Road Bike AND Gravel Bike: Can This Do Both?

[@gcn]

What do you think? 🤔 Is a road bike with gravel tyres all you need, or are dedicated gravel bikes still king? 🚵‍♂️ Drop your thoughts below! 👇

[@alexandersnider734]

The racey geometry on that bike kinda kills it as a gravel bike for me. I still dont think you can just pop on gravel tires and call it a gravel bike. Wider range gear set with a very easy gear, and more upright riding position with wider hand positioning are crucially missing on road bikes. Gravel bikes should be comfortable for long periods of mixed terrain, and not optimized for speed as a primary design like this and other road bikes are.

[@frazergoodwin4945]

I still want to have a gravel bike and have an additional road wheelset - but that's because the riding I want to do includes multiday bikepacking rides that includes gravel (e.g. my summer ride was the Baltic coast of Germany & Poland followed by crossing Sweden cost to coast). But I do agree that it is the type of riding that's most appealing to the person that will be the decider - for Ollie that means a road bike and potentially an extra set of "gravel wheels" or running extra wide tires all the time, For me its a Trek Checkpoint with extra Road Wheels.

[@alexandersnider734]

Sorry, I should clarify, the geometry on that road bike kills it for me as a bike overall. There is just no reason to go for a nice ride and be hunched over like that.

[@Kattbirb]

This won't do. You've sold me on 50mm tires over the last year. 40mm won't be enough, I saw how much fun Hank had on those Schwalbe Super Moto 50mms down Cheddar Gorge.

[@HeadPack]

It think the geometry of endurance bikes and that of gravel bikes have become quite similar. The thing with tire clearance is that with e.g. this BMC you would have fork and frame rub with dirt once you hit a muddy section. So, I think this progression with tire clearance would need to head more towards 50mm. Skinnier road tires may look odd on that, but they are getting wider too. I am personally using a Giant Revolt Advanced for road and gravel riding plus touring and think it is pretty much a do it all. The BMC looks quite a bit nicer though.

[@Zerotonin666]

And the Roadmachine is only 14000€ so who wouldn't. There should be a "GCN pleb" channel where bikes can only cost up to 4000€

[@timothywebster4288]

Just get a road machine 02 I have one with ultegra!

[@ChryskylodonInstitute]

in what world a pleb can pay 4k for a bike?

[@Zerotonin666]

@ I'm brand new to cycling, so I'll stick to my 1200€ cube for now. And eventually save up for a ribble allroad-ti 😅

[@CrapKerouac]

The mamil dentist channel and a pleb channel. That's a good idea.

[@akilakbaraly9095]

During the video, he saied same arguments are working for cheaper bikes. But I agree to watch more videos on cheaper bikes (around 1200€) would be great too

[@BryanStange-g8k]

Gravel riding is simply returning us all to our child hood of riding whatever the heck we had on what ever surface there was to just go have fun with our friends. I ride a 2022 Cannondale Topstone 1 and I can comfortably ride anything I want here in Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley!

[@Grunchy005]

"every bike is an all-terrain bike"

[@Intrud0r]

This actually is all the gravelbike people need - only for about 14000 Euros. A real bike for the common man.

[@clifftonsfly]

Yup! and then you follow the link to the BMC website and there is no UK or GB option in the Country Select drop down. It looks as though, even if you wanted one and were in the UK, BMC don't wan't sell you one. Madness.

[@exigency2231]

the test is more about the difference in wheelset. get a grip

[@jevgeniardassov]

😂😂😂

[@Wolfgangsson]

I know it is probably a jake but if not. You didn’t get it

[@АлексейЛысов-ю4ъ]

I bought my Roadmachine for 2800 eur

[@abrickman7924]

I use my Specialized Roubaix as both my gravel bike and road bike. I live in a rural area with lots of gravel roads that I need to use to connect between paved roads to make an interesting route (rather than out and back all the time). I leave the gravel tires on most of the time and when it’s time to race I put the road tires on. I love the bike because it can easily do both and allows me to enjoy myself and have fun riding.

