Great gravel bike (with okay components)!
I wanted to really get to know the bike before writing a review, and I think I've succeeded with 15 rides for 300 miles in the 23 days since I got in the saddle.
I'm a former trail runner who took up road cycling in earnest the past two years, but wanted to get back to my true love: Colorado trails. I didn't want a mountain bike specifically because I don't like to "drive and ride" all the time, and it's 2 or 3 miles from home to find some dirt.
I pored over bikes for months, talking to my neighbor the bike mechanic, and my brother-in-law, an enthusiast, combing company websites and reading reviews. (State had great reviews from the start, which is why I'm here: to pass it forward. The reviews are good for a reason!) When the Black Friday deals rolled around (complete with a free year of financing!) I was in! At a base price of just $899, I chose the All-Road 4130 in awesome lavender (it's so beautiful!).
My first thought, coming from road biking, is that this bike was just so comfortable and STABLE. I like the geometry and fit of the All-Road 4130 (I'm a lean 5'11" but a little leggy, and the large fits pretty well with the seat low-ish). I rode roads for a few before getting to some gravel, and was instantly impressed with the handling. I thought I'd take baby steps with easy gravel roads for a while but wound up at one of my favorite singletrack running/biking trails within an hour. I like to think I'm a skilled cyclist with great balance from trail running and road biking, but all the same, this style of riding was new to me, and yet, it felt instantly natural, and I believe a lot of that is having the right machine.
Over the weeks, I tested it further and further, including in this last week a full 20-mile loop of varied terrain (lots of gravel, loose gravel, rocky singletrack, chipped service roads, etc.) Yesterday, on my last ride of the year, I went on a trip around one of my favorite running trails, Green Mountain in Lakewood, Colo. I saw dozens of bikes on the mountain, but not a single other gravel bike. While I had to underbike a little, I was still able to maneuver nearly any trail that wasn't impeded by serious ascent. (The first hill I tried is 750 feet of elevation gain in 1.1 miles!) I could have maybe stayed in the saddle for the whole ride with: A.) better tires; and B. a lighter frame. Which brings me to components...
I've yet to get my upgraded components installed, as my mechanic overlooked the 12-speed gearset in the initial build (somehow!) and did not have the tools to cut the carbon tube. I'm getting to the point where I'll be having both done soon, to lighten the bike and give myself an extra Granny gear. I'm gonna need it if I'm ever to conquer Green Mountain.
I wound up returning dual pedals, which my mechanic said tend not to do either job well. We may have given them a try anyway, but the bearings were rough out of the box. State included standard flats that come with the bike, too, but those weren't very good either. So I ordered a good pair of flats and am glad I did: they take a helluva beating!
I also opted for tubeless tires, and they're great now, but it took a while for them to "take." One or both tires would be flat the next morning after my first four or five rides. They seem to hold air fine now, and thanks to the All-Road frame's many bracket attachments, I carry a nice little hand pump just in case!
I wanted a bike that could go anywhere, carry anything I needed to take with me, and was reliable and, well, stable. (I'm even setting PRs on chippy paved roads that I frequent with my road bike, because I can fly faster on the gravel bike than I ever feel safe doing on my roadie.) Especially for novices like myself who are dipping their toe, I'd recommend this bike. As for me, I'm already dreaming of the day when I upgrade to their carbon All-Road model!
