Just wanted to share with anyone who might be looking at this bike at their LBS and couldn’t find some information they were hoping to find like I was.
Comparing this bike with others in its same category and specs, you can get into a decent drop bar gravel bike for half what its competition is asking.
I come from a more mountain bike and bikepacking experience with just a little gravel experience, It’s not my number one category of cycling but since I picked this up I’m training on it almost daily.
Some component swaps I did right away for comfort and to “unlock” what this bike can do for me.
I ditched the bar as I didn’t find the stock one wide enough for me and the drops were really deep. I prefer a more comfortable position so i picked up a richey bar with shallow drops.
The WTB tires were OK, but felt more like Velcro when on the dirt, picking up small pebbles and they were also more narrow than I preferred. I went with some specialized 700x50s for more traction and better float at lower pressure. 50mm width in the back is about as big as you should go without worrying about the chain stays getting kissed by the side knobs.
By far the most noticeable was a carbon wheel upgrade. This really changed everything about this bike. I would recommend this being the first big upgrade, plus with the $ you save over other bikes in this category, you can use to find some lighter and stiffer wheels.
The e13 wide range cassette and new chain for easier climbing. (Switched to XD freehub with new wheels)
I also changed the seat post to a carbon one to help take offset the road chatter.
I plan to make this a “fast” bikepacking rig for when I go solo and want to move quickly.
So far, I really like this bike and I would recommend it to anyone on a budget but wants the weight savings and compliance of a carbon frame.
by Small_Breadfruit6654