Gravel Vs XC Mountain Bike: What Is The Best Do-It-All Bike?

Okay okay, we admit it, modern cross country mountain bikes might not actually be boring despite what we've previously claimed. In fact, just how capable is an XC 29er compared to a gravel bike, and which is best? We put a Canyon Grail up against a Canyon Exceed on a variety of terrains to find out...
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[@ThorDyrden]

so it simply boils down to the most fundamental rule of biking: "You just need one additional new bike for that special road" 😃

[@jawzdu5549]

Thorsten E. Gebuhr it also makes your wallet more aero so its a win win right? *cries inside*

[@deepwaterbrooke7263]

Yes! I agree!

[@chadrides914]

this comment has me dying lmao

[@frenchyroastify]

GCN should have a series to convince the better half as to why one needs to have several of all types of bikes.

[@iggyblitz8739]

Yeah I really don't see the point of a gravel bike unless to show off that you have an extra bike to play with.

[@peterbarclay165]

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the level of skill chris has track standing, talking and top class presenting all at once. While making it look effortless.

[@treyschwartz3966]

Azza Maxwell Just make a point of practicing track stands every time you ride. One time was I casually doing a track stand and a voiced that I recognized said “ that’s a pretty neat trick son, can you pedal that bike too?”. It was Martin Sheen!

[@RideBikes_Walkplaces]

It's actually pretty effortless tbf.

[@tamasvarga67]

I was more impressed with him beating Si on the MTB.

[@fitnessfan1529]

What's even more impressive that on the road he was only 2 seconds slower on the MTB than Si on the gravel bike. Goes to show how important the rider itself is, when it comes to performance. You can be aero and light, but nothing beats raw horsepower. And that MTB didn't even have a big chainring at the front like "outdated" triple cranksets do. If they had put one of those at the front, Chris would have beaten Si's gravel time on the MTB, not to mention they could have gone for semi-slick tires as well. With a capable rider and smart component choices, a 29er is one hell of an all-rounder.

[@dtz1000]

Top class presenting? You're joking, right. It was cringe. It was so fake when one of them finished his race just as the other one was finishing with the bike on his back because of the puncture. How long did it take for them to set up that shot? Fake fake fake.

[@charliebamford2807]

I like both MTB & Road riding but what I really like about MTB is the fun. I don't measure speed as much & I find that the secure grip of my MTB helps me to relax & enjoy. MTB is fun even if you don't race!

[@gcn]

Fun is the main thing! Thanks for your comment Charlie 😀

[@jjacekj]

Doesn't matter what bike you ride, it comes down to one thing: having fun :)

[@gcn]

Exactly, the most important thing is to enjoy the bike you ride :)

[@mckinleyd603]

jjacekj fast is fun

[@lok481]

Amen brother

[@agentspoq123]

Having both Gravel Bike and XC Mountain Bike is more fun :D

[@sqadadrian7473]

Another review where... Bikes are fun... We need more data i guess

[@marksmithWLC]

Which all goes to prove one of the fundamental laws of cycling: n+1

[@19redmiata94]

That is a law I follow. Its basically science.

[@19redmiata94]

I follow that law, its basically science.

[@devianb]

I agree because one bike is always a compromise somewhere.

[@MeFreeBee]

With the new gravel bikes: n+2

[@bradl45]

Yep, we need a quiver! n+x(n+1)

[@VirtualFreightDog]

If you are in the woods and say ”He looks aero”, you might be a road biker.

[@VirtualFreightDog]

Joking aside: thank you for doing the video. Nice comparison!

[@randalclark6283]

Haha!!

[@sam7058]

Good one

[@trbeyond]

Hell. Triathletes talk about being aero when they are on the indoor trainer. 😂

[@leee00007]

@@trbeyond 😂

[@Vam1500]

I bought a gravel bike this year and it’s been loads of fun and opened up many new places to ride. This video makes me want to get an XC hardtail though. If you are not racing, the overall experience of the ride is what is important. The faster overall bike in this test was the hardtail, but more importantly being a few seconds slower on smooth payment is not nearly as much of a bummer as being bounced around on rougher terrain or not having enough gearing for steep pitches.

[@marknieuwejaar1075]

Agree... which after further research caused my purchase of a used Trek X Cal 8, Love the larger front wheel Maxxis DHF 29 2.3. Has G2 geometry frame & a G2 XC32 100 mm Rock Shox fork with lockout & dual spring rebound settings. 28 lbs tubeless. 27 spd, mechanical discs'...have all 3 headset spacers above headset for easy climbing & instant turning... overall trails through unearthed root bound dirt are considerably easier to navigate through with 29" tires...

[@Emolokz]

I really want to see them slap aero bars onto an xc bike when going against a gravel bike with just the drops. I am REALLY curious about the speed of an xc bike, locked out, with aero bars vs a gravel bike on the road and on groomed gravel.

[@phillusderpimmelpilz871]

@@marknieuwejaar1075 bought the same bike in spring this year, its so amazing how it performs, and when u really give it some power, the response feels like an roadbike sometimes

[@williamleslie6716]

Agree.my all carbon 27.6 Hardtails way more effoecent on gravel but not as great on steep fats trails berms like my fs 27.5 plus tires.

[@SkarryTerry]

Just get a basic $800 trail hardtail. XC is just another marketing gimmick. The rider is the real XC machine. Improve on a cheap hardtail, and you’ll rip around roadies on $7k carbon XC hardtail.

