Gravel Vs CX Bike: What Really Is The Difference?

[@gcn]

Cross or gravel, what's your choice?

[@Jasonsadventures]

Best gravel bike I have is a 1985 Italian road race bike with 25mm tyres.. sketchy as hell but it makes you feel alive.

[@darrinschwarz7446]

Gravel please. With 700x50c tires. Thank You, drive through.

[@area4race]

My choice... i take my Enduro Bike slap some skinny tires on it and ride with you guys, why spend so much money :D

[@daz_the_cyclist8961]

Gravel bike 650b all the way Cannondale Slate all the way

[@lilwillie428]

Cross, because I can’t afford a special bike for gravel lol

[@ar-videos]

GCN = Gravel Cross Network

[@marcinwilusz]

Maybe gravel cycling network. I like the concept of gravel.

[@MstrCatChowming]

Adam Rudd I’ll buy one ☝️

[@12Burton24]

😂👌

[@harshsonawane4987]

Now I can't unsee this

[@ChinoPanya-rl7bk]

Groad Cross Network. hahaha!

[@theylivewesee1674]

people: if only we had more comfortable road bike for off road track cx bike: hold my beer gravel bike: hold my brewery

[@yoshikochikuni1247]

Legs: *Hold my Jesus.*

[@TheSHARCRASH]

Same difference mate! 😂

[@KandiKlover]

Touring bike: Hold my everything and lack of mechanical issues.

[@sepg5084]

@@KandiKlover and arrive 1 hour later and twice as tired

[@coreygolphenee9633]

Mountain bikes became dirt bikes so road bikes had to become mountain bikes

[@AlecKollman]

ive been riding a trek x01 cyclocross for a decade. ive taken it on multiday tours, century rides, trail, cross courses, rail trails, roads... you name it. love the cross bike.

[@museisbliss1174]

I love Ollie, doesn't take him self too seriously and having a laugh, often slightly at his own expense

[@garthly]

British culture.

[@demonstructie]

I stopped watching gcn after they got dull and too commercial, coincided with diversity hire Emma. I clicked on the thumbnail in my feed because I was surprised to see Ollie. I remember him from some other yt channel I forget the name of because the channel content was a bit shit but I do remember thinking he's a talented presenter.

[@chrisblanchard4938]

Benjamin Kettleborough....I agree with you.

[@mplsmark222]

I am a huge fan of self deprecation. So many celebrities take themselves too seriously or have egos that don’t live up to their talent. Ollie seems genuine and I am always entertained and find his tech show always worth my time. Great episode

[@Juan0003]

The boys at GCN hard at work for us. Brings tears to my eyes!

[@danmarks158]

Bought a year-old Boardman CX recently and shoved 40mm "adventure" tyres on it. Can pretty much go anywhere now - road, canal path, gravel, singletrack, grass, mud. Really enjoying going out for road rides and then turning off when I see a path leading into green nowhere.

[@GeekonaBike]

Buying used is Recycling! Plue sticking it to the industry's BS marketing.

[@thepassionofthegoose5472]

@@GeekonaBike I've been out of cycling since I retired from cyclocross racing in 09 after racing for over twenty years. The first time I heard about a gravel bike I literally thought I was being joked. In 1998 my Surly Crosscheck had 44's on it and I rode it on 99% of the trails I rode my XC bike on. My race bike was a Steelman eurocross because of gearing and weight, but the idea of a cyclocross bike with fatties is 90's AF. Stay well.

[@MybeautifulandamazingPrincess]

There's only so much metal and natural resources in the world, and they're not renewable. People need to stop making and selling shit, cause mining is a very big problem for the environment that no one talks about, and than will cause bad things for humanity in the future

[@blinzi69]

have you ever heard about a mountainbike lol its so funny that people think it has been impossible to ride on all terrains equally good before the gravel bike - which is just a mountainbike with a roadbike handlebar!! - has been born

[@cyclingnerddelux698]

Love the self-deprecating humor from both of them.

[@daylightsensor8695]

*G R A V E L C R O S S*

[@hammy340]

Looks like the best thing ever! CX singletrack!

[@Charliened1]

hammy340 isn’t that just XC on bikes not built for it.

[@CanIHasThisName]

​@@Charliened1 Those bikes ARE built for it, that's the thing. Many XC races have completely lost touch with the trends. Modern XC bikes can tackle AM terrain, yet so many XC races (marathons especially) are technically less challenging than some gravel races. Gravel bikes are just as capable as old timey XC bikes and they can fly on the paved roads. Nowadays it's not that rare to see gravel riders invade XC races and ride technical singletrack.

