Lynskey GR300

Out of the roads I ran into a guy on a Lynskey Pro GR. He loved it. But that's a little more than I can afford. Any experience or opinions on the GR 300?

My current gravel-ish bikes are a steel monster cross - with cantis - and a Al Trek that has fenders year round for bad weather commutes.

Time for a dedicated gravel bike.

Thoughts on the GR 300? Other than commentary on the color option of shiny battleship or matte battleship.

Thanks!

I'm looking at the same bike, probably with external cable routing, since it's $450 cheaper (before discounts). I'd likely get the GRX 600 2X build.  I like 46/30, and can't see going the price difference for the 810 2x.  I'm going to wait for better discount than the current 20%.  Looks like they've had 35% in the past, and I'm in no hurry.

Wolfpack, what clued you into the bike? I'm with you on external routing - also worked on too many frames with poorly executed internal routing - maybe this is the best ever, but still... Also prefer 2X.

Am going frame-set only as I prefer to build up a bike myself.

I have a 270 (last year's version) and love it.  If you're not in a rush they go like 20% off in the fall.

Curious as to what the bike weighs in say a med or 56cm Frame?


Zman

ed6061 wrote:Wolfpack, what clued you into the bike? I'm with you on external routing - also worked on too many frames with poorly executed internal routing - maybe this is the best ever, but still... Also prefer 2X.

Am going frame-set only as I prefer to build up a bike myself.

Got back into cycling about a year ago with a Connandale Topstone Sora build. Figured I'd see how I liked riding gravel before I sunk a bunch of money into it.  Needless to say, I love it, and decided to look for something higher end.  Started looking carbon, but decided Ti might be more what I'm looking for, for my type riding.  I started researching different bikes with all the reviews I could find. 

Didn't want to break the bank, so in the price points I'm looking at, this and the Ribble CGR Ti seem the best fit.  At this time, Ribble only offers the GRX 1x, but their offerings have changed since I started looking.

I plan on getting a comprehensive bike fit before I make any decisions, as that may dictate what geometry works best for me. After a recent diagnosis of spinal stenosis and a cortizone injection, I don't want to take any chances on the fit.

"At this time, Ribble only offers the GRX 1x," Meant to say GRX 600 in 1X.  They offer 400 in 2X.

Zurichman wrote:Curious as to what the bike weighs in say a med or 56cm Frame?


Zman

From their website. Frame weight is on bottom line.

	XS	S	M	ML	L	XL
Rec. Height: Domestic	5'0" - 5'2"	5'3" - 5'5"	5'6" - 5'8"	5'9" - 5'11"	6'0" - 6'2"	6'3" +
Rec. Height: Int'l (cm)	152 - 157	160 - 165	168 - 173	175 - 180	183 - 188	190 +
Seat Tube Length (A)	45	47	49	51	53	55
Top Tube Length Effective (B)	52.4	53.8	55	56.5	58	60
Head Tube Angle (C)	70°	70°	70.5°	70.5°	71°	71°
Seat Tube Angle (D)	74°	73.5°	73.5°	73°	73°	72.5°
Bottom Bracket Drop (E)	8	7.75	7.75	7.5	7.5	7.25
Chain Stay Length (F)	43.5	43.5	43.5	43.5	43.5	43.5
Head Tube Length (G)	11	12.6	14.5	16.9	19.3	21.7
Rake (H)	5	5	5	5	5	5
Stand Over Height (I)	71.6	73.7	75.8	78	80	82.4
Wheelbase (J)	101.8	102.8	103.6	105	105.7	107.5
Front Center (K)	59.5	60.5	61.2	62.5	63.3	65
Stack (L)	53	55	57	59	61.5	63.5
Reach (M)	37	37.5	38	38.5	39	40
Frame Weight (lbs.)	3.8	3.9	4	4.1	4.2	4.3

I had a GR 270 last year and put a couple thousand miles on it.  Very nice all-day geometry and it was very confidence inspiring when going downhill at high speed.  

