Cyclo-Cross Vs Gravel: Same Bike, Different Name?

[@gcn]

CX or gravel bike - which would you choose?

[@jennifercash1093]

I was looking for a gravel bike recently, partly for 'gravel' riding and partly for winter road riding (wheel clearance, disk brakes etc), and ended up choosing a cx bike. I was lucky to be able to try a few (friends) bikes over mixed terrain and ended up choosing a cx bike as I preferred how it felt, how it handled and yet it still gave me the versatility of the gravel - I went for the Ribble CX SL which has clearance for wider tyres than UCI rules allow too.

[@jonathanedwards6030]

I currently use my CX bike as my road bike (KTM Canic CXC). Works very well, circa 8 kilos, powerful discs, comfortable, climbs well, and very quick off the lights! Love the capabilities of these bikes.

[@zack3670]

I went through this exact comparison mid last year, going between the Boon/Crockett and the Checkpoint SL5. Reason? Distance and endurance fits my goals and motivations. Hopefully, one day, I can fill my dream of Bikepacking in the Patagonia region of Argentina.

[@nickvandam1214]

I choose my touring bicycle. Basically the same as a gravel bike but with lower gears. Drop bars, sti shifters, can go anywhere and do anything either of the others can do, plus is suitable for cross continent touring and daily commuting/shopping etc.

[@tomeklubomir]

At the moment, CX bike still has the upper hand. Gravel & CX are still far too close together in terms of ability off-road and then a huge jump to MTB bike with added weight, different gearing, fatter tyres, suspension… For me, Gravel bike needs to be more capable off-road. Manufacturers did realise that lately with ever wider tyre choices, adjustable geometry, iso-speed decouplers, future shock/stem suspension… all measures to make them more capable/comfortable off-road. As wider tyres only get you so far… Gravel bike needs a front suspension, to make it really capable off-road, that you can lock-out when using on the road. That might add a bit of weight, but still miles lighter than MTB machine. By doing so, you can’t argue with the “DO IT ALL” Gravel bike label and perhaps then it’s really the only bike you need. I might then consider getting one myself…

[@philmcaleer6289]

Ok, we all usually give props to the presenter for these videos, but I would like to give major props to the entire production team on this one. The director, camera person, and especially the editor. Outstanding imaginative creation. Well done all! If you could, please let us know who the people behind the scenes are.

thank you for pointing this out. the editing style reminds me of some of gmbns videos. but thats just a very uneducated guess.

[@NoahKepner]

YES! I'm still waiting for a "behind the scenes" of GCN where we get to meet these people, see the studio, meet the production team, go through the process of making a GCN show and the other videos......perhaps on GCN+?

[@miked51]

Well, than thank Trek.

[@Kimberly_Sparkles]

Except whoever added the pegboard on the GCN Tech set. That was not a winner for me.

[@christiankilleen7626]

With a massive channel like theirs they should really do a credits roll at the end. It seems only fair.

[@elmichaelz]

The production quality on GCN has reached new heights. Si himself is clearly on his game, no doubt, and the sweet camera work and editing gives him the platform to really shine. Just outstanding all around. (applause)

[@mattstorey7683]

Yes, they sure know how to produce a Trek advert

[@elmichaelz]

@@mattstorey7683 As opposed to what? Sponsors send them products to showcase because GCN has built a genuinely good programming base, which is bringing in new cycling-curious viewers. I personally want these presenters and production crews to be able to make a good living. I'm not a fan of Trek, from my own experiences, but I genuinely enjoy watching these adventures. I thought this was good fun, and that Si is talented enough to be successful making videos for products outside of cycling.

[@wren7336]

@@mattstorey7683 Haha yep... the bit where Si says "I applaud Trek" made me cringe.

[@oo0024]

1080p video in 2023 🤡 while a KZbinr opening up a pack of Pokémon cards filing in 4k 🤷‍♂️ CGN are slacking

[@billybish833]

I use my cx bike for everything. 3 sets of wheels with different tyre types. I did the King Alfred Way in 3 days, with bikepacking gear and 38mm tyres. Plus it's equally at home on the tarmac. My swiss army knife bike

[@ricardoganhao]

I'm doing the same with an aluminium Focus Mares, using three sets of wheels and tire widhts (ROAD-700Cx28mm + ALLROAD-700Cx42mm + GRAVEL-650Bx47_42mm) 🤞

[@rolandovera5935]

Same.

[@andrewwyatt9789]

Same for me. Use my Boone on road with 48mm deep wheels and on gravel with cx tyres. Works a charm on both

[@werribeehagen1]

Same

[@mikedaknight8854]

I'm neither well off nor have an abundance of space and have thought about the same but with a gravel bike. I'm past legitimate competiting age so would rather prioritise comfort over performance. Regular gravel wheels and tyres for winter and adventures and then something narrower and slick for summer short rides and triathlons.

[@gaborozorai3714]

Gravel bikes also tend to offer a more relaxed body position, like endurance vs. race geometry. I've done a 10-day bike-packing tour on a CX and it was NOT comfortable.

[@inz_uzi]

I did quite a few two week bike-packing tours on a cx bike and it was comfortable for me. 😊

[@jonathantilbury6321]

I agree, after day 3 of the festive 500, I switched from my CX bike to my Gravel bike. The relaxed geo made a big difference. My CX is much stiffer, and the gravel flexes more and was easier to do the big miles on, despite wider tyres and flat pedals

[@mitchdehotte]

Just a question off handlebar position

[@gaborozorai3714]

@@mitchdehotte Well, you can raise the handlebar with spacers but on the one hand that is ugly and on the other it will not make the frame more compliant. A taller headtube, sloping top tube and smaller rear triangle usually make for a more comfortable bike.

