Building a gravel bike with a SRAM Rival

XPLR 1x13 groupset, and I need wheels. Looking for carbon, disc brake, at least 50mm deep and 28mm+ internal width, with an XDR freehub.

I'm going to do gravel riding and ultra-distance cycling in particular.

My budget is about $500 shipped to France. Where would you buy them (direct from China, AliExpress/Taobao, or a European reseller), and which models would you pick? Also, anything to know about customs and VAT when shipping to France?

Thanks!

Hey, I'm building a custom gravel bike and looking for two things.

Wheels: at least 50mm deep and 28mm internal width, carbon and disc. What have you been riding and how did they hold up?

Handlebar: minimum 16° flare and compatible with clip-on aero extensions for long rides. Hard to find both in one bar, so any real-world recommendations are welcome. Unfortunately, my bike is fully integrated, so I need to find that...

Thanks!

https://preview.redd.it/3mnz965rkjph1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=c0b330f404dcc04930528cf9666c844892248a72

Hi everyone,

I’m currently planning a custom build to replace my Cannondale Topstone Carbon 3 (2024, size L). My total budget is around €3,500 (~$3,800), with up to €1,700 for the frameset (frame, fork, seatpost, cockpit).

Rider profile: 187 cm (6'1"), 88 cm inseam. Size L / 56-58.

What I want from this bike:

• Fast Road & Aero Gravel: Fast club group rides, aero tube shaping, full internal routing, 50mm tire clearance, 50mm carbon wheels, UDH, T47 or BSA BB.
• Light Bikepacking: Frame/handlebar/saddle bags (~30L total) for trips under a week.
• Ultra-distance (Future): Needs to support clip-on aerobars for long-haul comfort.
• Cyclocross (CX): Local autumn/winter races with my club.

My dilemma:

• Is trying to race competitive CX on a slack, low-BB aero gravel frame with sharp/wide top tubes (painful for shoulder portage) a massive mistake?
• How do you handle clip-on aerobars on modern aero integrated cockpits for ultra-distance?
• Should I give up on the "do-it-all" dream and build a pure Fast Aero Gravel bike now, then pick up a cheap dedicated CX bike later for the winter mud?

Looking for feedback from anyone who tried using an aero gravel frame for CX, or recommendations on frames/cockpits that actually tick these boxes. Thanks!

ps i've started looking into gravel bikes a bit, and I saw that LightCycle has something interesting. Has anyone built up a gravel bike from them? If you've got any pictures, I'd love to see them.

Hey everyone, I’m considering building a gravel bike around a Seraph / TanTan GR356 frameset and I’d love some honest feedback before ordering.

I’m looking for a comfortable but fast all-road/gravel bike, with full internal routing, UDH, big tyre clearance and mounts for bikepacking. The frame looks great on paper, but I’m a bit worried about quality control, long-term reliability and warranty support in Europe.

Has anyone here ridden or built a GR356, or another recent Seraph/TanTan gravel frame? How was the frame quality, internal routing, fit/finish and communication with the company? Would you trust it for long rides and light racing, or would you spend more for a better-known brand?

Any real-world experience would be appreciated. Thanks!