[@stevedinverno1504]

Back in the mid 90's I started on a non suspension 26" wheeled hardtail from Orange and hit the trails all over the country from fast single track to the roughness of the lakes. Back then there were no bike parks it was all natural. You finished black and blue, crashed many times but what fun. Wow what freedom the mountain bike gave you. Over the years the bikes developed to the full blown all mountain full suspension bike I was riding in places like Whistler Canada, it floated over trails which were unbelievable that went on for miles. The bike making me look a far better rider than I was. So recently I got myself a Gravel bike to take me back to those days in the 90's where it was you against the trail, not the bike. What a shock I had, it was horrible!! The position for off-road was so wrong. It showed how amazing the modern mountain bike is at riding the trails now. I soon swapped it out for a Trek 29'er hardtail with 100mm of front suspension, which gave me so much more control and now in my 50's a little more comfort when bouncing on the rough stuff. Yes the gravel bike has its place as a great touring to dirt road blaster, perfect for those fire road blasts, especially in America. If you are not loaded up with bags then a 29'er can do all that and more with little more comfort off-road. I like the idea of a racing bike you can ride off-road but reality is unless your thing is for coming back all bashed up like we were all back in the day then a modern 29'er is perfect. I wished these existed back then when I was younger. What an off-road weapon. If you want to ride the road get a road bike. Whatever you ride have fun...

[@brians8569]

This summer, I spent some time and money fixing up my 1996 Gary Fisher MTB that was a choice racing XC beast in its day. Once I got it back into fine shape, I took it out on some trails. I could not believe how terrible it is compared to my modern 29" FS and hardtail. I guess what I was in my 20s, riding trails that were so much worse than the nice groomed trails of today, I didn't care but now that I am older I can really appreciate the incredible tech advances in every part of my bikes compared to my 1996 OG Gary Fisher. For me, I'd rather have a nice hardtail MTB that can blast down fire roads with the gravel guys but can also safely tackle that rocky single track trail that I want to explore while riding gravel. If I was racing and competing on fire roads than the efficiency of a gravel bike might be a better choice, but I ride for fitness and fun so the limitations of a gravel bike doesn't make sense for me. If I want to ride drop bars with a rigid fork, I ride my road bike...on a road. YMMV

[@camc2252]

@@brians8569 Interesting...I still have some fun with Gary Fisher 1999 Paragon, front suspension. But I do not do the worst terrain stuff and I like more my road bike(Bianchi) but that is tarmac only. So far I can't figure out what garvel would add.

[@marknieuwejaar1075]

I hunted for yrs for my prized 2014 g2 XCaliber 8/g2 100 mm rock shox, 29 2.3 Maxxis DHF frt tires semi bald rear Maxxis Aggressor 29" 2.3 only make going over wet roots fun...once the three spacers are @ the top of the headset...triple clamp forks begone.

[@joelhenderson3723]

@@camc2252 I got a gravel bike just recently, and I can tell you what it adds for me, at least. I'm a mountain biker for the most part, such that I can't really justify a pure road bike. But my gravel bike is capable enough to ride easy mountain bike trails (and even makes them more fun), while making the ride to the trail more enjoyable and easier. Additionally, a gravel bike is significantly more comfortable over even moderately bad roads than an actual road bike. So I think, going into this next season, the gravel bike might actually get more use then my mountain bike, which will still be used anywhere I have to drive to, or on the more challenging trails in my area.

[@camc2252]

Thank you, Joel. Your reply was very helpful I appreciate it.

[@cdamian]

Mostly tells me that if you got a road bike already, then get a mountain bike before you get a gravel bike.

[@djohnson1981]

All depends where you plan to ride it. I'd go gravel before MTB, probably in part because that singletrack looked more technical than I really feel comfortable doing on a MTB.

[@laurentfiack2320]

I started with a MTB, then got a gravel, and now a road bike. I don't use the gravel anymore.

[@djohnson1981]

@@laurentfiack2320 sure, if you've got tarmac to ride then a road bike makes more sense. Around here I have limited tarmac that's safe to ride and endless dirt roads that look like their smooth gravel. Basically the ideal place for a gravel bike.

[@insertnamehere7621]

djohnson1981 I’m sorry, but in what world is a gravel bike better than a MTB on technical single track?

[@djohnson1981]

@@insertnamehere7621 ummm, it's not and I never said it was. What I said is that I'd pick a gravel bike because it suits how I ride. I almost never ride singletrack as technical as in the video on ANY bike because it's not my thing.

[@kevinbowe]

This is a wonderful experiment. I would like to see the same experiment, with the same bikes, ridden by Neil Donoghue and Blake Samson from GMBN.I suspect that their experience will be slightly different. Since Gravel Riding sits somewhere in between Road and Mountain, a riders 'point-of-reference' will give a different result/opinion. Thanks and keep up the great work!

[@thecrowfliescrooked]

there's nothing wonderful about this experiment. It's all they seem to be doing these days. Competition between different types of bikes is completely irrelevant and useless. Not to mention you need to take into consideration the different humans riding the bikes. I'd rather see videos based on how the bikes actually feel and mean to the riders, something more cerebral instead of juvenile.

