Confession time.....I'm gravel curious !

[ultralite49]

Horses for courses?I've got a Marin 1x10 gravel and a 3x9 GT Karakorum and live nr Cheddar.
Mendip hills GT
Strawberry line,disused railway line-Marin
Droves-either

 

[2manyoranges]

Talking to entrants in Grinduro ‘gravel’ event in Mach this year - ‘blimey I wish I had been on my (modern) full sus mountain bike…’ was a dominant sentiment.

 

[Takingabreak]

or, dare I say, a hybrid

So the bike industry, after over-specialising, has rediscovered the go-anywhere do-anything bike that's not too slow on road, will handle moderate off-road and can take a load. Just like road tourers or early 90's MTBs.

In fact the sort of bike that suits most of us, most of the time.

 

[hamster]

Exactly.
Or compare with MBUK that seems to take the view that you would die if you rode anything less than a full susser to Tescos for a pint of milk.

 

[2manyoranges]

You mean that’s not TRUE??????

 

[widowmaker]

I love this thread

 

[legrandefromage]

I love lamp

 

[widowmaker]

I'm not afraid to say that I love Boney M

 

[Woz]

Like what you are saying Hamster.

We all know a "do it all" will not "do it all", but for the most part and most stuff sufficiently well.

Hell, you can always push the bloody thing up hill or throw it down the gnarly descent if that time ever comes. While I know there is this constant quest for fat tyres, it can be really surprising just what a skinny 33C / 35C on a cross / hybrid type of bike can do. There is ample comfort on a steel frame for simple off road *COUGH* gravel runs. In my experience finding decent strong 700C rims was more of problem.

 

[Splatter Paint]

This is my attempt. I had a proper drop bar gravel bike, but sold it thinking I’d get a better one… that was 18 months ago! This one was built up flat bar for shorter, local rides as a stop gap. It is adequate, but I prefer drops for longer rides.

Tyre clearance is tight as it really is a hybrid, that’s only a 35c tyre!