How good is the Open gravel bike as a Road bike?

[@cni2i]

My UP rides great on the pavement...BUT compared to my SWTarmac, it just isn't as snappy or lively. This is especially true and accelerating up a steeper section of a hill climb (lets say 9% +). Also, when descending tight switchbacks, I just feel more confident and assured on my Tarmac. The steering just seems tighter and more responsive. I've set up the reach and saddle height and stack height pretty much the same on both bikes. However, main difference would be that I'm running 700x40 (Enve 4.5 AR with I9 hubs) on the UP and 700x26 (Enve 3.4 with CKr45) on my Tarmac. I haven't tried road specific tires on my UP yet. I am sure it would make a big difference and could negate some of the things I said above in terms of riding dynamics and feel. The other big difference of course is that I am using rim brakes on the Tarmac and the Disc brakes on the UP. Finally, I have the 1x setup on the UP (42 with 10-42) and the 2x setup on the Tarmac (52-36 with 11-28). Since I love riding on gravel, I'd choose the UP IF I could have only one bike. But for logging in lots of fast miles and elevation on the road, I'd prefer to take out my Tarmac.

[@ridesofjapan]

cni2i excellent feedback! I realize I might have come off as I thought the open up would be a better road bike than an actual road bike hehe. But there’s going to be some compromises for sure. Very good to hear your impressions having both bikes ready at hand! Cheers!

[@cni2i]

Rides of Japan all good really. And I didn’t read into your review that the UP was a more capable road bike than a dedicated race road bike. I enjoyed your review and video 👍. I just wanted to give my personal opinion that although the UP can be a very good road bike, it’s not quite on par with true race-oriented road bikes...at least imo.

[@ridesofjapan]

cni2i exactly the opinions I was hoping to get! For a non-racer looking for an all-in-one it’s definitely a viable option but there are definitely some areas it might lack compared to a proper race bike. Was so long ago now that I had my Evo, but I don’t miss it funnily enough 😁 Will pin your comment as I think it’s the kind of feedback a lot people are looking for! Cheers again!

[@MrSmoothasf]

@@ridesofjapan I've got a cannondale caad x and the big difference is the tyres, I've got slick 35c tyres and a set of 28c tyres for when I want to ride faster. With 28c tyres on it doesn't even feel like the same bike, it's snappy and responsive, with the 35c tyres it feels much less twitchy and stable.

[@ridesofjapan]

TheOracleCyclingChannel that pretty much mirrors my own experience in the case of the Open. My previous Bokeh that had a more “traditional” gravel geometry did not felt as good though with narrow tires, the longer wheelbase and the slacker front end never became as “snappy” feeling as one would expect from a so called “road bike”. Cheers for the feedback, much appreciated!

[@darylbrice]

A Gravel bike with a second set of road wheels is the best option for non-racers. Just have one bike with 2 sets of wheels and you can do everything from road, light bike backing, gravel to mild single track.

[@ridesofjapan]

100% agree 👌

[@hollridersanktgallen7618]

I agree 100% 👍🏻 use a cube cyclo cross race pro with a second set of wheels too! Low additional investment for much more fun😉

[@snailer6788]

I disagree with you for three main reasons: 1) You are breaking the fundamental law of the n+1 bikes, so either you're not a real biker or you've got too many spouses. 2) Every time you change your wheels it's basically a pain in the ass the act of doing it, then your geometry changes a bit (which in terms of 4/5 hours ride may change, depending on your needs). 3) It's not that fun to ride on the road with the big babies. You lose plenty of stiffness, quickness, responsiveness and handling "sharpness". However, the UP is one hell of a bike and if I had to choose one I'd grab that (or maybe the 3T Exploro? I ain't tried that yet :(( ) Cheers and ride safe!

[@lechprotean]

@@snailer6788 Yeah, given that you have to choose the wheels before you leave home anyway, you might as well have 2 complete bikes. Yes it's more expensive upfront and requires more space but is better. In urban Japan, the amount of storage space is a huge concern which many people probably don't have in other parts of the world.

[@neilrock7386]

While it breaks the n+1 rule, I totally agree. Got a Canyon Grail SL turning up soon. At 8.2kg while it’s not super light, it’s as light as some road bikes in the same price category and has very similar geometry compared to the endurance range. I don’t race, so a set of road wheels/tyres is my planned routine to get the best of both worlds out of one bike. 👍🏻

[@DerHackbart]

Dang! The editing on this video is soooo spot on and the music is a great choice! In my opinion you could present anything, it would be interesting! 😁

[@ridesofjapan]

You are too kind sir!

[@HoppasJagStoer]

I sold my Specialized Tarmac Expert with eTap this year and also my Cannondale Caadx and bought an Open UP with Di2 and I have no regrets. I really don´t miss the Tarmac at all. I ride 7000- 10000 km a year, and with my Open I can go "everywhere", by just shifting the wheel set. Btw, your videos are great - keep them coming! :-)

[@hydaali6244]

What is your opinion about your Caadx?

[@andyheilmann1656]

That is a very beautiful sock drawer

[@andrewterker6037]

My wife and I have been using our UPPER's similarly. We live in Switzerland and ride a lot of mountain passes in our (semi) road configuration with the Compass 35mm tires on 700c. We find that it is a lot faster up the mountains with the lower gearing, and the superbe handling makes us fast downhill in spite of spinning out with 1x11. The only situation our road bikes is faster in is on the flats. But, that is only because of deeper section wheels. If we used deeper section wheels and 2x shifting on the Open, I suspect it would be equally fast. By the way, thanks very much for your videos on 650b. We bought 2 sets of the same DT Swiss wheels you are using and fitted them with Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1" tubeless for riding single trails, which is a blast with this setup.

