.................Not sure there's any available, they were discounting them last month, which made me wonder if there's a new model on the way. I went for a test ride, they're nice, but decided the steel Santiago would suit my purpose better and am in the process of building one up. Probably too much of a tourer for you and won't take the tyre size, but for the usage you describe a tourer is probably what I'd be looking at.
Frame choice, I think these would all work (give or take finding my size - standover 785mm max, effective top tube 560mm give or take):
Alpkit Sonder Camio Al
Gear specifics.
I'm thinking 10 speed Shimano mountain bike, ideally XT sort of level. eg FC-M8000 chainset, RD-M786-GS rear derailleur (medium cage, shadow, clutch). The 11 speed seems to have 3 disadvantages: most of the cassettes are 40 tooth singlespeed things, not as thick / strong (though i accept we said the same about 9 speed in the past), and twice the price for chains and cassettes. I'm not sure whether there's bits that won't take a 10 speed chain though.
Also, that particular chainset seems to come in a couple of versions with different chainline (48.8 and 51.8mm). I've yet to work out what would tell me that I definitely want one or the other.
Brakes: cable discs. From what I've read Spyres. Because I enjoy being a bit away from it all. Accepting that a broken calliper or lever is going to be an issue, I can repair a cable easier than a hose.
Although your current mountain bike is heavy I would say that the weight difference between typical "gravel" bikes and a good quality MTB hardtail is negligible.
Planet X London Road is the ideal gravel-bike-on-a-budget (even though they don’t use that word).
maybe I missed it but are you planning to use dropped bars or flats?
FWIW you don't need to use MTB kit for a 32 sprocket; modern 'road' stuff will do a 34T bottom cog.
I don't know where you're getting your chain from, but an 11 speed chain is only 5 euro more than a 10 speed here.
If you are thinking of Deore XT 10s rear mech then I'm not sure what shifter you would use; IIRC microshift might make a Bar End shifter that is compatible but they might be the only ones who do.
QuoteBrakes: cable discs. From what I've read Spyres. Because I enjoy being a bit away from it all. Accepting that a broken calliper or lever is going to be an issue, I can repair a cable easier than a hose.
I use cable discs and I got them for this exact reason. They are adequate for road cycling but having tried to do cross races with them, they are definitely poor compared to hydros in comfort and stopping power when off roading. I appreciate learning a new component to fettle is a bit daunting but modern hydros are actually very robust systems, thanks to years of mountain bikers generously funding research and development into making them resilient. If I were on the market again... I think I'd take the plunge and go for hydro. If and when I have the cash and I see a SRAM hydro groupo going on Facebook I reckon I'll buy it.
^^Brucey doesn't like STIs because he's a mechanic …..
STIs/Ergos are teh shiz, and they're reliable too.
You should spec your bike to be nice to ride rather than worrying about mythical failure modes all the time. Apart from the shifting awesomeness, most drop bars are also designed to mate to STI levers these days, so it's easiest to get a comfortable hand position. Go for them, they're the best :)
The problem isn't STIs, it's drop handlebars. STIs are merely a symptom. :P
You should spec your bike to be nice to ride rather than worrying about mythical failure modes all the time. Apart from the shifting awesomeness, most drop bars are also designed to mate to STI levers these days, so it's easiest to get a comfortable hand position. Go for them, they're the best :)
The problem isn't STIs, it's drop handlebars. STIs are merely a symptom. :PAnd lo, it came to pass that drop handlebars conquer'd the earth. All velocipedes everywhere sagged at their bar ends. And this was good
^^Brucey doesn't like STIs because he's a mechanic …..
Mechanics earn their living by doing this kind of thing. IME they are usually so busy trying to make ends meet that they don't have time to drink cups of tea or post here come to that. I spend quite a lot of my time messing about with bikes -often other people's- but I don't earn a living at it.
Punctures of any kind and tyre rips that need a boot/tube are 'mythical failure modes' too, until they happen. Honestly I think so many people ride in or near suburbs, near railways or with the (wifey-driven) sag wagon only a phone call away, that they forget the rest of the world isn't like that. I have had all kinds of things happen in odd places and 'having stuff that you can fix' is quite a high priority -certainly higher than any 'marginal gains' crap- if you ride (or live in) such places.
I'm fairly sure Dan isn't planning to ride to Antarctica any the soon?
