Cross Bike / Gravel bike

[welshwhit]

HI all,

Bit behind the crowds on the cross bike / gravel bike, but the old bike is sold and now I'm thinking of what to but next!

I'm just about to go for the Planet X XLS cross bike, as it seems a lot of bike for the money, but before I pull the trigger, does anyone else have any suggestions?

Will the XLS stand up to having bikepacking luggage on the fork etc?

I'm looking for something that I can cover road miles with fairly quickly, as well as forest tracks and the odd bit of short off road routes

Is there anything else of a similar cost out there I've missed?

Thanks all

Drew

[Dave Barter]

I have the XLS and swear by it. Last year I rode the three peaks (Snowdon, Sca Fell, Nevis) on it carrying a rear bag for my clothes (B&B trip) and a small backpack. Bike was rock solid and equally at home on the road and trails My build was pretty light as well, had to be for the carry up the mountains ;-)

[jpw247]

Oh that is very nice indeed. It is all subjective to the load you're putting on the old girl but I don't see why you can't fit a weekends worth on it.
I recently got a specialized crux elite and love it. I got it for both touring and training (pushing near 100 miles on the tarmac for a days ride with road tyres). I will say though there are models out there that have riv nut mounts for panniers both on the forks and rear which will make one hell of a difference for your loads. I miss having that option on my crux and would have made a great bike greater! Have a look and its a good price too.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec053062

[Mandicky]

I've got an XLS too & I love it :) I haven't bikepacked with it but I've taken it around a few trail centres (and a pump track!) and it goes down better than I expected. I'm planning on using it for the BB200 as it whips along tarmac and gravel :) For bikepacking I'll probably get a custom framebag as the triangle is BIG :)

[Bearbonesnorm]

I'm still really liking my Pinnacle Arkrose. Mines non standard but this years models look really good value, I'm liking the look of the Arkrose 2, it's 1 x 10 with bar end shifter and hydraulic discs for £900.

http://www.evanscycles.com/categories/b ... f/pinnacle#!

[welshwhit]

Thanks folks,

Stuart, what sort of weight does the Arkrose come in [approx as the build is slightly different]?

Cheers

Drew

[JohnClimber]

Hi Drew

I have a 51cm XLS and it's ok but as a gravel bike if I had my time again I would have bought a Salsa Vaya.

I've used it for 3 long bivi rides, with my large salsa Mukluk frame bag a 95% perfect fit in the frame and bladder in there along with all the kit for my Hadrian's Wall Sustrans route 72 - Ravenglass to South Shields 180 mile ride last year

There was no need or any thought given to fitting anything on the front carbon forks, personally I wouldn't fit anything onto them myself.

Another trip set up photo here
]

You can fit (and I have) a fit a wider Gravel specific tyre in the front, but you can't go any wider with rubber on the back, I've rubbed my frame trying to try it.

For long rides now I've gone 29er+, with a Travers Ti build - it's the future

[Bearbonesnorm]

Stuart, what sort of weight does the Arkrose come in [approx as the build is slightly different]?

Think mine's 24lb running 2 x 10 and nothing exotic.

[BrianP]

John, interesting comments on Planet XLS, Vaya, and 29+.

Am I reading it right, that XLS really needed wider rubber, such as a Vaya could fit, but in fact 29+ is the solution. So you are getting the benefit of wider rubber without too much increase in drag. Fast and fat, as Sam said on his Kickstarter for his new 29+.

I went with the Kickstarter and have a Rooster to look forward to. It is a leap of faith though, not many who go for 29+ will have been able to test the format, me included.

Brian

[JohnClimber]

Am I reading it right, that XLS really needed wider rubber, such as a Vaya could fit, but in fact 29+ is the solution. So you are getting the benefit of wider rubber without too much increase in drag. Fast and fat, as Sam said on his Kickstarter for his new 29+.

Hi Brian
For long fire road gravel type riding the XLS does need wider rubber, but don't forget it's a CX bike and not a gravel racer bike so ALL CX's would need wider tyres don't you think, hence the Vaya. I bought the XLS before I though about long gravel riding so tried the wider tyre approach to see how it worked, which it did on the front.

I've gone 29er+ for long rides now as I'm not a racer (anymore) and therefore feel I don't need a Gravel specific bike, the Travers 29er+ with the Rohloff and Knard tyres set at different pressures should cover 75% of my riding needs.

[welshwhit]

Hi Drew

I have a 51cm XLS and it's ok but as a gravel bike if I had my time again I would have bought a Salsa Vaya.


You can fit (and I have) a fit a wider Gravel specific tyre in the front, but you can't go any wider with rubber on the back, I've rubbed my frame trying to try it.

Hi John,

Just out of curiosity, how tall are you?!

Also, what size tyre did you try to fit on the back? The ones on it are 35mm, most gravel specific bikes seem to run something similar?

To be honest, I'm looking for a good general purpose bike, and the xls is ticking the boxes at the moment, but so are a few others!, as it will be a replacement for my road bike.
Something like the Xls should preform on the road very well with smooth rubber, and put something like cyclocross / gravel tyres on it when the roads are crap* or I'm out and about on the local double track/forest roads.

Thanks

Drew

[welshwhit]

Stuart, what sort of weight does the Arkrose come in [approx as the build is slightly different]?

Think mine's 24lb running 2 x 10 and nothing exotic.

Thanks Stuart, seems ok that. Just trying to decide if my legs will allow me to commit to 1x10!

Drew