[@mitchdehotte]

@@gaborozorai3714 Sure that not everything is perfect I understand your point , maybe you can improve things with tubeless tyres also

[@markandreassen4846]

I ride a 2021 Crockett with a GRX-810 2X setup and 38mm in front, 42mm in back. I love it, It's comfy, fast, nimble and absolutely adequate for everything from commuting to gnarly single track at the MTB park. I've done 10 hour rides and not been uncomfortable, tired, yes! I have a bit of blade tape on the inside drive stay to prevent tire or mud rub and it's held up, no paint missing yet after thousands of Km's of muddy, winter fun! I ride in Victoria BC, Canada. WET!

[@RyanTnz]

Great video! Bought my CX bike not really knowing much about the deep rabbit hole of the world of bikes… I’ve enjoyed it on all terrains - road, gravel, single track. With the skinnier tyres I’ve just been able to hop on and go for a ride with mates with road bikes, and then the same bike when doing off road missions - so versatile! That said… I’m now looking to buy a new tyre and wheel set - wider tyres for some of those more rockier adventures as the skinner setup has had me slightly worried and well shaken on a few trips 😅 wouldn’t change the bike though! I’m riding a Kona, Jake the snake 🤘 happy trails everyone

[@danieldotter6077]

Honestly I think the biggest differences come from the BB height and followed closely by the head tube angle. That said, as demonstrated by this video, there is ALOT of overlap between the two, so depending on your riding needs, both would suit you just fine. I run a Crockett (Aluminum Boone basically) as a dedicated gravel bike and I have no regrets.

[@marcusathome]

I believe for most people the gravel grinder is the better bike since they neither have the intention nor the skills to ride the CX bike where it can shine. Love the CX bike, tho.

[@buckroger6456]

This is so true. I see a lot of gravel bikes where I live and the bulk of them are just ridden on the roads. A few people I know do go and hit the trails on them, but most bought a gravel bike for a more comfortable ride over a traditional road bike.

[@kosskrit]

@@buckroger6456 That's becasue there is no reason to ride gravel bike on singletrack apart from need for selfdestructive adrenalin rush.

[@buckroger6456]

@@kosskrit 🤣😂🤣 so true cause that's how I ruined my rims. Leason learned the hard way but dang is it a blast riding Mtb trails.

[@dufferent]

Love CX bikes. I use my Trek Boone as a lightweight and comfortable long distance road bike, and my Giant TCX as a super fast gravel bike with 45 mm tires.

[@SweatyBeeast]

Have you fitted a 50t on your Boone?

[@isitrachelorj3953]

Like you I own both. Ultegra di2, 46-36 on Boone, ultegra/dura-ace mix 46-36 mechanical on TCX. love both bikes. Got a new Boone, ultegra di12 coming next month ( friend in the industry).

[@soerenhaufen]

great opener! speed, transitions, splitscreen! loads of energy in 1minute clip! love to the editor!

[@gcn]

Thanks Sören!!

[@sergiodihno]

I bought an aluminum CX bike a few years back without knowing the difference between it and a proper gravel bike. I thought about getting rid of it but instead I upgraded it from mechanical disc brakes to hydraulic, I managed to get my hands on SRAM Axs Rival groupset (after many months of waiting for components to be in stock), and now I absolutely love it. It's my main bike for commuting to work, carrying my toddler around on his bike trailer, and riding in the winter/rain....My full carbon bike (worth three times the price) now sits on my trainer... I sometimes feel a proper gravel bike would have suited me better, but I've learned to live with my CX bike and have grown to love it :)

[@bubblesezblonde]

I have a Crockett which I absolutely LOVE. I prefer it for my Feb-August riding. It eats tarmac as equally as well as gravel, mud, sand and snow.

[@dwalinthedwarf4490]

I've got a CX bike with 42mm tires on. It is a goddamn dream machine! :) Fast and comfortable offroad and onroad. Love it :).

[@bleckb]

Conclusion: if you have one, you likely don’t need the other. I put 38s on my cross bike and have plenty of fun on gravel.

[@robm509]

I bought a Trek Checkpoint a few months ago for mixed-terrain riding and all-day touring. I don't really do CX, but I took the bike on a local CX course and I had a ton of fun on it! It's horses for courses, but for me, I prioritised versatility over performance.

[@ironfrogpress1526]

CX is more fun. Gravel bikes are more functional😉

[@gezza4794]

I’ve got the 2022 Checkpoint and can’t rate it highly enough, love riding it. From road to climbing washed out fire trails here in Australia. Its an an amazing bike and a true credit to Trek.

[@dingodango1]

I wanted a checkpoint but I was quoted delivery of Dec 2022. I ended up getting a Pivot Vault instead. Someday i hope to ride a checkpoint and see if I'm missing out.

[@jorgetorres9331]

Did you size down from your normal size bike?

[@spacerconrad]

I bought my Kona JtS new in 2000, and immediately slapped road tires on it. It's been my favorite bike since, and yes, I'm still riding it now. :)

[@karlgalko]

I race cx and it is my discipline of choice in cycling, so naturally I had a friend who is new to cycling ask me the difference between cx and gravel bikes a couple of days ago. I explained it was minimal to someone not looking exclusively for racing cx and mainly geometry. And then boom, you made the perfect video for the conversation for me to just forward to him! thanks @GCN!

[@fastharri]

Glad to see a video on this. Asked plenty of roadie mates the same question and after initially answering “they’re different” they generally have no idea how!

[@christophertrapp4195]

Si showing his dirt riding chops! I love to see him pumping the whoops and sliding the rear wheel around. It's, dare I say, Sagan-esque? Bravo!

[@benhoward4294]

I’ve spent thousands over the years on hard tail mtb, short travel full sus mtb, enduro mtb, carbon road etc, but the best bike I own for 99% of the time in the UK is my CX bike. Love it. Ride for miles anywhere. Cost me next to nothing. If I only had one bike, CX does it for me GCN

[@timdixo]

Have a CX and Gravel…the major difference I’ve found is the lower BB drop on the Gravel gives far more stability.