[@saywhaatnow]

kevinbowe1957 I love this idea. Always fun to see Blake doing ridiculous things on skinny bikes

[@DonMuffatello]

Would be great

[@n8m837]

Toss Jeremy into that mix and i'll start microwaving popcorn lolz

[@Bjoern_1897]

@@thecrowfliescrooked okay boomer

[@lauig]

So basically, doesn't matter which bike, the important part after all is to know the directions to the closest pub.

[@yengsabio5315]

I'll take that point. Thank you very much!

[@ReneHoffmann194]

I think they focus to much on the speed in these challenges but for most of us I think it's about fun and comfort?

[@javiercaselli]

Well, they do point out that differences become less critical the slower you ride, I think they just pushed themselves hard to really show how far you can go with each type of bike. If you're just going to cruise through whatever type of road, taking things easy, you'll likely be equally well served with an xc or a grail bike except, perhaps, if you chose the last, more technical xc trail.

[@alicangul2603]

So true... I love my XC race weapon but on asphalt it's not very enjoyable. My road bike is a lot more entry-level than my XC hardtail but it still feels miles better on asphalt.

[@johncalabrese4449]

but it sure is fun going fast now isn't it? well, without all the worries that is.

[@AK-le9ys]

Is it just me or do road bikers talk about the most basic mtb trails as if it's redbull rampage

[@geoffreymatt1724]

There is some of that in this video! Also talking about a 10kg short travel hardtail like it's a downhill bike for "plowing"

[@AK-le9ys]

@@geoffreymatt1724 well duh, anything else would be boring according to GCN

[@TheFranpito]

@@geoffreymatt1724 yeah hahahahahha

[@rdcanyon]

Si cut his teeth in XC mtb back in the day i think

[@stefromfortworth]

Bless them, they think they’re mountain biking 🤣

[@RobertWaldron1]

We are all different, I prefer my 29er because I appreciate more comfort and reliability in the sense of knowing whatever the terrain, even pot holes on roads, it can cope.

[@dennisuerling899]

As a mountain biker, I will always choose a mountain bike over a gravel even on light gravel. HOWEVER, there is a point that was missed to be completely fair to the gravel bike. There was mention that you can go slicks on a mountain bike and that is fantastic for light gravel and is fine for roads and commuting. However, the opposite should be true of the gravel bike as well. If you push the limits of the tire size on the gravel and get something a bit wider and maybe with nobs, it should be perfectly fine for rough gravel and light mountain biking trails.

[@nagylevi3827]

Not really. There is still the issue of the geometry not allowing a safe descent on steeper terrain and the lack of proper front suspension to soften the ride and improve the handling.

[@zaldum386]

And also the wide handlebar on the mtb

[@Rabe1907]

@@nagylevi3827 That is right !

[@darrinkulyk9560]

Seen a Guy Go Up A Black Section on his Gravel Bike not a Bobble or Stall Made it look easy ..... pro type Rider

[@gsrossco]

Great comparison. I've just bought a gravel bike and I own a hardtail. Must confess I like the gravel bike over terrain that contains stretches of deep sand, gravel, and really rocky trails. Overall I'm slower on the gravel bike, but the challenge is greater and the adrenalin buzz is higher when I finish. Think some people call it underbiking.

[@nbergstedt]

A few friends and I did an off-road bike packing trip earlier this year in northern Minnesota, and we all had hard-tail plus bikes... until a four joiner came on board with a 38 mm tire gravel bike. Needless to say, we were all a little curious how this was gonna work out. The results, as you’d expect after watching this video, were that the new guy blew us away on the hard-packed logging roads, but the rest of us had to spend a little quality waiting time whenever we found ourselves on rocky and muddy forest trails. And boy oh boy, the descents on the rocky trails were absolutely incredible on the plus bike! Just exhilarating. I’d also like to add: Kudos to that gravel bike! We all expected at least one flat tire from him over the four day trip, but no! Not a single flat!

[@CristianCiupitu]

How untrue were his wheels at the end?

[@jonathano6622]

So the answer is a gravel on 650+ ?

[@JV57JAY]

That sounds great fun

[@crazy8sdrums]

I put 700x32 tires on my 29er rims and found that worked great as a gravel bike and is considerably faster on the road. It may look a little odd with skinny tires on an MTB, but it rides great. The big tires are squishier though and the ride is more comfortable. I think it is just a choice between flat bars or drop bars that makes it a gravel bike or an MTB.

[@gustavolepe741]

about to do the same on 29er, but ill try some 700x43

[@paulcuthbert]

I'm 100% a roadie but I still watched this, totally engaged, for half an hour. The power of GCN!

[@gcn]

Thanks for the support!

[@woody1380]

On roads and smooth trails the gravel bike is faster by a few seconds. On rough tracks the mountain bike is faster by minutes. So there's very little difference and advantage to a gravel bike in its best conditions and loads of advantage to the MTB in its best conditions which overall makes the mountain bike a better all rounder.

[@aquelegabriel]

This is true for everything. Unless you want to actually race in the thing. A sports car will be faster in a paved city road if compared with a pickup, but the difference is not as big as the difference in bumpy roads, where the sport car is very outside of its comfort zone. The same goes to motorcycles. A ninja will be very bad in a trail, but a dirt bike will not be that bad in a paved road. So, in general, if you need to travel in multiple terrains, the best choice will always be the one designed for the rough terrain.

