The 4km descent to the loch was a welcome relief and, at the bottom, I decided approaching 40km was a good time to enjoy my lunch by the shores. As you might or might not know, the core of Lauf True Grit is the Lauf Grit SL, with its 30mm front suspension fork. With its long wheelbase, the Lauf is incredibly confident when speeding down rough descents. I then spent half an hour or so removing various bits such as the Lezyne pump bracket and, dare I say it, the Lauf bottle opener! Not at all. 15mm front axle, STATS When fitted with gravel tires you have the optimal setup for gravel with proper pedal-to-ground clearance. Particularly, it is more lightweight, more compact, and sturdier than the standard model. Is it possible to stop by a loch with your bike and not take a photo? I like a racier bike, too. The sequential, flappy-paddle shifting setup is incredibly intuitive and, thus far, shifting performance has been faultless. for a true multi-purpose bike, the Anywhere hits the mark, especially if there is more pavement in your schedule. I am hoping to change various parts of the bike in order for it to be ready for a long self-supported ride. Compared to a racier road bike, the steering will feel unresponsive and hard to turn. When jutting across roads less traveled, you can feel the bars flexing while on the hoods. My route took me out of town on a wide NCN cycle path, before taking a diversion through an undulating forest. I envisaged a desolate slog, through a windswept bog, pushing for hours and cursing my route planning ability. All Rights Reserved. Much like the fork, the Canyon VCLS 2.0 seatpost Ive fitted is a two-piece leaf-sprung unit, designed to flutter backward and forward, to take the sting out of trail chatter. High-frequency buzz is greatly reduced, which not only improves comfort over an individual bump but also helps minimise fatigue on long slogs. But, instead, I was treated to a chilly high-pressure system that hadnt dumped much snow, and so I donned some thick gloves, my Sportful Supergiara Puffy and some Nukeproof riding trousers, and headed into the hills behind town for a few achingly beautiful, and achingly cold rides to burn off the Christmas turkey (well, venison actually). Forks. Save 25% + DMR Trail Gloves + DeathGrips when you subscribe to MBUK magazine, *Spring Savings* Try 6 issues of Cycling Plus for just 9.99 | Save 74% today, The Lauf Anywhere is an awesome all-rounder that will handle pretty much whatever adventure you throw at it. LAUF ANYWHERE RIDE The Anywhere is nearly identical in feel and handling to the True Grit when on the pavement. The True Grit has a long, low front end, perfect for folks that like an aggressive position. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Think ultra endurance road racing, gravel racing, a bit of touring and possibly the odd local time-trial. Im pretty sure British Cycling should get their athletes on this diet. Lauf's Grit forks are also far lighter than the competition, more energy efficient and they don't require any maintenance. While they are inherently unable to come close to Lauf Grit's response to higher frequency vibration. Having suffered from knee pain at the end of day three it was clear that the lower gearing was a good choice and suggested that I should have spent more time in those lower gears to help reduce the load going through my knee. Handlebar suspension? I know it's apples to oranges, but wondering what the peanut gallery thinks of spending twice as much for an entry to gravel bikes for my wife. So, with the Cairngorms having mile upon mile of prime gravel, it was an easy decision to chuck the Lauf in the back of the van as I cruised far up north. Here, in the UK, a 40c tyre collecting and then clogging the rear end of the bike is a frequent occurrence. The road category has settled on 12x100mm as the standard and Lauf even makes the rigid and suspension fork in both sizes. At around 2,000km distance and roughly 15,000 metres of elevation, I had to make sure that the bike could go the distance. With little actual knowledge of where I was going to go, I jumped on Komoot to plan out a days ride. This got the bike to a final weight of 8.15kg, which was a total saving of 450g on its original weight of 8.6kg. This section of the ride was why Id packed so much. Features The Anywhere is (bike-) packed with great features designed for a menu of mixed terrain. I thought the 42t chainring up front and the 11t rear cog would reduce my top speed dramatically and that I would struggle to keep up with my riding companions. The Maxxis Rambler tyres seem to be a decent all-rounder. And it was here that I spent my Christmas and New Year. Its as much about comfort as it is about control. Its incredibly good at reducing handlebar buzz, too, which over long distances adds to fatigue, and helps with bigger hits, but with 30mm travel, theres only so much it can be expected to handle. The large but smooth 40mm tires allowed us to run low tire pressures (35psi) on wet roads offering great traction and speed. And, on top of that, it is a beautifully designed bit of kit with a claimed weight of 485g with its axle and an uncut steerer. Well, it makes a noticeable difference for sure. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Before reviewing the wheels Id like to spend more time on them, but so far that extra depth has had little effect on the handling of the bike, apart from perhaps in the strongest sidewind gusts where theres obviously a little more deflection. The Lauf True Grit is built for gravel racing: big days, covering long distances, over a multitude of dirt surfaces. #biggravelmiles #lauftruegritKim finally got a gravel bike..And I'm actually kinda jealous. I reinstalled the third bottle cage on the down tube, but to carry my coffee and coffee cup. Instead of the JAF I used the No.9 CX Disc fork from Whiskey Parts Co. Rattling is perhaps too negative a sounding word, its just that a 45c gravel tyre in comparison to a 2.6in wide one gives a fairly different ride experience! The Rival brakes match, but only the right side has the shifter lever and mechanics. At this time of year, we traditionally say goodbye to our long-term bikes. When it comes to really rough off-road riding, the Smoothie handlebar isnt nearly as effective as the 30mm-travel Grit suspension fork. The head angle, with 6mm of sag, is 70.5 degrees and theres a 72.5-degree seat angle, designed for use with a zero-layback seatpost. THE FRAME When not riding he can be found at the climbing wall, in his garden or cooking up culinary delights. The glass fibre section of the bar is designed to give a little more flex and buzz reduction, while the carbon sections save weight where this buzz reduction isnt needed. 1,052 feet, not metres. Although there were several guises, the Anywhere remained a true do-it-all bike. I also highly recommend the WTB Nano tyres for gravel racing because they gave me no problems during the race and provided me with plenty of grip and confidence over the 200km route. So despite the bike not coming with Laufs famous leaf sprung fork, it can be ridden hard over proper gravel with a bit of nerve. Since this bike is not using a wireless 2x drivetrain (the frame is incompatible with wired 2x drivetrains), you might have also noticed a nifty Lauf Bottle Opener taking the place of the front derailleur. Lauf's Seigla has taken all of the best aspects from its True Grit gravel race bike and improved it, with increased tyre clearance and frame compliance. On asphalt, one reviewer described slight understeer on tight, fast turns. DAVID'S BEST RACE BIKE. One of the reasons for this is its geometry. After completing my first hill climb race on the Lauf Anywhere, it got me thinking about the bikes weight. Riding a fully rigid bike meant that my body felt pretty beaten up by the end of the ride (it took me 12 hours to complete), and watching many other competitors on mountain bikes I definitely could have done with some form of suspension. Its a relatively lightweight, but tough, carbon disc frame with large tyre clearance, mounts galore and designed with an emphasis on comfort with slightly relaxed geometry and even a vibration reducing handlebar. Okay, so this may not have helped me win on the day, but I found the process fun and it did help me get my head in the game. I found this out when testing the Hunt Superdura dynamo wheel, which uses a 12mm axle Son Delux hub. The SRAM Rival brakes require a re-bleed and a clean up of the pads and discs because they are lacking in power and make a horrendous noise when riding in the wet. Furthermore, I really believe suspension has a place on a gravel bike. It's an evolution of the brand's True Grit gravel bike, and features much improved tyre clearance and dropped stays that give around. With under 40psi in my Maxxis Rambler (f) and Bontrager GR2 (r) tyres, I still skirted around the most glass-like patches of ice without issue, but it was refreshing to be totally comfortable scooting over frost patches, or bits of fireroad where stones and grass poked through an underlying layer of ice, safe in the knowledge that I was fairly, er, safe. The frame also allows wide tyres of up to 45mm. By reports, Maxxis Velocita tires didnt perform well in mud or slippy dirt. I might install clip-on mudguards in the future if I feel its necessary. The top of the bars from hood to hood is all glass fiber with the carbon drops bonded on. Was I nervous about hitting potholes in the dark with a carbon frame? Lauf says the Smoothie bars are some of the best drop bars available for reducing vibration, but