Assembling and reviewing the affordable "race ready gravel machine" from State Bicycle Company.
State Bicycle Company is a direct-sales brand that has earned a solid reputation for delivering great values in city bicycles, performance-focused fixed-gear bicycles, and aluminum track style bicycles since 2009. SBC has expanded beyond the "urban" market and began offering geared road bikes, along with two models that cross over into the #gravelbike and #bikepacking niches.
The SBC "All Road Division" includes two models: a budget-priced 4130 chromoly steel model and the "race-ready" 6160 aluminum/carbon fiber gravel bike.
SBC describes the 6160: "The State Bicycle Co 6061 All Road is the bike you have wanted to fill your quiver. Paved roads or mountain trails, city commuting or gravel club races, day trips or extended bikepacking adventures – this is ONE bike that can handle it ALL!"
I had the opportunity to assemble, ride, and race the SBC 6160 All-Road gravel bike and would like to share my impressions.
Out of the box, the bike is very attractive. My bike had a luminescent "Deep Pacific Blue" paint job on the TIG welded aluminum frame. The black State Bicycle logos are very subtle and the frame is complimented by the black carbon fiber fork. The brake and gear cables are neatly internally routed for a clean look.
As you begin the assembly process for the 6160, the first thing you will notice is that EVERYTHING is labeled SBC!
State Bicycle Company has the sale volume to have nearly every part private-labeled. This includes the handlebars, stem, saddle and seatpost, crank, rear derailleur, brakes and brake levers, and rims. The only "name-brand" parts I found were the Vittoria tires!
The assembly was straight-forward - if you have some bicycle repair experience and the necessary tools. You need to install the handlebars, tighten the stem, and insure that the threadless headset is adjusted properly.
I installed the aluminum seat post and saddle. I had upgraded the saddle from the stock, unpadded, minimalist plastic model to a Stella Italia Turbo for moderate comfort. After checking the position and tightness of the brake levers, I centered the brake pads on the disc rotors. The bike assembly was completed with checking the crank arm tightness with my torque wrench, installing the pedals, and then adjusting the indexing SBC 11-speed rear derailleur.
Looking over the finished SBC 6160 gravel bike, there was nothing about the components that was either impressive or deficient.
The rear derailleur and shifter functioned properly and was easy to index. The brakes operated smoothly and needed only minor adjustments. For the average rider, I can see no reason to automatically discard and replace any of the stock components.
BUT (for the demanding rider) State Bicycle offers a wide range of upgrades for the 6160 All Road. gravel bike.
The stock SBC derailleur handles the 11-speed (11 x 42) cassette handily. For "only" $900.00 MORE, you can upgrade the drivetrain to a 12-speed (11 x 44) SRAM Apex set. I'm sure there are other 12-speed cassettes and derailleurs that your local bike shop can swap out down the road - that may or may not be compatible with the SBC "brifter".
In addition to components, SBC also offers multiple wheel sets on the 6160 All Road.
When ordering your SBC 6160 gravel bike you are given the option of 650B or 700c wheels - or BOTH!
I chose to order both sets of wheels for the maximum utility! The 700c wheels (19mm interior width) are laced to sealed bearing hubs with 28 spokes. The stock tires were Vittoria Terreno Zero 38mm, which I found to be both compliant and offer great traction on the premium gravel (crushed red granite, the Wisconsin State Mineral!) we enjoy in Central Wisconsin. The narrow rims would also work perfectly with narrower tires, 32mm for example, for hard-packed gravel and road riding.
While advertised as the "All Road", the 6160 aluminum and carbon bike is light, stiff, and responsive and would be a great Century road bike with narrower, high-pressure tires.
The 650B wheels were supplied with Vittoria Terreno Dry tires in 47mm width. These wheel sets share the identical hubs and brake rotors. If you choose to use the same rear cassettes, you have two sets of wheels with the identical gear ratios. (The 700c x 38mm wheels and tires have nearly identical outside diameter as the 650b x 47mm wheels and tires.)
Note that the wider 650B wheels are better suited for loaded #bikepacking so you may also choose to change the cassette for lower gearing - which may necessitate a longer chain. Likewise, if you log more miles on flat roads or pavement, you might upgrade to a larger front chainring, which may also require a longer chain. Your local bike shop can help you mix and match components.
First, I rode the 6160 with the 700c wheels on a mix of paved and gravel roads for a few weeks and several hundred miles, then I switched over to the 650B wheels.
Before swapping wheels, I converted both sets to tubeless. Both the Vittoria tires and the SBC wheels are "tubeless ready" but are supplied with inner tubes. Before making the tubeless conversion, I always recommend riding (or at least inflating) the tire WITH inner tubes to stretch the tires and seat the beads.
First, I removed the tires and trued the rims - and this ensured even spoke tension on the stock rims.
