The Daily Grindr (2026)

I built this because apparently getting to work needed more carbon fibre, electronic wizardry, and questionable financial decisions than the average Tour de France stage. Why buy a sensible second-hand commuter when you can build a gravel bike with the engineering complexity of a NASA lunar rover, enough off-road capability to conquer Mars (but never actually see dirt), and an electronics suite that requires charging, all for the technologically demanding task of transporting one bloke to work?

Meet The Daily Grindr. A monument to questionable engineering decisions, all guided by one sacred design philosophy: Thick Is Quick.

I built this around a Meinier GRL15 carbon frame, because buying a normal aluminium frame would have been far too sensible. Added L-TWOO eGR wireless 1x12 shifting because apparently moving a chain with a cable is something peasants do. And my ultimate life ambition is to carry exactly one USB-C cable to charge absolutely everything, so naturally my bicycle now requires charging with only a USB-C too. Slapped on some ridiculously wide CSC 40mm wide carbon rims wrapped with Specialized Pathfinder 700x50 tyres, because potholes deserve to be attacked with the confidence of a monster truck. A GRX 810 crankset with a 46T PassQuest chainring and Shimano SLX 10–45T cassette provides enough gearing to sprint through green lights, crawl up hills, and escape awkward conversations at traffic lights. Naturally, I finished it off with dark brown Pioneer Pro bar tape for that sophisticated vintage-leather aesthetic, because nothing says class like pretending your handlebars are upholstered in a gentleman's smoking lounge. Finished with an Elita One carbon seatpost, because apparently even my backside deserves aerospace-grade comfort for a trip to the office. There are enough carbon fibre bits to save approximately the weight of a sandwich, while spending enough money to buy lunch for the next two months.

The result? A fast, comfortable, do-it-all commuter that can smash potholes, jump curbs, take the scenic route home, and occasionally pretend it's training for Unbound Gravel.

Built for commuting. Specced for racing. Engineered by a researcher. Justified by questionable financial logic. All to boldly go where thousands of riders have gone before.