Gravel Bike VS Road Bike | Which Is Fastest On The Cobbles Of Paris Roubaix

The cobbled roads of Paris Roubaix are absolutely brutal. Designed for horse drawn farm carts and tractors, they hardly seem rideable on a traditional road bike, and watching the pros race full gas across the sectors of Pavé is one of the most impressive parts of the sport. But is a road bike the best tool for the job, or would a gravel bike be quicker? Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Conor was out in Northern France to test which bike would be faster across the Carrefour De L'Arbre; road or gavel?
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Leave us a comment below!

[@RoninCycling]

I am waiting for Canyon to make a Limited Edition "Red Baron" Grail with three hover bars; in red of course.

[@pahouseholder]

Genius.

[@SWED510]

HAHAHA I would buy that shit

[@timothyvalcke6074]

Waw... i actually want one now

[@matthewcrich5951]

Emblazoned with black Iron Crosses!

[@ksubsbefore-vr8qr]

Lmaoo

[@shaldon08]

Gap would narrow more with 38mm slick gravel tyres fitted like Panaracer Gravel Kings rather than running knobblies

[@fbaqueda]

Yep can't believed he used knobbie tires for this. Almost invalidates the whole excercise

[@dougphoto]

Totally what I was thinking too, slicks on the gravel bike, and I bet it would win.

[@nickd5367]

Also, both sets of tyres should be from the same manufacturer, and ideally the same tyre type, so that width is the only difference as far as tyres are concerned. These sort of GCN videos are good, but with a bit more thought and care put into the methodology, they’d be really good.

[@JosephDiaz]

My thoughts exactly. I love those freaking tires. Throw on a Lauf fork too and you're done.

[@asawaide5873]

Also, don't forget the aero wheels.

[@Vii_DT]

10:30 Conor: 'Back in the studio! Recovered from Belgium.' after riding Paris-Roubaix course. *French riot ensues*

[@Mainswitch55]

🤣🤣🤣👌👌

[@pieterannaert5129]

the "paved road section" was in belgium while the cobbles were in france (carrefour de l'arbre section but ridden in the opposite direction compared to what the riders do in Paris Roubaix//although the cobbled corner seemed to me like they rode it in the same direction as the pro's....which is quite odd)

[@Mainswitch55]

@@pieterannaert5129 Thank you for that, so riot in france can be stopped! :-) Anyway that comment was funny as hell. Regards!

[@sensesfailler]

@@pieterannaert5129 Thought the same, seeing the roadsigns ... M-E-P isn't far from the border but i doubt they did it ons the same day ...

[@julmeissonnier]

Belgium, France... Aren't Ireland and England more or less the same thing? 🤣🤣🤣 Just being facetious...

[@kibblerspencer]

Irish national champ stripes for Conor! Matt and Emma had their respective stripes on their GCN kit.

[@goldenretriever6261]

Doesn't sound Irish?

[@toomuch9762]

Golden Retriever theres like 100 different accents in ireland. Just because he doesnt sound like Conor McGregor doesnt mean he’s not irish 🤦‍♂️

[@edifier852]

Great comparison, I like that. But calculations are wrong. 4h 49m + 1h 45m = 6h 34m So the difference between road and gravel bikes is 12m.

[@steved3303]

glad someone else spotted that, been driving me nuts! Maybe Conor could use the same dodgy maths to make the gravel bike faster!

[@deabreu.tattoo]

@@alwaysthinkbig5661 the video isn't about daily commuting, though

[@alwaysthinkbig5661]

@@deabreu.tattoo right

[@danielandersson3539]

@@deabreu.tattoo so?

[@trevorcolby7364]

@@danielandersson3539 Good Catch. Well done.

[@fuckelonmusk]

now throw some 35 or even 40mm slicks on that gravel bike and test again :D

[@paulverweij6348]

I rode it last year on my gravel with wtb byway 47mm 650b tires. The where way faster then my mates...

[@aymericpeten761]

This!

[@austinshoupe3003]

Being limited by a reliance on corporate agreements really killed this. The guys winning gravel races aren’t using canyon bikes and continental tires. The grail doesn’t look like it could compete with a warbird or superx. Conti doesn’t seem to make anything like a byway or gravelking. And then gearing... can’t just plop a gravel bike in like this and compare. Changing the gearing, positioning, etc. and there’d be much closer.

[@MatthewJohnson85]

Exactly. The extra rolling resistance on those tires is coming from the tread and rubber compounds, not the width. Almost any pair of slicks should make a pretty big difference in the end results.

