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Gravel bikes are for roadies who can't admit mountainbikes are better and way way cooler.
go stand in the corner you dummy.
Yawn.
All bikes are teh awesumz. End of.
So that a person with 6 bikes buys a 7th.
So that a person with 6 bikes buys a 7th.
I resemble this remark.
Why not? Plus they make ace commuters.
1/10, back to troll school for you
Congratulations! you are the 1000th user with this question. You have won a free pass to the troll factory!
Poor troll. You have to actually provide a reasoned but controversial argument to suck people in. No-one's falling for that obvious nonsense - not even me.
This is like one of those piss-poor clickbait headlines which nonetheless gets thousands of hits from people just calling it out for being piss-poor.
E.g. what I've just done.
This is like one of those piss-poor clickbait headlines which nonetheless gets thousands of hits from people just calling it out for being piss-poor.
E.g. what I’ve just done.
Yes
Dammit
In for a penny.....
Gravel bikes are for roadies who can’t admit mountainbikes are better and way way cooler.
Mouintainbikes are for tubby weekend warriors who can't ride and are ashamed of how they look in Lycra.
Gravel bikes are for ATBers who like drop bars.
FTFY.
I like riding and messing about with and on bicycles. They don’t make me ‘cool’. Neither does using the word ‘cool’ 😂🤣
OP yesterday:
This is a beautiful day… It is a new day… it is a day of cycling awareness, it is a day of bike riders taking care of cycling people’s business… We are together, we are unified… and all in accord… Because when we are together we got power… and we can manual…
Today on this program you will hear mtb, and road bikes and gravel bikes, and fat. All those are just labels. We know that bikes is bikes… All of our people have got a soul, our experience determines the texture, the tastes and the sounds of our (Cotic) soul. We may say that we are may be in the shed but the shed is not in us. We may be in the spare room Zwifting, but the prison is not in us. In what we have shifted from, burn baby burn to learn baby learn. We have shifted from having a seizure about what the man got, to seizing what we need. We have shifted from singlespeed and bmx tricks to community control and politics
That is why we've gathered today, to celebrate our homecoming and our own sense of somebodyness. That is why I challenge you now to stand together, raise your first together, and engage in our famous two wheeled litany. Do it with courage and determination
(with profound apologies to Jesse Jackson)
Gravel bikes are for roadies who can’t admit mountainbikes are better and way way cooler.
Nah - they're for MTBers who realise that the roadies might be onto something with the whole actually going to a destination and the whole fitness malarkey, but have realised that a grand tour spec bike is not the ideal vehicle for doing so.
Mouintainbikes are for tubby weekend warriors who can’t ride and are ashamed of how they look in Lycra.
I've never quite understood "weekend warrior", unless its an either/or Professional rider vs WW? An amateur who only rides in their free time, summed up in an alliterative phrase by assuming most people work mon-fri.
Skewed by my limited circle of friends, but the majority of MTBers I know do at least a weekly night ride. OF my road bike enthusiast friends*, I don't think any of them ride in the week in the winter.
* that is, they dont ride the roadie. Some are MTB too, some are on the Zwift.
Bit of banter, social experiment, possibly a bet, hardly trolling guys, nobody's crying apart from with laughter ie malvern, but look who's resorting to name calling, not the OP, as for click bait, it kinda worked.
All cyclist's are okay by me, apart from those bloody asbo kids wheeling past me on the pavement with 2 inches to spare, on their halfords bikes, oh and Brompton users 😃, that's gonna trigger some folding monkey bike enthusiast.
Doesn't matter what bike it is, so long as you enjoy riding it. Enjoying mine, for local stuff its more interesting than dragging an Enduro sled around easy trails.
It's just like The Two Ronnies Class Sketch, some people think they are Cooler and Gnarlier, but they aint compared to the other guy.
It’s just like The Two Ronnies Class Sketch, some people think they are Cooler and Gnarlier, but they aint compared to the other guy.
Buffoon! That was The Frost Report.
