Hi all, so just had a full bike fit. My turbo bike is all sorted by my road bike is too big so wasnt worth adjusting. Thats now sold and im on the look out for a new main bike.
Now previously I was considering aero and fully integrated cabling, but it seems i need a more relaxed geometry and the ability to raise the bars to sort everything out.
Anyway, i’m still quite keen on a gravel bike. I’m not really sure why! I think i like the 1x visual and having the gearing to just pedal when i need to.
Really tempted by this. But i’m worried ill regret not buying the supersix instead (same price)
I only really ride on the road, but i want the tyre clearence for comfort more than anything.
Next year i’ve got 50/60 milers booked and some TT i understand i wont be fully aero on it but then i don’t think i’d get to that position anyway so rather just be comfy
There’s a lot you’ve pointed out here. I’m in your region so I don’t know how good the pricing is on an absolute level, but the the promotion looks good.
How much does a similarly equipped Endurace from Canyon cost? You’ll likely get integrated cabling with relaxed geometry. There are a lot of great direct to customer competitors.
How much tire clearance are you looking for? 35mm? 40mm? 45mm?
The Supersix is a race bike. As I understand, it’s still pretty comfortable, but it feels like you have a mix of priorities. Will you fit and be comfortable on a Supersix? Is 30-32mm tires enough for you?
To be totally honest I don’t really know my own priorities!
I don’t want to get into the trap of trying to buy speed I.e spend tonnes of money chasing 1 or 2 watts of difference, my fitness levels aren’t “peak” so seems daft to chase minor increases over the major ones I’d see from my own fitness levels.
Absolutely top of the list is comfort. Advice I’ve had suggest that 30mm tyres will really really help there, which is my main reason for going disc brakes at all, as otherwise I wouldn’t be that fussed.
What I don’t want though is a 15kg that I hate because I can’t get it up a hill or it just always feels sluggish. I remember the feeling coming from an old Argos mountain bike and getting onto a soecialized allez, my first road bike and it was like getting on a rocket! I want this bike to feel fast, but not cripple myself in the process.
I want it to last me a complete year of eventing. This will be 10 mile TT rides and various 50 mile or so events, most are quite local so no mountainous climbs to consider just comparatively short ones. So it doesn’t necessarily need to be the lightest bike on the market either.
I would like be jumping right into road tyres for it if I got the gravel bike.
I want to retain clearance for fitted mudguards for late season riding.
IF and it’s a big IF I decide after next year I want to focus on something I.e more TTs I can always get a TT bike, I just want something I can jump on, feel comfy, bash out 50 mile rides and not get off feeling like death or feel like “if I’d bought that one I’d be done by now”
I don’t think I’m fit enough to worry about top speed gearing so that’s not much of a concern either
I think you’d love the Topstone with some wider slick tyres on. Roads in the UK are so bad now I’d look at something similar if I was replacing my road bike.
In terms of an endurance road bike with a higher front end than a race bike the Giant Defy always scores highly and is also on sale. It has similar stack and reach figures to the Topstone. Canyon Endurace (even in alloy) is also a good suggestion.
I would steer away from the Supersix if comfort is a priority and your bike fit has suggested that a higher front end is a good idea.
I think you would regret a gravel bike over a dedicated road bike if you only ride on the road. A road bike will be faster.
Have you considered gearing? Road bikes have road gears and gravel bikes have a wider range of gears for off road with less top end. That Top Stone only has a 40x11 big gear. You’d be spun out going down every hill.
If you do not have any plans to ride or race gravel, and you aren’t massively curious about putting 45c nobblys on and riding around back lanes, then it little benefits you to buy one - particularly a very heavy one like a topstone.
How about an Endurance Road bike? It’s a little more than that topstone, but carbon wheels, 38mm clearance and a very light and comfortable frame with a relaxed road geo…
To me, everything about what you wrote says Supersix to me. It’s a very comfy ROAD bike. The only thing that goes the other way is your desire for mud guards. They are doable on the Supersix, but easier to do on the Topstone. As far as regrets, I suggest you may well regret a 1x drivetrain if all you do is road.
It’s really fun to go find back roads you couldn’t ride on your road bike. Also, I use my gravel bike with knobby tires and all in the winter. It feels way safer than a road bike after the roads are filled with fallen leaves in the fall or after the roads have been salted and sanded in the winter.
If you’ve never had electronic shifting, you should probably get it just to find out what all the hub-bub is about. I’ve got 105 mechanical, GRX mechanical and Dura-Ace Di2. I’m not bothered one way or the other. However in the winter, I have a strong preference for mechanical when big-glove riding.
To change from mech to DI2, you basically change everything - shifters, derailleurs and add batteries. If you’re already on DI2, you could plug in/out new derailleur and set up everything within minutes.
I would look for a 105 DI2 endurance bike that you think looks great within your budget. You’ll be really happy.