[@mjodr]

@@aquelegabriel I'll one-up your statement about the dirt bike and tell you that my XR650R is an excellent motorcycle for the street. In fact, it's the best motorcycle I've ridden on the street, haha. I think I've done about 30k miles on it and I never really want to go back to a "street" bike. The only thing on my list is to actually do the same thing with a 2-stroke! Tired of kicking my big ass piston over.

[@aquelegabriel]

@@mjodr the xr650r is a good bike period, tbh. Hahahah. But it's like with tires. A road tire is more efficient than an off road tire in a city, but a road tire is absolutely useless, and actually kinda dangerous, in off road.

[@ninjycoon]

That's what I noticed

[@mhn23visual]

I would wonder on how much wattage you need to be as fast as the gravel ride. Specially the first comps have been made on a climb. Put that on a less steep one or a longer, average flat tour and you will see the difference i assume. Gravelbikes aren't much about the speed per trail per se, but the ability to cover more surfaces vs their road counterparts while still being efficient enough to require less energy on longer tours. I'll happily do 100, 200km on a gravel vs a hardtail, where i can go through forests or light gravel vs road-only with the roadbike. I'd loved to see the power numbers for this test to validate/invalidate my points. For me personally, i love my gravel bike and if its summer and i feel like going road, i'll swap the wheel set to a 25/28mm set.

[@danbuck9214]

Here's the major takeaway: ride what you like where you like, and just have fun.

[@rhinonaryder6136]

But these videos can give you an idea to go and try new bikes. Obviously I agree with you but there is always a possibility to squeeze out even more fun.

[@jasbrism]

I feel the XC just gives more options on what you can ride plus its super fun to do jumps on my XC that i just wouldn't go near on a gravel.

[@Scottx125Productions]

If you're going to ride long distance to go off-road. Gravel. If you're going to drive and then go off-road, use a MTB.

[@pkomarek]

True about jumps, but bunny hops are soo easy on a light gravel bike with a rigid frame! I live in London and have space for just one bike for road and trails and daily commute. I have to be satisfied catching air over speed humps. 😁

[@enuazeal]

@@Scottx125Productions i do just fine on my XC on long distances :)

[@srivaddadi1]

If I had to choose one, I'd choose a bike that is more efficient over a greater variety of terrain(i.e. gravel).

[@ianiscaratti4924]

Paul Komarek bunny hops are so much easier with suspension

[@TheTubaEmporer]

I absolutely love this video! Informative and entertaining, I'm glad each bike got a fair shake.

[@minuteman3043]

Thanks so much!!! This is exactly what I was wanting to know - you guys totally rocked this and it was very entertaining!

[@gcn]

Thanks David

[@fabo.grafik]

Super good video! Thanks a lot to you guys for creating such high quality content for free.

[@hugobci]

So a road bike goes better on the road and a MTB goes better off-road?

[@outsidestuff4867]

NO!!!!!!! Since when?!?!?!?! My life is a lie!

[@romeocorvinus3465]

So a plane flys better than a train?

[@hugobci]

@@romeocorvinus3465 huum gravel plane versus full suspension trains!

[@beshock3654]

No shit

[@miket2394]

Very much so.

[@OddJob728]

Loved the video. The one thing I would like to see more normalized for comparative testing is the tires. MTB could retain a wider variant, but having the same model of tire should help reveal more of the actual differences. Tires are not expensive when comparing bikes of this caliber. I would be curious to see whether the front suspension of the MTB actually makes it more difficult to put the power to the pavement (when left unlocked).

[@brettward5761]

Agree , tires are the biggest difference in speed… and yes thats why they have lockout on the forks, you lose a lot of power when unlocked…

[@mojo6098]

Just said something similar. The main differences between these bikes are the tyres, switch them over and then see how they compare. Tyres is the main difference here,.

[@ian3525]

Wow, great production, really enjoyed watching this episode !!! Love from Indonesia Keep up the good work :)

[@tworandy]

Great comparison guys. Also, I know every trail you biked, so it was fun showing my son the video of the trails we bike and run over. We tend to park near Tynnings Farm to hit the trails. Keep up the cool work. 10/10 again.

[@j10ant]

The last test gave me flashbacks to my first organised ride since getting back into cycling, rocked up to a full on mtb ride on a cyclocross bike. It... it did not go well.

[@scherzo0o]

What I LOVE about your movies is that they invariably end up in a pub. You could as well advertise for beer, guys!

[@RichJ-nr1ho]

Introverted perfectionistic cultures have a much higher rate of drinking.

[@Deuteross]

Chris is absolutely smashing it at 20:57. I can't imagine anyone could be significantly faster on this trail.

[@ToytoyVidzz]

😂

[@devacore477]

The debate is relative to the terrain your riding and your technical skills on any given bike.

[@josh33172]

On the tarmac, Chris w/ the gravel bike was 8:11 and 11sec slower on the MTB. SI was 8:20 on the gravel, and 27sec slower on the MTB over 2Km. Extend that ride out to 50km and the difference becomes much more significant. Personally I believe the benefits of owning a gravel bike these days out weigh a road bike aside from pure road riding. Yes they are slower on the road, but not by that much, and you can get much more variety of riding in, but it doesn't replace a MTB on MTB trails, but still good fun on them!

