Transitioning from hybrid to road/cyclocross

[Lady Hamilton]

Thank you for the info on Giant.
So, I have actually seen Specialized Diverge WSD 2018. And in my size. 49 fit great, but here is the thing. They position it as their gravel bike. Well, this gravel bike has practically road tires, the same as my Specialized Vita... So, I really don't understand their marketing. I would basically have to buy another set of tires along with the bike, because there is no way this bike could go on any rough terrain. At this point I am better off buying Specialized Ruby (which I loved a lot!) with the same specs, much lighter weight, and practically identical tires, that cost much less and buy a set of grippier tires.
Thoughts?

[Lady Hamilton]

CX bikes are problematic for smaller riders because their bottom brackets are higher off the ground than road bikes. I suggest looking at a Salsa Vaya. You may not have any in your area, but it’s worth an overnight trip, if necessary, to get the right bike. It’s basically a gravel bike, and I know of women on this forum who were 4’11” and fit the size XS (which I think they called a size 50, because
They size by top tube rather than seat tube).

There are several models to choose. I’d personally go for Tiagra over Apex, but I had bad luck with SRAM on my road bike.

https://salsacycles.com/bikes/vaya/2018_vaya_tiagra

Also, Advocate Cycles is a company that donates profits to bike programs, and the steel is higher quality. The people who run it used to work for Salsa. The Lorax is similar to the Vaya. You can give them a call. They can put together any build you want.

http://advocatecycles.com/product/lorax/

Thank you for your suggestion on Salsa Bikes. There are dealers in the area and I will definitely check them out.

[Lady Hamilton]

Most of the trails around me are paved. Everything along the lake Ontario is practically paved. Unless you go mountain-biking. Some parts of trails are packed dirt. On my commute to work it's 90% paved bike lanes (not always ideal). I am starting to wonder if gravel bike is an overkill for where I cycle.
Salsa is a beautiful bike, Love the mint green. Is it really THAT heavy? 27 pounds (almost 13kg) is a very heavy bike for someone who barely weighs 100. Specialized Diverge is around 21 pounds in aluminum. I was hoping to stay under 20...
But I must say, that Vaya Claris in cream is swoooooon. And the geometry in 49,5 really makes it one of the tiniest adult bikes, very comparable to Specialized Ruby in reach and standover.

[Lady Hamilton]

I would really like not to leave $2000 CAD price point. I realize that a lot of the bikes I am considering are over that without a sale, but there are a few last year models that are. And I have seen deals, where carbon and 105 are quite possible under 2K, but on bikes with rim breaks.
For instance, if I look at 105 and aluminum, I can wheel out last year's Cannondale synapse for barely over $1200 CAD, and Synapse Sora for merely $900. The best deal around is 2016 Specialized Ruby with Tiagra for $1100. Trek Silque S5 2017 (carbon and 105) is a gorgeous and very comfy bike for $1800.
But, my goal is not to get the best deal on a bike. I want to get the best bike for me I can afford. A shop an hour away has cream salsa in stock. Not sure about size, but it looks like a very tiny frame (I will give them a call today).

[Lady Hamilton]

I saw that Liv yesterday. And the previous year's model too. They are very nice bikes and I am definitely not writing them off as an option (the celeste colour scheme almost makes in a Bianci).
And far as weight goes, we are urban dwellers with no garage. We have a very large and secure shed, but prefer to keep our bikes in the basement. So yes, lugging it in and out is a consideration. We are also buying a bike rack (my youngest is now keeping us with me or faster)), so we can start going away with bikes.
I guess I just have to prioritize a bit and figure out what is the best I can get in my price range. Decisions, decisions... but, it is part of the fun. Thank you for all your help and insights.

[north woods gal]

If the roughest you expect to encounter is smooth packed dirt, then you could do just fine with a standard road bike with 700x25 wheels IF conditions are good and remain that way.

It's when road and weather conditions are not good that going to a 700x35 wheel setup is a great advantage. For instance, going wider on the tires is going to make for a more comfy ride when you start to hit those long stretches of pavement riddled those annoying cross cracks. Pedal, pedal, ouch, pedal, pedal, ouch gets old. Going wider is also safer when you get sand, debris, glass and other junk left on the pavement. Going wider is absolutely better if that packed dirt turns a little muddy or slick after a rain or even when that pavement gets slick with rain. Trust me, it takes surprisingly little to trip up a narrow tire road bike and bring you down. Been there, done that. Then, too, every time I've ventured into a new area with no idea of what I'll encounter for roads, I feel MUCH more confident when I'm riding wider tires. That's why the wider tire bikes are called adventure bikes or touring bikes.

Again, going light is nice and always tempting, but the more miles I've ridden over the years, the more I value comfort and safety on the long rides.

I've been eyeing a Norco Reach steel 105 700x40 bike. Right at that $2000 US price point. It's not available, yet, but it has all the stuff I want on a long distance/gravel bike. Norco is a Canadian company, by the way. I run Norco on most of my fat bikes. Very well thought out designs. Love them.

[Lady Hamilton]

If the roughest you expect to encounter is smooth packed dirt, then you could do just fine with a standard road bike with 700x25 wheels IF conditions are good and remain that way.

It's when road and weather conditions are not good that going to a 700x35 wheel setup is a great advantage. For instance, going wider on the tires is going to make for a more comfy ride when you start to hit those long stretches of pavement riddled those annoying cross cracks. Pedal, pedal, ouch, pedal, pedal, ouch gets old. Going wider is also safer when you get sand, debris, glass and other junk left on the pavement. Going wider is absolutely better if that packed dirt turns a little muddy or slick after a rain or even when that pavement gets slick with rain. Trust me, it takes surprisingly little to trip up a narrow tire road bike and bring you down. Been there, done that. Then, too, every time I've ventured into a new area with no idea of what I'll encounter for roads, I feel MUCH more confident when I'm riding wider tires. That's why the wider tire bikes are called adventure bikes or touring bikes.

