The Next Bike: Comparing Frames and Builds
Alright, now that the Salsa Cutsmoke is gone, I've been craving a fast drop bar bike. I thought I'd be happy with the Woodsmoke flat bar build and small tires, but I'm running into some limitations! Namely, the chainring is too small, and there's some annoyance with having to swap to a rigid fork/seatpost for more competitive gravel rides. The flat bars are an aerodynamic problem and a comfort problem. Lastly, the handling is just not appropriate for road rides, though given the limited gearing and aerodynamics, I can't really spend that much time at the speed where that's a problem.
However, the acceleration is amazing, and the short (417mm) chainstays are incredible for power transfer and stiffness. I like that. Can I get that and even more?
This has me perusing a road/gravel bike. Why a slash? Well, let's look at my stable at this point in time:
- Soma Saga - Heavy duty steel touring bike with racks, fenders, dynamo, 50mm tires
- Salsa Woodsmoke - Light+fast XC and bikepacking bike
- Ibis Ripmo - Full suspension enduro/trail bike
The Saga and Woodsmoke can both do the things I'm talking about. So there's some amount of overlap in this fourth bike. Right now, the Saga is the ideal choice for a long paved/gravel drop bar touring ride, where speed isn't the concern. And the Woodsmoke is the ideal choice for a fast chunky gravel ride, or a bikepacking trip. I could take either out on a race, but neither is meant for fast pavement rides.
The number one priority is road speed. Number two priority is gravel speed. For this reason, endurance road bikes (which often can clear 33-38mm tires these days) and race gravel bikes (which typically have a very similar geometry, but more tire clearance) seem like just the ticket. Let's get into the bikes I've compared.
Framesets
With a focus on road and speed over simplicity and rough surface capability, I want to equip the bike with a compact road crankset (50/34 gearing). This makes it difficult to compare gravel and road bikes directly, since it is very difficult to find gravel bikes with this gearing anymore. For that reason, I'm going to start by comparing the various framesets available. Framesets are ordered by price.
It is regrettably difficult to find some of the weight figures. Manufacturers don't like publishing them, for whatever reason, and I didn't expect to write this up publicly afterwards, so I don't have sources. Please post a correction if you have one.
State Bicycle Co 6061 Black Label
- Price: $399
- Frame material: Aluminum
- Frame weight: 2016g
- Fork weight: 450g
- Tire clearance: 45mm
- Chainstays: 435mm
You get what you pay for. At $399, this is a super deal on a frameset with a lightweight carbon fork. But at just over 2kg for the set, the frame is somehow much heavier than many steel framesets. It would not be worthwhile to build a bike on this frame, unless you already had a ton of parts and didn't care too much about performance. A complete bike from the same manufacturer would be a much lower price.
Soma Double Cross Disc
- Price: $649 (frame only)
- Frame material: Steel
- Frame weight: 1973g
- Tire clearance: 45mm
- Chainstays: 425mm
Ultimately, this seems more biased as a gravel bike with Capability than I want for this build.
Soma Fog Cutter Disc
- Price: $699 (frame only)
- Frame material: Steel
- Frame weight: 1968g
- Tire clearance: 38mm
The Soma Fog Cutter seems like an ideal steel frameset. It has a racier geometry than the Double Cross and promises a slight weight reduction. The blue color is also spectacular. This is one of my favorite picks, in large part because of how much I like the color and feel of my Saga. Unfortunately, I missed my chance to buy the 51cm frameset, and its no longer in stock anywhere.
Salsa Vaya
- Price: $1,149
- Frame weight: 1804g
- Fork weight: 520g
- Tire clearance: 50mm
Next up is the Salsa Vaya. While it is technically more expensive, than the two Soma bikes, it also comes with the Salsa Waxwing carbon fork. At 1804g for the frame, we've dropped quite a bit of weight from the two Soma frames and increased tire clearance. Unfortunately, this bike's geometry includes 450mm chainstays, making it a sure footed touring feel instead of the spritely race feel that I'm longing for.
Vaast A/1 Magnesium
- Price: $1,299
- Frame material: Magnesium Alloy
- Frame weight: 1200g
- Fork weight: 450g
- Tire clearance: 42mm
- Chainstays: 425mm
Now we're getting into something weird here. This is an "alloy" frame, and it's related to aluminum. But it's also got some magnesium in it. The frameset is distinctive and wild looking. At 1200g, it's the lightest we've seen so far, and lighter than many full carbon frames we'll be looking at. The $1,299 price point is also compelling.