[@cbrown182]

Having rented a gravel bike to have a play I would always go with a MTB now. I plan to buy a second set of wheels with less chunky tyres for trails / occasional road riding as that seems to be the main benefit of a gravel bike. I don't get the aero argument with the road bike bars either tbh. Most people cycling for recreation and not speed so the benefit seems minimal. I also found the bars to be really limiting on rougher trails, as all your weight is over the front it's tricky to tackle the bumps and rocks. You also have less steering angle and it's harder to emergency brake if you hit some rough stuff.

[@vieuxacadian9455]

I recall riding and old 3 speed down a Southern US country gravel road ( covered in loose churt rock gravel ) back in the early 1970s . Far different than what I saw in the video . Great video content all the same guys !

[@HenryAshman]

I'd be interested to see what difference going 650B with a 47mm tyre based on a mountain bike tread pattern would have made. It's the nice thing about my gravel bike, I've got a more "road with gravel" wheelset and a "does single-track quite well" wheelset depending on what I'm doing that day. It would probably close the gap more than fitting a slick MTB tyre, but I'd be keen to find out.

[@BartoszRogowski]

9:53 that is a smooth transition! Your filmmaking is incredible.

[@gcn]

Thanks!

[@Alenalen8701]

i didnt even notice lol

[@6ft8incyclist]

Great Video, I like that big brass ship signal / search light, behind you at the pub.

[@jeeporegon9817]

Not sure how I missed this video 4 years ago, but great comparison! Thank you.

[@deanjackson3097]

I have a road, gravel and dual MTB, the road almost never gets ridden anymore, the roads in Aus are just so dangerous. The trick to a gravel is having 2 sets of wheels, smooth for the bitument trails and treaded for the gravel roads and passive single track, it gives you and extra bike!

Finally a valid comparison. Thank you, guys!

[@trepanieryves]

Thanks GCN - Great review, so good that I need both bike types now :)

[@mattdelcomyn8012]

Great comparison you guys!! Thanks.

[@SimonGreenway]

Great video @GCN. I've had a hardtail MTB for years. And road bikes for years, and a CX commuter, but recently went on holiday and found myself increasingly drawn to the gravel bikes for rent. Spent many a good hour or two trashing around olive groves in Greece, it was the ideal weapon of choice. Speed comparisons are one thing - but do we all need to go faster? Anyway after getting home I only went and bought one, now I just need to tell the other half and take it home, it's been in the office for 3 weeks!

[@K777John]

Simon G-brave man, I am planning on getting a Ti gravel bike to go with my carbon road bike and Ti 29’er hardtail-but I wouldn’t be buying one without discussing it first with management......

[@SimonGreenway]

@@K777John what's the saying "it's easier to seek forgiveness than to get permission". However it might be better if I did seek permission, it might curtail my ridiculous collection of 17+ bikes! I just can't say no!

[@K777John]

Simon G-17+ my goodness, you have got a problem-mind you I have a mate with over 60 Italian Motorcyles...... With 17 bikes I would have thought you could slip another in and she wouldn’t even notice.....

[@SimonGreenway]

@@K777John precisely!

[@camc2252]

@@K777John Just get 'em all. She'll get over it :-)) I did so and in my case the male in the family disapproved and thought I was crazy...but he didn't move out..:-)) I sold my hybrid though and that brought some relief. :-)

[@dannylo4807]

Over the years of watching gcn, i finally figured that the best part is the pub scene

[@daniellouw1]

Another thing that I have realised by watching this video is the privilege we have to ride such wonderful, high tech machines. This video makes me want to get on my bike and pedal it as hard as I can. I enjoyed this video very much. The both of you are excellent presenters. Good job! In South Africa gravel bikes are not yet that big, but I get the feeling it is growing. I have a hardtail MTB and road bike. I enjoy them both.

[@skaratayev]

Thank you guys, great review, just what I needed.

[@adambrickley1119]

I'd like to see the same experiment but for each bike using the most appropriate tire for the terrain, because if you only owned one bike switching tires for the day is the likely sensible thing to do.

[@drifterxl12]

So... 2 offroad bikes in the Roady channel. You guys are getting there 🤣👌🏻

[@stevesnailfish]

Best video ever, by your good selves in my opinion (been a subscriber for years) and this just sums up my own personal riding throughout the year...Thumbs up for it.....I run a CX, gravel, 29er and an old 26" and do as many off-road rides as I can manage....Each bike has its own use and I do all of the video's type of trails on all of them My conclusion is as Simon and Ollie's........although I do find rough trails on drop bar bikes more of a laugh and reminiscent of early 1990's MTBing when I started cycling properly on rigid MTB's (Kona's).... This cross discipline stuff is brilliant and just gets it (Jeremy's CX stuff for an example)......My old roadbike doesn't get a look in now.....!!! By the way, the trackstands were impressive.....10/10 for the channel

[@Franksey180]

You guys did a great job with this and I agree with the conclusions. I've got an XC and a Gravel bike (not as nice as the ones in this vid) and I'll choose the gravel for more mixed riding with canal paths/gravel paths/roads over longer distances and then take the XC on the trails. The XC feels heavy and inefficient on the road, though I did plenty of road miles on it before getting an XC.

[@shawnwalsh910]

Nice vid boys. Well done. Having ridden a lotta MTB back in the '90s and early 2000's and now being smitten with the gravel bike movement, my personal feeling is that it all comes down to a speed-over-distance equation that Simon eluded to in his commentary. How far do I want to go? And over what kind of terrain? And how fast? The answer is in the bike you choose after you answer those questions! And no, I don't think there is 'one bike that can do it all'. Pick the right tool for the job!

