Gravel Inadequacy

[hozn]

Buy the RLT9! That is also what I would buy if I didn’t already have a great ti bike. I imagine it fits big tires, since it is targeting gravel, but i will say that discovering i can fit a 42mm tire in my frame (and larger in the fork) has really made this a versatile bike. I run a 34/46 compact crank and 11-28 cassette. That works great for commuting, singletrack, pulling the trailer, etc. I haven’t gotten a chance to do any of the gravel rides, but I am sure that gearing will work fine there too.

[mstone]

@DismalScientist 83197 wrote:

Bah… You just need a nice new friction bar end (or better yet downtube) shifter.:rolleyes:

No, I really don’t. Brifters are one of the really good innovations in the last 50 years. I used downtube shifters, I’ve moved on.

I’m also confused about why someone would want to avoid the mountain derailleur for a big sprocket, especially after the posts saying that the road der works really good except for being flaky. It’s a fairly cheap part to do it right.

[JimF22003]

@Greenbelt 83176 wrote:

Don’t you just need a triple front chainring (granny gear)?

http://www.bianchiusa.com/bikes/road/steel/volpe/

I think you may be right. I haven’t used a triple on a road bike for ten years, but I have one one the Cannondale Mountain Bike. The front shifting is a little hinky, but it definitely gets me the range I need.

[JimF22003]

@hozn 83220 wrote:

Buy the RLT9!

That one is pretty, and is actually the kind of thing I was thinking about. I didn’t know about the ability to use 29er or 700c wheels. Interesting.

[hozn]

@JimF22003 83240 wrote:

That one is pretty, and is actually the kind of thing I was thinking about. I didn’t know about the ability to use 29er or 700c wheels. Interesting.

Yeah, it looks like it can fit 45mm tires. I like the di2 wiring option with internal shifter routing, the disc brakes (of course), the ebb for single speed option, the tapered headtube for fork options, and aluminum for weight and won’t-rust factor.

[Author]

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