[@ridesofjapan]

That is brilliant! So stoked that you have found new wheels, and that you like them as well! Cheers mate! 🙏

[@cw1744]

I have been using this as my only bike for several months now. I set it up as close to my old racing geometry as I could, and have been more than happy how it performs off and on road. I'm running the Compass Bon Jon's on Enve 4.5AR wheels, and can easily do a long gravel ride with single track, and road all in one day. No need to change up my geometry, or swap wheels. IMHO this is a pretty good quiver killer. Keep up the great videos!

[@ridesofjapan]

Brilliant! sounds like the ultimate set up! Been drooling over those AR's since they where released

[@cw1744]

As a one quiver bike, one wheel setup (not including the mtb) it is pretty damn versatile.

[@uomorana71]

the editing and the drone footage... perfection!

[@133r]

Exactly

[@MikeRegrexion]

Awesome edit mate. Every time is better and I can tell you that I wait your new videos every week

[@ridesofjapan]

Mike_Regrexion stoked to hear that mate! Many thanks for the support 🙏🙏

[@MikeRegrexion]

Just one technical question: Could you tell the weight of your front and rear complete road wheels (disc included)? Thanks

[@ridesofjapan]

Mike_Regrexion will check it after work.

[@Paddyhudson]

My biggest issue running my 1X gravel bike as a road bike was the SRAM 11-42 cassette, which i love for gravel, but didn't enjoy on the road. The wide gear spreads don't matter as much on gravel surfaces where sudden hills emerge out of nowhere, in fact a big jump to an easier gear can be beneficial in that case. On the road however, the big jumps really did make me feel like i just couldn't find that proper gear for the situation at times, particularly when switching from a flat to a very minor incline or decline. I know this problem could perhaps be fixed by switching to one of the cassettes with less gear range but there are plenty of times when you need that whole range and I don't know if i could sacrifice the top end bail-out gears. I agree that a gravel bike can be a fine road bike when it has to be but to me it felt more like an imitator and left me wanting more. Now, after this year of riding gravel trails and experimenting with road wheels, i've been reminded of how much I enjoy road riding and I just can't stop scouting for a new dedicated road bike to add to the garage next spring.

[@martijnbeen1330]

Great video! The edit and content are both very joyfull! Running an open Up aswell after riding a Cannondale Synapse for 8 years. Total agree with your opinion after riding 1,5 years on my Open as my only bike. Mounted an Ultegra di2 double groepset, this fit the gravel and roadsessions perfectly in The Netherlands. Most of the time riding on Enve G23 Wheels with semislick graveltires. For pure road sessions i’ll pick the Enve foundations 45.

[@AussieInJapan]

Man your videos are becoming even more slick. Great ride, love that first long road through a village view from the drone. Glad it didn’t get destroyed. 64kg!! I’m at 102.5kg do I have to work really hard up the hills, downhill not as much.

[@ridesofjapan]

Aussie In Japan 🙏

[@tantrictriathlete]

I recently finished building my U.P. and I used your videos as my my build guide (very helpful). I’ve only gotten 2 rides on it so far but they are both road rides. I think it works well on the road. I’m currently on ENVE AR 4.5 wheels with 30c Schwalbe G One. I’m running a 2x compact Ultegra drivetrain and it totally felt like a proper road bike but nearly as punishing as my 2008 Cannondale SystemSix.

[@ridesofjapan]

JKT adventures damn everyone seem so be in those beastly AR4.5... I’m jealous! Interesting, I haven’t ridden the old system six but I take it you mean it’s rides harsh?

[@tantrictriathlete]

Rides of Japan yes, the SystemSix was an overly harsh ride. It is just super stiff. I enjoyed that type of ride feel when I built it but now it just beats me up over long rides. I’m building up some 650 wheels next week. I can’t wait to try them on the U.P.

[@UnliAhon]

this channel is like the Matt D Avella of cycling

[@brianmccloskey6451]

Love this video and your take on using the Open Up as your multi purpose bike. Like many other commenters, I've owned a range of bikes - road, gravel & mountain. But with age I've discovered that I feel less of a need for pure speed and that I prefer my bikes to be more versatile and comfortable for long touring rides. I recently sold my last pure road bike, a Pinarello Dogma. It was lighting fast but super stiff and honestly not very comfortable after two hours in the saddle. I'm looking at buying an Open Up and using it for some of the long distance adventure tours we participate in where you're riding 50-100 miles day after day and often on rough roads or combination of paved and gravel surfaces. It looks like the perfect bike to handle a wide range of road conditions and personally I'm looking for a bike that rides smoothly versus one that is the fastest on the block. Thanks for the great insight.

[@telemarktumalo6978]

Excellent comparo video. I agree with you about the OPEN making a great road bike. I have the UPPER model and have it set up with Enve 3.4's with Schwalbe Pro 1 28's, and 50x38 and 11-30. For gravel, I swap the wheels for Industry 9 650b UL's with Schwalbe G One AllArounds in 2.25. I'm running the same Easton crank as you, and can swap to 1x with 42 x 11-40. The AllArounds make a much better road tire than I expected, so getting to the trail on pavement is hardly a slog. Bike is currently apart and frame is at Element6 in Santa Ana, CA getting a trick paint job! Looking forward to see what they come up with.

[@timdixo]

1000% agree with you. Gravel bikes should be the default style for the majority of us. Traditional road bikes with stingy clearances just don’t cut it. I have the Endurace,just wish Canyon crimped the seatstays to allow 35-38c. I run the Conti cyclocross speeds at times...very plush. Dodgy to hear yours cracked 😲!! Next bike will be a UP or similar. Just thin pickings for Di2 disc options for now. Great channel👍

[@ridesofjapan]

timbo cheers mate 🙏 I think we’re pretty much on same page 😁

[@kevinlally7653]

I've been riding my UPPER for two years now. With 34/50 and 11/34 Dura Ace, it's pretty much perfect. I run most of the time on 30mm G one Speed, on 50mm carbon wheels, and it's as good a bike as I'll ever need or want. I'm considering a second wheelset - 353NSW - which would make it absolutely the best.