[@reformedknight7506]

Road bike cannot be used in true offroad , while MTB can be used with superb efficiency for road and superbly for city commute . MTB is the tool for all jobs , but many people don't like it's not easy as gravel , for longer rides on road . What must be said it's that MTB is more comfortable even on road , which is not small benefit . It can be used for all purposes from commuting , to offroad ride , to travel . If something is superior machine , let's not put it anywhere but on the first place . MTB hardtail is that , it's the best machine overall , it's durable and atractive like no other bike too . Today people at 100 kg , that are taller , are the norm , millions in world are very heavy , some are bodybuilders and some athletes in powersports etc , they can safely and comfortably use MTB . Most people like the way MTB looks , the price , everything . When you try to run in hiking boots , you cannot do it in city , many people use hiking boots for rain in city , that's just won't work . MTB for city , it works , it's even more comfy than road bike , it is . While walking in hiking boots in city is painful and slow , riding MTB in city for commute is very comfy and efficient . It's not ideal , for ideal efficiency you will need tires like Big Apple or Big Ben tires , but even with knobby tires ride will be very comfortable . When you go to hike , you can easily backpack another shoes , and start in city with running shoes or even sneakers , and switch to hiking shoes or ( better choice light or heavy ) boots what you prefer to use , later . You cannot backpack another bike , and sometimes is hard to choose what bike you will use for a ride . But if you have only MTB hardtail , you are good to go whatever are the circumstances and that is great for most people .

[@lucaswarren5947]

So, I own a Grail and have taken it on many a rough ride. Although my goal was to have a one bike garage, I am currently building a hard tail mountain bike because I don't have near as much fun on the descents even though climbing with my gravel bike is a blast. Washington state and BC riding over here in N. America.

[@walterkuhlmann7840]

Great video - gave me just the right info, keep on!

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

Great bike performance comparison.Beautiful looking Canyons.The background music was a treat to hear.Cheers.

[@KvnDspMntjs]

I would like to see the HT against Gravel bike with the same set of tires.

[@davidgiles5461]

That was fantastic 😂 You’re like the Hale and Pace of the cycling world 👌

[@matosbruno6522]

Cheers, i live in Portugal and i bought a Giant XTC Advanced 29r in 2017, and i´ve been riding it thousands of Km on the road, often i can keep up with low end road bikes and your video just gave me the proof that i made the right choice because i was thinking of buying a road bike but i would loose all the fun when riding in the trails of Sintra/Cascais. for me having two bikes it´s just not practical. Keep up the good work, the videos from this channel are just spot on.

[@K777John]

I love that Simon said he ‘just monster trucked through’. I bought a Sonder Signal Ti hardtail in January and call it a monster truck-with a 2.5 tyre on the front and 2.4 on the back it feels indestructible compared to my Specialized Roubaix running 30mm tyres.....

[@kignacio]

2:12 the fact that he turned the bars 22.5• while hopping off a curb gives him instant dirt cred.

[@mattjones4054]

This would be really interesting repeated with approx £1000 bikes

[@anonymousbiohacker]

Yes, that will provably disturb a little if you go with “avergae-budget” AL gravels (at 10-11 kilos) and mountains (at 12-13 kilos)

[@silotx]

There are gravel bikes priced approx £1000? I don't think so.

[@farikkun1841]

@@silotx marin nicasio

[@nawaal4452]

Bergamont Grandurance

[@bradl45]

excellent production, Thanks for sharing, I need more bikes, lol!

[@lemmontree1]

2 awesome hosts and a fun experiment. Loved it!

[@garygrant2000]

I loved this test. - very useful indeed. I've thought about this a lot as I generally ride MTBs (I also have a racer) and I was thinking of getting a Gravel Bike but I wasn't sure what the real benefit would be. It probably would have been fairer if you got full time mountain Bikers (from GMBN) but I definitely saw your MTB skills there. So you've justified why these bike are called 'Gravel Bikes' - they really live up to their name. Nice work.

[@NHL17]

Now the question is, which would you take as an adventure tour bike (where you're not sure what kind of trail you would come across, or you may choose your route based on your mood at the moment, or even commuting home differently than you normally do)? For me it would be gravel all the way, but would love to hear your thoughts.

[@guillermocesarganem5532]

I have a Hardtail and a Fixie. Between both i cover commuting, urban rides and adventures in general

[@jimboyhizon2427]

i have hardtail mtb, full suspension mtb, single speed bike,fatbike, cyclocross, ebike.😁

[@jamesharcombe45]

I’d agree with you. In the 90’s I set up my MTB as a touring bike. Went all over Asia and soon swapped out the knobbly’s for a narrower road focused tyre. I would have loved a gravel bike! The weight saving alone would be worth it. The point was made in the video about comfort as well. 150 to 200k a day would have been way more comfortable on a gravel bike.

[@miarobv]

Very informative and entertaining. Love your humor.

[@michaelknoblach83]

I really enjoyed watching this video. Thanks a lot.

[@freestylefitnes9157]

I’ve got a 700c Ti gravel bike and a 29” slack Ti hard tail. Both are great! I ride the same trails in summer on both (MTB) and park the gravel bike in winter generally. The MTB is significantly more capable off-road and much more comfortable in the rough. The gravel is much better for longer mixer surface riding and much more enjoyable to ride on the road. Both go on the turbo and both have carbon wheels. They maybe close companions, but they most definitely have their places on the trails and in my house. Nice vid guys, keep up the good work.