[@TheAandEband]

Here's a thing... I ride a 20yr old Marin urban sports commuter bike (aka a hybrid, shortened flat handle bars). I recently switched to 35mm cyclo-cross tyres (schwalbe). OMG.performance and handling went way up. Holds it own very well against one mate on a gravel bike, the other one on a mountain bike. Particularly when the ground is loose and dry. Sand, Flint, chalk, grass. Not great for hill climbs in the mud, no traction on rear end out of saddle. Also found it harder work up hill on tarmac. I cycle the South Downs in Sussex so if you know the area you will experience a wide range of surfaces but overall I'm all for CX tyres over Gravel.

[@votiskygabor]

To me the only difference is that, cyclocross is a competition, while gravel is a relaxing ride in the middle of nowhere. Love them both equally

[@apm9507]

You made cyclocross sound horrid to me and gravel biking sound wonderful!

[@d_imil1787]

@@apm9507 I think it largely depends on your local CX scene. A lot of CX communities are 75% folks just looking to have fun and have something fun to do on their bikes in the fall. All the competitive dudes are literally in their own race category. Almost every race will have beer hand up from the crowd, lots of folks choose to wear costumes or ride a fat or mountain bike instead of a drop bar bike. Honestly that description is so misleading to me for CX, I don't feel like I have to be competitive at all in cross, I just push myself as hard as I can while having fun and try to stay upright lol.

[@apm9507]

@@d_imil1787 I'm in beautiful rural eastern Idaho with thousands of miles of gravel. There is an 8 mile rocky canal trail less than a minute pedal away from my home. About an hour away from our home is the Tetonia to Ashton trail. The 29.6 mile trail follows the abandoned railroad grade of the Teton Valley Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad from Ashton to Tetonia. No cyclocross to be had locally but tons of amazing gravel or rocky trails. We also have tons of mineral hot springs and Yellowstone. What we like might be due to what is available.

[@PRH123]

CX bikes don’t have as many braze ones for racks - fenders - bottles etc… and the CX top tube may have a flattened underside for carrying on ones shoulder…

[@michadebicki6534]

@@PRH123 this has recentlu changed as I was on search of CX bike 2 months ago and most of them had multiple mounts for fenders or even a bikepacking. My new italian Fondriest with 1x apex groupset has a full set of mounts like a gravel bike would.

[@Star14trek]

What it boils done to me is difference is like a road bike compared to endurance road bike ... You can use both but some people want fast snappy bike and other prefer an easier ride which is more upright, You can use both for short or long rides it's just personal preference. Yes you struggle to get 40mm+ tire on CX with 700mm but you can drop to 650b to get 40-50mn tire on! .... My summer bike is a Boone 2x gearing its great on the roads 😁 especially with 50mm carb rims ! Winter bike is another CX Kenisis with mud guards and 2x gearing and can take 32mm + road tires so a great winter bike 😁 stick 650b on and get 42-50mm tires on for MTB course! One bike to rule the all on or off road!😁

[@mister_ray]

I went with the Trek Boone (2020 edition which does have ISO Speed in front and back). 650B wheels with 40mm tires. 11-36 cassette. Great 3 - 5 hour ride bike. Most people are not doing multi day trips needing all the gear on the bike.

[@zoso73]

I have a 2020 Boone. You were able to put 40 mm tires on yours? I've put 36s on mine but haven't tried higher.

[@mister_ray]

@@zoso73 kzbin.info/www/bejne/npvbi55jppupa8k. G25 650B wheels let one run a wider tire.

[@lupo3694]

@@zoso73 with 650B wheels you can fit wider tires

[@iangibbon9456]

I have a CX, I have used it in duattalons, cycled the West Highland Way, the full length of the UK (Unst to Hugh Town), The Arctic Circle to Berlin, it's even been in the Barra Beach Sea Plane. Evidence how versatile a CX can be.

[@gcn]

Wow, sound like some great adventures Ian!

[@christopherthomas2438]

The bike I have now is a Cube Cross Race Pro, & I absolutely love it!. I have road tyres on now to commute& road riding, but love putting the wider tyres on& heading down the dirt tracks, woods or fields for offroad fun!. Versatility is great!

[@danielreynolds5012]

Have the same Cube (mine is a 2019) and love it too. Only increased to 35mm for road but thought I could go to 38 or 40 at a squeeze. How wide have you found to fit? Thanks.

[@gazzervw]

my crockett takes me everywhere,theres not much gravel where i live.there are however fields , byways and endless bridleways. i use it on the road, not to replace my road bike but a blast out on the road can result on some trails here and there and i love that mix up. i used to do it when i got a mountain bike 30 years ago,road, bridleways, canals. best fun ever. i do race it in the winter and its great fun and full of friendly people, nothing serious just out and out fun.

[@robbchastain3036]

Thanks, Si, for the comparison and history lesson. Amazing to think that we haven't had gravel bikes as a genre for all that long and kudos to those in America's heartland for following the yellow gravel road. And for me, Kansas is where I discovered indoor trainers at a bike shop in late '82. I was interested in rollers, but when I saw that stand, I opted for it and became a big fan of indoor winter training immediately.

[@brookegravitt4117]

Well, my only “road bike” for the past 3 years has been a Trek Crockett, which is also my CX race bike. I swap to real CX tires for race season, but have run 700x40 tires for gravel and plain road tires for tarmac. I’ve been thinking hard about this year replacing it - get another CX bike like the Boone or go for a gravel bike like the Checkpoint. One thing I do miss for sure on the road is a second ring - the 1x11 setup can feel limited on longer rides. Maybe a 2x crankset for off-season would fix that, who knows

[@jaisejohnson]

The camera crew and the editors, we notice you. Good work!!!

