As a significant Birthday just been, I have a new bike or rather new frame
as I moved the wheelset/Groupset over.
Giant revolt Advanced ie Carbon, I might of gone Aluminium given the choice but for a frame set only get to choose the size.
Played safe and went for the same Giant bars as in the built Revolt though stuck to Aluminium as the cost jump for Carbon bars didn’t seem worth it.
Frame has internal storage which is handy as means I can use a smaller
saddle bag, plus since my bikes tend to get gritty saddle bags tend to
grind seat posts! So one of the Silca ones that only attaches to the saddle seems to work well.
Slightly annoying the pump is just too long to fit that’s in the frame and the multi tool is in the saddle bag which really is the wrong way around in terms of what I’m likely to use more often?
Has clearance for 53mm tyres the old bike topped out at 35/38mm tyres, I’ve fitted some 50mm tyres as in general my focus is off rather than on road.
It’s quite a bit lighter, at 10KG with everything on bar the water bottles, it perhaps is faster on road climbs climbing one of GCN’s often used road up from Tintern Abbey a minute faster, though I’ve only climbed it twice and have no heart rate or power to gauge effort though if anything went harder with the old bike as I had a cyclist in front to reel in that time, this time was a more steady effort, likewise riding around Chew Valley
times are more or less the same over rolling terrain, ever so slightly
faster but within margins of error.
Cheddar Gorge my times are all over the place as it’s very touristy so get folks doing dumb stuff, and I tend to be admiring the views rather than
going for it.
It’s also possible that having a diet of cake and cheese as this week has been has given me an edge over previous years! It’s unlikely but I guess possible!
Both today when I did a loop crossing the Severn and the Wye River’s and Monday ride to Cheddar, where I was able to compare gravel track times, and ride feel.
Even on the 1st ride with tyres that have just over 50% more volume unsurprisingly it’s much more planted and less disturbed over rocks! And times show a sizeable improvement.
Bike on the side of valley above Cheddar. <https://flic.kr/p/2rmPfwj>
On the Wye and pub after plus Tintern Abby and start of GCN hill.
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnvTWf>
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnuNpy>
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnvWrw>
Does require some fettling as I’ve cooked the front Rotor seeing how steep and technical those fat tyres allow! Works but not brilliantly and will judder if used with force, and has discoloured, it’s an old rotor.
I also will need to work out how to mount the big light as bars/stem are slightly non standard so mounting the Garmin on the stem and light on the
bar next to it wasn’t enough space.
Both of which I’ll sort when home! And have access to bike shops I know and all of that, though the light I have a few weeks probably before I’d use it, the commute bike will have a night ride next week as the hours are closing in.
Roger Merriman
On 8/14/2025 3:13 PM, Roger Merriman wrote:
As a significant Birthday just been, I have a new bike or rather new frame >> as I moved the wheelset/Groupset over.Congratulations and happy birthday!
Giant revolt Advanced ie Carbon, I might of gone Aluminium given the choice >> but for a frame set only get to choose the size.
Played safe and went for the same Giant bars as in the built Revolt though >> stuck to Aluminium as the cost jump for Carbon bars didn’t seem worth it. >>
Frame has internal storage which is handy as means I can use a smaller
saddle bag, plus since my bikes tend to get gritty saddle bags tend to
grind seat posts! So one of the Silca ones that only attaches to the saddle >> seems to work well.
Slightly annoying the pump is just too long to fit that’s in the frame and >> the multi tool is in the saddle bag which really is the wrong way around in >> terms of what I’m likely to use more often?
Has clearance for 53mm tyres the old bike topped out at 35/38mm tyres, I’ve
fitted some 50mm tyres as in general my focus is off rather than on road.
It’s quite a bit lighter, at 10KG with everything on bar the water bottles,
it perhaps is faster on road climbs climbing one of GCN’s often used road >> up from Tintern Abbey a minute faster, though I’ve only climbed it twice >> and have no heart rate or power to gauge effort though if anything went
harder with the old bike as I had a cyclist in front to reel in that time, >> this time was a more steady effort, likewise riding around Chew Valley
times are more or less the same over rolling terrain, ever so slightly
faster but within margins of error.
Cheddar Gorge my times are all over the place as it’s very touristy so get >> folks doing dumb stuff, and I tend to be admiring the views rather than
going for it.
It’s also possible that having a diet of cake and cheese as this week has >> been has given me an edge over previous years! It’s unlikely but I guess >> possible!
Both today when I did a loop crossing the Severn and the Wye River’s and >> Monday ride to Cheddar, where I was able to compare gravel track times, and >> ride feel.
Even on the 1st ride with tyres that have just over 50% more volume
unsurprisingly it’s much more planted and less disturbed over rocks! And >> times show a sizeable improvement.
Bike on the side of valley above Cheddar. <https://flic.kr/p/2rmPfwj>
On the Wye and pub after plus Tintern Abby and start of GCN hill.
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnvTWf>
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnuNpy>
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnvWrw>
Does require some fettling as I’ve cooked the front Rotor seeing how steep >> and technical those fat tyres allow! Works but not brilliantly and will
judder if used with force, and has discoloured, it’s an old rotor.
I also will need to work out how to mount the big light as bars/stem are
slightly non standard so mounting the Garmin on the stem and light on the
bar next to it wasn’t enough space.
Both of which I’ll sort when home! And have access to bike shops I know and
all of that, though the light I have a few weeks probably before I’d use >> it, the commute bike will have a night ride next week as the hours are
closing in.
Roger Merriman
As a significant Birthday just been, I have a new bike or rather new frame
as I moved the wheelset/Groupset over.
