Quote from: gbrnole on September 25, 2026, 03:32:57 PM
i may have missed it elsewhere in this thread but have you measured the actual inflated width of the Pathfinder 50's? i'm assuming on your 24 mm internal width rims that they're coming in right at or just a hair under 50 mm?

Here as promised the measured width on 24 mm inner width rims.

Schwalbe G-One RX 49.9mm with 1.9 bar
Schwalbe G-One RS 49.9 mm with 1.9 bar

Specialized Pathfinder 48.1 mm with 1.8 bar
Specialized Tracer 48.1 mm with 1.8 bar

The Schwalbes are older ones with some km.
The Specialized are new with 25 km only.

Pictures enclosed.

Quote from: JackWatts on September 25, 2026, 05:58:14 AM
I don't have a G-One RS and was wondering specially about that tire--how is clearance on it?

I'm considering trying a 48 Swampero on the rear. I do a ton of very loose, steep climbing, which is why I'm a fan of the RXPro on the rear. This may be a suitable alternative, or I'll just run the 45 RX Pro.

Truth is, I could have returned the frame and gotten something else, so I can't really complain at this point even if I wish it had more clearance. There are so many other positives for me; the geometry, the availability of a -5 setback forward seatpost, the weight (not just the frame but all of the peripheral parts), the fact that it's probably as aero as my Spear road bike, and the really high build quality.  Plus, I can buy a backup frame for the price of a Crux 5 if I wear through the seat stays...

Part of me thinks they should shift the marketing of this to "all-road/gravel" and go all in on a 32" aero gravel bike, because that's where the market is headed, imo.

Yes, that's true—the pros definitely outweigh the cons for me as well. Great geometry, and the bike fits like a glove from the very first moment. I'll mount the G-One RS on the rear again and post a picture in the thread. Here's the current setup with Pathfinder 50s front and rear

@JackWatts

Thank you for your clear statement, and especially for all the testing and checks you did with various tires.
I've also tried the G-One RS, R Pro, and Pathfinder on the rear wheel, reporting the results back to Evolve each time.

I have absolutely nothing to add to your conclusion—it matches my current experience exactly. I'm going to race the Cima GR, but for multi-day tours, I'll stick to my other gravel bike.

What's left is a slight disappointment with a bit of a bitter aftertaste. Sure, it would have been great to mount a Dubnital depending on the situation, but it is what it is now. You take on a little bit of risk when buying online and factory-direct from China.

Plus, this is Evolve's first gravel bike, and I'm sure they'll take our feedback seriously and incorporate it into future developments. Last but not least, they've already updated the tire recommendation on their website:

https://www.evolvebicycles.com/gravel-help-faqs/

Quote from: peterpanpeter on September 21, 2026, 06:27:22 AM
Thanks for the photo! I have two questions:

1. How are the tires? Apparently the 2.2 tested really well but seems like they won't fit so I'm also thinking about the 50 mm instead.

2. What frame protection tape are you using and where did you get?

Thanks again!

Thanks for your questions.

Well, I don't want to hijack the thread author's post with the details of my CIMA GR build. 

I've mounted the Pathfinder in 50mm front and rear. Running them at 1.8 to 1.9 bar, they work flawlessly in dry conditions. I've now ordered the 2.2 version as well as the Tracer in 700x50 to have alternatives for wet weather.

I should mention that this gravel bike is clearly designed as an aero race gravel bike, so in my opinion, putting an MTB tire on this frame doesn't make much sense.

The protection cover tape was included with the Evolve Kreuza Top Tube Bag and was just barely long enough.

With the Pathfinder 700x50 TLR on a 24mm inner width rim and 1.9 bar it looks quite OK.

And here's my final comment on the original topic regarding experiences and opinions about the Airwolf frame.

After reading user reviews here on Chinertown about Airwolf's absolutely terrible customer support, I'm backing away from the idea of buying a frame from this company and won't be pursuing this idea any further in this thread.

Quote from: gribs on July 16, 2026, 10:01:36 AM
If you look at gravel frames you won't be able to run a mtb suspension fork without seriously upsetting the geometry.

Yes, you're absolutely right.
But I don't plan on fitting the gravel frame with a suspension fork.

Since a "modern" gravel frame for Bikepacking can accommodate tires up to 700 × 56,
a wide MTB tire would be enough to absorb the bumps and provide more comfort.

Quote from: Chamomile on July 15, 2026, 12:04:03 PM
Sure you need an XC frame? New gravels become more XC nowadays. Check SPCycle G028/Mondince FM366 (57 mm clearance) or Mondince FM356 (61 mm) in the neighboring forum branch. Can't comment on anything special about them, just the first frames popped up in there. Perhaps there're some other options.

Also, there was a thread here somewhere about a beach racing bike, don't remember the frame.

Thank you very much for the information about the brand-new gravel frames!
I wasn't aware that the tire clearance was already up to 700x61. That really makes things easier.

And it's also become clear to me that a modern MTB frame was designed for straight handlebars.

Drop bars, on the other hand, typically move the brake levers 80–120 mm further forward (depending on the handlebars and hoods).

So if you simply fit a drop bar to an MTB frame, the cockpit often ends up being too long.
This means you'd have to choose either a long frame with a short stem (50 mm) or a short frame with a slightly longer stem.

In any case, I'm looking at dedicated gravel frames, which have the stack and reach specific to drop bars and, most importantly, offer significantly more tire clearance.

Quote from: bastianb on July 15, 2026, 08:37:46 AM
Seems great. What kinda fork would you mount? I am thinking about a kinda similar build with the winow 700c60 gravel fork, but with a crown to axle length of 410 the sta would be really like a modern racing geometry for road bikes.

I am considering RS SID SL. Because some comfort here in the central alps aera might be good.

Geometry
As far as I see, there are only 3 sizes, S/M/L.
And for me with 1.79m the S seems to be the closest to my road race frame geometry, where I use 110mm stem.

Hi everyone,

I'd like to build a mountain bike with drop bars for long-distance riding.

I came across the Airwolf frame, model YFM061.
https://airwolfcarbonbike.com/product/airwolf-29er-t1100-boost-udh-hanger-carbon-mountain-bike-frame-s-m-l-bsa-mtb-carbon-bike-frame-bicycle-frame-with-strorage-box/

- UDH hanger
- T47 threaded bottom bracket
- 2.35" max tire
- Storage box

Has anyone here built a bike with this frame? What has your experience been like with it—does anything start to creak or crack after a while? How is the paint quality?

Thanks for your help.