I started riding drop bars (for gravel and adventure riding) from having ridden a flat bar MTB since the 1990s - on a 2019 Poseidon X - I built up a frame from them with a Sora 2x9 drive train and some TRP, HYRD hydro cable brakes and it was great, I put about 3,500 miles on it before I wanted to upgrade, mostly for geo reasons. I can never recommend Poseidon enough.
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
They seem like a great option for someone trying to get into the sport without spending a bunch of money. And the frames can be upgraded as people ride more and wear stuff out. The Redwood just seems like a bad ass bike for $1k. And it seems like it's on sale often. Right now, it's $750!!! Such a cool bike for that price. I love the way it looks too.
@matthews3004 ай бұрын
Great video. I don't have thousands to spend on a bike and would like something that's decent that I can get in an hour or two ride on without breaking the bank. This certainly has helped point me in the right direction. Thank you.
@TysRides4 ай бұрын
Absolutely! You are welcome!
@VictorElGreco8 ай бұрын
I have an older (pre-Ambition) Poseidon X, discounted to $699 when I got it, after the Ambition had come out. Excellent value, crisp drivetrain, just a bit wonky proportions. Fun bike for *light* gravel riding.
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
That's awesome. I have a buddy who has the same bike. He got it when he first started riding but ended up getting really into cycling and riding a lot. Like 6-7,000 miles a year. Eventually he needed to replace the brakes and wheels but the bike has been very good for him.
@agentaech8 ай бұрын
Excellent video. Forwarding this to my brother in law who might be shopping in the near future.
@joeschmoe13015 ай бұрын
Outstanding job detailing budget bikes!!!
@TysRides5 ай бұрын
Thanks man! 🙌
@georgekrpan31814 ай бұрын
Mercier Kilo GX R20 on Bikesdirect, $999. Reynolds 520 steel frame and fork, Shimano GRX 2x10 and GRX hydraulic discs, 700x40 Maxxis Rambler tires, fits up to 700x50 tires.
@TysRides4 ай бұрын
Pretty damn good deal.
@georgekrpan31814 ай бұрын
@@TysRides Cheers Ty!
@tonycroft63534 ай бұрын
Good content I recently bought my first gravel bike the specialized diverge E5...pleased with it apart from squeaky discs..thanks for comparison. Crofty
@TysRides4 ай бұрын
No problem! Enjoy that new steed!
@SamD20007 ай бұрын
Speaking of Polygon, they have a new kid on the block that's worth mentioning. 2024 Tambora G4. Released second week of January and currently at $799, it's the closest competition the Poseidon X can get. Btw, thanks for the great video!
@TysRides7 ай бұрын
I will have to check that bike out. And thanks for watching! Bikes online actually emailed me yesterday and asked about sending me a demo to review. I said I was interested, so hopefully I hear something back soon.
@rubenmoralesforte23767 ай бұрын
Great survey video! I Would love to hear your thoughts on that Tambora G4. It looks incredibly beautiful and capable. I'm really curious about how it compares to the Ambition X. Those are my two options as of now.
@TysRides7 ай бұрын
@rubenmoralesforte2376 I appreciate it! I will have to give that bike a look and maybe include it in a future video.
@TysRides7 ай бұрын
@@rubenmoralesforte2376 I think that is a newer offering from them. Looks sweet!
@pandatactical45308 ай бұрын
Great job Ty, lots of good deals out there right now!
@smokeycanuck8058Ай бұрын
FYI sir some of the Journeyers forks (such as my 650b Sora) are a Waxwing carbon fork :).
@TysRidesАй бұрын
@smokeycanuck8058 thank you, sir!
@TheCloser1Ай бұрын
Thank you for pink bike, I hope it’s better than the scam ridden marketplace
@richardvaughn1688 ай бұрын
As someone with a Checkpoint SL5 that so far has required a new rim, a new brake caliper, a new shifter/brake control and a re-epoxy of a chain guard I fell like quality is not aligned with price. I wish I had this video prior to buying my first gravel bike!
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
Yea and that's the thing. Stuff wears out and needs replaced on any bike. Most of these frames are going to be heavy, but most ppl not looking to spend a fortune aren't going to care about weight. These will get ppl into the sport, and they can upgrade as they wear stuff out.
@fifthcircle18 ай бұрын
I'll be getting my kid into gravel this coming year. Definitely going budget for his first drop bar, but looking for a quality frame that is upgradeable for the next few years. Outgrowing the frame in 2-3yrs, then hopefully ge still likes riding. 😆 I bought my wife the Salsa Journeyer flat bar (microshift). I'm not super impressed with it at the price point. Axles and brakes are pretty limiting.
