Sonder Camino Ti, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly! My new
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.ย. 2024
- After 12 years, my mountain bike finally died. So the next decision, was what to replace it with? I wanted something that would be versatile, allowing me to ride rougher stuff than my Cyclo-Cross bikes and also use for multi-day trips.
After trying a few options, I settled on a Sonder Camino, in titanium. It's a work of art, elegant, strong and versatile! I have been riding it for the last three months, so I feel confident that the review accurately reflects my experience. On the whole I am really pleased with it. As with all bikes I have been tweaking it, getting it set up just how I like it. There are a few things that I will upgrade in the future, so I have called the review: The Good The Bad and the Ugly!
The wheels were built by Eric Wilcock at the Cycle Shed. If you are looking for custom wheels, I would check him out: 07855 230887 ericwilcock@aol.com
Disclaimer: I paid for all the products featured in this video, it has not been sponsored and my views are my own.
Filmed in the Murcia region of Spain, during December/January 22/23.
Inclusivity: This video has edited Closed Captions. CC
Music Credit: Chris Haugen - Western Spaghetti.
#gravel #graveladventure #gravelride #gravelbike #spaingravel #alpkit #sonder #camino
Good review (and will be checking out the 6-months on to). Looks like Sonder saw your review, as they're now offering the Shimano GRX crankset for the Camino Ti GRX1 & GRX2 in three different lengths).
Re. bottom bracket, my wife and I have Hope BBs on our gravel bikes and they have been completely trouble free for over a couple of years. Not cheap but worth it in my opinion.
Good idea
Thank you for the solid recommendation. I have been searching for months to find the perfect gravel bike and the Camino Ti is my unicorn.
You are most welcome. Check out my Camino Ti 6 months on. I have so much fun on this bike. I do have 2 sets of tyres - 40mm, file tread for Summer and easy off road plus a pair of 45mm Cinturato M s for rougher terrain - perfect for Winter and more MTB style riding.
The good, the bad, and the ugly! A great title for a post filmed in Spain; where most of the spaghetti westerns where filmed. Shame you didn't have some Ennio Morricone music in the background..haha!
I love how enthusiastic you are in these posts, it's so infectious and I always come away from one of your videos feeling positive. So weird to see you with hair, as usually you're sporting your pink cycle helmet..haha
Take care Julie 🤠
Thanks! I pick up my Sonder Camino Ti in March and will cycle Newcastle to Nice in September for charity. People really rate these bikes 😊
Sounds fantastic. Best of luck
I have some Spitfire bars on my old CX bike....Maybe 4 years old.....A very comfy set with a nice subtle flare...Feels good with Rival 1x levers...
And I do remember my first rigid Kona with narrow bars back in '93.....
Yep those bars are fab. Loved those narrow bars and bar ends . Thanks for commenting Steve.
Great video as usual, thanks for the plug, so happy your enjoying the bike, knew you would love it.
You're welcome
There's something about a Gravel bike they're good on the rough and seem to just go on the smooth stuff!
MTB still have their place though!😊
I agree with that :-) Thanks for commenting
Hi its Jim, we were camping next to you at the dirty reiver 2022, great review and really happy to see the positives here as i have just ordered the exact same frameset! happy riding and maybe see you around the peaks or at another race soon, take care
Thanks so much. Lovely to hear from you. Its a great bike for exploring and is super comfortable. Let me know how you get on.
Hope to see you sometime.
Glad mines coming out there to live too.!! Trails are awesome 👌
Lucky you
Great video. I have a cyclocross bike (amongst a few others) and I appreciate there are a few subtle differences between gravel and cyclocross, you are absolutely right, it’s like old school mountain biking, I love my cyclocross bike. Looking forward to seeing more videos of your cycling 👍👏🚴🏻
Lovely comments. Cheers. It takes me back to my days of riding rigid every Winter. In retrospect that kinda of riding helped me develop a great set of transferable skills.
@@JuliePhelanExplore Definitely something in what you say about transferable skills. Obviously I coming very much from a average leisure cyclist. What surprised me most on one of my recent trips to Whinlatter Forest, I was pretty much the only non ebike 😂😂. Keep the videos coming, thank you 😊
Lovely bike, I borrowed one for the Sonder gravel series a few years back in Hathersage. Enjoy 😁
So glad you love the Camino (more or less😅) I went for the AL GRX 2 in the summer, Sage green frame and I love it. I opted for the bomber bars and I’ve found it easier to get down on the drops with them - something I haven’t been good at doing previously. Great video as always ❤❤❤
Thanks
I know this video was a while ago not sure if you got new tires on there or not but I installed a set of Rene Herse Oracle Ridge 700Cx48 an absolutely love them they're pretty fast and quiet on the road but they eat that single track up.
I recently replaced my rims with Winspace Grapids and the tires now measure 53mm (due to the 25mm internal) and they run great.
Also have the GRX2, but swapped the cassette with a 11-40 and it runs well! The shifting is a little less crisp but never fails to change gear when I ask.
Hi Jason, it was almost a year ago. Like you I now have full grx with 11-40 on the back. At the moment I am using 45mm Cinturatos M s which sets me up for a total mtb mudfest :-) During the Summer I used some 40mm tyres.
