Last year, I decided that I wanted to buy a modern gravel bike to see what all the hype was about: one-by drivetrains, tubeless tires, carbon wheels, disc brakes. After extensive research, the State Bicycle Co.’s 4130 All-Road caught my eye. I was attracted to the cool semi-raw phosphate finish, having experimented with different unpainted metal finishes in the past. I was also impressed with the clearance it has for super-wide tires, bigger than any other stock gravel bike at the time. That’s a feature that’s increasingly come into style over the past twelve months, and which proves that the folks at State know what they’re doing. Originally, my plan was to buy just a frameset and build it entirely custom. The price for a complete 4130 All-Road was so low, I decided to get one stock and customize it by replacing parts over time. Read on for details on my custom build and more photos!
The stock group set was a State-branded Sensah 11-speed, but it came with a bum derailleur that wouldn’t stay in gear. I have to compliment State’s customer support: they were very responsive and sent me replacement parts quickly. First they sent me a new front shifter. When that didn’t solve the issue, State sent an entirely new group set (derailleur, shifters, cassette and chain), which helped me narrow it down to the derailleur. I paid extra for the upgraded hydro-mechanical disc calipers, but be aware they don’t come installed. As hydro-mechanicals, they’re still cable actuated, so they’re easier to install than hydraulic brakes. They were an improvement over the stock brakes, but I knew I could do better… over the course of the next six months, I replaced every component except the headset and handlebars!
Let’s start with the most obvious upgrade: an Ingrid RD-1 derailleur and CRS-1 crank. The RD-1 is a chonky wonder made from CNC’d aluminum and 3-D printed parts. Since 2014, I have dreamed of riding a 3-D printed derailleur, and it’s cool to see how the technology has come so far in a few short years. This Bauhaus beast can shift 11 and 12-speed setups, and is compatible with SRAM, Shimano and Campagnolo mechanical shifters. Compatibility is handled via different, interchangeable parts, including the derailleur cage which can be fitted with long and short cages. It was very easy to set up and worked great right out of the box. The crank set was a little more finicky, as it needed an extra 1mm spacer to safely clear the chain stays of the bike. Once installed, however, it’s been issue-free. I’m using the original 42T State narrow-wide chainring that came with the stock cranks, via a 110 BCD adapter, since the Ingrid cranks are designed for direct-mount chainrings.
I swapped out the stock State 650B wheelset for a set of Prime Orra carbon wheels, and my local bike shop convinced me to try out a tubeless setup. As I am ignorant to the ways to the tubeless tire, they set them up for me, mounting a set of Rene Herse Umtanum Ridge 650Bx55 tires. A year later, I have never had a flat, leakage, or any problems at all! I love the Umtanum tires, too. They are the perfect blend of road and gravel for NYC’s pot-holed streets, and handle just as well off-road, too. The big, cushy tires can be run at 35 p.s.i. and they soak up bumps, curbs, rocks, and just about anything else I encounter on my rides.
I initially used the Ingrid derailleur with the stock Sensah shifters, but then upgraded to a pair of SRAM Rival shifters, which gave crisper and more accurate shifts. I wanted the levers to match the “raw” look of the bike, so I stripped the black anodizing and polished them to the bare aluminum. Then I used a chemical called Aluminum Black to re-black the levers, before working them gently with a 3M pad to remove some of the black until they matched the gray phosphate coating on the frame. To protect the finish, I sprayed the levers with several coats of matte clear paint.
I recycled some Gilles Berthoud leather handlebar tape that had been on another bike for a few years. It had a nice weathered look to it and adds to the “wabi-sabi” vibe of the bike. The brown leather reminded me of the handle of a USMC “Ka-Bar” combat knife, and that became my aesthetic north star, so to speak. I wanted it to look like a weapon from World War 2. The saddle is a well-used Brooks carved C17 that has also lost a lot of its original black color, matching the bike perfectly.
I replaced the State hydro-mech brake calipers with Paul Components “Klamper” brakes, and the stock seat post with a Paul “Tall and Handsome” post. The improvement in braking performance was immediately noticeable. Over time, they have proven both reliable and easy to adjust. I’d put them on all my bikes, except the rest of my stable are all currently rim-brake bikes. I also added a Paul “Gino” light mount on the rear non-drive side to hold an extra tail light.
Finishing off the build, I replaced the stock stem with a Nitto Fairweather UI-7 integrated stem. I imported it from Japan and they don’t seem to be available in stores anymore. I added a cute stem cap with a “maneki neko” for that official DJ Catnap swag. The water bottle cages are stainless steel, by Wolf Tooth, and I added front pannier racks. The racks are stainless steel, by a company called Daija, and I got them from Velo Orange years ago. They’ve served me well on several touring bikes. The fenders, which are a tight fit, are Gilles Berthoud’s stainless steel 61mm version, with a black powder coat.
I’m proud to say this bike gets a lot of compliments wherever I ride it. When it comes to bike builds, I believe it’s important to decide your aesthetic for that build, and then stick to it with uncompromising dedication. This build was influenced by the G-Star Cannondale I used to own; it was a lesson in understated consistency and was similarly commented on whenever I rode it. Beyond the look, the State 4130 All-Road proved to me that the current gravel craze is built on some very solid concepts: the reliability and ease of 1x drivetrains, the superiority of disc brakes over rim brakes, and the comfort of mountain-bike-sized tubeless tires on a drop-bar bike.
The ride quality is excellent, and I can put in a whole day on top of this bike without any aches and pains. The beastly big tires encourage me to go anywhere, and it handles well with panniers, too. If I had any criticism, it would be the weight. This is not a light bike by any means – according to the official specs published by State, it’s 27 lbs. in its stock configuration. Mine is probably a little lighter thanks to the carbon wheels, but not by much. If I swapped the fork for a carbon version, I’d shave about two pounds off.
However, I’m saving my money for when State makes more of their titanium All-Road frames. I’ve looked at many other titanium gravel frames, but I like the design of the All-Road and its ability to handle huge tires. Between that and State’s very affordable pricing, they’ve made me a loyal customer. If you’re All-Road curious, State has now launched a completely re-designed, 12-speed version at the same price point. I haven’t tried out this version, but given it shares the same geometry, I’m sure it’s every bit as good.