[@JBroms64]

Specialized Pathfinder Pro.

[@Barryens]

It would have been better if you had used slick, or almost slick gravel tyres. Knobs like that are only needed on loose surfaces or mud. If you had done so the tarmac times would have been much closer and probably faster on the cobbles as well.

[@liquidwombat]

They also didn’t take into account the fact that on the road surface he put out 5 W less average power and on the cobble surface he put out 10 W less power on average

[@Hardcaslte]

That was my immediate thought as soon as I saw the Canyon Grail, why are they using these knobby tires? It's going to immediately be an issue on the road slowing the bike down, and it's completely unnecessary for the cobbles. I'm not saying the Paris Roubaix should be ridden on gravel bikes, but I'd like to see a real comparison. I swear man, every time GCN does a comparison like this they always miss one item that can make a big difference. It's like they get so close every time, but really they need to redo the test properly because in my mind this should've been a closer time on the road.

[@jlyonia]

You win a GCN bottle!

[@mechadroit]

Agreed. He should redo this one with slicks on the gravel bike.

[@ViveSemelBeneVivere]

If Conor had used slicks on the gravel bike, it wouldn't have been a genuine *gravel bike* comparison. Because out of the shops they _don't_ come with slicks.

[@whataname955]

It would be interesting to see a similar comparison, but with the gravel bike wearing large volume but slick tyres instead of the knobbies - that would probably be a better setup for a course like this.

[@AndreiNeacsu]

Great video! Now, the problem with extrapolations is that you can't take the result for 2 km and extend it for 200 km for such a difficult and varied course. Unfortunately, unless someone can maintain the same environmental conditions and power output over the same course using both bikes, there isn't much else that could be done. Having said that, 7 minutes difference over the span of almost 7 hours of ride is most certainly less than the error associate to extrapolating this particular data. So, the jury is still out on this one. Congratulations once again and looking forward to your next video!

[@wtfiswiththosehandles]

"I can barely walk on them" To be fair, you can barely walk anywhere in those roadie shoes...

[@Symbioticism]

Seeing as I would be out the back in the first 30seconds, I would take the gravel bike for some comfort in my 250km lonely slog.

[@donadams5094]

Indeed! From there, it’s just a matter of how much you suffer. And in that sense , gravel bike all the way. I don’t ride cobble OR gravel, but some of the back roads I ride are nearly as bad. I am considering a new bike, and this video is instructive.

[@michaelb1761]

After riding some rough, but no where near as rough as those cobbles, roads in Idaho on my road bike a few years ago, I said never again. Actually I said it several times. I was so tired and felt so beat up at the end. The first 30 miles felt like I had already ridden 50.

[@franmcgowan4068]

Put 38mm slicks on the gravel bike!

[@markjthomson]

Yup exactly... those nobbles aren't needed and will be slowing it down more than the width!

[@adanielweaver]

I have some 35mm Terreno zeros and I think they would be just the ticket. Just yesterday I did 70 rd miles with my friend who was on 28mm slicks (both gravel bikes) and could keep up fine on the road, but he couldn't even follow me onto dirt trails.

[@brauljo]

@@adanielweaver That's because wider tires aren't any slower on the road, it's a huge misconception.

[@MrBradSmith]

... or 38mm slicks on the road bike?

[@adanielweaver]

@@MrBradSmith If 38mm tires fit, then isn't it a gravel bike?

[@richardhaselwood9478]

The starting before the timed runs without Si's "BEEEEEEP" just isn't the same....

[@lukecooper1993]

Richard Haselwood I agree completely

[@janwillemkuilenburg7561]

The speed you ride the cobbles makes all the difference. At 40 km/h it feels much smoother because your tyres only contact the top surface of all cobbles. At lower speeds your tyres will contact the lower gaps between the cobbles as well, which makes it much harder.

[@danbuck9214]

But, at higher speed on road slicks you'll bounce more and spend less time in contact with the ground and pushing forward, whereas with wider tires with lower pressure your contact will be more constant, actually enabling you to go faster and more efficiently (GCN did a video on this--albeit over rough pavement, not full on cobbles--with Emma Pooley).

[@NJRD977]

given that every pro with serious expectations in the race rides with a Roubaix specific bike, his starting point with using a standard road race bike is wrong

[@dodge3048]

This test was about as scientific as the UK's approach to dealing with Covid-19.

[@mannyrei1]

Dodge US government enters chat room...

