Bike mechanic friend says I should abandon this bike project and get “a real gravel bike” instead. What do you think? Finish it out? Or abandon and replace? Also contemplating what tires to get. Want to get tan wall but don’t know what.
by TemplarOfTheCrypt
16 Comments
Abandon it because there is an issue, or abandon it because that bike isn’t going to be like a “real” gravel bike?
Perhaps bike mechanic friend actually wants to sell you a “real gravel bike” ….
Are you gravel racing? If so buy a race bike. If not ride whatever the hell you want. That bike was made to ride on gravel.
You need to go to a different LBS. That one sucks.
Have one less friend.
Get a new friend
Finish it. Ride it. Ignore him.
It looks to be 90% done already, you may as well finish.
For what it’s worth, you’ll probably love it.
The mechanic is right, but not your friend
Just because it isn’t a “real” gravel bike doesn’t mean you can’t have a great time riding it. I have a bike setup almost exactly like this and it’s my favorite, besides it looks just about finished anyway, might as well see it through!
Buying new bikes all the time is for people with no imagination.
Dudes right. I’ll leave my garage open, and you can just abandon it in there. I’ll take all the heat and embarrassment for you!
I had this internal debate about a year ago and ultimately decided to build up a 1992 Rocky Mountain Fusion with modern components over buying a new gravel bike. I can tell you for my style of riding, I’ve had no regrets.
Sure, I may not be as fast or as aerodynamic as the boys on “real” gravel bikes, but can I still keep up and do I still have a lot of fun? 100%. The true spirit of “gravel” is just getting outside and riding a bike in the woods or countryside; riding on a mix of terrain that’s not 100% raw MTBing or road biking. I think there’s a lot of modern bike stuff each that is rad: tubeless tires, 1x, modern bars and saddles etc, but I can still put all of that on my rocky mountain frame.
I think you shouldn’t listen to your friend and you should build yourself a super rad, custom to you, utilitarian gravel bike and ride the hell out of it. You’ll be stoked to have a bike that rips trails, gravel, road, pump tracks, hauls groceries, gets you to work, etc instead of having marginal performance gains. This is my 2 cents as a bike mechanic that thinks the current gravel industry is boring af.
If we followed that kind of logic this sub wouldn’t exist. It’s cool, have fun on it.
My friend was like that, had zero understanding of why old bikes were cool. He found one in the garbage and since then hes found a new love.
No way. Finish it.
Where can I get one of those little reflectors.