Oddly enough, I couldn't find many other aluminum framesets to compare here. This was one of the few. Everything else on the market right now is steel, carbon, or titanium. It's essentially impossible to find aluminum completes, too. This one is also out-of-stock in my size, so I'll have to pass on it for now, but I'm extremely excited to follow the brand and see what they come out with.
Thesis OB1
- Price: $1,299
- Frame material: Carbon fiber
- Frame weight: 1145g
- Fork weight: 490g
- Tire clearance: 40mm
- Chainstays: 420mm
The Thesis OB1 is the cheapest carbon fiber frame on the market, unless you go directly to Carbonda. Thesis's marketing materials makes it clear that they're a QA, paint, and customer service layer on top of ordering directly through Carbonda, so they make their value add clear. I appreciate their transparency.
Reviews are positive, if not thrilled with the bike. It doesn't appear to have the raciest or most comfortable feel. It's a mild mannered bike that's light and fast and fun, but nothing spectacular. All reviews conclude with the fantastic value proposition on display here.
Unfortunately, this bike does not support a mechanical front derailleur. The cost savings from the frame are immediately lost when installing a Di2 kit on the bike.
Fezzari Empire SL
- Price: $1,999
- Material: Carbon
- Frame weight: 815g
- Fork weight: 425g
- Tire clearance: 32mm
- Chainstays: 410mm
At 815g, this is the lightest frameset that I am considering. It's also the second cheapest, and one of the very few road-oriented frames. I'd love another 3mm of tire clearance, but I'm also happy with the road-focus on the bike, and understand I'd be sacrificing gravel for pavement speed.
"But Matt, didn't you just return the Fezzari La Sal Peak?" Yes, I did. The bike just wasn't up-to-par with the Ripmo in terms of rear suspension and overall geometry. But the bike was excellent, customer service was fantastic, and I'd be happy to buy from them again. Especially since I now know to ask more questions and do a bit more research when investigating this.
The reviews on this bike are sparse, but positive. For a road-oriented frame, this one is the strongest contender.
Ibis Hakka MX
- Price: $2,099
- Material: Carbon
- Frame weight: 1000g
- Fork weight: 520g
- Tire clearance: 40mm
- Chainstays: 430mm
Now this is a strong choice. 1000g frame and 40mm tire clearance puts us at a lower frame weight than any other gravel bike (only the 3T Strada and Fezzari Empire are lower, and they're both road bikes). Reviewers indicate that the bike is stiff, fast, and extremely light - if anything, it's a bit too fatiguing on rough stuff. That's fine - that's what the Woodsmoke is for.
Especially compelling is the fact that the 55cm build is literally a perfect fit - like, I just got fitted on my Saga, and the calculated reach/stack measurement is perfect. There's even a 55cm build available in the beautiful bone/teal colorway, but it's the $5,500 top-of-the-line build with carbon wheels. It'd cost a pretty penny to get it road-oriented with the 2x, but maybe I should just spring for it. What's life for, eh?
Weight isn't the only consideration. Comfort and aerodynamics are important too, and this bike appears to lack both. The chainstays are on the longer side at 430mm.
Salsa Warroad
- Price: $2,199
- Material: Carbon
- Frame weight: 1190g
- Fork weight: 520g
- Tire clearance: 35mm
- Chainstays: 415mm
The Warroad is Salsa's "road bike," now that Salsa doesn't make a true road bike. The frame is designed with comfort in mind, and is on the higher end of the weight scale for an endurance road frame. It's more expensive and heavier than the Ibis Hakka with less tire clearance and uglier colors, so it's not a particularly compelling choice.
The shorter chainstays may make up for the heavier weight.
Salsa Warbird
- Price: $2,199
- Material: Carbon
- Frame weight: 1351g
- Fork weight: 520g
- Tire clearance: 45mm
- Chainstays: 430mm
The newest version of the Salsa Warbird frameset increased tire clearance and weight. While I passed on the V3 because of the 40mm tire clearance and the racier geometry, that's exactly what I would have wanted in this current version. The chainstays are at 430mm, but the frame weight is 3/4lb more than the Hakka. This isn't a compelling choice, especially since it appears I'm mostly buying the comfort of their VRS frame.