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
For a kid, that Redwood would be a pretty cool bike. I kinda like the aluminum options simply because they are lighter than the cheaper steel options.
@vicsophios58928 ай бұрын
I actually would have bought the Salsa after test riding it as the geometry felt perfect for me. It was the mechanical hydraulic brakes that didn’t do it for me. I ended up buying a Bombtrack Hook EXT which wouldn’t fit into the price range of this video
@daltonramsey95856 ай бұрын
Marin dropped the price on the four corners for 2024. It’s now $999. I think the four corners is a nice adventure bike and it has more mounts for this year as well. I just sold my 2023 to fund a GT Grade purchase, but plan to pick up a new four corners eventually.
@TysRides6 ай бұрын
Heck yea. Marin makes some cool bikes and they always seem reasonably priced.
@daltonramsey95856 ай бұрын
@@TysRides my four corners served me well over the year I had it. I wish the drivetrain was different but it’s a great value. I think the TRP Spyres are awesome when setup correctly. I had them on my Raleigh Willard 3 as well. I have a larkspur too and I used to have a 2018 pine mountain with the rigid fork and a 2023 pine mountain. My 2023 pine mountain had some flaws from the factory and I think QC could be a bit tighter but I love steel frames and they offer some cool ones at decent price points.
@drqazlop5 ай бұрын
It's interesting to see bike prices being reduced. Poseidon also reduced their prices since this video was made just 3 months ago. It's really great for those of us on lower budgets who still wanna get out there :)
@daltonramsey95855 ай бұрын
@@drqazlop agreed!
@hendrikmintarno3 ай бұрын
I use both Marin Nicasio and Polygon Bend R2 for different feel (Steel vs Al). Prefer the Bend R2 for more relaxed riding position
@drqazlop5 ай бұрын
Pretty interesting to see the Redwood regular price has been reduced to 850, with some colourways on clearance for less! I wonder if they're soon coming out with a new model
@tevemullins81568 ай бұрын
Keep crushing it Ty!! Merry Christmas bro!!
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
Merry Christmas dude!
@veganskillz5 ай бұрын
Killer video brother 💪🏼💪🏼
@TysRides5 ай бұрын
🙌
@Jamarkus_Delvonte8 ай бұрын
Fun fact: many bicycles cost more than motorcycles.
@iBike2Live7 ай бұрын
Sad, sad, sad… 😢 but oh, so true!
@Nak5204 ай бұрын
@@wm9346no shit Sherlock
@georgevavoulis47583 ай бұрын
Especially BROMPTON folding bicycle in Toronto Canada 🇨🇦 as much as use Vespa scooter
@PRH1232 ай бұрын
hmm, some bicycles at the top end cost more than the cheapest motorcycles
@jusrelax1592 ай бұрын
Cost more than my car....😢😢😢😮😮😮
@drill_fiend10978 ай бұрын
What do you think is the most affordable gravel bike with fully hydraulic brake? So far, only ones I've seen are GT's offerings, Nukeproof Digger and Nicasio 2.
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
I'd have to do a bit of research, but there are some good options out there. Check out the recent video of value bikes I put out. There are some good options on there if I remember correctly.
@laillosidgar8 ай бұрын
polygon path x5, polygon bend r5 or bend r7, marin lombard 2 , marin gestalt 2.5, united gavriil, giant revolt 3. It's what cheapest bike (around $1000-$1500) with hydraulic disc brifter that available in my country (Indonesia) where polygon, marin, gt and some low -mid end shimano component was manufactured.
@drill_fiend10978 ай бұрын
@@laillosidgar Lombard 2 sounds interesting and seems like aluminum alternative to Nicasio 2. But I can't find it anywhere in the US.
@laillosidgar8 ай бұрын
@@drill_fiend1097 if you more interested in all road style like nicasio/lombard, maybe check the polygon path x5 (but it's more relaxed geo than nicasio)
@NZHarrySingh6 ай бұрын
Great vid, thank you!
@TysRides6 ай бұрын
I appreciate it!
@merlinrubyyoda8 ай бұрын
Thanks for your video, good information.
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
@bennetthasty78868 ай бұрын
Great picks ❤
@charlesmorschauser52584 ай бұрын
Aluminum forks have got to be a brutal ride
@daviddenoncourt7574 ай бұрын
My Kona Dew Plus with 47cc tires is quite forgiving even with an aluminium fork, might upgrade one day.
