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Gravel Bike Dream Build – Basso Palta

Eat Sleep Cycle Founder Lee is lucky enough to be able to take his pick from the stunning bikes that grace the shelves of the Eat Sleep Cycle Hub. His latest gravel bike of choice is the Basso Palta. In his own words he talks us through the bike and build.

I’ve been riding gravel for a good 5 years now, getting more and more addicted to the amazing gravel cycling in and around Girona and Catalunya. For every road there are 5 gravel trails to explore. 

I have the luxury of riding a lot of gravel bikes, it’s one of the upsides of running a bike shop I guess. Up until recently I was riding the Ritchey Outback, also a great gravel bike, especially for bike-packing and adventures. But I wanted something lighter and racier for gravel events like the Traka in Girona. I am a roadie at heart so I like a gravel bike that has a similar weight, feel and geometry to a road bike. Having said that, it is true that I join many riders suffering from back pain on long rides, but we’ll get to how Basso fixed that with the Palta shortly.

Choosing a Gravel Bike: Why the Palta Came Top for Me

These days every brand has a gravel bike and we work with a lot of top brands, so I have a lot to choose from. There are many things that jumped out at me about the Palta:

  1. Basso has a rich road history and this comes through in the bike
  2. The Palta is in its second edition and since the start it has really become its own strong brand
  3. The colours are amazing, it simply looks badass

So the Palta frameset in Gold Burn was the building block for my new gravel bike. 

Dream Gravel Bike Build

After trying SRAM Force AXS 1 x once I’l never ride another gravel groupset. I absolutely love the smooth shifting, great gear range and I also personally really like the lever shape. 

So that just left the wheels. The obvious choice with SRAM is Zipps and they do just seem to combine so well aesthetically. The Firecrest 303 roll so well off road and due to the wide rim are also super comfy.

First Ride: Dream Gravel Bike Build Verdict

New bike day came and with it the first ride. The verdict? What. A. Ride. Coming off the steel, uber comfy Ritchey Outback, the Palta is a bike that just feels fast. Every watt that comes out my legs turns immediately into forward motion. Plus it’s such a fun bike. The handling is super responsive and ecourages extended playtime. The daily stresses of the day blur and the bike brings me into the present, focused on the ride and navigating the trail.

Build sheet

Basso palta gold burn frameset
SRAM Force AXS 1 x groupset
Zipp 303 Firecrest wheels
Rene Herse Hurricane Ridge tyres 700 x 42
Written by Lee Comerford
I am co-founder of Eat Sleep Cycle. For 8 years we have created custom cycling experiences in Europe and beyond. We help our guests experience the very best cycling in Europe including Girona, the Pyrenees, Tuscany and the Dolomites, the French Alps, Andalucia and beyond. We specialize in customizing cycling experiences for groups, agencies and our corporate partners. We believe in empowering and motivating the local community to cycle so we also run vibrant Cycling Hubs in Girona and Málaga. Our Hubs are a place you can find all your cycling needs from bike hire to cyclist friendly food and great coffee. Through 10 years working as an engineer, operations manager and sales manager, the bike was always my escape – venturing to new places, meeting new people, seeing amazing things, suffering a bit. Now my focus is helping others to enjoy that same escape, whatever the level, age or nationality. I believe that cycling brings people together and Eat Sleep Cycle was born through this desire. Our vision is to bring down barriers through exploring the world on 2 wheels.
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