If I were going Salsa for this, the Warroad is the clear winner. But Salsa is clearly not the winner.
3T Strada
- Price: $2,199
- Material: Carbon
- Frame weight: 970g
- Fork weight: 425g
- Tire clearance: 30mm
- Chainstays: 405mm
What a compelling choice. The price is great, weight is fantastic, 30mm tire clearance isn't ideal but it's fine, and wow, those chainstays. I bet this bike feels like a rocket ship. The aerodynamics seem pretty compelling, too, and I'd bet this is the fastest bike frame on the comparison.
Unfortunately, it's a 1x only. Can't run a front derailleur, at all, on this bike. That means it is dead in the water for my intended use.
3T Exploro Team
- Price: $2,499
- Material: Carbon
- Frame weight: 1,090g
- Fork weight: 470g
- Tire clearance: 45mm
- Chainstays: 415mm
Well, well, well. Aerodynamics out the wazoo ensure it'll be super fast. 415mm chainstays ensure it'll feel super fast. And the 1,090g frame weight isn't a huge penalty over the lighter Ibis Hakka. Is it worth the extra $400? Well, quite possibly! Especially since parts limitations mean it is difficult to source and modify the Hakka to be what I want.
The big problem with the bike is that the frame stack and reach are a bit more aggressive than I want. To get my fit right, I'd need a 100mm and 20 degree stem. This exists, and even is fine (if I get more flexible, I can "shrink" into the bike). But it's a bit dicey buying something that may not fit great. The aerodynamic benefits of the frame will be essentially lost if my body position isn't right.
This frame is certainly moving onwards to the "final list," alongside the Vaast and the Ibis.
Santa Cruz Stigmata
- Price: $2,699
- Material: Carbon
- Frame weight: 1080g (1600g spec, assuming 520g fork)
- Fork weight: 520g
- Tire clearance: 45mm
- Chainstays: 425mm
This is a weird one. At $600 more than the Ibis Hakka, it's heavier. It has shorter chainstays, and also bigger tire clearance. I've tried one of these, and it just felt... weirdly slow. I have no idea why. The bike just didn't seem to want to go fast. It was comfy. But it wasn't any comfier than the Hakka I tried (though neither were tried on anything more than rough pavement and sidewalks).
There's no way I'd spend another $200 over the 3T Exploro for this, and there's no way I'd spend another $600 over the Hakka. The value prop here is just awful.
Rodeo Labs Trail Donkey
- Price: $2,782
- Material: Carbon
- Frame weight: 1,250g
- Fork weight: 600g
- Tire clearance: 50mm
- Chainstays: 435mm
The Trail Donkey 3.0 is made by a Denver company, which is fantastic. I love the Rodeo Labs ethos and would like to own something from them one day. Unfortunately, this bike is just biased too far towards the 'adventure' side of things. Can you race it? Yes! But you're paying a decent weight and aero penalty for the 50mm tire clearance and durability in the bike.
If I didn't have the Woodsmoke, and also needed the bike to handle bikepacking - this would be a more compelling choice.
Open U.P.
- Price: $3,000
- Material: Carbon
- Frame weight: 1,040g
- Fork weight: 390g
- Tire clearance: 40mm
- Chainstays: 420mm
This is the most expensive frame I'm looking at. The frame is chunkier than the Hakka, but it has shorter chainstays and a much lighter fork. As compelling as this frame is, the $3,000 price tag makes it a pretty poor value for the money.
Complete Bikes
It is usually better to start from a complete bike and modify it than to build up from a frame, unless you're damn sure you know what you want and don't mind paying a premium (and there's nothing on the market that's close enough). Additionally, some of these bikes aren't available as framesets. So let's look at some of the builds.
Like framesets, this will be starting from the cheapest and going to the most expensive. What we'll find is that most of the gravel builds will need modification - almost always replacing the crankset and front derailleur to have the 50/34t gearing that I want, and for a 1x specific build, I'm also needing to get a front shifter. I'm limiting my choices to Shimano builds, since I don't like SRAM. Modifications for all builds here include a crankset swap with a power meter, so that's equalized at least.