[@dodge3048]

@@mannyrei1 🕵️‍♂️

[@ultimatechrisso6592]

not funny but lmao

[@smallhatshatethetruth7933]

There is no covid so science is irrelevent. There is only the failures of Men which has led to Britain climbing into its grave, a grave that was dug in 1939 when it made the biggest mistake in history.

[@dodge3048]

@@smallhatshatethetruth7933 you ok hun? Back on the dugs again?

[@robbybeauchamp]

This test assumes what is basically an ITT over the entire course. The first hundred+ miles of tarmac would be fairly relaxed in the draft of the peloton for the big hitters. That would completely negate the benefit of the road bike over the gravel bike for most of the smooth pavement. Gravel bike could easily be the better choice for the last 1/3 of the race when the pave comes thick and heavy.

[@crypto_que]

Robby Beauchamp pause. Exactly, a gravel bike with better tires & 53t chainring would haul ass in the peloton.

[@treygray2817]

Ideally you'd just swap bikes after the first 100k

[@fukav1am]

Conor discusses it in the video and sees it quite the opposite. He might by dropped on the slower bike before even getting to the cobbles. BTW there have been debates about CX bikes for Paris-Roubaix for ages. It is nothing new. And the road bike is still used by the best. www.velonews.com/news/paris-roubaix-tech-saur-sojasuns-cyclocross-bikes-for-the-cobbles/

[@kpizzle1985]

Wouldn't a less nobbly tyre on the gravel bike be grippier and quicker on the cobbles?

[@aymericpeten761]

Grippier, no (since it was wet, and this where slick tire are ded), but definitely faster!

[@kpizzle1985]

@@aymericpeten761 as there's no standing water to clear I wouldn't have thought a nobbly tyre would add more traction, if anything I would have thought the reduced surface area of the tyre would reduce traction? According to the video the only bike Conor came off on was the gravel bike...

[@Peter-tc3ep]

Definitely a poor tire choice for cobbles, great tire for dirt, I would have used slicks 35-38mm better traction.

[@kpizzle1985]

@@Peter-tc3ep I agree, would have made the experiment a bit more interesting, still a good watch though. If only we knew what tyres were used on the Orbea... 😬

[@frazergoodwin4945]

@@Peter-tc3ep Would have been great to see him use Specialized Pathfinder or WTB ByWays - or similar - that have a smooth centre but a decent tread on the tire shoulder...

[@RudiDwiHartanto]

Aight boys time to run 32c in Carrefour de l'abre

[@sbcc01]

Fro the start the biggest Faux Pas from my perspective is tyre choice on the Gravel bike! If you wanted side by side comparison the Gravel bike should have run high volume slick tyres. Then the on road sections would have been closer, and the cobble sectors would still have been faster on the Gravel Bike. A more realistic side by side comparison IMO

[@ziegejohn7907]

This Orbea is visually the nicest bike ever!

[@donadams5094]

The number of people who show up just to run down GCN videos is astonishing. It’s practically a sport unto itself, all these know-it-all keyboard warriors showing how much smarter or more insightful they are than everybody else. Whatever. I thought this was an excellent video, one that may well inform my next purchase. I don’t ride cobble or gravel, but I do ride some really rough back roads. For me, the small advantage in speed a road bike has under optimal conditions is almost certainly offset by reduced fatigue and better rough-surface speed with a gravel bike. Test after test shows that the gains associated with small weight reductions and marginal improvements in aerodynamics are worth neither the cost nor the discomfort for 99% of riders. Pros and elite amateur racers aside, a bike that provides a more comfortable ride will do more to keep you riding and training than anything else, and probably just as fast in real world conditions. So thanks to GCN for yet another interesting and useful test, never mind what the anonymous geniuses say in the comment section.

[@olamarvin]

Cool test, well done! Interesting to see lower power leading to faster time on the cobbles. I thought the road bike was going to be closer actually. I'm happy with going for a gravel bike. I don't need max speed no compromise, just a bit of speed and a good bit of suppleness.

[@ChlorophyllCrusher]

I certainly wouldn’t run knobby tires on a gravel bike for Roubaix! My go-to would be gravel bike with tubeless 35mm Rene Herse Bon Jon tires, the ultimate Roubaix rubber!

[@dvoob]

Gravel bikes aren't meant to be faster necessarily, just more capable and comfortable. You wouldn't run a 40 1x up front if your focus was speed.

[@ryanwells4972]

Cool video, Conor! I would be super interested in seeing a second analysis in which the gravel bike has the same aero wheelset as the road bike while also running 40+ mm road slick tires. I reckon that would seriously whittle the distance between the two setups on the road without slowing the gravel bike down much on the pave. I've had great success on mixed surfaces with 40mm WTB Byways on my Canyon cross bike.