[@deusexaethera]

@@Charliened1: LOL

[@deusexaethera]

@@CanIHasThisName: OR...OR...OR maybe, the manufactured distinctions between different types of riding are bullshit to begin with! I can ride a road bike on gravel, and I can ride an XC bike in the woods, and I can ride an "all-mountain" bike on pavement. And you know what? THEY ALL WORK. They all work _differently,_ of course, but they all work.

[@naughtyplanet]

Hi, I am the bicycle industry and I need to keep inventing more and more variations on this simple machine to maintain my business model. Thanks.

[@Max__apex]

naughtyplanet YES

[@scorpionblade4112]

More variations dont correlate to more sales, as most people only buy 1 or 2 bikes regardless of if there are 100 bike types or 2. Plus more variations is better as it allows people to buy what suits them better. (although after a certain point you get diminishing returns, and analysis paralysis).

[@naughtyplanet]

@@scorpionblade4112 Going through this right now. I actually *cant find* a suitable MTB as there are too many fine specialisations. Its total bullsh*t TBH. Further the 'specialisations' con with MTB is that they put more wear parts on them so you are stuck with ongoing and very expensive upgrades. Hate it.

[@naughtyplanet]

@@scorpionblade4112 It must correspond to more sales otherwise why bother doing it. Production runs are commercial decisions. No money to be made = no production.

[@eloyanzola]

great video. the gravel cross course looks awesome, but, besides the bike differences, do wonder if the second laps benefited from simply learning the course on the first lap.

[@etienne9306]

Totally agree. They should have changed the order of the bike for Ollie.

[@mraffifpv1685]

And speeding through the finish without braking...

[@singlespeedchronicles7640]

Not to mention the "warm up"

[@milanbabic92]

I guess wider tires (rolls faster on that terrain) and more relax geometry on gravel bike gave them more confidence. Weight is probably less important since the difference is around 200+/- grams for cross bike.

[@Mike-oz4cv]

It was (in usual GCN style) totally unscientific. You’d need at least several laps and then take the average or median value to arrive at any kind of significant result. Of course the seating position of both bikes should also be adjusted to be identical. The only remaining point is which tire pressure to use for each of them.

[@HkFinn83]

Let’s be honest they’re all going to be used mostly on the road - the cross bike with slicks vs the gravel bike with slicks on the road is what I want to see. I suspect the cx bike is way faster.

[@dries365]

On a performance level, probably, but the CX bike has much lower gears than the gravel bike

[@g.west2372]

you'll run out of gears at relatively slow speeds... with a changed gearing and a 2-speed crankset the CX would be more aero

[@ronbyers9912]

I have been thinking about the future of bicycling and it seems to me the disc brake is changing everything. Gravel bikes are already taking advantage of disc technology. I ride with a woman whose sole ride is a gravel bike. She keeps up with everybody and can also take the bike on gravel rides. Others I know own dedicated road bikes for rides on the tarmac and gravel bikes for rides on rough roads. She tells me that she doesn't see the need to own two bikes. She can just swap wheel sets. Of course, this doesn't apply to racers but most riders I see aren't going to be part of a race team anytime soon. Of course the cross bike is for those who are dedicated to a particular sport that requires you to carry your bike in the mud. It is always going to be a niche bike. The gravel bike, on the other hand, is well on its way to becoming the every man's road bike for Sunday rides with friends.

[@reddaB]

I really want a gravel bike for this reason. I am not a racer and I cba becoming one. The roads where I am are shit messes. I cycle courier on a sportive style road bike. I do fine but its a bit intense constantly. I would like some wider wheels and more versatile so I could go through woods as detours to excursions along the pothole roads without having to use my mtb.

[@CanIHasThisName]

Gravel/adventure bike appears to succeed where cross/hybrid kinda failed. It's the middle ground between road and MTB. A much needed middle ground, with the recent evolution of mountain bikes. Mountain bikes are becoming more and more capable off-road, but the modern trend is to ride a few kilometres of the same track over and over. The bikes often reflect that. Road, on the other hand, is mostly about going fast, often at the cost of comfort and practicality. Gravel/adventure is generally about going far and often, with very little maintenance. But it's not all flowers and sunshine. Gravel bikes are still evolving and not all manufacturers are fully on board. Very few brands make sub-compact chainrings (FSA makes 46-30 and those are great on gravel). There are only two models of derailleur with a clutch available for road groupsets. Gearing is still a tad too much on the road side and pretty much all gravel bikes have 11-34 (or 11-42 for 1x) . Although the new Ultegra and 105 derailleurs being able to work with an 11-40 is a good step forward, most people don't know it's possible since Shimano doesn't officially admit compatibility. The selection of gravel (38-47mm) tyres is small and tubeless variants are held at a pretty high price point. And currently, it's a wild west. There are probably as many "adventure" categories as there are MTB categories, but it's currently all considered just "gravel". Comfortable road bike, versatile CX bike, light XC bike, touring rig, commuter, monstercross. Those are very different types of bikes. It may seem just as a marketing gimmick, but some categories need to be established.