its very difficult to say how much the Smoothie bars actually helped. The virtual top tube length is 56.9cm with a frame reach of 39.9cm. I havent yet experienced any creaks or play issues either. As such, small adjustments require the post to be removed. If youre wondering what Irn-Bru is, well, its a Scottish version of Mountain Dew, but luminous orange instead of luminous green, and likely just as nutritious. Im not going to sit back and say the True Grit was an unknown quantity far from it. This time last year I was banging out 100 to 150k rides weekly, with occasional jaunts of up to around 200k. Depending on how bad the weather is and whether I can stand getting wet on rides, a set of clip-on mudguards could be a worthy addition, as mentioned above. That said, I noticed that on-tarmac handling is compromised. For off-road climbing, the gearing was on the tall side for some and came up on the short side for riders capable of higher paved speeds.. Lauf Anywhere actual weights Out of the box, the size Large with tubes weighed in at 18.87lb (8.56kg). Owing to the 45mm offset (versus the 47mm that their suspension fork), the bikes wheelbase is slightly shorter at 103.4cm. The ride took me south on a mostly flat, traffic-free route and I planned my bivi spot at around 35km. In a few situations, the forks architecture can lead to some unwanted twist, which is especially noticeable on steep, rough corners where you need to brake. I felt I really understood what the team behind Lauf wanted to create. Having explored a little of the area in the past, I knew there was a fair risk of trudging through mud, even at the best of times, and with my other half working, I also knew thered be no rescue party until at least early evening if things went a little wrong. On a sunny day, take a picture of a pine forest and youd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between summer and winter especially as puddles in the UK are a near year-round feature. Having not ridden properly for over a month due to (a non-cycling) injury and attending Eurobike, I had absolutely no pressure on me. Save 25% + DMR Trail Gloves + DeathGrips when you subscribe to MBUK magazine, *Spring Savings* Try 6 issues of Cycling Plus for just 9.99 | Save 74% today, This is an initial score and could change as I spend more time on the bike, GBP 3,890.00 RRP While the frameset is nicely finished, with numerous neat touches, its the Grit SL fork that steals the show. I was hoping this year would continue in the same vein because I had a few long-distance goals I wanted to hit, but that hasnt been the case so far. ), goading me into riding faster than my cold legs would go. MORE on the Lauf Anywhere & Lauf True Grit www.laufcycling.com . Lauf has released a new gravel bike, called the Seigla. I took my good friend George and it was to be his first experience of riding out and sleeping under the stars. Lauf Anywhere Weekend Warrior: $3340 True Grit (12x142mm TA) Lauf JAF (15x100mm TA) Lauf Smoothie SRAM Rival 1 SRAM Rival 1 SRAM Rival 1 Flat mount Hydraulic SRAM S350 42t Lauf True Grit (technically not on the list) At $3765 this is the most expensive (and best looking) option and I'm hesitant to get this as my first gravel bike because of that The same frame as the Lauf Anywhere but has the Lauf fork and SRAM FORCE 1 ( link) Also a 1x42T cank and 11/42T cassette which seems more sensible gearing for gravel Im also considering swapping the current DT Swiss X1900 XC wheels for a lighter wheelset because I will mostly be riding the Lauf Anywhere on tarmac roads. The Anywhere is nearly identical in feel and handling to the True Grit when on the pavement. The smooth rolling of sub-40psi is certainly alluring. Also developed in house by Lauf is the flared drop bar, which is called the Smoothie Composite. Lauf will offer its Steigla with either the Grit fork or with a rigid fork. I swapped back the dynamo wheel which is still one of my favourite bits of kit for the Lauf and attached the Crudcatcher Roadracer MK3 mudguard set to keep me dry and comfortable. Future upgrade plans include some new wheels, as well as a couple of items to boost long-distance comfort. Clearance for 45mm tires ensured real off-road compatibility and a cushy ride. THE VERDICT I refuse to ride anything else. A handy bottle-opener is affixed to the frame, in place of a front derailleur. That's with a hodgepodge spec of alloy Easton EA70 stem and FSA post, Ritchey saddle and DT Swiss wheels. Toms well acquainted with the True Grit and is looking to put this latest version through its paces over south-west England's finest gravel. And, coming from the mountain bike side of things, it feels utterly natural to have a springy front end. In deep or slippery mud its inevitable that they dont always hold traction particularly well, but thats a trade-off Ive been happy to make all winter. Outside of testing bikes, Tom competes in a wide range of mountain bike races, from multi-day enduros through to 24-hour races in the depths of the Scottish winter pushing bikes, components and his legs to their limits. I love gravel riding. Before this, I felt I hadnt quite done the Anywhere justice because many of my rides were road-based, but this trip really opened up what I thought was possible on a rigid, drop-bar bike. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Removing the tubes and a couple parts swaps would easily bring that number down without breaking the bank. An expert wanted a bit more gear range at both top and bottom ends. The fork is easy to get secondhand (as I did) or get it new. It's a bike that has been designed for racing across challenging mixed surfaces as fast as possible and does that by combining absolutely enormous tyre clearance with geometry closely comparable to. I actually think this combination suits my riding perfectly, especially as Im not a natural road racer with years of riding a 53-48t under my belt. This also means that on long rides when you become fatigued, the bike isnt hyper-responsive to bar input that could lead to a mistake. The DT Swiss X1900 wheels use 6-bolt rotors and have the Shimano-style freehub. Was I still happy with the gearing choice after adding all that weight? However, Its also noticeable when riding over rough roads. Also, when it comes to comfort, because the front end is suspended its more obvious that the rear isnt. The Lauf Anywhere was about $2k shipped but they're sold out of smalls. With the front end of the bike benefitting from the Grit suspension fork, I was finding the feeling of the bike a little unbalanced, and, truth be told, a little uncomfortable on hard-packed rough tracks. SRAMs AXS gears did their job without grumbling, the Grit fork killed buzz as it should and the Maxxis Rambler at the front, paired with a Bontrager G2 at the back, rolled efficiently and comfortably, backed up by that shock-damping Canyon post. The Lauf True Grit is built for gravel racing: big days, covering long distances, over a multitude of dirt surfaces. Setting the post up is a bit of a hassle because the angle of the saddle is defined by the relative position of the two halves, which is secured with a small grub screw located well inside the frames seat tube. As for the bike, the only issue I had was a hole in the rear tyre that wouldnt seal. As this was my first gravel race, I drew some experience from my mountain biking background and couldnt believe how well the Lauf handled on some of the gnarlier descents. Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now. Why is the geometry this way? Im getting to grips with Komoot, too, using it as a tool to search out alternative routes to the main roads in and out of the city, whether thats via cycle tracks, single tracks or dirt tracks. It's just a shame that the JAF fork limits the bikes compatibility with road and gravel wheelsets, Lauf Anywhere Weekend Warrior Edition long-term review, A true gravel race bike and equally fun adventure bike, No mudguard mounts, 15mm fork axle limits road wheelsets, SRAM Rival 1 flat mount hydraulic (160mm rotor front and rear), Lauf Smoothie composite (420mm for the size medium). I would say that for a relatively short ride the gearing is fine. Opting for a rigid fork will save customers $350/260/300 from the version with a Grit fork. As a result, Felix loves to find the limits of endurance bikes and bikepacking gear for BikeRadar, while he also lets his competitive side loose during gravel races and hill climbs. Download installation guides and manuals for your Lauf forks. Photo: Courtesy Lauf Don't 'lauf' at my fork! It has great feeling engagement when putting down the power, too. While the True Grit was celebrated as the gravel markets first production bike specd with front suspension, it remained an outlier for many drop-bar enthusiasts hesitant to embrace either moving parts or the bikes odd appearance. One item that has been a revelation is the Mudhugger Gravel Hugger rear mudguard. Jersey: Team Dream While it might not be entirely fair to say this, mountain biking often, because of the trail network in the UK, takes place in Forestry Commission commercial pine forests, and thus aesthetically varies very little. The internal width of the rims isnt particularly wide nor built for the demands of gravel racing, so I changed back to the DT Swiss X1900 wheelset that the bike came with. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If you are riding access roads or just the normal dirt or gravel road, the rigid fork with new Smoothie bars and large-volume tires will be more than sufficient. I was also lucky enough to ride the Grit fork when it launched, and later the True Grit on the launch event in Iceland and longer term after the event. Frame: Lauf Anywhere (12x142mm TA) Fork: Lauf JAF (15x100mm TA) . The Maxxis Velocita AR tyres are by far the widest I have ridden on a road-biased bike. True Grit - Gravel Bike . But, as always seems to happen on longer rides, the first few kilometres of light, traffic-free gravel out of town flew by, lulling me into a false sense of security. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Despite this, Lauf has created an impressive handlebar in the Lauf Smoothie, which is designed to address the issue of vibration felt through the hands. When the bike is loaded with gear the smaller chainring would be really beneficial for spinning up those steep climbs. I also injured myself earlier this year, so the Lauf has been a useful tool in my recovery from a (potentially, the doctors cant 100 per cent tell) fractured wrist, sustained when I ran out of talent on a mountain bike. 3x Bottle Mounts Three bottle mounts come in handy for a long day in the saddle. THE RIDE However, well leave those arguments for another day. I have had a couple of freehub engagement issues with my pair, though. Maybe its the combo of the supple tyre, and the forks suspension and lower lateral stiffness than a traditional fork, but at those pressures the feel between tarmac and bar is just too vague for my tastes. Lauf sees it the same way, a bike built to go fast over gravel, work well over asphalt, and feel more capable than the average gravel bike through sweeping singletrack. I didnt need to modify the Lauf Anywhere for this mini adventure, which is one of the joys of this bike and its put up with most things I have thrown at it. THE PARTS I found the bike to be very comfortable and more forgiving than both the aluminium and steel bikes that I rode previously. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. However, outside the race venue Lauf had a number of handmade jigs with several other bars from different brands as well as the Smoothie attached. The Seigla has, within a millimetre or two, the same geometry as the True Grit. Starting at 10pm this was not only an overnight ride but also the longest single ride I had ever attempted. Builds all feature SRAM Rival, Force or Red XPLR groupsets, e*thirteen wheels with 40mm Maxxis Rambler tires, and FSA and Fizik finishing kit. As such, the bike was not only used for the event but for all my training, as well as a considerable amount of time spent kit testing in the lead up to the event in early June. Grit / Grit SL . The Dava Way follows an old railway path and goes through a number of rather cool cuttings. This suits me as I intend to ride this bike in as many different ways as possible. In terms of future upgrades to the bike, I think it would really benefit from a lighter, wider gravel wheelset because the DT Swiss X1900s arent the lightest or widest out there. My tried and tested Apidura saddlebag and top tube bag got another outing, along with a real hidden gem in the world of bikepacking bags, Alpkits Airlok Dual handlebar bag. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. It was also great to ride the Lauf on the trails that the bike was designed for and tested on. I guess Im fairly happy rattling over rough surfaces at closer to 50psi, especially considering the squish afforded by the Grit fork. I was using Laufs Smoothie handlebars, which are developed in house and made from the same carbon as its leaf sprung suspension fork. Almost 20 hours later, I arrived back in Bristol with a fully stamped Brevet card, and I was extremely relieved. Gates are annoying at the best of times, but boy oh boy, this is the worst kind of gate Ive ever come across. At 40mm wide and on the DT Swiss X1900 22.5mm (inner width) rims, they are really fun to rail around corners without feeling the bike could lose grip. No bike can be perfect at everything, though, and there are a few points to consider. Lauf has equipped the frame with four pairs of bosses: two within the frame triangle for bottles, one under the down tube for either extra water or storage, and a pair in front of the stem for a bento-box, ready for longer races. However, Lauf itself has recently moved over to fitting E13s wheels from stock. It was clear the Smoothie had considerably more flex than the other brands. The new Smoothie bar and 40mm tires isolate the rider from the imperfections of the road perfectly. If thats not a bikepacking clich then I dont know what is! A pair of Fast Forward F3D carbon wheels provided the biggest upgrade and I replaced the 32mm WTB Exposure tyres with a pair of 25mm Pirelli P Zero Velo 4s tyres. , manga like ori of the dragon chain, rx8 rocket bunny ducktail,
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