How to Choose Your First Gravel Bike
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 7. 09. 2024
- Thinking of buying your first gravel bike? This video will help.
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VILLAIN CYCLES
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BIKES
Surly Midnight Special
Jamis Beatnik
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HOST INFO
Carlo Villarica - Bike | Photography | Podcast - Enthusiast
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Take_Your_Time by Dan Lebowitz / @lebo_tone
Thanks, and I totally agree. I just bought last month my gravel bike. It's a Merida Silex 200, size Small, and I think fits my 5'7" frame perfectly.
Fit probably is lost important. Enjoy the bike!
I use to ride an RB when I was just starting, it hurts my back and it's so uncomfortable. That's why I switched to MTB, and after few years of riding my bike I feel like wanna add Gravel in my bike rotation since I want a bit speed but I don't want to go back to RB yet. I'm aiming for a more road type gravel bike. This vid really helped me. Thanks man!
Glad it helped! Also a good bike fit does wonders
Thank you for a great video! Researching for my first gravel bike that Iâm gonna get for bikepacking.
nice! Hope this helped.
Totally agree with your points here brother. I just bought a Surly Straggler as my first gravel bike
Nice! I was looking at that one too before I ended up with the Midnight Special
Excellent channel! Happy I subscribed. Very good advice on Gravel bikes.
Thanks!
Looking to build my own gravel bike. This is a great and informative video! thank you! keep up the good content
Thanks for watching!!
Looking forward to purchase my first gravel bike. Thanks for the your great infođŽđ»ââïžđŽđŽââïž
Good luck!
Great video Carlo.
Now looking at buying / building my first gravel bike and your thoughts have come in really useful to me.
All the best.
Glad to hear that this video was useful to you. Thanks for watching!
Totally agree with him. Owner of gravel bike as well. Ride safeđđ»
Thanks, you too!
Great Video Bro! I have 2 MTBs one for me and for my wife, but I am interested to go for a Gravel bike after watching your videos.
More Power bro and Keep safe always!
Thanks! Be safe!
I purchased a Ferrino Monstro gravel bike a week ago and I'm from Cebu. I wish I had seen this video earlier. I was also considering the Pinewood Katana and the Kespor GSX. In hindsight, I think the GSX might have been the better choice for me. :(
It's okay. I'm sure whatever bike you have right now will get you far. Anyway, you can always get a new one in the future
Happy to find your channel, sir. No BS and no noisy stuff. Subbed.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your ideas on buying our first Gravel Bike. It's a big help for us who is aspiring to have our own Gravel Bike. Good luck to us and If you have one, enjoy gravelling.
Glad to help!
Thank you for the input, It confirm my right choice.
Giant advance Revolt 0 đ
Good choice!
I am loving the comment about budget. Budget means building/buying within a given budget and not necessarily cheaper. :)
Also.... YES! Steel is
Ya budget is a tricky thing. Thanks bai!!
Hi. Loved your video. I'm planning to buy a gravel bike and this guide helped me get in the right direction. Question, did you ever try an e-bike, specially in your city with a lot of climbs? I do not have as much time as i wish for going out and cycling so I am seriously considering an e-bike. But they are very expensive. Cheers
ebikes are great! My parents have one and I tried them. It makes the climbs so much easier and allows them to go cycling with me despite the difference in fitness.
Great video Carlo..... Iâm a roady but starting to look at Gravel bikes. Really interesting
Thanks! I'm a gravel cyclist looking at road bikes at the moment haha
Awesome straight to the point video! Very insightful while researching on gravel bike options. Thanks!! đ”ââïžđČ
Glad you found it helpful!
love the comment on the bike looks. really motivates you
Glad to hear it!
Sir Carlo, I'm planning to buy Pinewood Katana GR, do u think it's good to buy it?
For the price, seems ok. If you were to do a lot of climbing, I would have preferred a 46/30 crankset. That's the only thing that stood out. Again if you were going to do a lot of climbing (which means you will be doing a lot of descending), I would check reviews on the Brakes - Pro Mechanical Hydraulic 2022. If they stop well, then I guess it is ok.
