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Jeff,
The big thing for me is recovery and avoiding over training. That’s the biggest thing I struggle with. I think many of us can find a plethora of advice on exercises and training regimens but very few of them touch on how often we should be doing them. I hammer my lower body with weights, but how long do I wait until I’m spinning the cranks again?
Jeff I think there is some truth to the new rider aspect. Most riders don’t carry the tool they need until that one time they break down and they need it, after that it’s with them for life. As far as hip packs go, I just don’t get the fad. I rock a camelbak and mostly forget it’s there while riding. Trying to worry about what I’m going to take and leave with a tiny hip pack seems silly to me. I personally like the peace of mind I get from my camelbak and very very rarely have ever run low on water. I honestly think it boils down to wanting to be different and a trendsetter on the trail. Like Fred mentioned above, I’ve seen hip packs bouncing all over the place. Between that, the reduced amount of water, tools and snacks you can carry, what’s the real benefit besides cooler shoulder blades?
@ Sean Gordon- Yeah I was nervous at first dropping down low on the bars, so I had them rotated up. I’ve since rolled them down to a neutral position.
I’ve since joined some of the local riders on road rides and I’ve been out in front smoking most of the pack on their road specific bikes. They can’t believe I can be so fast on a gravel bike with wider tires and steel frame. A lot of them are looking to switch over as my bike can go anywhere. I’ve also started entering gravel races and holding my own on my lower-mid tier Raleigh. I still love MTB more, but considering I’ve put about 1500 miles this year on my gravel bike and only 300 or so on my MTB, the proof is in the pudding. I love gravel grinding and it’s made mtb more fun as I can climb anything and ride for days now.
I always try and view things from the other perspective. I guess if I’m a shop owner, some of my fears about letting someone take a brand new, sparkling $6k bike out for the day are they crash it, scratch it, get it muddy or stolen. I’m not positive on this but unlike say a motorcycle dealer, I’m pretty sure the bikes that a LBS has aren’t insured against damages like these. Even if you bring the bike back without incident, it’ll still take the LBS a good hour to get the bike looking like it did when it was taken out of the box.
Ask yourself this question. Would you want to pay a retail price for a top end bike that looked like it had already been ridden plenty? So the LBS is left with knocking more money (Profit) off the sale. Not to mention manufactures don’t give bike shops much profit as it is. LBS make very little from bike sales. How many people do you think come into a shop asking to test ride a high end bike but have no intention of means of buying? Probably more than you think.
I get it, not being able to fully test ride a bike that costs several thousand dollars stinks, but look at it through the eyes of the shop owner. It’s not like they are just trying to be difficult, there are likely several reasons as to why some shops are hesitant. My suggestion is try and build up some trust and prove your interest level. I have a great relationship with my LBS. I know he doesn’t let just anyone test ride but I know if I wanted to and was serious about a bike, they’d let me take one out no question.
1,000 mile update. I’ve had the bike since October and just passed the 1,000 mile mark. The primary reason for getting the bike was to keep my legs fresh during the winter months and to get rides in on a more frequent basis for when my MTB trails are a muddy mess. That being said, after a winter of training on this thing, I’m setting PR’s on Strava on every ride, shaving minutes off some segments. Sections of climbs where I would typically need to hike-a-bike, I can now muscle my way up now. So mission accomplished! This was one of the best purchases I have made in a long time.
The bike itself….I originally griped about the brakes being weak. After some tinkering around, I realized the lever actuation was off, after an adjustment, the brakes work great! User error as this was my first drop bar bike. So far I swapped out the saddle for a Fabric Scoop Shallow Elite. The stock saddle was pretty horrible and after a few hundred miles on the Fabric I’ve been really happy. I also swapped out the stock tires for some WTB Resolutes and converted tubless. I love the retro sidewalls of the Resolutes.
Final Comments: The bike is a lot of fun, plain and simple. It’s allowed me to get out and turn the cranks when trail conditions are less than ideal. I’ve looked at upgrading to a better gravel bike but I honestly don’t have a single gripe about the Tamland 2 that would justify the need. It’s been rock solid on the reliabilty front as well.
Was on Cliff bars for several years. Like you, got tired of them and they are a little heavy in your stomach for the first few miles. Recently switched to Honey Stinger waffers. They are definitly tasty and very lite. Still unsure on the energy impact just yet. Tried them on a 6 hour MTB race, I was hurting all over so the verdict isn’t out yet.
What Rhut is saying is the Scott has a geometry better suited for downhill, technical riding. Not to say the the Fuel is a slouch on the decents, but the Fuel is perhaps more balanced for what your needs are? It really depends on what your local trails are like and what type of riding you’re looking for. The Scott will deliver a better/more compliant ride on the downhills. The Trek is probably a better climber. If you had rooty, rocky, technical trails, you might like the 27.5+ wheels on the Scott. If you have more fast, flowy trails the Trek might be better. I think you’d be happy with either bike but hopefully some of those points help sway your decision.
Not to get off base from the OP’s topic, but the saying “you get what you pay for” exists for a reason. Personally I have zero doubt in my mind when bombing down the trail that my MIPS helmet was a better financial investment than a Walmart helmet. To each their own
Hope you enjoy your visit to New England, I was born and raised there. Many if not most New England trails are known for roots roots, some rocks and more roots after that. I consider most of the trails around Massachusetts where I started riding to be more on the technical side.