Canyon Endurace AL 7
- Price: $1,899
- Frame material: Aluminum
- Build Kit: Shimano 105
- Build Weight: 19.66lb
- Tire clearance: 33mm
- Chainstays: 415mm
- Mods: None
The Endurace AL 7 is cheaper than most of the carbon bike frames I've looked at, and has great specs. It doesn't require any modifications from stock and would work great. Carbon would save weight, but not a huge amount, and the cost would be considerable.
If I can have patience, then I could get one of these in March, and that'd be a great time to have it.
Canyon Grail AL 7
- Price: $1,999
- Frame material: Aluminum
- Build kit: GRX 810
- Build weight: 20.7lb
- Tire clearance: 45mm
- Chainstays: 430mm
- Mods: $60
- Front derailleur ($60, Ultegra)
This is where we start seeing some interesting differences. Gravel bikes are consistently heavier, more expensive, and require more modification than road bikes. This is due to the 50/34 cranks and the need for a non-GRX front derailleur (as the chainline is off by 2.5mm).
GRX may be preferable for gravel, but there's a weight penalty for that. I did a bunch of gravel on a 4700 Tiagra rear derailleur with no clutch and it was fine. So, do I really want a gravel bike? Or do I want a road bike? The tire clearance is nice, but it saves quite a bit of weight and money to go road, at first.
It does seem like I should go for a gravel bike instead of a road bike if I anticipate actually racing gravel. If I'm only doing gravel for fun and mostly doing road race then I should probably stick with a road bike.
Orbea Terra H30
- Price: $2,399
- Frame material: Aluminum
- Build kit: GRX 610
- Build weight: 21.5lb (guessing - measured my partner's H40 at ~22lb, assuming the 610 takes off half a pound).
- Tire clearance: 40mm
- Chainstays: 430mm
- Modifications: $60
- Front derailleur ($60, Ultegra)
My girlfriend has a Terra H40, and she loves it. The H30 is what I'm looking at (11 speed, baby), in large part because the H40 is out of stock everywhere and I can't run a 10sp on my indoor trainer. This is where we see the hard problem that Direct To Consumer brands give to traditional brands. This bike is $400 more than the Grail AL7 and has worse components.
But, it's stocked in stores, meaning that you can find one right now. That's a pretty compelling argument for buying it - y'know, actually being able to buy it at all. A bike that can't be bought for any price isn't a better value.
Interestingly enough, this is the last alloy bike on the list. It's nearly impossible to keep anything in stock, and it seems like manufacturers of bikes are limited by groupset availability. So why put a shifter on an alloy bike and sell for $2000 when you can put it on a carbon bike and sell for $3,000?
The Terra suffers from a pretty annoying problem - their headset and stem spacers are designed together, making them incompatible (without destructive modification) with other stems. They also only come in a -6 degree rise. The Medium can be made to fit, but it would be pretty long, and might not work out.
Fezzari Empire Comp
- Price: $2,449
- Frame material: Carbon
- Build kit: Shimano 105
- Build weight: ???
- Tire clearance: 32mm
- Chainstays: 410mm
- Modifications: none
Fezzari makes two frames for their Empire road build. The SL is considerably lighter. It's difficult to find weight specs for the non-SL. However, here we're looking at a carbon fiber road bike with 105 components at under $2.5k. That's a pretty stellar deal, even if all we're doing is stripping the bike for building something else up.
This is the best value for a road bike. Another $450 puts you on the Elite, which is a full Ultegra build. I don't care for the difference between 105 and Ultegra - they work just fine, and most of the weight savings is meaningless to me.
Trek Domane SL 5
- Price: $3,129
- Frame material: Carbon
- Build kit: Shimano 105
- Build weight: 21.8lb
- Tire clearance: 38mm
- Chainstays: 420mm
- Mods: none
I'm sorry, 21.8lb for a carbon fiber road bike over $3k is unacceptable. I don't care what compliance you've put into the frame. That's nearly what the Orbea Terra weighs for another $1,000.
Canyon Grizl CF SL 8
- Price: $3,199
- Frame materal: Carbon
- Build kit: GRX 810
- Build weight: 20.5lb
- Chainstays: 435mm
- Tire clearance: 50mm
- Mods: $60
- Ultegra front derailleur ($60)
See, I can get a lighter bike by nearly a pound, and this one is a more capable gravel bike. It's only $70 more. Plus the build kit is dope. Ultimately, this bike is more "gravel focus" than I want, but it's still a compelling value.