Giant revolt Advanced ie Carbon, I might of gone Aluminium given the choice but for a frame set only get to choose the size.
Played safe and went for the same Giant bars as in the built Revolt though stuck to Aluminium as the cost jump for Carbon bars didn’t seem worth it.
Frame has internal storage which is handy as means I can use a smaller
saddle bag, plus since my bikes tend to get gritty saddle bags tend to
grind seat posts! So one of the Silca ones that only attaches to the saddle seems to work well.
Slightly annoying the pump is just too long to fit that’s in the frame and the multi tool is in the saddle bag which really is the wrong way around in terms of what I’m likely to use more often?
Has clearance for 53mm tyres the old bike topped out at 35/38mm tyres, I’ve fitted some 50mm tyres as in general my focus is off rather than on road.
It’s quite a bit lighter, at 10KG with everything on bar the water bottles, it perhaps is faster on road climbs climbing one of GCN’s often used road up from Tintern Abbey a minute faster, though I’ve only climbed it twice and have no heart rate or power to gauge effort though if anything went harder with the old bike as I had a cyclist in front to reel in that time, this time was a more steady effort, likewise riding around Chew Valley
times are more or less the same over rolling terrain, ever so slightly
faster but within margins of error.
Cheddar Gorge my times are all over the place as it’s very touristy so get folks doing dumb stuff, and I tend to be admiring the views rather than
going for it.
It’s also possible that having a diet of cake and cheese as this week has been has given me an edge over previous years! It’s unlikely but I guess possible!
Both today when I did a loop crossing the Severn and the Wye River’s and Monday ride to Cheddar, where I was able to compare gravel track times, and ride feel.
Even on the 1st ride with tyres that have just over 50% more volume unsurprisingly it’s much more planted and less disturbed over rocks! And times show a sizeable improvement.
Bike on the side of valley above Cheddar. <https://flic.kr/p/2rmPfwj>
On the Wye and pub after plus Tintern Abby and start of GCN hill.
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnvTWf>
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnuNpy>
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnvWrw>
Does require some fettling as I’ve cooked the front Rotor seeing how steep and technical those fat tyres allow! Works but not brilliantly and will judder if used with force, and has discoloured, it’s an old rotor.
I also will need to work out how to mount the big light as bars/stem are slightly non standard so mounting the Garmin on the stem and light on the
bar next to it wasn’t enough space.
Both of which I’ll sort when home! And have access to bike shops I know and all of that, though the light I have a few weeks probably before I’d use it, the commute bike will have a night ride next week as the hours are closing in.
Roger Merriman
On 8/14/2025 4:13 PM, Roger Merriman wrote:
As a significant Birthday just been, I have a new bike or rather new frame >> as I moved the wheelset/Groupset over.
Giant revolt Advanced ie Carbon, I might of gone Aluminium given the choice >> but for a frame set only get to choose the size.
Played safe and went for the same Giant bars as in the built Revolt though >> stuck to Aluminium as the cost jump for Carbon bars didn’t seem worth it. >>
Frame has internal storage which is handy as means I can use a smaller
saddle bag, plus since my bikes tend to get gritty saddle bags tend to
grind seat posts! So one of the Silca ones that only attaches to the saddle >> seems to work well.
Slightly annoying the pump is just too long to fit that’s in the frame and >> the multi tool is in the saddle bag which really is the wrong way around in >> terms of what I’m likely to use more often?
Has clearance for 53mm tyres the old bike topped out at 35/38mm tyres, I’ve
fitted some 50mm tyres as in general my focus is off rather than on road.
It’s quite a bit lighter, at 10KG with everything on bar the water bottles,
it perhaps is faster on road climbs climbing one of GCN’s often used road >> up from Tintern Abbey a minute faster, though I’ve only climbed it twice >> and have no heart rate or power to gauge effort though if anything went
harder with the old bike as I had a cyclist in front to reel in that time, >> this time was a more steady effort, likewise riding around Chew Valley
times are more or less the same over rolling terrain, ever so slightly
faster but within margins of error.
Cheddar Gorge my times are all over the place as it’s very touristy so get >> folks doing dumb stuff, and I tend to be admiring the views rather than
going for it.
It’s also possible that having a diet of cake and cheese as this week has >> been has given me an edge over previous years! It’s unlikely but I guess >> possible!
Both today when I did a loop crossing the Severn and the Wye River’s and >> Monday ride to Cheddar, where I was able to compare gravel track times, and >> ride feel.
Even on the 1st ride with tyres that have just over 50% more volume
unsurprisingly it’s much more planted and less disturbed over rocks! And >> times show a sizeable improvement.
Bike on the side of valley above Cheddar. <https://flic.kr/p/2rmPfwj>
On the Wye and pub after plus Tintern Abby and start of GCN hill.
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnvTWf>
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnuNpy>
<https://flic.kr/p/2rnvWrw>
Does require some fettling as I’ve cooked the front Rotor seeing how steep >> and technical those fat tyres allow! Works but not brilliantly and will
judder if used with force, and has discoloured, it’s an old rotor.
I also will need to work out how to mount the big light as bars/stem are
slightly non standard so mounting the Garmin on the stem and light on the
bar next to it wasn’t enough space.
Both of which I’ll sort when home! And have access to bike shops I know and
all of that, though the light I have a few weeks probably before I’d use >> it, the commute bike will have a night ride next week as the hours are
closing in.
Roger Merriman
Happy Birthday and congratulations on the new ride, It looks great! I've
read some good reviews of it.
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