James' Dream Gravel Bike Build | Cycling Weekly

[@JibbaJabber]

Purple accents on raw titanium - Dope👏 Wheels look Rad too! Time to Shred the Gnar and SEND IT!! 🤘

[@cw42Utube]

Love the touches of purple, I was the same person back in the eighties, lusting over pictures of Hope Hubs in annodised purple in MBUK magazine :) Gorgeous build James, happy cycling :)

[@Henryzword]

Oh my word. It's like a 2021 remake of my favourite 90's mountain bike I had as a kid. The colour scheme is almost exactly the same. This is nostalgia at it's very best. Beautiful.

[@mikethornton2497]

Have to admit wasn’t sure at the beginning how this would look when built but wow what a stunning looking bike! Love that you’ve stuck to a British theme, always nice to support local brands!

[@finnatwood7240]

the built in detailer hanger is a dealbreaker

[@fennec13]

Lovely build - kudos on resisting this trend of Di2 gubbins on every damn bike - I also run a GRX 810 groupset (I prefer 2x) on my Ti 2018 Why cycles. Bombproof and reliable is the name of the game. I wish you many great miles ahead on this beauty.

[@Richz2]

Looks a lovely build James. There is always something special about building a bike to your own spec. I like the 'throwback' to the 90's... a good looking bike is always a fast one... Enjoy the ride.

[@nigelbest191]

Love the purple bits ..... I remember seeing a cartoon in an old magazine with an old guy and his son looking at a bike shop’s display window, “Ah lad, I remember when all this was purple” 😁

[@skywalker_anakin]

Purple seat clamp is good too

[@hoser7706]

Omfg that is one of the nicest bikes ever assembled! Looks like your dream bike should be packaged and sold. That crank is stunning and the royal colour of purple perfect. Purple brakes too, woohoo!!!

[@chrisbowman2030]

I ride a Rondo Al Gravelbike with similar gray/black colour scheme and purple accents. Yup and gold accents (hubs, valve caps, some screws). Love it!

[@patrickenglish9593]

I enjoyed this-thank you. I liked the detail. I was excited to see you using the Kinesis Tripster ATR frame. a few years back I got a deal on an older version (less high spec build but with Kinesis crosslight wheels which have served me well) was meant to be for rougher rides/commuting on Devon roads but felt so instantly at home and comfortable on it my other bike has remained on the turbo-I’m a fan already but your build has got me thinking of upgrades and possible longer bike packing trips

[@jamesbracey6560]

Patrick English sounds awesome! I thoroughly recommend planning some good trips:)

[@sandykavor8434]

Super nice. I have purple components on my MTB. I also built a gravel bike recently and absolutely love it. Reminds me the 90's as well.

[@happytrails1963]

Ti frame with the purple looks awesome! Great build!

[@MidtownSkyport]

I had a purple Daewoo mountain bike back in the 90s. Wish I'd kept that

[@engo8207]

Desired parts? 1. Titanium frame 2. Carbon fork 3. optional 4. optional ... Beautiful built, the frame could be my choise too.

[@LegSpinna]

Looks a beauty. Titanium is, hands down, the best looking material for a bike frame.

[@the.communist]

N the most expensive

[@Andy_ATB]

Nice!! Not jealous at all - Titanium and love the purple.....Enjoy!!!

[@Bandyrobs1]

Nice..look forward to seeing it in action!

[@scotti_wan_kenobi]

That's a beautiful build, my next gravel frame will definitely be titanium. And the Hope kit is spot on.

[@weler2491]

The most british part of this video is his sideburns

[@dickiedollop]

Weler Martins yes he’s sporting a fine set of buggers grips 👍🏻

[@targaW3007]

Nice build, I like the purple highlights. Enjoy your rides on it.