This bike right? --> facebook.com/PINEWOODBIKE/posts/2142570105917466
@@carlovillarica yes po, yan nga po yung bike. Salamat po sir
Very helpful content, bro! Keep it up!
Thanks, will do!
I know there's a bunch of tubeless setup videos out there, but it'd be nice if you could create one as well. More content is always welcome
I made one. It's one of my early videos. Super frustrating haha czcams.com/video/78_BMZ5yNqE/video.html
Personally, i dont mind on choosing the frame material, and tyres. But in terms of groupsets, I recommend a mullet build for it
I got a mullet on mine! haha
@@carlovillarica Chill at the front, PARTY AT THE BACK! haha
Thanks for the suggestions. I have been curious about gravel bikes for some time now.
Can you make a video of your recommended gravel bike frames, from cheap, budget, entry, to even pricier ones for people interested in this genre of biking?
Thanks. I think it would really help a lot of people who have no idea where or what to look for on a gravel bike.
Appreciate the suggestion. I've been thinking about doing that, but I'm not comfortable with talking about bikes I've never tried. Although, there are definitely a few bikes that I would like to try. I'm interested in trying All City bikes, the Traction Roloo, any good Titanium bike like a Moots, Crust bikes, the new Specialized Diverge, the Marin Headlands, etc. Lots of good bikes to choose from.
will be waiting for it then.
or you can have a vote from your gravel bike community of what their top picks for each category is, then you can just post it here. come up with a consensus so to speak. hehe
Hello! I'm planning to buy a Gravel Bike but I'm still having a hard time choosing one. Can you recommend me atleast 2-3 Gravel Bike under 30k? Thank you very much :))
Best to check with your local bike shop. I haven't really looked at what is available at the moment and I am reluctant to try bikes that I haven't tried. I have tried the Atlas Traction and I think it's a great bike and value for money
@@carlovillarica Thank you po for the recommendation and being honest. Ride safe po always sir :)
@@kamisamadrian7004 pinewood katana gr. Naka tiagra na
This video is very informative. Hope to see more of you sir!
Glad it was helpful! Lots more videos to add to the archive soon
Thanks bro! Nice video
Thanks also!
Getting ideas from you for my next gravel bike
.. đđđ
Great to hear!
Thanks Carlo. This is very informative. Good content man.
Glad you liked it!
Best guide ever heard.thanks
Glad you found it useful
Sir carlo, i would just like to ask what's a much better built for a gravel bike, one with a dropbar or flatbar? Thank you!
I prefer dropbar. But that's only perseonal preference.
Thank you sir carlo!
Where did you get your grx groupset? Awesome vids btw!
Thanks! Ordered mine from my mechanic, Toto's Bike Stand in Mandaue.
I want my first hand brand new bike to be the....graveelllll bike its just like 3 in 1 na kapi..hop have one soon..thanks for the info.
Best of luck!
Is the Traction Grrit worth buying? I'm switching to gravel bike. Thanks for this video!
I think it's a good bike for the price
Thank you sir! Nice content. Very informative especially for noobs like me.
Thanks for watching!
@@carlovillarica subscribed sir! Bought a gravel bike for my very first bike. It's one of the budget ones. I really like it but would have been better if I saw this video before buying.
@@josemariabathan1513 As long as you like it and ride it! haha Thanks for subscribing!
@@josemariabathan1513 may i ask how much your bike was and maybe a quick review? Im planning to buy a gravel bike too, maybe in the budget group
@@brandonbugtai8346 I got the Mountainpeak Mission for 20k. I like riding it but it is my first ever full size bike so I don't have anything to compare it to. But I like that the geometry is relaxed. Malamang sasakit likod ko kung aggressive yung design niya.
Thank you sir, nice content!
Thanks for watching!
