äventyr 1.2: Kurt's new bike ~ An Evolution of a Platform
This is the first in a series of posts we will be doing focused on Kurt's 2020 gravel äventyr.
Because we believe in the power of a bicycle, in the City and far, far out of the City...
New Bike Day!!!
I am pleased to introduce you to my new gravel bike! I handpicked all of the components. I never just buy a bike, I build a bike by selecting each and every detail. I ride thousands of miles a year and keep trying products to find what works best for me and my goals. Why is it important to share? Well, two-fold.
- The level of attention I pay to my bike set up is echoed in the thought and effort DeAnn and I put into our bags.
- Part of our mission with äventyr is to share our knowledge, normalize cycling, and emphasize our core belief that life is better through cycling ~ no matter how you roll.
How I happen to roll a lot (and now DeAnn too), is on gravel. I have four gravel events on my calendar this year (check our event page), and I decided it was time for an upgrade on my bicycle.
Here are all the cool things I put on my Trek Crockett, and why. Let's start with the most important thing... the frame!
[Note from DeAnn: If you are like me, you may be more into color and aesthetics and have a hard time getting past the first bit on the frameset below. BUT I will also be the first to tell you I DO care about my ride and how my bike helps me peform my best (or better). All the technical stuff Kurt talks about DOES matter. So do yourself a favor and make yourself read this and challenge yourself to understand it. I joke about 'make it pretty' a lot, it's a bit of an inside product development joke. And I mean it. But I also believe the details are important. So ~ keep reading! And/or find yourself a Kurt (hee hee).]
But seriously, how pretty is that?!!! (+dog running by in background (always)).
Trek Crockett Frameset
- Most fun do-it-all bike I have ever owned.
- Does gravel, road, and singletrack.
- Only .25 lbs heavier than carbon at less than half the price.
- I've ridden this frame at cycloscross and gravel events and it is an all-star everything!
Schwalbe G1 Gravel Tires
- Because they mount up tubeless very easily.
- They are very supple.
- They roll very fast.
- They are very light.
HED Ardennes LT Plus Wheels (*made in MN!)
- Very light! Wheyn you are going uphill you want as little weight as you can get.
- Strong. Singletrack certified road wheels.
- Wide, so they make your wide tires wider. Also, better mounting for wide tires.
- Best value in a non-carbon wheelset in my opinion, for a fraction of the price of carbon.
Silca Nastro Cuscino Bar Tape
- Unbelievable grip, stickiness, and comfort.
- Padding!
- Extra thick for big hands (which I have)
SRAM 1x Drivetrain (Force 1)
- Lighter, simpler, and you really only lose three gears over a 2x set up.
Rotor 40 Tooth Oval Chainring
- I just like them.
- I think for me, they do do something for some people ~ and I am one of those people
Enve G Series Gravel Bar
- Wide Flare makes riding on bumpy and loose gravel more stable. (tip I taught D for gravel success: Put your hands in those drops going downhill!)
Shimano 11x40 Rear Cassette
- The gears I need for most situation, including that long steep climb they always throw in at a gravel event.
- I personally like the gear spacing on Shimano better than SRAM; that's just me.
- I like the wide range cassette in the back so I am covered in almost every situation.
Behind the scenes: How we wrote this post.
We hope you enjoyed this as much as we did putting it together! ~ Kurt (and DeAnn)