[@Vii_DT]

the position of that cycle computer though at 1:33

[@mocas]

reason for me for not buying the grail. these handlebars are just a silly idea. no bikepacking bags at front, horrible computer placement, no aero setup possible and you can just use canyon replacement parts...

[@outsidestuff4867]

he talks about it at 4:23

[@charliewhiskey8440]

My OCD is killing me looking at that

[@conordunne1]

Sorry that's my fault! There is a neat place to screw a head unit mount under the bars... I just err.. forgot to pack it on this trip. Grail bars are different but honestly, after riding them a while now I love them.

[@charliewhiskey8440]

@@conordunne1 If there is a chance in the future please do a video on this vs Redshift Shockstop vs Lauf fork vs FutureShock :-)

[@jimmyhor78]

Next try a semi suspended road bike like the Specialized Roubaix or Canyon Endurace with 32mm slicks at a lower pressure

[@mf0u3021]

Just Me it’s almost like specialized made a bike specifically for this race...

[@pahouseholder]

Agreed. Though this is another take at the ongoing, current romance with gravel bikes.

[@grandad1982]

With a better gravel bike setup (slick tires and more comparable gearing) and a more racey bike frame (no anti aero hoverbar for example) the test would have been much closer. Ultimately a majority tarmac route will always favor the aer road bike though!

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

i dont think the hoverbars would have done any difference

[@rygilly32]

Was thinking the same thing. Running 32-36mm slick tires at ~70-80psi would be an interesting test.

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

@@rygilly32 woudl kind defeat the "Gravel" part of the bike wouldn't it. gravel bikes run fat tires. one could choose a hard gravel tire with less nobs

[@rygilly32]

@@Daniel-dj7fh You are absolutely right, it really wouldn't be a "gravel" bike at that point, if the rules of the game are such. I guess I was thinking in terms deviation from what is standard on a pro race bike, to achieve as much as possible the best of both worlds. It's all relative of course, but in the peloton 36mm tires will probably look pretty fat. 😉

[@rrobotman]

I was looking forward to Connor racing the entire course twice - but no we got 2x4km of the fastest man in GCN livery. 👍 special!

[@paullubbers939]

More Roubaix contents.. More more moooore!!!

[@markmitchenall5948]

Smoother tyres and a double-chainring with closer ratios maybe help on the gravel bike too? Great contribution as always, Connor!

[@hiddenrob6289]

Lets be honest we all love cycling videos this is just what I need to get it going the blood I love it. I always watch these before I go out and get my body moving. I love when I always watch one of these, and then put up my heavy playlist I love like Delta Parole and then I just go haaaaard!!!! Tactic hasnt let me down yet.

[@lcdc27]

Sort the right tyres out and look at the gearing it could be closer.

[@fast.biking_freddy]

Probably could run a 48 front chainring on the Grail and be better off

[@TheSqueak99]

Frederic A. Truslow Sure you’d be best running same gearing as the road bike. Then you would have continuity

[@cadaver1ne635]

Put a 42/53 crankset on the both bikes and some slick tires also, would be a better test

[@cadaver1ne635]

@@XX-is7ps yes that's true, but it would be a better test if they have the same cranks on both bikes. 53 on the page and the 42 on the cobbles

[@cadaver1ne635]

@@XX-is7ps well they wanted to know what's fastest.😂😂😂 I run this set crankset up with 30mm tires and it's works for me.

[@caesarianboii8060]

Man, with that bike of yours, I won't be able to reach the ground with my feet even if I sit on the toptube 🤣

[@jacgn_cycling]

Spinergy in the background. Love them!

[@kpj9176]

Very thankful for all the former professionals on GCN. So talented, informative, and humble.

[@Svartez]

i'm loving these Conor on the cobbles videos

[@NolimitsNinja]

Something to consider is that in the peloton the power average will be much lower, so if you're a contender to win, then sitting in you may easily make it to 90km. At which point you will easily take fatigue out of your rivals as draft matters less on the cobbles, as it's the pave itself causing the problems. then later on if you want to attack on a cobbled section... well it's easy. So I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but I think there is a lot more to this one. Loved the video though!

