And it was here that I spent my Christmas and New Year. Handlebar suspension? The fork is easy to get secondhand (as I did) or get it new. Story; Direct to Consumer; Crew; Lauf Legends; Reviews; Legacy Products. Its not a common enough occurrence for me to feel the fork is a compromise on the bike, though. With summer waning and the memories of riding the Transatlantic Way fading, I organised a simple overnight bikepacking ride out of Bristol. Overall, the trip was a great success. One signature Lauf feature carried over on the Anywhere is the handy seatstay-mounted bottle opener, which doubles as a front derailleur mount for anyone who prefers a 2x drivetrain or gets less thirsty on the ride. The Maxxis Rambler tyres seem to be a decent all-rounder. When not riding he can be found at the climbing wall, in his garden or cooking up culinary delights. Thanks! you get the best of both worlds and the ability to adapt the horse to the course This is still one of my favorite handlebars The shape is unique but extremely comfortable If youre looking everywhere for a gravel bike, try looking Anywhere. The wailing sound whenever I squeezed the levers hard gave it away. However, these are pre-production samples that came with slightly thicker grease than production hubs would. 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.. Jamis Renegade vs Lauf Anywhere/True Grit vs Argon 18 Dark Matter - Reddit Four buildsfrom $2690 to $5340are available, including an option for a frameset. 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. Weighing a claimed 450g, the Lauf Anywheres Just A Fork (JAF) has a full carbon construction, triple cage mounts on each leg, and is based around a 15 x 100m thru-axle. The Lauf Anywhere, as the name implioes, is intended to be a do it all bike. Opting for a rigid fork will save customers $350/260/300 from the version with a Grit fork. I felt I really understood what the team behind Lauf wanted to create. The Smoothie handlebar is made with a combination of S2 glass fibers and carbon, but as with their Grit suspension fork, the materials are not a blend but instead separate and isolated to offer more compliance while eliminating fatigue failure. THE VERDICT A particularly long reach of 399mm for the medium is combined with a short head-tube (133mm) to promote an aerodynamic position on the bike. The True Grit is designed for 700c gravel tires, in proper width (up to 45mm) and with short chainstays (425mm). This leaf-sprung suspension fork offers 30mm of travel, which is enough to take the sting out of the dirt roads, without impacting too much on the bikes dynamic geometry. Sadly, thanks to clothing/feeding/weather/time, I pulled out halfway. Here, in the UK, a 40c tyre collecting and then clogging the rear end of the bike is a frequent occurrence. True Grit . Tom has written for BikeRadar, MBUK and Cycling Plus, and was previously technical editor of What Mountain Bike magazine. It was a new experience for me having never raced before or had any proper gravel riding experience. 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. While Lauf quotes a 45c tyre clearance at the back, I think thats more applicable for true mid-western gravel. Review: Lauf Anywhere gravel bike - VeloNews.com I dont think the Grit SL is a perfect fork, though, and will cover this in more detail in my impressions below, but I do think its got a lot going for it and its certainly a subject of debate within the BikeRadar office. 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). I might install clip-on mudguards in the future if I feel its necessary. I do think the longer geometry and the fork contribute here. The True Grit has a long, low front end, perfect for folks that like an aggressive position. This meant I could achieve a lower gear, which was essential for me because the bike was loaded up with everything I needed for the ride in other words it was very heavy! Sweep and flare enhanced the comfort of the Smoothie handlebar. Lauf Anywhere here. That makes the TG around $700 cheaper than the similarly configured Seigla. Thanks! The glass fiber Smoothie handlebar flexes to compensate for frame judder. The carbon fiber Icelandic gravel bike employs the company's signature Grit SL fork to give. It impressed on asphalt, dirt and true gravel. While the frameset is nicely finished, with numerous neat touches, its the Grit SL fork that steals the show. However, once set, its pretty much good to go. That's with a hodgepodge spec of alloy Easton EA70 stem and FSA post, Ritchey saddle and DT Swiss wheels. Builds all feature SRAM Rival, Force or Red XPLR groupsets, e*thirteen wheels with 40mm Maxxis Rambler tires, and FSA and Fizik finishing kit. While tyre widths have increased, and the bike has a suspension fork, it's still a race . In 2017, and prior to joining BikeRadar, Felix quit his job as a production engineer to go bikepacking from one end of Japan to the other. The ride took me south on a mostly flat, traffic-free route and I planned my bivi spot at around 35km. 