Gravel/Bikepack nerds enter...

[mall walker]

love the bars

[Colorado_Freeskier]

A hot day but the 15 miles of gravel were fun mid-ride.



Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[chaka]

^^^ Nice looking Pivot! Also, Camelbak Podium bottles are the best.

[alive]

A long day trying out a new wheel set and the Rene Herse tires. So light, fun and versatile. Just need to find some bars like MW’s Ritchey bars.

[mall walker]

the ritchey beacon comp is super nice, not expensive, and available online. probably want new bar tape, maybe (?) need to change the cables / hoses if your current bar is a 40cm or something

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Fwiw, as someone who rode drops on road and gravel for 25 years, for a gravel bike I use Jones H-bars now and would never go back. The grip and brake section is better than any “dirt drop” hbars. Bonus is better and more brake options.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[mall walker]

^ from genuine curiosity, why not go flat bar at that point? the various grip points are enough to give you the same not-the-same-back-and-hand-position benefit that drops give?

what I like about drops, besides the nostalgia from way back when I sort of rode a road bike, is the wrist angle on a flares drop + the easy ability to change my back angle. and 2 real positions to use the brakes and shifters from (though I wouldn’t ride the hoods on a serious off road descent)

[MagnificentUnicorn]

^ from genuine curiosity, why not go flat bar at that point? the various grip points are enough to give you the same not-the-same-back-and-hand-position benefit that drops give?

what I like about drops, besides the nostalgia from way back when I sort of rode a road bike, is the wrist angle on a flares drop + the easy ability to change my back angle. and 2 real positions to use the brakes and shifters from (though I wouldn’t ride the hoods on a serious off road descent)

I’ve had WTB dirt drops, Nitto dirt drops, mustache etc. the Jones bar isn’t pretty but it’s the most comfortable handlebar I’ve ever used. Flat bars are terrible from an ergonomic perspective and drops really seem like a compromise on rough roads and trails. With the sweep and downward angle of the Jones you really don’t feel the need to move your hands much. There are multiple positions of course.

I was a die hard drop bar user and pretty dogmatic about it, rode 7-9k miles a year with drops on dirt, gravel and single track. I won’t go back.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Peruvian]

I rode the bikepacking.com Brattleboro Roundabout route this weekend with 2 others.

The first day was 56 miles with 5900’ elevation. We lost one of the starters at mile 25 but three of us continued.







The spillway on Somerset Reservoir was wild!



We found a great campsite in the GMNF along a brook. There were thousands of moths all over the roadway and even found a home in my shoes!



The next day was shorter, but on rougher “roads”. The transit station was quiet for a Saturday.









We ended up in my old “neighborhood” by early afternoon. We had a great campsite by the river and soaked our muscles for a few hours.

We had been leap-frogging another duo on the same route and invited them to our campsite for the night. When the found out their site was circled by huge RVs with kids running rampant, they decided to join us.

That night so some friends met us for dinner out.



Sunday morning we quickly passed by landmarks well known to me.



After a snack in Grafton, we pedaled up Keller (killer) Hill. At the top, the old guy in the stone cabin let us know the road ends there. We gave him the old “where we’re going, we don’t need roads” bit and found some crazy log skids, class 4 (maybe 5!) roads and techie rock rolling. As always, pics don’t do it justice.





The next 30ish miles was a lovely mix of gravel, rail trail, and a touch of single track back to the truck.



140 miles and 10k’ elevation total.

[huckbucket]

That's some fine bushwacking! Thanks for the TR!

[alive]

Nice work with the bike in that terrain.

Ended up going with the Redshift kitchen sink handlebars that were in stock at the local bike shop. Set them up with a shorter stem and finally got the dropper post installed. 61 km mountain bike ride to test it all out and love the bars, love the dropper post. Never thought I’d say that

[Thaleia]

^^^ Nice looking Pivot! Also, Camelbak Podium bottles are the best.

I remember back in the mid 2000's, as a new cyclist, paying close to 20 CAD for a water bottle and thinking I'm the biggest sucker on the planet. Loved it though, no leaks and are built tough. Have bought a grand total of three more, use them daily whether I'm riding or not, and they're all problem free. Even still use that manky first one.

[mall walker]

Nice work with the bike in that terrain.

Ended up going with the Redshift kitchen sink handlebars that were in stock at the local bike shop. Set them up with a shorter stem and finally got the dropper post installed. 61 km mountain bike ride to test it all out and love the bars, love the dropper post. Never thought I’d say that

looks sweet. what’re you actuating the dropper with?