[@BriBo24x7]

I had very similar problems to you installing the Schwalbe Pro One 28c tires on my Synapse Hi-Mod w CZero wheels. The tires would not seal properly at first. Once I got past that, the ride was amazing! I loved it, ..until I road across the state I live in and got flat after flat, even with the Stans sealant. These tires are not rugged enough to handle even the smallest pebble in the road, and I had to replace them within a month. Once I switched to the Gavia AC 0 28c, I had no more problems with flats, none! But, the AC 0 in the 28C measures out to 26mm, and isn't as supple as the Schwalbe Pro One. I've love to go back to the Pro One once they get their problems sorted.

[@ridesofjapan]

Brian Bowlin hold on, I thought the CZero wasn’t tubeless compatible 😱 Did I use those for a year without knowing ... I feel cheated 😂 Thanks for the feedback about the tires, have got similar stories from other sources so I’m expecting them to fail any day now hehe

[@BriBo24x7]

I've heard that as well, but I had also heard that others were using them successfully tubeless. The bike shop I bought from said it would work, so I tried it. This was my first attempt at tubeless, and I ran into a lot of issues at first. One thing the bike mechanic suggested was to tape the wheel, then put a tube in and the old tire back on (Schwalbe One, not tubeless) and leave it pumped up over night. That allowed the tube to press down and seal the tape really well. It works beautifully! The Gavia AC 0's have a much stiffer bead than the Pro One's, and they sealed right up on the first try, with the valve core installed. I've been using them with no issues for 3 months now.

[@mikicastan]

Brian Bowlin Interesting-i thought they are not tubeless compatible! I have them like a spare wheels used with tubes-will try that

[@GraydonTranquilla]

Built my own carbon fiber gravel bike and carbon fiber wheel set but for my wife. And configured it for paved bike travels and roads. 2x11 Shimano groupset except for the brake/shifters which are MicroNew……Damn amazing bike IMHO.

[@kevinthomson6324]

Have to say I’m jealous of that sock drawer 👍

[@angrybeesound772]

This isn’t my only bike. I have a proper full suspension mountain bike as well I bought this bike to use as a road bike with an eye towards rando brevets with the occasional gravel. I was very happy riding 200,300,400 and 600km brevets on my open as well as faster road rides with a wheel swap. I have it set up 2x with Mavic all road wheels and roval 40. VERY happy with it. Your build videos helped me decide to buy this frame.

[@ridesofjapan]

Awesome! I'm happy to hear that (And happier that it is working for you!) Cheers!

[@PerfDayToday]

Im now moving into a gravel ride as well, Hakka MX. In getting ready for that, sold a carbon 29er hardtail, two ccx bikes, one carbon, one aluminum. Next yr, after putting some long distances on the Hakka, probably sell my road bike. Plan to run Conti’s new GP5000 28mm on the Ibis D30 rims. Currently run 23mm GP 4000’s on my road bike.

[@ridesofjapan]

David G Perfectdaycalendar nice one! Really like the look of the Hakka MX 👍

[@JakeBuckeye]

I have a pretty large quiver of nice bikes--of those I ride on the road, my Time Scylon Aktiv and my Open U.P. are my favorites by far. And frankly, I have more fun on the Open than on any other bike I own. While I'm not sure that I could do without a proper mtb, if I only had one bike, it would be the U.P., with three wheelsets (slicks, 40mm gravel tires for gravel and mixed riding, and 2.1" mtb tires for light trail riding). Great bike!

[@ridesofjapan]

JAKEdotBIKE damnit, now I want a 3rd wheelset as well 😅

[@matthewjohnson7350]

I have a Raleigh Roker Comp, its a 1x gravel bike, with Sram Force 1x with similar geometry to the Open Up. I have tried running skinnier 28mm tires, an aero bar, and have ridden on the road a lot. Even did a triathlon on it in Colombia. Its sorta kinda quick, but much slower than my Trek Emonda SLR on the road. I notice I can easily consistently carry about 2 mph faster on my Trek. Doesnt sound like a lot, but for an overweight weekend warrior like myself, 2 mph is a lot! Probably mostly due to the lower weight, deeper wheels, and lowered bars. I doubt the slack geometry and long seat stays makes much difference in speed.

[@Graptos]

Glad to know I’m not the only one with a sock problem. 🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦🧦...

[@podium918]

I just subscribed. Keep the gravel talk coming. Thank you for what you do.

[@markjthomson]

It is a very fine looking bike. I love the versatility of the gravel bikes!

[@RickClifton]

Just gave you a thumbs-up... Very nice video. I've been riding an Open U.P., I'm 180+ cm tall (weight withheld), and have size 46 dogs. I'm on a 56cm frame and (very unfortunately) I have some toe overlap, and (way frigging worse), the heel of my right Sidi shoe occasionally hits the fat little chain stay! Arrrrrrrgh. Okay, my partner says it's the weirdness of my foot angle on the right side, but I have never had this problem with any other bike (Spec. Tarmac, Diverge, & Tricross, Trek Domane, Look 585, Serrotta HSG-IT, Fuji Altamira...). Most unfortunately, I like riding the U.P. more than any of the other bikes - so I'll try the road pedals (Shimano) I've used on almost every other bike, instead of the Crank Bros Candys. I would have purchased a nice set of Hunt wheels for road riding, but I need to cure the heel strike before I throw the bike off the side of a mountain. (BTW, I'm not totally a bike hoarder -- I donated the Look to an aspiring Somali cyclist, sold the Diverge to a friend, and I'm putting the hard-sell on another friend to buy the Tricross)

[@ridesofjapan]

Rick Studley cheers mate! The only bike I didn’t have any toe overlap in was my Cannondale synapse (shoe size 44-45) I’ve been moving my cleats further back a lot in the last few years, which make the toe overlap more noticeable but I got use to it pretty quick and it not something that really bothers me anymore. Too bad about the heal issue, I don’t have any experience with the crank brothers pedals, but switching over to the pedals and shoes used on a previous bike sound like the logical first step to try and sort it out. Depending on if you have a different crank that can also play a part if it has a different q-factor. Just adjusting you cleats could also help. (Although be careful so it doesn’t cause issues elsewhere like knees and such) Good luck!

