When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I narrowly avoided buying a 4th bicycle by simply building a second wheelset for my gravel bike.
Regionally, there are only two places and locally, there is nowhere that I need the low end range of my 11-42 cassette. I also still have the oem 11-36 cassette laying around.
So I built these up:
OEM takeoff Giant tubeless/12mmTA wheels.
35c Panaracer Gravel King SK
OEM sram 11-36t
I found a ~86-90 mile loop that gets all way out of the suburbs and can loop around on about 15-20miles of gravel. Otherwise, it’s a load the truck and drive an hour away situation to ride anything that is >75% gravel.
My battle with PF30 has come to an end. I splurged on a threaded two piece 24mm conversion BB, ultegra crank and a new narrorwide ring. Gravel bike upgrade time.
Secondary benefit: my da9000 stages powermeter can move to the gravel bike while my road bike lives on Zwift.
I've had PF30 creaking problems off and on over the past several years. The dimensional tolerances are just too large for the application, IMO. I also switched to a threaded Wheels MFG bottom bracket recently so that I could run a Shimano crank and haven't looked back.
BB standards are so dumb (err, numerous?). I've never had an issue with the threaded BSA BB on my 11 year old Spooky Skeletor.
So I'm on Zwift now. California is doing a good, but not great job at flattening that ****. Started a new thread for any Zwifters here (so as not to derail this thread): https://www.miataturbo.net/insert-bs...-zwift-102519/
Did a 5hr / 109mile ride today. Saris Nfinity platform, Tacx Neo 2T, 40" screen.
The MT.net Miata circle of life has a parallel bicycle universe.
Miatas: You buy a miata, turbo it yourself, realize the depth and breadth of headaches, then convert it back to natural aspiration and start racing. Top 1% re-converts to turbocharged racing.
Bicycles: You get your first. Then you get the opposite(road vs MTN). Then you buy a gravel bike and use it for literally everything, no longer needing the other two bikes and achieving the true "quiver killer".
I'm almost there.
My new MTB stem arrived, so I can pull the weight weenie stem from my mtb, move it to my gravel bike, which just received a second wheelset and is getting a bottom bracket conversion to accept a 172.5mm Shimano crankset. Those two things will allow my Cross frame to use 32c road tires and the power meter from my road bike, relegating said rim-brake road bike to permanent Zwift trainer duty. Once my road bike is fully trainer-centric, I can move the weenie carbon saddle to the MTB and the weenie carbon post on the cross/gravel bike with the new Fuji OEM carbon saddle I scored on ebay. Win-Win-Win. Lighter XC race bike for mellow-vation regional MTB races and stuff, as well as a (hopefully) sub 20lb road/gravel disc brake bike.
In the same vein as Doward, I'm going to start taking weight off my CaadX, starting with a new wheelset. I have a few questions though, no better place than here on the turbo forum.
I'm going to go with Lightbicycle for the wheelset, as light as possible which seems to be their 25mm tall profile. I will be running tubeless. They now have the option of a 'hookless' clincher profile, but I am not that familiar with the pros/cons of hookless. The internets seem 50/50 maybe for gravel size tires/pressures (I'd likely be running 38 tires, and ~55psi in the back). The internet says Pros: lighter, stronger Cons: more critical of dimensional tolerancing on wheel and tire bead style, can have issues around 60+psi, may become obsolete if the industry develops a tubeless profile standard (unlikely). With the ~200g weight penalty of the traditional clincher hook, you don't have to worry if the tire will be compatible with the hookless geometry. But then this morning I see ENVE's new less expensive road wheelsets are hookless, and road guys/triathletes love high pressure regardless of tire size. They are nice enough to publish which tires are compatible, light bicycle does not.
What say you on hookless vs traditional hook clincher wheelsets?
The local hero recommended the tubeless Panaracer Gravelking, either in the SK or slick, but am open to any suggestions too on a gravel tire for hardpacked trails. I like the Schwalbe Sammy Slick that came with the bike (fine ***** in the center, slightly aggressive ***** on the edges).
With the exception of the new enve line, I would not suggest running 60 PSI or more on hookless. My gravel wheels are hook bead because I occasionally run 32c slicks at 70 or so. If you will never run anything smaller than 35 c, hookless is fine.
My favorite new hardpack tire is the Pirelli Gravel H. It is a new design and not widely distributed in the US yet. Had to order mine through eBay UK I think. As a racer I look for puncture resistance and low rolling resistance first. The Pirelli based on the limited information available from other manufacturers, has the most robust casing. There more Road focused Velo tlr model is the most puncture-resistant Road tire you can get and also one of the lowest rolling resistance for a anti-puncture belted tire. 4 gravel events that are mostly payment I run 32c Pirelli Velo TLR.
There are a lot of other high-performing, fast-rolling gravel tires but of all the ones I have tried, I have punctured or cut casings on virtually every one. Puncture resistance aside, I really like the Maxxis Rambler with the 60tpi silk shield casing. Fast, grippy, light and reasonably tough but not as tough as the Pirelli.
