiment and see what you like best.
How wide are the tyres for this terrain?
This is the type of tread I'm looking for on a tire. How do you like it?
For mixed-terrain riding, it's really good. Not super light, but that's not the point of this model. It rolls relatively quick on pavement, and gives some reassuring grip in the dirt.
Who does that 46/30 chainset? Been looking something like that for credit card touring. Maybe even something slightly smaller. Eleven speed Mt bike chainsets have got a little too small.
Hey Troy. FSA calls that crank 'modular adventure'. It has a tiny BCD so you can get the 30t ring on there. www.fullspeedahead.com/products/cranksets-road/sl-k-light-adventure-modular-bb386evo/
Sugino makes a lot of good "gravel bike" cranksets. I prefer the 48/32 myself.
use mtn if need be.
Gravel/Cross bike wearing my MTB baggies and flat shoes....am I doing this wrong :)
I don't understand the appeal of this style or riding. Either it's fast on paved surfaces with a road bike, or challenging technical or flowing trails on a MTB. Gravel roads and trails with rocks and pot holes seems like a disaster with small tires and no suspension. Maybe this would best be done on a 29er XC bike?
The real question should be: Road or MTB pedals & shoes?
MTB. There will be mud, there will be dismounts.
Always MTB. The cleats are more durable, and the shoes are more walkable.
I'm a Jan Hein bike, Grant Peterson shoes believer!
BMX pedals oddly enough on my VR5.
My BMC Roadmachine had rubbing with 700x33c tyres. :(
Bah. Sorry to hear it. How do you like the Roadmachine otherwise?
Maybe with 650b wheels you could get wider tyres on?
isn't that called mountain biking?
bike suit helmet, shoes, glasses .... äääh i don't wanna race or break any record....Tyres??? some solid GP 4000-5000 contis- they made in germany and ready for everything
@ 3:30 - grilled....
Was all going great 'til the chicken...
Ничего не понял)))
first
Awesome review, but shame on the bike shop serving animal flesh to cyclists. What an insult, and an obvious lack of understanding of cyclists. If they had any clue, they would have had some healthy carbs for the riders to enjoy, such as a, vegetables and rice or pasta, pasta marinara, and/or a lot of fruit. The only way to cycle, is eating vegan or plant based. Pathetic