In the US they have about 1.3 million miles of dirt roads, mountain bikes are overkill, CX bikes are almost perfect but need bigger tyres for comfort and to cope with washboard. What's needed is an easy riding, fatter tyred CX bike, a bike for gravel. (What's actually needed is a do it all bike like a Jones imo).
So all the bike companies start making "gravel" bikes then market them World wide. People buy into the marketing and new craze starts. Being a bit easier to manage off road and with allegedly better manners than a CX bike when loaded they hit a spot with several types of rider. Those that want a more compliant ride on the road, those that want to do some light trails, those that want to do a bit of light touring, a sort of jack of all trades bikes.
I've never ridden one so this is purely my opinion.
Pretty much sums it up although not quite jack of all trades as not all gravel bikes are the same (some are almost like road bikes (tight, no bosses etc,.) whereas others are like touring bikes (slacker, 10,000 bosses etc,.)
Depending on where you live they are a great choice for the UK.
Emperors new clothes 😉
Emperors new fatbike 🤣
OP, I used to feel like you but then I saw this and now I've changed my mind completely
Emperor’s new e-bike.
All bikes are teh awesumz
But sum bikes r moar awesumz than uvvas. An it ain't gravel bikes!
Watty
Subscriber
Emperor’s new e-bike.
Another apt username!
Having bought a gravel bike last year to replace a Caadx and Caad12 I think I would instead now ask the question "road bikes, why?" With quick wheel or tyre swap they're transformed from a useful commuter to as good a road bike as anyone would ever need, unless you're a serious racer of course. Generally all bikes are good aren't they. For me the problem is that they're all so expensive now so one gravel bike and one mountain bike is enough to cover all my biking requirements while keeping the biking budget relatively reasonable.
For me the problem is that they’re all so expensive now so one gravel bike and one mountain bike is enough to cover all my biking requirements while keeping the biking budget relatively reasonable.
Yep. And going 1 reductionist step further - 1 x monstercross and a spare set of wheels/tyres can (arguably) cover more bases better than any other bike if rider is a bimbler/commuter/ATBer/tourer/bikepacker/light XCer/adventurer
bimbler/commuter/ATBer/tourer/bikepacker/light XCer/adventurer
Any mountain bike can do all that stuff. The compromise of course is top end speed on tarmac, gravel or commute. Similarly the gravel bikes compromise is that you ain't chucking one down Ullock pike.
So, it all depends what you enjoy more, really.
Similarly the gravel bikes compromise is that you ain’t chucking one down Ullock pike.
Probably wouldn’t throw a monstercross down there either, that’s why I left out gnarr/downhilling. But the extra tyre-clearance of a monstercross gets you more varied and longer XC capability than the average gravel bike simply on account of tyre-volume/knobblies. At the other end I wouldn’t want to be touring or distance commuting on a gnarpoon no thanks no sir.
I stand by the claim that a monstercross handles the broadest spectrum of general riding, with the least compromise. It’s basically an ATB with multi-hand-position bars, so it stands to reason. But there is still plenty of compromise, especially towards the performance ‘edges’ of road or off-road riding as with any specialty.
weather's a bit crap. I've got a couple of hours spare
options
- miserable road ride
- very boggy mtb ride, probably dodging some of the better bits as too slippery
- or, grab gravel bike. down the road, cut down track around the back of nearby school; 3 or 4 miles of flooded debris and mud covered minor road; bridleway / gravel climb up to the top of downs; bit of road then bridleway down; bridleway across golf course; into the woods; bit of singletrack meandering to the top of the local hills then a few miles spin on the road home. 20 miles ish
if third option appeals, that's why, imho. yes of course a hardtail mtb would be fine, but gravel bikes just work for this sort of thing
weather’s a bit crap. I’ve got a couple of hours spare
options
– miserable road ride
– very boggy mtb ride, probably dodging some of the better bits as too slippery
– or, grab gravel bike. down the road, cut down track around the back of nearby school; 3 or 4 miles of flooded debris and mud covered minor road; bridleway / gravel climb up to the top of downs; bit of road then bridleway down; bridleway across golf course; into the woods; bit of singletrack meandering to the top of the local hills then a few miles spin on the road home. 20 miles ishif third option appeals, that’s why, imho. yes of course a hardtail mtb would be fine, but gravel bikes just work for this sort of thing
Exactly this for me.