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. The weather stayed dry and riding out of the woods to see the sunrise was really special and a rare treat in the UK. The DT Swiss X1900 wheels use 6-bolt rotors and have the Shimano-style freehub. As such, small adjustments require the post to be removed. Prices start at $3700 for a complete bike; not a bad deal for all the tech this comes with. Although the Anywhere is built with gravel racing at its heart, the bike was great fun to ride both on the tarmac and off road, but, on a ride like this, perhaps the front end of the bike could do with being a bit taller for added comfort. 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. Id been feeling like Id ignored gravel, what with the Merida Ex Enduro (Powered by Shimano Steps) and then a two week holiday in the Alps, where I ragged the El Roy as much as I could before heading home to a UK winter. Why are the Lauf bikes sized like they are? Perhaps not surprising because this bike has, as claimed by Lauf offers Copious amount of microscopic comfort. The urban jungle that is Aviemore has its own Orbital. Surprisingly, the bike does not use the leaf spring fork that made Lauf famous. First Ride: Lauf Anywhere - Road Bike Action This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. A week in Aviemore, Scotland, where my girlfriend lives, gave me an opportunity to get back on the Lauf, after spending a fair bit of time riding my Marin El Roy. The JAF fork is designed around a 15mm axle, which means many gravel and road wheels arent compatible. BIKE OF THE WEEK: SCHMOLKE INFINITY GRAVEL, THROWBACK THURSDAY, 2015: ALEX DOWSETT BREAKS THE HOUR, TOM PIDCOCK SHOWS OFF INSANE DESCENDING SKILLS, WATCH 2023 TOUR DOWN UNDER PROLOGUE HIGHLIGHTS. The large but smooth 40mm tires allowed us to run low tire pressures (35psi) on wet roads offering great traction and speed. Its as much about comfort as it is about control. Join Join. If I wasnt bathed in sweat, thanks to a full complement of windproof gear and winter shoes, Id have been loving life. Jump out the door, grind your way through or load it up and head anywhere you want. It's an evolution of the brand's True Grit gravel bike, and features much improved tyre clearance and dropped stays that give around. The bars help to elevate confidence and maintain traction, but on some of our favorite routes, we were still left wishing we had the suspension fork. However, I like the position, especially when descending. Lauf owners, help me choose! : r/gravelcycling - Reddit Six weeks after the Transatlantic Way, I was off to race The Rift a 200km gravel race in Hvolsller, Iceland. So, with the offer of running the latest version of the bike with an updated Grit SL fork and new componentry, I didnt hesitate to say yes. The head tube angle is a bit steeper at 71 degrees . Seat tube length measures 542mm, while the head tube is 133mm and theres a 65mm bottom bracket drop. While many other gravel bikes have specific damping qualities built into the frame, whether thats using different kinds of carbon in different areas or even elastomers or suspension, the Anywhere feels fairly basic in comparison, and other areas of the bike, such as the tyres, have a greater impact on comfort. This was a slight oversight on my behalf which meant that I had to switch the fork to one with a 12mm axle. It also meant that I didnt actually change anything specifically on my bike, and much to the amusement of Joe I even kept on my third down-tube bottle cage and 32mm gravel tyres. Laufs own Smoothie bar dominates the cockpit. Since then weve had a long British winter thats only just on the wane. The bike sits in the middle of the Anywhere range and is referred to as the Weekend Warrior Edition. Overall, the Lauf Anywhere is a truly awesome all-rounder Ive spent the last six months riding it I have managed to rack up 4,500km The Anywhere will handle pretty much whatever adventure your imagination can think of. While there were no hills to hinder my progress, it did seem like death by a thousand gates. But they all use Shimanos SPD cleat system. The Maxxis Velocita AR 40mm tires are nearly road slicks and seem small when compared to the clearance available. Lauf goes consumer direct, cuts $1,000+ off prices When fitted with gravel tires you have the optimal setup for gravel with proper pedal-to-ground clearance. Force level shifters are joined by an XX1 AXS derailleur and 10-50t cassette, driven by a Force 1 chainset with a 42t ring. 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. From there, I enjoyed a mix of tarmac, farm track and, eventually, classic Scottish gravel double track through and past Carrbridge, and on to the climb up and over the hills to Lochindorb. This feature completely changed the way how gravel cycling is regarded. Here, the fork sometimes twists and twangs, which can be unnerving. In the UK, where mud is a regular feature of a gravel ride, the 40c standard width tyres can get clogged up around the chainstays. This was a relatively pain-free process, although having initially tried to pump the tyres up without removing the valve core, I quickly learned that it was not going to inflate without taking this step first. A hanger is provided for a wireless front derailleur and 2x chainring setup. It was clear the Smoothie had considerably more flex than the other brands. 