Standard Equipment
Tires – 700×42 Teravail Cannonball gravel tires
My Warbird came standard with 700×42 Teravail Cannonball gravel tires which lasted about 3,000 miles. I had them setup tubeless from the LBS which was my first experience with tubeless tires. Overall they were a good tire and held up to at least a dozen small holes that the sealant plugged well.
DriveTrain – Shimano GRX600
- Front Derailleur – Shimano RX810
- Rear Derailleur – Shimano RX810
- Cassette – Shimano HG700-11, 11-24t
- Chain – Shimano HG601-11
- Crankset – Shimano RX600-11, 46/30t
- Shifter – Shimano RX600
- Brakes and Rotors – Shimano RX400, Hydraulic, RT66 160 mm rotors
Apparently this is Shimano’s first entry into a gravel specific drivetrain. This bike is also my first experience with a gravel bike, so I don’t have a lot of experience on what to expect. With that said, I have been disappointed in how the drivetrain has held up. At this point, I have 4k miles on the bike and have had it in for two tune-ups to address a noticeable creak coming from the front crankset. Even after the 2nd attempt, the creak came back after about 100 miles. I have now added another 1000 miles on it with every peddle met with that annoying sound. As the weather turns more cold, I will be taking it back in for a full tune-up. I am hoping that finally fixes it.
Anyone else have these issues?
Seat – WTB Volt Comp
Took some getting used to but now doesn’t bother me or my rear.
After Market Equipment
Below are new products I have purchased either before I bought my gravel bike or afterwards. This list does not include clothing, shoes or helmets which will be a post all its own.
If you have any questions about the products I am using or how they are holding up, send me a message.
Water bottle cages – Tacx Ciro Bottle Cage
Made from carbon shell and glass fiber core and reinforced for optimal clamping. I have three of them on the bike and have had no issues with bottles falling out.
Bike Computer – Garmin Edge 530 with Sensor Bundle
I live in the shadows of Garmin’s US headquarters and I never considered getting any other bike computer other than Garmin. This computer, like so many other cycling “toys”, is a first for me. The last biking computer I had was 20 years ago and it was one of the old Cat EYE computers. I am not even sure if it was wireless. I won’t go into too many details on the Edge 530 here but overall it has held up well. There have been a few issues with Livetrack not starting correctly and my heart rate monitor seems to work sporadically but overall I am happy with the product.
If I could give Garmin some advice, it would be to invest in a better community model. They are losing users to 3rd party apps like Strava.
Water Bottles – CamelBack Podium
I own three of these bottles but only two of them are the same. The third one is from their Podium Dirt series and comes with a cap that goes over the top valve. It’s also not insulated.
Of the two that are insulated, they stay cool and stay in the bottle cages. The added insulation does make the bottle taller than the Dirt series version.
Tires – Panaracer GravelKing 700×38
After my Teravail’s went to crap, I needed new tires that wouldn’t break the bank. After doing some research, I landed on the Panaracer GravelKings. Online reviews indicated that they run bigger once inflated so I opted for the 38’s instead of the 42’s that I was currently riding on.
Overall they are a great tire. They are fast and quiet on pavement and attack the gravel and dirt when offroad. They are often nicknamed Gravelfling for their tendency to kick gravel up and I noticed that immediately. To me, that just means they are good at gripping the road!
I typically run my tires at 40psi regardless of surface.
Tire Repair Kits – Misc
Luckily I have not had the misfortune of using any of these items yet but they are in my case just in case.
- Valve Core Remover Tool
- KOM Cycling Tubeless Tire Repair Kit
- Pre-glued Patch Puncture Repair Kit
Headlight – Blitzu Gator 390 Rechargeable
I have owned this light for 2 years now. The first year it was attached to my mountain bike and got little use. The 2nd year it was on the Warbird and gets used on almost every ride. It has 4 settings, High, medium, low, and flashing.
When riding in the dark or near dark, I will keep it on low to extend the battery life. Even on low, visibility is good.
During the daytime hours, I will use the flashing mode to that oncoming cars can see me better.
The original mount broke after the first year but the company created an improved bracket that I purchased and have no issues with.
(Lost the taillight in the first few months)
Pedals – Shimano PD-M520L MTB Sport Pedals with Cleats
These are a budget friendly pedal which I feel are great for a born again biker looking to run with clipless pedals. I have had no issues with dirt or mud clogging them up.
Taillights – Ascher USB Rechargeable LED Bike Tail Light
Rechargeable with 4 light modes. I always ride with the flashing mode on. When I am able, I will ride with one on my helmet on the other on my seat post.
Action Camera – GoPro Hero 9
I bought this camera shortly after it came out. Overall its been good but not without issues. I currently have it mounted on my handlebars and Kansas Gravel has not been good to it. About 3/4 of the way through a 70 mile ride, the camera busted off of the GoPro provided bike mount and skidded across the ground. Luckily I had it wrapped in a case and it came out without a scratch. In addition, I purchased the warranty so had it broke, I could have replaced it for free with no questions asked.
I won’t go into too many details here as I plan on providing a more in-depth review on it in the future but if you are looking for an action camera, you can never go wrong with a GoPro