When the bike is loaded or I have the 45 s on I need the extra gears.
The whole set up is perfect now, which I actually say in the 6 months on video. I have so much fun on this little bike :-)))
Interesting to read how you've set yours up. Thanks for commenting. Take care . :-)
Now that I've got my position sorted and replaced the handlebar stem & seat post with Redshift suspension parts I'm really enjoying riding my Camino Ti. I can't wait for the warmer weather to dry the muddy tracks a bit so I can really get out and ride in my area once more. It's a great bike for not too much money by modern standards.
Lucky you. I fancy a Redshift stem to 'cut myself a bit of slack' when its really dry and rough- I have a bit of wear on my rotator cuff!
Must admit I have been using an old cx bike this week which I don't clean so well lol Ooops. I do love the flexibility the Camino gives me.
Thanks for commenting Richard. Bet others will be interested in your upgrades.
@@JuliePhelanExplore Hi Julie, if you have the chance, just get the bar stem as it makes such a difference to the handling. It makes riding more relaxing and better for cornering as the bike isn't bouncing around on the bumps. It also makes the bike a lot quieter as cables etc aren't vibrating as much. I now have two bikes with the stem and seat post as I like them so much. Enjoy your riding :)
@@Rick--A-F interesting! Thanks . Have fun
Fantastic bike and amazing trails to test it out on.Not jealous at all lol.
Lol thank you . Jealousy is a terrible thing lol
Also use my gravel bike as I would my old mountain bike. Riding motorbike trails in the South Wales forests.
Love the vid
Thanks
What a great review
Thanks
Looks like a great gravel bike 👍🚲
hi🌷~
I 😮Really enjoyed your vidteo ( new subscriber )
👍 I’m hoping to do the British great divide next year! , I’m about ur age, might you be interested!? You did mention some bike packing and what better place ! Beautiful🥰and 😂 the year after we could knock out the GDMBR thru USA 🇺🇸 …
a might longer !!! 🚵🏿♂️🚴🏼♂️
Ur welcome to bring a special friend if you have one !? I’m solo and I love it for now! TTYs
🥳 Cheryl.
💕 take care
Interesting ....
hi🌷
Might it be alright if I try and look you up on instagram!? Not very good at PC world , but I need to learnn to travel easier. Hope you have a great day!
🥳 Cheryl
hi🌷
I’m planning on bike packing this mid-January in/on Tx. coastal routes, ( Galveston Bay) as many as possible w/o cars ! I got about everything you need if you don’t, but I couldn’t imagine that. I’m willing to take any help or recommendation you have, the ( ur ) company would be awesome! but I don’t mind being alone! My family worries to much and they would feel better if I was not alone. I would love to meet you and I live in Sturgis, SD., worlds most famous Motorcycle Rally ,, stays booked out 5yrs and I live 1/2mi. from downtown ! COOL 😎
Take care and be happy
🥳 Cheryl
Looks a great weapon for those trails. Think I'll stick to my MTB though 😎👍
Cheers
Hi Julie. Loved the review. Was thinking about one of these for Myself. Have a rather expensive Cervelo R2 (due to forever replacing parts) that is not really fit for purpose. Had many lucky escapes exploring bridleways and climbing hill forts during the summer months. I'm also using it for my commute to work, which isn't much fun without mudguards and when it rains for a month. I'm not sure if it is the bike or my sense of adventure that encourages all these frivolities? I'm about 5' 8" and ride a small with lots of spacers but it can get quite uncomfortable during long hours in the saddle. Would like to try CX and the Camino geometry looks nearly identical but favouring more off-road adventures but the Santiago is quite tempting too for those all day touring duties. Would you be able to steer me in the right direction?
Hi Ben. Thanks for commenting.
I question whether the small is too small for you . I am under 5ft 5 so surely you'd need a medium? Why not go to an Alpkit shop and sit on one? Where are you based? I raced cx for about 8 years after many years of mtb. I love my Camino, the geometry; its versatility etc . Its my 'do what I like ' bike. However I wouldn't race cx on it because its too heavy so difficult to lift over hurdles, when running up banks etc. A light cx bike is easy plus they have a steeper head angle so are more responsive when cornering. A purpose built cx bike is designed for the job.
The two bikes are very different - one is for fast racing and the other for comfort and a whole lot of fun.
I hope that helps.
Hi Julie. I'm in the South-West about 60 miles from Bristol. Might pop over in the middle of next week. Have only ever ridden 700x25mm on rocky sheep tracks and sticky mud. I'm leaning towards trying out the Santiago for taking on multiple days loaded with gear. I would only use it for a bit of fun if doing CX. I was wondering if 700x37mm or 650bx47mm would be enough for those conditions?
@@swepeuaq 47mm because they give you so much more scope. Obviously 650b wheels will mean you have loads of clearance. I ride pretty much whatever I fancy. Clearly not having suspension means I take a lot of pounding but it’s style of riding I am used to. When I was a Pro/ elite mtb rider in the 90s most of us rode rigid on 47mm tyres all Winter for training. Let me know how you get on. Have fun. One life…….
