Ari (Fezzari) Shafer
MOG is the best all around gravel bike
KAIUS 01 ONE is the best gravel aero bike
S-Works HT or Epic WC is the best MTB/Gravel Bike
S-Works Epic 8 best XC MTB bike.
And Lauf is the best per dollar?
How is that different from taking it out of a saddle bag or hippack? You have to fiddle with this stuff anyway. I‘d argue dt storage could even be faster the first time you need anything out of there.
I was riding with a buddy who needed a trail side repair. Granted it was a Trek Top Fuel, not a gravel bike, but it was a hassle. Getting stuff in and out of that thing as a big pain in the ***. The bag, tube, tools… we got it done but it is much easier and faster for me to pull out my tools from the pocket of my hydration pack I am already wearing. But that’s me… for others it may be faster and if that’s the case they should definitely do it.
I’ve got a Top Fuel. The DT hatch is bloody handy, I can keep a Wolf Tooth bit tool and some spares in there, as a just in case measure. Plus I don’t like riding with a hydro pack. But for a marathon race when I am wearing a pack I’ll carry a Dynaplug and latex tube/CO2 either in the pack or in a small saddlebag and take out the stuff in the DT. But I wouldn’t buy a bike without DT storage now, it’s just so convenient.
The more I think about this is there anything even close to Lauf right now in terms of 1) clearance 2)price 3)race geo?
I think the trend for gravel is racier and huge tire clearance but it might take a bit to catch up. Trek JUST released their new gravel race bike and it’s already behind the curve. Might be 2-3 years before we see more bikes like the Lauf.
I have a Crux right now which I adore but if I want a race bike that can fit MTB I think Lauf is the only choice. The others are only 50mm clearance and yes you can cram a MTB in there but I don’t wanna risk damage and I want mud clearance.
Anyone here have a Lauf and can give me their thoughts?
Their BB’s are really high…only a 65mm drop, IIRC.
I have the Seigla and had the true grit prior to that although I’m less racing events and more participating and grinding out the long events. I love the tire clearance. I had been riding pathfinder pro 47s which are super durable but less supple. 2 months ago switched to Vittoria mezcal 2.1s. Maybe not the fastest but very comfortable, great on descents, and I’m never going back smaller.
I think it’s a great bike. I have no complaints.
I disagree. The Checkmate is very “current”, meaning 2024. The majority of the present gravel race bike industry doesn’t have what the Checkmate offers. However, I think the Checkmate will start to feel already outdated come 2025 or 2026 when aero tubing, UDH, and 50-55mm tire compatibility come on every new gravel bike.
I agree
And 30mm interior width wheels
Should have clarified. Imo the tire clearance is already outdated. Everything else is definitely modern and where everything is headed. If it could clear 2.1 I think it could be THE bike to have but I just can’t commit to a 45mm clearance. Maybe they are just being super conservative.
Yeah, you can likely clear 48’s on the Checkmate, possibly even 50’s. There are CPSC regulations that state how wide a tire you can fit and still have the regulated minimum clearance. IIRC, it is 3mm on each side.
Obviously, this will impact mud clearance.
For me the issue is that the saddlebag can sometimes interfere with lights and my Varia radar. For that reason I’d really like storage in the downtube for things I only need in case of emergencies (i. e. almost never).
A second reason is that no road bike-focused saddle bags will fit a pump. Yes, I can put it in my jersey pocket, but the issue is that I might forget it or I might not find it, because one of my kids took it. (I have three young kids.) On my mountain bike/commuter, I always keep a pump in my 1,6 l Ortlieb saddle bag. But that would be too large for most intents and purposes on my road bike.
Again, I disagree. It sounds like you’re influenced by social media and YouTubers. The gravel tire industry doesn’t even “yet” support race tires over 45-47mm. There are very few to choose from. You can’t be behind something that doesn’t exist. Sure, wider gravel race tires are the trend going forward, but it is certainly not mainstream let alone outdated. Once the market of bikes and gravel bike tires catch up then you would have a point. This appears to be at least a season or two out.
Or influenced by reality, cause bigger than 45 works better in a lot of situations.
Yeah not a huge amount of bigger gravel tires, but also not a huge amount of gravel bikes that take that size. Someone has to be the change the world wants, and Trek isnt being that change. A bike that fits 45 is the very minimum standard today, why do minimum when you could be a leader and go bigger with aero tubes? Whatever, 12k bike are dumb.
We’re entering in the realm of semantics here.
First, the users demanding the bigger tires are the best gravel racers in the world. Calling them “influencers and YouTubers” just because one of the vocal ones happens to have a big YouTube channel is disingenuous, particularly since that same guy placed 10th at unbound.
Second, we’re sitting right in the middle of a paradigm shift for gravel tire size, and this change is happening quickly. So we should rather call things for what they are. The top racers want at least 2.1/2.2 clearance, and the new Checkmate doesn’t offer (on paper) that, so it goes against what is the current direction of the market, regardless of what others are offering (still) and what you want to call it
I am actively ready to spend money to upgrade my gravel bike if the right option presented itself, but I continue to be disappointed by the tire clearance as new bikes come out. I’m currentl running 48s that barely fit, though I do have a thunder Burt in a 2.1 that will fit just the front. But a light, aero bike that fits 50-53 would have me opening my wallet.
The Giant revolt might be the closest, although not a perfect option.
There is still the thinking of “if you want to go fast, you want the skinniest tire possible”. It’s like saying “if you want to go fast, you shouldn’t eat too many carbs”.
Hopefully some bike company will figure it out soon.
I think the revolt checks a ton of boxes and lifetime frame warranty
No UDH was a huge disappointment:(
I don’t even want to run UDH group right now but I want that future proof hanger if I’m dropping $ on a new bike right now. At the same time maybe adding that negates the awesome clearance you get?
Agree Revolt looks great otherwise.