Oh, well, it's also super ugly. All the colorways on this bike are hideous.
Specialized Tarmac SL6 Sport
- Price: $3,200
- Frame material: Carbon
- Build kit: Shimano 105
- Build weight: 18.45lb
- Tire clearance: 30mm
- Chainstays: 410mm
- Mods: none
This bike is confusing. It's less aerodynamic than the Roubaix and it has less tire clearance. By Specialized's "Smoother Is Faster" logic, the Roubaix should be the faster bike, in every respect. But the short chainstays and snappier handling are probably important for true road racing, where acceleration and handling matter more than top speed or comfort.
I'm not compelled. Every time I consider this, I can't help but think that the half pound of weight savings is meaningless next to the aerodynamics and comfort of the Roubaix. Let's look at that one.
Specialized Roubaix Sport
- Price: $3,200
- Frame material: Carbon (they're all CF at this point so I'm going to stop typing this out)
- Build kit: Shimano 105
- Build weight: 19.06lb
- Tire clearance: 33mm
- Chainstays: 413mm
- Mods: none
Let me get this straight: for the same price as the Tarmac, this bike is more aerodynamic, clears larger tires, has a suspension, and only weighs a half pound more? Sign me up.
The main issue I have with this bike is that the suspension doesn't have a lockout, and I know that would bother me. But, like the Ibis Hakka MX, this bike stock in a 54cm should fit me perfectly. So that's a compelling point in favor of it.
Orbea Terra M30 Team
- Price: $3,299
- Build kit: GRX 800 (and some 400, 600)
- Build weight: 22lb (estimating from the Force eTap version that's 20.05lb)
- Tire clerance: 45mm
- Chainstays: 430mm
- Mods: $60
- Ultegra front derailleur ($60)
The Terra suffers from the same problem as the H40 - it has a weird stem and headset thing going on, making it difficult to fit well. It's also surprisingly heavy for a carbon gravel bike at this price point. The value prop isn't great here.
Salsa Warroad 105
- Price: $3,300
- Build kit: Shimano 105
- Build weight: 19.625lb
- Tire clearance: 35mm
- Chainstays: 415mm
- Mods: none
While the Warroad frameset isn't a great deal, this is more competitive. This is in competition with the Specialized Roubaix, primarily, which is $100 cheaper, 0.6lb lighter, and has a suspension. The nominal tire clearance is 2mm less, but folks have put a 38mm tire in the Specialized, while I've definitely had issues with Salsa overstating tire clearance.
Well. If I want the Warroad, I probably really would prefer the Roubaix, so let's skip this one.
Canyon Endurace CF SL 8
- Price: $3,499
- Build kit: Ultegra
- Build weight: 17.7lb
- Tire clearance: 33mm
- Chainstays: 415mm
- Mods: none
This is the first bike with Ultegra spec components, and also the first one under 18lb. The 33mm tire clearance is generous and sweet. No mods needed. And a higher spec level means more money reselling the cranks.
The 105 spec is considerably cheaper, but it only comes in a weird piss yellow color.
Compared to the Specialized Roubaix, this is a bit more expensive, but considerably lighter. There's no suspension, so we can expect a bit less comfort, and the bike's out-of-the-box fit won't be perfect like the Roubaix.
3T Exploro Pro GRX 2x
- Price: $3,599
- Build kit: GRX 810
- Build weight: 19.6lb
- Tire clearance: 45mm
- Chainstays: 415mm
- Mods: $60
- $60 Ultegra front derailleur
Back to gravel bikes. This is a pretty compelling choice. Aerodynamics, a 2x, and the whole thing is under $4k. 19.6lb is a little heavier than other choices, but the promise of an aerodynamic gravel bike is pretty sweet.
As with the other gravel bikes, we're in $60 for a front derailleur, but since this is still a 2x, that's not too bad.
This bike seems like the value winner for an aerodynamic gravel bike with a nice spec. But the price is getting up there - a lightweight road wheelset is going to be pushing the budget pretty hard.