[@raydenkaufman7267]

I work in a bike shop in a relatively flat state. Most of our customer base is people who ride road. Lately there has been a big rush of people that want a gravel bike for the same reason stated. They are just as light as a good majority of your medium grade tarmac bikes, yet you can do so much more with them.

[@michaeljbrennan3728]

Purchased a Cannondale Slate last year. It allows me to venture off road where my road bike can’t go. Gravel bikes are more versatile compared to mountain and road bikes. If you only have room (budget or space) for one bike, go for a gravel bike. Equally at home on and off road.

[@jemma_19988]

A twenty year old Cannondale h700 bought for less than 200 dollars with drop bars added is probably just as adequate

[@fopias1234]

I realy enjoy the bumb in the production guality recently. Good work lads!

[@gcn]

Cheers Topias.

[@PaganiZondaF650hp]

Canyon don’t pay for cheap produced vids

[@Freakysantana]

Back at the start of the channel, that would of been a fake cowpat.

[@ianparkes5097]

This man knows guality when he sees it.

[@AbhayPeshin]

Love the Guality of this comment..

[@justinbartolini6039]

Drop bars that flare outward from the hoods are the most amazing upgrade you can make on either a gravel or cross bike, it is like the difference from going from skinny skis to fat skis in powder. I was able to fit a 38 rear and 44 front compass tires on my cyclocross bike and they are slicks, I ride everything with slick tires until it gets super wet and muddy, often traction is over-rated and unnecessary from my experience, for supple, properly aired tires with good technique is where you get traction from as opposed to knobs, knobs only come into play in mud and often the mud riding that defined my youth of mountain biking is more so just a way to ruin trails and now a days more and more areas are closed in the wet season to cycling - time to break out your trail running shoes or ski gear. Cool video and I wish I was rich so I can have a bike for every mood and condition but for now I will just ride everything on a modified cross bike and wonder why the mountain bikers think they need mountain bikes for a majority of the single track out there............

[@horsebattery9243]

Mountain biking is 100% a thing that ruins trails for anyone whose not a mountain biker.

[@christianweingartner9997]

Ridley X-Ride - purebred cyclocross with Cantis and Campy Record - fast, light, responds quickly . Love to ride it on roads, on MTB trails and sometimes even hook a rack and panniers on.

[@diluteduk]

So what we learned is that CX bikes are basically only worth getting if you ride UCI CX races. Otherwise get a gravel bike.

[@f4614n]

That seems to be the takeway for almost everyone interested in this kind of bikes. More stable, better on rough terrain and faster on the street.

[@JogBird]

similar to tribikes basically, only get them if you do non uci tri

[@jabba0975]

Just buy whatever style bike the industry is pushing this year, and you'll be cool and popular and you'll live happily ever after. Promise.

[@adamsteineke4661]

I don't disagree, but I will point out that tight turns on a cx course could be more challenging on a gravel bike.

[@dirtroadie4642]

I personally like how spirited the ride on my cyclocross bike is on gravel and single track. Gravel bikes seem a little too tame sometimes for my taste.

[@MrIanD1]

I'm still laughing at "What a stupid sport"😂😂😂

[@JackRay]

Dang 6 months is a long laugh 😂

[@jorgesantacruz3051]

one year is a long laugh 😆

[@Xyrium]

More great stuff from you guys. Totally digging Canyon lately. That Grail is damned sweet. Good work, again!

[@gdfggggg]

Had a cx bike, rode many miles mainly on road, it was quite a harsh ride with sharp handling. Swapped to a gravel bike, was a much more relaxed ride and more assured on the gravely bits.

[@f4614n]

For me its really important to have a bike that is versatile enough to not be purely street dependent and that can be used for bike packing. What I miss on most gravel bikes though is the possibility of adding rack mounts for my panniers. I hope you can feature more of the bikes similar to the ones in this video with just two additional screw holes left and right under the saddle.

[@kingprone7846]

The best video on the net comparing the 2 bikes, hands down.. IMHO in a blind test 99% will always prefer the gravel bike as it is just so much more comfortable to ride (with the same tires obviously). A proper CX bike just isn't designed to be ridden for 4 hours straight on a nice gravel trail. Personally for me it is all about that on a CX bike you feel you sit on top of the bike rather than inside of the bike (mentioned in the video at 12:00 as well) and the tires. When I started riding CX many years ago on "gravel" and forrest terrain the choice of tires was very limited and a lot of CX tires are really more for mud and grass and just dont perform that well on forrest and gravel terrain.

