Test: Drössiger is giving its Gravel Pit a limited special model for the 2020 season. The gold piece not only stands out from the regular models with its chic look, but also comes with attachments from Brooks, among other things. Otherwise, it convinces with its proven qualities and great versatility.
Drössiger Gravel Pit Goldstück: The facts
Frame material: Aluminium
Wheel size(s): 650b/700c
tire clearance: 35mm (700c) / 2,1″ (650b)
Axle dimensions (v/h): 12 × 100/142 × 12
Mudguard Eyelets: Ja
Luggage carrier eyelets (v/h): Yes / Yes
bottle holder: down tube up, down tube down, seat tube, fork
Other: Eyelets on the top tube
Weight wheels v/h/total (with tires and brake discs): 1.790g / 1.980g / 3.770g
Weight complete bike without pedals (size M): 10,07kg
Price: € 1.899
Universal aluminum frame with a classy look
With the Gravel Pit, Drössiger entered the Gravel stage in 2018 with a bang. The bike with aluminum frame broke new ground in terms of alignment and appearance and bumped into it not only with us, but also very well received by Gravel fans. No wonder, then, that Drössiger is entering the 2020 season largely unchanged with his Gravel Pit. Largely because there is a lot going on with the limited Goldstück edition, at least visually - but let's stay with the key technical data for a moment. The frame is still made of aluminum and stands out from the crowd with its distinctive shape and lines; features such as the chainstay that is pulled down also have practical uses: for example, chain slap is reduced off-road.
Trains and lines are routed as far as possible inside the frame and the quick-release axles at the front and rear are also nice. The Drössiger gravel bike is versatile when it comes to mounting options for plates, racks and bags. Eyelets for mudguards are now almost standard, as are two bottle holders in the frame triangle. The gravel pit also has eyelets on the underside of the down tube and on the top tube. The fork also allows you to attach bags, a front rack or other bottle holders - full marks!
Matching this versatility is the option to ride two different wheel sizes. The bike is delivered from the factory with 650b wheels and 1,9″ tires. If you want, you can even put on "real" MTB tires - tires with a width of up to 2,1″ fit in the frame and fork. The throughput is not quite as generous if you mount traditional 700c wheels, 35mm is the limit here. Nevertheless: A valid option, for example for a light second wheel set for less demanding terrain and/or high asphalt content.
But now back to the optics. Normally, Drössiger offers its customers the opportunity to decide on the frame color and decals themselves; This is a bit different with the limited gold piece, because the bike gets its name from its unique design, among other things. The frame is powder coated in a glossy titanium color and features black and gold decals.
Of course, the - sporty - geometry of the gravel bike from Drössiger has also remained unchanged. The chain stays, which are very short at 410mm, are striking and the bike owes its kink in the seat tube to them. This is not the only reason why the bike should have a lively, lively character.
Geometry Drössiger Gravel PIT
XS | S | M | L | XL | |
seat tube (in mm) | 480 | 500 | 530 | 560 | 590 |
Top tube horizontal (in mm) | 520 | 538 | 556 | 575 | 594 |
head tube (in mm) | 100 | 120 | 140 | 165 | 190 |
chainstay (in mm) | 410 | 410 | 410 | 410 | 410 |
Wheelbase (in mm) | 979 | 993 | 1003 | 1023 | 1042 |
Steering angle (in °) | 70.5 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
Seat angle (in °) | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 |
Reach (mm) | 363 | 375 | 387 | 398 | 410 |
Stacks (in mm) | 512 | 533 | 554 | 578 | 601 |
Equipment package with good wheels and Brooks saddle
The limited Goldstück Edition of the Drössiger Gravel Pit costs almost 1.900 euros and not only has some special features in terms of appearance, but also in terms of its equipment. On the one hand there is the switching group used: Here the Rival 1 from Sram was chosen, but unfortunately with the 11-42 cassette. The 10-42 cassette that actually belongs to the group would not only have improved the range, but also pushed the already good weight of just over ten kilograms into the single digits.
Otherwise, the Rival from Sram is a good choice - the rear derailleur is dampened, the STIs are ergonomically convincing. When it comes to cranks, the built-in Practice Works Alba stands out from the crowd in a pleasant way.
frame | Drössiger G-SLT 1.0 |
suspension fork | Drössiger G-CST 1.0 Gravel full carbon |
Wheels | DT Swiss 483d 650b / DT Swiss 370 |
Tubes | Panaracer GravelKing SK 27,5 |
derailleur | Sram rival 1 |
Gear levers | Sram rival 1 |
Crank | Practice Works Alba 40t |
Front derailleur | ohne |
Brake | Ram Rival |
Seat post | Ritchey Comp |
Saddle | Brooks Cambium C15 All Weather |
Stem | Ritchey Comp 4-Axis |
Links | Ritchey Comp ErgoMax |
We really like the built-in wheels on the Gravel Pit: The DT Swiss 483d rim is 22mm wide and not too heavy and is connected to the proven 370 hubs with DT Swiss Factory spokes. The fact that the set on our test bike, including brake discs and tires, weighs an impressive 3,77kg is also due to the wide Graveling SK tires, which are not very light, but should offer above-average comfort and grip.
Another highlight of the piece of gold are the two contact points to the driver: handlebars (tape) and saddle. Both come from the traditional English manufacturer Brooks. The Cambium C15 all-weather is installed on the saddle, and the matching Cambium Rubber on the handlebar tape. The latter wraps around the Ritchey Comp ErgoMax handlebar, which replaces the rather special VentureMax that was still installed on the previous model.
Let's Gravel: The Drössiger Gravel Pit
The Drossiger Gravel Pit has not only made a name for itself among connoisseurs in the Gravel scene in recent years. With its striking shape and, of course, the beautiful design elements, it caught our eye even before the first test drive and made us curious as to whether this concept works in practice and whether performance and optics go together.
After just a few minutes of driving, we noticed the driving comfort in a particularly positive way. On the one hand, this is due to the innovative shape of the seat tube, which, thanks to its curvature, can absorb impacts and does not pass every vibration directly on to the driver. The 650B wheels with their wide Panaracer GravelKing tires also come into play here, as they support good riding comfort. The tires do a good job, offer good grip, roll well and impress with their all-round capabilities.
Due to the wheel size, the overall system also offers a successful mixture of agility and smoothness. This smooth running is further reinforced by the fairly stiff and straight frame, which ensures a comfortable and safe ride, especially on faster sections over gravel and asphalt. The high-quality aluminum frame can also show off its appealing power transmission properties and convert the power directly into speed. In combination with the great versatility and the number of mounting options, this should also please bike packers and riders on long tours, as you can cover a lot of distance.
But when things get a little hectic, the Drössiger gravel pit unfortunately reaches its limits, because the relatively high wheel weight affects the actually quite good liveliness of the bike, which means that the gravel pit doesn't really get out of the kink when accelerating and takes some time. The Drössiger Gravel Pit also struggles on technical passages with many changes of direction.
The successful equipment completes the high-quality entry-level model from Drössiger. The Sram Rival groupset works well and shifts crisply as usual. Unfortunately, we would have liked the 10 tooth sprocket here and there on faster passages. A highlight is not only the visually beautiful Brooks saddle, which should fit well and comfortably for many riders and makes the hours on the Drössiger Gravel Pit even more pleasant. All in all, the Gravel Pit is a gravel bike that offers a lot of fun on almost any terrain thanks to its mix of sportiness and versatile properties.
Jurgen Kiepke says
In which frame size did you test the bike - or what frame size is the bike in the photo and how tall is the rider? I'm 180 between size M and L. The information on this would be a good guide
Thank you
gruß