coated finish that looks far from budget-level.Īfter Justin at TAWS Bike Garage ( here in Powell River had it built up (on the same day it arrived, I might add), I was already searching through my parts bin and looking for ways to satisfy my gear nerd obsessions. The frame features fender and rack mounts, reinforced bottle bosses, and sparkly liquid paint/E.D. It has some thoughtful additions like sliding dropouts, stealth dropper post routing, and All-City’s signature frame details that aren’t common on a production frameset. All-City labels the Super Professional as an “urban cross machine” or “elegant super commuter,” which are both spot-on in my opinion. Bikes like these are wonderfully versatile, usually providing enough clearance for 40-50mm tires, are specced and priced reasonably well, and work great for a lot of things. This was Emily’s first new bike purchase, and although a pre-purchase test ride would have been advisable, you’ve gotta act fast these days.Įmily was pretty set on the aesthetics offered by a steel bike, leaning towards options from Surly and All-City. As luck would have it, our friends Nathan and Patrick at Dismount Bike Shop ( in Toronto had a 49cm All-City Super Professional in stock and ready to ship, so Emily jumped on the opportunity. As any good flat-bar lover would, I politely nudged Emily in the direction of flat-bar gravel bikes, suspecting they’d provide the most natural step into the gravel world without taking away the riding position she’s grown accustomed to over the last few years. Like most people who decided they wanted a new bike in 2021, her options were limited. Plus, gravel bikes make excellent rigs for running errands, getting to and from work, or in Emily’s case, sneaking quick afternoon rides in between Zoom meetings. After all, unless the terrain calls for front suspension and big tires, zipping along on something faster and lighter is a real delight.

Although a little late to the party, I can’t say I’m surprised Emily finally caught the gravel bug.

Mount and blade map speed