Gravel bikes for commuting?

saccades

Planet X London Rd.

Relaxed road geo, disc brakes, mounts for panniers and racks plus ability to stick a 42c in there (or 32c and mudguards).

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118509360#Comment_118509360

I probably wouldn't notice - somewhat future proofing, and it was going to be predominantly gravel so preferred the more secure option.

wersal gummage

Wondering if anyone with knowledge on this could help me out....

I've decided to buy a gravel bike, also decided to go for a 2x group on basis of my sense that I'll have a greater range of gearing and, with a second set of wheels, this will be my winter bike in future as well....

Looking at what is available, which isn't much, I'm wondering how the Sram 1x groups compare to the Shimano Grx 810.

So. GRX 810, 48x31 with an 11-34 cassette I can understand,

But then Sram 40 front, 10-50 cassette in 12 speed,

And Sram 40 front, 10-44 cassette in 12 speed...

I imagine I can find an online calculator and get % differences or whatever... But in real use, would there be any significant disadvantage in either of the Sram groups for someone doing a bit of gravel /trails /and a bit of winter cycling?

Paul Kiernan

I'm planning on switching all my bikes (over time!) to x1. For me, there is absolutely no point in having the hassle of front ring shifting when I can get something like 44 front with 11-42 cassette. I'd be mainly using on-road though with only some gentle off-road e.g. no massive off-road climbing where you might need 40-50 type gearing. I've always used Shimano but my wife has the old Boards CX team with Sram Rival x1 and she loves it!

CantGetNoSleep

I don't have any experience of SRAM 1x - but in Shimano, I find it challenging to make a 1x work for both road and gravel. I run 40t front, 11-42 on the back. 40-11 is not enough for a road group ride, whereas I like having the 40-42 for climbing on gravel. The gaps between gears can also be an issue. 40-10 would help a bit on fast road rides, but not really with gaps between gears on the road, particularly if you are going for 10-50.

Shimano is definitely hindered by having a smallest small cog of 11. For now the only groupset I'd consider for road riding to go 1x would be Campag Ekar 1x13 with with a 42t front, 9-42 cassette.

I think it ultimately depends on what type of road riding (e.g. faster group rides?) and what type of gravel riding (steep climbs needing a very low gear?). I'm a big fan of 1x but it just doesn't quite work for me on a road bike. On gravel it is great, and I don't understand why every single urban type bike doesn't have it. Who uses a front derailleur in a city?

wersal gummage

Thanks.

Can't get no sleep, to be honest I'm unsure what I'll do with the bike. Based near city centre but will head for Dublin mountains and exore whatever paths or trails I can find that are suitable, as for road use, won't be group rides but occasional maybe 70 to 100km trip at relatively slow speed, probably 25km average with the usual hills around wicklow included.

Shoikd say that, for the options I'm looking at, the sram is considerably more expensive than the grx but seems to be more available, or available sooner at least.

Finally, I'm aware of Ekar but haven't seen it as an option on any of the bikes or websites I'm looking at, I don't want to spend 4 or 5 grand especially when I don't have a clear idea of what I'm planning to do with the bike

CantGetNoSleep

For that usage I'd definitely chance 1x. I hadn't noticed that you said 12-speed, I'd say the extra gear and 10 tooth sprocket would be an improvement on my set up as it would be a step in the right direction in terms of both gaps and highest gear.

Peterx

I picked up an Aluminium Broadman CX8.9 secondhand. 44T single ring front and 11-42 on the 11 cassette with Sram Apex.

I have panniers and proper mudguards fitted and am currently using 28mm slicks but the extra clearance is great as I can easily fit CX or gravel tyres up to 38mm wide for days with snow.

It's a great commuter, the single biggest upgrade for me was the hydraulic disc brakes. They always work, unlike my previous commuter's rim brakes. It wasn't expensive secondhand and works great, every day. I was concerned I might need easier gearing to pull a bike trailer up hills but the easiest gear is just about easy enough. As I'm only commuting and not racing or riding in a group the upper end gearing is nearly irrelevant, I don't spin out, that's enough.

tl:dr - a secondhand aluminium Gravel or CX bike that has loads of eyelets and hydraulic disc brakes is perfect for commuting

DaveyDave

If you're planning on going up the mountains or doing general road riding I'd say go for 2x for better gear selection. 1x doesn't make sense on the road in my opinion. I have 1x11 GRX on my road ebike, 42t cassette and 48t chainring. The cassette is awful, shifting into the 32-37-42 gears is clunky and the jump between some gears seems too high when upshifting because the cassette needs to be capable of going uphill and on the flat so it loses that closer gear ratio that a 2x would have. Since I'm only commuting on the flat, I'll be putting on a 32t cassette.

I understand 1x for mountain biking or gravel but general road riding? Nope!

Macy0161

tbh I'm not really convinced for Gravel either. There's enough steep climbs, and tarmac between gravel, that I think i'd find 1x gappy.

wersal gummage

The Sram options (electronic v non electronic grx of course) are around 500 and 1k more expensive, so I'd nearly need a good reason to go for those, from reading all those comments there's no justification for me in spending more for the 1x, I'll hang on the few months longer for the 2x grx. Thanks