[Secret_squirrel]

Folks as above – seriously considering a Gradient purchase as a one-bike-to-rule-them-all, Road biased Adventure bike, but struggling for alternatives at a similar price point.

Best I can come up with are :
Ribble CGR Ti – but not as “sexy”
Sonder Camino Ti – but currently sold out
Laverack J.Ack – dearer

Anything else I should be considering? Maybe Planet X Tempest, but put off by the “budget” connotations. Anyone have real life experience?

Topic

[Secret_squirrel]

I ended up with a Gradient

I ended up with a Gradient Frame in the end.  Delivered at the end of Nov and built up over Xmas.

Reilly were great to deal with, upgraded the fork to one with bottle bosses.  Think lead time was 8-10 weeks, but it turned up a week earlier than expected.   Also one day after my birthday.  Attached pic on its second outing, still tinkering a bit.

 

[Recoveryride]

Fair enough dude. And a Bokeh

Fair enough dude. And a Bokeh ti is out of my price range too. Good luck with the search.

[Secret_squirrel]

Thanks for the screenshot. I

Thanks for the screenshot. I guess Alex’s comments make sense given his experience. Not sure 1 bad case of packing warrants bad mouthing all over the internet – especially if it was refunded.   I personally am a happy prior Ribble customer and they recently answered my query on a 3 year old bike. I also have bent plenty of rotors in my time so wouldn’t have reacted like Alex without further damage but each to their own. 

[OnYerBike]

Dingaling wrote:

I’m assuming you are right and I tried again but I cannot scroll down to the comments. I guess that is because I am not on FB.

Huh, I was able to view the comments without being logged in (you need to click “comments” rather than just scroll down). But in any case I’ve grabbed a screenshot.

For what it’s worth I have no connection to Alex nor any personal experience of Ribble, just trying to help!

[Dingaling]

I’m assuming you are right

I’m assuming you are right and I tried again but I cannot scroll down to the comments. I guess that is because I am not on FB.

[OnYerBike]

I suspect the link was

I suspect the link was intended to take you to one of the numerous comments below the main photo (specifically the one from Alex Brynner) – although several of the other comments are also fairly critical of Ribble’s customer service.

[Dingaling]

Avoid Ribble? And then gives

Avoid Ribble? And then gives a link to show what a great experience using that model is. 

[stuartdbuchanan]

Like dolly, above, I went for

Like dolly, above, I went for the Spectre over the Gradient just over a year ago.  In my case I decided that I was going to do more road than gravel riding, and I didn’t need the rack mounts.  Did a couple of 400km rides on it and it was perfect.  I’ve also done a bit of light (dry) gravel riding on it and it’s been fine, even with the road tyres.  I’m now planning for a second set of dynamo wheels so I can run both road and gravel tyres.  

I’ve got SKS Longboard mudguards for the winter, which work very well.

I’d recomment the mirror finish logos – they are the business.

I’m sure whatever you choose will be awesome :).

[Secret_squirrel]

Sonder  are on the list but

Sonder  are on the list but the Colibri  Ti has been out for months  

Im sure the mason is amazing but just not interested in Alu and the resolution is too close to my existing Strael  The downtube on the ISO offends me – makes it look like a hydroformed mainstream MTB.  I think the Mason Ti would be lovely but not exactly in bang for buck territory  

 

[Recoveryride]

I’m a big fan of Mason, and

I’m a big fan of Mason, and when I went down there to test, one of the bikes I tested was a Definition with a SRAM 1x setup and 30mm Schwalbe G1 tyres. It wasn’t ideal for what I was looking for, but I do remember getting off that bike and thinking ‘if I wanted a bike for moderate road stuff and light gravel this would be it’. Yes, it’s aluminium not titanium, but I reckon specced properly it would fit your requirements and price points very well.

Also consider Sonder, as mentioned. The physio I see for a nagging hamstring issue used to work for Movistar (so I’m guessing he knows what he’s on about) recommended them very highly – a lot of bike for the money.

[mostly]

I’m about to take a punt on
I’m about to take a punt on the spectre, did you go for the gradient? I’m thinking of keeping my topstone for wide tyre malarkey.

[AllegedlyAnthony]

Have you looked at Tom Sturdy
Have you looked at Tom Sturdy’s stuff? It cost more than off the peg but you get exactly what you want, it’s unique and Tom’s an absolute genius. Love mine…

[Secret_squirrel]

Alex Brynner wrote:

Avoid Ribble CGT Ti, to be sure not to experience what I experienced : https://www.facebook.com/RibbleCycles/photos/a.454910090816/10157533457185817/?comment_id=10157542785550817&reply_comment_id=10157544350600817&force_theater=true&notif_id=1598610459980492&notif_t=photo_reply&ref=notif

 

sorry dude your post makes no sense, neither does the link. 

[Alex Brynner]

Avoid Ribble CGT Ti, to be

Avoid Ribble CGT Ti, to be sure not to experience what I experienced : https://www.facebook.com/RibbleCycles/photos/a.454910090816/10157533457185817/?comment_id=10157542785550817&reply_comment_id=10157544350600817&force_theater=true&notif_id=1598610459980492&notif_t=photo_reply&ref=notif

[matthewn5]

Sure, I should have said ‘don

Sure, I should have said ‘don’t overlook stainless’ if you’re looking at titanium. But as for tube shaping, most of these bikes use round tubes, there’s not much shaping going on with these very high strength steels and titanium alloys. The tuning comes from playing with the butting, tube diameters, geometry, and so on.

[Author]

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