[@JamesSmith-vz8yr]

Are they part of the tribe then?

[@gcn]

Thanks Jaise!

[@cgws3064]

Hi Guys, I own a Caad-x and love it. Don’t think I need to change as it does everything I need. Surely …that’s the point? What do you want from a bike? South Wales roads are..tough, fire roads in local forestry and woodland tracks. It’s got bosses galore and is nimble with it. Love the vid’s keep ‘em coming 🤓

[@mrscreamer379]

I've owned both types. Geometry is the thing that took me by surprise. I didn't think it would make much difference. But the cyclocross bike felt so twitchy and unstable when I got it. It took a lot of getting used to. Now its great. Only thing is it likes to turn the front wheel and fall over whenever you try to lean it against anything or lock it up. Locking it to a public bike rail will usually mean its flat on the floor when you come back to it. Love having only one chain ring at the front though.

[@jelle7224]

One man's twitchy is the other's responsive.

[@ZOB4]

That flat labyrinth section of the course is super cool! Would love to go there. I use my gravel bike for everything other than full mountain biking, including road and the occasional cross race. I have three wheelsets to facilitate riding the same bike in different situations.

[@prestachuck2867]

Cyclocross racers call it a pinwheel.

[@kulvianshun]

Those half frames you had at the start of the video really shows the difference in geometry really well and for me that's what it really comes down to along with rider preference. In an ideal world we all would have at least one bike in the disciplines we enjoy. For me I guess that would mean a road bike, road e-bike, a gravel bike, a mountain bike (hardtail and full suss) and an mountain e-bike. I mean riding a bike is fun regardless of discipline!

[@FalcoBikes]

The angles are less than one degree apart. Mountain bikes have angles that are 10 degrees apart...

[@Star14trek]

Great vid again! Would have been fun to see Ollie crashing and running around CX course 🤣 . .. nearly as much fun as Matt!

[@gcn]

You can always rewatch this one for a bit of that!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnzJiYSKnNuYgrs

[@lance3591]

I have a Boone and love it. It can do anything, but where it really shines is cross. Its a cross bike and that’s what’s it good at. That said I’ve done everything on this bike. I have 5 different sets of tires for it. Form road tires at 25mm to big WTB resolutes that are 42mm and everything in between. I did an adventure race on it last year that was 100 miles and it took 9 hours. This course had crazy stuff on it. Big rocks, soft wet sand, some road, hard packed gravel, tall grass, logging roads with big ruts, and a river crossing where I had to put my bike on my shoulder. I did it with 35mm tires. Should of had the 42s but the bike handled it all really well. The bigger tires would have helped on the big rocks and the sand. My Boone fits 42s so I’m all set. I think either bike is a great choice. But if you think you might want to do cross the Boone is the way to go. It will handle anything you throw at it. I had to use it as a road bike for a month last year because I was waiting on a warranty issue on my road bike. Not as fast as a true road bike but it did the job on the group rides.

[@jimthebikeguy]

A very good idea for a video. In reality, there's not much to pick between them. If you can stick an 11-42 on your cross bike with a set of 40mm tires, its a gravel bike. If the cross race you are doing is dry and has some long draggy hills, then that gravel setup is actually also very good for cross on that day. I definitely think that the need for cx bikes to only come with a wierd tight set of ratios has passed, as you can easily race with a big wide cassette if you adjust your style.

[@timmyzhou1]

Although this topic was covered by Si before, which helped me to purchase my own do it all gravel bike. I still enjoy the content a lot. Thanks for the high quality video that introduces more people into different categories of cycling.

[@gcn]

Glad you enjoyed the video Timmy!

[@anthonybaxendale887]

When it comes to bridle paths riding with road sections to join them together, it's my gravel bike. When it comes to hooning round the woods & generally mucking about, it's my trusty cyclocross bike ☺

[@thegoodwheel]

Nicely produced video. My Colnago Prestige is a CX bike with a relatively low bb, so it always feels like a road bike. Longer stem gets me the stability I want and it absolutely eats gravel with pleasure... but the responsiveness is always there.

[@sweatyatoms7719]

Hey, guys I live in Belgium and the roads are crap here. I bought a specialized Roubaix from 2009 (carbon rims, handlebar, stem, seatpost, seatrails) and I can tell u guys that it is the best bike for this country. I live in East Flanders bw.

[@frazergoodwin4945]

I'm in Belgium too - but Bxl and had a Roubaix (2012 model) but crashed it and cracked the seat tube - so now ride a Diverge. It too is a "do it all" bike (from multiday bikepacking to racing round the foret de soignes, to club rides with Brussels Big Brackets I just swap wheel sets. But if I was getting a new bike I don't know whether now I'd go Diverge, or the new Crux....

[@sweatyatoms7719]

@@frazergoodwin4945 Damn, sorry for your loss. Yeah the Diverge is a beast, I would totally get that bike as well. But my xc bike is a 2009 specialized epic so I wanted to match ahaha. Have fun!!

[@frazergoodwin4945]

@@sweatyatoms7719 Thanks DeltaG°. I repaired my Roubaix, but the crack came back so I had it re-repaired on the warranty of the repair... But I use it indoors now attached to my turbo - it had served me well doing l'étape du tour three times, loads of other alpine cols and climbs, and you can see it on the Grandfondo Stelvio in my avatar pic too...

[@sweatyatoms7719]

@@frazergoodwin4945 Sick man, I just started riding a couple of months ago so still much to learn.