[@rosscads]

Last year I used a gravel bike over a road bike in a "road race with off-road sectors". I tuned the gravel bike towards pavement with 32mm slick tyres and road gearing. As Conor suspected I still got dropped on the paved roads before the first off-road sector. While my lack of legs was the main reason it's also the case that marginal differences in speed can be determinative in racing (just ask Team Sky). If you can't stay with the pack on the road any gravel bike advantage becomes moot, but a fitter rider might fare better provided they can reach the cobbles with the bunch.

[@geoffreyanderson4719]

Foam pipe wrap from plumbing supply is one obvious and cheap fix for hand vibration problem instead of expensive parts like exotic carbon handlebars. Used pipe wrap as a kid on my bmx bike.

[@Jim-ub9qy]

I would do the test one more time only this time lead out with the gravel bike and follow with the road bike. That way you have an equal comparison. It doesn't really matter though because none of us often ride on cobbles. That being said, I still enjoyed the comparison and all of your comments. Very well done.

[@user-yn5sk5ru5g]

"easier"...or less brutal? Only way to make Paris-Roubaix easy is to watch it on the TV.

[@sepg5084]

Easier does not mean easy

[@TheSlurpeeMan]

I am curious whether a more competition-oriented gravel bike (such as the 3T Exploro or the Cervelo Aspero) would widen that gap. You would likely lose most of the advantage in comfort from the Grail, but you could gain that back by running either 38c or 42c tires. Also, were you running clincher or tubeless?

[@bernardo9202]

the new trek cx boone would obliterate those imo, also the domane is the best bike to the cobles with the isospeed

[@chrisnelson5770]

Fun video! Paris Roubaix is on my list of rides to do and I've thought a lot about the right bike for *me* ... I know the right bike for the pros, is a road bike. OTOH, as a fan of riding endurance and ultra gravel races, I've learned staying comfortable on the bike is more important that being "fast". Bike-handling skills are not my strong suit, so get tires and bike that keep me comfortable is the key to successful long rides on rough roads. I would ride my Breezer Radar Pro with 700x45 Riddlers, and I will be happy to finish the course without worrying about being the fastest ... 'cause I know the fastest riders will have already enjoyed a shower, burger, and beer (or 3) before I find the finish line.

[@HenryAshman]

Biggest difference is probably going to be aero, so maybe grab a gravel "race bike" like the cervelo aspero, slap some 35-40mm slick tyres on a pair of 30-50mm deep, but wide rims and have another crack. 😉

[@derekhartloper11]

Another great GCN test! I would for sure ride the more compliant gravel bike. I noticed on both segments, your power was lower on the gravel bike. I wonder why, and how close the results would be if your power had been equal?

[@mattansell8275]

Bought a gravel bike 6 months ago and have never looked back. Road bikes are great on smooth tarmac, but the roads around here are about as smooth as a cheese grater and there are more towpaths and cycle tracks than you can shake a stick at which are unsuitable for road bikes but perfect for gravel bikes. All depends on your personal needs.

[@graemegallagher4481]

Did Matt not do a similar video comparing cross and xc bikes a few years ago?

[@carlmullender2941]

Not quite, they used same bike with different tyre widths

[@joeinglesfield7446]

Pretty sure he did and the conclusion was a hard tail would be the quickest

[@fukav1am]

@@joeinglesfield7446 Yes, but only on that single 5 star sector. Not in the less brutal sectors and certainly not on the road.

[@iimmolarious7636]

Did the paris roubaix sportive on my cx bike a few years ago. I was struggling on the pavement, but on the cobbles I could overtake loads of people and didn't have a single puncture or other problems with my bike. I was really happy with my bike choice to say the least.

[@kingprone7846]

what tires did you run?

[@iimmolarious7636]

@@kingprone7846 Sorry for the late reply, did it on the challenge limus not the best choice. I did paris roubaix again this year on the challenge gravel grinders, those tires were really good on the wet cobbles

[@kingprone7846]

@@iimmolarious7636 ive been trying a few tires as well and nothing beats the Cyclocross Speeds on pavement. they arent available anymore but Continental now makes a tire called Terra Speed which seems to have similar properties even though it looks different. maybe worth a try if you do a lot of mixed street/gravel.

[@iimmolarious7636]

@@kingprone7846 I have the continental speed king tires and I love those tires they are super fast on the pavement, but I sold my cx bike and got a gravel bike and they don't fit in my frame. I signed up for paris roubaix next year again, not sure yet if I'm gonna use my gravel grinders again or look for something faster.