[@RickClifton]

@@ridesofjapan Well... I just couldn't get past the heal strike, and decided to sell my Open UP to a future Brother-in-Law, and have purchased a Specialized Diverge Expert x1. The Specialized has none of the issues my Open exhibited, and I've still been collecting Strava PR's maybe even at a faster rate. I really like the Diverge! While I'm sad about the Open UP not being a fit for me, it's going to a good home and the Diverge rides just as I wished the Open did. In the end, even though I'm still getting used to the 1x set-up, I'd happily ride the Specialized Diverge as my only bike.

[@ridesofjapan]

Rick Studley good to hear that you found a solution! There obviously no perfect bike for everyone and no reason to keep riding something that doesn’t ride as you want. The diverge looks like really nice bike, glad you found the one that works for you 👍👍

[@spinme100]

Would be interesting to see how the open compares to the Allied Alfa Allroad

[@Etienne273]

The quality of your vids are absolutely amazing bro! Been a subscriber for a while. Must be a lot of work. Keep it up!

[@ridesofjapan]

Etienne Belde 🙏🙏

[@MontyWoo64]

Just love your vids - very informative. Keep u.p. the good work :-)

[@ridesofjapan]

Many thanks my friend! 🙏

[@richardm9688]

Hi, I have just come across your channel. Great video with good insight into a gravel bike. I have an aluminium road bike and I regret getting that over the carbon as it beats you up after about 20 miles of riding. Although, I didn't try the carbon version, I'm sure it would have been a bit more forgiving on rough road. Anyway, I am interested in getting a gravel bike. I thought about the Bokeh aluminium but was put off by the material. The Ti version is out of my budget. There is a new gravel bike on the scene. It's called the Fairlight Secan by Fairlight Cycles, another small UK bike company making three different frames. It's steel, so it will be heavier, but it's gotten a good review in road.cc. I am seriously considering this frame. I won't be using it for fast climbing, but for on/off road and simply enjoying the ride. Keep up the good videos!

[@nonchalantgarage]

I'm running the same tires for my road set up on my Hakka MX (1x) and I love em. Beautiful b-roll and awesome comparison chart against your other bikes.

[@ridesofjapan]

cheers mate! 🙏

[@TheHesse1]

How is your Hakka MX as a road bike?

[@wmlarch]

dude, nice vid, and nice bike! I have a Santa Cruz Stigmata, which also has road geo but equipped with 38mm Rambler tires, its a nice riding bike and great for going in gravel, but there is no comparison with my 15 pound Time road bike with lightweight tubular tires! its like comparing a Lambo with a 4 wheel drive ...

[@ridesofjapan]

wmlarch definitely can see that. Those big tires will impact how well it rides on smoother surfaces for sure! Don’t know how heavy the stigmata is but in my current set up, my Open is 16.6 pounds with the road wheels (with more to shave), so the weight it not where I’m feel it’s lacking. Cheers for the feedback mate! Much appreciated!

[@Fastfitnesstips]

Brilliant video and love the comparative geometry analysis!

[@ridesofjapan]

Cheers mate 🙏

[@malcolmhales8181]

Just started watching. Great stuff. I ride a Kinesis pro 6 crosser with 40mm tyres, I also have another set of wheels with rd tyres. Cheers.

[@Advcrazy]

Awesome comparison...thanks!!!

[@jackdanyal4329]

great video and great landscapes as well. ready to buy second wheelset for road riding. actually want to buy DT Swiss C 1800 or maybe C 1800

[@NW42degree]

Thanks again for another great, informative, fun and funny video!

[@ridesofjapan]

🙏

[@ryand121984]

for sure! My Open is my only weapon choice on gravel and road. I make all the roadies suffer when they start to chase me on climbs and flats even I am running a 40c gravel tires and 1X42 cassette and with all my bags fitted as well. Yes Open Gravel bike is the best

[@ridesofjapan]

Haha! Make em suffer! 😈

[@hamburger-fries]

New channel fan here :-) I live in kamiyama, Tokushima and own a gravel bike which allows me to handle any of the crazy mountain roads, hiking trails, and dirt roads. Please come to Kamiyama and I will show you some incredible fun rides!. 20km to 100km rides and I own a healthy foods cafe so we can eat like champs! :-)

[@ridesofjapan]

Matt Lawson sounds awesome mate! Will keep that in mind 👍🙏

[@Plasmo20]

Really good production. cheers

[@xaviercorin-mick7338]

Hello Thanks for the video, just sth on Offset : Increase the offset does make the bike handling "more snappy" - i.e. has opposite impact to slacker fork. So if you compare the Supersiz Evo with 4.5cm of offset means a trail of 58mm while the Open UP with 28mm tyres would have a 72.5 angle 5 cm offset aka a trail of 56 mm - thus Open UP is MORE responsive than your "racing frame" Supersix if you put 28mm road tyres on - if you have 40mm tyres then Trail will be at 60mm and thus slightly less snappy.

[@ridesofjapan]

Absolutely Correct!! Shit got all kinds of backwards in this video. In real life, it’s definitely not snappier then the super six was though. But I’m guessing other factors play into that like wheelsbase, chainstay length etc. Cheers!

[@xaviercorin-mick7338]

@@ridesofjapan Ah reason I replied is because I have an UP I loved so much on the road I tried to see what made it work - and sold my "endurance" road bike to get a MIN.D. My build finishing tomorrow so will know if I get the UP feel and confort and a bit more "racy" feeling... ( similar geometry to the UP but 405mm chain stays should do the trick , just wonder impact of bigger head tube, guess means less spacers and will see... )

[@ridesofjapan]

The Mind should fit the bill perfectly! Enjoy to ride 👌

[@grosmerou]

Great and useful review -A gravel is not to be compared with a 100% race bike but more with an endurance bike. I do not ride on roads any more or the minimum too dangerous too many crazy drivers. XC MTB and Gravel are great, remote roads - a gravel is the bike to own

[@R9RealMadridR9CR7]

Dope video as always. Cheers!