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 got out of the saddle on most of the climbs and spent less time spinning on sharp hills. The Icelandic leaf-spring design looks crazy, but really isn't any different than a. Plush 40mm tires are stock, providing a supple ride on many surfaces. There are three water bottle cage mounts, as well as a bolt-on top tube mounts for a bag. I felt very much at home, not needing to steer for the best part of 8km, but I did take a quick detour to see a gorge and Huntlys Cave, where two generations of the Gordon family hid from those theyd annoyed in the mid to late 1600s. This could be changed to a 10-42t if the freehub was also changed to an XD driver to accommodate the smaller 10t cog. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Removing the tubes and a couple parts swaps would easily bring that number down without breaking the bank. Why is the geometry this way? A form of built-in frame compliance would also pose an advantage if you plan to ride ultra distances when comfort is most needed. These roll on large volume Maxxis Velocita AR 40c 120 TPI tyres. True Grit vs E5 Diverge for my Wife's first gravel The top of the bars from hood to hood is all glass fiber with the carbon drops bonded on. 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. Lauf Anywhere: More than the 'Funky Fork' Guys As featured in my third update, below, I spend regular, but not consistent amounts of time in Aviemore, Scotland. Riding the Lauf all year round, oftennot in a commercial forest, means I see the seasons changing whenever I ride. Almost 20 hours later, I arrived back in Bristol with a fully stamped Brevet card, and I was extremely relieved. All-new Lauf Seigla gravel bike dramatically boosts - Bikerumor As such, its this skinner rubber Im having to stick with. 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. 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 Forks. Bosses are many - 3x bottle-bosses, 3x fork eyelets and bento-box eyelets. I refuse to ride anything else. He has a particular focus on mountain bikes, but spends plenty of time on gravel bikes, too. Features The Anywhere is (bike-) packed with great features designed for a menu of mixed terrain. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Weight: 18.75 pounds Although I havent ridden the bike off road yet, setup tubeless and with 30 psi in each tyre I have no doubt it will be a blast. 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. In December 2019 I took part in the popular Moonrakers and Sunseekers 300km Audax, organised by Will Pomeroy and the team behind Great Western Randonnes. Personally, I prefer a slightly more aggressive fit on a bike, and have slightly shorter legs for my height, so chose the Medium. September marks the start of the UK hill climb season and it was exciting to be a part of the event. The familiar route is about half road, half gravel (plus a bit of mountain biking/hike a bike), so the WTB Exposure 32c tyres Ive been using for many miles were perfect for this mix of surfaces. Lauf True Grit bikes have a slack seat tube angle (72.5) and are thus set up to be used with zero-setback seatposts. Felix spent much of his youth riding mountain bikes but has now gravitated towards endurance and gravel riding. Deep down, I was hoping for heavy snow, mostly because one of Scotlands main ski resorts is a mere couple of miles up the hill, and I wanted to fish out a pair of planks and go roost some pow-pow. 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. Hes also worked out that shaving your legs saves 8 watts, while testing aerodynamics in a wind tunnel. My route took me out of town on a wide NCN cycle path, before taking a diversion through an undulating forest. Well it performed faultlessly. The bike felt pretty heavy and the first few corners a little unsteady I hadnt ridden a loaded bike for a while but after the first hour I was already used to the change in handling. Lauf Anywhere actual weights Out of the box, the size Large with tubes weighed in at 18.87lb (8.56kg). Glasses: Goodr superfly. THE PARTS In reality, I didnt notice a significant difference in performance using the Fast Forwards, but I did really like the 240s hub and its quality freehub, which purrs away with a sort of quiet confidence. Then when you swap to slimmer 700c tires, say 30mm, the bottom bracket "automatically" drops accordingly. 