Sir, nindot kaayo imong content. I am new to biking(well the last time I bike was when I was in grade school....). I currently have a budget/entry level XC MTB. Alloy frame. Shimano tourney groupset, mechanical disc.. Mostly on roads rako. No plans of trailing soon. Na-enganyo ko kaayo sa gravel bikes kay for me, pwede kaayo pang road and pwede sad sa rough roads, kahibaw naka sa dalan sa pinas, labi nas atoa sa cebu. I am planning to convert my bike to a gravel bike. Of course, budget is a main concern/factor. I was thinking magchange lang ko ug drop bars/loop bar(which I found sa fb marketplace) and rigid fork. Pwede na ba matawag ug gravel bike na? Or do I really need to change the tires na pang-gravel?
Daghan salamat Sir and more power sa channel!
Pwd na na uy. Gravel bike really is just a marketing term. Basically any bike nga pwd mag offroad is technically a gravel bike. Ang advantage lang sa gravel compared to an MTB is that it is fast gihapon sa road.
I plan to buy a viper assault 2. What do you think about it? It's gonna be my first gravel/road type bike. I've been mountain biking for a while. I wanted to try the other side of the spectrum
I don't really have an opinion on it. I try not to make judgements about bikes I've never ridden.
If you can, give it a spin, try the shifting, and maybe see if there are reviews about it online.
great content, brother! subscribed! i am
into gravel biking and i agree with you on this video đđ»
my brother is based in cebu, can i ask for some bike shop recos? i want to ask my brother to look for some parts/accessories for me
btw. yes! hydraulics are game changers
Try YKK.
Sir whatâs a nice wheelset for gravel bikes?
Best place to look would be your local bike shop. Most gravel wheelsets from bigbrands should be good.
Pwede ka pong maging representative ng Gravel Biking sa Pilipinas sa CZcams gaya ng iba pang Cyc vloger pero kapag magTatagalog ka at maglagay ka na lng ng Subtitles para Friendly sa Foreigner
My tagalog isn't great. So that probably won't work. Thanks though!
Hello, can you do a Top budget Steel Gravel Bike frames?
I wish I could but I don't like talking about bikes I've never tried before.
do you think seatpost height can conpensate for a short seat tube? i've been thinking of buying this gravel bike but the available frames doesn't match my height. would really really appreciate the reply!
hey man! I wish I could help, but I'm not an expert in bike fit. Best to consult a fitter in your area
Totally agree on every point đđ
Thanks!
Sir Carlo, can I ask your personal opinion.. Would it be ok to buy a mtb then gradually convert it to gravel bike? I'm considering the Polygon Heist X series, reason being..
a. Thru axle
b. Bike geometry
c. Components
d. Tyre clearance
e. Wheel size (27.5 since I'm 165cm tall)
Thoughts on upgrade would be changing it to a jones loop bar.
If I may add, no. Iâve trying to do this with my old Specialized Rockhopper, and Iâm not happy at all. Now Iâm looking for a proper gravel, perhaps in the 1000-2000 range, NS Bikes Rag+2 looks good. Canyon grail too.
I don't see why not. Those projects always sound like fun to me, but I lack the necessary know-how and patience to get something like that done. Just double check that the fit is good for your body type. Maybe compare geo numbers to a bike you already have
Ya conversions are tricky. Some people like it and some don't.
Thank you so much ..
Hope it helped.
Hi can i suggest a topic how to shift gears on your gravel bike.i'm still a newbie gravel bike rider in Cebu.thank you đ
Welcome to cycling! Maybe in the future. Just curious, what's your question on shifting gears? It's usually something you will eventually figure out with enough experience cycling.
Carlo Villarica - No Boring Days if going uphill and downhill and how to avoid cross chain.
Very informative content. Salamat bai! đ
Thanks bai!
Very informative... thank you Sir
Thanks for watching!
Do you have any recommendations on bike shops here in cebu?
Dan's, YKK, CYcle Logic, Bikecology, Toto's Bike Stand
Looking for my first bike, want to have a road bike or something in between road and mtb. I don't want to spend too much on my first bike until I know what I really into, so budget is around 10k to 20k. whats my best option?
