Are we at Peak Gravel Bike? What Industry Insiders Really Think

[@JibbaJabber]

Great question & great answers. I agree that 'all-road' will replace road bikes, and gravel bikes will get 'wider' (wheel wise).

[@Andy_ATB]

For most people, especially those who don't race, and 'All Road' bike is the best choice......

[@fennec13]

This - 100%

[@RookYZRM1]

I dunno, that feeling of flying low on a light, fast, aero race bike with big 30c tires is pretty intoxicating…I’ve tried the “one drop bar bike for all” and it doesn’t really work.

[@danlewis7678]

The guy from Bridge was spot on in just about everything he stated. Good stuff!

[@jimthebikeguy]

I think it will loop back around and people soon will start to go backwards a bit, the endurance category on 35mm fast gravel tires is where we will go, because hardly anyone really rides a gravel bike on tech territory - i see most people just use them as road bikes for rough roads.

[@erics9214]

Maybe depends on where you live and what kind of terrain and surfaces are available. I ride 45mm tires, and on the surfaces I commonly ride would not want 35s.

[@glebsorokin]

35mm's are not gravel tyres. It's a minimum for endurance road cycling...

[@williammorris4419]

You need to visit Colorado.. We have the Bighorn gravel race and lots of races on rougher roads (that puncture tires fairly easily) that can lead to single track that is gravel bike ridable. Ben Delaney chose to race the Bighorn on a hardtail mountain bike.. So many riders here use 45mm or mtb tires on their gravel rigs. Same in Utah, Idaho , and other western states.

[@stevencole7331]

How did gravel bikes get going ? I presume cyclist riding road bikes wanted to try tires a bit wider and more capable riding on rough asphalt and some dirt . Probably the only tire they could find was a hybrid tire that you find on commuter bikes and they said this is fun and a bit more comfortable. Tire manufacturers saw an opportunity to make a off-road tire that you could put on a road bike . I am actually in the process of doing this with my daughters flat bar road bike with thin road tires to get her to get off automobile driven roads as it is just to hazardous . I am putting on 32c gravel tires . Now the difference between this bike and a standard gravel bike is the flat bars but they are quite narrow .

[@kippen64]

I've concluded that I could easily have two gravel bikes. One at the road bike end of the spectrum and one at the mountain bike end of the spectrum. It's like how lots of people have more than one mountain bike.

[@johnyoutube4073]

​@@3TZZZ In a couple of years these two bikes will split from their common gravel bike ancestor and grow into two distinct bikes, one exclusively for roads and one exclusively for trails.

[@frienduro24]

The guys running MTB tires at Unbound also race with 38s on other tracks. One bike can do it all.

[@graemeross1998]

Just get an enve mog and does both

[@usagiyojimbo5944]

Well Sir, thank you for once being an actual bike journalist. And a really good one at that. Please continue in that direction. There are not many being capable of doing this.

[@scooter2163]

Agreed. Except for the not so subtle 'for once' dig at the beginning. I think this man's well developed base of knowledge in the gear/performance realm (and his reputation for presenting clear, well considered reviews) likely contributed to the fact that these interviewees chose to take this particular interview a bit more seriously, shall we say. Well done to all involved.

[@aaronedgeart]

I love the options for all different riders and each preference. I sold five bikes and am down to one: a Crux with 47c tires mounted... and no additional wheelset. I ride 60% road and 40% gravel. The lightness of the frameset and components vs. the larger/heavier tires averages out to a low 17 pound "do everything machine". BUT, of course, I absolutely still love how-like a saddle-there is no perfect bicycle or setup that works for everyone. Options are key!

[@OutThere42]

Gravel-race versus gravel/all-road for the rest of us. Gravel-race depends on how much gravel and how chunky the gravel, and how long the race is. A flat bar aero Xc mtb vs drop bar mtb vs drop bar light rando front suspension and dropper post with 50’s vs drop bar aero road race bike with room for 32-38. That’s all for the pros. What rest of us need is endurance all road geometry, wide range gearing, room for about 38 without looking stupid going a little wider or narrower. I’m on an aluminum Diverge grx 400 with two sets of wheels, 21mm inner width with slick 32’s for all road and 25mm inner width with 50’s for farm roads riding in a hilly area and not racing.

[@Pellagrah]

Gravel bikes are a bit much. I'm more of a chipseal bike kind of guy.

[@rah4981]

I'm old school, I recently bought a beefed up gravel bike, a touring bike. Steel frame, steel fork, triple crank and bar end shifters, love it. Will go touring with panniers on it this summer.

[@daniellarson3068]

Sounds like a bike that will last 30+ years like my 1990s hybrid bike.