@JuliePhelanExplore I went to Bristol yesterday and rode it around Ashton Court and Leigh Woods. Probably only did 10 miles in a few hours but had lots of fun riding the blue routes. I would say it is capable rather than exciting. The wide bars and short stem help it get over technical stuff and the wide tyres offer lots of comfort. It was running 1x11 but it never seemed more gears were needed on the road when searching out cafes in and around town. I did suffer with my heel striking the chainstays and managed to clunk a couple of rocks. Thinking the flat pedals might have been to blame and perhaps 172.5mm cranks which are longer than my usual road cranks. Have you noticed anything similar? The titanium is nice but the whole aluminium setup is as light as my carbon road bike, though much more capable for off-road adventures. I was pretty impressed and left Bristol wondering what else might be out there!
@@swepeuaq heh thats sounds great! I did a 6hr mtb race at Ashton Court once. I am on much shorter cranks and haven't had any problems. To be honest the longest I have ever used is 170s . Nobody else seems to have had this problem. The Ti isn't light but its strong which for adventures, is perfect and I feel it's a plush ride.
I have a carbon cx/ gravel bike if I want a light ride. To be honest since I've had the Camino this is the bike I use all the time. My carbon road bike is attached to the turbo permanently lol I like a bit of 'single track joy' to razz it up a bit lol ! You could do the FlanRou on it- Somerset . Great to exchange ideas. You need to get up here in the Peak District . Have fun
Hi great video been looking for ideas and this was very encouraging at 5ft 7and a half with shorter arms what size would you reccomend small or medium ? TIA
Thank you. I am going to ask a friend about the best place to try one. I think you are going to be somewhere in the middle of small and medium.
Where are you based?
Hey, thanks a lot for this video - I'm seriously considering the Camino Ti but finding the range of options/groupsets a bit overwhelming. Any advice (from anyone) would be most appreciated - realistically this bike will be on the road as much as gravel. Cheers!
I am really happy with my grx set up. I am running 2x on the front and a 11-40 block on the back. The 2x is great for on the road and the 11-40 sprockets on the back gives me a good range off road even when the bike is loaded. I hope thats helpful
Check out my 'Camino , six months on' video. You may find it useful
Do you know what version frame it is, they are currently on 4th generation
I bought it in October so I suspect it’s the latest. Thanks for commenting.
hi Julie will you be riding back in the uk this year ie Derbyshire .
Hi Michael, I have been back for a few weeks. Unfortunately I have been unwell a few times- nothing serious but I have had to slow down.
However, I did manage to get over to the East Moors area, outside Hathersage, yesterday to film a fantastic route. Hopefully all will be revealed this Friday. Where are you based?
Good to talk. Take care.
@@JuliePhelanExplore hi I will be staying in Tideswell in April and hoping to find some good gravel routes cheers Michael.
@@JuliePhelanExplore Im in Norfolk .
@@michaelrutland2007 If you remind me, I will suggest some routes for you.
@@michaelrutland2007 nice place with a number of routes close by. Lucky you!
Miiiiiint!!!!xxx
Lovely, wish they did a size for shorter women... Good review. 👍
Thanks.
I’ve just had a look. There only appears to be a small, you’re right. :-(
Thanks for commenting
Yep, as I said in the FB group, can you imagine the howling if a bike brand only made bikes for men over average height. It's the standover height, totally limiting my choice of bike.😁😎
I ride a Sonder Colibri road bike, size small. I am a 5'4" man with short legs and short arms. This is the first off-the-peg bike that properly fits me. If the Camino has similar sizing it might be worth a try.
hi🌷
Congrats on your sweet new ride ! 🚴🏼♀️ with the wheels that aint cheap !
Actually quite exp$ but 0:30 NICE Girlfriend! Where do you want to go? I’m in 👍
~ take care
🥳 Cheryl
But quality wheels make sooooo much difference !
Can you make your content inclusive by formatting the auto captioning into closed captioning please? it is extremely hard to watch it relying only on the auto captioning sadly (I'm Profoundly Deaf)
Absolutely! The video is edited in Davinci Resolve and the latest version, which is in Beta has just this facility. I will add it, from now on. Having watched my latest video, with auto subtitles, I understand how difficult it must be. I have a bit of an accent, which the software seems to struggle with. I have uploaded Closed Captions to this video and in my last one th-cam.com/video/P3lxQSj7cks/w-d-xo.html Which is a look at the Sonder Camino six months on. I will update all my videos, but this will take some time. If there are any you would like me to do sooner let me know. You can email me, using the link on my 'About Page'? Hope this helps.
@@JuliePhelanExplore Why are you so much more accommodation than over half of the TH-cam (mainly males) creators?? right down to even acknowledged that the auto captioning is hard to read (especially if you turn off the sound).
You're a diamond.
@@JuliePhelanExplore also recently order a Camino Ti, hence looking at your video, it sound like the perfect drop bar cross country bicycle (remind me of my old Kona Lave Dome from '99).
@@edscoble I have also updated the subtitles on my bikepacking video. th-cam.com/video/X5pwShp0IlA/w-d-xo.html I hope you enjoy the new bike. Let me know how it goes!