Can We Summit The Highest Peak In Wales On A Gravel Bike?

[@nightsfalling]

Just when I was wondering how they filmed the video Si starts talking about the camera crew in their e-bikes. They do an excellent work; good on GCN for showing them on the videos too. Great work GCN!

[@JayLato]

Yes! We need a BTS camera crew video!

[@Relevant_Irrelevance]

Hanks' commentary and the loosening up of the script just a tad makes these videos so much better. Beautiful scenery, great bikes, great personalities, and nice jokes.

[@peterslater7791]

@@jameslowsley-williams4243 hank, i have watched a lot of GCN videos and appreciate all of the humour but this one was a new level of fun... and then that GCN+ film with your dad in italy - absolutely perfect balance of cycling content AND entertainment. it was like watching cycling's version of top gear - without the negativity. brilliant.

[@johnpayne2465]

Looked like fun! I like the local idea of leaving the trail free for walkers after 10am. Very respectful.

[@Seppster58]

Awesome ride guys. Hank shows us again he is a tank when doing these epic climbs (carry the video gear). Would love to see an exclusive video on the support/video teams. Those guys must go through some tough stuff to get those epic shots. Love the drone shots in this one!!! Well done GCN.

[@douglaspate9314]

Me too. I have wanted to see a documentary on the work the support crews do. They are seriously talented guys. (Though having said this... GCN+ isnt available in Andorra where I live, at jfi 1083m)

[@chrisbaum998]

Enjoyed the video Hank and Si. You guys make a great adventure team along with everyone else at GCN!

[@gcn]

Thanks Chris!

[@MikaelFlyer]

Fair play to 3T for the promotion because those bikes are special. GCN legend cutting edge type Shvt.

[@petewillmot]

6.49 Hank: “I think he (Si) could talk about bikes until the cows come home.” At which point Si sprints off (faster than Hank ever has) in perpetual fear of those cows!

[@robhardisty9395]

I thought exactly the same 🤣

[@mib7483]

I have a 3t Exploro Race Max and recently rode the True Grit Gravel Grinder, 80 miles and 8,000 ft of elevation gain. I also rode Smith Mesa with 32 miles and 3.143 ft of elevation. I love it!

[@willmo1725]

Cool show , good job hank, simon. Exactly why i got a gravel bike. No mountains, but multisurface. From pavement, to gravel trails, to proper gravel roads. Have carried my bike, once on " grand bluff over view" just off the katie trail, in missouri, till i could pedal the less vertical parts. The view was worth the work. Thanks for the show.

[@jacquelinesim9578]

Your enthusiasm is infectious!

[@cd0u50c9]

That's one creative and fun way to pitch a new bike to the masses.

[@scottbelongie9051]

OMG so beautiful WOW Love Hank keep kicking butt

[@birkaster]

I enjoy these videos so much, these are the ones makes you get out and hop on your bike - the very reason for buying a gravel bike was GCN's Iceland epic. Honestly I don't really care about what kind of bikes they're using, at the end, it's all about the gears.

[@monochromebluess]

Well done chaps. Great adventure and Hank some bonus points for showing the legs

[@gerbryf]

Right in my backyard! Lovely area with stunning views. Good video guys!!

[@ZOB4]

The 3T looks like a blast, but that cable routing would do my head in.

[@seanrequiredfieldcannotbel1362]

I've built up one of these bikes (the non-Ultra version). You'd have to pull the BB in order to redo the cabling. It is a bear. But initial routing isn't the worse.

[@alwynwilliams6866]

Fantastic to see you had a brilliant ride in snowdonia i am lucky to have this on my doorstep glad you enjoyed telegraph valley!!!

[@stickleback73]

Epic ride guys! Stunning scenery too, you can't beat a 5am start! 🤣👍

[@kamucho]

Not alot of roads go to the summits of mountains….this one however has a train station at the top

[@bernardo9202]

i live in a mountain area 1000m is lower by 250m than the lowestin the region is a bit easy to put a train station on it tbh

[@RicardoRocha-lg1xo]

Keep the gravel content coming, guys!

[@cassandrakay4757]

Yet again another epic video from GCN. Many thanks!