[@maxmxl]

I agree with Dylan, infact I own a 3T Exploro (road aero bike with 27,5"x50mm tires) and a Lauf Seigla with their magic suspension fork. Couldn't be more happy.

[@chasepalpatine170]

I think the aero race gravel market will become more pronounced as racers demand more advantage to compete. And like Dylan implied…imagine an aero race gravel bike with 50mil tire!

[@daness40]

So the 3T?

[@GHinWI]

What’s the point tho? The 50mm tire has huge wind drag compared to the minimal benefit of an aero frame.

[@chrisgrigsby4475]

@@GHinWIbingo

[@christophertan3195]

​@@GHinWIrolling resistance gains, it's a sweet spot

[@MarlowWhere]

Trail Donkey and Flaanimal

[@emilioc700]

A long way from peak gravel. 10 years from now: Proper mtb style gear range, 50-55mm tires, suspension, aerodynamics. I'm on a 560% range 2x with 40mm fork w/ lockout and 45mm tires, narrow bars and hidden cables. It works.

[@maxl.5297]

Sounds like you're describing my hardtail trekking bike conversion. I got all your named features but the suspension fork 😂

[@KatalinaMaverik]

Agreed. Suspension has a way to go and should be the standard

[@philmathewson5259]

I’ve been running a Crux for 6 years now. On road (w diff wheelset), gravel and cx. I agree w Dylan J re fast rolling mtb tyres for gravel - they’re as fast as most grav tyres. I run conti speed king 2.2 on front on my current Crux at 18psi w 45 Terra Speed on back. Front fork will take 54mm width. I do many gravel races/rides. I just did a 112km gravel ride in Beechworth, Australia that had dry slippery corners, rocky downhills, some single track and some tar and I passed many good riders on downhills and corners not because I was more skilled, just that I had more grip and confidence. For me mtb tyres (up front) is about safety and fun with your riding buddies!! I’ve also had an 80mm Red Shift stem for years now that smooths the trails a bit. Gravel is ecotherapy!!

[@inthebush3]

That's some interesting info thanks

[@stevekelly6544]

The Gravel bike market is just so huge right now, there’s just so many choices- so many new companies hopped on the bandwagon-I agree with Dylan Johnson on tire clearance- I would like to see clearance for a 2.25” XC tire- it’s crazy how good the lighter casing of mtb tires feel….

[@scottwatson7844]

I’ve got 2.4 Maxxis Rekon Race tyres on my xc bike and they blow my mind just how fast they are in comparison to my gravel bike with 40mm semi slicks.

[@DR_1_1]

@@scottwatson7844 On what surfaces are they faster?

[@WordupG]

@@DR_1_1basically anything you’d be worried about pinch-flatting or washing out on a 40mm will be faster on a 2.25”. So for me that’s essentially all the gravel roads in my region, because we use a lot of larger rock for the logging roads. I can put the hammer down so much harder when I know I’ve got the traction and compliance to do so.

[@DR_1_1]

@@WordupG And that was my point, you need to chose wisely, "horses for races" they used to said... The worse the roads/trails, the wider the tyres, you don't need more than 40 mm for road and clean gravel, but it's the bare minimum to survive on trails.

[@robm509]

It's really interesting how gravel biking has evolved into two general camps-pure gravel, which leans more toward MTBs, and endurance/all-road, which leans more toward road. Horses for courses, and the perfect justification for possessing more than one bike!

[@JibbaJabber]

n+1 = (n+1)!/n!

[@DaveCM]

Yep. Gravel demands can be very different.

[@realvaughnfelix]

I just got the 50mm pirelli gravel H and loving them so far :)

[@slantedorbit]

Folks neglect to mention the two things that keep tires at 45mm and under are the use of front derailleurs and the exponential increase of rotational weight when you go beyond about 42mm. Also most riders seem reluctant to go to 27.5 on gravel because it doesn’t seem necessary to increase width but that may change with the right tires and rims. A final factor is that Boost spacing on XC/trail, adventure bikes make it impossible to swap wheelsets between gravel and mtb. I suspect that ultimate gravel tire width will closely align with GRX chainline.

