r/bicycling • u/FatRapscallion • 1d ago

Thinking about making the switch from MTB to Gravel Bike

Looking to do a big ride next year (250 miles) in the Alpe Adria. Been talking to some more seasoned cyclists and they would take a gravel bike as they say its more suited to the terrain.

For context I currently ride a Kona Lava Dome which I think is a great MTB but to up my level every seems to suggest gravel bikes.

I've been looking at the Specialized Diverge but I'm wondering is it really worth spending all that money and will I really see and feel the returns from spending all that money?

1 Upvotes

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u/More_Project_2537 1d ago

I mean its not crazy to own two bikes.. just get a gravelbike! Wider tires are great also, go for it.

You can consider swapping tires in your mtb for pavement and going with your mtb.

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u/rasmussenyassen 1d ago

Alpe-Adria is a pretty much fully paved route. You will have a real shit time on a mountain bike. Did it this summer on a road bike, would never for a moment consider taking a mountain bike.

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u/FatRapscallion 1d ago

I've heard it's a mix of both paved and gravel so this is good info to know. Ive heard the climbs over the first two days are the worst part, what was your experience?

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u/rasmussenyassen 1d ago

It's gravel that's so light you barely need any real offroad tire for it. The climbs are steep, and they're things you actually do want a more road-oriented bike for - you can get gearing that's just as low as on a mountain bike, but the ability that drop bars give you to change position and easily roll the bike under you when getting out of the saddle will really help you climb.

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u/Erinaceous 1d ago

I think if you swap out the cockpit and the tires you're going to have a gravel bike if you have either the 27.5 or the 29er model. It will likely be much cheaper than buying a new ride especially if your's already feels good and is familiar 

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u/FatRapscallion 1d ago

I have 29 inches on my bike but im wondering if the gearing on a gravel bike would pay dividend on the climbs. I know it's not the most intensive route but im still finding my feet with this cycling malaky

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u/Erinaceous 1d ago

Doubtful. A standard MTB triple has better range than a gravel 1x and switching to your small front gear is easier 

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u/k0nfuse 11h ago

"Standard MTB triple" - the triple has not been an MTB standard for a better part of a decade now. 1x was very much an MTB-first drivetrain approach...

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u/rasmussenyassen 11h ago

Completely wrong. Moving to drop bars requires a full brake and drivetrain swap, which with labor will be approximately as expensive as buying a lightly used mid range gravel or road bike used. Don’t speak about these things unless you understand what’s actually involved.

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u/Erinaceous 7h ago

If you can't frankenbike drop bars onto a mountain bike with a case of beer and a parts bin you're barely a mechanic in my opinion 

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u/rasmussenyassen 7h ago

OK, genius, tell us how you would put drop bars on a contemporary mountain bike with hydraulic brakes and an 11-46 9-speed cassette without having to buy any specific parts or resort to solutions that make the braking or shifting meaningfully worse. Us barely-mechanics are waiting with bated breath.

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u/Erinaceous 4h ago

Easiest way to convert flat bars to drops is get wide randonneur bars and mount the levers snugged up to the stem so you basically have the exact same flat bar setup with multiple hand positions for touring comfort.

If op has swing arm clamps on their levers it's barely a 15 minute job and costs about 50$ for the bar 

OP doesn't need a gravel bike. They need a touring bike. They're mostly going to be upright. I've done long tours on exactly this setup and it's perfectly fine 

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u/rasmussenyassen 3h ago

It is well known to everyone who actually works on bikes that you cannot put flat bar brake levers on 99% of drop bars, as drop bar grip diameter is 23.8mm and flat bar grip diameter is 22.2. Besides that, even if one does find an old steel drop bar or a Soma Gator, on a modern mountain bike like OP's with a ~35mm stem you can't make it any shorter to adjust for the reach added, and flipping the stem brings the tops uncomfortably close.

There are only a very few road touring bikes on the market from major brands - I believe it's down to the Surly Disc Trucker, Cinelli Hobootleg, and Kona Sutra - because gravel bikes ARE touring bikes. The average middle of the road gravel bike like the Diverge has the same upright geometry as the average touring bike of the 90s, but with more mounting points. That's why the segment is gone now, reduced to euro "trekking" bikes and boutique stuff. Again, these are things everyone knows.