Gravel Bikers & Mountain Bikers - Can They Be Friends?

This video contains a paid product placement for Canyon.
Joe and Reuben ride together a lot, but usually they're just doing hill-reps or riding a set route at an event. We sorted them out with two very different bikes, and set them the challenge of coming up with a route that'd be satisfying for both. Here's what happened...

[@michaelschlechter9272]

I have a gravel bike and a full suspension mountain bike. I no longer bother with a road bike. It is the perfect combo for me. My gravel bike can do a road ride, rail trail, easy single track. The full suspension does everything else I might want to do. Why not just enjoy the ride and worry less about the this versus that?

[@Bokuma01]

My thoughts on the Grail: 1) 50/34 is incorrect for offroad. My Topstone came with a 46/30 which I assumed I would change for a 50/34 but having actually ridden steep off-road climbs it's completely needed and the 46-11 is sufficient top end for 95% of the time. 2) It looks set up too aggressively to be able to ride in the drops and still have good control/weight distribution. Maybe that is why Joe wasn't using the drops very much on those trials as he should have been.

[@jbratt]

Did that crooked computer mess with anyone else’s OCD?

[@josephfarrugia2350]

Lessons learnt from video: 1x suck, get x2 (double) crankset for versatility, even on a MTB A gravel bike needs a large range cassette & compact or sub-compact chainrings (again, not 1x).

[@ericoschmitt]

My gravel bike has 46/34/24 and that gives me proper gear range. I'd get 22 granny if the BCD allowed, and for most occasions the 46x12 top gear is pretty useless.

[@josephfarrugia2350]

Yep a triple chainring setup (blasphemy to many people nowadays) would be the ideal setup. Congrats on the setup, triple is ideal, as it also allows you to use closely spaced cog gears on the cassette, not the wild jumps we have today. The 46/12 would be useful only on smooth road, on your ride to the gavel section; or for your gravel bike to double up as a bike to use on smooth tarmac too.

[@dannybeeh6332]

Érico Schmitt 46x12 would make the long downhills on road a breeze, and sprinting on flat when you only got a few minutes to do a day’s worth of exercise.

[@dannybeeh6332]

Joseph Farrugia Personally, I think a single speed on a mountain bike is perfectly fine. I have ridden 3x, 2x and 1x, and I can tell you, with 500% range on the 1x, losing three or four kph on the road descents is more than good enough of a trade off for up for zero dropped chains and ultrafast shirting, as well as the option to go from a descending gear to a climbing gear in a second or two.

[@ericoschmitt]

I have used 46x12 a few times, but I don't really "need" that gear, as this is not a racing bike. I have sprinted on the top gear on the flats and used it, also on some paved downhills, so it doesn't hurt having it, but I'd rather have a cassette starting at 13t for another middle cog. My cassette is currently a 10s 12-36 that I was using in the previous road bike (50/34x12-36), it was quite new so I'm keeping it for a while. I planned using a 12-27 for the tight shifts, thinking 24x27 was plenty low (even though I knew my 2.35" shwalbe G-One's make the gear ratios 8,5% higher than road tires), but after building the bike and hitting some steep dirt climbs, I found use for the bottom 24x36 gear! I may still get the 12-27 and keep both cassettes for different occasions, As I really dislike not having 14 and 16 cogs. About the bike setup: I moved the derailleurs and right 6600 shifter to this gravel bike, and found a NOS 6603 left shifter(!!!), made it work with an old FSA octalink v2 carbon crankset I found on Poland ebay that has 110/74 BCD spider and came with 46/34/24 rings, and the FD is a double 6600 that I drilled and milled the limiters and everything in the way until it shifted 3 chainrings... Quite an workaround, no? RD is an NOS Deore 9s low normal (I loved low normal reverse shifting!!!), perfectly compatible with 10s STI. Frame is custom steel that I designed in BikeCAD and was built by Spino Bikes from Brazil to my specs. Fork is some chinese carbon for 26" wheels, but theels are 29", and Schwalbe G-One Liteskin (non tubeless, setup tubeless) 60mm tires, they clear both the sides and the crown of the fork by some 9mm, looks quite nice, better then those long 29er forks. Nothing on the bike is meant to be light, but it's not heavy for such a bike: 11kg spot on with 5 (yes, five) alloy bottle cages (also a custom request). The whole bike was built around the tires, since I found about them at bicyclerollingresistance.com, they are set up with 80ml of Caffelatex sealant, and MAN THEY FLY!!! They let me ride on par with road bikes at group rides with this bike (built a couple weeks ago). I can keep 35kph on paved roads with about the same effort, and I'm riding 29/32 psi! It's ridiculously confortable. And then, same bike, I can hit the dirt anytime. Totally recommended! I've posted some crappy pics after building here: www.strava.com/activities/1826070693