[@erics9214]

Dylan Johnson is, of course, going to see it from a racer's perspective. Because, well, that's what he does and he's young enough not to have much experience outside of that realm. But, cool, yes, what he describes is the ultimate bike for him. For the riding I do, aero means very little. I'm more interested in a reasonably light and compliant frame that will take moderate sized tires, say 45-48mm. The bike should climb well on pavement and on gravel. The handling should be predictable, and my on bike position should be comfortable for all day riding on a mixture of terrains and surfaces. Being hunched in a really aero position holds no interest, but the drop bars provide extra hand positions and a more aero profile for riding into the wind. I also want the bike to accommodate a rack and other bikepacking luggage (Something that Dylan likely doesn't care about.) My point being that there are different kinds of gravel riders with different needs from their bike. A bike can either be dialed for a certain discipline or a moderate to mediocre tool in a variety of riding styles. It is good the industry has recognized that and produces a wide variation of configurations. For example, I also don't want a gravel bike that takes much wider than 50mm tires. To get more clearance you begin to make a variety of other compromises in the design that then seem to make it more of a mountain bike. Personally, I don't want drop bars on more demanding and rougher terrain. You just don't have the control that you do from a flat bar, you're sitting too far forward, and braking is really hard on your hands on long descents with drop bars on rough terrain. Different types of bikes exist for very good reasons.

[@robbchastain3036]

It will never peak, David, but when it does, it'll become vintage gravel and we'll all be buying modern replicas of those classics from 2024. And I like what Dylan says about tires vis-a-vis flats. And I'd much prefer a larger tire and no/fewer flats than the other way around and it'll be fascinating to see what Dylan discovers as our favorite gravel scientist. And thanks again, David, for your intrepid reporting and maybe next time you'll get a scoop from Dylan. 😀

[@davemoss6976]

if money, and storage space, is no object, multiple bikes is the way forward, one for road, one for touring one for rougher gravel routes, one for smoother gravel one for all out gravel races. But it's possible to have one bike with two sets of wheels that can do it all with very little compromise. You would want a 2x set up though, more 2x options is the way forward/backward.

[@Alexander-GER-IT-SA]

Listening to Dylan Johnson I bought the right gravel bike with the 3T Extreme (aero and big tyre clearance) but I am waiting since end of January to receive my new bike. I am pretty sure that’s because they don’t have enough orders on this quite expensive bike before they start producing the next bunch of bikes in the Italian factory. I agree with Michael Yakubowicz; if it’s your only bike, a gravel or all road bike will be the best weapon of choice. But on the other hand; if you like bikes, new tech, new designs, just go get them, ride them and have fun with all of them. Just not at the same time unfortunately 😂. That’s at least how I keep doing it. Keep the fire burning 🎉

[@CarlBaravelli]

aero rode bike with MTB tires. Love it

[@Circletakesthejake]

Dylan's always got interesting takes

[@peterwilliamson4296]

Thanks for the review. I would like to see gravel bikes with a lower more mountain bike gearing option. I would buy one but I live among hills and worry about climbing gears on gravel bikes.

[@evdb7246]

Classic KZbin. Ask industry people if we’ve hit the end of the profit potential line. Shocking that everyone feels like there’s room to grow.

[@frienduro24]

I’m not shocked

[@DaveCM]

Dylan Johnson races. He just worries about the best equipment for the job.

[@decoherence926]

@@DaveCM who cares , he doesn't really speak for the other 99% of the rest of us who never race

[@One_mole_worth]

Classic KZbin. Negative comments over people just sharing their opinion on a free video the viewer had no investment in. These people are sharing their passion, and yes they're profiting from it because they have invested their life into their passion. No one in the bike industry is rolling in the dough. Maybe specialized and trek but he was interviewing smaller brands. You'd be surprised how many are just barely scraping by. Besides, this video is mainly talking about PROGRESSION and CHANGE not increased profit and growth. Those are very different.

[@cccycling5835]

I don’t race, and I replaced my AL race bike with a Carbon All-road and my next gravel tires are going to be 45mm-50mm. I’m even considering front suspension and dropper post. I think these dudes are right on.

[@roddas26]

That Bridge guy was on to something.

[@sventice]

It's not too surprising that a bunch of guys trying to sell bikes said, probably very sincerely, that we haven't reached peak gravel. They love what they're doing and they want to promote their own particular agendas. And sell bikes. I fully agree with the guy who said that most riders want an all-road bike that can go reasonably fast on tarmac and still do some light to moderate dirt roads. I personally ride my gravel bike nearly all the time, but I live in a city and 90% of my riding is on paved surfaces. My "gravel" bike has 32mm road tires and MTB flat pedals on it, and by necessity it's a road/commuter/lite touring bike. I want my bike to be able to do multiple non-racing things and still be relatively nimble and fun while I'm riding around in my normal, non-lycra clothes and shoes. A gravel bike with absolutely no suspension at all is pretty much perfect for that kind of thing.