It really depends on what is available in the shops. I have difficulty giving specific recommendations because most shops can barely keep bikes in stock right now. My suggestion is visit a few shops and ask them what is available. Then join a cycling Facebook group and ask the group what their opinions are on the specific bike. Chances are someone in the group will have already tried that bike.
Nice video. How much was the GRX groupset? And which one did you get?
GRX600. I forget. It was expensive haha about 30-40k? Probably same list price as it is now.
@@carlovillarica ah. Maybe the RX400 will be more affordable. Just 1 gear less.
@@carlovillarica oh. 1x ba ka? if so, how is it on the road?
@@carlovillarica and how heavy diay imong surly?
@@jonathangapay1724 2x. My Surly is pretty heavy. About 13kilos.
Where did you scored your midnight special frame sir and how much?
US. I think $600-700. Back then, there was no stock. You can try ykk or built cycles. I heard they have stock again.
Sir, what size of a gravel bike does 5'8-5'9 height most suitable?
It really depends on the brand. For Surly, it's likely a size 54
Good watch! Been eyeing for gravel for quite sometime, problem now is where to find one as most are not on stock. đ
That's true. So many people with bikes nowadays. That's a good problem though haha Hopefully the shops bring in more soon
On point...
Thanks!
Is shimano claris good enough for gravel bike? 34T cog rear?
I ran shimano claris for more than a year before switching to GRX. It is fine, especially if you are in a budget. When I upgraded, the biggest difference I felt were in the hydraulic brakes and the wider gear ratio allowed by a GRX.
Hey, can anyone suggest good shops in Cebu to buy/build a gravel bike.
IT really depends on availability at this point. The usual places like YKK, Cycle Logic or Bikecology probably have. You can also try Mark Acantilado. He's helped a few people procure bikes
Nice Content Bro! Ride nya ta someday. Ride safe bro....
Thanks bai! If ever you make it back to Cebu, let's ride!
More power sir!!
Thank you!
Where did you buy the jamis renegade frame sir?
Bought it as a built bike in Missing Link in Robinsons
Sir any shop here in Cebu you could recommend for Gravel Bike building?
YKK is safest choice. Problem lang now is that a lot of the shops don't have stock
Thank you gid boss
Thanks for watching!
2020 Giant Escape 1 Disc Gravel Bike Setup soon đ
Nice!
Carlo Villarica - No Boring Days pag ingun nimong GRX imong groupset napanganga ko kay it costs a lot..heheh im planning to upgrade to 105 lng kay medyo cheaper than the GRX..
@@cebuanongXtaiwan i understand. Mahal gyud ang GRX. I bit the bullet nlng gyud. Anyway maka lipay hahaha
Carlo Villarica - No Boring Days hehehe lageh sir..as of now naka tiagra 10speed ko with 50-34T crankset..naanad naman lang pd ko even though dako sya unlike sa uban na below 50T
Naa bay Giant Escape sa Cebu? daghan nakug shop gi sendan ug message wala man puros
awesome video!! what do you think about the upcoming Specialized Diverge (Comp Carbon)? Worth the price?
Is that the one with a compartment Inthe down tube? I really liked that. I wish I had something like that on my bike. I'm also interested in trying the future shock, but I'm curious if that mechanism ages well.
@@carlovillarica Yup that's the one! I'm planning on getting one but the price tag is pretty steep!
@@mateusmoitinho I'm sure it's a good bike. I cannot tell you what to do. Listen to your heart hahahah
do you know shops that sell affordable gravel bikes?
Tricky thing to do right now bec lots of shops in Cebu don't have new stock yet
How do i reduce yung trembling sa bike?
Feeling ko mas matagtag gravel bike ko kesa sa rb ko whicb makes no sense.
Does if have to do with frame?
I have a veru cheap bike called garuda condor ang tagtag nya
Hard to say without looking at the bike. It's surprising that it is shakier than the road bike.
