The Gear: Gravel Gear

Posted By Gravel Union On 12 May 2021

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Every gravel rider probably has a list of reasons in their head why their gravel bike is the best. So, we thought we would put this to the test and showcase the best of the best right here on the Gravel Union website.

If you think your gravel bike is worthy of being featured, what we’re after is an explanation of what makes it amazing/special/different to everyone else’s. If you’ve made some interesting modifications, had it custom painted or just fitted an interesting mix of components you love, this is your chance to tell the world about it. If you would like to be featured, we would like you to send us the following:

• A minimum of 5 decent quality images. Smartphone shots will be perfect, but you’ll get extra bonus points for nice lighting, novel backdrop, different perspectives. Images all need to be in landscape orientation please.
• We would also like to describe what makes your build so special in no more than 250 words.
• Put the images in a Dropbox or Googledrive folder and send us the link with your text – info@gravelunion.cc
• Each month the team at Gravel Union will pick out our favourite to showcase on the site and the winner will get a (highly sought after) Gravel Union t-shirt and eternal fame in the gravel world of course.

We thought we would kick things off by featuring the bikes ridden by the Gravel Union team. How much do you think you can tell about us from what we choose to ride?

Olly:

It’s not a ‘proper’ gravel bike, it’s a home assembled #monstercross bike instead, based on a Trek ProCaliber frame and fitted with Kinesis forks. I’m running Shimano GRX Di2 levers, XT Di2 rear mech, XTR Di2 front mech, XT 11-42 cassette and XT 2x chainset. I have tailored the fit to suit my build (I have relatively long legs and a short body) by fitting an inline seatpost and a 50mm stem. What’s different about it? I designed the specification to suit my style of riding (and the local trails) and then had it custom painted to give it a cohesive look. It will be used for local trail riding, bikepacking trips and night rides. It weighs less than 10kgs and is the most fun bike I’ve ever ridden.

Emma:

This is my fourth Kinesis Tripster, having ridden them right the way from the first prototype 10 years ago, to V1 production, then a V2 and now a V3. Much like the frame design, the components I have chosen for my build show the evolution of technology over time. I run a mix of Shimano and TRP Hylex shifters, Coefficient handlebars and Thomson finishing kit. Some of these bits have simply passed from one Tripster to another. I live in a hilly part of West Yorkshire, UK so my gear choices reflect this - 165mm direct-mount Praxis carbon cranks with a 34tooth chainring and an 11-42 cassette controlled by a Shimano Ultegra RX mech. Before Shimano GRX came about, Ultegra RX was the only way I found to have reliable dropbar mechanical shifting with hydraulic brakes - it’s all still working well, so no need to change it. I must admit, it would look smarter with a new GRX groupset and a polish but, you know, bikes are for riding!

In cycling we often talk about niche, something developed to fulfil the needs of a small percentage of the cycling community. Sometimes that product is centred on excelling at just a single event. One brand seems to always be at the forefront of niche and is unafraid to throw down something crazy and bespoke. That brand is Salsa Cycles. They have always been renowned for their adventurous outlook - product development that looks beyond the confines of a single riding day and urges you to just keep going. Maybe one of the most aspirational events for any adventure rider is the Tour Divide and for that Salsa developed the Cutthroat - a drop bar mountain bike with the ability to haul your kit at speed. My Cutthroat is a little special as it’s sporting the limited edition paintwork inspired by an event that Salsa supported in 2019, Grinduro Japan. Not content with the spectacle which is a Salsa Cutthroat I installed some Curve Cycling Walmer Bars. At an impressive 55cm wide they are obviously compensating for something! GRX Di2 was a must, but I also needed an XTR chainset to fulfil the bike’s quirky needs. The stand out feature has to be the slave brake levers offering an MTB-style flat bar braking option to maximise the bar width.

“80% road, 20% whatever” is how Salsa describe the Warroad, essentially the one and only true ‘road’ bike in their current range. Starting out with a frame and fork, I opted to go down the custom build route, ending up with my own slightly more gravel biased recipe of 60% road, 40% gravel. 650b wheels rolling on plump WTB Byways mean that my Salsa Warroad can rattle along gravel tracks and forest fire roads just as quickly as the potholed country lanes which link my local loops together. A Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset is wired up to a GRX rear mech to give reassurance of no dropped chains over even the bumpiest of tracks! Compared to a more traditional gravel bike (can we call gravel bikes traditional yet? Too late, I just did), the Warroad geometry is just that little more racy feeling. This makes it perfect for quick blasts around the block after work and joining up with the old roadie crew on a Sunday coffee run.

I’ve been roaming the gravel roads for over five years with my Koppel Graveler – a steady roller and all man’s friend. It was built and geared by Koppel Bikes in Amersfoort (in the Netherlands), a local shop that is owned by Gravel Union’s chief mechanic Tom Hoekstra. He told me bluntly back then: “I know what you need, I will set it up for you and make you a fair price”. He knows me. I am not a material buff, and honestly, Tom did an excellent job. My Koppel takes me everywhere - from the gravel road in the lowlands to long mountain climbs in the Alps or rolling hills in the Eifel or Northern England. The setup is a little pioneerish. We are talking pre-GRX era here, so the Koppel has a Ultegra road setup and – a novelty back then - the Ultegra RX rear derailleur. My Koppel Gravel is my go-to bike when I want a relaxed ride. It is robust and reliant. Not a bike to chase a segment’s KOM, but a bike to head out enjoy nature or have a longer ride with friends.