[@kevinadams1049]

When Specialized Epic's with drop bars win knarly gravel races , and a Scott Scale HT frame is as light as a diverge or checkpoint frame , a renegade 2.1 is as light as a Pathfinder pro 1.9 , .. The future of gravel is 148 and 110 boost spacing . Current gravel bikes might resemble 90's MTB's , .. but New MTB's are lighter and faster , .. longer and lower , .. Lael Wilcox won some gravel races on an epic , and the bicycle station recently won a gravel race on a new world cup epic .. That's people who want to go fast , .. while UCI gravel races are won on endurance road bikes , .. XC race bikes are fast on Gravel , Scott has introduced the term "super gravel" with it's latest scale , .. they made a suspension corrected rigid fork for it , .. With that fork and light wheels , .. it's really endurance bike light , .. and it's gravel bike light with a SID .. With an Easton AX drop bar , 1X12 GRX shifters , it has a 55 mm chain line and it will take big chain rings ... It's not a 90's hardtail , .. it's probably the future of gravel ..

[@nellyx1x493]

yep, correct. This is what i ride and its ace, I honestly can't understand why more people aren't on this type of bike, flat or drop.

[@sherab2078]

I don't know in what direction the industry will go. But for me, gravel bikes are great all-rounders, having a lot of versatility. They sit somewhere in between road bikes and XC mountain bikes. I like to make comparisons to cars here, and gravel bikes are like crossovers or SUVs from my perspective. They can handle some rough terrain, but in reality, they still behave the best on the tarmac. From this perspective, I would welcome a wider tyre clearance, overlapping with XC bikes, but at the same time, the bikes should maintain relatively aggressive, road-like geometry. I'm not a fan of suspension in gravels, though. I think the wider tyres should provide all the comfort and traction a gravel needs. More technical terrain, where the suspension can really shine, should be left for MTB In my opinion.

[@nellyx1x493]

If gravel bikes are like crossovers/SUV's then that's reason enough for me to never buy one... as if you're into driving these types of vehicles are universally woeful, a curse on good taste with dynamics to match -give me a sportscar any day. For bikes, I like 'race' bikes, mtb or road.

[@sherab2078]

​@@nellyx1x493, to each its own, of course. Comparison to SUVs is just that - a comparison. Because of the lack of a better idea on my side. Gravels are quite diversified nowadays, but generalising, you can be almost as fast on the tarmac as on the road bike, but gain more versatility and capacity to traverse rougher terrain. Those are not city bikes or trekking bikes - one can definitely feel their roady ancestry and sportive spirit. Said this, while I like riding fast, this is not the main reason I'm a cyclist. I ride for a feel of adventure, exploration and fun. And for me, gravel is simply the best bike to do it all. But I admit XC bike can fill this role pretty well too. Since I spend most of my time on the tarmac, I choose a gravel bike, though.

[@ianfurqueron5850]

When the video started I thought, "I wonder if he'll talk to Dylan..." and there he was - the first one. I'm starting to feel like an outlier in wanting a traditional road race bike. If I want to ride gravel, I have to drive a fair distance to do so and if I'm driving to ride then I'm riding a mtn bike. Road riding is what I do out of my front door. A current road race bike with 30c tires is still wider than my 2016 "all-road" GT Grade that can barely fit a 28c and far more than mid-90s Colnago that barely fits a 25c.

[@bobbyiv9335]

I'm starting to think a road race aero bike and a burly gravel bike are the way to go. I've tried a do it all and I find myself wanting either end of the spectrum. Thinking about building a scylon when it comes out and then a 3t extrema italia for the other end.

[@MrIsaac-dh3uh]

I ride gravel and vary tires between 35mm slicks to 48mm knobbies, on SRAM Red, because I mostly ride road. That versatility will never die out.

[@williammorris4419]

There will be gravel bikes with a variety of width tires and aero setup depending on the course.. One thing that seems to trending on a linear projection.. most consumers want a wider range of gearing for both adventure , casual, and race conditions. However, the new 13 spd Sram seen at Unbound has a slightly closer spacing between some gearing steps. It will be interesting to see if , when it' released, Sram gives the consumer the option of a wider range, slightly wider spaced 13 spd cassette, and a narrower range, closer spaced cassette options.

[@RookYZRM1]

The “I’m broke and will hate any video talking about new stuff I might want” crowd is gonna love this video 😂

[@monguzzle]

Currently on 47mm rubber on my Creo 2…it’s a beast of a rig but can still beat the crap out of me due to the stiffness of the frame, regardless of the Future Shock. I’d love a suspension fork for it, but it’s already a heavy bike when ridden power off.