[@wirooudejans4939]

I have a gravelbike with 650B wheels and 50mm tires for Loose terain like the beach . I have a pair of 700 wheels with wide inners. Use them for the road with 32mm tires and on gravel with 40mm. Position on the bike is the same .

[@51jjm]

Great video. Thanks for making it. I'm not sure if this has been asked already; what is your 1 x 11? set-up/gearing for the road mode? (Front chainring size and sprocket sizes on your rear cluster.) Thanks again for all your entertaining and educational videos.

[@ridesofjapan]

51jjm cheers mate! My gearing is 42t front and 11-42 in the back.

[@51jjm]

Thanks!

[@Alien_nation]

Going to put road tires on my trek checkpoint

[@steadfast_1669]

I completely agree with you on that if you're not racing this is the bike. Plus again, if not racing, I prefer 1x. Do you, or the community, have any framesets in mind, that are not too heavy, don't brake the bank (

[@ridesofjapan]

Light and under 1000€ that could be a challenge. I would probably start looking at the 2nd hand market under those circumstances.

[@somn__]

entry level specialized diverge

[@flee4170]

eBay for sure. With that price you’re probably looking at an aluminum frame but they’re so much better than they used to be. I just was watching a Cannondale slate for $1400 obo. They’re out there. I realize the market for gravel bikes on eBay might be better in the U.S. but be patient and it will come.

[@ridesofjapan]

Speaking of Cannondale, The new Topstone might be worth looking into... don’t think they sell it as a frameset though 🤔

[@TonyFlexPromo]

When i first put my eye on Open UP i decided to check its geometry. What a surprise, when it was ABSOLUTELY same as my lovely Look 675. Stack & reach within 1mm difference, same seat tube angle, but different head tube angle. This makes me think that i may change to Open UP without any bikefit issues and totally replicate my fit. Little different headtube angle will probably lead to different handling on a higher speed. Well, lets face it- OpenUP is not a best bike to ride downhill form a mountain (on a road ofc). But still should do the work.

[@ridesofjapan]

Anton Demkin if the head angle is different I would mean a different angle on the stem as well so that would probably move you handlebars up (I’m assuming) a smidge. Not the end of the world unless you super picky. But yeah, the open will do the job fine... and I think you’ll appreciate not having race-twitchiness-handling when descending on gravel :)

[@dianelabelle2982]

Amazing beautiful bike.

[@dannyhooude8842]

Outstanding videos. Informative, with a touch of humour and great music. Well done! I came across your review of the Mason Bokeh when I was shopping for a new all-surface bike and found your review helpful. I did get the Bokeh and enjoy it very much, but find it a bit sluggish on the climbs when riding on the pavement. What made you switch from the Bokeh to the Upper? What is the biggest difference for you between the two bikes?

[@ridesofjapan]

danny hooude thank you very much for those kind words 🙏 My main gripe I had with the Bokeh was using it for road riding, it was just too harsh when I put narrow tires on, as I mentioned in the Bokeh video. I could live with the more “sluggish” feeling on descents but it just beat me up too much on long road rides. It did improve when I put carbon bars on there but still. As long as I had the 38c tires on it wasn’t that big of an issue though. Then I can’t deny the fact that the weight bothered me as retired weight weenie hehe... it’s mostly in my head but knowing it was well over 1kg heavier than my previous bike kept bugging me. The Open pretty much addresses all those issues I mentioned... but it’s still just as capable as a gravel/adventure bike.... although the Bokeh is a bit more stable off-road due to the longer wheelbase and slacker angles.

[@dannyhooude8842]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. It is indeed somewhat heavier than I am used to from road bikes and not a great climber (neither am I!), so although I was hoping that the Bokeh would replace all my road bikes by just switching wheels to adapt to the type of riding I want to do, I'm no longer willing to let go of my high-performance road bike for those go-fast rides on pavement. The Bokeh just isn't very good at that, but excellent at all the rest.

[@ridesofjapan]

danny hooude agreed! Having a dedicated road bike + the Bokeh would cover most things apart from pure MTB riding :) Because of space issues (and money) I was determined to find the one bike to cover it all. So far so good... 🤞

[@nickjohnson710]

Always 😍 your videos 🤙

[@andrewlarsen7560]

I have slowly gotten rid of a few bikes. Giant Defy, Giant tcx ae now gone and have this set up with two sets of wheels. This was not the plan originally but once i started riding the Open the other bikes just hung in the garage untouched. No my big question is will it replace my 29er hardtail once i get some 650b wheels set up with mtn bike tires..

[@colinvanwijk5731]

Best roadbike i have owned, best gravel bike i have owned

[@bikepacking330]

정말 사고 싶은 자저거 입니다. i love it

[@sebstefan3934]

I have a gravel bike and a road bike. I recently fitted road tires on my gravel one and it’s more agile but still it cannot compete with my road bike in any way

[@ridesofjapan]

Seb Stefan yes, I my opinion it always comes down to geometry and weight. Just putting on road tires is usually not enough. That’s why I wanted to put a lot of weight in this video that the open up is closer in geometry to a road bike than a “normal” long slack gravel bike, and that’s the reason I think this particular bike work excellent as a quiver killer. Still there’s compromises you can’t ignore. So if you race or really focus your riding around speed, power etc. there no substitute for a dedicated road bike.

[@doetje123]

Das a good thumbnail.

[@jimnyfuchs]

After seeing your organized drawer full of socks I supposed, it doesn’t get any better... But then even the leg shaving - Man, you became a true roadie 😅

[@ridesofjapan]

jimnyfuchs 😬🤷‍♂️

[@jimnyfuchs]

Rides of Japan Stereotypes are a thing of beauty, aren’t they?

