Getting old sucks, might as well have a nice bike
There’s a lot to like about the new 2022 Giant Revolt. It’s lighter, but not so light that it’s weird. Don’t like the D-Fuse seatpost? No problem, they made it so you can swap in a standard round one (with dropper if you want). Oh, and they added a flip-chip to the rear so that if you want 1cm more wheelbase, and > 45c tires, you can do that. But I especially…
Sometimes it’s necessary to learn things the hard way. No instructions made figuring out how to install the fenders Giant created specifically for the Revolt gravel bike much more difficult than it needed to be. Doing it over, I probably would have opted for a different solution.…
I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a fan of integrated seatposts (ISP), but until today my objections pivoted mostly around the lack of flexibility they impart to consumers. Once you cut that ISP, the bike is personalized to you; assuming you got it right and didn’t accidentally cut it too short (DOH!). Once it’s shortened, it’s no longer possible for anyone who’s taller that you to ride the bike. Which impairs the…
I have no doubt that the new Giant TCR is an amazing bike. After all, Giant is one of the few OEMs that are actually Original Equipment Manufactures; most other bike “makers” contract to Giant, or someone else, and they have the design expertise and financial clout to design and build great bikes. Now, I didn’t see an explicit size mentioned, but these weights are almost always of the Size Medium variety.…
Calling “done”, at least for now, with the aluminum Giant Revolt 2 gravel bike. Having kept only the frame, there were a lot of changes getting there. While I forgot to mention it in the video, I was able to get the bike down to 8.995kg with Shimano PD-M540 pedals (no bottle cages or other accessories), which is very competitive with other gravel bikes costing significantly more. Amazing bike.…
This video from PeakTorque is incredibly detailed in its explanation of why carbon fiber (CF), despite being an incredibly stiff material, isn’t nearly as stiff in the finished product as it may seem initially. But what if maximum stiffness isn’t the goal? It’s common knowledge that CF seat posts and handlebars are great because they incorporate stiffness in some directions and compliance in others. Less well known, but still true AFAIK, is…
Integrated fender (mudguard) mounts played a massive role in the selection of the Giant Revolt 2 as my all-purpose/gravel bike. Because of its tire clearance I opted for a set of fenders that will work with anything road-or-gravel sized. These SKS Chromoplastic Longboard 50 are perfect for the job, just require a bit of modification to get them mounted.…
Reviews and good numbers are hard to find on many stock wheels, with good reason. This is an attempt to fix that with respect to the Giant S-X2 disc wheelset that comes with many Giant Revolt bicycles.…
Giant’s new aluminum Revolt 2 gravel bike is a great value as-is, but my eyes are just on the frame. By swapping the lower end components for a mostly Ultegra setup, the bike gets significantly more capability (e.g. two more gears on the 11-34, and a clutched derailleur) with a durable frame that I don’t have to worry too much about. This is the first step in the process of swapping parts…