[@NunoJoel]

My 2011 , CX Cube X-Race Pro has been doing almost everything a bit of Road , a bit of Gravel and also the main Indoor Training Bike , All i need to do is just swap the wheels and go go go lol

[@christianb.1028]

I got a 2021 Cube Cross Race. Even though a CX bike, it easily fits 42 mm tires and I love it. More sporty than a gravel bike, more comfortable than a road bike, especially with those tires. For me it's the perfect allrounder.

[@nicoosgravelchannel]

I use my modified cx bike for everything. Racing cyclocross tracks, mtb tracks, gravelrides and bikepacking, long distance roadracing. I have no comparison, but I love doing it all on my Cube Cross Race C:62 pro cyclocrossbike with different fork with attachment points and flared handlebars.

[@NRCycling]

Currently building a Boone for gravel use for 2023! The new Checkpoints have a 30mm longer reach which makes the Boone’s geometry a better fit! I’ll put 40mm tires on it for gravel use.

[@ShadLife]

I did some of the first gravel races in the Mid-West. One is called the Ragnarök 105 and the other was the Almzno 100. I did them on a singlespeed mountain bike and it was a blast! I did a gravel race a couple of years ago on my CX bike and I really do prefer a bigger tire, so mountain bike it is until I decide to invest in a gravel specific bike.

[@lukewalker1051]

My view is... if riding on the road: 25-28c tires, drop bar and rim brakes. if riding off road, anything rougher than on smooth dirt or paved road: wider tires, flat bar and disc brakes. Years of experience with both. My conclusion. I never liked a drop bar off road and love a dropbar on road. So where does that leave me? With neither a dropbar cyclocross or gravel bike. I want the lightest, fastest hardtail on the planet for shredding off road.

[@THR-zf6ti]

Another really useful and funny videos by GCN: I own 2 Gravel bikes - one more direction road (!) - almost a road bike with 28mm Specialized Roubaix tyres (I use this bike to commute every day 16km one way on bike tracks and field paths - the other one with mudguards, package for bike tours in the woods, gravel mixed with road and 35 mm Schwalbe X Sport... and YES you nailed it: its about geometry and tyre clearance and your needs - and I don't do X-races 😀! You are my favourite bike channel!

[@dragon55555555551]

I bought a cyclocross bike as I was looking to get into road cycling. I run smooth 32’s on it and use it mostly on road, paths and rarely gravel. I love it! I would like to try a road bike one day though and see if there is a massive difference.

[@buckroger6456]

Do it! Lots of shops will let you demo a bike for a day.

[@alinapopescu872]

I've had my gravel bike for two months now and I'm very pleased with it.

[@markrushton6331]

I have a ten year old Cannondale CAADX cyclocross bike with cantilever brakes. I commute on it most days on a mixture of rural & urban roads and bridle ways. I do change tyres from winter to summer, but otherwise the bike does it all, I use a small rucksack and have no mudguards, the only compromises are lights and a bracket to tow a tout-terrain single track kids trailer. My bike came with 35mm tyres before the UCI changed the rules, they seem to work well so I’ve not changed to legal tyres as I don’t race.

[@omarriden5093]

شكرا جزيلا على هذه المقارنة العظيمة وهذا العمل الجبار ... متابعكم من تونس ❤️

[@michaelgorman164]

I have a slightly older Boone carbon with cantilever brakes and a newer Checkpoint 5SL carbon. As a person who has raced everything and rarely uses a bicycle as intended, they are both fabulous steeds. The downside to Boone is I can only get certain 35+ tires to fit properly making the Checkpoints bigger tires allowing for more trail fun. I want a newer Boone with Disc brakes after being spoiled by the Checkpoint discs. Good timing on the video as my friends teased me today for riding my Checkpoint on the MTB trails.

[@stihldavebergen3469]

I have a Felt F65X and use it for both, 2 sets of wheels. I bought the one on clearance and it's served me well.

[@keithtse6834]

What is the widest tire you can run with the F65X? Can you get a 40mm on it?

[@jon4010]

I run my Aluminium Boardman CXR 2x11 as my winter road bike with 34mm tubeless winter tyres and boss mounted mudguards. It is still light enough to climb and rides as fast as other group members winter road bikes. I swap out the wheels to fit 40mm gravel tyres for off road adventures. I find it versatile and comfortable for 100 mile + rides

[@Patrik6606]

I want to give Si cred for doing the swim dance when switching between present and past 😂

[@nerigarcia7116]

I run a CX as my "gravel" bike. I have a Bombtrack Tension 2 and although it's in their CX category some of the geometry falls between a CX and gravel bike which makes it a perfect balance for me. I'm coming from a road background so something that's a little more responsive feels right to me. Plus, a lot of the trails where I live are more tight and twisty opposed to being wide open and sweeping so the CX bike feels more at home navigating the tighter stuff. I also run 40c tires (and can probably fit 42c) and having a CX that has a little more trail makes it a fine in-between bike of gravel and CX. I just call it my all-road bike and it seems the differences between CX and gravel are negligible, it all depends how you like to ride but they can do the same thing. I prefer a more road race geometry but I'm also not doing long bike packing rides either. It's usually a few hours so having a little more aggressive, nimble bike works for me. I'm sure I won't complain on a gravel bike but I enjoy the liveliness of a CX with wider tires. It's the perfect blend of the two.

[@wrench_n_ride8159]

Very well done and fun to watch. 👍 Also love to see you giving Trek some big love. ❤️ (I am a Trek guy. 😄)

[@john12mclaughlin]

My 2005 Ritchey Break-Away CX bike is my "Do everything (except triathlon)" bike. I love that I can pack it up, take it on a plane, and go exploring on and off road. The only problem is that it's limited to 33mm tires on the back. I'm waiting for the next big crypto spike to upgrade to the newer Ritchey gravel bike ;)

[@dl4209]

I use a FELT F1X fitted w 28 tires as my main road bike. I love it! I just swap out my wheels for when I want to go off road or gravel. I love the flexibility of having a do-it-all bike.

