Open U.P.P.E.R

Super lightweight gravel

2021 after doing an Orbit 360.

Statistics

Bought on
2019-04-12
Last mileage
11752.37
Specifications
  • Framesize L
  • Stem length 100mm
  • SRAM Force 1
  • SRAM Centerline X
  • SRAM Centerline XR
  • 46T, 10-42T
  • DT Swiss PRC 1400 SPLINE® DB 35
  • René Herse Steilacoom 700x38C
  • KMC X11 DLC Chain

Details

Maintenance
  • 2022-01-13, 7662km
    • New cassette
    • New chainring
    • New pulleys
    • New chain
    • New brake tube (back)
    • New derailleur cable (back)
    • New bar tape
  • 2022-12-29, 10089km
    • New chain (lasted 2427km)
    • New tire (back)
    • New brake pads (front)
    • New brake rotor (front)
    • New brake rotor (back)
  • 2023-08-29, 11013km
    • New brake pads (back)
    • Bled rear-wheel brake

My Open Gravel bike, actually bought with the money from my Spring Boot Buch in early 2019. I have very mixed feelings about that bike. On the plus side the frame is very stiff and super lightweight. If everything is well tuned, riding on it is pure joy. On the negative side: It is a tad bit too small, even it is labelled as large. The mate finish looked good, until shortly after the first couple of miles in: You look at it and it scratches. While not explicitly labelled as "electronic shifting only", the angles of the hoses and cables leave a lot of room for improvement, less so for movement. Really hard to get right.
The mechanical SRAM Force 1: More expensive and less durable than the Rival 1, little improvement over it. The braking: It's crap. The number of times now that I bled the system now: Countless. Still think there's a leakage somewhere, but I already had the hosing redone.

The best parts: The rims. The shop at which I bought the whole bike recommended them to me. I just figured out years later that they are not officially gravel supported but alas… They took every abuse and still are fantastic.

I went through a couple of tires: Started with the "usual" Schwalbe G1 and then G1 Ultrabite tubeless, but both didn't last long enough for my taste. The René Herse are much more durable and lighter. I use tubes again and I don't plan on changing that anytime soon. Would I buy that setup again? Only with some changes: Frame in XL, no mate color, Shimano shifting and brakes.

Biggest achievement on this bike: Doing the Stoneman Arduenna in one go on a gravel bike.