Do Gravel Bikes Need Suspension? A Cane Creek Invert Review

[@SeanLopp]

This was the first explanation of suspension damping that really clicked for me. More Travis videos!

[@maocycle]

same here! he's a great teacher

[@IIISentorIII]

How many clicks and in what direction?

[@draftwood]

Clockwise closes the orifice (cone as Travis illustrated) restricting flow = more damping , Counter clockwise opens orifice reducing damping. Number of clicks? Just go out and play with it, starting ether fully closed or open to feel the possibilities, then bracket in to what feels best for you.

[@stephenkohler3472]

I love watching gravel bikes go through such a rapid evolution AND seeing how it's affecting road and XC bikes along the way. Really cool stuff

[@Torontoflatlander]

I recently put the invert 40mm on my gravel bike. I started off with the Cane Creek suspension stem but found it a little too soft. Swapped to the X-Firm damper and it worked for washboard gravel and taking the buzz out, but what I was after is something to take the sting out of those invisible potholes after a winter of ice and melt that leaves the roads full of holes. Also quite a bit of loss of control when hitting anything resembling singletrack. About 20 solid hours of riding in and I cannot imagine riding without it. Does exactly what I was after, stiffens to when things turn too smooth or uphill, and the damping on the unlocked position is fantastic with no unwarranted bobbing at all. Cane Creek did something special with that fork. The only strike against it (like all forks) is that in freezing or sub-freezing temps it starts to act a little stiff. We had two nights of below freezing already and noticed it only then. Otherwise flawless.

[@IIISentorIII]

I have a Scott Spark with 120x120mm travel that weighs 9.8 kg [21.6 lbs] that I also use on some challenging gravel rides in Switzerland. Just put a larger chainring in front with the appropriate tires and you essentially have the future gravel bike.😊

[@ianhaigh9786]

How important/valuable do you think the lockout switch is for gravel and tarmac mixed riding? I like the idea but the 40mm lockout fork is 10mm longer.

[@Deanosaurous]

The mechanic was trying his hardest not to say, "You should be on a hardtail".

[@keirfarnum6811]

Dylan Johnson did testing in the wind tunnel and found that 2.2 mountain bike tires were actually faster than 40-50mm gravel tires. They’re lighter and roll faster because they have more volume and require less structure in the sidewalls. Surprising but true. It’s in his video about doing wind tunnel testing for Unbound or Leadville (can’t remember which atm).

[@wheelzandgillz]

I've said this for a while now the 40-50mm range of "gravel" tires is a damn scam, theres not enough volume there to run a low enough pressure for comfort and not bottoming out/dinging the rim and the tread is soo damn shallow to make them "light and racey" that about 1,000-1,500 miles and the tire is done if youre lucky not to slash it, personally the absolute sweetest spot for gravel would have to be 2.2, somewhere between 2-2.3, above 2.3 is propper mtb and plus bike territory, for flat, hilly, some flowy single track the occasional technical rocks/roots I think 2.2 is where it should be. I'm running a 2.2 Pirelli Scorpion on the front at 15psi ! And a rear Vittoria Mezcal 2.1 at 18psi !! (The 2.2 Pirelli wouldn't fit in the rear 😢) theres no way in hell I could run my 42mm "gravel specific" tires that low and maintain good rolling resistance for the comfort, I run them at 30psi front and 33 rear, thats the lowest I can go without the rolling resistance feel like Im riding in sand and still get SOME comfort out of them

[@Alex_564]

Travis is informative in a way I can understand, as always, thank you! I'd like to see how a gravel fork compares to wider 29x2.25(like the Merrieweather or Lauf Seigla) or 275+(like the Bearclaw Beau Jaxson). Another interesting one would be 40mm gravel bike vs Salsa Cutthroat with 80-100mm of travel.

[@jebysblog]

The important thing about these as a replacement of a fixed fork is that when you install these then you are changing the geometry of the bike. Thes have usually longer crown to axle measurement, 2-4 cm more or less.This geometry change affects your position and also the steering properties. I've swapped my front fork for a HiRide Sterra and adjusted saddle angle and put a shorter stem.

[@Daniel_Yang_ARTEFACT]

I felt the washboard bumps through my keyboard and mouse

[@theradavist666]

Buckman Rd delivers a special kind of pain. 😅

[@keirfarnum6811]

Washboard is BRUTAL! I used to race XC in Alaska in the early 90s and some of our mountain bike races were essentially gravel races; but gravel roads in Alaska are poorly maintained and washboard is a serious issue. That stuff immediately drops the speed by 60-70%; it’s like riding through quicksand. This was at the dawn of suspension and the first races I did were on fully rigid bikes. It was not fun.

[@pumpkinmeerkat3692]

so much good info packed into this!

[@butikitoo6403]

Since gravel courses take many shapes, the need/role of suspension varies. That said, on the "average" gravel course the main issue is the rough surface/washboard, and not big "hits". For this reason i feel like a less complicated/lighter shock like this is going to more useful in the majority of cases, (by improving comfort, decreasing fatigue, and improving handling) i have done events with no suspension, a suspension stem, and a typical cross country 100mm fork. the difference between no suspension and the stem was noticeable but didn't really seem to offer any significant comfort or handling improvements on longer rides. The cross country fork was definitely effective at keeping me fresh and improving handling but the extra weight was noticeable. I feel that a fork like this, (or the lauf true grit), could be the best compromise for the vast majority of cases.

[@markroberts6971]

Great explanation.

[@johnprolly]

Thanks to Bailey and Travis for weighing in here! Always love to hear their thoughts.

[@maocycle]

I know! This video would not be the same without their perspective on the matter

[@perdidoenbici]

Interesante hasta para quien nunca ha tenido suspensión. Saludos Miguel!