15mm front axle, STATS for a true multi-purpose bike, the Anywhere hits the mark, especially if there is more pavement in your schedule. While they are inherently unable to come close to Lauf Grit's response to higher frequency vibration. My only complaint with the tyres is that their bead seems fairly baggy on a number of wheels Ive tried, and getting them to pop into the rims bead tubeless can be a frustrating exercise. Theres no adjustment needed on the fork and, in terms of bar and saddle height, Ive set the bar low-ish, but not quite slammed, and the saddle at my preferred pedalling height. Starting at 10pm this was not only an overnight ride but also the longest single ride I had ever attempted. In this market it's hard to find bikes, so she was really luck. With anything rough off the cards for a few weeks, the Lauf has made riding over terrible roads local to me relatively smooth and much kinder on the wrist, thanks to its tyre volume and Grit fork, with its incredible road buzz-killing abilities. 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. Lauf has previously launched a couple of mountain bike and fat bike forks, and the concept for the Grit is the same. . While those first few kilometres flew by, the final few took more effort. Full-length internal cable-guides preserve cables and make maintenance easier. Initially, the bike felt fairly long and low, and while it took a few rides to get a feel for it, I actually really like the position. It has been a season of ups and downs for me with many incredible new experiences and also some injuries too, but I have managed to rack up 4,500km on the Anywhere and I am happy to report that the bike has more than lived up to its versatile intentions. Despite the extra weight and the slight resistance added by the SONdelux hub, the setup worked flawlessly and the feeling of reassurance it gave, particularly when riding at night and in poor weather conditions, far outweighed the negatives. If I had the choice of a lower gear I would have definitely taken it, and I think the bike would benefit from an upgrade in the gearing. With little actual knowledge of where I was going to go, I jumped on Komoot to plan out a days ride. Perhaps the biggest low of the Anywhere is the 15mm axle on the JAF fork. We are all huge fans of the True Grit and Zap even chose it as his favorite dual purpose bike of 2018. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. The Smoothie handlebar and 40mm tires definitely help isolate the rider from road imperfections. The Lauf True Grit is built for gravel racing: big days, covering long distances, over a multitude of dirt surfaces. I soon re-joined my outbound route, the wide gravel tracks corners revealing the mountains Im familiar with seeing in Aviemore. Im fairly confident I enjoyed my visit more than they did. Socks: Team Dream The new Lauf Seigla takes everything that was good about the True Grit gravel bike and makes it bigger and better. This suits me as I intend to ride this bike in as many different ways as possible. PUNCH LINES Like a lot of cyclists, Im at times pretty conflicted about driving to and from rides riding from home is much simpler and, of course, its one less vehicle on the roads but as good as Bristol is for riding, the mountain biking available from my door can get a bit stale. 1,052 feet, not metres. I was a bit unsure how my knee would take it, but thankfully it held up with only slight pain around the 100-mile mark. One item that has been a revelation is the Mudhugger Gravel Hugger rear mudguard. With a quick fork swap, you could have either bike, but you would also need a new front brake line that would be long enough to reach on the suspension fork. While its a good 10k before anything exciting happens, at least the Lauf is an efficient way of crossing ground and once out on those gravel roads, theyre definitely worth the trip. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. As restrictive as a larger axle size could be, many gravel-specific wheels have end caps or adaptors available to accept the larger axle size. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Gravel and adventure bikes with the highest BikeRide Scores. Because I had a post-mount Shimano hydraulic brake on the Parlee, I had to install Shimano's post mount to flat mount adapter in the 140mm size - this sounds incorrect, but that positions the caliper into the right position on the Lauf Grit. FAQ - Lauf Cycling - gravel bikes and lightweight suspension forks The shape of the bike works well for my needs, proving comfortable in sizing and allowing me to adequately get into those more aero shapes that work well on road sections. I did make some changes to the bike, but not that many, which is testament to how versatile the Anywhere is. I played close attention to my position on the bike because in late 2018 I picked up a knee injury, which I have been trying to fix ever since, and I have been wary of riding a new bike because I dont want to damage my knee further by riding hard on a different setup. There was a 178km mountain bike ride a couple of months back, though, which would have been faster on the Lauf, but I rode a Specialized Epic in preparation for an attempt a couple of weeks later to do the West Highland Way in one day.
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