I'm fairly sure Dan isn't planning to ride to Antarctica any the soon?
Drop bars and STIs? I can count on less than one hand the number of times in the last 2 years I've used the drops.
My next bike will be specced with flat bars with bar-ends and a rohloff
If it's still on the shortlist the V3 Sonder Camino is now available as a bike and I understand it'll be available as a frameset shortly. I don't know what the differences to the V2 are, but Alpkit are helpful enough if you ring or email and ask. They also do hire bikes if you wanted to try before buying, the hire cost is refunded if you buy..................Not sure there's any available, they were discounting them last month, which made me wonder if there's a new model on the way.
Frame choice, I think these would all work (give or take finding my size - standover 785mm max, effective top tube 560mm give or take):
Alpkit Sonder Camio Al
If it's still on the shortlist the V3 Sonder Camino is now available as a bike and I understand it'll be available as a frameset shortly. I don't know what the differences to the V2 are, but Alpkit are helpful enough if you ring or email and ask. They also do hire bikes if you wanted to try before buying, the hire cost is refunded if you buy.Looks like the V3 is thru axles front and rear, flat mount disc brakes, and a bit more tyre clearance. And more mounts for racks and bottle cages? And a nice mint green colour.
Drop bars and STIs? I can count on less than one hand the number of times in the last 2 years I've used the drops.
My next bike will be specced with flat bars with bar-ends and a rohloff
I thought you were going to suggest flat bars with bar end shifters for a moment :D
The inbred I’m selling is partly the product of me trying that. Still for sale if you’re looking for n+1 ... not a rohloff but easy enough to convert ;)
re 'road' parts vs MTB parts.
FWIW I'd prefer something like kellys take offs rather than bar-end shifters. If you are thinking of Deore XT 10s rear mech then I'm not sure what shifter you would use; IIRC microshift might make a Bar End shifter that is compatible but they might be the only ones who do.
In the 16 years I've run hydraulic brakes on mtn bikes I've (or my friends) never had it fail. The first bike with Giant one brand ones, they were prone to overheating on long off road descents. But the ones since then have solved this problem, and that's going back more than 10 years. Bleeding was only necessary about once every 18 months or so.
In theory you could have a nasty crash and rip the hoses out or damage them. But that never happened on any of the mtn bikes my friends or I rode, and we had some pretty interesting offs.
So yes hydraulics have failure modes, but I'd consider it reliable enough if not in the back of beyond. Besides you could always carry spare hose pre cut with fittings and 50mL of mineral oil if going to back if beyond. Having recently cut and fitted hoses, and added mineral oil, bleed brakes etc. it's not as hard as you might think.
But my main sticking point now is that I can't seem to find hydraulic drop-bar lever - brake combinations without the spend of the integrated shift (which I don't like).TRP Hylex are one option. Though not exactly cheap.
I still think a fix in the back of beyond would be harder than with a cable. But my main sticking point now is that I can't seem to find hydraulic drop-bar lever - brake combinations without the spend of the integrated shift (which I don't like).
I try to not wade into the whole hydro 'debate' but a few years ago I was out MTBing with the dad on a hot day, and the rear brake seized up seemingly because of the heat. We tried to leak some fluid out but the rub persisted. Ended up taking the rotor off and stuffing an old train ticket between the blocks before carefully riding home on the roads if I remember rightly...
I still think a fix in the back of beyond would be harder than with a cable.
Probably air in the system.I try to not wade into the whole hydro 'debate' but a few years ago I was out MTBing with the dad on a hot day, and the rear brake seized up seemingly because of the heat. We tried to leak some fluid out but the rub persisted. Ended up taking the rotor off and stuffing an old train ticket between the blocks before carefully riding home on the roads if I remember rightly...
It wouldn't have been the ambient temperature as an increase of 20C would only lead to an expansion of the oil volume of about 0.7%. Something else must gave been going on.
For anyone losing sleep over the possibility of a STI lever failure while out in the wilderness, or even half way round any ride you want to complete - Carry a friction lever with a cable ....... It's easier to fit to a frame with bosses, otherwise you need a band on version and you may have to customise that if it's an OS tube, either way it probably takes less time to fit and adjust than it does to fix a puncture; only if you know what you're doing.
Drop bars and STIs? I can count on less than one hand the number of times in the last 2 years I've used the drops.
My next bike will be specced with flat bars with bar-ends and a rohloff