[@nobrains8359]

Great video!! I very much appreciate this idea and presentation. Please continue to show more compare and contrast videos like this. I'm a one bike to rule them all kind of guy. Gravel bike for the win!!

[@kevp68]

Great vid for a comparison. I'd like to see this again with the gravel bike using a sub compact crank & 650b wheels with some chunkeir tyres. This would probably bring both the bikes abilities closer to each other

[@Az0rau]

You guys are my favourite BikeRadar presenters. Always awesome quality content. Well done lads!

[@isaidgooddaysir2585]

I like road bikes and mountain bikes.. does that make me a bi-cyclist?

[@peglor]

Do you weigh the same as a duck?

[@patrick1978maas]

@@peglor Nah, he's made of wood!

[@iorwerthwilliams8423]

awesome! funny watching this as i live here and ride all the same trails and roads as you!

[@TwoWheelWarrior]

Drop bar mountain bikes like the Salsa Fargo and Salsa Cutthroat would be the superior choice for a day out like that. But oh yeah. Canyon doesn't make those...

[@kingprone7846]

drop bar mountain bikes are just gravel bikes really. Suspension isn't really needed on such light terrain and tire width is a personal choice. I used to ride my cyclocross bike a lot in the 2000s in light forrest terrain with mountain bikers. They'd have to work much harder than me. That was before Gravel biking was a thing. One day one of the mountain bikers presented a little project hes been working on. He removed the suspension from one of his mountain bikes and added slightly more narrow tires (I think 45mm or so). At that point our speeds became much more even and I was only slightly faster when I could get a bit more aero on my bike i.e. above 35kmh or so which you don't really hit on trails anyway. If you would add a drop bar to that youd get essentially a gravel bike.

[@chris_noswe]

@@kingprone7846 And in the mid 80's the drop bar MTB was born and the serious "gravel bikes" (or adventure bikes rather) look just like those nowadays, but with a much nicer design ofc.

[@stephenjeffreys4219]

Great video - Would the gravel bike have performed better if the heroic gearing had been modified to have a 40 tooth low gear for the climbs? Its certainly the way I am going as my 105 groupset is not suited for North Wales terrain

[@Paddyhudson]

The manufacturers are speccing all the gravel bikes wrong, I don't think they understand how much more effort a steep climb takes on gravel.

[@kingprone7846]

wider tires would have helped him more tbh.

[@tecnociclista5342]

Great video as always. makes me want to go to Wales now (those fire roads!)...I only have a CX bike, so it'll have to be that but I am sure it would be just as much fun as you had with the Gravel and XC bikes :)

[@fastandcurious]

650b Compass, 1x groupset and a Lauf fork on the Grail, or dropbar, slightly more Roady gearing and 650b Compass on the XC...

[@guzziben]

I’ve got a Lauf TR 29 on CX frame for my gravel whip. It’s smooth!

[@oreocarlton3343]

Gravel is a gateway drug.

[@NotingIsWhatItSeems]

Honestly just stick dropbars on a full sus xc bike and call it the ultimate gravel bike.

[@buzzman4860]

It's called Cannondale Slate

[@timtdd5035]

Or just buy the open u.p.p.e.r

[@th_js]

Geometry.

[@oreocarlton3343]

What is geometry.

[@michaelschlechter9272]

or get a Cannondale Slate - light travel up front, but oddly fun and versatile .