[@ianpontin1384]

Great watch thanks fellas

[@Bandyrobs1]

I used to think the Top Gear boys had the best job in the world, but you guys are just living the dream!

[@joshwhitee]

14:34 love the tripod handle for a photo kickstand...might have to use that trick for myself one day.

[@JensDueOhlsen]

running commentary by Hank is comedy gold !!!

[@gcn]

Haha, We think so too!

[@WELSHMIKEY]

Very few videos of rigid mtbs and gravel bikes with mtb tyres. Would love to see more and it seems gravel bikes are heading in this direction. Ordered myself a custom built surly grappler lately, cant wait for it to arrive and try out some mountain routes.

[@ChrisGuarraia]

So. Bloody. Epic. I can’t wait to do more gravel riding on my new Grizl. And your excitement for the last big descent was how I felt getting fast on the dirt today.

[@gcn]

It'll be so much fun! They give you such a great opportunity to go places you never thought you would on a road bike! Enjoy it, Chris!

[@pavlovzdog]

Great vid guys. I love that cafe too. I know it well 👍👍👍

[@gcn]

Thanks!

[@alexgraves6842]

Amazing views, that gravel path sure looks great. Simply one of the best adventure video to save into my favorites folder. Keep up the great work. 👍👍👍👍

[@gcn]

Thanks Alex, glad you enjoyed it! The scenery was truly epic!

[@petinka721]

What a fantastic bike!

[@zevrobins905]

I am primarily a runner but I do cycle a bit as well. Mt Snowden is on my bucket-list of Fell Running races I want to do (along with it being part of the Bob Graham Round too). Glorious footage. Great video, thank you.

[@nickc4716]

*Paddy Buckley round 👍

[@tobyarcher7623]

Please don't call it "Mount Snowdon"! Urggghhh. Very cringe. It's just Snowdon or, better, Yr Wyddfa. The magical appearance of "Mount" in front of it really only seems to have emerged in the tabloids in the last couple of years.

[@gianfook]

Finally earLy. Love you guys!

[@caillou450]

I hope you realize how much of an awesome job you two guys have. What a beautiful landscape. What fun this seem to have been. #AbsolutelyJalous. ;-)

[@gcn]

On that Friday morning, everyone at GCN HQ was jealous... 😂

[@KirbyZhang]

cool video. explains the rationale for gravel bike very well for me. I also realized the reason to have single chain ring, is to keep your legs closer together while having fat tires.

[@gcn]

Yeah that can be an advantage too. It's also great because it means less can go wrong, and leaves one of the leavers free for a dropper seat post! Very cool!

[@douglaspate9314]

That is one cooly awesome bike!

[@aaronedgeart]

The national park where my fiancé asked me to marry her. Though we have hiked the summit-starting/ending at the amazing hostel just below-she and I can't wait to bring our gravel bikes on this exact wondrous journey this summer. Great vid, as always, thank you for keeping the cycling world's collective stoke high at a time when the globe is so shaken by tough times.

[@SY-ve5qm]

Love the side commentary by hank, what a duo…

[@gcn]

Thanks, we're glad you enjoyed that part as much as we did! 😂

[@andrew1976williams]

Well done. I've walked to the summit of Snowdon several times but never gone up by bike.

[@andreanetto69]

Aerodynamics aerodynamics aerodynamics 😂and this video could stop there….but with that marvelous creatures/bikes wasn’t not possible no to see you 😍 riding them

[@andyacourt9032]

very good, made me chuckle

[@andrewstiff494]

Awesome video, Boys!

[@luisdasilva1980]

3T bikes are stunning, expensive and for me they're too agressive/uncomfortable, so i opted for a Kona Sutra Ltd 2022, more upright and still with 29x2.25 tires :)

[@mikkolaine4883]

You just picked the totally opposite side of gravel bike then :D

[@dvs620]

So, basically, a fully rigid mountain bike with drop bars? At that point, might as well get yourself a cross country hardtail. Climbs fast, much more capable on rough stuff with the suspension fork and definitely feels more stable on descents because of the wider flat bars. Never understood the fascination with putting wider and wider tires on gravel bikes. At some point, you've just created a 90s mountain bike with drop bars and 29" tires.