[@VincentJGoh]

Really, there's not a lot of true 'sitting' in cyclocross. You're rarely sitting for more than a minute at a time--you're always sort of hovering over the seat unless you're on the pavement. If you race CX, buy a CX bike, otherwise, buy a gravel bike. It's a relatively simple calculus.

[@kingprone7846]

@@VincentJGoh you have never done a cross race.

[@VincentJGoh]

@@kingprone7846 Hah, I've done a lot of cross racing; it's been my main discipline for 5 or 6 years. I'm not saying you never put your butt on the seat at all, but when you're racing through a bumpy field, you're barely touching the seat, so bumps don't toss you up in the air. You only get to sit down uninterrupted when you're on pavement or climbing. I'd honestly be surprised if you spend more than 60s at a time sitting and cranking unless you're on an unusually flat course.

[@alvingomez1990]

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned (or noticed) this before but Ollie sounds like a cycling equivalent of Jeremy Clarkson...

[@rohan-xc5mt]

Haha! I totally agree with you.

[@LukeGJPotter]

Cows on Arstoturf look less confused than Ollie. :D Ollie was a fantastic signing by GCN.

[@LewisCampbellTech]

Wider tires, lower bottom bracket, more mounts for mudguards and racks - sounds like they've re-branded touring bikes. I guessing 'touring' sounds slow and heavy, but 'gravel racing' sounds fast and exciting.

[@Nick-lm9hg]

@@cat7371 they can

[@jeffreythree]

Keep it up! I love my gravel bike. I live close to lots of gravel roads, local paved roads are falling apart plus more congested everyday (lots of people move here), and my local MTB trails close at even a hint of rain. It is getting harder to justify riding skinny tires, no matter what bike they are under.

[@Martijn196]

Between modern bike paths and old bumpy paving stones most big city's offer I think there is still room for a new cyclocross variant made for commuting and racing and exploring cities bike company's could invent after everyone bought their gravelbikes. Something made for fast sprints between traffic lights and short corners while remaining comfortable on cobblestones, resists broken glass and is highly visible in the dark between reflekting city lights and has an air horn to honk back to cars.

[@Zim1080]

Hybrid anyone?

[@jonathanbouchard39]

I've got two bikes for that - a 'cyclocross' and a hybrid. But the most important of each is flat pedals so that you can burn away from the traffic lights quickly, and stop on a sixpence without worrying about clips. The lower gearing with the little granny wheel on the hybrid is great, but I've not tried it on a seriously long ride - not least because I've set it with the saddle slightly too low for traffic light and pub riding.

[@Martijn196]

@@jonathanbouchard39 I can recommend multifunctional mtb pedals which have clips at one and are flat on the other side. This allows you to ride with normal shoes to work or something similar whilst having the option to take the same bike for a fast ride through the city dressed in cycling gear. Most of the time you don't even have to unclip yourselve at every traffic light because there are often objects to hold on. And when the light switches to green you than can enjoy the excaleration boost from your clipless pedals. Cyclocross and hybrid bikes are great for cities. However, people were happy with their cyclocross and cross country bikes for gravel riding before someone introduced the gravelbike.

[@tomrodriguez9052]

I ride a 10 year old cross bike, gravel bikes weren't around when I got it. It has a triple chainring in the front and 10 speed cog in the rear, almost the opposite of the way those bikes are set up. I love the bike for all the combinations of gears that I can get, I ride anything from road to mountain bike trails. I have never lost a chain from having multiple gears up front, even on the roughest trails, a common reason claimed for having a single up front.

[@Martijn196]

To be honest I don't even know what I am riding. I though I bought a cyclocross bike but there are little "gravel" writings on it and it has fender mountings. Anyways I got it for a very good price and in a city like Hamburg with pumpy cobblestone roads mixt with modern smooth bike paths its a great bike to deliver food with. Particularly during winter I'm glad to have the option for fenders. Together with my added dropable seatpost for anoying orders like soups or pizzas which repuire a more upright position I got the ultimative delivery bike.

[@burkeculligan4756]

sounds like an awesome ride -- call it whatever you want - just keep riding it!

[@ChristopherHable]

Thanks for all the info guys. I just started getting into gravel and it's a wonderful way to ride. Keep up the gravel videos!

[@gcn]

Glad you're loving it Christopher 🙌

[@andrew.mccarter]

I love this kind of content great stuff thanks

[@georgemacari7978]

Good stuff

[@billbrobst2361]

Thanks for making this video! I'm 57, raced road and track in the 80's and 90's but know ZERO about off road bikes. Live here in Vermont and it just makes sense for me to look into a dirt road bike because of all the dirt roads and trails around here. Very informative video for me.

