C2W gravel bike spec...

Shimmyhill · 5 Jan 2020 at 14:41

I have talked myself into a new bike.... shocker, I am looking at a gravel bike I can out some guards and poss a rack on to commute, do some old railway tracks and use in the turbo - the plan is to replace my turbo bike and old heavy hard tail but keep my nice carbon bike for good weather duties.

With this in mind I fancy a Giant Revolt as my Defy has been great and familiar with sizing but I’m getting bad spec creep and wondering how much difference there would be in sora vs Tiagra and cable discs vs the giant hybrid hydraulic setup?

Having a cheaper bike with lower spec would make the summer bike seem so much better but would I regret not going Tiagra as a minimum?

(My work scheme can not be used with Canyon or it would be a Grail for sure....)

Begbie · 5 Jan 2020 at 14:43

Cannondale Topstone?

Are they any better spec'd?

I'd want Tiagra/hydro as a min, personally.

AKAK · 5 Jan 2020 at 16:04

I went to look at a giant but the bar mounted hydro brake thing is ugly. I already had a full 105 hydro road bike and found the spec available on new gravel bikes to be disappointing. In the end bought a tripster atr frame and moved the components over.

Sora is really not good enough imo.

Shimmyhill · 5 Jan 2020 at 23:56

Begbie said:
Cannondale Topstone?

Are they any better spec'd?

I'd want Tiagra/hydro as a min, personally.

Pretty much the conclusion I’ve come to, Topstone Tiagra 2020 is the current winner - shame the cannondale site is just rubbish for in depth spec stuff

Indigo · 12 Jan 2020 at 22:24

Can you use Evans on your works scheme?

The Pinnacle Arkose D2 is well specced with Tiagra and Hydro discs too reduced to £820 for the 2019 model.

Supernova · 12 Jan 2020 at 22:43

IndigoGorilla said:
Can you use Evans on your works scheme?

The Pinnacle Arkose D2 is well specced with Tiagra and Hydro discs too reduced to £820 for the 2019 model.

Can vouch for Pinnacle Arkose bikes. I have 2 of them, a 2015 single speed and the 2018 Arkose 4 (SRAM Rival). Both hydraulic brakes. Ridden over 10000 miles on the single speed, almost all of it commuting on a 50/50 mix of tarmac and off road. Extremely robust bikes.

Kelt · 13 Jan 2020 at 02:54

IndigoGorilla said:
Can you use Evans on your works scheme?

The Pinnacle Arkose D2 is well specced with Tiagra and Hydro discs too reduced to £820 for the 2019 model.

Evans are showing that price for the 2020 model.

-westy- · 13 Jan 2020 at 07:54

MSTRBKR said:
Can vouch for Pinnacle Arkose bikes. I have 2 of them, a 2015 single speed and the 2018 Arkose 4 (SRAM Rival). Both hydraulic brakes. Ridden over 10000 miles on the single speed, almost all of it commuting on a 50/50 mix of tarmac and off road. Extremely robust bikes.

Agree -I've got an Arkose D2 - had it for a few months so can't confirm long-term, but it's very solid, comfortable and capable.

Indigo · 13 Jan 2020 at 08:21

Kelt said:
Evans are showing that price for the 2020 model.

My bad, just assumed it was the 2019 due to the discount.

I'm thinking of getting rid of my CAADX to get one.

Shimmyhill · 13 Jan 2020 at 15:39

I can’t use Evans so have the Cannondale on the way.

Now to find mudguards and a rack and all the other stuff I could move over from another bike but want shiny new versions of....