You might be right - I?ll give it a try - thanks


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It?s a Platypus 70 oz big mouth so I can scoop from streams and I have it setup so if I have fresh water just drink - if needed I can screw a sawyer filter on. The 70 oz is the new design. I have an older 100 oz that is slimmer and simpler but won?t fit.

Since I was on the size ?border,? I read somewhere that you should choose the smaller size. Was that a good decision or should I have gone with the 56cm?


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Hi all. My first post was about choosing a bike. I bought a 2020 Cutthroat. At 5?8 1/2? I was right on the borderline so chose the 54cm frame and it?s really a comfortable ride. I bought Salsa?s new bolt in frame bag. It?s nice but limited on space. Currently I?ve got a spare tube in the bottom, toolkit & lights in the left side small pocket. The main compartment is pretty much full with a 2 liter water bladder & tube in the very bottom. I can fit a few energy bars in but certainly not enough room for food or stove. I put that in my 14L Terrapin seatpack along with spare clothes.....tight fit. Sleeping quilt, pad, tent and down jacket all fit in a Pronghorn handlebar bag.

So am I making the best use of the frame pack with the 70 oz hydration bladder?  I live in the desert so I carry additional spare water on the forks.  Should I modify my setup or does this sound reasonable?

Hooter


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Actually Lynskey is 700 x 40c. Litespeed is 700 x 38c

Yeah the 300 comes with 700 x 38c (which I read somewhere is really 40mm). It can take up to a 700 x 45 or 27.5 x 2.1. Whatcha think - Is 38c a big enough tire? In contrast is the 2.2? on the Cutthroat too fat for some road? My mountain bike is 2.1 and I don?t care for it on the road but I think it?s just the harsh ride I don?t like on longer road rides on the mountain bike. I think I?m leaning towards the Cutthroat but the lure of that beautiful Ti constantly confuses me.

Hi - thanks for replying. I live in the CA desert with access to mountains, fire roads and trails. I still want to be able to go for a road ride without either the harshness of my Cannondale mountain bike and without being stuck with beach cruiser speeds. If on a road ride line I was today and I see a nice fire road or trail I wanna be able to do it. I?d like to plan some Bikepacking trips From Owens valley over the pass to Saline valley, Alabama hills as well as some organized rides. Someday when time allows I?d love to ride the Divide or at least sections of it. I love the custom feel of my Lynskey road bike as well as the awesome look of bare titanium. Having said that I also like the raw carbon look of the Cutthroat Apex 1 and the Cutthroat seems to be more engineered for Bikepacking. I?m sure I could make the Lynskey GR300 or Litespeed Gravel work fine but they don?t have as many attachment options and seem to be more engineered for shorter gravel races. Like I said they do look awesome and American made!  They?d be perfect for the road/fire road/trail rides I mentioned but I just wonder if they?d do as well on endurance Bikepacking? I?m getting up there so at 61 I?m not likely to race my mountain bike anymore, get a lot of air, ride on logs or boulder hop. So I wonder about comfort. My Ti road bike is pretty comfortable. I really have no experience on carbon. I remember trying out one of the early Trek carbon racing bikes and it was a very stiff and harsh ride. I know carbon has come a long way and all of the reviews talk about how comfortable the Cutthroat V2 is but that is another concern of mine. Any suggestions/thoughts would be appreciated. Also if I do get the Cutthroat it will be the Apex version not only for cost but mainly color (I know that?s silly). Given that, what upgrades should I do first? Wheels, handlebars, seatpost, or drivetrain?  Thanks!

Hi - I?m Steve Rainey or ?Hooter.? Of course I?ve been riding since I was a kid and I?m still riding at 61. I currently have a vintage ?95 Cannondale F2000 World Champion Series and a 2007 Lynskey Custom titanium road bike with SRAM Red - so I like lightweight and quality. As I get older comfort is becoming very important. I?ve done a little ?bikepacking? on both these steeds which just means loading up a seat pack, handlebar bag and hitting the trail or road. Now I want to do both - anytime I want so I?m looking at gravel bikes. I?ve kinda narrowed it down to a Salsa Cutthroat V2 Apex 1, Litespeed Gravel GRX 400 or if I can spring the extra cash a Lynskey GR300 or maybe a Chumba Terlingua Steel. Primary goal is to take up Bikepacking with a solid all-in-one kinda bike. I?d appreciate any advice anyone is willing to share.

Hooter


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Hi - I?m new to Bikepacking somewhat. I have a high end 90s mountain bike (95 Cannondale F2000) and a very nice 2007 Lynskey Custom titanium road bike with SRAM Red. So you can see I love quality lightweight gear......it certainly helps compensate for my lack of talent. Anyhow in the past I?ve loaded up a seat pack and handlebar bag on both these rigs for short hauls......but obviously one pure road and one pure trail. I love the idea of a ?do it all? bike. I think I?d like to do some nice bikepacking and my ?guess? at this point is something like 70% dirt and 30% trail but I?m really not sure. I?d like a bike I can do anything on, is pretty high quality but I?m on a budget. My other bikes are both made is the USA and I?d really like to do that but I guess an American company and design might suffice.

So the big question: I think I?ve narrowed it down to the new Salsa Cutthroat V2 Apex 1 of the Litespeed Gravel GRX 400. Both are $2699 and obviously upgradable.  Other possibilities are a Lynskey GX300 or a Chumba steel Terlingua but both of those are really above my price point but still possible. I?m old so won?t be doing huge air, boulders or logs but yes some single track is possible. On the flip side I might wanna just jump on the bike and go for a couple hours road ride.....but who knows might see some interesting dirt, trail, fire road on that road ride too.  I want lightweight, comfort and pretty good handling. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.