So...I just got my new bike, a Cannondale SuperX CX1. It's pretty nice. I'm really liking it so far. But it has me thinking...I'm a bit smitten right now over this whole gravel grinding thing and yeah...I know it's not new but becoming more main stream now with bikes being designed or advertised as gravel bikes...and that's cool. I've ridden a little gravel on my road bike but not a whole lot. But since I'm official now...I was thinking that I don't ride my mountain bikes often. I have two...a single speed and a geared bike. In 2000 miles last year maybe 50 of those were mountain bike miles. And I tend to grab the single speed more often. So I'm thinking about maybe unloading the geared bike while it still has some value, maybe unloading the road bike...also while it still has some value, and taking that money and buying another gravel grinder. Set up the SuperX more for road with the ability to go off road...and the new bike as pure gravel grinder with the idea of doing long days in the saddle.
I'm thinking if both bikes sold, that should have me with around $3k to play with. I could possible chip in another $500 - $800 or so. So assuming I have $3500...what would some suggestions be?
If I buy from my LBS...I can get a pretty healthy discount on:
But I'm not 100% set on any of those brands though some of the Salsa bikes look pretty killer.
There might be some others as well...I'll find out on Saturday the complete list of what the shop can get.
I'm intrigued by the idea of a titanium bike...thought about steel but not sure I want the weight. I have carbon and love it. Aluminum is ok but might be hard to go back to now that I've been on carbon a couple years.
I purchased a slightly used 2013 Salsa Warbird frame and had a custom build to match my abilities. As an older gravel grinder guy in my 60's I made it my dream bike. Chris King hubs, Sram Rival 10 speed with a carbon Sram crankset 46/34 (had to purchase a separate ring for this configuration) with 34/12 cassette. Stans ZTR Iron Cross rims with Clements MSO 40mm or a set of Challenge Gravel Grinders 38mm. I love the stability of the Warbird and the comfort of the larger tires for long gravel rides I do in Missouri and Kansas. The new 2016 Warbird has more tire clearance than the previous frames but I prefer the Enve fork and slightly longer wheelbase of the 2013 along with the orange color.
Warbird I think is top of the list right now...depending on the deal I can get and what I can get out of my bikes I'm trying to get rid of.
The Niner looks really nice and I'd be torn between the carbon and steel. I'd definitely go with the SRAM setup out of preference. I'd also like to see about Ti option but I think that will be difficult to do within my budget. Maybe a frame and parts through the LBS if I can get everything at a low enough price.
After looking...not sure it checks off enough boxes.
- No through axle - 38mm tire clearance - Mechanical brakes - Shimano
Of course a frameset might be ok but the first two boxes are still unchecked. 38mm tire clearance isn't a deal killer but no TA might be and both on the same frame pretty much is.
A carbon Warbird was at the top of my list for many, many months last year. Delivery from Taiwan to Salsa took forever and I could never get a straight answer from Salsa as to why or when. Then found out my dealer couldn't get one and the first shipment was sold out. So went to PlanB. I stopped checking w/them when they couldn't let me know when the 2nd shipment was to arrive. For all I know, it's still not here - and that's after announcing the bike n 2/15.
PlanB turned out to be a Ridley X-Trail CR1 from Performance Bicycle. It's a pretty amazing bike and probably better than the Warbird in most ways. I bought it last year when they were offering a 20% Performance points special worth $560. And they have the same offer this weekend. Also, a couple of weeks ago I was in the store and they said they offer a 30% special once a year and it's coming soon though she didn't know exactly when - April or May. That would be worth $840 brining the net to <$2,000. So it's in your price range @ $2,800 before incentives. I was able to install a WTB Nano 40c on the back but it was too tight to consider actually riding with it. I've been running Scwalbe S-Ones in 30c and they are pretty amazing tires. I can ride about anything w/them that I would on a larger tire. And I think you will find that after you get comfortable on the bike you will find you won't need the 40s. They do come in handy though if ride a lot of singletrack and need more cushion.
