# Gravel Grinder



## Stilwell

Help me find the right bike! I've got a steel road bike, for a second bike I am looking for something to ride on gravel / rail trails. 700C's with 35 to 40 tires. A Kona Dew Deluxe looks good so far, can it run bigger tires?


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## My Own Private Idaho

Hi. I've got a Salsa Fargo that I put 48's on. It could take much larger tires though.


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## andleo

My Own Private Idaho said:


> Hi. I've got a Salsa Fargo that I put 48's on. It could take much larger tires though.


I have a fargo as well, when I built the bike I used the wheels from my mountain bike, the front is a 29x2.35 rampage it fit no problem

right now I am using a set of marathon supremes- 28x2.00, plenty of clearance

I also use wtb nano's in 29x2.1 gobs of room

I love my fargo


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## rcnute

Drop bar Karate Monkey?

Cross-Check?

Singular?

Double-Cross?

Old touring bike?

I have a Rawland Sogn 650b that will take 2.3" knobbies.


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## weltyed

i just built up a singular swift. it is a flatbar 1x9 right now as it might go to The Wife when the weather gets nicer. i was thinking of building it up as a dropbar, but its disc only, so i would have needed to get get road specific calipers. 

the frame is very nice. smooth welds, great paint, and it rides even smoother than the welds. reminds me of a compact version of my 95 steel rockhopper (most comfortable bike i have ever had).

the salsa casserole is also a popular bike.


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## onrhodes

I've got both a Salsa Fargo and a Soma Double Cross. If you have even the slightest inkling of of hitting trails or rougher terrain I'd suggest something like the Fargo, if you are looking at just rail trails and gravel and dirt roads, the Soma or as you stated the Kona would do you well.
Do you want drop bars or flat bars? The Salsa Vaya may be an alternative too.


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## My Own Private Idaho

andleo said:


> I love my fargo


+1. I love mine too.


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## Lotophage

Stilwell said:


> Help me find the right bike! I've got a steel road bike, for a second bike I am looking for something to ride on gravel / rail trails. 700C's with 35 to 40 tires. A Kona Dew Deluxe looks good so far, can it run bigger tires?


A fargo is serious overkill for gravel paths. A CX bike is overkill. 

If you're talking crushed, compacted pea gravel, just ride your regular bike. If you've got a steel road bike, chances are it will run 28s. Get a pair, swap them on and go. Heck, get a whole new set of wheels to hold those 28s to make swapping even easier- still cheaper than a new bike. Or just ride your regular tires.

Bikes aren't that fragile. You can ride them on all sorts of surfaces and they'll do just fine. Crushed pea gravel is pretty smooth with the occasional pothole and the occasional deep spot that you're gonna sink in unless you're running a 2" tire. 

Unless you are just looking for an excuse to buy another bike.


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## JohnHemlock

Lotophage said:


> A fargo is serious overkill for gravel paths. A CX bike is overkill.
> 
> If you're talking crushed, compacted pea gravel, just ride your regular bike. If you've got a steel road bike, chances are it will run 28s. Get a pair, swap them on and go. Heck, get a whole new set of wheels to hold those 28s to make swapping even easier- still cheaper than a new bike. Or just ride your regular tires.
> 
> Bikes aren't that fragile. You can ride them on all sorts of surfaces and they'll do just fine. Crushed pea gravel is pretty smooth with the occasional pothole and the occasional deep spot that you're gonna sink in unless you're running a 2" tire.
> 
> Unless you are just looking for an excuse to buy another bike.


+1. it's a triumph of marketing departments that people go out and buy new bikes just to ride gravel and rails to trails and rural roads.


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## Pablo

Lotophage said:


> A fargo is serious overkill for gravel paths. A CX bike is overkill.
> 
> If you're talking crushed, compacted pea gravel, just ride your regular bike. If you've got a steel road bike, chances are it will run 28s. Get a pair, swap them on and go. Heck, get a whole new set of wheels to hold those 28s to make swapping even easier- still cheaper than a new bike. Or just ride your regular tires.
> 
> Bikes aren't that fragile. You can ride them on all sorts of surfaces and they'll do just fine. Crushed pea gravel is pretty smooth with the occasional pothole and the occasional deep spot that you're gonna sink in unless you're running a 2" tire.
> 
> Unless you are just looking for an excuse to buy another bike.


Yup. 

One note though: I found that having a second set of wheels, as opposed to changing tires, brings additional challenges. You also need to buy a new cassette for the new set of wheeels and that means you need to make sure your wear on both cassettes is relatively even such that the chain does not skip.


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## andleo

Lotophage said:


> A fargo is serious overkill for gravel paths. A CX bike is overkill.
> 
> If you're talking crushed, compacted pea gravel, just ride your regular bike. If you've got a steel road bike, chances are it will run 28s. Get a pair, swap them on and go. Heck, get a whole new set of wheels to hold those 28s to make swapping even easier- still cheaper than a new bike. Or just ride your regular tires.
> 
> Bikes aren't that fragile. You can ride them on all sorts of surfaces and they'll do just fine. Crushed pea gravel is pretty smooth with the occasional pothole and the occasional deep spot that you're gonna sink in unless you're running a 2" tire.
> 
> Unless you are just looking for an excuse to buy another bike.


I wish our gravel roads where like that around here 2" crushed granite gets used everywhere, small tires just sink

the fargo may be overkill for his use but it is an incredibly versatile bike it gets ridden more than my cx (set up for road) bike, city bike and mountain bike combined


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## Stilwell

The Fargo looks good! Our gravel around here is pretty rough, I am looking at riding the "Dirty Kanza" which is close by and skinny tires will not survive. Thanks for your advice!


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## acckids

Takes 32c tire. Road bike with some cross capabilities. Made by Waterford with Verus tubing. 

http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=612_2235&products_id=11744


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## Mr Pink57

I rock a Vassago Fisticuff and it does well on the gravel, road, and anything I take it on. Granted I swap tires for each situation.

Biggest I can get in there is a 47c Smart Sam.


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## zmudshark

I have an old Schwinn Voyageur SP that I use for gravel/trails. I have 35c tires on it, and could go much bigger, I think. I paid $35 for the bike, then built it up with parts laying around to modernize it. It works well, and not too much invested. I think the tires were the single biggest expense.


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## rmsmith

Look no further than the Co-Motion Pangea Rohloff, an expedition touring bike.


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