There are a lot of bikes out there in this world and you'd think that there would be one for every purpose, every whim and desire possible. Well, you might think that, but you'd be wrong.
I'm guilty of the following as anybody. The desire to have everything tweaked to your utmost desire, and then not like it afterwords. I had a custom frame or two built, and I think it just made the "tweaker" in me even worse. I am not satisfied with either of those two frames, and in fact, I am not even sure I like them at all much of the time.
Weird, huh?
So, with that in mind, take the following with a grain-o-salt, because even if this bike exists, (which I am pretty sure it doesn't), I may end up not liking it at all, or at least most of the time, like my two custom bikes I have.
The "Perfect" Gravel Bike: Okay, so here is the thing. I want to get a lightweight, comfortable, versatile gravel road bike. Less mountain bike than I have now, and more road bike-ish. This bike would be "old school" in today's road bike terms with slacker geometry, and weirder with clearance for up to 42mm tires. It would have cantilever brakes, not calipers, for mud clearance on B Maintenance roads. It would have at least three bottle mounts, and if it had a steel fork, I would have two more water bottle bosses there too. Stand over clearance would be minimal and shouldering the bike would be a capability that would be a must.
Cyclo-cross rigs have too tall a bottom bracket, and not quite enough clearance for 42's, typically. Touring bikes are too long, too heavy, and again, typically do not clear tires that big. Oh yeah- Did I mention it has to be single speed-able? Also, preferably made from steel, since it rides so nicely when designed right, or a money-is-no-object spec of titanium, which would be primo.
So, there is the basic layout. I'll leave it at that. I think it would make a killer gravel road bike, but you know: I may end up finding out somethings that would make me want to refine the idea, and then, well........you know!
The circle starts all over again!
Almost sounds like you need a good ole Cross Check sir! That fits that criteria as good as any. I know a guy who can add those bottle bosses for ya!
ReplyDeleteWhen someone makes that bike GT let me know. I will place my order. I have a stash of cash in my top drawer just waiting.
ReplyDeleteBen, I wish the casseroll had canti's and tire clearance....
Other than the fork bosses, it sounds like my Kogswell P/R 650B, which I used on gravel roads frequently. The main draw back for me with this bike is the steeper (relative to my A. Homer Hilsen) head tube angle. It seems to transmit more vibration.
ReplyDeleteFor my purposes the AHH with Hetres is a perfect gravel bike, but it doesn't have side pull brakes.
Let us know how you fill that niche.
dreaming about dream bikes...
ReplyDeleteYou are correct about the tall BB issue. Cross bike work well on gravel but are a bit unstable on the crazy downhills. I have thought much about the perfect gravel bike and I think at some point it will appear before our own eyes. In the last T.I. edtion the fine silt wore out my disc brakes within 40 miles. The bike should have cantis, for sure.
ReplyDeleteari
what about the fisticuff, black mountains cycles cx bike or the handsome devil? they all seem close.
ReplyDelete@Jerry: "Close" only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. :)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, the Fisticuff is close, but has a ridiculously short head tube, Black Mountain's CX is, well.......a cyclo-cross geometry, and the Handsome Devil, (barring any changes for 2011), isn't going to clear the tires I want.
Fisher's cyclo-cross rigs almost have it too. Big tire clearance- Check, Single speed capability- Check, but they fail with the short/high geometry favored by crossers.
my blue bike is my dream gravel bike, but it's still a mountain bike, therefore kinda slow. there could certainly be a lightened version, but i always wonder/doubt how much lighter it really could be and still meet all the requirements i would want it to meet
ReplyDelete@mw: Your blue Soulcraft is an awesome bike. I think I have what I want in a gravel/all terrain/mtb bike in the Fargo, but I want something that covers the road bike side of gravel better, if ya catch my drift.
ReplyDeleteI think the cass-roll was the closest I've come but, alas, the mud clearence was a.., ah a deal " braker." (as well as the alleged short coming w/ the fork). It was definitely the most comfortable, low bb, fat(ter) tire-able light weight, at 18.5 lb. SS setup, I've ever been on. Lots of gravel > 100 and twice over 200 miles.
ReplyDeleteCould have used a roady-speced enabled fork.
@d.p.: Ding! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Word is that the new Casseroll will move to cantilevers. I am hopeful that it will retain the geometry, bigger tire clearances, and that it will have addressed the fork concerns.
ReplyDeleteShould know for sure any day now. If it is what I have heard hints of, I will be looking very hard at getting one.
Here is my idea for the perfect bike - Copy the geometry of a Specialized Roubaix, but with a few changes:
ReplyDeleteframe material - titanium
canti brakes
ability to run 42 tires
3 water bottle cages
carbon specialized tri-cross fork
Roubaix has a tall head tube and a low step over height with the compact geometry.
PS> Already have a name for it - the "DREAMER" and I have been talking to a frame builder named Bilenky... :)
The Handsome Devil I had earlier this summer had plenty of tire room. I ran Bontrager XDX 1.75's/44mm and room for mud. The reason I sold it was the 73 degree ha with a matching 73 sa. Too steep for me on gravel. Take the Salsa Casseroll, the size I need has the same 73 angles. If they make room for some real tires I still won't buy it unless they slacken it. I would to get a custom frame made but.....that's another story.
ReplyDeleteVery cool to add the ss/geared option. I thinking adding that to the Ti La Cruz and adding a disc/canti option like the Soma Double Cross would be pretty sweet too.
ReplyDeletethe new casseroll will be sweet...
ReplyDelete@Cody: Yup! I'm on it. Sean invited me to the discussion personally. Thanks!
ReplyDelete