[@ridesofjapan]

jimnyfuchs they are indeed 😁

[@Tchairdjian]

Not specific to this video, but wanted to say I love your choice of music in your videos. Particularly I remember one with an awesome Jazzy tunes. Btw. How did you end up in Japan? And what’s your original language? I can sense the accent where you pronounce The J differently, almost like Latinos but I wouldn’t think you’re Latino. Eh? Haha.

[@ridesofjapan]

Cheers mate! Not Latino no 😅 I’m Swedish... those “j’s” will haunt us Swedes until we die ;) I came to japan to study Japanese and got “stuck” here 😬

[@Tchairdjian]

Ahh I see. Should have guessed. I follow a few famous Swedes on YT... Jon Olsson for example, that makes sense. Haha. Thanks for the response.

[@bobg4328]

Toying with the idea of buying an UP, and a question re: recommended tires. This will be used primarily as a road bike, but there are rail trails where gravel does come into play. I've only ridden the bike on 40mm gravel tires and I will be spending most of my time on pavement -- so the question is, do I try slicks at 28 or 40mm, or one of the hybrid tires that are slick along the center of the tire and that have grip on the sides of the tires? Thanks in advance for your advice!

[@ridesofjapan]

If it’s primarily road and you only have one set of wheels I would go with a slick tubeless tires around 32-38. (Size would depend on how hard you’d ride the off-road bits.

[@bobg4328]

@@ridesofjapan Thanks for your help -- I put my order in today! I'll let you know!!!

[@bobg4328]

Sorry to be a pain, but another question. The bike that I'm replacing is about 7 years old, and has an Ultegra groupset that was being sold back then (6800). The OPEN UP that I demo'ed had the current Ultegra which was a huge improvement. How much more/better would upgrading the groupset to Di2? The cost with the bluetooth adapter is about $650 USD. I've never ridden electronic before, so I don't know if I'd just be gilding the lilly or if this would be something that I'd enjoy enough to justify the cost. Thanks!

[@ridesofjapan]

Bob Guttenplan all down to personal preference, some people hate it, some people love it. I’m in the love camp, and will never go back to mechanical shifting, I’ve been riding di2 since 2012. indexing on the go while riding is brilliant, and as long at you have the same wheelset on you won’t have to touch it again... no stretched cables etc. only need to charge the battery a few times/year.

[@bobg4328]

@@ridesofjapan I bought my bike about 5 months ago and really love it! I'm thinking of going the route of buying another wheelset, so I can more easily choose whether to ride the road or the gravel path. Doing my research, it sounds as if Reynolds has the best bang for the buck alongside a very strong warranty . . . .. there are just too many choices! Assuming that I'm going to use these for the road tires, and we live in the hills where winds are pretty common . .... any suggestions? Thanks as always for your help.

[@toastandpoop]

How's that bike in the snow? I am thinking some stubby 2.1s with studs will plow through most snow on fairly well used trails and roads.... Ohh jeez I still have to wait a week for it to arrive from Toronto. Love the vid!

[@ridesofjapan]

Scott Hudson have yet to ride this in the snow. I would imagine it’s all down to the tires in the end. I probably won’t like to ride my slicks in the snow even though they are pushing 50mm 😅 Sound like you have a fun few weeks ahead of you! 👌 Cheers mate!

[@dougbalentine5382]

Just getting into Gravel and bought the 2019 S-Works Diverge on sale a month ago. Finally bought a second set of wheels for road and put on 25 road tires, wish I put on something a bit larger. Gravel bike bottom brackets sit lower and smaller tires put your pedals closer to the pavement - will need to be mindful of pedal strike. Would love to hear thoughts on smaller road tires on Gravel bikes. Is going from 38 to 25 too much?

[@ridesofjapan]

Doug Balentine that’s definitely a good point, most gravel bike seem to go with the lower BB these days. Personally 25mm is way to narrow for me on any bike, even pure road 😜 (Unless you trying to optimize for some specific rim for aero purposes that is.) Personally I will never use anything under 30mm again.

[@dougbalentine5382]

@@ridesofjapan agree, I do regret putting 25mm on my gravel bike, looks goofy, even for road rides. No issues on pedal strike after my 60 mile ride. Will get some miles out of these and will go up to possibly 30mm Thanks

[@ImranShaikh-gh2wd]

I am just thinking of getting the open Wi.de and running it 44 with 11-50 on the back. Should be enough for my recreational road riding and touring. Do you think the frame is sturdy enough for full bikepacking mode? Thank you for the videos

[@ridesofjapan]

For strap-mounted bags no problem. There are no rack mounts though. Cheers!

[@borisreznikov1165]

Great videos! What do you call that rear fender attached to the seat of your orange Canyon? Would love to get one of those. Thanks!

[@ridesofjapan]

Boris Reznikov cheers! It’s an “ass saver” amzn.to/2GoIBxH

[@bart13565]

I am planning to switch my canyon endurace to this open u.p. . Will be riding 80 procent road only and have a wheelset for gravel in winter. Is this switch from endurace to open up for road a big step down in terms of liveliness or agility? Since you rode both...

[@Micolash777]

Wow 64 kg? How tall are you? Love your videos btw 😁

[@ridesofjapan]

Thanks mate! 🙏 I'm 184cm (185 on a good day 😂)

[@BrentonCollas]

@@ridesofjapan you SOB! We are the same height but I'm 82kg on a good day! 64kg!!! Are you sure that's right? You are a stick!!!

[@ridesofjapan]

Brenton Collas haha, yep, I am a stick 😁🎋

[@BrentonCollas]

@@ridesofjapan just finished the rest of the video. Very interesting to compare frames. My 56 paralane has 592mm stack and 385 reach so large would definitely be my size and I'd be able to drop a couple of differs from the stem. Currently this is about the only bike I'd think about switching to for the extra tire clearance. I reckon 650b with fat tires would be great.

[@BrentonCollas]

So thanks for another awesome video.

