Returning to mountain bikes after 10 years away.

[hamster]

Gravel Bike = Touring bike + marketing.

There are only a few geometries that really work, as a result a gravel bike's geometry is close to a mid-90s MTB with some tweaks for drop bars.

I don't really have much against them, its a different way back to the sensible go-anywhere / do-anything sort of bike that does nothing badly. Early-mid 90s rigid MTBs were the same.

1x is a gimmick as rightly pointed out upthread. Replace 7-9 widely-spaced sprockets with 11-13 thin, tetchy tolerance-sensitive ones, plus horrible chainlines for extra wear? No thanks.

 

[brocklanders023]

That's a very broad brush you are painting with! Some gravel bikes are much closer to MTB's, some much closer to road but pretty much all come with decent clearance for bigger tyres. Plenty of geometries work, depending what you actually want to do and any do it all bike will be compromised at something but then how many people really want a 'do it all' bike?

Having just got my light XC MTB I'm really enjoying how quick it is on steady terrain, certainly compared to my Pace HT but it would scare me to death on some of the stuff the Pace gobbles up.

Agree with 1x, or at least when it first arrived but it's led to developments in full suss that were not possible before.

 

[reanimation]

Only 10 years? :O

I'd be curious truly if Gravel really is different to our all rounder ATB and MTBs of the 90s and late 80s?
In late 2011/2012 I bought a Genesis Day One for commuting. Kind of a gravel bike, but they did't exist then, I was looking at CX, which i'd never race or use properly and all kinds. It feels tall and the Reynolds 525 is quite stiff but still more forgiving than alu. Relaxed head at 71 degree and taller BB than roadie bikes. Basically a big wheel slim tyred 23" frame ATB. I've not used it much after crashing into a Taxi and changing work location. I rebuilt it with Drops as it was designed to take but I also can't seem to get on with them, so it's put me off drops and Gravel bikes a bit.

Mountain bikes have got so specialised extreme and 'Gnar' as the may have said in 2013. those bikes are great off road on any terrain, but not bright and fast and light, ace all rounders (or are they?)... So bringing in Gravel and ATB - It's also back - is a good thing I reckon, but more sub sections of riding and more marketing spin!

Boost makes some sense bearing in mind bigger wheels being used on tougher terrain - more forces, but more marketing also. Going to try it on my most poshest newest modern.

Oval, I liked the idea first time. Now with sensitive knees it seems to be a great thing. Can't really see a downside to it.

1x works well so far for me, but all mine are 1x10, or 1x9.

 

[Kieran-b]

Bluetooth gears!?!?!?

 

[novocaine]

Bluetooth gears!?!?!?

Proprietary wireless gears. Wouldn't want you to be able to use anything else with them.

 

[greencat]

Mountain bikes have got so specialised extreme and 'Gnar' as the may have said in 2013. those bikes are great off road on any terrain, but not bright and fast and light, ace all rounders (or are they?)... So bringing in Gravel and ATB - It's also back - is a good thing I reckon, but more sub sections of riding and more marketing spin!

Some of the modern hard tails are still pretty good all purpose bikes.

 

[benjabbi]

The gear range provided by 1x12 works for me, I appreciate that it's not for everyone.
The real advantage for offroad riding is chain retention, clutched mechs and narrow/wide chainrings stopping chain drop in bumpy terrain is a good thing.

 

[Kieran-b]

The gear range provided by 1x12 works for me, I appreciate that it's not for everyone.
The real advantage for offroad riding is chain retention, clutched mechs and narrow/wide chainrings stopping chain drop in bumpy terrain is a good thing.

Two more new (to me) ones there. I really have missed a lot.

When I used to do a lot of riding I had a Scott Scale 40 hardtail with a 100mm Fox fork and I loved it. I went everywhere on it and never really felt I needed anything more. The chain must have come off a few times, but I really can't remember, so it didn't happen enough for me to see it as a problem. Maybe I wasn't going fast enough, but I don't remember ever being overtaken.
I certainly wouldn't ride as fast as I did now I'm not as young. So bike wise, I certainly don't need any more than what I had then. I've actually tried to buy the bike back off the person I sold it to, but he doesn't want to part with it.

 

[reanimation]

Some of the modern hard tails are still pretty good all purpose bikes.

Yeah you're right. Back in the day whatever bike we had we did everything and anything on it and in most cases our only bike! :O I've built a few all rounders with 100 - 125mm forks from 2000-2011 with fairly traditional geo 69/70/71 degree head, fairly short CS 415-425 trying to get the Goldilocks model. All 26. I do like the big wheels now, so interested in ideas for some with bigger wheels and ideally steel frame.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I've actually tried to buy the bike back off the person I sold it to, but he doesn't want to part with it.

That says a lot about progress, doesn't it?