Riding a Ridley road bike, but which gravel bike to buy?

I currently ride an XS Ridley Fenix and love riding paved and (especially!) unpaved roads. I’m looking to add to my stable with a bike dedicated to having wider tires, disc brakes and that I can beat up a little more than my road bike. I also want to do some gravel events. \n \nThe question is which bike do I buy? I know that Ridley’s X-Trail has a similar geometry. I have trouble with some bikes because I’m a fairly short-waisted woman and find many top tubes are way too long. \n \nMy main questions are: \n- Is the Ridley X-Trail a good bike for my needs? \n- Any other bikes I should consider? My price range is flexible, but would like to spend around or less than $3k. Fit is my major concern. \n- When it comes to gravel, is there a noticeable difference between aluminum and carbon frames? \n \nThanks!

I looked up the XS Fenix frame geo, after reading your comment about long top tubes and that you are fairly short-waisted. 374mm reach and 527mm stack; which to me is a bit unusual, supposing you like the Fenix fit.

I'm short torso/long inseam. My road bike (which I hardly ever ride, now I have a gravel bike) is 372mm and 560mm. The stack height was fine, but I always needed a 10-15mm shorter reach (which the gravel bike has; the fit is great).

I agree with you; fit is number one.

You can read marketing spiel about some flash aluminium gravel bikes (like the Mason Bokeh), but to me, having test rode a few alu framed gravel bikes, you really can't compare them to a well designed (for gravel) carbon frame. The alu bike is always going to be more jarring off-road.

If I was doing some events, but not really planning to race full throttle, then I'd choose a lighter-steel frame (e.g. 725/Zona), or ideally a titanium frame (which I have). The ride feel of a well designed ti frame is something else, on gravel.
Both steel and ti will be a great ride.

With your budget, and depending where you are located, its possible to find a ti or lighter-weight steel frame bike.

A carbon frame will always have you a pound (ti) or two (steel) ahead in the weight game though, and I do like to get the weight down where I can.

Thanks! I’ll certainly take this considerations into account. I’m on a 2013 Fenix, so not sure if the geometry has changed on it since then, but it fits me very well. I have a short torso and a short reach. \n \nDo you have any idea how the carbon Ridley X-Trail rides? That would be the easiest bike to buy, based on fit, but I like to weigh my options first. \n \nI’m located in Eastern PA (Bucks).

Could you post a picture of your bike so we can see how it's set up?

First thing that popped in my head was the Norco Search XR. The 48 has the same stack as your Fenix but is a half inch shorter in reach. It pulls this off by being built around 650b wheels.

 

People that I know that have the X-trail seem to love it.  From what I have read, it is pretty aggressive for a gravel bike (and even a bit aggressive geometry for CX bike).  But being a seasoned roadie, you may like that more than a casual rider.

I'm thinking of getting a Canyon Inflite CX.  Being a newer CX design, it tends to take some mountain bike cues that would work well on gravel too (longer chassis with shorter stem, and ability to smoothly ride over rough terrain).  It is a race bike though, so it won't take too kindly to racks and fenders if you need that.

What I think makes it particularly good for you is that they design your size around 650b wheels instead of 700c.   (price ~3k).

Al vs Carbon.  Yeah, I have seen a huge difference, although it depends on the designer.
Most round tubed AL bikes are stiff.  Some of the new hydroformed and shaped aluminum is repudiated to be pretty good.  Salsa says they replaced a TI bike with an Aluminum bike with more  compliance.  That is impressive.

The benefit of carbon is that you can shape the material to be stiff or compliant - as the designer wants.  Its also likely to get chipped and abraded on gravel if that bothers you.

I have a stiff old school aluminum bike.  With a good fork, good tires (40mm at 35-40psi  (@ 175lbs)), and a good compliant seat post, I can tune it to be perfectly comfortable for me.  If it is really rough I use a leather brooks saddle with a small thudbuster seat post, and I'm happy.

Hope that helps.  Bottom line - if you are looking for an XS size, see if you can find something with 650b wheels.

Do you have any idea of what max tire width you'd like to run, for the surfaces around you?