[@jemma_19988]

Before you fork out big bucks for something new drag out your old steel frame racer - put bigger tires on it and you have yourself a bonafide gravel bike !!!!

[@rosscads]

I have the Grail CF SLX featured here and the only time I would prefer to use a CX bike is in a CX race. The gravel bike is hugely versatile, equally at home on the road or a forest trail.

[@OnzeManInKazakhstan]

Since you guys are now invading our trails, can we at least still make fun of your spandex? Sincerely -GMBN

[@gcn]

Better tell that to the xc riders too 😉

[@jamie-kd9tx]

bro we need to sacrifice xc riders to them its too late

[@bernardvantonder7291]

The extremist fundamentalist mountain bike fans are hilarious

[@HollyBoni]

When i'm on my gravel bike I wear Endura baggy shorts, a Fox MTB helmet, clipless Five Tens and a T-shirt. Is that cool enough?

[@harrystephenson5446]

@@justinbartolini6039 Dropper post.

[@zachwhitsel3181]

With a few more tweaks you’ll end up inventing a mountain bike! It’s going to be awesome! May even have suspension!

[@johnnydoe66]

Ollie needs to visit GMBN and ride with Neil or Blake on Mountain Bikes.....It would be very entertaining to watch, but the skills he learns will help with his Road Bike handling. I use some of my mountain bike experience when riding on the road, whether it's rough pavement or tight twisting paths or country roads.

[@poundtownforever6126]

Love the cinematography and scenes

[@grantbratrud4949]

I have taken narrow tubular tires in many places, albeit decades ago when a silk carcass was not uncommon. Bike packing was something we did in Minnesota... because there were no Relais & Châteaux. Today? The clothes on my back and in my back pockets... debit card... and a bottle of fine wine each evening, with a view. No mosquitoes.

[@Ripinda1911]

IMHO the gravel bike is the best bike for a casual rider. For commuting you put on 30mm touring tires, fenders and a rack, for some off road fun you put on 650b wheels and very wide tires and you still have a decent road bike with 28mm and a posh set of wheels.

[@pkomarek]

Completely agree. When I moved to London I planned to upgrade my Look 566 to a more aggressive road bike in their range. Before earning that privilege I spent a year commuting over two millennia of road construction techniques, traversing muddy forest paths in the middle of "normal road rides", and cursing my rim brakes in the rain. I upgraded to a gravel bike instead (Orbea Terra) and it is fantastic for life here.

[@glennoc8585]

Or you leave a good road bike setup and buy a commuter/mtb for a reasonable price. I see youbpoint if room at home is an issue but wheela can be exoensive and gearing is different. You want different pedals to be honest.

[@ianparkes5097]

@John Porno I think that was made clear. Very little suffering to be had on a gravel bike.

[@swilderspin]

Fenders?

[@dewknow1315]

I got a Cyclocross Bike and love it I did a 206-mile road ride the STP Seattle to Portland bike ride with no issues.

[@toniedvardsen8169]

I had CX first, then switched to Gravel. Never going back, that`s for sure. Gravel is so much more comfort and stability. A really do-it-all, as I THOUGHT CX was ;)

[@robbiejk9613]

But a Cyclocross rides so much better and faster on road.

[@pmckeown38]

Great video guys, maybe the best double act GCN has to offer

[@humbertoleandro896]

That was a good video. You know what could great? Put 38m tires on both bikes and to the test again on that circuit and see the difference, after that, put 33m tires on both and do a couple of laps on a local CX course and check the differences again. Could the difference you found be all due to the tire size?

[@teva4669]

You can't put 38mm tires on the cx bike, it doesn't fit

[@humbertoleandro896]

On the Canyon Inflight you can. I have a friend who owns one and is running 38s with no problem

[@niallmanchester]

Teva Riou I’ve got the 2015 Inflite and I have run 40mm on them but that’s the limit if you want to keep bare minimum clearance.

[@ahabsbane]

I've had a salsa warbird for a few years now and I love it. Tbh though I mostly use it as a commuter/recreation bike in the pothole ridden streets of MN.

[@jayshockey5461]

Si and Ollie! Now that’s a GREAT combo!👊🏻💪🏻👍🏻 Great show guys!

[@MrSoloDev]

This episode made me laugh so hard: 7:19 - Oliver cursing .. epic~!

[@netei]

what i learned: when you get old get the all comfort gravel mercedes to retire. when you are about the real thing and still hungry for dirt get an awsome genuine cyclocross. great camera and editing job btw!