[@kingprone7846]

​@@iimmolarious7636 the continental speed kings are very old tires and they are terrible on pavement. we used to call them "the glue" because you turn around everytime you accelerate to see what glues you to the road. They have some weird profile which essentially is designed for extramuddy CX courses and pretty much nothing else. Id strongly suggest you switch to something else if you do gravel+street. most people who used to have them like 13 years ago (when there wasnt much choice for gravel-style tires as gravelriding didnt exist) bought them by accident because they thought they bought the CX speeds.

[@zoufmalade]

Slicker tyres, deeper section wheels, and better thought gearing would make a huge difference and may see the gravel bike getting closer to the road bike

[@zoufmalade]

@@XX-is7ps I was thinking about that while writing the comment. But you still keep the frame, this double decker bar, and a one by setup. This would still give more confort than a traditional road bike

[@leoschlembach7138]

Don't forget the fact that the first part is riden in peloton and that therefore you can take an advantage of wind protection by other riders. I wouldn't be surprised that the gravel bike is still fast enough to stay in the peloton. And when you arrive to the tranchée d'aremberg, you can produce your effort. You can also keep in mind that between the cobbled sections, the riders usually try to slow down a little bit to recover from the brutal effort they did on the cobbles. So definitively, I would choose the gravel bike!

[@bionique123]

maybe use a slick or a file tread on the gravel bike. Knoby tire can sap a lot of speed

[@Difdauf]

An other thing you forget is that in the end of paris roubaix, the last two sectors are really minors. The last hard sector "carrefour de l'arbre" is 15 km away from the end. The end is 6 kilometers of straight avenue with a finish in the velodrome. You abolutely don't want to be with a less performant bike when you get there and you can't change your bike at this point.

[@thedudeinthehat]

What was the tire size on each bike? Probably a 35 MM less grippy( say schwalbe all road) on the Grail would give a better account of itself on both the cobbles and the road. The stock grail wheels are really designed for hitting the trails and forest. Still a great idea for a video and i think highlights that Gravel Bikes arent out to win bike races. It would be great to see some pro races with a transition element ( Road Bike for a lead in to a climb and then to the top, followed by a gravel bike for downhill trails/forest roads) Opens up a lot of the Grand Tour Climbs also by adding new connecting roads out of vallies.

[@ricky7396]

That Orbea is stunning.

[@cyclenutter2715]

Great vid guys! One of my favourite so far :)

[@humbertoleandro896]

Good video Connor. Since I’m not a pro and would not be racing I’d take the gravel bike myself, no question about it.

[@geoffreyanderson4719]

Rules are more permissive for gravel racing. You could have used smooth but soft gravel tires for lower friction and better aero than knobby treads. Aero bars are also permitted in gravel racing, and why not a proper aero helmet too? BIG THANKS in any case for showing us some good consistent riding at the pro level, to calibrate these tests. Now we know: 3km/h is the difference, for both smooth pavement and cobbles, for knobby gravel tires (what size and psi did you use???) vs 28c smooth road tires. Then extrapolating by weighting the parts to get a total for a given race, as you demonstrated, is a very good estimation. Thanks for this data!

[@johnbgoode3]

Just as others commented, a true comparison would have been using a less aggressive tire on the Grail, such as the Panaracer Gravel King as it is close to a road tire. This would help negate the road bike advantage on the paved road and still provide benefit on the cobbles with more tire volumn and compliance of the gravel bike.

[@melbournecyclingsegments7510]

Since everybody criticises my testing videos, I'll do the same here. It would've been more conclusive to ride 2km of asphalt and then the cobbles on each bike in one shot. Interesting video though

[@HaveFunBikes]

Surely something between would be optimised. Gravel bike, slick large volume tire running tubeless, road groupset with clutch RD. By looking the sketchiness of the road bike on the wet cobbles, I suggest getting some gravel bike with MTB geometry. Would be a lot morer composed on the road too.

[@aliensporebomb]

I heard the Grail was designed around 40mm tires - perhaps a little narrower 38mm or even slightly less than that would give you slightly better speed. There could be a perfect balance of sure-footedness over the cobbles and speed. Nevertheless, a very interesting challenge! As for me, riding a road bike on those cobbles would have some historical resonance but a gravel bike might be more in tune with my body and less likely to keel over.

[@mathymaven7883]

If I had to choose one of these two bikes, it would be the gravel bike. I might not win, (unless it was a wet muddy race), but I definitely would reach the velodrome in Roubaix, and feeling a lot better for the wear.

[@Bliksem225]

I think the S-Works Roubaix or Trek Domane or some similar specific Roubaix bike with 32mm tubular tires is the best choice! It is not slower (or maybe just a little bit slower) on the paved road but it will be a lot faster on the cobbles!

