After yesterday’s discovery that I’ve got work to do on my rear wheel, I decided that now would perhaps be the time to start looking for a new bike. I mean, not just because of a bad hub. I bought my current Trek Domane SL5 in October of 2017, and I’ve been tweaking it off and on for the past year or so, pretty much converting it to a 1x gravel bike.
And that tweaking has helped. Not only has it convinced me that gravel is the absolute best bike you can have in Korea, it’s also helped me nail down exactly what I’m looking for in a future bike. I’m pretty sure that now I can go straight to what I want if I ever find it…and today I think I did.
I wasn’t giving it much thought — just throwing out some feelers — when I asked Chris if he had any recommendations. I didn’t expect much. Chris and I have spent plenty of hours together on the road and I figure we’d talked about just about everything — including (probably especially) bikes and pretty much all aspects of them. It was through our conversations that we both started experimenting a bit with things like flat pedals and flared handlebars, and it was certainly through those talks that I got the idea to convert to 1x (although I will never be convinced to go single-speed like Chris).
So when Chris answered immediately with “Niner Steel R9,” I took a look. He named a couple of others, but the Niner was immediately impressive and the others all seemed lacking somewhere.
But the more I looked at that Niner, the more it checked the boxes. Steel. Shimano GRX800 1x. Disc brakes. Tubeless up to 50 with room for fenders. Plenty of mounting points. Come to think of it, I think the only thing I’d change would be the handlebars and (depending on what comes with the stock bike) the seat. I love my Salsa Woodchipper bars and Brooks Cambium saddle. I might change the tires too, but I’d have to see what it comes with first. Schwalbe is a solid standard that I just might like, although I really like my current Panaracer Gravel Kings.
I think all I really have to do now is check the geometry and get a feel for my riding position. It’s steel with room for tires up to 50s, so I’m not as worried about pressure points. The ride’s guaranteed to be much more comfortable than anything I’ve had before this. Just have to be sure I’m well balanced on it.
And then of course the last thing (other than the logistics of buying it and getting it to me) is the convincing of the wife that this is the last big bike purchase I’m going to have to make. I’m thankful in that respect that Micha really appreciates the value of my riding. She instinctively understands how important it is to my mental and physical health, and the only pestering she has ever done about it is to make sure I’m safe and preferably with someone like Chris.
And besides, didn’t I get a stimulus check to help the economy? Niner Bikes is based in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Yup. This could be the one…
That’s a real Beauty!