Option 1 - isn't even an option
Option 2 - you should see the state of my mtb after just a 12 mile ride in some woods, looks like it's been dragged out the sea after 10 years
Option 3 - I can do a 10 mile, 45 minute loop from my front door, or a 30 mile loop, or indeed a 100+ mile loop. All with minimal tarmac.
20 minutes from my house
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Just fitted some 47mm sendero tyres as my local stuff is now a bit too dodgy to ride on the byways.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49182027297_ae71786444_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49182027297_ae71786444_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49182027317_d6d575e92f_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49182027317_d6d575e92f_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Option 3 – I can do a 10 mile, 45 minute loop from my front door, or a 30 mile loop, or indeed a 100+ mile loop. All with minimal tarmac.
20 minutes from my house
(In before):
‘You can do all that on a mountain bike’
Vs
‘Yeah but you can do all that on a gravel bike’
Repeat. Rinse. Repeat. Forever. It’s the post-ATB ‘curly bars vs straight bars’ argument, thirty years in the making and fruitful now because we have more choice off the peg.
You're of course correct Malvern rider, even if you do exclude the gnarr stuff, on a mountain biking forum. 😊
There's a 4 in that list too, if the mud and mess is all too much, all I had that was dirty this morning were my running shoes. 🤣
Cross bikes for mountain bikers aren’t they? Because cross is a little bit hard core for the. Storm troopers. Roadies were riding Dawes Galaxy’s off road before the mtb crowd were born.
(In before):
‘You can do all that on a mountain bike’
Vs
‘Yeah but you can do all that on a gravel bike’
Repeat. Rinse. Repeat. Forever. It’s the post-ATB argument.
You can do all that on a unicycle, or a penny farthing. 😂
It's just choosing the best tool for the job. And then of course you start straying into the 'need' vs 'want' argument.
Do I need a 150mm travel FS for most of the mtb riding I do? No. Do it want it? Yes.
Do I need another bike? No. Do I want another bike? Yes! 😁
As someone said earlier, I think they're more of an alternative to road riding, rather than MTB.
Roads have got a hell of a lot busier, mtb trails haven't changed much, other than possibly getting a little more gnarr, mibbe that's it? Gravel is a better option for those that are a bit wary of the tech?.
I certainly know a few folks locally that embraced fatbikes cos it meant they could pootle instead of feeling out their depth on the steep stuff. Fair enough.
You can do all that on a unicycle, or a penny farthing. 😂
Unifarthing ftw.
You’re of course correct Malvern rider, even if you do exclude the gnarr stuff, on a mountain biking forum.
I do get the irony of that 😂
Yet MTBs and ATBs have shared roots and excepting the Repack/clunkers lineage of downhilling (ie gravity-vehicles) the rest of bikes designed to go off-road developed from road bikes with bigger tyres and gears - and so all now sit somewhere in the broad church of ATB/MTB.
I’m glad it’s a broad church and not the be-all of expensively-branded onesies riding MX-with-pedals. Praise it all, from Apps to Peat, from gravel to boulder, from Cambridgeshire to The Karakorams! As long as they take their litter home and restecpuh other stuff around them, then it’s all good in my book 🧐🙂 (sucks gently on big pipe, flicks some dried mud from the downtube of an imaginary Dawes Ranger)
Hallelujah brother. 😊
As someone said earlier, I think they’re more of an alternative to road riding, rather than MTB.
Yeah, I'd say so.
The point above about roadies on Dawes bikes offroad, the RSF or 650B french bikes often comes up but it's the attitude that's different. Though there's some cross-over in use, MTBs as we know it now came from Marin klunker DH attitudes and ATB-MTB has mostly embraced and pushed speed over technical ground whereas gravel, roughstuff etc embraces distance, experience and location at the expense of that technical ability. And
Praise it all, from Apps to Peat, from gravel to boulder, from Cambridgeshire to The Karakorams!
Well said : )
For me the problem is that they’re all so expensive
No more so than MTBs, or indeed road bikes.