[@jeztv9014]

I have a Lauf TR fork on my Salsa Cutthroat with Redshift suspension stem and seatpost- V comfortable and works v well off road, with Terraveil Rutland 29x 2.2

[@jazzfan7491]

Very insightful, I think, to say that in 10 years we'll regard road bikes the way we now regard tri bikes. Road bikes are crazily impractical, but do serve a social purpose in a wildly unequal society, giving narcissistic men something else to spend $10k on-upping their "friends" with 🤣

[@walterlippmann4361]

what a surprise -- none of the industry people think gravel has peaked.

[@RookYZRM1]

Yeah, all those evil industry snakes making/improving products and trying to make a living doing it, how dare they🙄

[@DaveCM]

The first dude, Dylan Johnson is a racer.

[@seanmccuen6970]

@@RookYZRM1 he's not saying they're evil, he's just saying they're really good at finding 'solutions' for problems that don't really exist.

[@RookYZRM1]

@@seanmccuen6970 problems do exist, the fact you as a consumer choose one brand over another is proof they all can improve. Pretty obvious the OP is a passive aggressive cynical comment on “greedy industry” trying to compete for your dollars, again how dare they.

[@ickebins6948]

@@seanmccuen6970 How dare they provide new products... It's so bad to have more options to choose from as a customer. And I've heard the FORCE you to buy anything.

[@maxl.5297]

I just want to see gravel dropbar shifters being fully compatible with mountainbike derailleurs.

[@magnusschroeder]

I need advise: what is/are most road close gravel bike/s? Specialized Crux as a candidate?

[@leonchan4325]

The staying power of the pure road bike continues to amaze me. As it was for me, I'm sure all newbies entering the sport have thought to themselves, why does a bike have to be restricted to a 25/28mm tire? For someone to who isn't yet immersed in the market or culture, what they're now calling an all-road bike should be the default for a road bike. It would be an unconvincing argument to a newcomer that a bike frame should not be able to support a larger variety of tire sizes. You can talk about all the minute aerodynamic gains from having the fork legs closer together or the seat post closer to the rear wheel, but you'd get more people into road cycling if you weren't trying to convince them that they need to learn with nothing but 28mm of rubber between them and the road. It should be perfectly acceptable to ride a road bike with 32mm to 40mm tires.

[@decoherence926]

nah, 19 mm or bust

[@LlenadeMalo]

Yes, we have with wide tires (50mm) and slacker geometry, these bikes perform really well for moderate dirt roads. Nothing really needs to change. What will happen are the folks that ride them on single track and typical MTB trails will want front suspension and then rear suspension, etc. Then you have an XC MTB.

[@Shawn-in-da-Canyon]

I’d like to see a gravel bike more like a mountain bike. Long, slack, low with a short stem, fully rigid but with a straight bar. I think bent over drops are stupid on dirt. But, I think tires no bigger than 45. So, rolling resistance is good on gravel and road. Otherwise, it might as well just be a mountain bike. That’s what I would like.

[@philhunt1442]

is Dylan Johnson using the TR boost 29?

[@fennec13]

7:40 - this guy gets it. Normal "non pro" riders should be riding endurance geo. Period. Full stop. Even if you want to go fast you are NOT a pro! Stop selling bikes to consumers, meant for pros !! the So called All-road bike SHOULD replace all road bikes if you are NOT a pro. !!!!!

[@cwr8618]

Settle down

[@fennec13]

@@cwr8618- NO U

[@Stevenafoe]

“All road bike should replace all road bikes”… But that’s brilliant! You are a genius. 😊

[@SergioCristancho]

Great to se Dylan J crossing over here...

[@mauricebrocco8131]

A big clearance drop bar bike keep the charm of a road bike and the charm of off road adventure. And fitted with fat low pressure tires is the also the best commuter. I agree with the bridge guy. Today is very close to the “do it all bike” myth

[@robd003]

Would love to see videos on the Lauf fork

[@davidarthur]

Funny I thought the Lauf fork peaked in about 2015 when I first reviewed it and it became briefly popular but then faded away in popularity

[@jameswillemsen2609]

It's almost like cycling a continuum that goes from road race bikes to dh mountain bikes. Depending on the terrain you ride and how you ride it bikes are being created to fit that niche.

[@Digiphex]

I think a gravel bike could be closer to a mountain bike and more upright too. My mountainbike is easier to ride in most conditions than my Diverge.

[@mctrials23]

If your mountain bike is better than your gravel for what you are riding then a MTB is the correct bike. The stuff they do on lightweight XC bikes these days is crazy and they are quick bikes as well. Not as quick as a gravel bike on the right terrain but damn quick.