[@tomzambeno3897]

I find it interesting that we invest so much time into comparing gravel with CX, but the differences are pretty subtle. There's a lot of criticism, but I bet there would be a similar list of difference between say, a "racing" road bike and an "endurance" road bike. Would like to see some of those as well.

[@another3997]

The number of 'categories' of bikes that have appeared over the last 40 years is ridiculous. Many of the differences are subtle. Not only that, but different manufacturers have slightly different designs within each category, so they often overlap. Marketing departments frequently go on the rampage. I remember BMX and mountain bikes appearing in the UK, alongside sports, touring, racing, roadsters and utility bikes. They all subdivided again and again. Straight bar racers and drop bar MTBs gave us the 'hybrid'. MTB went absolutely nuts! And now, 'Gravel' is just the latest buzzword for a speed oriented, drop bar hybrid. 😁

[@davin510]

I’ve got a cx and gravel bike. IMO, the two main differences are the cx having a steeper head angle/shorter wheelbase, and less tire clearance. The BB is higher, but since I can fit larger tires on the gravel bike it offsets it somewhat Practically, what I notice most is the twitchier handling of the cx bike, which is undesirable 95% of the time on road or off. The only time it’s a bit better is low speed, tight cornering due it’s tighter turning radius I ended up putting flat bars on the cx and turning it into a city bike Unless you’re racing cx or buying a used bike on a budget, I don’t see any benefit of buying a cx bike over a gravel bike

[@rtw9655]

The BB height does make a difference in CX events (lower bb causes clipped pedals in corners and pedals grounding through deep mud). If not racing, go gravel bike for the potential extra tyre clearance and comfort

[@josh33172]

I have both, and one being the Boone. The Boone is a mental bike....the frame alone is over 300g lighter (I think 850g) than my Bianchi road bike and more comfortable on the road with all the built-in compliance. I believe I had it built up sub-17lb 1X Force with aluminum wheels....and you can really feel it on and off road. However, it is definitely more on the road side for geometry than my gravel bike. It's sharper in every way. The drawback is the tire clearance for sure where as the new Specialzed Cruz (which is even lighter albeit quite a bit more expensive in the S-Works trim) fits 650bx2.1....basically the best of both worlds. And like the Boone, it can really be a road bike with a wheel (or tire) swap. However, tire clearance is a big thing especially if you want a bike for versatility, and my Ridley gravel bike clears 27.5x2.3 easily and I am currently running 700x50 with loads of clearance. The geometry also isn't that sharp, but its also not as intense to ride, and even being aluminum provides all-day comfort on and off road. This bike is my gravel/bikepacking/commuting bike. Honestly, unless the bike is dual-purposing as your road bike as well, I see no need to have such a sharp, light, expensive bike. I believe the flexibility of a gravel bike is the way to go....until you start looking at it from the perspective from the other end of the spectrum where I honestly believe a hardtail MTB to be a better gravel bike than a gravel bike....especially if the ride includes singletrack or technical bits and even on fast travel, a hardtail will hold its own. I have a ProCaliber 9.6 (also with IsoSpeed) and it really is a rocketship.

[@inz_uzi]

I've bought a cx bike in 2009, before the gravel came to Europe, and I bought it because it was versatile and offered everything I needed. I could fit slick tires for tarmac which I prefer or 35 mm treaded tires for mixed roads when I rode with my cycling buddies. I could mount panniers and do two weeks bike-packing tours (although it wasn't called bike-packing back then). The only thing I didn't like about it was the gear range. Pedaling was pointless on the steeper descends and I had to do a lot of mashing on the uphills. Nowadays I don't do bike-packing and I ride mostly solo so I've bought a proper road bike and the cx bike is fixed to a turbo trainer most of the time.

[@charles_cody]

Scored a very attractive & upgraded Trek 2016 Crockett 7 this summer. I mostly ride tarmac & maintained unpaved surface. Really enjoying the CX geometry on road rides. Granted my only road bike specific experience is a steel Scattante, the Crocket is hella fun on back roads & corners.

[@EvgeniyShishkin]

I sort of built my own do it all CX bike. It’s 1x with 11-42 cassette, zipp303s wheels and 35mm gravelking SS tires. It’s still fast on road, certainly fast on gravel and not too punishing for long gravel rides. Geometry is a bit more aggressive than my gravel bike but it sort of part of the fun.

[@gcn]

Sounds cool Evgeniy!

[@5mattcolour]

Love my CX bike. Use to to commute on and on the trails around me, which are very tight, narrow, and through woodland, it’s an absolute blast. I never cover more than around twenty miles in a ride on it though. So have never really considered the added comfort benefits of a gravel bike.

[@kj1982kj]

I ride my cx bike on 40mm tires. And it's perfect for me. But I'd love to see the same comparison but both bikes on 38mm tires.

[@Clint_the_Audio-Photo_Guy]

I bought a Checkpoint SL frameset on Friday. Good comparison, I feel I've made the right choice for my type of riding. More comfort, and packability is my takeaway. I don't need a race specific bike with tire size limitations. Cheers.

[@tug_van_tuggles]

I had a Pinnacle Arkose (Gravel bike) 2016 which had quite a cyclocross bike geometry. I snapped the frame and got a replacement. The new one had different geometry, lower bottom bracket, longer chain stays and longer wheelbase. Basically good if you want to run bigger tryes but everything you don't want on a cyclocross bike. Racing cross on it is not great, it's a bit of a handfull to get around some corners and in a cross race there are plenty of those.

[@rozscyclingadventures]

I own road bike, gravel bike and 2 MTBs (29er and 27.5). The gravel bike is the most versatile bike IMHO. Put on a rear pannier for a multi-day bike packing trip. Swapped out the 700c for 650bx2.1 MTB tyres and it eats single tracks any day.