[@dcv9460]

What a BEAUT! 👍👍👍

[@GrahamRicketts]

OK, Kinesis UK is a UK company, but their frames come from Taiwan, go direct to who makes the frame for them, a company like Waltly Titanium, decent savings to be made if you are confident in specifying what you want

[@robbchastain3036]

That is a beautiful bike, James, nice work. And cool that you were riding in the 90s. I would not have guessed that, unless perhaps you were riding the perimeter of the daycare facility. "James, get back in here, now!"

[@jamesbracey6560]

Robb Chastain 🤣 sadly I am much older than my face reveals!! So yes, started riding MTB in ‘88🤘🏻

[@robbchastain3036]

@@jamesbracey6560 You are looking good, James, ain't no shame in that, and I get to experience a similar thing as people think I'm a good decade younger than I am. And at 60, I'd rather be known as 50. And you're lookin' a good two decades younger, so enjoy it and keep riding!

[@jamesbracey6560]

Robb Chastain 👊🏻😁

[@burtonblume973]

Excellent build. Thanks,

[@stephenjeffreys4219]

Looks lovely - still nostalgic about purple anodised - post reports about your adventures

[@kenblair2538]

Beautiful bike, purple really compliments the Ti. Enjoy.KB

[@markbudd8432]

Beautiful bike. Purple colour accents reminds me of the Slate Force...

[@paulmcc2006]

Nice job man, its a beauty! Enjoy riding it!

[@JoeCincotta307]

Brilliant build!

[@jirdesteva]

Like the purple. $$$$$

[@brianmaldonado3723]

Beautiful...but just one thing: GOLD KMC CHAIN!

[@kevinwilson4419]

Thank you for sharing such a great build

[@ChinaCycling]

Good quality content. Your guys' videos are getting better and better. Keep it up.

[@hogdog567]

This is a sweet, sweet build!

[@plipiec]

Sweet mother of god! This looks sooooo awesome! It’s really beautiful bike!

[@kirillstaune729]

Purple is the one! Good choice!)

[@geoffclifton3239]

Test ride one at Destination Bike, Box Hill...

[@simon6652]

That is unreal

[@DiegoCamarero]

beautiful build. Congrats. Please share links to the items you put together, it's really helpful.

[@alainpfammatter8224]

Beautiful Bike. Congrats. Love the purple 👌👍

[@craighenry7915]

Love the purple hope parts ,have the on my fatbike/29er they are killer.

[@jonathanzappala]

A purple seatpost would look good

[@Nicool333]

My dream gravel build would be a moots routt ybb, with a lauf fork up front. And full titanium racks. It would come complete with an empty bank account.

[@ibrahimsultanigy2792]

Thing of beauty

[@amaurymunoz3671]

Can you share the full length bike build video? Would love to see you put it all together. I’m looking to do the same thing soon

[@paulinfrancis]

What a beauty!

[@ИванГорунов-в4т]

Привет, это прямо мля мечта. Большое спасибо за видео у вас хороший вкус.

[@PDdiving]

That is a beautiful bike 👍🏻

[@brianbranney]

It's a beauty!

[@lux-3001]

Nice bike! My advice would be to get an XDR driver and an e*thirteen 9-46 cassette. All the range you'll ever going to need and probably about as much weight as the cassette you have.

[@jamesbracey6560]

Good call!

[@cristipop5706]

Bravo 👏👏👏 super produs 🙄 from ROMANIA

[@richcrompton6891]

Wow, looks awesome. I know it would be cheeky, but I’d submit it to the GCN BikeVault! Nailed on Supernice! Lol!

[@ogiermeister]

i bought Hope RX crankset in blue anodised guise. It's awesome and I absolutely love it. I'm riding it for few months now. Following th British theme but going with DT Swiss hubs? Come on...purple matching Hope RS4s or Royce shiny hubs to match the crank.

[@jamesbracey6560]

ogiermeister at some point I may change the hubs

[@leebridgwater]

Beautiful

[@hardmtnbiker]

Looks awesome! See my Seven Evergreen gravel with Hope blue anodized brakes

[@JasLeGoff]

Awesome.

[@stevedriscoll5406]

Great looking bike, love the purple. What's the final weight? Excuse my ignorance, just 1.8kg for the frame doesn't seem that light?