DrSpoke wrote:I've been riding an X-Trail for 2 1/2 years and couldn't be happier.  There weren't too many options when I bought it and there are lighter bikes these days but it's a great bike.  Part of your decision is based on what you plan to ride.  I use mine for what I call urban adventure which is mixed road/trail.  I've got 3 sets of wheels w/35, 30 & 25mm tires mounted.  With the 25s it's probably very similar to your Fenix - which is a great bike by the way.  With an X-Trail and a couple of wheelsets you could probably sell the Fenix.  Regardless, if you like the fit of the Fenix I think the X-Trail would be a great option.  Ridleys, as you know, run very large.  I'm 5'8" and am on an XS where normally I would be a Med, maybe a Small or perhaps in between depending on the manufacturer.  In fact, the shop recommended a Small so with Ridley I'm sort of in between the XS & S but prefer my off road bikes on the smaller side.  Regardless, a great bike - I've got thousands of hard miles on it including two Belgian Waffle Rides - well, one Waffle and one Wafer.

Sweet! Thank you for this. Are you riding a carbon or aluminum?

I've got 25s on my Fenix now, but can go up to 28mm. 

Ridley does size large. I'm 5'5" but have never ridden a bike with 650b, even cross bikes I've had. I think 700 should be fine.

Bethridesbike:

I live in Pa. also around Shippensburg. Like others have said it really depends on where you are going to ride your bike as to what kind of bike set up you want. Newbie to gravel riding/racing. My first ride/race was the Pony Express 75 miler at Marysville Kansas and almost everybody out there were riding 40 mm tires myself included. Since that I have  done 2 gravel rides herein Pa. which is kind of a disappointment after during gravel in Kansas. The Maple City Century in Honesdale Pa and the Crush and Run II in Lancaster both rides were probably 50/50 50% gravel 50% road. People on both rides were riding roadie bikes with 28 mm tires or so. I plan on riding out of state a lot so yeah I want a bike that will handle 40 mm tires. Have fun out there I only wish we had more gravel here in the state. I have to ride 10 miles and climb 2 different roadie mts. to just get to mt. fire tower roads here where I live.

I bought A Raleigh Tamland 1 because it was cheap and wanted to see if I loved gravel first and yes I do. I have since bought a Raleigh Roker Comp. With your $3000 budget there are a lot of good bikes out there and you can be picky. If I had that kind of money I would only be considering carbon or ti Lynskey GR 260 is one that comes to mind. Moots out of Colorado(I think) builds custom bikes that you might be able to get in that range. I would only go with 2x.

Here are some other bikes that come to mind that I have seen on this forum but I guess most would be race only.

Salsa Warbid
Jamis Renegade
Devinci Hatchet
Why Cycles R
Parlee Chebacco
Open U.P

Good Luck
Zman

bethlikesbikes wrote: I'm 5'5" but have never ridden a bike with 650b, even cross bikes I've had. I think 700 should be fine.

\n\nThe trick is, to get the 'trail' and the bike handling of a normal frame to stay consistent when downsizing, you need smaller wheels.

bethlikesbikes wrote:

Sweet! Thank you for this. Are you riding a carbon or aluminum?

I've got 25s on my Fenix now, but can go up to 28mm. 

Ridley does size large. I'm 5'5" but have never ridden a bike with 650b, even cross bikes I've had. I think 700 should be fine.

I've got the carbon version.  It's the Performance Bikes version of the Ridley C30 which is mostly Ultegra w/DT Swiss wheels.

My big ride of the year is the Belgian Waffle Ride which is mostly road but plenty of dirt too.  In the past, I usually trained on the Schwalbe S-One @ 30mm (now G-One Speed) but I and most of my friends us the Pro-One road tire @ 28mm for the event.  And a few just left them on after that.  This year, I'm going to use the 35mm for training just to see how they do and especially on the road.  I'm in SoCal so the trails are mostly hardpack with a few rock gardens here and there.  But a lot of ups and downs.  Anyway, I've pretty happy w/Schwalbe and use them on all my bikes - 23mm, 25mm, 28mm, 30mm, 35mm, 2.1", 2.25" & 2.35".  The Pro-Ones seem to run big, especially on wide rims so my 25s are close to 28mm and the 28s are close to 30mm - on 20mm rims.