[@MikeRegrexion]

Hey, just 2 questions: what's your height and what's your inseam length? What camera do you use to film your videos? Sony a6500?

[@ridesofjapan]

Michele Trasforini I’m 184cm, don’t have my inseam in front of me, but my saddle height is around 77cm with quite a lot of setback if that helps. Main camera is a Panasonic gx7mk2 (gx80/85)

[@matthewjohnson7350]

What size chainring u run on the front? Great video 👍

[@ridesofjapan]

Matthew Johnson 42t Cheers!

[@Pbat23]

Great intro, informative and to the point! 🤌🏽 *chef kiss* I used your chart explanation to compare my Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Allroad against your bikes! Learnt a lot from it. Thanks! Keep posting ✊🏽

[@TheGeoEngineer]

I race my gravel bike on road. Love it.

[@colinvanwijk5731]

Hi Tobias, I was wondering of you could share your experience with the size of the bike? You run a large frame, what length are you? Also, I notice you combine the XT derailleur with the rest DuraAce equipment. Is there a reason you don’t use an XTR? (Maybe price). Thanks and keep up the videos, Colin

[@ridesofjapan]

Colin van Wijk Hi! I’m about 184cm tall. Like you said I’m on a large frame, it’s definitely the right size for me as I can run the stem (110mm) fully slammed for those fast road rides and rais it up a few cm for the longer adventures. A medium would have been too aggressive and require a longer stem between 120-130mm. And a larger frame wouldn’t have let get low enough in the front. Main reason for not going xtr is the price. Another reason I had in the back of my head was that Shimano would release a 12speed di2 xtr within a year... that di2 version doesn’t seem to want to come out however.

[@ditofuhrer9100]

N+1 my friend

[@ridesofjapan]

Haha, I don't play by the "rules" ;)

[@mikicastan]

Small apartment!😉

[@joansheppard9611]

Thanks for the review. Can I ask in relation to bike sizing how tall you are?

[@ridesofjapan]

Joan Sheppard I’m 183-184cm

[@treadlight_district1743]

Take that GCN

[@code3xiv]

Your bike measures looks close to mine. Im 6 foot tall 85kg dude. Seat height at 75cm. Whats yours?.. but i guess our leg inseam arnt the same :p

[@ridesofjapan]

Kari Kepala Gajah im not 100% sure now as I’ve been messing around with the position lately, but it should be in the 76-77cm region.

[@anirudhbandaru1595]

Great video! Anyone know the name of the soundtrack please?

[@jamesowen418]

What is the weight difference between the bikes? My gravel bike is no lightweight race bike, but its only a couple of pounds heavier than one, which is acceptable I think for the versatility it gives me.

[@ridesofjapan]

james owen my evo was about 6.6 as in the picture, the synapase disc was down to 7.3 at its lightest. The endurace was around 7.5 and my Open now is hovering around 7.7 Too me it’s definitely worth the trade off to get the versatility. I think I can definitely drop some weight in the future though :)

[@jamesowen418]

@@ridesofjapan thanks for the reply. I hope you mean drop weight from the bike? I think you're probably lightweight enough! 😏 Keep the videos coming 👍

[@ridesofjapan]

james owen haha, yes, working furiously at putting some weight on myself ;) cheers!

[@jaredaquilina]

Hey, is the wheel swap an easy plug and play. I am looking to get a second set of wheels for road use & was wondering if I need to be mindful of hub size, rotor spacing etc..

[@ridesofjapan]

Jared Aquilina hey, I can only speak from my own experience, both my wheelsets has dtswiss 240s hubs. Don’t need to touch anything around the brakes when swapping. However, I do have two different cassettes (brands) which require me to adjust the shifting a tiny bit to make it smooth.

[@jaredaquilina]

@@ridesofjapan Awesome, thanks for the reply. My cassette will be the same on both, probably the same wheel..just a more road friendly tire on one. Should be perfect. Thanks again!

[@ridesofjapan]

Happy to help 🤙

[@frododanny]

Good video 👍. How much faster did you go with road tires on the gravel?

[@ridesofjapan]

I don’t ride road tires on gravel if I can help it. :)

[@jmanuelu.8433]

Mi orbea Terra mejora mucho los descensos respecto a una bici de carretera pura.

[@kumkumholic]

Hi, lately im so interesting with some bicycle youtube channel, especially about gravel bike. And than it make me want to build one's. Can you tell me what frames is good for the beginners?

[@ridesofjapan]

What is your budget?

[@kumkumholic]

about 800 usd

[@ridesofjapan]

I don't have much experience in that price bracket unfortunately. Might be more economical to buy a complete bike. The one frame around that price, a bit more expensive, that looks really interesting is this Genesis: www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bike/fugio-fs (I never tried it my self, so just going of the information on the website)

[@kumkumholic]

I got it. Thank for the answer. Buy the complete bike is a good choice.

[@makmuraceh5241]

Polygon Bend

[@SkeetSystem]

Have the bands on your VOID jersey pockets separated from the fabric? Like the brand's style but I'm hesitant to order another...

[@ridesofjapan]

I have not have any of those issues with mine I own about 6 void jerseys now, and 2 of them even survived some crashes :P Full disclosure though, I'm a Void ambassador for 2019. If you haven't already, you should definitely try and contact their customer support if you have any issues.

[@SkeetSystem]

I see. Thank you for your response.

[@mikieson]

road,gravel,CX...really all the same enough to use as whatever you want. Dont let manufactures fool you.

[@FairuzOsman]

Size 56 on a bokeh? I'm 179cm should go 56 as well or go with 54 🤔

[@ridesofjapan]

I say it would depend on how aggressive you want to get. If you already have another bike, compare the geometry on both sizes and see which one matched your current bike.

[@mikechivers5792]

👍👊

[@chris_noswe]

Ja, för det är ju ramgeometrin som kommer spela roll... Din grushoj är ju dessutom mer en CX än en gravel bike. Hur är stål, 40+ däck och flairstyre i jämförelse med en racer? Inte lika så snabb, nä.