TBH If you've got a few hundred quid you can own any flavour of pedal motivated niche machine, cost complaints are frankly BS, which is sort of the point, most people who own a gravely bike, whatever their 'primary' cycling preference have one as an extra toy... I can't see what's wrong with that TBH.
For my own part it keeps the winter mud away from my MTB as well as allowing me to avoid a bit more traffic than my road bike Would during the winter months, I own one (in addition to other bikes) I use it, its all good...
As someone said earlier, I think they’re more of an alternative to road riding, rather than MTB.
Other way arround for me.
I kinda agree with the new-fatbike comment though. I bought a fat bike and did appreciate how it made the same mundane trails id been riding for years suddenly different and interesting again. The difference is that a cross/gravel bike is probably actually the correct tool for the job rather than just being different.
I still ride a lot on the road, its just the cross bike has replaced local mtb-ing with something equally fun but capable of doing a larger variety of loops as the difference between a 10 mile radius and a 15 mile radius is over double the number of trails (assuming an even distribution of trails per square mile).
Similarly the gravel bikes compromise is that you ain’t chucking one down Ullock pike.
So, it all depends what you enjoy more, really.
Also, 95% of the population dont live within riding distance of anything comparable to Ullock Pike.
Some people live within driving distance, but thats still an inefficient way to spend an evenings riding.
Gnarr within say a 5 mile radius of home, not many people actually have that.
Other way arround for me.
Quelle surprise.... 😂
...because my road bike can't cope with forest roads, singletrack or even pot hole backroads and now that I've fallen for the whole 'EnduroGnar' thing, my 140/160mm, 33lb squishy MTB is a ball-ache to pedal far, and I'm increasingly unwilling to drive just to ride my bike.....
Is being in agreement compulsory?
33lb
You can shed weight by upgrading at £753.00 per kilo* if you shop around!
* #factzfrommyazz
I made that bit up.....steel HT or light Xc full sus only here - probably because of #whatyousaid
There is nothing new about gravel riding. It's hard to define what it is. But it certainly predates mountain biking. I did it on an old road bike on the 90s. The rough stuff fellowship were doing out before MTB
But gravel bikes do it better than the touring bikes of old. Disc brakes are good for stopping etc.
My gravel bike does the same rides, at the same speed, as an old 90s MTB. But my old mtb was wearing out....
Some people see gravel bikes as specialist. They'll have a road bike and hard tail. The gravel bikes sits in between.
For some a gravel bike is a generalist. It's their road bike as well as an off road bike
They’re bikes for roadies who’ve now admitted that their local trails are crap and they don’t want to drive an hour to get to any good stuff.
And they’re not CX bikes. CX bikes have 33mm tyres, steep geometry, stuff frames and no mounts. Gravel bikes are much more relaxed.
TiRed
...Roadies were riding Dawes Galaxy’s off road before the mtb crowd were born.
And before Galaxys they were riding 1950s Dawes Windrushs* off road, and some still are...
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*it had slight frame mods to make it attractive to the RSF crowd, eg pump pegs moved from under top tube so it could be shouldered. Takes tyres up to 42mm.
Ha, after writing the thread off as pointless troll, it's become one of the more reasonable threads on gravel riding! Kudos OP 😉
It's a combination of convenience and exploration for me, I fell out of love with MTB as I got fed up of riding in the same very small areas and exploring larger areas (e.g. bikepacking) was too committing and time consuming.
Road cycling let me explore huge areas, and wee minor B roads and hidden climbs became the new 'cheeky trails'. Gravel cycling is an extension of this, all those remote glens that were too boring for MTB, too long to hike, and too rough for the road bike are now accessible.
And they’re not CX bikes. CX bikes have 33mm tyres, steep geometry, stuff frames and no mounts. Gravel bikes are much more relaxed.
That is not really the case. Compare say a Giant TCX and a Giant Revolt and you will see 0.5 degrees difference with exactly the same reach, same fork rake, 5mm difference in chainstay length. The main difference with CX bikes is the BB drop is closer to a track frame than a road frame so you are 10mm or so higher off the ground and the stack is a bit less because of that.