On the flip side, Kingdom trails overall are just a load of fun and I’d classify the majority of trails as green and blue. As Jeff mentioned, tons of families with kids. I think it’d be worth the 3.5 hour drive up there. You could even take your wife and daughter as that part of Vermont is beautiful. Send them over to Burlington for the day while you and your son ride.
At the end of the day, how much is your head worth and do you want to skimp or provide the best insurance for your noggin?
I can’t speak to the trails in NC, but the trails in WV are really muddy in April. I would call one of the local bike shops in the area and ask. You don’t want to be the guy who comes in from out of town and ruins the local trails.
Welcome back! “A wounded deer leaps the highest”- Emily Dickinson
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen winter riding of Arkansas hills and Methodist mountain on youtube and snow was minimal. I’d call Absolute bikes in Salida and see what they think….or maybe Greg Heil will chime in since that’s his stomping ground.
Under a $100? I’m sure you could find something in that range but a return question for you, how much did you spend on your bike? If you spent a couple hundred on a bike, I guess a $100 rack would work. But if you spent a couple thousand on your bike, wouldn’t you rather pay for the peace of mind that your expensive bike isn’t going to go flying off onto the road? Or have someone walk off with your bike as you run into the gas station to grab a drink or something? Many of the higher end racks come with built in locks not only for the bike but also to your car. So you don’t have to worry about someone walking off with your rack as well.
The problem with a cheap rack is the fitment to your vehicle will be questionable, possibly damaging the paint. You won’t have a way to completely secure it without the chance of theft, meaning you’d have to put it on and take it off each time you use it. And as I mentioned before, low end racks don’t come with any form of bike security. As they say, you get what you pay for.
If you have a cheap bike that you don’t care about, then maybe this is right for you. Personally my bike wasn’t cheap. I wanted a rack that gave me peace of mind and was an investment for how much I use it. Just my two cents.
So I’ve got about 350 miles on the bike over the past 2 months. You could say I’m a YUUUUGE fan. A few things that I’ve noticed over the few hundred miles I’ve put on it.
The Good- I hate to admit it, but this bike is a blast to ride and I’ve easily ridden it 5x more than my mountain bike. Mostly because I have great roads just outside my neighborhood, where as there aren’t any great MTB trails within 30-40 minutes, also weather has been a factor. I can say without question, road riding is hands down easier. My typical MTB ride was in the 15 mile ball park. On this thing I average around 30 miles per ride and even squeezed out a 60 miler. It’s great for training, which was the intention of the purchase. My fitness levels have gone through the roof. I can’t wait to tackle some of my MTB segments on Strava in the spring. A minor bonus, but a bonus at least….cleaning is a cinch. Way less moving parts and tough to reach places. Can have it sparkling new in 5 minutes.
The Bad- The brakes on this thing , particularly the rear is horrible. I figured getting disc brakes would be an upgrade but it takes all four fingers and all of my strength to slow down once I get going and on long descents, I reach muscle fatigue. The brakes definitely miss the mark, but I haven’t encountered any situations that made me regret getting the bike or spending the money. And I can’t leave out the saddle. It’s a Raleigh brand saddle and it’s rough. Even with chamois I’m hurting after 20 miles. It could be that my a$$ was pampered riding a dual suspension all these years, but gun to my head, I’m going to replace the saddle first and foremost.
All in all, I’m really glad I picked this bike up. I honestly can’t compare it to any other gravel/cx bikes, but as a whole, it’s a great way to keep the pedals churning for those of us who have logistical issues hitting the trails as often as we’d like.
I’m running the stock 27.5 -2.8 Maxxis Rekons that came with it. It’s a good tire that has taken a beating but I’m looking to upgrade to the 2.8 Minions because I’m looking for a little more bite in the turns. If it’s any indication of how confident I am with the pedaling efficiency that I’m willing to increase rolling resistance even more and tack on a little more weight with the Minions.
I own a Hightower C+, so I can’t speak to the higher end CC or the Ibis. I came from a Specialized FSR and even though the HT has more travel, it pedals like a dream compared to the FSR and is twice the beast on the descents. In the plus set up the bike is super plush yet nimble and playful. I ride a lot of east coast chunk and the bike is perfect for me, just pick your line and go. This might sound like a homer comment but plus sized bikes get ripped for their extra weight and there might be some truth to it, but I’m constantly blown away by how well this bike climbs. I recently took it on a 25 mile, 3500 feet of climbing group ride where most of the guys were on hardtails and gravel bikes and my Hightower was always near the front of the pack on the climbs and feeding dust on the downhills. I attribute the climbing and overall pedal stroke efficiency to Santa Cruz VPP suspension, it’s amazing. Sometimes I miss the direct pedal feedback my 29er gave me, but I wouldn’t trade it for the flickability, maneuverability or fun the 27.5+ set up gives me.
Just my 2 cents
Not totally sure on the weight of each wheel. Bike weighs 23.5lbs which is more than light enough for me. I don’t want to train on a bike that is so light, that when I go back to my mountain bike it feels like I’m pedaling a tanker. In total this bike is roughly 6lbs lighter than my Hightower.
I will say my plan is working thus far. Each commute to work is faster than the day before, setting PR’s each time on Strava.
