Posted on here a while back asking for direction for a "gravel bike conversion", so thought I'd share the result after riding 450km and 8700m elevation, mostly off-road, across Wales.
Cheers for the initial direction (like that the seat post was the wrong way round)!
by willthebatata
5 Comments
Sweet bike! Dropbar’d Marin gang! I need to replace my stem tho, which one are you running?
I think you lucked out getting that 18.5″ (in Marin’s measurement style) frame and not a 20.5″ – the reach of the conversion looks like it should be just right based on your ‘before’ photos. How do you find the front end’s handling with the big saddle pack, is there enough weight on the front wheel riding on the hoods?
Sexy
450km and 8700m elevation, now that is a shake down! Your bike is justifiably clarty. And I see you took care of the most important lubrication issue
How did the Gravelking SKs work for you over such a demanding ride? I assume you haven’t done a ghetto tubeless conversion on the original wheels? Were they puncture resistant enough? Did the tread get blocked with gloop and small stones? I have them on my dropbar Zaskar and they get packed up easily on Franconian soil.
Have you got a track of the route? I will be in the area in August, and I don’t know Wales on a bike at all, nearest I’ve been is the Long Mynd in Shropshire.
Which frame model is that? I have a very similar one, second hand purchase and no clue what it is.