If you're riding trails that require a dropper, you probably also need suspension.

You can pull gravel either way. Sure, you can fit 2.3s, and ride single track, and why not a drop will be great, although the nature of drop handlebars limit your ability to shift your weight in the same way as flat handlebars, so the advantages reduced. For most people gravel is much less technical, even if it is fast. Whilst we can all joke about matej mohoric famously fitting one to his road bike, realistically The juice just isn't worth the squeeze.

I mean for a real answer, it's because the market sector has been wondering what to do with gravel for a while, and the idea of gravel as a competitive sport, where people are sold stuff aspirationally and that aspiration is to be mads or Keegan, rather than a bike packing adventure it's how they've decided to make money. Look how many modern western bikes now come with aerodynamic seatposts, even though they are phenomenally uncomfortable.

It's also easy to be patronising. I am a very competent mountain biker, I have raised ews and xcm internationally. When I race gravel I'm just not challenged enough to need a dropper. But for 90% of the course, descending a loose fire Road is terrifying.

Also here all in one spot.
www.aliexpress.com/item/1005012485497441.html

I was looking at these but for a frame bag, thats too small. And for the top tube bag, you should skip the zippers and go magnetic.

Ordered. If you need more frame storage that's fine but this isn't what this is for. It's for max 300km races not bikepacking


I will agree that the top tube closure with a zip is not as good. I have the profile version which is aero but closing it and opening it in a proper race is a bloody nause.

It's basically the same frame as the Mondince FM346 (except for the seat tube shape/profile, but the geo chart is the same), discussed in this topic: https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,7193.0.html


This TanTan frame was also mentioned here: https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,7298.0.html

I think it looks identical, maybe the profile looks different just from the photo?

If you're racing in areas flat enough to benefit from bigger chainrings than 46T

Far from it: I race a 50 for European UCI events.

This really all feels a little like an unfit roadie tries gravel problem that could be solved by spending more time mountain biking and or on the trainer 

Obviously I am being as exceptionalist as those saying 44 is fine (it isn't, but also not everyone has a 5wkg threshold) and slow people get value from aero bikes. It just seems like, of the compromises they could have made, this was the worst of all choices.

I would have extended the chainstay 5mm, taken the clearance gain and been able to fit a 50.

Wow. I honestly thought that chainring rumour was so improbable as to be a joke. I made this point on another thread, but stuff like this really highlights the immaturity of some of the Chinese OEM to consumer markets. I wonder if the team can fix it before open release?

These are supposed to be the color options from Tavelo Arden... Is anyone else disappointed or is it just me 🤦‍♂️

Why don't they just release the cracked ice green blue colour they previewed the frame with?

That was lovely.

You're right, it looks fantastic, and I haven't heard much about it on forums, but it's very expensive and I was hoping for something cheaper.

I was also recommended this COOSPO https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005009870451145.html, which is very similar. What do you think?

I don't think it looks at all similar - the battery can't be changed so you can't carry multiple for overnight stuff.

I just found this on AliExpress:
Lumintop 21700 rechargeable LED flashlight B01 USB Type-C rechargeable 850 luments anti-glare for city walk camping work
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EGPFe0O

This is the only other well known exchangable 21700 Torch.

What brands actually offer a rim with the dimensions to run a 35c efficiently?

I've seen a few 26/35ew profiles, but that will only just fit a 32 and they only seem to come in 50 deep.

There are the gravel wheelsets who seem to settle on 30-32iw and 40-41ew - perhaps this? My Michelin Pro 5 35's run to 38-39 on a 30iw elite gravel wheelset, so that would give you more space to get the tyre/rim in line.

I feel like you need maybe a 25iw 37 ew? Really, what you want is a 32 on the front, 35 on the rear, so that would bring the 32 to about 35 and the 35 to about 38 but on the rear, ok.

They also need to be deeper - 60mm as a minimum. The wider the wheel and tyre, the deeper it needs to retain boundary attachment.