Planet X, Ribble or Spa Cycles ?

[All uphill]

You mention living in Somerset, have you visited Thorn to see what they could do for you?

I know they are not fans of Ti, but you would be able to have a bike built with their input to your requirements.

 

[vickster]

If cool with steel, Temple do an adventure disc and have a base in Bristol
https://www.templecycles.co.uk/pages/adventure-disc-collection
https://www.templecycles.co.uk/pages/our-stores

Sonder bikes from Alpkit an option too, they do a Ti gravel
https://alpkit.com/collections/sonder-gravel-bikes

 

[rivers]

I can't help with a bike recommendation. However, on my gravel bike I'm running a 46/30 chainset with an 11-42 cassette in the back (so a low of 19 gear inches, a high of 115). It took a bit of wizardry (ie aftermarket components paired with a deore rear mech), but it runs/shifts brilliantly. Although if you go 2x GRX with an 11-36 cassette, you can get down to about 23 gear inches.

 

[Liffy99]

PX put a 2* groupset on my Tempest for me so they are open to changing kit out.

Plenty of space for wide tyres - my knobblies are 38mm and fit under the full mudguards.

You could get 650 wheels and go really wide.

Not really interested in very wide tyres. Principal use for me is minor roads and towpaths etc. not looking to do ‘technical’ off roading. I expect tyres around 35-38 would be the sweet spot for me. Good to know that PX might be amenable to changing groupsets.

 

[vickster]

Not really interested in very wide tyres. Principal use for me is minor roads and towpaths etc. not looking to do ‘technical’ off roading. I expect tyres around 35-38 would be the sweet spot for me. Good to know that PX might be amenable to changing groupsets.

Groupset stocks have been low since the pandemic so do check

 

[Liffy99]

My gravel bike is a 1X10 38T 11-34. Even using it as a winter road bike on slicks, whilst occasionally I've reached "full" RPM / cadence in 38-11, that's touching 30mph, which will do me on the flat, I can freewheel beyond that.
42-11 gives you around 35mph cut-off, I'm not sure you want to be going much faster than that at your age

re gaps, you don't really notice in the real world, as the 2,3,4 T jumps are on your "going up hill" gears where often you would change twice on a say 28 max cassette as the gradient changes anyway wouldnt you.

finally do not do a one in one out, two bikes is not excessive. Just have a clear out of the junk you store but never use - sounds like there is loads of it.

Yep, 25mph on the flat is pretty damn rare these days 😂
Sadly, much as I have been trying to chuck junk out, most of it is the wive’s ( yoghurt maker used once, spare freezer when we had an allotment, cupboard full of jams and pickles several years old, . . . ) . But just cannot find the space for a bike without it being an utter obstacle - even trying to hoist it up toward the ceiling.

 

[Venod]

Although if you go 2x GRX with an 11-36 cassette, you can get down to about 23 gear inches.

I run exactly this set up on my SPA Elan, on one set of wheels, the wheels in the pic are 11-32, the tyres on my other wheels measure 40mm and there is plenty of clearance with guards.

 

[T4tomo]

most of it is the wive’s ( yoghurt maker used once, spare freezer when we had an allotment, cupboard full of jams and pickles several years old, . . . )

sound like all that could be thrown out and make room for a bike!! Save your kids from having to do it when the time comes....

 

[craigwend]

Order* the London Road it's a nice bike, a friend got one for similar reasons, I suspect the gears will be fine and you underestimate yourself

I've got a PX hurricane, which I've been more than pleased, with running 28s though it can go up to 30s and I suspect a bit more. You get used to SRAM quickly and very much like it

PX frames have some nice touches, like the direct hole thing for mudguards under the bridge, well designed frames for a lot less than others

* the longer you leave it, the longer it takes and you wait , my Hurricane came quicker than the original 'guess' estimate

 

[Sittingduck]

sound like all that could be thrown out and make room for a bike!! Save your kids from having to do it when the time comes....

Steady on - your have never even met the woman...

 

[Liffy99]

Order* the London Road it's a nice bike, a friend got one for similar reasons, I suspect the gears will be fine and you underestimate yourself

I've got a PX hurricane, which I've been more than pleased, with running 28s though it can go up to 30s and I suspect a bit more. You get used to SRAM quickly and very much like it

PX frames have some nice touches, like the direct hole thing for mudguards under the bridge, well designed frames for a lot less than others

* the longer you leave it, the longer it takes and you wait , my Hurricane came quicker than the original 'guess' estimate

Wish I did underestimate - a double bypass and botched hip replacement have taken their toll 😂

 

[Liffy99]

I run exactly this set up on my SPA Elan, on one set of wheels, the wheels in the pic are 11-32, the tyres on my other wheels measure 40mm and there is plenty of clearance with guards.

View attachment 651007

That looks just the job ( though the grx specs I’ve seen all seem to quote an 11/32 cassette. Re the actual bike, how do you find it ? Edging towards a road bike or tourer ? How does it cope with limited off road use ?
i think I need to go and find a ‘gravel’ bike to try. Trying to figure it out from websites is impossible as they all claim they are do it all bikes, even with differing geometries and tyre clearances.

 

[Venod]

That looks just the job ( though the grx specs I’ve seen all seem to quote an 11/32 cassette. Re the actual bike, how do you find it ? Edging towards a road bike or tourer ? How does it cope with limited off road use ?
i think I need to go and find a ‘gravel’ bike to try. Trying to figure it out from websites is impossible as they all claim they are do it all bikes, even with differing geometries and tyre clearances.

Spa advertise the Elan as their alrounder and it is true to the claims, I use it mainly as a wet weather/winter road bike with mudguards, I have used it of road with no problems, I have an OnOne Pickenflick which has had some serious abuse off road and still rides well, but it is a CX frame with no mudguard eyes, I have a couple of mates with PX Spitfire's, but if I was going the PX route I would go for the Tempest or a Titus.
I just bought the frame and built it myself, the GX rear derailleur easily copes with 11-36.

 

[T4tomo]

That looks just the job ( though the grx specs I’ve seen all seem to quote an 11/32 cassette. Re the actual bike, how do you find it ? Edging towards a road bike or tourer ? How does it cope with limited off road use ?
i think I need to go and find a ‘gravel’ bike to try. Trying to figure it out from websites is impossible as they all claim they are do it all bikes, even with differing geometries and tyre clearances.

I wouldn't get too hung up on nuances in geometries, most of the bike you are looking at will have a slightly longer wheelbase and slightly higher head tube (like a tourer does) than an out and out road race/ aero bike. There isn't a whole heap of difference between the magnitude of choices of drop handlebar bikes, despite the marketing departments being convinced they are completely different and life changing.

more of the differences are in rack / luggage/ guard mounts and tyre clearance etc.