[@gibfear]

Love my Planet X cross bike, just swapped to flared riser bars and a slightly shorter stem - the difference between 45 when I bought it and 53 now!!! I do wish it had more tyre clearance than 35mm... But it does do a great all round job. Buying again, gravel all day for the tyres - but I've got a 29er mtb and a super light race bike to cover both of the outliers.. Only allowed one bike - gravel/cross all day long....

[@codyeynon8467]

I had this debate in my head for a while. Then I decided that neither design had enough tire clearance for my chosen terrain. That was a few years ago. It looks like manufacturers are starting to catch on.

[@sventice]

Two things: 1. I ride the gravel bike in question (Trek Checkpoint), and it's a brilliant all-around bike. If you put a carbon wheelset and road tires on it, it even makes a pretty good endurance road bike. I've used this thing for commuting, long day rides, gravel biking (of course), and touring, and it's done well for all of it. If you can only have one bike but want to use it for multiple purposes, a gravel bike is the obvious choice. 2. I was pretty impressed with Si's cyclocross skills in this video; he kind of looks like he knows what he's doing!

[@mouf406]

Which Checkpoint model do you have? I am curious if the higher end models are worth it as the lower end ones seem capable enough. The ALR and SL weigh about the same so ALR seems better value. The SLR saves 2lbs but most components are higher end.

[@paulim8703]

Wasn't he a mountain biker originally?

[@sventice]

@@mouf406 I have the ALR5. It's a little heavier than the SLR versions, with 105-level components, but it works really well for everything I need a bike for. With wheel upgrade and 32mm road tires, it comes in at just over 10 kg. The only thing I regret is the crappy front fork on the ALR; it buzzes at low speeds on bumpy terrain. The higher-end Checkpoints have a better layup in the fork.

[@TheAndreasstadler]

The Best bike is for sure the Gravel bike. I ride it in Winter on the road, sometimes on Cyclocross Tracks, in Summer on Trails with 50mm tyres. All you realy need is a Gravelbike. Of course we all know we buy N+1 but not because we need them. 😉

[@hankt8137]

I have a Ti CX bike which I use for everything. 1 set of wheels for road and another for off the beaten track (I can get up to 42mm in 700c). Its comfy enough to ride all day and fast enough to keep up with a spirited group (I might not be though!) Its not going to win a TT, nor manage a DH course, but for 90% of the time, it just works.

[@Flixterino]

Interesting one - I’ve used a CX bike with a rack and mudguards as my daily runner for a few years and its been great - 35mm tyres offering a good compromise between my 80% road riding but leaving me free for more spontaneous off road bits around Bristol like up the Avon Gorge. I’ve just finished making some bikepacking bags for it too so its getting closer to a gravel bike really in being able to carry stuff too!

[@charliecoutts3003]

This is one of your best videos and they're all top draw anyway! Of special interest to me because I'm a London Cycle Courier of over 30 years standing ( done stints on a motorbike too). I currently use a gravel bike for work and have done for nearly three years. It's a Fyxation Quiver with standard gearing from a Shimano Tiagra groupset. I like using Schwalbe Delta Cruiser tyres which are very versatile. The bike is brilliant for the job and as any of you who ride in London will know the majority of roads are potholed and uneven as f*ck (excuse my French 😀). It pings across cobbles too. My back-up bike is a more in keeping with traditional courier use; a Marin Muirwoods which is also great to use although the bars are a bit wide.

[@Hardi26]

I have cyclocross bike, because it has more ground clearance. It is very important in winter that your pedals don't hit(drag) in snow. You can go through of snow pile with speed while also pedal hard, but if you pedal hit to snow. Unless you have so slow gear that the pedal moves on same speed as your tire rotates you get stuck, but even then to have speed and momentum not to get stuck you then would have to pedal very fast. Also the gronud clearance is important when riding in those ruts in frozen ice. I'm actually extra lucky as I have 165mm cranks on my bike which also happens to be the right crank arm length for my legs. Also headtube height and reach are important for me. Even though I have one size smaller bike than the size chart recommended. I swapped the stem with one cm shorter and also turned it around from rise to drop to get it low enough. Many gravel bikes seems to have too long reach and too high handlebar for shorter person, even for small frames. Why they think, that high handlebar is comfortable. The drop bar is not designed to be higher than saddle. It needs to be at least some cm lower than saddle.

[@jorenvandaele1301]

I love my cx bike, for road, gravel, woods, singletrack.... For my budget, where I ride and what I like it's perfect. I will probably buy a dedicated mtb and road bike in a couple of years, but for now I love my cross bike.

[@derekhartloper11]

Awesome video, Si ur the best! Except when Ollie is killing it on hills, the velodrome, in windtunnels, bikepacking, etc 😅

[@resparer]

I have the checkpoint sl5. I love it. It reminds me of my old Emonda but Gravel style. I've done a lot of rail trails and other trails. I upgraded from a Jamis and glad I did. I'm in love and probably ride more than my Willier road bike 💗

[@jorgetorres9331]

Did you size down from your original bike size?

[@geoffreynelson98]

Not to add to the complexity… but some manufacturers have hybrid CX/Gravel bikes on offer too, like the Santa Cruz Stigmata, and the latest Specialized Crux. I have a Stigmata from 2019 that I have set up for gravel, and a Specialized Diverge from 2019 as well. I love them both, but they are indeed very different animals. As you would expect from a race oriented bike, the Stig is a lot more lively and eager to go places regardless of terrain- I use it for road, gravel, and even mountain bike stuff sometimes by swapping the wheels and tires out. On the other hand, the Diverge is a much more relaxed bike, more in line with an endurance road frame like the Roubaix. It doesn’t handle quite as well off road as the Stig, but its dreamy comfort over long miles has made it difficult for me to move on from it. I love how bike manufacturers are beginning to offer different sub-genres of gravel bike so we can end up with a frameset specifically suited to our needs.