[@miguelviamonte5080]

I kind want to do the same with my Kona Rove NRB. Not sure how much speed I'm going to earn and how much comfort I'm going to loose. I just did my longest ride in the saddle last Sunday. 205km 1065mts altitude. Super comfy ride at 25.6km/h. It worth the money to try with 700c wheels? My bike 650b WTB horizon. Maybe change tires to ear I little bit more speed? What do you think?

[@ridesofjapan]

Ciclista Bizarro I think the biggest difference you’ll feel is the drop in weight (if you get lighter wheels as well) I haven’t used the horizon but as they are slicks I don’t know how much the difference you would really feel at speeds around 25km/h. For me it’s that “snappy” feeling that you get with the lighter, narrower wheels and tires on paved surfaces that I think it is pretty noticeable. If you’re unsure, look around and see if you can borrow a set for ride or two.

[@miguelviamonte5080]

I understand! Yes I will try to get some wheels! And of course the feeling in narrow tires I different. I'm enjoying my bikes as he came out of the box. Of course I will like to have an beauty like yours haha. Thanks for your answer;

[@franchoromero]

Is it true? U.P. Is a better road bike than you previous canyon endurace ? Thanks in advanced . Ask you this coz I do have an endurace cf sl and I want to replace it for an U.P. As my only bike , and I’ll use it as road bike a lot

[@ridesofjapan]

In my opinion the endurace is still a better “pure” road bike, but for a 1-bike only situation, I’d pick the open for the much broader versatility any day. But it all depends on how rough you’ll go, if you ride 90% road with the occasional fire road-type smooth gravel. A knobby 32mm tires that fit the endurace will do the job fine on smoother gravel.

[@franchoromero]

@@ridesofjapan thank you so much for your answer, I’ll use it for road most of the time, but in winter (snow and icee paved roads) don’t you think a wider than 32 tire would be necessary? Again, thank you so much for your time .

[@ridesofjapan]

Yeah for real snow I’d go as fat as possible… but the question is how often will you ride in snow? And if it’s icy winter roads, actual studded winter tires might fit the endurace? Sorry I’m not trying to convince you not get a new bike haha… but when you said you’ll use it as road bike a lot, I guess it’s about weighing the compromises against each other. Save some money and stick with the “better” road bike and compromise on the off-road/winter capabilities, or compromise on the road side for maximum versatility (but spending a heap of money) I still think the open works excellent as a roadie for a weekend warrior like myself (used it like that for 3years) But it’s really hard for me to say “go spend a lot of money on new bike” since we don’t really know each other :) Definitely don’t use this video as the only reference, it’s a relatively popular bike so you should be able to find other options on this as well.

[@21ddman]

whereas i can't comment on 650b on the Canyon, i am really curious to see how did you fit on the endurace 700x40mm tires?

[@ridesofjapan]

I didn’t, max was 32 gravelking SK

[@21ddman]

@@ridesofjapan ah, ok then. Because at 3:03 you say 700x40mm. Happy ride

[@ridesofjapan]

That was in regard to the Open UP

[@HipHopBob1]

Why did you got rid of the Canyon? Did you not like it?

[@ridesofjapan]

The frame cracked, not build for gravel 😅

[@yellabelly808]

Thanks for the great video. I've a carbon Endurace and agree it is more road than gravel. I had a hanger snap that damaged the frame. It wasn't repairable and not covered by warranty. Isn't the Open U.P. another carbon bike all be it more gravel orientated than the Canyon. What makes the Open carbon less likely to fail at some point? If you are doing a lot of long distance, off-road bike packing aren't you better with the proven durability, longevity and reliability of aluminium however harsh and heavy over carbon. We see more of the long endurance cyclists opting for steel and not chancing carbon.

[@ridesofjapan]

As much I would love to call myself a long distance endurance cyclist, the vast majority of my rides are still 1day rides In the mountains mostly on paved roads. And a really appreciate a light bike on those days. Then having the option to slap in big 650b rubber, extra mounts for bike packing is why I feel it’s pretty much the perfect bike for me. I’ve hopped on my mates Niner Rlt9 steel a couple of times mid-ride and it’s noticeable difference when climbing up mountains. I definitely have more confidence that the Open is build with gravel in mind more so than the canyon endurace. Dealing with canyon after the frame cracked (without me crashing) was not a good experience, contrasting the experience I have now with open after my accident. I am 100% sure I made the right choice in going with the Open.

[@flee4170]

Great music. Great shaved legs! Lmao

[@tedpeck7993]

What width of road tire? I am currently running 34mm. Is 28mm reasonable

[@ridesofjapan]

28mm

[@gasken2182]

What is the weight of your build?

[@costasmandylor1565]

What size tires did you have it on "road" mode?

[@ridesofjapan]

In this video it was 28mm Schwalbe Pro one

[@Fhaydos]

how much did the basic build cost you for this frame ?

[@bobg4328]

There is a shop in SLC that sells a lot of these, and the UP with an Ultegra groupset is about $4,600.

[@josephfarrugia2350]

Regarding geometry: on my current (& first ever) road bike, my medium frame has Reach/Stack figures almost equal to the U.P. in Medium size; but the U.P. in medium has a 71 degree head angle vs the 73 head angle on my current bike. Curiously the U.P. head angle for L(arge) & XL sizes jumps to 72.5 degrees. I wonder if I would find it difficult to negotiate sharp switchbacks & turns on a Medium U.P. bike?

[@ridesofjapan]

I’ve not tried a medium myself but... it might feel a bit different, but you’ll get used to that quick. You still will be able to go around switchback just fine I reckon :)

[@jearwood85]

Where are you in Japan. I live in Karuizawa

[@ridesofjapan]

Saitama area

[@thelmaviaduct]

Find it difficult to comprehend how a large adult can only be 64kg. I'm 5'9" and 94Kg, maybe I'm a bit dense 😉👍🏿