The Niner is aluminum or steel only - no titanium. I've also got a Niner RLT 9 Steel IMBA Special edition and it's a very nice bike. I'm running the 40s on that one. With the steel frame and 40c tires the ride is extremely smooth - like a high performance Cadillac. A bit on the heavy side for pure road use but I've got the Ridley for that. It's got the SRAM 1x system which is also very nice.
The Ti Warbird is an older model that is no longer produced. Accordingly, it doesn't have all the latest fitments. That said, the aluminum model that replaced it is supposed to be more compliant than the older titanium version. Probably worth taking a look.
Like you, I've got a couple of road bikes and a very nice FS mountain bike. With a couple (maybe 3) sets of wheels, the Ridley can cover about 95% of what the road bike can do and about 90% of the mountain bike. Unless you race cross, you could get ride of all of your bikes and replace it with a good gravel bike. That is, your cross bike is most similar to what you are looking for and so there may be some redundancy there.
Yeah...the CX will be redundant for sure. Maybe I'll see what I can do with it and decide on one of the other bikes to keep. I'm definitely keeping my single speed mountain bike. I really don't use the geared one much but it would be nice to have. And the road bike would also be redundant but I'd probably still use it on pure road rides...I guess I'll put all three up and whatever will give me the most $$$ or first two to go and that will settle it.
As far as the Ridley...looks like a really nice bike but it's Shimano only and I'm pretty stuck on SRAM and the double tap system...so not sure if that would work. The closest Performance Bike is 2+ hours away so not sure when I'd make it down that way to check them out in person.
I've dropped quite a few chains on the Ridley with the Shimano 2x gearing. The Niner w/SRAM Force1 has been amazingly quiet and no dropped chains. The main difference I would guess is that the SRAM has a clutch RD and Shimano doesn't make a road RD w/a clutch yet.
In my opinion, I would suggest getting rid of the road bike and not the mountain bike. I'm in SoCal so a lot of ups and down on many of the trail - and roads for that matter. But the Ridley can handle all of my road riding needs if I wanted. I've used it for group rides and with it's lower gearing have used in on big mountain road climbs. I also will be using it on any road centuries I chose to do. But I still like a nice, light, fast road bike for some group rides. But the Ridley won't handle all of my mountain biking trails. It will do most of the XC, endurance trails but not the steep ones - either up or down.
So a good gravel bike should be able to do both road and cx w/appropriate wheels/tires. Supplement that with a good mountain bike and you've got just about everything covered.
Also, a friend of mine bought on the GT Grades from Performance - with Force hydro 2x. It also is a very nice bike at, I think, a great price - $2,000. Or $1,600 w/20% points. It was his first road-ish bike and he loves it. It checks most of your boxes but does have tires limited to 35c. Often the fork will fit a bigger tire so you could consider a 35 in back and a 38 in front. I think this would handle about anything other than loaded touring or technical singletrack and maybe mud and/or deep sand.
I was in a similar boat to you. I unloaded a road bike and fs mountain bike for a new gravel bike, leaving me with a ss mountain bike and my old/current gravel bike - a CAADX with Tiagra.
I demo-ed a new Warbird a few weeks ago. It was awesome and lived up to all the reports out there about the improvements. The RTL steel was on my short-list too, but in the end a new Vassago model checked nearly all the boxes: http://shop.vassagocycles.com/DonnyBrook--OX-Platinum-All-Road_p_194.html
-do anything geometry -rack mounts -clearance for 45mm tires -through axle -paragon drop-outs giving the option to turn it into a 1x or ss down the road -good old threaded bottom bracket -made in the USA with US steel The only thing missing from my wish list is internally routed cables. The great clearance, rack mounts and threaded bb more than made up for it.
Wheels are arriving soon and I hope to have a shake-down ride Monday evening.
I'm trying to determine what gravel bike I'll buy. At present, it'd be the Jamis Renegade. They're going in and out of stock. I like the Warbird. I demo'd a Moots Routt 45 which was super nice. Just more $$ than I plan to spend. The major brands don't really have solid gravel offerings. Not having a bike it's a little hard to know what I want / need. I do feel like the recent priced reductions in component costs aren't reflected in the bike pricing. I'm more interested in a frame only and I'll do my build up specific to what I want.
