With the around-the-world Reilly Gradient now enjoying a well-deserved rest — before a few outings on display at talks and events, and then retirement to hang proudly on my bedroom wall — it’s time for a new machine. Or two…
First up is the Reflex, Reilly’s race-gravel bike. With some bikepacking on the horizon along gravel routes around the UK, it’s the obvious choice. In the short term though, most of my riding will be on paved roads, whether training or making my way around the country. With that in mind, I sat down with the Reilly team to put together the perfect build, just as any customer would — to roadify a gravel bike if you will…
Read on to see how to roadified a gravel bike.
SIZE
The starting point was sizing. I wanted a fit that matched the bike which carried me around the world — comfortable, efficient, and injury-free. At 176cm, I’m best suited to a small frame with a 90mm Deda Superbox stem and 380mm Deda Superzero Gravel alloy bars. A Reilly-branded carbon inline seatpost holds the Reform saddle in place.
GROUPSET
As it’s a gravel bike, I chose Shimano’s latest 12-speed GRX one-by groupset. For the big climbs I have planned, we went with a 51t cassette for winch-like gearing. Up front, I’m running a Wolftooth 44t chainring, which offers a slightly bigger gear and better chainline at higher speeds, without sacrificing the easy end, than the stock 40t or 42t Shimano options.
WHEELS
For now, while I’m riding mainly on the road, we’ve fitted a Strada PAD 45 Ultra wheelset. With a 29mm external width, they pair perfectly with 32mm Panaracer Agilest Dura tyres set up tubeless. They roll beautifully, and with no punctures so far, I’m impressed.
With long-distance ambitions in mind, we fitted aluminium bars to accommodate clip-on Profile Design aero bars, complete with satellite shifters at the ends. The result is the perfect balance of comfort and speed. It feels fantastic so far — and I can’t wait to keep exploring.