[@velo1337]

as someone who rides both, i can say it pretty much comes down to which tires you put on what bike, given the same tires the gravel bike is only a little bit faster than the xc bike, however the xc bike can still handle much more rocks. however my merida silex 7000 is way closer to a standard road bike to a mountainbike. TLDR a gravel bike is more like a "road+ bike" than a mtb

[@DasRightfortyforfo]

Exactly this. As someone who also has a road, gravel, xc, and enduro bike the gravel bike is much closer to road+ than my xc bike. I have my gravel bike set up with 650b x 1.9 tires to get the most out of it, but even then it is nowhere close to riding my fs xc bike.

[@thesphyrth]

It's pretty much a given that Gravel Bikes are offroad-durable Road Bikes. Although I can't differentiate between a Gravel Bike and Cyclocross in terms of fundamental capabilities. All I know is that one is intended for commuting while the other is for sports.

[@DasRightfortyforfo]

There are gravel races so they are far from just commuters. I think the main differences come down to versatility and comfort. Cross races are short hard efforts so comfort is going to be sacrificed at the expense of speed. A gravel bike probably has larger tires that will absorb more chatter. Further gravel bikes likely have more mounts for bottles etc. Most cross bikes have zero bottle mounts as it isn't something most racers use. So more mounts to hold stuff certainly make them more capable for what you can do on them. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJK1dHh_rbtsgsU

[@cameirusisu1024]

pretty much, a gravel bike is really an all road bike....whereas a MTB is offroad. people expect one bike to do everything well, it wont. Specialist bikes will always do better in their genre, but a gravel bike lets you do ok in more areas than a specialist bike. it depends what you value, pure ability or versatility in where you can ride.

[@kingprone7846]

exactly. This whole "gravel is faster than mtb" comes from when the average mountainbike was 15kg and you had to haul all this weight up the hill while having a really fluffy suspension you could not disable/switch off. The drop bar is nice but won't make a speed difference below 35kmh.

[@tonystanley978]

This video really shows up the gap in the gearing market for an STI product with sub-compact double and wide ranging MTB cassette. Something like a 46-30 or 44-28 with a 11-40 cassette on the gravel bike would have made those steep climbs much easier and had negligible impact on the tarmac descents.

[@brianantnssn5177]

Tony Stanley it’s called a cyclocross crank, it’s already there. Honestly, cyclocross gearing on the gravel bike and xt 22 speed on the xc bike, would make this video void.

[@tonystanley978]

My understanding is that a CX crank is 46-36 meaning that its smallest chainring is bigger than on the road compact he was using. Also STI levers can't control MTB derailleurs without cable pull adjusters that aren't reliable enough for rough terrain. The biggest XT double is a 38-28 so would only have a highest gear of 38/11 which is smaller than the 36/10 that was used.

[@brianantnssn5177]

@@tonystanley978 there are some 32 inner ring options, not from shimano though.

[@brianantnssn5177]

You're right on the xc but, you could go sram rear derailleur on a xt crank, they'd probably play nice. (just assuming tho)

[@steventrott8714]

FSA has an adventure crank, 46-30, which is the purrrrfect sub-compact, and this is about the only big name with that size. (but whats with the 120x90bcd?!?!?) White industries has one, but its $$$$ and square taper. Cranks have always been way to big, even fitness-pace road bikers don't benefit from a 50t chainring.

[@richardhaskayne4907]

I rode Gritfest 2018 on a MTB, there was very little tarmac involved. The biggest difference I noticed was the number of punctures that the gravel bikes were picking up compared with the MTBs. Some of the riders were reporting six or seven punctures in a 90 km day.

[@barefeg]

It's unfair to compare a high level athlete with a weekend warrior at most, doesn't matter the bike

[@MrJonas2255]

Are you talking about the presenters? Because I think they're pretty similar riders

[@barefeg]

@@MrJonas2255 i don't think so the xc guy is a heavy hitter in the UK climbing races

[@peglor]

It's always the rider, not the bike... Picking the right bike for the use you give it makes things more enjoyable and the bike more reliable though. Unless you use a MTB for road, in which case it will last longer since the drivetrain and brakes aren't being fed grinding paste disguised as mud on every spin, but you'll go a lot slower - not unlike all the people in SUV's on the road come to think of it :-P.

[@kingprone7846]

yeah, i routinely go mountain biking on my cyclocross bike and overtake all the mountainbikers. That's not because of my amazing bike, I'd probably be even faster on a mtb lol.

