[aigel]

Get rid of that POS. I had the same bike and commuted on it for thousands of miles. It was super uncomfortable and I had neck issues and was never really happy with it. I also cracked the stock rim on the rear. Seriously, I would not modify that bike. Sell it. It is a low budget bike for someone that rarely rides or has a 2 mile commute.

Then look at a steel or modern carbon frame bike. Stay away from Al. If you want something that can go on gravel, get a gravel/cyclocross bike. Or get a mountain bike with suspension if you want something even more off road.

I have a Salsa Marrakesh steel touring bike I use for commuting now. It is super comfortable even though it is built strong for touring. It is good on gravel too. I ride it off road quite a bit. I bought it used for what a new **** bike would have cost. Granted I put a nicer saddle and some hand built wheels, but it has served me extremely well.

G