[@notpablo8369]

I really wanna buy this fork butttttttt Lauf Grit plus the Ergon (leaf spring thingy) seatpost looks better on my GT Grade😂😂😂

[@IIISentorIII]

Mario and Luigi on a gravel topic. Now I've seen it all. 😁

[@maocycle]

I was Luigi for halloween😅

[@OutThere42]

@thebikesauce. Specialized has the future shock. Basically one piston in the head tube. Problem is that to fit in a standard head tube they had to come up with a proprietary fork and stem. I can’t imagine that the single specialized future shock weighs more than what is essentially two shocks on the Cane Creek Invert suspension. Has anyone made that comparison from an engineering standpoint?

[@ZenEndurance]

Gravel Locos shirt ftw

[@ianhaigh9786]

Would this be idea for (i) washboard gravel/firetrails, (ii) increase grip and confidence on bumpy descents? Also, did you have the lockout switch version, or the SL version? I'm trying to work out which to get. Lockout option sounds best, but heavier and 1cm extra length which I don't really want (it's 1cm more than I have spacers to remove, so changed bar height)

[@keirfarnum6811]

Gravel cyclists are gradually reinventing the mountain bike. 😆

[@maocycle]

that's what we concluded 😂

[@johnnigri7269]

100%!!

[@cooltwittertag]

Mountainbikers are gradually becoming as bitter and annoying as road bikers

[@LifeCycle1978]

Nah. Stupid comment

[@philhunt1442]

you got a mustache guide?

[@maocycle]

I could make one😂

[@SonnyDarvish]

Oh the "first" gravel suspension fork?

[@maocycle]

👀

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

No, they don't. Not having suspension is what makes gravel bikes lighter and faster on the road and in light terrain than MTBs and that's exactly why they're such fun.

[@pedrolahoz]

Gravel is the lotus flower that grew from the mtb inundation. I was hooked the first time I pedaled one, the acceleration, efficiency, power transfer. It presented a myriad of new challenges: floating on the saddle, anticipating hits to absorb with arms, legs. I had to be more present. On that first run I flatted twice with the 32mm tires on that early gravel/cx bike. New technical challenges were also to be mastered, regarding riding with as low pressures as possible. Challenges, learning new skills is fun and elevates our games. I helped myself with tire inserts, wider rubber, but the big difference came from refining my handling. Nothing tops technological simple equipment with refined handling. To many years fuzzing with suspension setup/maintenance for trail/xc riding. Not worth it. Work on your skills! I do love all biking so I maintain my fully suspended mtbs and use them occasionally, but lets keep gravel simple.

[@bchearne]

If your gravel bike needs suspension, you need a mountain bike. Ffs

[@senorspiegel]

Can still do a 60 mile ride on this bike with road sections mixed in, guarantee you wouldn't enjoy that as much on a mtb

[@donttouchthisatall]

no

[@ClintMattoni]

Guys… this music is terrible. Thanks for the video though!

[@johnprolly]

KZbin makes it hard to use other music...

[@ClintMattoni]

@ I know, it’s not the end of the world BUT there are some music services out there that have great options. And a little digging for old royalty free music can be fruitful. It just makes a huge difference, to me anyway. Regardless, love you guys. Thanks for the content!

[@ivanteo1973]

Gravel rider needs a mountain bike.

[@whatthe6532]

I think it’s called a hardtail mtb

[@7275vrt]

I have a mountain bike and a road bike. I ride my road bike on the road and my mountain on gravel, road, and mountain. Gravel bikes make no sense. Seems like a cash grab for dumb people imo. Just get a mtb.

[@duyle557]

Probably an unpopular opinion but I get you. I ride my full squish on the mountain, my flat bar road bike on pavement but I got a gravel bike for long distance all day riding and bike packing. My gravel bike has suspension stem, fork and seatpost because I’m 54 and have back problems. I don’t race so it’s set up for comfort only, weight weenie be damn.

[@Titanius1066]

If you're a slow rider then yes, using an mtb for gravel, road, and mountain is fine. If you want to go fast on road and gravel, get a gravel bike and leave the mtb for mtns.

[@JDWink]

Why does it matter so much to you? Everyone is allowed to explore whatever the f they want, spend money on whatever they want. What is the fuss about. Such a waste of time and energy.

[@butikitoo6403]

i find gravel bikes, (with drop bars), to be more comfortable, and faster, than a MTB, on longer rides and/or pretty much anything anything outside of single track.

[@ianhaigh9786]

It's all down to personal preference and bike collection. I have a very light and agressive road bike, I love the bike but I wanted a second bike for touring, bikepacking and firetrails.... enter my Titanium gravel bike with 2 sets of wheels, road wheels for touring, 650b for gravel..... then why suspension, because a lot of Aussie fire trails are washboard and very bumpy, the suspension would partly be to smooth it out for comfort, but also to smooth out the bumps for descents......not needed like on a mtb but just making the ride that bit more enjoyable and less taxing for long days..... I'm not looking to do downhill, super rocky or single track, so MTB would be overkill, and the MTB would be much less useful for touring, endurance road and thos long tarmac sections on gravel/tarmac mixed routes. Benefit of the gravel bike, when the gravel is smooth, or on tarmac, it rolls and rides very much like an endurance road bike, so you can cover distance at descent speed. So, yes, it is an in-between category, but one that allows a bit more off-road touring and adventuring, without going all out MTB kit, bike and skills.

[@johnnigri7269]

Just buy a 29er hardtail and put on some carbon wheels with gravel tires.

[@okatbikes4917]

This guy is painful to watch.

[@maocycle]

Thanks😅

[@molokofreak]

do we need overpriced shorttravel gimmick who needs complicated service?