[@swade029]

Geoffrey, do you have any experience/thoughts on 2022 Crux? I have a 49" Diverge and although great at absorbing the chatter of long gravel rides, I feel over stretched (Im looking at shortening the stem). But, I am enticed by the 2022 Crux. I ride road, gravel, single and double track and I am thinking the 2022 Crux, with a shorter racier frame might be a great "do-it'all" bike.

[@CMZPICTURES]

That crop circle looks like fun to ride through 😂

[@MikeSmith-qu5ew]

I am 76 and like the flexibility of a cyclo cross bike in city. I can maneuver about in the city and gearing is perfect for me at my age.

[@teuast]

I have a steel gravel bike that was sold as a cross bike but is basically a gravel bike, and I use it for gravel. It's currently getting most of its groupset replaced because I kinda wrecked it. Good stuff.

[@kurtallen8837]

Sometimes I feel that GCN are more biased towards the gravel bike on a few test lately. Don't get me wrong I love the tech videos and tests . There's got to be a test on all 3 bikes . Cyclo-cross v Gravel v Road On all 3 terrains . With roughly the same tyre widths on all 3 ? Can one bike do all 3 or do you need 2 or 3 ?

[@gcn]

Hi Kurt, the small gap between the two really surprised me. As I said in the conclusion, I'm a huge fan of the CX bike, but it has to be said, gravel bikes have moved the game on for most people, and the ability to run 40mm+ tyres is a huge part of that. Cheers, Si

[@kurtallen8837]

@@gcn thanks Si for the reply . I own a On One pickenflick titanium which I use for gravel rides up to 100 miles but can be converted to CX very easy . Keep up the good work Si and the GCN team

[@shaunmcnally7631]

The thing about the pre - 2022 checkpoints is they had the adjustable stranglehold rear drop outs you could move forward for more nimble cyclocross bike characteristics, or back for more straight line gravel bike characteristics and even extra room for wider tires. Odd that they decided to get rid of them

[@thedownunderverse]

The only difference is the number of bottle cage mounts. The rest is caught up in the “noise” of geometry and tyre clearance which to be fair varies pretty widely brand to brand and size to size.

[@philmathewson5259]

I’ve been using a Spesh Crux cx bike for years as my “one bike” - as a roadie (diff wheelset), for cx comps (33mm tyres), and for many long gravel rides and serious bikepacking (40mm rear, 45mm front). I don’t want to win comps I just want to have fun with friends reasonably inexpensively - and one bike is a lot cheaper than 2 or even 3 bikes (n+2 or d-1?). Tyres give you squish and comfort, bags and gear fit on any bike - without any bosses! Just ride what you have!!

[@Solarsystem50]

I get nostalgic buy seen Simon doing this clip.. I remember his first video I saw about cross bikes 5 years ago. Still the GOAT

[@sharpcsc998]

I bought 2019 Checkpoint SL6 which came with Shimano road Ultegra gearing, ie 34-11 cassette and 50-34 chain ring. It is a fantastic bike as I race it in the UK IN THE YORKSHIRE winter series, put road wheels 32mm Bontrager R3 for winter riding and change tyres to 28mm GP5000 for summer. The main change I would recommend is the BOntrager Paradigm wheels set is heavy at 1890 grams, so I swapped out to Hunt carbon CX 23mm rims at 1550g. Overall weight is good at 8.9kg in CX format and 8.6kg in road without perhaps. It compliments my 2021 Trek Edmonda SLR7 which I ride on hilly routes perfectly.

[@randallcrenshaw3871]

I been riding for years and have put 10’s of thousands of miles in the saddle, but at this venture in life I traded the single track for gravel and I gotta say I live my haanjo and the Grx components, lots of fun and can handle everything my old bones can and then some. I’m a gravel guy

[@stefis6]

Excellent entertaining video - so very spot on. My only beef with the industry with gravel bikes is they are sold with ludicrously high gear ratios. IMO you need 10+ teeth difference at the low gears. And honestly a 42x11 is high enough. So I run a 42/30 (or 40/28) with 11-40 at the rear. Perfect. I have a titanium cross bike. I use it for gravel riding and bikepacking. I love it BUT - I wish I could change 2 things, exactly as the video stated: 1. the tyre clearance - I'm limited to 38mm tyres. Would be nice to feel more comfy on 40's or 45's 2. the geometry: Would like a slacker head tube angle, more stable on washboard descents. But - it's ok, and titanium... 😁

[@chutimnspitimout]

This is so spot on. I am on the other end of the spectrum and researched CX bikes. I personally have specialized diverge gravel bike with GRX 2x 46/30 and it comes with such a small cassette. Especially where I live where gravel trails usually are MTB trails and need low gears. I put a wolf tooth link out back and extended my cassette range to 11-42. Can still hit 30mph on flat tarmac wtih big knobby tires with flat pedals and go up MTB trails and descned single tracks. My only gripe is the super low BB. Have hit my foot on roots and low plants many times.

[@stefis6]

@@chutimnspitimout you could consider shorter cranks. But at the end of the day it’s all a compromise one way or another. That’s why n=n+1 😀

[@chutimnspitimout]

@@stefis6 oh i totally have and plan to soon

[@tacconelli]

Either bike with 2 wheel sets/tires is an unstoppable force! I really want another wheel set for my CX bike since swapping tubeless tires is such a pain in the butt. 40mm slicks/low tread will take you almost anywhere

[@ShafinRehman]

I think the new Checkpoint lineup looks very good, but I'm still holding onto my order for the 2022 Scott Addict Gravel.

[@alansmith2593]

Si’s got some bike handling skills! Gnarly skid braa