[@jamesbracey6560]

Steve Driscoll the frame is built to last! Will be weighing and putting up the web story tomorrow so check out Cycling Weekly’s website for full details

[@stevedriscoll5406]

@@jamesbracey6560 I did wonder if that was the case. Guess the weight won't matter much when its loaded up with bags etc. anyway! I'm only slightly jealous, though you can keep the saddle! 😜

[@jamesbracey6560]

Steve Driscoll exactly! Reliability is key for this one. Oh and I’m glad I can keep the saddle;)

[@garethbingham8584]

Stunning!!! 👌🏻😍🤤💜

[@AlainCarAudioManiac]

Nice bicycle

[@kimkimkim8]

Stunning bike, at first I thought purple? but yeah I like it! 👍🏽

[@aahhman107]

Wow! Indeed looks stunning! What’s wheel is that? Thank you

[@stroudy26680]

Hopefully get out with you on it soon fella! Awesome build. If it were me, defo go for the purple bottle cage 😊

[@jamesbracey6560]

stroudy26680 hell yeah fella🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@costasmandylor1565]

You missed one thing....what is the weight of the complete bike? It's gorgeous btw!

[@jamesbracey6560]

Costas Mandylor cheers! full weight and spec will be in the web story being published on Cycling Weekly’s website today

[@marckirk2345]

The only reason we don't import the USA made stuff into the UK is import duties, shipping, fear of returns. You should buy based on value not on origin. I'd love to have more USA stuff over here but sadly we can't.

[@farooqchaudhry9988]

Needs the purple seat post collar for the full set

[@jamesbracey6560]

Farooq Chaudhry soon!

[@harooncockar3657]

I have the GTD and found the kinesis ti seat clamp bolt rounded out really easily and upgraded to hope. No issues since then. PIMP it purple!

[@01FozzyS]

Sweet!

[@markrskinner]

Love it. 2X would be better for my type of riding. But hey, it's not my bike.

[@daveellsworth8553]

Fantastic. Love the fact that you built British, be proud of what we can offer.

[@joeinglesfield7446]

“Locally sourced” 😉

[@the.communist]

@@joeinglesfield7446 locally sourced, asian produced.

[@11robotics]

Finally somebody publicly admitting that mechanical groupsets are more reliable than electronic ones, especially for long-distance and mostly-solo riding. That bike is drop dead gorgeous.

[@romansauber8754]

Beautiful build. How is the ride?

[@christianwparker]

May want to use to use anti seize grease on those bottom bracket threads.

[@jamesbracey6560]

christian parker done mate!

[@galibierfinebikewear]

Nice build. A front mech and a level saddle away from my own dream bike. big luck with it

[@revmatt]

which HOPE calipers did you pair with the GRX Brifters, and how have they been in terms of compatibility?

[@ninosegualan2822]

How about Lauf gravel suspension fork?

[@trroland1248]

Purple anondized BB cups? Can’t believe you did not identify all the parts. Very nice though.

[@robertturner7560]

Very, very nice! I'd like to know how much this set up would cost if possible?

[@JonFairhurst]

Beautiful. Too bad the official Welsh color isn’t purple.

[@jamesbracey6560]

Jon Fairhurst I’m starting a petition;)

[@Graptos]

Cassette? 11-36plus... Nice bike, similar to the Knolly Cache?

[@harrylook7810]

I like everything except the 1x. Good if you don't have any steep climbs I guess. Also, I fail to see how mechanical is more reliable than Di2. Aside from human error - not charging the battery - what is going to go wrong with electronic gears?

[@jamesbracey6560]

harrylook if you’ve ever caught or cut a di2 cable on an obstacle or in a crash when you’re miles away from anything then you’ll realise why I’ve gone for mechanical!

[@harrylook7810]

@@jamesbracey6560 good thing I could only afford mechanical shifting on my gravel bike, then. :D

[@dieskooman]

Instead of the straight stem maybe the -6 degree one? Would look a lot smarter! Bottle cages wouldn't add more purple but instead stainless steel or titanium... Awesome bike though!

