NBD Allied Able

I know you've all been waiting on an update from this post where I discussed which gravel bike to get /s

Apologies for the single crappy garage photo, I am snowed in. Basically, my decision timeline was as follows:

1. Last fall: I was pretty set on a Mog
2. Wasted time waffling back and forth
3. Spring: Decided to pre-order an Able due to increased tire clearance
4. Cancelled the preorder when the Argon 18 was announced
5. Wasted time waffling back and forth
6. Summer: Tried to buy an Argon 18 but there was no frameset option and the local dealer said they had sold through the US allocations for the year
7. Wasted time waffling back and forth
8. Tried to buy an Avona Callis but they weren't shipping to the US yet
9. Considered a Fara GR4 and a Wilier Rave SLR ID2 but lead times were well into next year
10. Wasted time waffling back and forth
11. Fall: Ordered an Allied Able (again)
12. Frame delivered the day before traveling for Thanksgiving
13. Completed the build right in time for 10 inches of snow

Before anyone asks, I have no idea how it rides, per #13.

Full Build Specs:
Allied Able in Spectratone Silver, size 54
Allied 90mm stem
Allied 0 setback seatpost
Coefficient RR 40cm bars

Sram Red E1 shifters and brakes, Carbon Ti 160mm aero rotors
Sram Red E1 165mm DUB wide cranks
Sram Red 1 AXS power meter w/ Garbaruk 48t chainring
Sram XS-1299 10-52 cassette
Sram XX SL Eagle Transmission RD with CeramicSpeed OSPW
YBN MK120 12sp Flattop Chain, Silca Wax
CeramicSpeed Alpha BB

XMCarbonSpeed CS-GDW53-41 wheels (more on these later)
Reserve Fillmore valves
Silca Ultimate Sealant
Schwalbe Thunder Burt Super Ground 2.25

Wove Mags saddle
Wolf Tooth Del pedals
God & Famous Pizza tape
Garmin Edge 1050
Literally every fastener was replaced with a raw Ti version from Ti-Parts or Better Bolts

18 lbs 15 oz for everything above

Random other thoughts:
The wheels may not be the final build. I have a set of Zipp 303 SW XPLR rims laced to I9 Solix hubs with Berd spokes that I really like but can't keep true for more than a few hundred miles at a time. Those weigh in at about 1300g, these XMCS wheels are just a hair above that with my set weighing in at 1322g (got the version without rim bed holes, so no tape. Weight doesn't include valves). I thought about going all out and doing a crazy wheel build like Duke Baccara Aero 42s with Extralite or Nonplus hubs but that wouldn't get me much lighter than the 1300g ballpark I am currently playing in. For about $1100 shipped, the XMCS wheels seemed promising and there are several folks out there who have reviewed the Ti spoke options and they seem to be ok.

Right now, my "dream" wheel build might be something like the Nextie SVG 39mm rims laced to NonPlus Ultra hubs with Berd Spokes which would cut about 230g from the wheel set weight.

I could also go down to the 2.1 Thunder Burt or Conti Race Kings and drop another 150g – 200g, which would land the full build closer to 18 lbs with pedals and computer.

I really want someone to bring back the super light XC race tires of the early 2010s now that sealants have gotten so much better. The old Furious Freds are great, the old Stans No Tubes mountain bike "bird" tires (Crow, Raven) were also great… or maybe they sucked and I am mis-remembering them lol. I vaguely remember only having user-error issues, like when I overcooked it in a turn and ran over a a bunch of cacti/cactuses.

The new Allied stem is pretty slick design-wise but a pain to setup. Luckily they have a dealer setup video on youtube that you can follow along with. Interestingly, the order of operations for which bolts on the stem to tighten first seems to matter a ton, so follow closely. Also, there is a small computer mount that functions as the bottom half of the bar clamp area but they don't have an option that deletes the mount, so with my chosen bars (which have a computer mount integrated) there is this stupid looking nub sticking out of the front of the stem where you would bolt on the provided computer mount that I can't get rid of.

My outgoing Canyon Grail CFR had a nice aero frame bag that was designed specifically for the bike. I have the Apidura Aero System frame bag/tt bag combo that I will run for most races along with a USWE hydro pack. I have King Iris cages for days when the heat makes riding with a pack untenable.