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, The Lauf Anywhere is an awesome all-rounder that will handle pretty much whatever adventure you throw at it. Entering year three of racing it (12+ races per year). Taking time to set the True Grit up right is worth the effort. I found this out when testing the Hunt Superdura dynamo wheel, which uses a 12mm axle Son Delux hub. No, aesthetically, its not to my taste, but its excellent and I would thoroughly recommend it after a winter with no soggy bottoms. To combine the two in an incredibly beautiful and unforgiving landscape such as Iceland was very special. It's just a shame that the JAF fork limits the bikes compatibility with road and gravel wheelsets, Lauf Anywhere Weekend Warrior Edition long-term review, A true gravel race bike and equally fun adventure bike, No mudguard mounts, 15mm fork axle limits road wheelsets, SRAM Rival 1 flat mount hydraulic (160mm rotor front and rear), Lauf Smoothie composite (420mm for the size medium). MORE on the Lauf Anywhere & Lauf True Grit www.laufcycling.com . 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. 2022 Lauf Seigla gravel bike review: Unconventional looks It has Lauf Lush bartape and is 420mm wide on the medium size. I was using Laufs Smoothie handlebars, which are developed in house and made from the same carbon as its leaf sprung suspension fork. This construction, plus the overall shaping, allows for isolated flex and a perfect mate for the new rigid fork. The bike comes with tubeless-ready DT Swiss X1900 wheels and is specced with a Shimano-style freehub body. Our Weekend Warrior model had a SRAM Rival 11-speed 1x drivetrain with a 42t crank matched to a 11-42t cassette. 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. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Riding a fully rigid bike meant that my body felt pretty beaten up by the end of the ride (it took me 12 hours to complete), and watching many other competitors on mountain bikes I definitely could have done with some form of suspension. High-frequency buzz is greatly reduced, which not only improves comfort over an individual bump but also helps minimise fatigue on long slogs. Having suffered from knee pain at the end of day three it was clear that the lower gearing was a good choice and suggested that I should have spent more time in those lower gears to help reduce the load going through my knee. 15mm front axle, STATS Yet, with the industry-wide embrace of added compliance remaining a key selling feature, the Laufers had another trick up their sleeve. Im not going to sit back and say the True Grit was an unknown quantity far from it. In reality, this does help slightly, but real comfort ultimately comes from the frame and some people wont like the 16-degree flare on the bar. But not before Id popped to the local bakery to pick up some Scottish delicacies. Force level shifters are joined by an XX1 AXS derailleur and 10-50t cassette, driven by a Force 1 chainset with a 42t ring. Lauf Seigla geometry. Well it performed faultlessly. When not riding he can be found at the climbing wall, in his garden or cooking up culinary delights. Future upgrade plans include some new wheels, as well as a couple of items to boost long-distance comfort. I was hoping this year would continue in the same vein because I had a few long-distance goals I wanted to hit, but that hasnt been the case so far. Having said that, the X1900 wheels arent light at 1,721g for the pair and the internal width of 22.5mm isnt very wide. With the colder months upon us I am very much looking forward to getting some consistency in to my riding and building on my fitness because I have plenty of endurance events that I want to enter in 2020. It has great feeling engagement when putting down the power, too. The Maxxis Rambler tyres seem to be a decent all-rounder. There are three water bottle cage mounts, as well as a bolt-on top tube mounts for a bag. A hanger is provided for a wireless front derailleur and 2x chainring setup. Lauf's True Grit makes the drop-bar bike feel a whole lot more viable (and comfortable) off-road. Sizes: XS, S, M (tested), L, XL, THE GEAR Pick-up from the rear hub is good and they have a nice muted buzz to them. First ride review: SRAM XPLR RockShox suspension, Zipp wheels, and 1x This lowers the front end ever so slightly when compared to the Lauf Grit fork, and gives the Anywhere a more road-oriented and aerodynamic stance, making it a gravel race machine, at least . The frame geometry reinforces this preference for speed. The biggest upgrade I made was to the wheelset and tyres. tire clearance, and arguably better looks, it's a winner out of the gate. This is the first bike I have ridden with flared handlebars, though, and as yet I havent found a natural and comfortable position on the hoods. Much like the fork, the Canyon VCLS 2.0 seatpost Ive fitted is a two-piece leaf-sprung unit, designed to flutter backward and forward, to take the sting out of trail chatter. Having explored a little of the area in the past, I knew there was a fair risk of trudging through mud, even at the best of times, and with my other half working, I also knew thered be no rescue party until at least early evening if things went a little wrong. In summary, this is what cyclists think. Lauf says the Smoothie bars are some of the best drop bars available for reducing vibration, but its very difficult to say how much the Smoothie bars actually helped. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. So I planned a 90k loop, avoiding the highest bits of the Cairngorm plateau, and packed a saddle bag with a full set of waterproofs, some synthetic insulation and plenty of snacks. I mentioned in my initial review (see below) that I would be getting a dynamo wheel to remove the need for heavy batteries and keep myself visible at all times, well I chose the Hunt Superdura Dynamo Disc wheel paired with an Exposure Revo Dynamo front light and Redeye rear light. I am hoping to change various parts of the bike in order for it to be ready for a long self-supported ride. 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. Four buildsfrom $2690 to $5340are available, including an option for a frameset. The Lauf True Grit is built for gravel racing: big days, covering long distances, over a multitude of dirt surfaces. However, Its also noticeable when riding over rough roads. I was also lucky enough to ride the Grit fork when it launched, and later the True Grit on the launch event in Iceland and longer term after the event. As such, small adjustments require the post to be removed. The smooth rolling of sub-40psi is certainly alluring. The Rival brakes match, but only the right side has the shifter lever and mechanics. I got out of the saddle on most of the climbs and spent less time spinning on sharp hills. 