[@luisdasilva1980]

@@mikkolaine4883 yep, more comfy :)

[@luisdasilva1980]

@@dvs620 i started in 2009 with a MTB, in 2013 i changed to a Cannondale CADDX (cyclocross) but it was too agressive for me, in 2016 i had bought a Specialized Diverge, very good bike but limited to 38c tires, by the end of 2021 i bought the Kona, just love it, fatter tires but with the comfort of multiple hand positions :)

[@dvs620]

@@luisdasilva1980 My point, which isn't totally directed at you, but more at the industry, is that older mountain bikes from the 90s were basically modded road bikes with wider, smaller tires. Then came suspension, bigger tires and slacker geometry. Now the industry is pushing gravel bikes with clearance for 27.5 (650b) or even some 29" (700c) tires with mountain bike type widths. They're essentially 90s mountain bikes with bigger tires and drop bars. I've even seen some gravel bikes with a suspension fork. You mean a hardtail? And it's funny (in a 🤦🏻‍♂️ way) because those drop bars make it less capable than if you were riding an early mountain bike or even a fully rigid one now. A flat bar is so much better for off-road riding because of the control you have. Another thing that was funny is that GMBN does a bike packing video in this same park using hardtails and when Blake encounters a descent that Si and Hank said would be boring on mountain bike, Blake and his brother are bombing down it doing manuals or even jumping over small dips. Looked pretty fun to me. 😉

[@anttitapio4145]

Kudos from Finland, that's a beautiful top!

[@gcn]

Thank you very much!

[@alanhill7965]

Always consistently great !

[@gcn]

Thanks Alan!

[@NunoJoel]

Final View: Gravel Bikes Jack Of All Trades!

[@michaellynn9763]

This came at just the right time: I cycled a 20km gradient to a peak of 1081m on my aero bike today. While it was a perfectly smooth road, the colossal number of hairpins combined with heavy single-lane traffic meant that it was difficult to achieve any sort of speed, which is a stark contrast to your beautiful gravel path. I would love to say that the 20km descent was exciting but you’re limited to 40, and potentially even less when stuck behind cars! Plus I can’t push the rim brakes too far on the carbon wheels!

[@TheSamwhyte]

Well done in making this video about yourself #narcissist

[@Joel_Junior_cantor]

@@TheSamwhyte wtf bro, chill, he’s just sharing his cycling experience on a cycling video

[@bergerniklas6647]

I like how hank disproved all of this by going to the andes and riding a MTB 4000m higher up

[@iancuk]

Well, simply because this is a sponsored content 🤔

[@cmdllb]

You’re standing (opening scene) at the start of the Rhyd Ddu path. I tackled that on foot in near hurricane winds 2 weeks ago (made it to 875m). Now inspired to try the Rangers Path on wheels! Great video 👍🏻🚵🏼‍♂️

[@hotsky83]

That's epic boys!

[@cliffordromina3527]

I love watching GCN's videos again. After months of complaining about video quality..

[@gcn]

Glad you enjoyed this video, we've been working really hard on getting the best content out to the viewers :)

[@dryburn]

These two are awesome together!

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

Waiting for the gravel road up Mount Lemmon in Arizona to get fixed. Then it's going to be open season on it. 25 miles and about 1700 meters of climbing.

[@ckavi2647]

since seat tube and wheel clearence is a bit narrow did you have any issues regarding small stones etc

[@danielpspersonal]

the highlight of this video is at 9:32 go Hank carrying a bike and camera gear on his back!!

[@anton9507]

Need more Si and Hank duo!! Entertaining as always!

[@rollingpanda9590]

Bloody baaauuustad

[@rossalisdair3208]

Looked epic. Nice

[@gcn]

Sure was! Thanks Ross

[@dylanmcgowan791]

I've always wanted to do this for the last year given that I live so close to Snowdon, studying at Bangor Univeristy! Now I know it's possible, I just need to get up early!

[@francescorota2982]

Bangor 😍

[@erics9214]

Loved the adventure and the scenery. Didn't love the sliding that damages the trail surface. As both a cyclist and a hiker, really don't like coming across those bike slideout grooves in the trail. Trail maintenance crews likely aren't very happy either.