[@Vanadium]

peglor I agree to the rider aspect but still there are hard limits to the bike. A good amature would win a race on the DH bike on the DH world cup track against a Pro when the pro got the 120mm travel FS super light bike and the amature who is good gets the DH rig. Now switch to the EWS the Pro with the DH rig would lose against a fit and good amature who is riding the Enduro bike. Now jump to the XC course where the pro would use the Enduro bike against the XC amature, also the pro would lose. All Pros would lose if the descent is packed with fast hits in a high frequency and they only had a HT vs the FS for the fit amature.

[@Protomanbeawsome]

I’m in love with those handlebars

[@izzypop4005]

mee too! It is fknly useful!

[@fignons_missing_8sec4]

I think you misspelled hate.

[@Zombie_FrieZ]

Couldnt make the decision between a gravel bike or a mtb. I chose the Kona Sutra LTD, to me the best of both worlds, especially with a 29x2.3 tire :). Love the vid!

[@prescottdirtmerchant7996]

Enjoyed the edit. Can't help but think a better comparison would be gravel to hardtail mtb, also if you set up the gravel bike proper with 650b's and 2" tires the gap closes between the two bikes even more, no reason in my mind why a double chain ring up front should be at a disadvantage climbing, with the exception of traction, again larger tires will even the play field, a little draggy on the road though.

[@treyquattro]

excellent video, guys! BR is really going to miss Reuben.

[@Paddyhudson]

Almost every Gravel Bike on the market is over-geared. the 1X bikes should be running 40T or 38T on the chainring and the doubles should be subcompacts at least.

[@geo6111]

Agreed. My ideal gravel bike gearing is a 46/30 front and an 11-34 out back.

[@berndkiltz]

My Diverge is 40 in front and 11 to 40 on the Back - perfect. Though next time I probably would stick the SRAM 10-42 on the back. I dont need the 40 often but when I need it I otherwise would have walked ;)

[@brendonnoble3296]

Depends where you live, and if you really need to pedal up to 60kph. Personally I like to freewheel and recover on the descents.

[@cameirusisu1024]

I run a gravel bike with a 1x drivetrain, I swap out the chainring between 38, 40 and 44 depending on what I am riding, with a 10-42 cassette thats plenty, sure you are tailoring to the ride where you get more versatility on a 2x, but I've yet to drop a chain on my 1x.....

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

Why? They're not meant exclusively for climbing. Adventure touring or weekend rides with a 38T x 12T on flats will be exasperating. And discouragingly slow.

[@alexpowell4757]

Did Reubz even use the tops of those special grav bars?

[@doomslayer5191]

The bike I've been using everyday is my Trek 3500 Volt Green Bontrager 26 tires. A bit big but meh. Wish I could go a bit faster on the flat roads. I feel so slow

[@ScoutJoe]

maybe change your tires to slick ones for faster and less rolling resistance

[@realistic67]

Even in Europe, Gravel bikes seem to be boutique in use .. single track looks like a nightmare for a gravel bike … And UK fire roads are so civilized in comparison to BC’s NS fire roads . The more Gravel vs XC shoot offs I watch. Make me think I’ll just trick out my old Stump Jumper HT and my FS specialized Epic with new kit for the same price as a good gravel bike.

[@brettoau84]

Strange that in a paid ad, Canyon couldn’t stump up more than the bottom of the range Grail 7.0 which doesn’t even had the flex seatpost. Meanwhile I assume the XC bike was the top of the range?

[@joachimmacdonald2702]

Finally something that isn’t just gRaVeL bIkE vS MoUnTaIn bIkE wHo WiLl wIn

[@JbtSveZauzeto1]

I think people should really stop splitting cycling into million different categories.

[@kingprone7846]

there arent that many and they all have their place.

[@code3xiv]

The more groups. The more money they make. Its all planned.

[@bilibiliism]

if you dont like choice, go to communist countries where you have only one choice.

[@barryscott1989]

@@bilibiliism bikes are banned in communist regimes

[@ulydoingthings]

That gravel bike definitely needs a dropper post and 1x12 😂

[@seancolwell3815]

Still love my hardtail with 3 x 9 gearing. Back in the day John Tomac raced a Yeti with drop bars and full rigid.