[@TryboBike]

3:19 - Your Canyon has its front rotor backwards.

[@fast.biking_freddy]

Bruh moment

[@GorhamP]

Trybo Bike Tech duuude, for real?

[@gamby16a]

1992-94. Rockshox Ruby forks on Roubaix race bikes. Stone age gravel bikes that won.

[@rogerwalker-arnott6195]

Good test, but you could have gone for a Canyon Grail with a bit more of a similar spec. Both the top end grail bikes come with DT Swiss GRC1400 Spline db wheels - which are a lot more aero than the ones you used. Would have saved time on both the cobbles and the paved sections and made for a much closer test! Some slick (but wide) tyres would also have helped - but I can see why you kept the gravel bike with typical gravel tyres for the purposes of this test.

[@navsvarigi]

1:48 From now on I think that size XXL bikes are starting to look better than smol ones. Would cut steam tho! Not only because I'm 195+cm.

[@johns3106]

There have been many experiments over the years, from suspension forks in the early 90's, to Mueseuw's full suspension Bianchi in the mid-90's to pseudo-cyclo-cross bikes in the early 00's. When all is said and done,the pros keep returning to pretty basic road bikes (maybe with a FEW small modifications) so that should tell us all something about what works best for them!

[@marksmith566]

Guys this is not a serious scientific experiment, it’s an entrainment video using what the sponsors supplied! It did it’s job 👍 on a side note, I will never love those Canyon bars and the sooner they’re fazed out the better. Personally I prefer a compact 2x on my gravel bike and a 1x on my MTB

[@mrvwbug4423]

If you're not racing and just riding it to ride it, seems like the gravel bike is going to be more comfortable and more confident on the cobbles, and perfectly efficient on the road for most cyclists. Would be interesting to test a few more bikes like this. I wonder how the Specialized Roubaix would do, it was literally designed for this and has the suspension in the headset that may make it nearly as fast as the gravel bike on the cobbles (especially with 32c tires), it should still be faster than any gravel bike on pavement. Another interesting bike to test would be the Niner MCR, it is a full suspension gravel bike, I wonder how much faster it would be on the cobbles than a rigid gravel bike, it might not even be much slower on the pavement with the lockout engaged.

[@julmeissonnier]

What is amazing is that the 2019 winning time was 5h58, so an ex-pro putting 400W for 2 minutes sections and extrapolating 100 times to a longer race still ends up with a total time almost an hour slower than the real winning time (I know they are drafting, but it is still 257Km not 2Km). First, that shows how fast they go, at that speed the gravel bike does not stand a chance to keep up with road bikes. Second, the faster they go the better the road bike gets and going over the pave sections at 45 Km/h or 50Km/h, is much smoother than at 31Km/h (if you can stay up that is) that's why every pave section is like a long sprint and why the race is so hard. Third imagine the gravel bike miraculously makes it to the velodrome in the lead group it stands no chance in a sprint and nobody care to suffer that much for 6 hours to finish second, third or fourth...

[@kingprone7846]

i think you underestimate the power needed when you are drafting. A rider who can cycle at 30km/h solo can easily cycle at 40kmh in a peleton.

[@lechprotean]

I thought that smashing an average of 370-400Watts straight for well over 6 hours is a bit optimistic, even for the pros... and hen I looked up results from last year and just wow. Winning time 5:41, avg speed 45km/h just wow.

[@florenceetalexismartel8365]

I did the Paris-Roubaix challenge last year, with a normal road bike. I remember: 1) I was very jalous of the guys with gravel bikes ,2) I've been dropped by a mtb on the 'forêt d'Aremberg' 😂

[@HkFinn83]

Haven’t a lot of riders over the years used cyclocross bikes? I seem to remember Lars Boom sporting some cantilever brakes on his rubaix set up.

[@awesomesloppyjoe]

My next gravel bike(maybe new diverge 2021 god bless) gets the wtb exposure in 36mm for road and light gravel. Right now i am running the wtb exposure on my 2017 diverge expert and love it so far.

[@brianr6387]

Great experiment and video Connor! For me personally I would definitely need to change bikes for the cobbles as my poor old bones wouldn't be able to cope with these brutal cobbles!! Lol

[@ruffrydazz2032]

I think the key here is to find something that does both fairly well like a 33c tubular with a file or no tread. It would roll almost as fast on tarmac but offer some really help on the pave.