Lauf True Grit Weekend Warrior AXS XPLR
- Price: $4,180
- Build kit: SRAM Rival AXS XPLR
- Build weight: 19.6lb
- Tire clearance: 45mm
- Chainstays: 425mm
- Mods: -$560 ? ? ?
- Sell Ultegra power meter crankset ? ? ?
OK, I know I said I only picked among Shimano equipped 2x bikes, but this is an absurdly good value. This bike sits at just over $4k, and has wireless electronic shifting and a power meter already built in. I'm not a fan of the 1x, but the total gear range is pretty great - throw a 44t chainring on there and I've got equivalent range (but not spacing) to the 50/34 and 11/34 double setup.
Did I mention the power meter already installed? That would let me resell the Ultegra power meter setup I have purchased.
The Lauf fork is nice for gravel and comfort. The True Grit that I tried in LA had 40mm tires, and I recall liking it alright but noting that I'd preferred the way my bike with a 45mm tire up front felt. So I don't think this is the right choice for what I'm going for. However, if you're interested in more of a gravel race bike that can do chunkier terrain, this seems like a compelling value.
Fezzari Empire SL Pro
- Price: $4,399
- Build kit: SRAM Force eTap AXS
- Build weight: 16.93lb
- Tire clearance: 32mm
- Chainstays: 410mm
- Mods: $458
- Power meter: $458
Under 17lb and has wireless electronic shifting. Nice. Only catch is that I'd need to sell the Ultegra power meter I bought and buy the SRAM power meter. That's not a horrible thing, but it's not my favorite, either.
I'm not a huge fan of SRAM, but their new AXS stuff seems interesting, at least. Don't have to worry about the weird double tap shifting here.
This is a pretty great value for a super light endurance road bike, but the price is up there.
Canyon Aeroad CF SL 8
- Price: $4,399
- Build kit: Shimano Ultegra
- Build weight: 17.15lb
- Tire clearance: 25mm
- Chainstays: 415mm
- Mods: none
Alright, so this was thrown out initially, but then I realized that it comes stock with deep dish carbon wheels. This is probably the fastest bike on road in the comparison, and considering the carbon wheels, it's even a decent value. However, this bike is definitely limited to road only. I would not want to take this out on even easy gravel. That's a frustating limitation, especially since many of the good commuting trails here are light gravel.
If I were committing to having a single road bike and then using the Woodsmoke for all gravel, this makes a compelling choice. But that's not really what I want, and I'd also probably have a relatively hard time finding a good fit on the Aeroad since it has such a limited cockpit.
Ibis Hakka MX GRX w/ Carbon Wheels
- Price: $5,565
- Build kit: GRX 1x
- Build weight: 18.8lb
- Tire clearance: 40mm
- Chainstays: 430mm
- Mods: $519
- GRX 810 left shifter ($282, if I can ever find one)
- GRX 810 rear derailleur ($117, if I can ever find one)
- 105 Cassette ($60)
- Ultegra front derailleur ($60)
Well, this is kinda the dream bike. But at $6,083 after modifications (not including labor), it's extremely expensive. It's also not available anywhere, so it's not even really an option - the only available bike is the carbon wheels one.
It would fit perfectly in a 55cm and the Bone Teal color is perfect. I love it. It seems like nearly a perfect thing. The main selling point of the frameset is the incredible value - but if I am spending so much money on a build, doesn't it make sense to get the 3T Exploro frame, and have a faster bike? Well, the fit won't be as good...
Conclusions:
Building up a frame would be nice. The Vaast A/1 magnesium frameset is a compelling value, and leaves a lot of room in the budget for nice components and wheels. The Ibis Hakka is a great value for a gravel frame. Road frames are harder to come by, so they aren't represented as much. Lastly, the 3T Exploro frame would be the fastest option also capable of doing gravel.
Buying a complete bike spins the equation around entirely. The Specialized Roubaix is a compelling value, as is the Canyon Endurace. If more alloy bikes were available, they'd very nearly be worthwhile if only for buying the groupset and transferring to a carbon frame! But I suppose that's precisely why they're not available.
The Ibis Hakka MX appears to be a perfect fit, but since the only build available requires over $6,000 invested, it may not be a great choice.
Ultimately, availability dominated the equation - and the 3T Exploro frameset was available, used, and in my favored color for a gravel bike - dark green.
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