[@jamesbracey6560]

Dies Kooman next time and good call on the bottle cages

[@nordlloydvidad3754]

can you list all the specs brand and models of this build?

[@18481nivek]

How deep are those rims?

[@Lazaration]

What's the weight on the whole thing?

[@motoshedman]

black bottle cages man. black!

[@jamesbracey6560]

ShedMan good shout!

[@canoradam]

When is that saddle being released!?? I must get one!

[@jamesbracey6560]

Adam there should be a limited run coming at some point in the next few months

[@lukemacann284]

I still don't get why one would want or need a gravel bike. I ride and race xc and road and have done for many years. I have ridden thousands of kilometers of what could be described as gravelesque terrain. It has never occurred to to me that in order to faster I should purchase something this not a cross bike but looks just like one. If I put drop bars on one of my hard tails (not that I would want) to would that make an xc gravel bike? Maybe that would become a thing too. Now gravel bikes are becoming suspended. Will they evolve back in to xc bikes?

[@jamesbracey6560]

Luke Macann a gravel bike slots nicely between XC hardtail and road bike - harder gearing than MTB makes it faster but bigger clearances and the geo of an XC bike make it way better for riding harder terrain than a road bike or even my cyclocross race bikes

[@cityproofdad]

hey where is the build??!!

[@Cal-Mac]

Mineral oil with hope callipers? I thought they were DOT5 specific.

[@jamesbracey6560]

Cal Mac MTB Hope brakes are DOT5 specific whereas the road RX4 is available to use with Shimano (mineral) or SRAM (DOT5) levers

[@Cal-Mac]

James Bracey Ahh, thank you for the clarification. Great build by the way!

[@garagesale5948]

How much does the bike weight?

[@johndinsdale1707]

I am build a gravel bike too but with MTB XC frame from felt and rockshock SID forks hope crank and GRX and zee brakes with SLK 650b ,40mm panache tyres. What do you think?

[@HuanSon97]

40mm tires with a suspension fork doesn't work that well. I would go for a stiff fork an 2.1 mtb tires

[@adventuresinglastonbury]

Nice video. I'm interested in the full spec. Tyre choice and size?. Also the cost of the frame. I did want to see you get the bike muddy at the end. Also why did you choose grade3 titanium and not grade 5 Ti6al/4v.

[@jamesbracey6560]

Mike McCallan Donnelly Strada USH, 700x40c. Frame price is £2200 and the Ti quality was out of my hands! There will be a web story including full spec on Cycling Weekly’s website this week.

[@adventuresinglastonbury]

@@jamesbracey6560 awesome I look forward to it

[@jamesbracey6560]

Mike McCallan oh and I really wanted to get it muddy but the build took me a bit longer than I thought!

[@bobbigrant9158]

This bike was really easy to assemble kzbin.infoUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.

[@richardggeorge]

Kinesis - a good Taiwanese company. At least you know the quality will be good.

[@sebastianriedel8627]

Mechanical over di2 for reliability reasons? 🤔

[@loko__loko]

easier to maintain. no need to worry on batteries

[@sebastianriedel8627]

@@loko__loko di2 is definitely less hassle to maintain, battery is no big issue in my opinion. You charge your phone every day, why is it a problem to charge your di2 battery once a month?

[@app6072]

Where can I find that Welsh seat?

[@jamesbracey6560]

ap p Fabric are going to be doing a limited run of them some point this year.

[@app6072]

@@jamesbracey6560 I can't wait, would really finish off my bike

[@tecnociclista5342]

31.6mm seatpost? What's the point of that on a modern gravel bike?

[@the.communist]

Nothing as long as u dont try to run a telescopic seatpost

[@trebortheklaf73]

Didn't realise you can mix calipers and levers

[@Paddyhudson]

Hate the purple. XD

[@the.communist]

For tastes, colours. I love it.