Regardless, you can cover a lot of ground on 28s depending on conditions.  They're a bit small in sand and/or soft dirt and could use a bit more traction under certain climbing conditions.  And they'll beat you up a bit but most tires do that.

If you do mostly road, the new Fenix disc could also be an option - a 1 bike solution.  I'm not sure about max tire size but assume it would be in the 32mm range.  Then again, the X-Trail could also be a 1 bike solution with a bit more versatility.

You should be fine on 700c bikes.  Ridley, as you probably know, also makes an XXS, also in 700c, if you need to go smaller.  I have a couple of friends who have that size but they are closer to 5'0", perhaps a bit taller.

Zurichman wrote:Bethridesbike:

I live in Pa. also around Shippensburg. Like others have said it really depends on where you are going to ride your bike as to what kind of bike set up you want. Newbie to gravel riding/racing. My first ride/race was the Pony Express 75 miler at Marysville Kansas and almost everybody out there were riding 40 mm tires myself included. Since that I have  done 2 gravel rides herein Pa. which is kind of a disappointment after during gravel in Kansas. The Maple City Century in Honesdale Pa and the Crush and Run II in Lancaster both rides were probably 50/50 50% gravel 50% road. People on both rides were riding roadie bikes with 28 mm tires or so. I plan on riding out of state a lot so yeah I want a bike that will handle 40 mm tires. Have fun out there I only wish we had more gravel here in the state. I have to ride 10 miles and climb 2 different roadie mts. to just get to mt. fire tower roads here where I live.

I bought A Raleigh Tamland 1 because it was cheap and wanted to see if I loved gravel first and yes I do. I have since bought a Raleigh Roker Comp. With your $3000 budget there are a lot of good bikes out there and you can be picky. If I had that kind of money I would only be considering carbon or ti Lynskey GR 260 is one that comes to mind. Moots out of Colorado(I think) builds custom bikes that you might be able to get in that range. I would only go with 2x.

Here are some other bikes that come to mind that I have seen on this forum but I guess most would be race only.

Salsa Warbid
Jamis Renegade
Devinci Hatchet
Why Cycles R
Parlee Chebacco
Open U.P

Good Luck
Zman

The new Niner RLT carbon is also an option.  Also, both Pivot and Santa Cruz make a gravel/cx frameset.

I forgot about the Niner RLT carbon.


Zman

Scott also has a lineup of carbon gravel bikes that look pretty nice too.  Very light.

I'd definitely recommend a 650b-wheeled bike.  It's a lot easier to fit fat tires with these smaller diameter wheels without making compromises in the fit or geometry of your bike. 

Giant TCX SX, carbon, carbon seat post designed to flex, thru axles, hyrdo disc, sram 1x11-42, wtb rambler 40c tires, tubeless ready, endurance type geometry. 21 lbs stock with shimano SPD's. Loving this bike. Smooth as butter on gravel with 35ish psi tubeless. 
Looks like you could fit 47's maybe even 50's. The chainstays have less clearance than the fork of course. 

Edit: right at $2k for a 2018

I appreciate all the detailed replies. Could someone explain the benefits of 650b wheels over 700s? 

bethlikesbikes wrote:I appreciate all the detailed replies. Could someone explain the benefits of 650b wheels over 700s? 

Sure, 650b wheels are slightly smaller in diameter so that a fatter tire on them gives you the same overall diameter as, say a 700c wheel with 23mm tires.  This allows you to run higher volume rubber for compliance and grip in the same wheel-space.  It's valuable particularly in smaller bikes, IMO because it allows you to fit a higher volume tire without causing toe overlap and/or undesirable tweaks in the fit/geometry just to fit a 700c wheel and 38mm+ tires.  If you look at a smallish bike with, say 42mm tires on 700c rims, the wheels look huge, the same volume tires on 650b rims will look (and are) smaller overall, fit in the bike better, and look more proportionally correct.

bethlikesbikes wrote:I appreciate all the detailed replies. Could someone explain the benefits of 650b wheels over 700s? 

Picture is worth 1000 words.  Here is a normal frame (540mm top tube) sized down to a XS (500mm top tube).  Trail is the key factor to determine bike handling.  Its going to be hard to get a small frame not to have a large "trail" without smaller wheels.

 In this case, anything 520 or lower top tube length gets 650b wheels.