Again, going light is nice and always tempting, but the more miles I've ridden over the years, the more I value comfort and safety on the long rides.

I've been eyeing a Norco Reach steel 105 700x40 bike. Right at that $2000 US price point. It's not available, yet, but it has all the stuff I want on a long distance/gravel bike. Norco is a Canadian company, by the way. I run Norco on most of my fat bikes. Very well thought out designs. Love them.

My daughter has a Norco, it is her 3rd Norco bike.

I went to a well-stocked Specialized dealer today and had a chance too see everything that I wanted to see. I saw 2018 Ruby (base), 2018 Diverge in several shapes and forms, and a nice surprize in a form of 2017 Dolche EVO Tiagra (it was mentioned above by one of the ladies).
Ruby is a beautiful bike. There is no doubt about it. The future shock suspension works like magic. But at it's current price of $2500 for Tiagra and mechanic breaks it is rally outside of the budget. Along with Ruby sport (at $2800), which I prefer (although still mechanical breaks, but 105 grupset). The cheapest Ruby with hydrolic breaks is sitting at $3900, it is still 105 groupset, and completely out of question.
Diverge is OK, I have already tried it yesterday. At $2500 you get future shock,105 and mechanical disks, at $1900 it's Tiagra and mechanical disks. To get hydrolics you would have to shell out shocking $4100, but it is carbon and 105 set.
2017 Dolche surprized me a lot. First, the fit in size 48 was perfect. We actually had to raise the seat a bit, and at level with the handlebar the bike fit like a glove. It is aluminum and Tiagra, but it has hydrolic disks (cable -actuated, whatever that means)! And currently only $1500.To be honest with you, if it had 105 groupset, I would wheel it out today.
https://www.evanscycles.com/en-ca/sp...-bike-EV302417

[deckrdshaw]

Endurance road bikes are what I would recommend for long distance work and they'll also do a decent job on gravel as long as they'll take wider tires, up around 35mm wide or more (though most won't). Endurance road bikes have a geometry designed with comfort in mind for all day riding. They'll take much of the sting out of riding pavement, plus, you'll have a lot more choices in gearing.
Drop bar gravel bikes are a great choice as a do it all road bike. They're essentially endurance bikes setup for wider tires. Tire width is important for gravel riding. Don't let those wider tires fool you into thinking they're slow. My Salsa Warbird gravel bike with its 700x35 tires was every bit as fast as my Trek carbon Domane endurance road bike with its 700x25 tires on the pavement, not to mention that the Warbird also gave me the option of riding gravel and took a lot of the bite out of rough pavement. Riding gravel with a 700x25 bike is a big no-no. Not recommended.
As to brakes, go disc all the way. The old external rim brakes work for fair weather use, but in wet weather or situations where you need some real braking power, you need discs. Absolute must for gravel work. Besides, disc brakes are now standard on nearly all bikes, these days. If you go with eternal rim brakes, your bike model choices will be severely limited.

[deckrdshaw]

[QUOTE=deckrdshaw;867689]Endurance road bikes are what I would recommend for long distance work and they'll also do a decent job on gravel as long as they'll take wider tires, up around 35mm wide or more (though most won't). Endurance road bikes have a geometry designed with comfort in mind for all day riding. They'll take much of the sting out of riding pavement, plus, you'll have a lot more choices in gearing.
Drop bar gravel bikes are a great choice as a do it all road bike. They're essentially endurance bikes setup for wider tires. Tire width is important for gravel riding. Don't let those wider tires fool you into thinking they're slow. My Salsa Warbird gravel bike with its 700x35 tires was every bit as fast as my Trek carbon Domane endurance road bike with its 700x25 tires on the pavement, not to mention that the Warbird also gave me the option of riding gravel and took a lot of the bite out of rough pavement. Riding gravel with a 700x25 bike is a big no-no. Not recommended.
As to brakes, go disc all the way. The old external rim brakes work for fair weather use, but in wet weather or situations where you need some real braking power, you need discs. Absolute must for gravel work. Besides, disc brakes are now standard on nearly all bikes, these days. If you go with eternal rim brakes, your bike model choices will be severely limited.


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[deckrdshaw]

Endurance road bikes are what I would recommend for long distance work and they'll also do a decent job on gravel as long as they'll take wider tires, up around 35mm wide or more (though most won't). Endurance road bikes have a geometry designed with comfort in mind for all day riding. They'll take much of the sting out of riding pavement, plus, you'll have a lot more choices in gearing.
Drop bar gravel bikes are a great choice as a do it all road bike. They're essentially endurance bikes setup for wider tires. Tire width is important for gravel riding. Don't let those wider tires fool you into thinking they're slow. My Salsa Warbird gravel bike with its 700x35 tires was every bit as fast as my Trek carbon Domane endurance road bike with its 700x25 tires on the pavement, not to mention that the Warbird also gave me the option of riding gravel and took a lot of the bite out of rough pavement. Riding gravel with a 700x25 bike is a big no-no. Not recommended.
As to brakes, go disc all the way. The old external rim brakes work for fair weather use, but in wet weather or situations where you need some real braking power, you need discs. Absolute must for gravel work. Besides, disc brakes are now standard on nearly all bikes, these days. If you go with eternal rim brakes, your bike model choices will be severely limited.

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