[@mihalis1010]

Can it run 2x even with those chonky tires? I kinda thought the move to 1x for gravel bikes was in part fueled by the adoption of larger width tires, thus decreasing the amount of space the chain has to move laterally.

[@errornamenotfound604]

ah yes... This video brings back 2019 GCN vibes...

[@matskelton9589]

If ever you needed a reason to buy a gravel bike 👌☀️ magic fellas

[@jonathanfroggatt5865]

Not even watched this yet but I know I’ll love it 😊

[@gcn]

Cheers, Jonathan!

[@0bob0cya]

Nice vlog. Beautiful

[@mikedaknight8854]

Missed this one... There's a half marathon that goes up that way. As soon as you said rangers path I knew you weren't getting to the top without carrying the bikes 😂

[@GelMibson-u2y]

If you want off limits on gravel bikes, the GCN crew ought to run some Vermont pavé with jpow or Ted king this summer!

[@stickyprickle]

More excellent content on my favourite new channel GGN (global gravel network)

[@gcn]

Haha, Glad you enjoyed!

[@MrEL28]

Looks like a great ride. Is the town they started from and end called Llanberis?😀

[@alainpfammatter8224]

Such a cool bike this 3T Ultra. Looks like a Batman bike 👌😎

[@metpham]

Just Great!

[@MichaelLonetto]

I love the Tron suits 🖖

[@frazergoodwin4945]

So, does Pete's Eats cafe still do the ultimate climbers breakfast (many a long day spent sitting there looking across to see if the slate was drying enough to climb back in '80s).

[@playandteach]

Sad day when I broke my Pete's Eats mug. I'd break my neck in that descent though. Also, bike KZbinrs should know that bright lights and cycling shorts are a risky combo.

[@dylanmcgowan791]

Just ate there today after cycling up to the Pyg trail and then descending the Llanberis pass!

[@nickc4716]

Think it’s for sale atm

[@catshoemike]

I felt I'd earned my spurs as a crag rat in the late seventies, when the waitress brought our breakfast out and said "I knew it was for you two, Pete said the two scruffiest looking ones" . We'd been sleeping in the car up at the Cromlech Boulders

[@FuknNoName]

Not anymore. Empty shell

[@phlipphe3539]

I still love my original Exploro. From smooth tarmac to medium singletrack. My decision to buy one was supported by Si's videos 3 years ago. So, Marketing well done by 3T. Changing the shifter cable wasn't that hard, the main problem with the port on the top tube is, that barely no bikeshop routes the cables that tight like they should be. Tight enough, the cables disappear along the stem and the "aero benefit" is given.

[@stormeporm]

can we conclude that monstercross bikes have gone mainstream now? For offroad bikepacking I think its the best. Put a tribar on there and you can even annoy some road cyclist on the tarmac sections.

[@SecwetGwiwer]

It’s not a monstercross bike.

[@stormeporm]

@@SecwetGwiwer Darn I thought I finally had this category thing figured out

[@andrei0525]

1. Did Si and Hank ever did a video together before? 2. Eagerly waiting for the launch of the new channel: GGRN (Global Gravel Riding Network)

[@fionahunt8530]

Pronounced 'grin' !

[@alexseguin5245]

They did at least one long epic ride that lasted a whole day together.

[@teddynebel]

Take a shot everything Si says "wider tyres"

[@kenblair2538]

Another great episode, GCN. Question, I missed why you had to be off the mountain by 10:30. Thanks.KB

[@Lorneplumber]

Agreement made years ago. I think basically to stop interaction between walkers and bikes. And have seen some crazy idiot bikes coming down

[@tobyarcher7623]

Hiking up Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa is massively popular and the routes that you can ride on correspond with the most popular walking routes, so it's a long established agreement that in the summer cyclists go early or late to avoid the crowds of walkers. Winter there are no restrictions but snow and ice make it harder to ride much of that season.

[@CarlForde]

that looks like great big fun :-)

[@gcn]

The guys certainly enjoyed this one!