[@Jheassler]

4:24 I’ve never heard someone’s voice crack unintentionally in a recorded song😂

[@skyb8687]

Check out the hives,the singer does it

[@hansy3]

I ride a 1974 Sekine with steel wheels, it’s appropriate to my skill level. Notwithstanding fresh rubber, bull bars, levers, brake pads, seat, raped the gears from it, riding 52/20 freshy Shimano BB and used Sugino crankset. Put a matchstick into the fender keeper to keep it from rattling. Sprinted at 48 kph, no lungs. So, another neophyte braggart. Love the channel.

[@anvilhead59]

“Proper cyclocross there... You went through a puddle!” LOL

[@mosesobidiegwu291]

New to bikes, learning the differences. It so interesting to digest all information about these bikes. I feel like I am 20 years behind already. Great work GCN

[@Frankovelli]

6:44 why does it look like he's always smuggling a boiled ham in his shorts? lol

[@denethorpalantir2815]

For the Treks I was looking at a certain price point, the gravel bike had a lower BB by about an inch and 2x11 vs a CX with a higher BB and a 1x11 drive train. I chose the CX because it would never see much asphalt (have a road bike for that) and the drive train was better quality because less mech up front.

[@bosschu]

I mean, look at Si's bike control, that's the best thing in this video

[@matistysk79]

Thanks to your video, it made it easier for me to choose the right bike for me. I bought a new bike in spring this year and was thinking What I will do with it. I was between Gravel bike or Cyclocross bike, but I wanted the opportunity to ride on streets and on gravel in the Swedish Forests around where I live. So this video helped me to noticed wich bike I should have for my purpose. Now I own a Scott Gravel bike and I´m so happy with my choise thanks to you guys. Greatings from Stockholm

[@gcn]

It's great to hear how much you're enjoying cycling and how happy you are with the bike. Happy riding!

[@wesleymoore2548]

Am I the only one who found the thug lyfe glasses hilarious !?!?!?! Fuego edit my dudes!!!

[@beatsandboots]

One of the most useful videos for me, as I think about getting a Canyon model. Also 2 of my favourite presenters!

[@trampoline1star]

Si’s and Ollies banter is so good 😂 😂

[@alfredconqueror4422]

I just bought a Specialized Diverge, and I'm really happy with it. It's great for me because the roads in Mexico can be quite aweful lol

[@painged]

What’s to stop you from throwing some 650B tyres on the Inflite with a tire width/volume that matches a 700c tire profile? Then you’ve got a cross machine, a gravel grinder, and you can throw some 700c x 30mm tyres on for the road?

[@brianmessemer2973]

That song that started at 6:36 reminded me of the first Foo Fighters album. Especially 7:48. Nostalgic sound!

[@Jimmy_experience]

gravel bike for me 650b 2.1 tires is smooth on gravel

[@mraffifpv1685]

My Giant TCX (CX bike...) can fit 650b 2.0" too... ( 2.1 would probably fit too)

[@robivlahov]

2.1? That's what I run on my xc bike

[@HollyBoni]

XC? That's what I also use my gravel bike for.

[@robivlahov]

@@HollyBoni I'd have a tough time using a rigid bike for xc... The terrain dosnt let me... I do lockout my forks here and there tho

[@HollyBoni]

It was just a light hearted comment. :) Only sort of true. In the same ride I might use my gravel bike on pavement, gravel, dirt roads, singletrack. On the offroad parts I regularly meet guys on XC bikes. They won't replace XC bikes (okay a Salsa Cutthroat with a suspension fork can) but you can push these things pretty far with big tyres!

[@burkeculligan4756]

I have a great Ti frame that is a little bit in-between a Cross and a Gravel bike (as if there were hard lines defined)... i look at bb height, reach/stack, and headtube angle. The cool part is that i simply change tires and when i'm riding on gravel it's a gravel bike (42-45 tires); and when I'm riding cross on 35 tires - it's a cross bike. And no one ever questions one or the other. If there's bitterness about whether gravel bikes are really a needed thing or just new marketing category from the bike companies -- my answer is simply -- who cares?! Understand what they represent in terms of design (geometry, tire clearance, etc) -- and then ask yourself what you want to do on your bike(s) and find the style across the biking continuum that best fits your biking lifestyle - and go ride as much as you can.

[@rickp6007]

"ok, should we ride the bikes then dad?" I'm dying😂😂

[@aj..23]

I've gone for a Cannondle SuperX but am currently running 42mm tyres on it with ample clearance. The SuperX is classed as a pure cross bike but with the larger clearances this is now perfect for me. I'm selling the road bike, gravel and offroading are so much more appealing and if needs be slicks can go on and it will keep pace with roadies anyway

[@steve8547]

Yay, finally! Super bored of gravel being compared to a MTB, the Gravel bike is like a cross bike that you can ride anywhere!

