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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...

Kurt's (äventyr bicycle bag Owner) new gravel bike

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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).]

Kurt's (äventyr bicycle bags Owner) Trek Crockett

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.

Kurt's (äventyr bicycle bags Owner) new Trek Crockett

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.

Kurt and DeAnn, Owners of äventyr bicycle bags

Behind the scenes:  How we wrote this post.

We hope you enjoyed this as much as we did putting it together! ~ Kurt (and DeAnn)

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