After getting some great info on here I picked one up. I though I share my experience. My daily commute is 12 KM each way. 4 of Gravel, 1 of wood plank bridges and the rest pavement. I bought a Trek 8.3. It is a beast at 35 pounds but can get through anything with the 38`s. Commute took 28 minutes. Decided in Aug to pick up a Fenix with 105`s and 23 tires. Fast and great on road but never felt safe on the gravel and I just vibrated so much on the wood plank bridges. Commute 24 minutes. After finding this site and going to local CX races. I decided to look for a gravel bike for the 24 km daily commute and logging road adventures. I picked up the Search on the weekend and I have put on 200 km so far on road, wood, gravel and grass. It is a great bike. My commute is the same as the fenix at 24 minutes but it is a secure fun ride. I like to ride the gravel trails in the dark fast. Always felt on the edge of something bad with the fenix and the trek was too slow. The Search fits the build. Love the gravel bike concept. Thanks for all the great info on here. Really made things easier.
Hitchhiker very impressed with this bike. Almost 2 weeks. I kept the stock 28`s on it. Does very well in the rain/ pavement and gravel. The wood plank bridges are bumpy but nothing to bad. No adjustments required so far. Quicker trip than my road bike and secure like the hybrid with 38`s on it. So far so good. Norco has come along way from the crap they built when I was a kid.
I'm currently using Maxxis Mudwestlers which are a 32. They're just fine for mixed road and fire road and single track. I ride in Southern California. In the spring I'll switch back to Hutchinson sector 28's.
Nice Tires. Was on the stock 28`s until I wiped out on black ice. Never really goes below freezing here. Just got unlucky a 7am in the dark. Putt Challenge Gripo 32`s on last night. That was a challenge with the fenders. 33`s would not go on.
sorry (or not) for bring this back to life, but i just ordered a norco search frameset with some fulcrum quattro carbon wheels(i don t know how "gravel" they are, but the offer was so good and they look lovely...). they will be complemented (for now) with a 5800 compact groupset and some juintech r1 hydraulic caliper/ cable actuated brakes. i intend to use it on brevets (200 km and more)on different qualities tarmac and generally [more or less] paved roads. my present bike is a canyon ultimate carbon (2006 model) - stiff and fast, but, even with 28 tyres on 17c rims is destroying my dentist work (yorkshire / romanian / bulgarian tarmac, belgian cobbles, forest horse trails, etc).
i am thinking of 35 g-one tubeless and... any idea/advice, etc , taking into account the designated purpose ? thank you for your time.