@Mentalgraveltrip7 ай бұрын
Kona rove st should be on the list
@TysRides7 ай бұрын
No doubt about that! I actually own a Rove st. I was trying to include some bikes I didn't mention in my previous budget gravel bike videos. I included the rove on a previous video.
@Dremansworld4 ай бұрын
Cheap bikes are more durable. I never had to replace cassettes until I bought more expensive lighter bikes.
@TysRides4 ай бұрын
Might be something to that, but I don't believe things like derailleurs and wheels are more durable on cheaper bikes.
@JesseRSands5 ай бұрын
My wife wants a bike for riding around the neighborhood with the kids and maybe a Beginner Trail a couple times a year. Should she get a entry level Gravel Bike or Entry level Mountain Bike? (I’m looking for something 1 level better than Walmart and Academy bikes) thanks!
@TysRides5 ай бұрын
Good question. If she is looking for something just to kick around the neighborhood and ride some light trails, you may just consider a hardtail mountain bike. Entry level hardtails are a bit more affordable than entry level gravel bikes too. Now, if she thinks she is going to want to do some road riding at a decent pace and she has goals of fitness, but still wants to ride some gravel or mellow dirt paths, a gravel bike might be the ticket. It's really all about what her goals are.
@JesseRSands5 ай бұрын
Thank you, that will help our decision process!
@todd923712 ай бұрын
I'm hearing great things about the 250 dollar Ozark Trail gravel bike (green) at Walmart. I usually don't recommend Wal-Mart. But, I'm hearing these are actually a great deal.
@TysRides2 ай бұрын
@@todd92371 I've heard that as well. I need to get one and ride it.
@tntalex285 ай бұрын
Bought a haanjo 3 from my bike shop last year, sure its heavier than a carbon fiber bike but hey, its less than a grand.
@todd923712 ай бұрын
I have this bike and just love it. Upgrading it slowly. The frame is good.
@deifor8 ай бұрын
Hey Ty, question, unrelated to biking: are you a grappler of any sort? Wrestling, Jiujitsu?
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
Yea, I wrestled in HS and now I'm a high school wrestling coach. Currently in my 12th year coaching. Time flies!
@torbal9994 ай бұрын
Thoughts on triban rc520 road and gravel versions
@TysRides4 ай бұрын
I'll be honest, I don't know much about them.
@torbal9994 ай бұрын
Ok. It’s from a French brand decathlon
@TysRides4 ай бұрын
@@torbal999 I need to check it out!
@christerlundgren38057 ай бұрын
😂 Gearfetich is not uncommon in the community. A heavy frame last longer, and cost less. Buy a entrybike, up grade bit by bit. Better group is due when entrylevel is worn out, carbon wheels makes it to another level, tires as well. Suddely you start dropping people. Had a 80's steel road frame and I dropped others with the latest chabang carbon bikes. Due to carbon wheelset. And thick forehead 😂 Pain was when it got stolen 😢😢😢
@TysRides7 ай бұрын
Definitely!!!
@georgevavoulis47583 ай бұрын
Dutch cargo bicycles cost upto $18,000
@LeoBell-lr6rjАй бұрын
Do 650 travel fast
@TysRidesАй бұрын
@LeoBell-lr6rj personaly I like 700c but 650 typically allows for a wider tire and are probably more fun for more rugged type of riding.
@pawel98rc8 ай бұрын
Where wtf is Romet Aspre & Kross Esker???
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
I wasn't aware of those bikes. Thank you for commenting.
@georgevavoulis47583 ай бұрын
Nice video well done to the point and you're way too many bicycles cost way too much .
@nick-dm3ifАй бұрын
Diamondback is not a very good brand, way to expensive for what they offer
@patrickliew22227 ай бұрын
Please,Why you guys?
@zacharyelgin61948 ай бұрын
You definitely need to spend 10k on a bike to have fun! LIAR!
@TysRides8 ай бұрын
For ppl who are reading this comment, don't listen. This guy is a LUNATIC!
@Tarmaccyclocross3 ай бұрын
How to buy a joke bike for under 1000
@TysRides3 ай бұрын
If someone can't afford to spend over $1k and wants to get into riding, why not?! But I agree if ppl are patient, they can find much better bikes used for around this price or just a bit more. Especially in this market.
@todd923712 ай бұрын
Picked up a Haanjo 3. It's a great bike. We are riding these around 150 miles a week and it's so so nice to ride.
@LeoBell-lr6rjАй бұрын
If that's all you have it's not a joke bike,a joke bike the Ozark trail
@iimv4 ай бұрын
Wow .. i always put price rnge from 10k and above a d order by price descending. Wa always under the impression that bikes under 10k are garbage