A lot of CX bikes can also fit much bigger than 33c tyres too.
Am hoping that 10mm BB height difference isn't too noticeable, building up a CX frame as gravel bike as we speak...
Am hoping that 10mm BB height difference isn’t too noticeable, building up a CX frame as gravel bike as we speak…
Marginal at best, and it depends on the CX bike. It used to be the case that european frames had higher BB's and sharper geometry because in general the courses in america tended to be more like an off road crit race (not much of america get's something like a muddy north west European winter).
Simply put they are for commuting to work on
Fast like a road bike but with the 3 best bits about mountain bikes thrown in (disk brakes, 1x11 and chunky tubeless tyres)....which makes them infinitely more practical and enjoyable to ride than a racing bike.
They make very good back road winter bikes too
disk brakes, 1×11 and chunky tubeless tyres
Mine has rim brakes, 2x11 and inner tubes, oops! 😀
Mine too! But it is shiny with on-trend 1x(gasp)9
A lot of CX bikes can also fit much bigger than 33c tyres too.
The 33 mm is just the UCI tech regs for racing. I’d wager that most modern cross bikes will take wider, I know mine does. As I said gravel bikes are cross bikes for the mtb crowd.
To answer the original question, because choice is a good thing. I had one for a bit (NS Rag+) and it was a nice bike. I only got rid because I’m a serial swapper and also tried to ride it like a HT which wasn’t good for me or the bike.
I’ve now got the ultimate compromise bike in the form of a Stooge Speedball. Happily bimbles along on roads and towpaths and is also pretty capable on proper off road rides.
Quick little hijack - What are folks thoughts on the Cotic Roadrat? I've seen one for sale and am considering.... 🐁
Man goes into his bike cave, rolls out his 1953 Jack Taylor 'Rough Stuff'and goes Gravel riding.
Nothing new here.
Quick little hijack – What are folks thoughts on the Cotic Roadrat?
@kayak23 I wasn’t a fan, but not sure why. Not very helpful I know. Just felt a bit bone rattling and dead to me. Could’ve been the Alfine it was running though to be honest.
They make very good back road winter bikes too
Pretty much what I use mine for (Spesh Diverge).
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49176646888_aec0e32430_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49176646888_aec0e32430_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2hVzaQd ]2019 Specialized Diverge Sport[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
Nothing new here.
What, people rode bikes before tarmac arrived?????????
There is nothing new about gravel riding. It’s hard to define what it is.
It's the reclaiming of the sort of riding we did on MTBs/ATBs in the early 90's, which has been relegated to Beazer Homes League status by the shift towards longer travel suspension and 'hooligan hardtails'. Both are good, bikes are cool. We don't have to fit with consensus. It's like when the new SS became urban fixie. Maybe. I've had beers. Goodnight.
And they’re not CX bikes. CX bikes have 33mm tyres, steep geometry, stuff frames and no mounts. Gravel bikes are much more relaxed.
That is not really the case. Compare say a Giant TCX and a Giant Revolt and you will see 0.5 degrees difference with exactly the same reach, same fork rake, 5mm difference in chainstay length. The main difference with CX bikes is the BB drop is closer to a track frame than a road frame so you are 10mm or so higher off the ground and the stack is a bit less because of that.
Don't be fooled by the pictures. Take a look at the actual geometry numbers of Caadx and Topstone
Head angle 71 on both
Seat angle 74 caadx, 73.1 topstone
fork rake 55 on both
BB drop 75 topstone, 69 caadx
Chainstay 430 topstone 422 caadx
Really not much in it at all. Probably more clearance on the topstone so longer chainstay and more room under fork bridge so more stack added to with longer headtube length on topstone
Haters gonna hate...
I don't need or want a gravel bike and I'll probably never race CX, but I can see why it might be helpful to let 'CX' bikes be a pure breed and not be diluted with various features to make them attractive to C2W commuters, bike packers and the rest. I've ridden some big trips on my CX with other riders on 'gravel' bikes and there are differences that show as the miles stack up. Just like someone who only rode road might roll their eyes at someone insisting a 'trail' and 'enduro' or 'AM' MTB were significantly different from each other than they deserved their own categories, 'gravel/adventure/life' is a useful distinction. There's probably a lot less merit in distinguishing 'gravel' from 'adventure' or 'life' though.