[Phall]

looks like a 1x setup, Front shifter can be fitted to be dropper lever with most brands. depending on which dropper.

[jamal]

Few recent ones

[Peruvian]

I remember back in the mid 2000's, as a new cyclist, paying close to 20 CAD for a water bottle and thinking I'm the biggest sucker on the planet. Loved it though, no leaks and are built tough. Have bought a grand total of three more, use them daily whether I'm riding or not, and they're all problem free. Even still use that manky first one.

Are those the ones where you don't pull the nozzle open, but instead just squeeze the bottle and water comes shooting out of the tightest little crack in the rubber? You know, the kind that make it seem like you enjoy bukakke when not cycling?

[alive]

Just using a PNW Road bar leaver that sits below the left shifter that operates the Easton post. Not Ideal, and thought all 2021 sram road stuff came with a leaver for dropper post, but I guess not on the OEM stuff.

[mall walker]

Just using a PNW Road bar leaver that sits below the left shifter that operates the Easton post. Not Ideal, and thought all 2021 sram road stuff came with a leaver for dropper post, but I guess not on the OEM stuff.

I’ve got this same thing waiting for a frame, how do you have it oriented? usable from the drops only, hoods and drops, hoods only? I’m very curious (contemplating selling mine and splurging on the Reverb AXS since I’m using Force AXS brifters)

[alive]

Routing is a bit of a pain,but worked out alright. You can reach the lever from the hoods and the drops. Not super intuitive, but that was only the first ride. Demoed a Camois Hagar with grx leaver dropper and worked so good. If axs is an option, that’d be sweet!

[Phall]

Anyone doing the Enve Grodeo this weekend? Not riding but will be up there for the Friday kickoff shindig.

[chaka]

Are those the ones where you don't pull the nozzle open, but instead just squeeze the bottle and water comes shooting out of the tightest little crack in the rubber? You know, the kind that make it seem like you enjoy bukakke when not cycling?

dont judge! yes, and they have a twist lock which is handy when you are throwing bottles in a bag or car for an adventure. no leakage. I was in a race once and dropped into an aid station for a fill. As I happened to be part of the front group, the nice super responsive volunteer grabbed my empty Podium bottle, threw it in a bag and handed me a freshly filled cold cheap bottle... I went and dug out my empty, swapped the liquid, gave him back the new bottle. Totally worth the minute or so, I love those bottles.

[Dromond]

I’ve had WTB dirt drops, Nitto dirt drops, mustache etc. the Jones bar isn’t pretty but it’s the most comfortable handlebar I’ve ever used. Flat bars are terrible from an ergonomic perspective and drops really seem like a compromise on rough roads and trails. With the sweep and downward angle of the Jones you really don’t feel the need to move your hands much. There are multiple positions of course.

I was a die hard drop bar user and pretty dogmatic about it, rode 7-9k miles a year with drops on dirt, gravel and single track. I won’t go back.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Did you put them on a bike that originally have drop bars or flat/riser bars? Did you need to get a super long stem to compensate for all that back sweep?

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Did you put them on a bike that originally have drop bars or flat/riser bars? Did you need to get a super long stem to compensate for all that back sweep?

They have a lot of sweep but it’s offset by the loop. It puts your hands farther forward than you would think. The reach doesn’t feel much dif


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Hopeless Sinner]

Routing is a bit of a pain,but worked out alright. You can reach the lever from the hoods and the drops. Not super intuitive, but that was only the first ride. Demoed a Camois Hagar with grx leaver dropper and worked so good. If axs is an option, that’d be sweet!

Any comments on the sammy hagar?

Based on what I read it's designed for a bit more DH than the typical gravel bike. Had a shot at one but was laid up w injury so I couldn't test it.

[Dromond]

They have a lot of sweep but it’s offset by the loop. It puts your hands farther forward than you would think. The reach doesn’t feel much dif


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Thanks. Maybe I will try them out! I like drops on the road or light gravel that is basically road riding, and super wide risers for mtb, but for rough gravel and mixed gravel/trail I haven't gotten comfortable. I've got a Kona Sutra LTD with 50mm tires and some fancy Whisky super flared dirt drops - bought used from a bike mechanic, all tricked out. But for some reason the angle hoods don't feel that comfortable to me, and you only have true grip and brake control in the drops which is OK I guess, but just doesn't make much sense when I'm not going that fast nor fighting head winds all day. I just want to be comfortable riding in the same position for hours and have some control while dirt touring/exploring on roads and very easy trails.