My buddy is on a Renegade and really likes it. His is the Elite and he's coming off a Cannondale CAADX which he also liked. I'm currently on a Cannondale SuperX which I just got actually so my time on the bike has been limited but so far other than needing to get used to the 1x11 system...the bike is comfortable and pretty darn quick even under my fat butt. As long as you (I) didn't need to run racks or fenders...the SuperX I believe is a perfectly suitable gravel bike as it will fit at least 38c tires...possibly 40c. And like I said...for a race bike...it's quite comfy and there are rack/fender options that could work.
Not trying to sell you on the SuperX or anything. Just telling my experience so far. That said...I'm kinda now looking for something that's more of a pure gravel/road bike with an endurance pedigree rather than a racing spirit. Money being a big issue...that's one reason why I'm heavily leaning towards the Warbird right now granted I can even get one in my size. I haven't check availability yet so I might end up being S.O.L. anyways. But my shop is a Salsa dealer though they don't actually stock any bikes...they will just order. And I get a hefty discount so that's definitely playing into account for me. Jamis...I'd probably get the standard haggling discount that most people could get if they tried since I'm not a regular customer at the shop that deals Jamis. So comparing the Jamis and Warbird...this is what I come up with:
Both Hi-Mod carbon Both internal routing Both 142 rear with TA Build kits are similar...Renegade is Ultegra and Warbird SRAM (which I prefer). Both hydro brakes. Carbon seatpost on the Renegade. Thomson aluminum on the Warbird which is what I run on my other bikes due to my clyde status. Tires...both on 35c stock. Warbird can fit up to 44c and the Renegade I don't see but for some reason...I want to say my buddy said 40c tires would/should fit but don't quote me on that. Renegade seems better equipped for racks and fenders if that's your thing. There's bolt on options that can be used on the Warbird but no built in fender mounts and I'm not sure about rack mounting but I don't think so. Geometry is very similar with the biggest difference that stands out to me is the Warbird has a shorter wheelbase but by a little less than an inch. How much real word difference does that make? Probably little to none but maybe it does for people that are very in tune with bike geometry differences which I am not.
Price...Warbird $800 less retail. I don't know the availability of frame set only from either. Doesn't look like they are shown frame only on the websites but might be something your dealer can get.
Another potential advantage of the Warbird is that it's a 2nd generation gravel bike where as most other manufacturers on on their 1st generation bike.
The Warbird carbon is available as a frameset - it's listed under "build kit" @ $2,000 list. And I use the term available loosely. When I talked to a dealer last year they offered a 10% discount just by asking. I think that's pretty common but not sure about a larger discount - especially for a new bike and a hot one at that.
I think the big issue is going to be availability. I have a strange feeling it's going to be hard to get hands on one but hopefully I'm wrong about that. I'm taking some bikes in to the shop on Saturday to talk trade options so with a little luck I can get a decent price on trade, they can find a Warbird in my size, and I'll have it ordered on Saturday. We'll see what happens.
I would go with the Warbird too. I almost did, but an Ibis Hakkalugi showed up in almost new condition for 2k so I got it. BUT, if I had more money the thru axle, wider tire clearance would have had me in the warbird. The geometry was similar if I remember correctly. Lynsky has some great ti frames with a thru axle and clearance. It was out of my budget but I looked long and hard at them.
I started my search for a gravel bike around 6 weeks ago and decided on a carbon Warbird after talking to people, reading forums etc. Unfortunately my dealer told me there weren't any left from the first batch and that they didn't know when the send batch would be available. According to him, Salsa stopped Warbird production after discovering issues with some of the frames.
As a result of this, I ended up with a Santa Cruz Stigmata and I LOVE it. I sold my road bike. This thing is amazing and it checks a lot of the boxes you are looking for:
• room for 40 mm tires • through axle front & rear • internal routing • SRAM group • gravel friendly BB drop/geometry