[@rabidsminions2079]

Best balance for me is a Hybrid with MTB handlebars 700c x 38 and lockable suspension. Great for city roads that are often not smooth, speed humps, potholes etc.

[@s0012823]

Really good comparison. I am gearing up for a travel on asphalt and light gravel with a lightweight carbon bike with racks and mud-guards. Going for minus 10kg instead of a 18kg travelbike. This video helped me choosing for 700c with 45mm.

[@CDOES]

This channel is the equivalent of old school Top Gear, but they review bikes instead of cars. Im glad I found this channel. Cheers!

[@chriskoutroulis4531]

Well done guys! As someone who loves all aspects of cycling, i enjoyed that tremendously. Simon, your heart might say roadie, but your body says mountain all the way! Chris, great wind resistance posture. Also, great to see old school riding, where you take advantage of anything you have at hand vs a precise, calculated riding style.

[@Connect-Photography]

I think for the main part gravel adventure rides will be covering many miles over road, smooth gravel and rough gravel. There may be some single track links, but mostly the first three. Over a 50 - 100 mile ride the differences will add up and you will find the gravel bike much quicker and more suitable. I think that generally, people wouldn't be adopting those strange/dangerous areo positions on there MTB and the gap on roads between gravel and MTB is probably larger in normal use. An adventure ride on a MTB would probably swing more towards gravel, chunky and single track, and use roads to link. In the summer I can throw road wheels on my gravel bike and then there is just no way the MTB is coming close, and would result in a similar or greater difference seen here between the MTB and the gravel bike on rocky single track. A MTB it a true all rounder, it genuinely can do everything. A gravel bike is effectively 2 bikes in 1, so while not truly a full all rounder, its incredibly flexible. Gravel and 29ers are both able to do it all, but both sit on opposite sides of the 1-4 terrain scale. Basically: Gravel bike 1,2,3 MTB: 2,3,4

[@deverenfogle3201]

Dave Craig I would argue that an MTB can actually do it all. A gravel bike, however, is a road bike with wider tires. Trails it cannot do in any way. Except for those that a road bike would also be able to do with wider tires. ;)

[@Connect-Photography]

​@@deverenfogle3201 A MTB is the true do it all bike, a gravel bike is surprisingly capable. The truer name for a gravel bike is "adventure bike" - as it will chew miles up so much better than the MTB.

[@deverenfogle3201]

Dave Craig Yes, road bikes do chew through the mileage much faster than an MTB. But most anyone doing these ultra marathon races, thousands of miles, are running MTBs. They chew through adventure miles better than a gravel bike, especially when the going inevitably gets rough! ;)

[@movieman6588]

Great video. Thanks for the commentary at the end because I think it does matter what you have access to or plan on riding. I don't like XC mountain biking unless the terrain is really challenging, for smooth track or gravel I can see that I would enjoy it more on a gravel bike. I don't have my new bike yet so I can't say for sure, but the thought of riding a long track trail on my current XC bike doesn't seem all that appealing. Mind you my wheels are 26 inches and my bike is fairly heavy.

[@aigasnikov]

Its a very good and important video for me today. I've really have a good opportunity from this video. Thanks a lot

[@qibble455]

I'd love to see a video comparing the Grail with it's dropbars to a Grail modded with flatbars. Great video though GCN:)

[@sickunit2096]

I think it would be great to see a cx-mtb vs gravel bike race with mixed terrain. Each discipline would place in their own class, as well as an overall class. Kind of like GT series car racing.

[@democratssuxmaga7965]

Really love your videos! Have a Specialized Diverge Comp and I was debating if I should use it next year to bike the Camino or get a mtb... I think I'll stick with my bike..thanks!

[@sandrorenato405]

Excellent video. Thank you 10000 times. Save ridings and lots of fun

[@apm9507]

Chunky gravel is the normal side of the road in eastern Idaho that I bike commute on with my Surly fat tire bike.

[@evigvandrare]

One of the best things I've ever done is swap out the flat bars on my XC with the Curve Walmer drop bars. Ultra wide, good body position, and I've never felt unsafe or unstable on technical trails.

[@rexlybrand6688]

Curve Walmer Bars on my Salsa Cutthroat. Love the leverage! I’m not going fast enough to lose benefits due to frontal area aero drag so I will just roll with Walmer Bars!

[@shumeister1059]

A lot of food for thought. Thanks for the excellent presentation.

[@dominiquevergauwe19]

great video, keep up the good work, and true after watching the video, it comes down to having fun. where i live, Belgian coast we have single tracks , dunes and sandy trails, you can use either bike and i do, and both are different, the biking and feeling is different ....but in the end the biking is fun and thats what it is about for me. In the end for long trip on the road ill take my road bike, for a rocky ride, my mountain bike, for roads in between, i have a choice, and that depends on my mood....haha....and we i go only to train on the beach, i use my beach race bike....

