u/HereForTheNach0s

Hey all — I’m looking to upgrade my gravel setup and wanted to get some recommendations on bikes. I’d really like to get a bike that has SRAM electronic shifting and a carbon wheel set. My budget is around $5K.

I just moved to the East Bay (Berkeley/Oakland) and people weren’t kidding when they said the roads were worse for the wear, so I’d like a bike that can eat up bad tarmac as well as gravel and the occasional smooth singletrack. I have a dedicated road bike which I will use for truly tarmac-only rides.

I’m also planning to register for 1-2 gravel races this year, but it’ll be more for fun than pure competition. That being said, I want a bike that feels fast and responsive, so I’m not sure I’m interested in anything with suspension.

What would you all pick given those constraints?

So far I’ve been considering:
-Scott Addict Gravel 20
-Canyon Grail CF SLX 8
-Specialized Crux Expert (if I could find one used/on sale)
-Lauf Seigla Race Wireless Rigid

Hi BAbikers!

I’m moving to the East Bay (probably Rockridge or Temescal) this summer and am trying to get a sense of which bikes will get the most usage. I currently have a full-suspension mountain bike, an old gravel / commuter bike, and a road bike. I would prefer not to have to move all 3.

The road bike is definitely coming along for after-work rides, but I’m considering getting rid of one (or both) of the others.

Is it worth the hassle of moving and storing a beefy full-suspension when it sounds like there maybe aren’t great technical MTB options within the area? How accessible are the good gravel riding options from home in the East Bay? Is it worth selling both and upgrading to a better gravel setup?

Thank you!