[@saysthetedd]

Setting up my ENVE Mog as a flatbar build with a RockShox Rudy right now. Totally agree. Is it a glorified XC short travel, hardtail? Yes. Does it haul ass? Yes. Does it rule? Also yes. Do I care if it can win Unbound? Nope.

[@OutThere42]

I’m on an aluminum Diverge grx 400 with two sets of wheels, 21mm inner width with slick 32’s for all road and 25mm inner width with 50’s for farm roads and bridle trails, riding in a hilly area and not racing. Either can take a shorter time on any surface I hit on my rides.

[@JohnnySantoDomingo]

Aero mtb tires coming in hot

[@MrZeroNegative]

I would say that the @propain Terrell CF competition is close to peak gravel. What a bike at a super competitive price!

[@davidarthur]

watch this space :)

[@SurpriseMeJT]

When is a trend not profitable? When a new trend takes it place. There will always be new trends to sell.

[@cbenson513]

Good stuff! I'm somewhat with Dylan. Can I wish for an updated Crux with a touch of aero, a touch more clearance (48-50), and UDH😄 I say this knowing I need something now and am about to get a used current version Crux rather than wait for whatever is coming from Spesh or others🤣

[@JMurph2015]

I think mullet builds will become "standard", SRAM XPLR makes little sense when you know you can go from 440% range to 520% range on a 1x by swapping to a mullet build. Choose the chainring size appropriate to the conditions and you're pretty much good to go.

[@galenkehler]

Peak gravel will be: 60mm suspension front and rear, with lockout you won't even notice when its smooth. Tires will be around 38mm, for aero and efficiency. Integrated fenders, to improve aero and keep everything clean

[@scottwatson7844]

Im hoping that gravel bikes will go the same route as mountain bikes and be full suspension. In my experience my xc full squish demolishes my gravel bike on anything but roads or really tame trails. The rest of the time the added comfort and capability makes the xc bike a far better tool for the job.

[@NewPolishScientist]

Areo bike with mtb tires = 3T exploro

[@frienduro24]

I respect DJ. He’s a beast, but no one is gonna win a big Gravel race stacked with pros on big mountain bike tires any time soon. They need to make better tires, not bigger ones. The bike industry is hurting bad…we all know, yet no one said we need to make better bikes cheaper. Instead the industry will make micro adjustments each year and raise prices. I feel all these retailers are just out of touch with cycling. It’s just a business to them. Well maybe focus on staying in business.

[@mejdrichj]

Probably because one can get a decent SE Asian carbon gravel frame for =≈ $700…. And decent groups for $1,200…. Cost isn’t really a problem…. Except for bike shops which get stuck with inventory they need to deeply discount to unload…

[@seanmccuen6970]

yup, tires that big are more about comfort and increased ability, not pure speed.

[@RookYZRM1]

The primary reason most bicycle retailers get in trouble is because they DON’T treat it like a business, they treat it like a passionate hobby…and when market demand swings as drastically as it has the last handful of years, any industry will have issues.

[@nellyx1x493]

I run a 2.1 Schwalbe Thunderburt on the back of a race 29er and don't have much difficulty keeping pace with 'most' riders on full-on road bikes on the road, so I think those tyres already exist.

[@WordupG]

Dylan just took tenth at Unbound on 2.2” tires and was in the lead chase group. Wide tires didn’t seem to hold him back.

[@robhayes3399]

I think gravel potential is highly dependent on country and terrain. Trying to force a one size fits all to hugely different terrain, environment, road condition, doesn't work for everyone. I see a divergence towards US gravel (bigger tyres) and European gravel (more roadie). With the US gravel going up to 29x2.2 (essentially a drop bar XC bike), and the European gravel topping out at 38c (essentially an all-road/cyclo-cross). I see a bigger interest in Ti over Carbon across the board billed as durable/comfortable, especially for the European gravel. I see a small market segment for "aero gravel" with racing gravel bikes around 45-55c clearance and dropped seat stays, full integration, and electronic shifting, together with low RR knobbly tyres. Essentially an aero XC MTB. Overall, I think we'll see a divergence rather than convergence of bikes, eventually morphing back to their origin bike types (XC, cyclo-cross, touring) in time.

[@dragonnetx]

Fit a drop bar to my hard tail MtB… TaDa….. a gravel bike. 😂

[@arnoldmonk6381]

Save your money and just fit some bar ends😊

[@babyrabies]

Cornerbar turned my xc race bike 10 years into the future gravel

[@mattvanderwalt6220]

@@arnoldmonk6381 LOL - I did ;-P

[@justin_smith556]

Leave it as is and you have a flat bar gravel bike

[@bobcabot]

...obviously fully gravel is coming soon but i think we will see the same for road in the future.