[@johnwheels89]

I love hardtails been riding my rockhopper pro like crazy lately lol

[@theylivewesee1674]

I feel like the gravel bike is most suitable for long stretch roads with smooth gravel, anything with tougher gravel, single trail, small hills and numerous corners will be more suitable for mtb

[@jarvisgarcia2035]

I've never heard of a "gravel" bike before seeing this video. I'm mainly a bike commuter and my Trek Cross Rip LTD seems to do ok with 35mm tires on the road and some local trails here in Idaho. I do wish sometimes for bigger tires when I ride on trails closer to the river since those rocks are huge and will loosen your eyeballs.

[@shawnprice1709]

Great video and awesome bikes but I will never buy a Canyon bike until they change their trainer stance (not allowing people to use their bikes on a trainer without voiding the warranty). I do love Canyon but come on it is 2018 not 1990.

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

Beautiful bikes. I happen to like the softtail (resembles the Trek Fuel EX -series) a tad more, but both are quite nice, indeed. I'm also a big fan of integrated stems, but I do prefer Look's frame geometry more than Canyon's gravel bikes'. Upon the other hand, the double drop bars are an excellent idea, especially for touring: sufficient space for a bar bag, a GPS unit / smartphone, a headlight and a wider range of hand positions… I have 4 bikes (and have had a few more, sold by now) - a Titus FTM Carbon 2010, a Cannondale Caffeine F1 with a Lefty fork, a GoCycle GS for short city rides (i.e., shopping), a Dahon Anni Versa - but keep yearning for more. Lament Look's decision to ditch the production of the Look 927. Would love to have all the integrated stem model Looks, both cross-country and road, a few of the best of Canyons, Trek, an Accent Feral (one of the most beautiful carbon gravel bikes with eyelets for racks and mudguards) for touring; a BombTrack Hook EXT C (also a carbon model with mudguard and rack eyelets), a Fuji Jari Carbon 1.3, some Storck, Focus, Ghost, Norcos and a few dozens of more… The advent of beautiful electric bikes (read: Focus Project Y, Mondraker E-Prime carbon, etc.) adds to the obsession (well, at least the HaiBike e-bikes are so butt-ugly they don't inspire a desire to procure one! It is beyond Me that anyone would like to buy those hideous broken-frame-design things). Addictive endeavour…

[@drusauza8291]

The mountain biker was never tired.

[@henrikmettler5187]

Really wanted to watch the video, but I was scared that I would poke my eyes out with a fork when seeing that grail handlebar

[@gulfcitynd]

Of course you can have a road bike and a mtb as well both are fun and have their uses

[@ratoneJR]

A MTB with wide range gearing plus suspension lockouts front and back and call it a day.

[@plantfuelled8912]

I like any bike and rider PROVIDED they don't have an electric motor.

[@jonpoon3896]

Why not hardtail xc bike with 650B gravel bike

[@buzzman4860]

Hope you guys live happily ever after

[@steve8547]

Meht I think you're missing the point of what a gravel bike is..

[@bobmajew53]

My gravel bike has a suspension seatpost and a suspension stem. I didn't add the stem until recently and it really is comfortable, I was holding off because it was a newer product but it works the same way a ThudBuster does with a urethane puck. My gravel bike also has a 26-39 crank with an 11-32 cassette, I don't think Road gears belong on a gravel cruncher.

[@peglor]

Suspension stems - nice to see products that failed in the 1990s coming back :-P...

[@bobmajew53]

@@peglor A great add-on. I waited a couple years as elbows work, but I'm 62 and enjoy some comfort goodies. if you enjoy your ride you'll be out much longer.

[@peglor]

Truth :-D... I'm coming at this from the MTB side, so I'm well used to suspension, but I learned on rigid bikes with narrower tyres than some modern gravel bikes come with. Also I suspect modern suspension stems don't develop masses of slop after the first few spins like the 1990's ones i saw (And couldn't afford :-P).

[@zachstillman]

it'd be real nice if i could get my hands on a lux. still coming soon in the states.

[@bbggakkba]

Would take that XC bike over the gravel regardless of the results

[@s2korpionic]

You wallet won't like it though.