[@TJonesMTB]

These videos are always hard because the gravel bike could definitely be modded to optimize it’s performance whereas the road bike is already pretty close to max in terms of optimization for this particular situation. Gravel bike could have a 2x drivetrain, slicker and slightly thinner tires(32c?), some deeper aero wheels and the gap to the road bike would decline quickly. Interesting results though and would be interesting to see further testing.

[@jevgeniardassov]

You can put more aero wheels on a gravel bike as on the road bike, that would certainly help.

[@jozephsky]

My mate Luke did it on a Boone! Personally, if I was going to have a go I wouldn't be in it to win but just to have a go and enjoy the experience, so the extra comfort of my Checkpoint SL5 (maybe with some super lightweight wheels and tyres) would be my weapon of choice. Comfort all the way!

[@collectorguy4379]

Considering you rode the gravel bike both times second too!

[@frazergoodwin4945]

Tire choice on the gravel bike could change things. A less aggresively knobbly shod tire such as a Specialized Pathfinder or WTB ByWay may have much lower rolling resistance on tarmac and so close the gap to the road bike potentially sufficiently to be able to stay in the peleton...

[@MarcoBovo]

I think that a better choice of tread for the gravel tires would have made the difference. Slick gravel tires are quite faster on the smooth and still give you a good cushion on the rough.

[@philmurphy6477]

Maybe not a representative sample over so short a distance riding but power output is consistently higher on the road bike, probably because of the slightly less relaxed riding position on the road bike. Wider tyres, slightly less knobbly might be the ideal combination.

[@eugenem.9428]

This vid brought all the experts out 🙄

[@DrewKime]

Put a whole team on gravel bikes, sharing the work, and getting dropped from the peleton is less of an issue. I'm picturing a train coming out of nowhere, flying over the cobbles past everyone, then trying to hang on to the end. Just like Rudy the Rabbit in Meatballs.

[@BangTheRocksTogether]

Wait now. You've ridden the race. You were "grateful just to make it to the end" of a 2 km test ride? The mighty have fallen. Or, have made it to the end... without fallen. The mighty have not fallen... I'm leaving now. Thanks for the vid.

[@mpereirawolf]

Just use small tyres.. 32 or 30 and no tread

[@DriesGntj]

the gap would be a lot smaller if the gravel bike had fat slick tires instead of knobbies

[@DriesGntj]

@@XX-is7ps Paris Roubaix is not a gravel race... The point is to show that fatter tires are faster on rough roads. Knobbies are for riding off road, which is not part op Paris Roubaix

[@DriesGntj]

@@XX-is7ps i'm just giving an idea for an interesting test.... Don't you have anything to do on a sunday instead of arguing with strangers on the internet about things that aren't even an issue?

[@jackronald3591]

Great video, those cobbles look brutal. Broke my femur once on a FLAT road. Conclusion was good and besides the pro race neutral support only carry road gear.

[@peterliljebladh]

1. What is the difference between a roadbike and a gravelbike these days when the both have discbrakes, fat tires through axles and suspension built into them? 2. What is the definition of a gravelbike? Minimum of 47 mm tires? 1 by system gearing? A 50 tooth cassette at the rear? 3. I think a roadbike with norrow(er) tires will always be faster on a course like this as long as you manage to stay upright and doesn't have too many flats. However if the composition between paved/cobbled sections is altered it might be another story.

[@JonFairhurst]

The Orbea OMX is spec’d to take 32mm tires. I think we have our answer. ;)

[@tOmzz4video]

Better choice of tyre for a gravel bike would've dropped the gap to a negligible percentage. Plus should've done few more sections of paved and cobbles to make the comparison better. But that's the argument for basically every 'experiment' on GCN :D

[@krisjones74]

Great video, as usual. One comment about the methodology: you could have made the results more relavent by putting tires with similar style and construction as the road bike on the gravel bike. Some lightweight 700x38 or so slicks, like Grand Bois Barlow Pass, and maybe even aero wheels... or put non-aero wheels on the road bike. Anyhoo, very enjoyable video. Thanks 1,000,000

[@kennedystuart5685]

Very cool video....truly enjoyed this....awesome work....keep.up the great job.👍🇨🇦

[@DavidMartin-tk4fs]

You can see how hard those cobbles are, his wahoo has wilted! 9:50. 😅

[@gcn]

The Wahoo definitely dances around a lot!

[@jackbutterworth9393]

In a sprint scenario at the end of the race, the road bike wipes its feet on the gravel bike.

[@andrew7taylor]

No one to sprint against if the gravel bike got away on the cobbles...