[@Proxima04]

The uk’s B roads and farm tracks present the most commonly seen trail and plenty of minor roads aa so narly that either bike is a good option I reckon, it’s the road bike gravel bike comparison that would be interesting. 👍

[@pjszewc114]

I did perfect choice buying xc mtb at the beggining of this season

[@deepwaterbrooke7263]

Thanks for the comparison! I have been wondering about the differences. I think the work you were looking for in the video was “trepidation”

[@niki0k582]

Awesome, detailed comparison👌

[@user-il7uk8jb7c]

Guys, I really like what you are doing, and as a Russian speaker, I want to express my deep gratitude to you for Russian subtitles (I write through a translator)

[@mdtrx]

I interpret that I can invite my friend to a rough gravel ride. It's good to know how hard trails I can offer and we'll both have equal fun.

[@d.rabbitwhite]

Came back, after over sleeping, started from beginning. I quite enjoyed this video. And being the non competitive, I don't care how fast I go, type (yet I love watching all gcn content), it seems natural that I was distracted by how nice are the areas y'all rode.

[@bradberry117]

I have a cyclocross bike for my off road days. Your breakdown in this video is 100% what I experience on the various surfaces. I rarely wish I had a full mountain bike because the cyclocross is so versatile. The big down side... I puncture a lot on technical trails. The price you pay for fun

[@better.better]

I want to see a video on the best winter commuter (in a snow storm)

[@cookingconfessions]

Great video - Just what I had been waiting for! I would always go for the 29'er XC bike. Its just more versatile no matter how you cut it. No doubt they are heavier especially if they are alloy and also due to the fork. I just put carbon wheels on my 29'er saving approximately a kilo over the very heavy (but dead strong) stock wheels that are now my spare set. This made the bike feel a lot more lively (biggest difference) and with some what better acceleration power. On the down side it made the ride a lot harder. The versatility of a 29 XC bike is mind-blowing. I have two set-ups I run. On the trail setup I am ridding the bike with Schwalbe 'Nobby Nick" rear and "Racing Ray", Crank Brothers flat pedals, 70 mm 0 degree stem AND a dropper post. In the road set-up I am ridding Schwalbe G-One Speed tires, fixed seat post and XT click pedals and a 11 mm stem in - 6 degrees. One is a capable mountain bike and the other is a pretty fast road going bike. Its of course not suited for racing or attacking a group of roadies, but it can certainly keep up. I am considering a fixed carbon fork for my road set up BUT honestly I love the comfort of being able to engage the suspension fork on brick roads and gravel trails. One comment from some one else mentioned that we would like the GMBN guys to do the SAME comparison because it would be interested to hear the verdict from a mountain biker perspective.

[@katmai7777]

There is only one problem for both your setups: Distance. Riding +100km with straight handelbar is nightmare. Riding +100km with dropbar on gravel or road bike is "piece of cake".

[@cookingconfessions]

@@katmai7777 I could agree on that. Its indeed a highly personal perspective depending your situation and what is in your garage today. What I did not mention is that I also own a road bike. If you want a do-it-all capable bike I guess a Gravel bike is a damm good choice. However being from the generation I am I just love XC bikes and straight handle bars, but its true we did used to have bar-ends to increase our comfort on longer rides.

[@katmai7777]

@@cookingconfessions I own 28’’ Cross-Bike with straight handelbar. I also have endbars installed. But you know...this is not the same as dropbar. This year I am converting that Cross to Gravel. I decided to do that after analysis of surface and distance of my rides.

[@zenderspider]

Loved watching the comparison. After riding my local single track forest MTB trails for couple of years now on both hardtail and fullsuspension MTB’s I also bought myself a gravel-ish Cannondale Slate with the lefty Oliver front suspension. I’m taking this on a lot of gravelroads where I also could have used my MTB but riding these with my current fullsuspension would be a bit over the top. Also tried the Slate with it’s front suspension and G-One tyres on 650B rims on my MTB XC single trail and do not like it at all as I cannot make the speed or fun I have with my Scott Spark RC on the same trail. So happy I used the n+1 rule and enjoy both.

[@gcn]

Glad you enjoyed it! n+1 is a beautiful system 😂

[@AndrewEvenstar]

this is the best cycling channel on YT.... you guys are awesome !!

[@innerwolf]

Pulls the pin out, over arm throw - what about hybrid,, front suspension, 700c wheels, 42mm tires, flat bars. Best of both worlds... - duck for cover.

[@lordbertos8124]

Actually a good point I used my hybrid more than my road bike. It's great in winter through some slippery woods and just a complete tank of a bike that lasts no matter what I do to it 👍

[@mikesavage8793]

Pretty much what I use, bar the front suspension and running 48mm tyres.

[@ltu42]

You've described an XC MTB with slighly skinnier tires. 29'ers are 700c, but ~55 mm tires.

[@chadrides914]

uh now you went and confused me inner wolf. i thought a 'gravel' bike was a hybrid bike?

[@deverenfogle3201]

Soooo, you mean an XC bike with smaller tires.?. Yes, this is why gravel bikes are a hard sell for a lot of people who already own a MTB and road bike.

[@colinthompson5881]

Great review, for me gravel gives the most freedom and the best for exploring. I just love heading off on my Orange rx9 knowing I can do most things and that is liberating. Love gravel bikes, maximum smiles per hour.

[@toddhagen88]

Agreed..... the technical stuff is fun too! I feel faster even when I'm not if I was cruisin' on my Dually

[@steveharris5526]

One of my favorite videos to date! Very interested in gravel.

[@kruisinwagen]

Great info, thanks