This past weekend was another opportunity to take some long bike rides, get off the beaten path, and do some exploring. I was up on the North Shore of Massachusetts, and the area provided some great rides along the beach, through nature refuges, and over gravel roads.
Stopping to take in the views is a necessity. It was a bit cloudy, but my new friend the seagull approved.
All along the coast were some interesting boardwalks. I guess the clouds scared away the beach-goers, as it was surprisingly empty out there as I rolled along the paths.
The various inlets in the nature refuge were a habitat for many waterfowl and seabirds. Ducks, geese, herons, and even swans were spotted during the ride.
Into the woods for a bit before we get onto the gravel.
Gravel roads; exactly what I built this bike for. The gravel bike, or the “all-road” (whatever you want to call it), is made to perform and feel like a road bike with the ability to take you on any terrain you can throw at it. I built this Montague FIT folding bike frame with a SRAM Force groupset, drop bars, disc brakes, and 33c semi-knobby tires.
This part of the day’s ride was incredibly fun. Some sections were pretty loose but for the most part it was flat and fast. The carbon fiber fork on the FIT, and the carbon Whisky 7 rims combined to do an excellent job of damping vibrations from the rough road. It was impossible not to smile while pedaling through this stuff, kicking up dirt and laying down a few skids just for fun.
After a long day of riding, we needed a swim, some BBQ, and a bit of summer celebration. The next day, I headed back to Boston on the Commuter Rail train, with my FIT folded right next to me.
This bike looks fantastic! It is exactly the type I am after 😀
I am drooling over the components you have on your bike. Gum wall tires are the best! Looking forward to getting a FIT frame and building it up just the way I want. No cheap stuff.
I dont suppose you care to supply details on the components you used for your build?
Thanks
Andy
You can find info on this build from some other posts here on the blog. This first one has a complete parts list:
https://www.montaguebikes.com/folding-bikes-blog/2014/06/folding-gravel-bike-build-part-1/
https://www.montaguebikes.com/folding-bikes-blog/2014/06/folding-gravel-bike-build-part-2/
https://www.montaguebikes.com/folding-bikes-blog/2014/06/folding-gravel-bike-disc-brakes-and-drop-bar-levers/
it looks fantastic,,
after i saw this ficture
i also want to change my FIT handle to dropbar,,,
so can i ask your bikes stem angle and length?
The stem on this build is 100mm in length with a 6 degree angle. You may find that a different size or angle is more comfortable for you though!
Any plans on a dedicated gravel version, Montague?
What’s the tire clearance of the city bike frames?
Thanks!
We currently don’t have any plans for a drop bar version, but the Navigator and Allston are definitely built with that type of multi-surface riding in mind. Regarding tire clearance, the Crosstown, Urban, and Navigator all ship with a 35mm tire and have clearance for about a 40 – 42mm depending on the tire make/model (they can vary a bit from labeled size). The Allston ships with a 38mm and has quite a bit of clearance in the rear. You could potentially fit a 45mm tire there. The fork is still in that 40 – 42mm range, but if you wanted to go wider, you could replace the fork. The Boston and FIT are more city/road models so their tire clearance is tighter. They ship with a 28mm and have room for about a 35mm.
I used a Dremel to cut off the rear stay bridge and am able to get 38mm tires (probably will fit 40-42mm like the Allston) on a Custom Fit model. But the OEM fork on the Fit will only just barely fit a 35mm tire without knobs. Does the fork for the Allston have more clearance than the Custom Fit?
The stock fork on the Allston does have more clearance than the FIT fork. It ships with a 38mm tire and similar to the rear, it can fit about a 42mm in the front as well. If you’re looking for a different fork for your custom FIT, the frame could accept any fork with a 1 1/8″ threadless straight steerer tube, so you could easily source a compatible aftermarket one. Glad you’re enjoying the bike! Send us some photos to bicycle@montaguebikes.com