[@quesoner34]

Yeah obviously tire size makes all the difference. Hence, step by step I've developed to prefer the ride of 55mm tires :D (650b though). Interesting point then is to find the lightest, but still widest and therefor most supple choice of gums. Conti Speedkings 2.2 being my flavor of the month right now..

[@reginaldscot165]

Basically bike manufacturers needed a new way to get you to spend money... invent Slight differences between bikes to make you think you need another kind of bike? Simple.

[@smalerider1727]

So gravel racing hasn’t been a thing for well over a decade, and they made bikes for it?

[@tropfen]

they are feeding the exact excuses every enthusiast bike rider makes to justify buying a new bike.

[@TheOVERMUCH]

Not for me. I bought a gravel-bike and use it for racing and mountainbiking.

[@michaltoman2805]

Actually, gravel bike can be your only bike. Before, you could buy a cross bike, but it won't be as versatile. So why is that a bad thing? I don't try to defend the industry, I hate all the stupid standards they create and all the bullshit their marketing departments produce, but a universal gravel bike is not evil, it can be better for your wallet if you choose carefully.

[@HollyBoni]

Who doesn't like spending money on new bike stuff? It's awesome!

[@bretb8799]

Off-road guys figured this out probably 5 years ago but very cool to see also transfers to road.

[@brownshit1]

I liked the Mountain Bikes with drop handle bars.

[@CryWolfFilms]

Really? I kind of liked the road bikes with big tires

[@motormonph9224]

i have 1. mountainbike frame with drop handlebar with a tire of 26 by 2.10 soooo lit for me hehehe

[@do4511]

With rigid forks haha

[@Fetherko]

That's what I did to my MTB.

[@austinrussell32044]

Laughed more than I expected to! Thanks for a great video

[@drew_xvx]

This topic has been done into the ground here and everywhere in the cycling industry. Gravel bike Vs MTB, Vs roadbike, Vs cyclocross bike ... Vs unicycle Vs paddleboat Vs bathtub

[@Pierrrrrrrrrrrrrrre]

Gravel is the new endurance bike. Endurance bike are the new cheap option...

[@mikeeberts3279]

I use my gravel bike as a super utility player... commuting and light touring in addition to gravel. I have a dedicated road bike for longer or faster road riding.

[@TheCruizer]

Someday bikes will have front and rear suspension and perhaps a small electric motor to get uphill! Oh wait... 🤔😂

[@biwwy47]

😂

[@frankzimmermann1318]

Nice comparison. Well done. Another interesting aspect would be the use “on the road”. Usability for the ride to your workplace in changing undergrounds.

[@kompetytor]

Depends of what you’re expecting from your bike, proportion is the thing in mathematics. 50% off 50% on road get the CX, 60% off 40% on get the gravel, 70% off 30% on - that’s when a hardtail XC makes sense. Efficiency drives the universe so why should you pay penalty for extra surface on your tires?!

[@daz_the_cyclist8961]

I absolutely love my Cannondale Slate gravel bike/mountain bike my best bike buy to date.

[@langz020]

I would love to see a behind the scenes video showing how you guys record such awesome footage! There was a section in the trees there that was epic camera work!

[@gcn]

Thank you Chris, definitely something we would consider doing, if there is interest to see such work.

[@amightysailingman]

So-called "gravel bikes" are really a lot older than most people think. Back before 1990, they were called "hybrid bikes." Specifically, the high-end, drop bar segment of hybrids. The best-known example of that was Bruce Gordon's Rock 'n Road. The only real difference is that disc brakes were rare and expensive novelties back then that were basically only seen on tandems, but the RnR rocked 700x45mm Hakkapeliitta tires three decades ago. I had plenty of fun on mine.

[@staminapromos]

I wonder how long it will be until they start to put even wider tyres on them, wider handle bars for better control and perhaps even some suspension. Make them a little bit stronger and you have a mountain bike. Basically what they're doing is re-evolving between road bikes and mountain bikes again.

[@michaeljbrennan3728]

staminapromos my Cannondale Slate has front suspension on it. Makes a world of difference.

[@MrHockaluger]

That's pretty much happening already with front fork suspension and flared drops.

[@H457ur]

I’m running 2.3” (58mm) Compass road tires on my Rawland Raven (26” rims) and would go larger if they made them. They work very well on the road and are unreal on gravel and singletrack.

[@shawnriffhard]

@@H457ur Sounds amazing. Got any pics?

[@scottishjohn]

😍 think that I may be bit in love with both those bikes! 🚲 Gotta love the banter between Si and Ollie...looks like Ollie needs some cyclocross lessons. Think that could be a job for Lasty. I would be interested to compare how these two bikes got on with some muddy field action or even on some sand... Need to see these two in wet conditions... Not just the dry but none the less a very good video and who knows if Gravelcross will catch on!