As many others have suggested, they're all bikes. If you don't want one, don't buy one but don't get too hung up on whether it's being called 'gravel', 'adventure', 'life' or whatever. Do probably pay attention to UCI rules if considering a CX for long rides though as the need to meet those regulations means that all of the above are going to be a lot more flexible in terms of what you can comfortably do apart from belt around a short course lots of time in an hour. I love my CX for its rocketship behaviour but it isn't without flaws a few days in.
Do probably pay attention to UCI rules if considering a CX for long rides though as the need to meet those regulations
??? The only regulation is the tyre width and since the move to discs pretty much every CX can take much bigger tyres than the UCI limit.
Agree with your sentiment though in that CX bikes should be kept as a different bike but was just pointing out that the geometry is not really noticeably different between a lot of models.
Don’t be fooled by the pictures. Take a look at the actual geometry numbers of Caadx and Topstone
Head angle 71 on both
Seat angle 74 caadx, 73.1 topstone
fork rake 55 on both
BB drop 75 topstone, 69 caadx
Chainstay 430 topstone 422 caadxReally not much in it at all. Probably more clearance on the topstone so longer chainstay and more room under fork bridge so more stack added to with longer headtube length on topstone
So actually completely different apart from head angle and rake on an example of two bikes by the same manufacturer
Proved then , every gravel bike is basically a CX bike in disguise 🙄
Even Rapha is going after the Gravel/Adventure market
Even Rapha is going after the Gravel/Adventure market
Yeah, they get it. Just look at the EF alternative calendar. Gravel/adventure cycling is the biggest buzz in cycling right now and is gaining lots of momentum and for good reason.
My gravel bike is a PX London road. I bought it a few years ago to replace a road bike because I was bored riding the same roads to work.
It's great for loads of riding with a quick change of tyres.
35mm schwalbe G ones for commuting on mucky canal tow path/bridalways.
28mm slicks for 100 mile road rides and triathlons!
I still use my 29er mtb for mtbing though, even local stuff its just better at it and a new road bike means it's just my commuter now though. Which it is perfect for.
So actually completely different apart from head angle and rake on an example of two bikes by the same manufacturer
I don't think a few mm's makes it "completely different" and if the head angle and fork rake are exactly the same how different to you think the bike will be to ride?
Proved then , every gravel bike is basically a CX bike in disguise
I haven't said that. I am just pointing out that most of them are really not that different in regards to geometry and was just correcting a comment made that stated CX bikes are compltely different from gravel bikes. They may be different in things like amount of bosses and they are different bikes for different use but geometry is very similar.
I think it is good to have as many different options as possible. My choice of bike for gravel roads is much closer to a CX bike than a relaxed tourer type bike but having the different bikes available to buy and ride is great.
I don’t think a few mm’s makes it “completely different”
you'll never get a marketing job in the bike industry 🙂
you’ll never get a marketing job in the bike industry
Dead right. Probably wouldn't get one as a bike reviewer either as I wouldn't be able to see the light as strongly as they do.
robertpb
Man goes into his bike cave, rolls out his 1953 Jack Taylor ‘Rough Stuff’and goes Gravel riding.
@robertpb can you post up a pic? I've a mate with a few Jack Taylors who'd love to see that.
I just use one bike for everything (Stumpjumper FSR Comp 2017 150mm travel front and 130mm rear)
Deffo overkill for most stuff though, and underkill on uplift holidays. But can't be bothered with the hassle of having lots of different bikes.
But can’t be bothered with the hassle of having lots of different bikes.
You don't belong here.
Because roads are often rough and potholed, and some of us are too old to be comfortable in an aero-tuck. It's a bit like choosing to drive an SUV, but without the downside of becoming a planet-hating, road hogging, numpty,
Good point, I suppose they are Sports Utility Bikes and do compare with SUVs.
SUV bikes, bravo! 😊