After going back and forth between high end gravel bikes like the Basso Palta and 3T Exploro, I've decided to go cheap and build something modest, though nice. I'm a roadie who rides 200-250 miles per week and want a gravel bike for commuting, inclement weather rides, and of course some gravel use. I'm a Shimano fan and want to go with a 2X Ultegra 8020 Hydro drivetrain. I also would like to go with 650B carbon wheels (up to $1000) with at least 50mm gravel tires. I know nothing about the type of cockpit preferable for this type of bike. Classic bar, aero, flared? Let me know what you think? Thanks!
I'm also a roadie, I bought a CX bike as a winter bike and to try some gravel. I fell in love with the thing, and found I was riding it more than my road bike. After a year I upgraded to a 696 with Ultegra 8020 brakes and shifters.
I have a 1200g, 700C wheelset with 330g Compass Extralight 44C tyres for road group rides, commuting, and crushed rock type gravel. I use it more as an All-road bike, it weights the same as my Defy with Ultegra, rolls at about the same speed, but is so much more comfortable over poor tarmac that I don't take the road bike out much anymore. I have 2,800 miles on this wheelset.
I have a 1600g, 650b wheelset with 550g Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1" for rougher gravel, and multi day rides where I don't know what the road quality will be like. They roll OK on sealed roads, but are not in the same league as Compass tyres for rolling resistance. I have 700 miles on this wheelset.
I went with the Easton EA70AX bars, they have a 8 degrees of flare, and are great in the drops descending. After 3,500 miles on the 696, the straight bars on my roadie now feel cramped :-)
I'd recommend the new Ultegra RX rear deraileur over the standard Ultegra. It has a clutch which helps with chain slap over bumps, and has the same gearing as the long cage Ultegra. The clutch can be dis-engaged with a switch, but I cant feel the difference, so I leave it engaged. A gravel bike encourages bunny hopping down curbs, over potholes, and other hooligan stunts which the clutch helps with :-)
I went with the Easton EC90SL crank with 48/32 chainrings, and power meter. at 540g, it is lighter than Dura ace, and the spindle power meter lives safely inside the frame. I went witI use an 11-30 cassette on the 700c tyres, and find that enough for steep road climbing. I went with 11-34 on the 650b tyres, and have been glad for the extra gearing to keep cadence high on steep loose surfaces.
It's an amazingly capable bike, and will stand up to a Basso or 3T Exploro on road and off.
currently building my 696 up and as far as contact points go, ritchey wcs venturemax bars and a berk lupina saddle (padded).
drivetrain is sram force 1 hydro, but i really would love to try the new ultegra rx di2 mentioned above as well as the easton cranks!
650b hunt wheels with gravelking SK for road, dirt and everything between. I have a set of 700c rims that will have light casing compass slicks should the need arise.
OltreForza wrote:Slightly off topic. Is tire clearance the only difference between the 696 and 505 frames? Also what are the weights of those two frames?
tire clearance is not the only difference between those frames. the difference in weight between the frames is negligible.
super lazy question. all of that information is covered in the carbonda carbon frame thread.
I am thinking of using R8000 Ultegra cranks with a crank powermeter on a 696 frame. Is there sufficient clearance? How much if there is? Thanks in advance