[@neilstoddart00001]

...to add interest to this thread. a few of my xc mates are moving over to rigid front & back carbon mtb's. is this another category? the rigid mtb, its not a road bike, its not a modern sus mtb or are we just throwing back to where it all began in the 80's?!!

[@r.watson9153]

I work at a bike shop in SoCal and for sure this an emerging niche. A couple buddies of mine are both building up rigid fork single speeds on XC hardtail frames. Beautiful if nothing else

[@Paddyhudson]

Doesn't that just become a commuter with stubby tires??

[@sasquatch2267]

a hardtail mtb with drop bars, rigid fork, mtb drivetrain (1x11) and 38t chainring would bridge the gap.

[@LCNismo]

Should have tried 650b on the gravel bike.

[@evanm.2300]

LCNismo I don’t think that Bike lets u ride 650b

[@C.Medina]

Forgot about what the video was about when I saw you guys eating a Bounty chocolate. I don't think they sell those any longer in the states. 😭

[@peglor]

But you get peanut butter M&Ms, so it's not all bad...

[@PuneethBedre]

I wonder if a 50 tooth cassette out in tbe back is a overkill or not.

[@BikeLife154]

bro-mance going on here!

[@robinrai4973]

XC full suspension, skinnier tires, 2 by drivetrain, and dropbars and bam

[@davekelly7165]

Can you do a comparison of a gravel bike vs a cyclocross bike....

[@tacituskilgore8379]

Reuben’s lack of fitness probably did the gravel bike a disservice 👀

[@AngeloDeValPhotos]

I have a road bike, a MTB and I would love to have a gravel bike too, ...and a city bike ...and an Ebike ...and a handbike, pretty everything with bike at the end

[@bikeradar]

But.... If you could only choose one bike, which would you choose?

[@AngeloDeValPhotos]

@@bikeradar maybe a rigid mtb with city tyres

[@bikeradar]

Interesting choice!

[@AngeloDeValPhotos]

@@bikeradar Thanks!

[@trungduyle4192]

I got mtb… now looking for a gravel bike

[@MrTheSkiper]

XC Hardtail for loop like this seems best choice? 🙂

[@cameirusisu1024]

would be nice if there was a link to the route somewhere.

[@monty2078]

Why not add bigger sprockets on the gravel bike?

[@vivoslibertos]

I just wonder what the common Crank Q-factor for Gravel bike? is it narrow like Road Bike or wide like MTB?

[@nunobertolo3928]

bom trabalho! sempre Amigos!

[@sonsofmatriarchy5552]

650b is a thing ya'know Or just 27.5 x 2.00 = 40c-ish

[@noenglish1405]

Can u do a gravel bike vs mountain bike drops and jump edition

[@justenough2326]

Gravel bike saddle looks low which can't have helped the quads.

[@budycelyn]

i ride both, i hope that means i can be friends with myself

[@tomhesse01]

Why? I'mean, to each it's own...Sorry, I really don't get the point

[@sumasaum]

I want a candy bar now =/

[@Richz2]

Have you a route for this ride?

[@PazLeBon]

I admit I CANT HAVE FRIENDS WHO WEAR LYCRA

[@RNicknackpaddywhack]

Not until road cyclists learn to share the road. Double file unless they are impeding traffic. Riding smack in the middle of the lane when there is a clear place for bikes , failing to stop at stop signs and ref lights, failing to signal etc.

[@CitizenShane]

y doze bars tho?

[@rhettkaison3247]

not sure if anyone cares but if you're stoned like me during the covid times then you can watch all of the new movies and series on Instaflixxer. I've been binge watching with my brother lately :)

[@axtonmichael3724]

@Rhett Kaison Definitely, been using InstaFlixxer for months myself :)

[@guzziben]

Add Lauf fork. It’s worth it.

[@thegumball5000]

What shorts is Reuben wearin? lookin comfy!

[@steveb8269]

I was thinking the same!

[@reubenbakker-dyos8561]

They're an older version of Kitsbow's Adjustable shorts. I can attest that they're insanely comfortable.

[@thegumball5000]

Reuben Bakker-Dyos thanks a lot!

[@ozan3076]

They can if they both own Canyon

[@livibam]

Cycling is cycling the rest is just choice

[@tamasvarga67]

For me, gravel bikes are pointless. I don't want to 'survive' riding off road I want to enjoy it and an XC fully is just much better for that. I rather give up some speed on flat, straight, boring sections... but that's just me and we can still be friends.