The tubeless conversion process requires that you thoroughly clean the inner rims, then install the tubeless rim tape and tubeless valve stem. Next, you reinstall the tires and add the tubeless sealant. If all goes well, the tires seat on the rims and you are ready to ride. For a complete discussion of the tubeless conversion process - including trouble-shooting tips if you have difficulty acheiving a seal - see the related article - Click HERE.
Many people assume that the larger diameter 700c wheels are always faster. However, the wider but smaller diameter 650b wheels can actually be lighter - especially after converting to tubeless. If your riding is mostly on unpaved roads, I would recommend the more comfortable 650B wheels and the cushy 47mm Vittoria tires. In either case, running tubeless tires allows you to vary the air pressure for traction and comfort and eliminates pinch flats common with inner tubes on rough roads.
I also chose the 47mm tires for a Spring gravel grinder - the "Snacking Bear" 62-mile race at Cable, Wisconsin.
The course followed roads through the Chequamegon National Forest. The road surface varied from small stones to rough cobbles to sandy washouts and exposed tree roots. The narrower 38mm tires on 700c rims would have had plenty of traction, but the wider tires provided a great deal more comfort and superior cornering. Gravel Pros know that "smooth is fast" and have been gravitiating to wider tires. If you choose to have one set of wheels, the SBC 6160 gravel bike can accomodate up to 45mm tires on the 700c wheels.
I found the SBC 6160 All-Road to be very responsive and simply a blast to ride. I grew up on double-butted steel racing bikes and there is no comparison! The 6160 combination of stiff aluminum frame tubes and the short-rake carbon fork is lightning fast. But the longer wheelbase of the gravel bike compared to modern road bikes makes the SBC 6160 All-Road a fun and comfortable road bike, too.
State Bicycle can't keep these bikes in stock - which is a testimony to the number of cyclists who agree that if you could only have ONE bike, the SBC 6160 All-Road gravel bike would be a great choice.
I would choose the 650b x 47mm combination for light bikepacking on the 6160 All-Road. The added traction and load capacity would be an advantage over the narrower wheelset. Going tubeless is always highly recommended.
I had ordered the Medium size frame for this review. But if I was primarily interested in bikepacking versus gravel grinders I would opt for the next larger frame size. I have fairly long legs and a 34-inch inseam, and you can see from the photos that the bike fit placed the saddle about 3-inches above the level of the handlebars - the preferred competitive position for power and aerodynamics. However, for long-distance bikepacking I would want the saddle and handlebars to be roughly level to ease neck and back strain, and would choose the Large frame.
There are two qualifications I offer in regards to loaded bikepacking. First, many bikepackers are wary of carbon fiber. The advantages are remarkable stiffness, vibration-dampening, and weight savings. The disadvantage of carbon fiber is - and always will be - catastrophic failure after impact with sharp rocks or punctures. Still, racers have relied on carbon components on every road race, MTB, and ultra-endurance event, including the 2,768-mile Tour Divide. If #bikepacking is your primary goal, you may also want to consider the "Monster Fork" option offered by SBC. This carbon fork offers mounting points for accessories as well internal routing for dynamo hub wiring.
Second, the stock 6160 gravel bike is equipped with a 40-tooth chainring and an 11 x 42 cassette. This means the lowest gear is 40 x 42, which is a gear ratio of 0.95. Most extended bikepackers will want a lower gear ratio. SBC offers a reasonably-priced replacement All-Road chainring with 38-teeth. In my opinion, the 38T is the better choice for loaded tours and lowers the gear ratio to 0.90. For bikepacking in the mountains, you will want an even lower "granny gear" and SBC offers the SRAM AXS "mullet" groupset with an 11 x 50 tooth cassette. That would provide a 40 x 50 combination for a 0.80 gear ratio.
However, you should also consider the SBC 4130 All Road for dedicated bikepacking.
I have not had the opportunity to ride the SBC 4130 All-Road bike. This model shares most of the components with the 6160 aluminum/carbon All-Road, so I can assume the functionality is that same as noted above. This model is the better choice if you have single-track riding and extended bikepacking in mind. The frame is equipped with braze-ons for fenders and rear rack, and the steel fork has mounts for cages or front panniers. Given the intended uses, I believe most buyers will be happiest with the more versatile 650B wheel option.
The 4130 chromoly steel bike is not excessively heavy at just under 30-pounds. Riders heading into the remote back country, or embarking on an extended tour know that strength and durability under load is far more important than shaving a few pounds. Chromoly steel is still the choice of round-the-world bike tourists. For that reason, I do not advise spending any money to upgrade to a carbon fork.
For gravel grinders, save your money and get the SBC 6160 "race-ready" gravel bike. At the time of this review, the SBC 6160 "All Road" starts at only $1,250!
Here is a short video of the SBC 6160 All Road in action on fast Arizona gravel:
Comments