The front end was super stiff and I attribute that to the Lynskey carbon fork.  And by stiff, I mean in a "not pleasant" sort of way.  I sold it and bought a steel bike with a softer fork, though in retrospect, I probably should have kept the Lynskey and bought a more compliant fork for it. 

Also, the regular GR frame was really stiff riding, too, and I'm 195 lbs.  I can't see why anyone would want to get the GR PRO.  The Lynskey ti seatpost was very nicely compliant but you have to torque the top to 12-20 Nm to get your seat angle to hold and not slip (I got those numbers from Lynskey after I complained that the seat angle was occasionally slipping when I'd go over bumps.)  

Nellborg, what frame size were you riding? I'm 180 and ride a 62cm (or the equivalent XXL on anything.)

Wolfpack - funny that you were looking at the Ribble. Their steel frame is on my radar. But since I already have a steel bike in the class...

I'm 178 cm tall, BB to seat top of 75 cm, and I rode an L - and I thought that was the proper frame size for me.  Bars were about 2 cm below seat height and I think I had settled on a 10 cm stem.

nellborg wrote:I'm 178 cm tall, BB to seat top of 75 cm, and I rode an L - and I thought that was the proper frame size for me.  Bars were about 2 cm below seat height and I think I had settled on a 10 cm stem.

Interesting.  JOM of Gravel Cyclist, did a long term review of the 250 (different fork). He's your approximate height, and rode a S. See review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITkf7vCnOd0

Don't necessarily listen to JOM on sizing.  He rides a small because he slams his stem to get an aggressive position. Lynskeys have long head tubes compared to a lot of other bikes so he had to go down a few sizes.

Looks like a crit setup for gravel!

I think JOM has simian arms and a pretty flexible back.  I'm the opposite of that.  It's all stack and reach for frame sizing.  I like to have a larger frame with zero or one spacer under the stem as opposed to a monkey-frame and lots of stem spacers - the latter being a recipe for steerer tube failure at some point. 

I have the GR270 and I absolutely love it.  I have it set up with 650b x 47 tires (WTB Byways) and it is super stable and fast, and it climbs really well. It is super fun bike.  I can't see the difference between the GR270 (all external routing which I prefer) to the GR300 with external routing.  I was under the assumption that the upgrade to the GR300 meant all internal routing.  Maybe I'm wrong on that.  

Nashbar used to have some killer deals on Lynskey in the fall (33% off if I recall?  They had some CXgravel frames for $639, Performance bike for $699) (although Lynskey tends to do deep discounts every fall when demand falls off).

zman - looks like about a 2lb penalty for a metal frame (with a carbon fork, lol).

The biggest think keeping me away from Ti is not being able to test ride them.  Some are designed to be stiff and responsive, while some are designed to be comfortable.  Its hard to tell what I'm gonna get.  

Fishguy wrote:I have the GR270 and I absolutely love it.  I have it set up with 650b x 47 tires (WTB Byways) and it is super stable and fast, and it climbs really well. It is super fun bike.  I can't see the difference between the GR270 (all external routing which I prefer) to the GR300 with external routing.  I was under the assumption that the upgrade to the GR300 meant all internal routing.  Maybe I'm wrong on that.  

The only obvious difference I could see between the 300 external routing and the 270, is that the 300 has a set of mounting bolts on the top tube for a bento box. There may be something else, but I couldn't tell just by looking.

"The front end was super stiff and I attribute that to the Lynskey carbon fork.  And by stiff, I mean in a "not pleasant" sort of way."

Do you think a Redshift Shockstop stem might have mitigated that feeling?

Wolfpack7483 wrote:

The only obvious difference I could see between the 300 external routing and the 270, is that the 300 has a set of mounting bolts on the top tube for a bento box. There may be something else, but I couldn't tell just by looking.

My GR270 also has mounting bolts on the top tube.  Regarding the Lynskey Carbon fork, I really like it as well.  My previous bike had a steel fork and the Lynskey fork is smoother (in my experience) and much lighter.  I only wish it had some mounting bolts for cages on the fork blades.