Pete’s lightweight gravel bike

Pete’s lightweight gravel bike

I am always game for a lightweight project. Pete wondered if we could get a complete gravel bike under 16lbs, so we set about to find out….

Starting at the front, we went with a US-made Allied carbon fork. A custom EC headset with Cane Creek AER bearings mates this to the frame. The frame is mostly Columbus Life tubing. The downtube is custom ovalised at the BB, and the toptube is taper ovalised along it’s length. Syntace X12 dropouts allow for the through axle at the back, with modified s-bend chainstays to give generous tire clearance with short stays and chainring clearance for a road double.

The wheels feature Pete’s own Rigr carbon rims laced to Carbon-Ti hubs with Sapim cx-ray spokes. The group is SRAM AXS eTap, but lightened with a THM crank, Carbon-Ti chainrings and Ashima rotors. Schmolke bars are clamped into a superlight EC stem, and a Darimo seatpost holds the Selle Italia saddle. For less rugged terrain, the very fast rolling Rene Herse 35mm tires are fitted, set up tubeless.

As pictured, complete with cages and pedals, ready to race, the bike weighs in at 15.8lbs.

The incredibly detailed paintwork was painstakingly applied by Colorworks.

2 Comments

  1. Peter Andrews / October 11, 2020

    Rob, ummmm is this even real right now? I find my self worrying a bit about my own behavior since my bike got here. I immediately stopped working and took the rest of the day off to finish building the bike. Then rewrapped the bar tape and starting taking pictures. I thought about taking one of those shots were you’re cuddling with your bike in bed but… The wife was already in bed with the bike! She likes bikes but honestly I didn’t see that one coming. I guess everyone feels the same way about it. 🙂 After wrestling the bike back from my wife while yelling, “It’s a custom build, it only fits me!” and promising to get her one too down the line, I decided on my first outing. It would be an early (5am) ride with the #Horsemen here in Vegas the next day. Many of them had been waiting anxiously as I had been painfully dripping updates over the past few weeks. Before the ride though, during the night I found myself walking out to the garage to look, oogle, (maybe fondle a little) and basically just stare at this beauty.
    Finally the alarm sounded and morning has arrived.

    The first ride: Sheessshhhhh. So responsive and yet supple under foot even running the larger IRC 40mm Boken Tires, we put on for the BWR Cedar coming up next weekend. Upon joining with the group. I heard a mixture of cries from the early crew including many a tip of the hat to the obvious craftsmanship in build and paint work but also the surprised, “Whoa how do those tiny stays handle that huge tire?” to eventually hearing someone say, “Why an I chasing a gravel bike this morning?” All in all everyone had a blast as we all do when any of our friends get a new hoop-devil.

    I just want thank you so much for making this happen. It has been an amazing to experience the creative process become a reality and then for that reality to be the piece of art carrying my tired legs along the roads and trails I encounter is already such a joy. Cycling is such a light in this world right now for those who ride. I’m not sure how well you’re able to keep tabs on your builds but I’ll by posting plenty of shots on Instagram and Facebook with a nod to #EnglishCycles.

    Thanks, Rob. I look forward to riding with you at some point. Perhaps there should be an annual event for those riding English?

    Reply
    • Goran / February 3, 2021

      This is awesome ! Kudos bro.

      Reply

Leave a Comment to Peter Andrews

Click here to cancel reply.