All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

Sill protectors are cheap insurance. Those and bed mats are the first things added to any truck I own, right behind ceramic tint on any vehicle.

 

damn. i've wanted a kuat or a 1up rack.

 

Got in some fun rides the last two days. Gravel grinding and single track surfing.
G

 

Looks awesome! Our weather here has been rough

 

Sorry enduro boys. 800mm jumbo jet bars just don’t work for me. Bike felt muted and lethargic. Stepping down to 780mm for a few rides.

Had my guys at the trek shop rebuild my shock and overhaul the rear suspension. That and the new fork I almost feel like I’ve got a whole new bike now. They were all drooling over my helm and looking up pricing to get their own

 

I've been riding at 760 for quite some time and considering going a bit narrower, I'm about 5'7" so megawide bars dont really make sense for me.

Not to mention some of my gnarliest crashes were from clipping trees and boulders.

 

Similar profile for me, 5’7” and normally run 750-760 bars. Likewise my area results in many bar-end/tree greetings.

The new fork I put on has a shorter offset, and what I’ve read/deduced was that a shorter stem and wider bars would put the steering feel on par with what I was already accustomed to. With the added benefit of the longer trail. I just went full tilt with the 800mm bar, knowing I could always whittle it down as needed or desired. 780 just seems like the next best step. If that’s still too wide I’ll keep going down by increments of 5mm at a time until I get it where I like it.

 

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/revolt-advanced-2-2020

How can Giant put out a full carbon 105 hydraulic gravel bike for 2450.00?

Two of my friends ride the Ultegra bike and love them.

Crazy

 

I hear ya, I'm at 780 (I'm about 5'8"). That seems to work well for me. You can always pop on some open-end grips and move them in for a romp around town to test other widths. Just be careful not to core-sample yourself...

 

Information overload!! Loooong time TW member, first time bike owner. I know it’s vanilla, but I ended up getting a giant stance 1 with Shimano xt and a single Sprocket Upgrade set new for 1600. If I really like the sport I’ll upgrade one day. I’m looking for the must haves now. Pedals (brand/pros/cons/etc)? Helmet? Bike rack/post for small fixes? And other stuff I need to pick up. Thanks for the help in advance!

 

Congrats on the new bike and hobby.

My main suggestion right now is start with platform flat pedals before trying clipless. Raceface Chester are one of the slickest options for the price going right now.

For a helmet, go to some local bike shops and try a bunch on. With your location, look for good coverage and ventilation. I prefer Giro brand, but there are tons of quality lids available. This is a category where you can not spend too much money; good fit / weight / coverage are all key.

While at the LBS, get some bike shorts. The difference between love and hate can be solved with bike shorts. You don’t have to go all Tour De France dork if you don't want, I used baggy cargo with a liner for most rides.

Grab a water bottle and cage, and worry about the rest later.

 

Even their bare carbon model is like 1800...it might have mechanical brakes but still, a lot of aluminum bikes don’t come with hydraulic discs in that price range. Very tempting to be honest

 

Here’s my 8yo kid enjoying her new bike, a Woom 5 “Off”. Super light and really affordable. Hydraulic discs, knobby 2.3s, carbon fork. 19 lbs. These feel like utopian years; who knows how many more I have before she gets disinterested in riding (or riding with me)?!?

 

https://www.evil-bikes.com/a/bikes/chamois-hagar

Speaking of gravel bikes...!

 

#thistruckmeansnothingtome

 

I think you mean hardtail bike that's full rigid? Lol. Seriously though, it's a really awesome looking bike. Maybe kinda niche. :/

 

Giant makes a lot of frames and components for other manufacturers so they work in WAY more volume than just about anyone else in that industry. Also, they spec their accessories low and are usually privately branded. It’s rare for them to spec a high-end wheel set, handlebars, etc... but their stuff is always solid. They don’t cut corners, just work in huge volumes.

 

That makes sense. I did notice they use a lot of giant brand components. Not bad for the price though, especially if the frame is solid. Just not as much bling factor with a giant haha

 

Oh, totally... you just have to factor in/budget for the upgrade costs of those pieces if you’re chasing a specific aesthetic, shaving weight, et al.

 

Has anyone tried a KB Voodoo hi rise rack with Rockymounts Driveshaft? Ive got the OEM tonneau and trying to avoid a hitch mount rack. Thanks!