Christian Pipe Smokers

Been on blood thinner medication for a while so I decided to sell my mountain bike. If I took a pretty good El Kaboing to my melon again by going over the bars I have a high risk of a brain bleed.

I have couple friends who have been bugging me to go gravel riding/racing with them so I've decided to go in that direction.

I sold my mountain bike, a 2016 Trek Stashe 9.0 Project 1 that looked like it just rolled off the showroom floor. It ships out Monday and the buyer should get it Thursday. I'll make my decision by then and buy next weekend.

I'm looking for a steel gravel bike with a more heads up riding position. I've got 3-4 picked out and will post them in a bit.

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There were a few threads on the old site about Rivendells, but I don't think any of us ever got one.

My current budget is $2k. If I buy online I have to figure shipping into the bike price. Buy local, taxes. So I'm guessing that $1850-1900 is my upper pricepoint.

First up is the Surly Ghost Grappler. It's their version of a dropbar mountainbike. Runs on 650b tires (can also run 700c with an additional wheelset). Have always liked the Surly vibe. Build on it is pretty nice, would want to change the brake calipers soon after getting it. The stack height on this frame is pretty high which would put the dropbars at a higher level than a typical gravelbike which would help with my neck problems.

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I used to have a Surly Long Haul Trucker. I put the better part of 5000 miles on it. It was crushed when moving back from Okinawa. I should get a new one.

I love this: "Cleared for girthy tires and decorated with an array of mounts for hauling your daily provisions and overnight gear."

Jocose wrote: 11 Apr 2022, 07:59 That's a work of art.

A work of art sans pedals. Must be a Warhol thing.

Next up is the Breezer Radar X. It's basically a monstercross bike (cyclecross bike with clearance for big mountain bike tires). This one has the best build spec of anything I'm looking at right now. Has room to run 29 x 2.5 tires. This one is more of a traditional cx/road layout so I'd have to run a stem with more rise (which I have in my possession). I have found one 1.5 hours away so I'll try it out this weekend.

Joe Breeze (owner of Breezer) is one of the OGs of mountainbiking. Really like his way of doing things and there is a bit of his soul in his bikes.

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