[@tr1046]

The only difference is the tire size (cyclocross has max width of 32mm as dictated by the UCI). Saved you 15 mins

[@kevinpunter7960]

I was ignorant of the differences between cyclocross and gravel bikes until recently. I was considering a GIANT TCX for the stable but a recent fire took 3 of my bikes out of the game. As a replacement for one of the bikes I was offered a few options but availability landed me on a GIANT Revolt ... only then did I look into the subtle characteristics. I'm now of the opinion that the minimum 3 bikes you need are Road, Gravel and Trail - BUT, if you can only afford one bike and you have an inclination to venture off the asphalt, your one bike should be a Gravel bike!

[@user-ll5pj1vj3c]

gravel should be compared to mtb, and road/gravel/cyclo should be put to the test wit equal tires, then have a go. seems the Gravel is more like all year, all terrain, all commute, mtrb, moutainroadbike.

[@eriktabor6478]

I’ve been a harsh critic of the new presenters and lack of general levity in the episodes.......this one was awesome. Amusing, funny, and with a bit of useful knowledge thrown in. Great job, and I love Ollie on GCN.

[@MUSHROOMONTABLE]

A new discipline has been born: *G R A V E L C R O S S*

[@jamie-kd9tx]

*C Y C L O G R A V E L C R O S S*

[@СемёнСемёнов-ы1ь]

*ALL TERRAIN CYCLO GRAVEL ENDURO CROSS*

[@madmonkeycycling9098]

Ridley has been lowering BB's on the CX bikes because of input of Mario De Clercq. Lower BB's in combo with shorter cranks will offer more stability on the CX courses, and with shorter cranks the turns are still to be easily taken

[@andyk4676]

Si and Ollie are a great combo

[@palicar]

Nice comparison. It’s funny - I was considering buying one of those two bikes, but couldn’t decide and went in another direction entirely.

[@tillo1726]

4:10 All my roadies probably like, 'eeeyyy that's dangerous af'

[@DM-im6rm]

Great comparison! Would have been interesting, and more complete, to hear the differences in weight and materials in the two bikes, though.

[@rfldss89]

In five years companies will install suspension forks and reinvent the mountain bike 😂

[@gregorsamsa8632]

There literally gravel specific suspension forks already

[@ralphkleinguevarra]

There are already gravel bikes that sport Lauf forks.

[@kalijasin]

Already have.

[@m.a.c1379]

I've got a titanium cross bike of a certain Sheffield-based brand. It's got disc brakes, and at the back there's more clearance than at the fork. I thought everything was fine riding 700c wheels with 32 mm wtb tires. Then I put on some 650c wheels with 42 mm gravel kings... My only regret is not running 47 mm tires. If I can get a fork with more clearance without breaking the bank, I could fit 2'2 inch tires with room to spare.

[@davidchomowicz7436]

Best dual purpose cx first gravel second crossover bike that accommodates 40mm tires with a bit of clearence?

[@tbone079]

David Chomowicz surly steamroller. jk

[@tbear4291]

So nice to see Olli joining GCN.

[@VideoNOLA]

Cover which style of bike best suits Clydesdale riders. Guys like you who only weigh 12 stone can ride anything without breaking it!

[@justinbartolini6039]

Also a decent gravel bike will have 5 water bottle attachment points- 2 in the main frame triangle, 2 on the sides of the forks and 1 under the down tube. Nearly all the big manufactures have missed this, I know the Fuji Jari hit the nail on the head here as I said most brands have failed. For the purpose of gravel grinding is more so adventure riding and some of us like to do epics in places far from society and need the extra water! I sometimes have to carry a water filter and that can go on one of the fork attachment points - for I hate wearing a water bladder pack and like to have the bike carry my weight besides my stuffed jersey pockets which on long rides I have a vest with pockets to so I can have 6 stuffed pockets! Happy trails! You guys rock!

[@robertomalatesta6604]

I do carry a camel-back

[@HoshinoMirai]

4:55 tho I could never do that without hurting or falling

[@skulengu6854]

I would go for the gravel (cross) bike. Much like if I were to chose a mountain bike I would go for a cross country bike because I want to ride like I do on the road, fast and covering a lot of miles. But there is much to be said for Cycle Cross, I would love to try it but I tore a ligament running Cross Country in High School and cycling doesn't typically risk knee injury unless I "inspect the pavement" at high speed. Fortunately, so far at least, I haven't done so. I did take my 1997 Serotta Atlanta on the local BMX track once. :-D I didn't get any air between the tires and the ground, I'm not entirely crazy, but I did make an impression on the local kids with their BMX bikes though. Ha ha!