I ended up selling my Transition Scout and picked up a Guerrilla Gravity Smash. Their new carbon bikes are really cool, my buddy is the head of composites so I really believe in their technology. They're using a new type of composite resin that they claim is 300% more impact resistant than typical resins. Plus their modular frame is pretty cool, the bikes use a common front triangle. All their engineers have FSAE, professional racing, or aerospace background. This bike is currently a 160/145 travel 29er with a pretty linear shock curve, great for smashing rocky downhills. But I also have a set of chainstays, rear shock, and fork air shaft to convert it to a 130/120 Trail Pistol with a really progressive rear suspension. Should be cool to run it low travel for my local trails, then convert it to a big bike for traveling to bike parts. It's got a Fox 36 Grip2, DPX2, SRAM X01 AXS, Code R brakes, I9 270 trail wheels, SDG Tellis 170mm dropper, Next R bar and Turbine R stem.
Installed the Shimano Pro Tharis Di2 holder stem on the MTB. That will eventually get my Fox iCD lockout running again, and allows the Kalloy Uno weight weenie stem to move to the cross bike. Still need to source a second hand Di2 pencil battery.
Cross bike got the carbon post and cages from the roadie, and a takeoff oem carbon rail version of the Fuji “Oval” saddle.
Waiting on a hollowtech crank bolt removal tool to swap left side arms to steal the Stages DA power meter off the roadie too, then it’ll be ready for the gravel races that will be here someday.
Stages DA9000 left side meter on with an Absolute Black 40t oval Ultegra 6800.
40x36 on the 35c GravelKings will shred my local rolly areas, the 40c WTB Nano wheelset has an 11-42t for the destination rides.
Long story short, I wanted to buy a new integrated cable bike, specifically an electronic disc Gen2 Canyon Aeroad. They were expected last fall year, got delayed, then covid happened. I looked at Venge Pro, BMC Road/Time machines and Scott addict RCs, but they were all even more than the budget stretch the Cayon was going to be.
I decided to save 60% and use up the bits I have laying around, so I picked the best value frame that fit the parts I have on hand. Not as sexy. I had taken over my wife’s bike after we got hit by a car years ago, it’s too small for me, and I had upgraded it a bit. Some of those upgrades moved to my cross/gravel bike, some were gathering dust:
Monoprice 45mm Carbon 10/11spd shimano wheels, carbon Fabric Pro Flat saddle, carbon 3t Dorico post, Zipp service Course alloy aero bars.
I need a stem, going with another Kalloy Uno 100-110mm. I’m excited to be on a roadbike that is my size. Less toe overlap will be nice.
I also need a drivetrain. I would love a Hollowgram SiSl2 crank, but will “settle” for a full da9000 mechanical group. Plan B is a red22 group. I love shimano, but have grown to like the rival 1x on the cross bike.
My favorite new hardpack tire is the Pirelli Gravel H. It is a new design and not widely distributed in the US yet.
Originally Posted by doward
Single wheelset: hooked.
second wheelset: hookless.
with a second wheelset, you can be application/route specific and never break that ~60psi barrier.
Thanks for the tips fellas. I went hookless. The Pirelli's are, like you mentioned, difficult to source, and the gravelking SKs are currently too cheap to pass up. After talking to coach Trey, I will likely also get a set of the gravelking slicks. I think the trails around here would be better on the slicks.
So far I'm down 2 pounds on the CaadX by swapping out the pedals, cranks (one side, as I'm keeping the Stages on the NDS), bars, seat post, seat and BAR TAPE. The bar tape on there was some sort of plastic stuff that was 156grams!! The 'featherweight' wheels are on order and hopefully they take off many grams too.
Since I have some circa 2014 6770 di2 shifters & external battery in storage (SM-BTR1), I decided to pick up a used 11 speed XTR RD and 11-40 cassette to convert to 1x. Hopefully everything communicates nicely, and if not hopefully my usb charge cable can update the old parts to talk to the XTR deraileur. The DI2 bluetooth module would be nice but that would require updating my first gen external battery holder and the junction A box. Di2 compatibility is slightly confusing.
Since I have some circa 2014 6770 di2 shifters & external battery in storage (SM-BTR1), I decided to pick up a used 11 speed XTR RD and 11-40 cassette to convert to 1x. Hopefully everything communicates nicely, and if not hopefully my usb charge cable can update the old parts to talk to the XTR deraileur. The DI2 bluetooth module would be nice but that would require updating my first gen external battery holder and the junction A box. Di2 compatibility is slightly confusing.
Should work, but only 1x. Di2 software doesn't mixing road and mtb derailleurs. Your old style battery won't let the system com via BT through the EW-WU111 wireless module. So no connection to your Garmin/ Wahoo possible. Need the second gen internal style to do that. But otherwise should work.
03-23-2020, 06:55 PM
2