Awesome sauce!
Thanks!
@0:45 awesome view
haha yup! That's in Catmon area
Very informative
Glad it was helpful!
What can you say about the Jamis Renegade Exile as a first Gravel bike? Someone is selling their used Jamis to me kasi.
I thought it was totally fine. Mine was an older model though, so the gearing was a bit hard. But i think the new ones have better gear ratios.
@@carlovillarica the one being sold to me is the exact one you had! All stock parts!!! đ€Ł
@@christelberniceejercito3644 oh from Mark?? Haha great! I learned a lot with that bike
nice info
Glad you think so!
This is Cebu?? what the hell its so pretty
yup! You should check out the ride videos. So much good scenery here
Sir how much yung jamis renegade frame and san mo nabili?
Missing link in Robinson's galleria. Bought it on sale a few years ago. I think 24k? I forget.
very infromative :)
ride safe always
new subs here :)
Thanks for the sub!
Dugay nagyud ko ganahan maka gravel bike...Dayon karong adlawa nako makatag iyađ„ș...Frontera Gravel Pro oks nana sir? 2nd hand nga lamangđ
Dili ko familiar. Pero ok na na! haha
Sir iâm 5â11 tall. What size should i buy?
Different brands have different measurements. So it's hard to say what size. Best to visit a bike store and try the bikes that you want. Or ask someone who has the bike that you want and ask them what size they would recommend.
Carlo Villarica - No Boring Days thank you!
Any tips where to find these bikes in Cebu?
YKK would be best bet at this point. A lot of the bikes have been sold out. You can also join the Gravel Bike Cebu facebook group. Lots of people in that group have bought bikes recently so they might be more up to date.
@@carlovillarica Thank you!
wow nice info. master, RS always, bagong silingan nimo, maayo maka bisita sad unta kas akung nataran.
thanks! you too
niceeee!
Thanks!
Hi Sir! ask ko lang ano total weight ng midnight special mo sir? Thanks!
I think it is about 12kg
@@carlovillarica Thank you! I'm planning to build a gravel bike. TPGG gamitin ko na frame pero I'm not sure if masyado pa rin malaki sa akin yung frame size 50. I'm 5'4
3:24 today's road bikes look the same and are not interesting? Not sure I agree..
Just because this is a gravel bike discussion the other bikes shouldn't be 'downplayed' as they too also have their own merits and followers.
oh definitely! I was just trying to make a point. If I were to get another bike, it would be a light road bike. So I'm a fan haha
Hi, How tall are you idol?
im 5'8"
Sir asa ta kapalit sa old frame nimo? How much?
Palit ka? What's your offer? hahah
I disagree, frame material is the one you should invest it is very important
We're all for disagreement over here. What frame material do you prefer?
Ok lang po ba 700x35 or 38?
Yup! I'm currently running a 700x32 and I think it's a little bit too small for proper gravel. I think 35 is probably the minimum. 38 is totally fine!
Idol gravel bike or rb? Huhu galibog ko
haha obviously for me, gravel. But my next bike purchase will definitely be a road bike.
Looks matter very True đŻđ
True!
magkano boss ung GRX RD?
Not sure what the prices are now. Best to check with a store.
pormaha balik si jamis renegade gamay nalang kuwang :p
Hahah Kung naay mu sponsor
road bike-carbon, mtb and gravel- aluminum simple
i dont necessarily agree to this haha
Your video before this one was donât buy a gravel bike
did you watch till the end?
Sir cebuano din ako san makakabili ng gravel bike sa cebu?
Try looking in YKK. I heard they recently got new stock
@@carlovillarica affordable ra ang YKK sir? Base sa imong experience hehe
What the hype on "gravel" bikes? You subject your balls and back to torture when you can just ride your bike with a comfy suspension. Do me a favor, save your money.
Do me a favour and stop telling people what to do with their lives.
@@carlovillarica my bad if I hit a ball nerve.
@@juanplus3324 lol