[@ninaaltschenk7930]

Next step: ultra long full suspencion bike with drop bars and short stem! If you use di2 you can even use xtr gears! And maybe there will be a di2 activated dropper post in the future to make use of the hidden buttons on ultegra and dura ace!

[@tonystanley978]

This would be fantastic if XT/XTR supported a bigger/wider chainset like a 44/28 or 46/30. The current double MTB offerings are too low for a gravel bike.

[@van_demonium]

or do both.

[@bikeradar]

But if you had to choose one style of bike, which would you go for?????

[@polishguywithhardtospellna8227]

The answer to title question is: FUCK NO! ;-p Don't like gravel much, for a long trek the handlebar on a gravel wins, but everything else...why is it better than a trekking? And most importantly if multiposition handlebar is so awesome, then why bar ends disappear, why those disappear and/or not evolved kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmK4knuOodB0ibc and why those didn't set off like crazy www.cyclingabout.com/velo-orange-crazy-bar-review/ and surlybikes.com/parts/handlebars/moloko_bar

[@hobidolap]

what does “1100 m climbing” mean?..

[@haiironezumi]

The total ascent over the course of the ride is 1,100m.

[@hobidolap]

so is it the elevation difference between the two ends?..

[@thatguythatdoesstuff7448]

Yes, it is the total elevation gained during the climb.

[@steventrott8714]

babur.karaoglu No, its the cumulative elevation of all the hills that were climbed on the ride. So take a 100m hill here, 50m hill there, and finish with 300m climb at the end and you've climed a total of 450m of climbing. The elevation lost on decents does not count or subtract from the total climbing.

[@hobidolap]

Steven Trott so a 100 m hill is not diagonal odometer distance but vertical gain...

[@henrikelle5513]

No They cant be friends

[@ferryengr]

Dropbar bikes, kinda like 1950's pink tile in a bathroom. Dated.

[@user-mu9mj4po8u]

Absolutely not

[@Wesrl]

Jokes on my local gravel guys, I have a 3by gearing so I have a 40T. But my bike weights a lot for a hardtail at 30 lbs

[@cdeccles]

when roadies leave the asphalt :D:D:D

[@KarolisBorkertas]

mtb all the way

[@fencep]

U said mountainbiker in the title but just talking about XC riders. WTF

[@cdeccles]

in tight lycra :D

[@polishguywithhardtospellna8227]

3:27 he's gonna make you hurt? Marketing videos for gravel bikes clearly prove they can handle EVERYTHING with easy, let alone short steep section of smooth forest path.

[@padkinson]

fake

[@The55555art]

Психи на харткйле так исполнять

[@hmodadgaiman4688]

1 farst

[@Montblanc1986]

Gravel bikes aren't anything but road bikes.

[@nocturnal_walker]

well, try to put 45 mm tires on proper road bike ;). longer chain stays, slacker head angle, longer wheelbase, huge tire clearance .... no they are not typical road bike at all.

[@haiironezumi]

Mountain bikes aren't anything but road bikes with flat handlebars

[@response3]

I'd say they're closer to a cyclocross bike, but for hipsters.

[@cdeccles]

and suckers

[@rosanneworth6446]

Video says it all , forget the gravel nonsense and use your carbon hard tail to do trails, GRAVEL, mountain tracks etc. Gravel bikes are simply marketing hype.

[@evdb7246]

Right, so the end result was exactly as expected. I'm struggling to see the point of this video. I think it's best to just not create the content if this is the result you're going to end up with. Stop, think and at least attempt to come up with a new and interesting angle or perspective. This is just lazy.

[@marchimedian]

This was a fantastically fun and interesting video and you are full of shit. Many people would love to do rides like this where everyone is under biking in some respect and playfully using equipment differences against each other. How about you focus on your own video quality there bud, talk about uninteresting over done angles...

[@miamoben]

I don't think gravel was made for you English boys. It's an American thing

[@cdeccles]

i.e. dull

[@alexunlv]

No. Gravel Bikers are the weaker species.

[@SS-sh6ww]

Gravel bikes are a JOKE !