[@brandyyarbrough1948]

I don't know when it will "peak" but if/when it does I hope it stays up there for a long, long time. This is a good time for regular schmoes to get some really nice bikes that are actually fun, enjoyable, and still just a bit "aspirational" Long gone are the days of going into a shop and drooling over the "real bikes" with Italian road-race geometry and 19mm tires...only to be told by some snide sales-schmuck that "the hybrids are back there, Magilla". Now there are "real bikes" for everybody (even if they do still cost too damn much).

[@gabrieljohannson6777]

Light gravel frames is the need. Affordability is and must be the goal. AUD$3K is the max you should charge new customers.

[@daniellarson3068]

Bikes that ride on dirt roads (gravel). People will always need bikes to ride on dirt roads. Maybe they will improve in a way to better carry items as one goes into the back country.

[@GlennRacing1]

Great insight 👍

[@justwhenithought]

I think Gravel has established itself firmly as a category. It isn't going anywhere.

[@cjohnson3836]

I have to agree with Dylan and Michael Y.

[@blackjackpinoko]

Coming from road, bought a couple of gravel bikes. Dont appreciate the substantial weight increase. I can see the opposite if I came from a MB.

[@KenRick2010]

Recommend good beginner gravel bike ..?

[@guytamam5039]

I think the wheels and geometry are still not there, it looks like regarding wheels, the industry is still experimenting, about geometry, i agree we can split the gravel into same as road categories, agree also regarding tyres size, plus the segment is still defined

[@luisgarcia22]

Just keep spending money bro.

[@trroland1248]

Well, I just bought into the trend, so I guess we’ve peaked. 😅

[@fifofifowertyu1711]

It is my case too 😂

[@Michael-s5i5j]

I’ll just wait for you guys to sell em’😊

[@DanaBlack]

Dylan wants a 3T Extrema

[@batbawls]

0:46 Dylan is standing beside the peak gravel bike. Eventually the industry will catch up to Dylan.

[@franciscoromano377]

Meanwhile, its Saturday morning, the sun is out , and I'm gona ride by gravel bike with some friends 🍻

[@mejdrichj]

DJ, why aren’t you running 650b? For MTB, there’s a small argument to be made about the ability to roll over slightly larger “obstacles”, but for gravel, seems foolish to not just run 650’s…

[@garagesale5948]

All-Road bikes will take over with their 40mm clearance.

[@lastpme]

I love my gravel bike.

[@NCtrailX]

Current gravel bikes can't take wide enough tires. Even bikes being released as 2025 models are designed too narrow. You could always run narrower tires if you want to, but give us more clearance.

[@PolyglotBikepacker]

I am gravel all the way. My flat bar full sus rig has 2.3 inch tires and an MTB geometry it's a beast

[@kevinbarkema1666]

Gravel is the new road in the United States, fear of getting smoked by a car/truck/SUV isn't going away. The issue is, at some point everybody that wants a gravel bike bought a gravel bike. Less purchasing will eventually lead to less technology innovation.

[@visualpun650]

From a marketing standpoint the gravel bike evolved from road bikes. But from a frame building standpoint, it is a tweaking of the CX bike and the CX bike even precedes the current concept of the endurance road bike. However though the place I work for sold many CX frames that were built as commuters, tourers and off road road bikes, the emergence of gravel has helped more cyclists than ever know the versatility and comfort of wider tires. Without gravel, mid end race bikes might still come specked with 23mm tires.

[@pedalhead13]

Gravel is at the moment…I honestly have no idea what it is nowadays. There is a clear split: Bikes that are embracing the road bike side of their heritage, and coming almost a full circle back towards road, and then the ones that are so near to turning back into the mountain bike. Somewhere in between there are the so called „adventure bikes“. And a normal person, who does not have any delusions of wearing colourful Lycra and becoming a „weekend pro“ but just wants to ride a bike for fun, has no idea what to buy. In my neck of the woods, when I look at the ads for used bikes, there are by far more „gravel“ bikes for sale than any other kind. Mostly by owners who wanted to get into the new thing, but it’s not for them.

[@mctrials23]

I don't know why everyone keeps trying to pigeonhole gravel bikes. Its very simple. Gravel bikes are somewhere between slow road bikes and fast off road bikes. No one seems to struggle when it comes to mountain bikes. We don't have people arguing over whether XC or downhill bikes are MTBs. Some people want a bike that will perform well on the road and allow them to head off road a bit. Thats a gravel bike. Some people want a fast bike offroad that can take them on long rides at a fast pace on reasonably choppy terrain. Thats a gravel bike. The gravel bike you pick will depend on where you sit on the spectrum. If you head too far in either direction you would probably be better with an XC or road bike. Gravel just sits between those.