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. As such, the former wouldve preferred a 40t chainring, while the latter wished for a 10t cog. Furthermore, I really believe suspension has a place on a gravel bike. I soon re-joined my outbound route, the wide gravel tracks corners revealing the mountains Im familiar with seeing in Aviemore. Which Bike Help! - Jamis Renegade vs Lauf Anywhere/True Grit - Reddit When I ride road bikes, I gravitate towards the racy, more aggressive end of the spectrum. 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. 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. The Grit accepts a 160mm brake rotor at minimum, with options for a 12mm or 15mm thru-axle. Lauf True Grit Race AXS long-term review - Gravel Bikes - BikeRadar The frame is actually rated to the ISO standard for mountain bikes and I believe the bike will handle a life of adventures without carbon paranoia. The experience, organisation of the ride and the people I met were something very special and I intend to do similar events in the future. At the back theres a 142 x 12mm axle, along with a chainsuck plate to protect the chainstays. Instead of the JAF I used the No.9 CX Disc fork from Whiskey Parts Co. I refuse to ride anything else. |, USD $4,190.00 Inevitably, I set off late. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Off road Ive found the handling to be sharp enough to navigate over or around rocks, roots and pot-holes, and still give me the confidence to let loose on the brake levers and carry speed on descents. Removing the tubes and a couple parts swaps would easily bring that number down without breaking the bank. I have had a couple of freehub engagement issues with my pair, though. Its incredibly good at reducing handlebar buzz, too, which over long distances adds to fatigue, and helps with bigger hits, but with 30mm travel, theres only so much it can be expected to handle. BikeRide works hard to help you find the lowest prices and information on each bike from the widest possible range of sources. Here, the fork sometimes twists and twangs, which can be unnerving. THE FRAME The True Grit has, largely, worked as expected. I took my good friend George and it was to be his first experience of riding out and sleeping under the stars. At this time of year, we traditionally say goodbye to our long-term bikes. Greetings all, I am considering getting the Lauf Seigla Weekend Warrior (mechanical groupset), but saw that the Lauf True Grit Weekend Warrior is currently 20% off here in the US. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I count that as success any day! The Lauf Anywheres geometry has been designed specifically for riding fast over unpredictable terrain. So despite the bike not coming with Laufs famous leaf sprung fork, it can be ridden hard over proper gravel with a bit of nerve. BikeRide is reader-supported, and sometimes we receive commissions for links you click on. Unfortunately the frame doesnt have any full-length mudguard mounts, and on a bike that is likely to be ridden through winter means using alternatives that perhaps dont provide as much protection. The relatively slack 71-degree head angle and short 80mm stem is said to help increase stability at high speeds over rough terrain. Its incredible to think that I rode all of that on the same bike! So, whats the seatpost like? Lauf is now providing a new option in ride (and appearance) preference while maintaining their legacy of uniqueand appreciatedride compliance. Why is the geometry this way? . However, Im hoping to keep hold of the True Grit for a little longer, into 2022. Clearance for 45mm tires ensured real off-road compatibility and a cushy ride. I did make some changes to the bike, but not that many, which is testament to how versatile the Anywhere is. At around 2,000km distance and roughly 15,000 metres of elevation, I had to make sure that the bike could go the distance. Join Join. I also injured myself earlier this year, so the Lauf has been a useful tool in my recovery from a (potentially, the doctors cant 100 per cent tell) fractured wrist, sustained when I ran out of talent on a mountain bike. So much so that on my first ride with it I was constantly checking the rear tyre for a flat. With more than twenty years of mountain biking experience, and nearly a decade of testing mountain and gravel bikes, Tom has ridden and tested thousands of bikes and products, from super-light XC race bikes through to the most powerful brakes on the market. Its not designed to carry all your bells and whistles, but still manages to blend an element of comfort into its relatively racy demeanour, with generous front-end-height adjustment if you dont have pro-Tour-esque flexibility. I also highly recommend the WTB Nano tyres for gravel racing because they gave me no problems during the race and provided me with plenty of grip and confidence over the 200km route. Personally, I prefer the concept of a suspension system that isolates (to some extent) the front wheel from the frame. Obviously, a lighter drivetrain and wheelset/tyre combination would drop a significant amount of weight should I start getting more serious about riding uphill. This section of the ride was why Id packed so much. It's just a shame that the JAF fork limits the bike's compatibility with road and. The Dava Way follows an old railway path and goes through a number of rather cool cuttings. When it comes to really rough off-road riding, the Smoothie handlebar isnt nearly as effective as the 30mm-travel Grit suspension fork. PUNCH LINES Depending on how bad the weather is and whether I can stand getting wet on rides, a set of clip-on mudguards could be a worthy addition, as mentioned above. 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. With improved frame compliance, massive 292.25 (70057!!!) Combined with a relatively low front-end, the bike can be built fairly aggressively with aerodynamic qualities. At checkpoint three, one of the volunteers very kindly gave me a small bottle of Stans No Tubes sealant, which instantly plugged the hole and didnt present a problem for the rest of the ride. 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. September marks the start of the UK hill climb season and it was exciting to be a part of the event. Already have an account with us? Shoes: Giro Empire VR90 By reports, Maxxis Velocita tires didnt perform well in mud or slippy dirt. After riding a 100km audax, I decided to set the bike up tubeless after sustaining a puncture thankfully at the bottom of a very fast descent! This makes for a sturdy frame that handles all the fun at only 1.150g - Medium frame in Lava Black, including front and rear derailleur hangers. 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. Ive plans in the works thatll see me riding the bike a lot later in the year, and in the run up there are a few modifications thatll be needed.