Retro Gravel Bike build.

Hi All

I got chatting with a friend of mine today and he's looking to buy one of those new fangled 'Gravel Bikes'. I obviously mocked him severely for suggesting such a folly but it made me think, what would be a good Retro Gravel Bike.

So my thoughts so far are:

My 1995 Kona Kilauea 19" frame (Silver)
Manitou Magnum fork (Refurbished)
Drop bars
XT Groupset (It has to be doesn't it)
Brown saddle
Brown bar tape
White cables (Not sure about this)
Middleburn rear rack (Black)

Now, one thing I'm unable to determine myself is, which road style brake levers and shifters would suit such a build as I would have XT or Avid V-Brakes and XT front and rear mechs.

If I ever get around to building this one it'll replace my 1987 Specialized Rockhopper touring bike. It'll become my 'Do everything' bike.

Discuss....

Re:

I'm going to have to read up on 'Gravel Bike' I always assumed it was jusy a modern hybrid now called gravel bike with bigger tyres?
I.e. a modernised cross country bike?

But I guess it's for doing what many a Retrobike does, riding down paths and Forrest firetracks

Re:



I want one.

Re:

viewtopic.php?t=94356
Drop bar bike club, maybe take some ideas for there?

Already been there Ben hehe ;-0

Re: Re:

xerxes":3b2h849t said:

I want one.

Click to expand...

Is that not a cyclo-cross bike then?

I dunno, think I'll have to read up on these "Gravel bikes" as well. :?

Either way, I'd probably go with rigid forks.

Re:

It's a bit like a cyclo cross bike, but has a less "racey" geometry oriented more towards long distance comfort, like a tourer, has mudguard and rack mounts, that sort of thing. As well as gravel bikes, they are also referred to as "all road" or "adventure bikes".

I've been eyeing them up for a while and I reckon they'd be ideal for the sort of rides I do; a mixture of road, canal paths, the odd jaunt through the woods and the occasional pit stop for a barley and hop based energy drink.

I was originally looking at the Genesis Croix de Fer 30, but I think the Kona is much prettier and a better spec:



Just need the moolah.

Oh man. The world is too complicated nowadays..
Those look road bikes. Easy as that.
Slightly adjusted for cross. Thats it

Just my 2ct.

Another category to buy into, monetize and be made a mockery of for not having the right something or other...

Heres one I made earlier, or a bloke called Norman made in 1974



And heres one I'm trying to flog for a whole £60 RB tokens:

I've done several MTB conversions to tourers over the years. For brakes, use Tektro RL520 drop bar V-levers - these are badged-up (it would appear) for Cane Creek and others. They work very well.

For shifters it's easiest to use bar-ends as they retain the non-indexed front which saves all the problems with different cable pulls for front mechs between road and MTB.

It builds into a really decent go-anywhere tourer (sorry gravel adventure bike) :roll:
Seen here a 1990 Kona Lava Dome with my son touring in NL this April...