[@OutThere42]

What the guy said below and you’ll figure it out based on the “roads” you ride. Go there with what you have now and figure out: need wider tires? More upright? More comfort? More hand positions? Faster straight line? And there’s a bike that can do many of those things.

[@andymoss4285]

My gravel bike has 66mm tyres, 135mm rear travel and 140mm at the front.

[@seanmccuen6970]

a true gravel race rig that is winning at a high level today will still be winning five years from now. I mean, what are they gonna' do make these bikes faster. very little. in so many ways, gravel racing parallels road racing; light, stiff, simple bikes without bs gimmicks (and excess weight) win races.

[@HIcycles]

Ask @dylanjohnson, get a speech about tires.

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

Awesome video as always,Sea Otter is like biking Mecca.Wider tires are definitely better,I'm changing to wider for my road bike.💯👌🏻🚴✌🏻

[@adamh9075]

Lol absolutely shocking you got 2 solid minutes of @DylanJohnsonCycling talking about tire width.

[@Sator810]

Waiting for full suspension aero gravel bike

[@ickebins6948]

but single speed and rim brakes!

[@CastleKnight7]

“Fairly new discipline.” 😂

[@LifeCycle1978]

It is for the bike industry (at large), but clearly not those that have been riding gravel since the 70s.

[@stephenscering1776]

Now if only a gravel can cost as much as a car will be best for all cycling!

[@thomasb.4219]

Gravel is dead? Never!

[@erlendsteren9466]

Gravel bike is the normal bike with more aero handlebar, made for daily commuting and training.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

Someone elsewhere pointed out the challenge of a 50 mm+ tire and "aero" when it comes to gravel racing machines. UCI just ditched the big-time 'cross races in the USA...how long before the gravel racing fad runs it's course too?

[@Andy_ATB]

I don't think so; CX is extremely niche.....and many brands don't bother with a CX bike. Gravel is only going to grow......

[@Ody-up6kg]

Seems like Gravel Bikes still have an identity crisis.

[@harleypurcell7766]

Gravel will be 50-55 mm tyres, rear suspension & a dropp bar. Road will become more like endurance bikes & the rest will stay as is

[@deanrickvalsky7586]

As a fairly new mountain biker who is heavily researching buying a road and/or gravel bike I have learned one thing for certain. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A GRAVEL BIKE. They are all kind of geometry road bike designed to take bigger tires and all kind of other bar and for confide on suedo mountain bike frames. It’s actually all kind of stupid and unnecessary. Some road bike are more comfortable and better suited for gravel. That’s it. If you want to be more comfortable and go slower the just ride a MTB.

[@colinwatt00]

I want three (3) things: 1. An inverted suspension fork with accessory mounts 2. A dropper seat post with 20mm of suspension. 3. Steeper seat tube angles.

[@hansonwang2121]

Number 2 already exists with the PNW Coast dropper.

[@johnmcdavid1779]

Asking people who rely on selling bikes if there's no new bikes to sell, oh what a surprise - turkeys not voting for Xmas 😂

[@HempBike]

Surprised and a bit disappointed no one mentioned gears with wide range (for climbing steep gravel switchbacks loaded with full bikepacks while retaining racer's top speeds ) and close steps for undulating terrain.

[@twistoffat]

Peak Gravel was mountain bikes in the early 90´s. Gravel tech is just a new generation trying to reinvent the wheel

[@cjohnson3836]

And a Land Rover is just a Model T... yawn

[@NathanCooper-x3k]

So you have never ridden a grave bike.....?

[@saysthetedd]

The most tired argument on the Internet. Go ride a 90s mtb for 15 miles on the road to get to where the off-road riding starts and tell me they’re the same thing

[@Andy_ATB]

@@saysthetedd Agree; it gets said on nearly every Gravel article/ video. And it makes zero sense.....A modern Gravel bike is a completely different machine to a 90s MTB.

[@twistoffat]

@@saysthetedd I Have, used to have a muddy foy and put narrower rims with slicks on it. Modern Road bokes also don´t compare to older bikes but the principle is the same. 90´mtbs were nothing more that a cross country frame with knobbly tyres. There is no bike that will do it all and the more off-road you go the less Gravel bikes will work. Asking about Gravel performance on the Road or MTB is nonsense, Go drive a F! car on a welsh forest road

[@snackdad]

Hybrid/Gravel/Cyclocross what's the difference?

[@nateisright]

Not the peak. When the aero monstercross arrives, wake me up.