[@252Scooby]

Apparently Ben Nevis is even worse for bikes for having to carry it most of the way up. I’d say the best paved summit in this country is great dun fell , get it ticked off if you haven’t yet & the 9 minute descent is awesome

[@declanfaughey8471]

My local mountain climb is mount Leinster with a road from the base to the summit, it is a fantastic climb get up to 18% in places and a total climb of 794 meters, and I have hit 98.7kph on the way back down it is the most fun you can have with lycra on. The views at the TV transmitter are just worth it.

[@ViveSemelBeneVivere]

Go try The Reeks some time, starting from the Gap of Dunloe. Amazing.

[@junaid42465]

I was just about thinking on repeating comment on doing the Manali - Leh - Khardung La route, but then came “not the Himalayas” 😂 In the remote areas in the hills here in India, specially the village roads are mostly gravel. Most above 3000 mtrs altitude and easily 1000 mtrs elevation gain in just 10-15 km ride (on broken roads). Those village roads are even more unforgiving. We a famous multi day event called “MTB Himalaya”, you might try it on a gravel bike or even your friends at GMBN can try it out.

[@barbamatteo]

I hope that ultra 3t will be my next bike

[@andrewcrookes5775]

Very entertaining once again guy's . I have a G Bike but still don't know why 🤣

[@gcn]

Because they're awesome fun! Glad you enjoyed it, Andrew!

[@danmartin9086]

Got to get knarly in there

[@jaredjosiah9089]

3:30 is sounds like hanks dad when he says careful 😂

[@ViveSemelBeneVivere]

It's hereditary.

[@101francis101]

That descent would have had me walking down most of the way - I have zero confidence of loose surfaces, let alone steep downhill ones.

[@gcn]

I think a lot of us would feel the same! It definitely takes practice and confidence to take on this kind of terrain.

[@101francis101]

@@gcn The sight of some of the bigger rocks had me gritting my teeth 😆 Just can’t imagine having enough faith in the brakes to help on 20% grade, gravel descent. I don’t think the majority of the snowdon path is especially steep though.

[@kayroberts9270]

Bendigedig - diolch yn fawr. You made Snowdonia look amazing, I thought you were initially in forgien climes! Well done Hank for carrying the extra load to the summit for the crew! Luck there were no cows on the mountain for Si to talk home.

[@lucafwn]

I did a similar (but way easier) effort, summiting an easy (and lower) mountain with a hybrid bike, and I confirm it is strangely satisfying.

[@gcn]

Nothing quite beats the feeling!

[@mickfrench1673]

very good !

[@PaulMoran01]

Great to see Smashy and Nicey back together... Mate!

[@hoopdoggydogg]

Hank: "I think he can talk about bikes until the cows come home..." Then Si's talking turns into a scream of fear.

[@nuru0nuru]

Shame Pete's Eats has gone belly up since this vid. Was a nice spot.

[@filipski595]

the answer is suuuper easy, I've ridden many bikes, and I absolutely can't stand flat bars, just can't position on the bike with the flat bar to me feel completely unnatural, that's it

[@shikaze66]

I was wondering how the crew followed them in this kind of videos..... Even with e-MTB, I tip my hat to them, 'cause that can't be easy.

[@gcn]

They really did smash it!

[@andrewhillman9632]

So lucky you were on 'Everest' in the warm season. Love the ride, thank you for bringing us along.

[@gcn]

Thanks for joining us

[@charliebronson166]

Why isn’t this on the GCN+ AP??

[@gcn]

We wanted this one to be available for free, but we do have some great documentaries on GCN+

[@AgentSmith16]

4:53 - Only Hank and Si could say 5.5km at an average of 10% is "fairly easy riding." GCN presenter legs I guess.

[@gcn]

They're just built differently 🤷‍♂️

[@joelberman5981]

Road or MTB pedals?

[@da14a49]

10% is "gentle". That scares me 😂.

[@cb6866]

Thanks Si and Hank and the E-bike luggers....DAMN !..how was it with the dropper ? I'm amazed by the cleanliness of the plates ...and as always , you guys ,make it look easy...Peace

[@bivani]

Did you guys clip in for such ride?