[@edwardsykes8608]

Why do people watch these videos to complain about the price of the bikes. If you watched top gear and the trio driving quarter of a million pound cars, you watched it for the enjoyment due to the presenters and the content. That’s why I watch GCN because they’re entertaining and I like bikes. Stop complaining about the fact that the new tech is expensive and just enjoy the fact that we get to watch these guys make great content that is available for us for free.

[@86Hasse]

People complain because a road bike costing the equivalent of a decent and fairly new second hand car is just ridiculous. Prices of new bikes have spiralled out of controll. But that's just my opinion. Doesn't stop me from enjoying these videos though 😊

[@roysauto7674]

And, as far as I can see, the opinions presented are still valid and are applicable to more cost effective bikes.

[@DnBSkunk]

Entitlement. Nothing more nothing less. As with every product in the world there is the low end, the absurdly expensive end and then the middle where most of us get bits Personally, I like seeing the stuff I’ll never be able/willing to buy myself.

[@yomin2162]

I remember when GCN was testing stuff for ordinary cyclists, not becoming the top gear of cycling.

[@thejarrod123]

People complained about top gear covering overly expensive cars all the time too😂😂😂

[@roysauto7674]

Good content and Ollie and Si worked great together. I started with a road bike with 40mm tire clearance but soon realized that for more relaxing rides, such as my preferred gravel, that it was difficult for me to slow down and enjoy the sights. This is mostly down to my neck flexibility. So I added a more relaxed gravel bike that allows me to sit up in a more comfortable position. I now use this bike when I want to take a relaxing ride and see the sights and for long, low effort, rides when comfort comes before speed. The road bike comes out when I want to push things and go fast. I could easily get by with the relaxed bike for both purposes but since I already had the road bike, and can afford to keep both, it's nice to mix it up.

[@pashonic]

Trek had it figured out years ago with the Domane. I put 38s on mine and gravel on even the hashes of terrain.

[@StacyODell]

Picking up my Domane in a few weeks, and this is the plan -- upgrade to a carbon wheelset and then use the stock alloy wheels to run 38c gravel tires when needed

[@ericbayona2516]

Are 38s the biggest tire you can put on it? I’ve had a domane for a couple of years and I’m thinking of doing the same thing.

[@drill_fiend1097]

​@@ericbayona2516 even bigger with 650B

[@StacyODell]

@@ericbayona2516 for the gen 4, yes. 40c would probably fit but I would avoid rocks and mud for sure

[@ericbayona2516]

@ I have an SL6 gen 4. I will go with the 38. Thanks for the information!

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

The reason for the popularity of gravel bikes is the same reason hybrids came about (and to some degree, why cyclocross bikes had a surge in popularity): Road racing bikes are not suitable for most users-especially the skinny tired versions that used to be common. Or, as Ollie puts it in another video, most people buy bikes that “are not fit for purpose.” Because, just as Si says here that most people don’t use gravel bikes for long and unsupported tours in the wilderness; most people don’t use road bikes for racing Milan-San Remo or the grand tours.

[@FTA38yearfreeride]

@@rudolphpyatt4833 I don't see a reason to buy an of road bike to ride on the road.

[@danielschurmann7558]

yeah, most of the time, I see them used for bikepacking and sometimes even commuting. I guess there is a market for road bikes with screw holes for fenders and racks :)

[@davidluyt3963]

Yea, I got a "gravel (CGR)" bike because I wanted a faster commuter / do it all bike than my old hybrid . So I need a pannier rack , mudguards (as scotland is usually wet, and the roads are practically gravel in places with all the potholes and road repairs, and there are some gravel bike tracks on the route. Sometimes there are so many leaves on the bike tracks that they are slippery and you can't even see the track . Yet, parts of my commute are on good roads, so I want road gears for those bits. I can also use the bike on the weekends for longer trips, knowing I can put as many or few bags on as I want, depending on what I'm doing. It'll never be perfect for everything, but it does adequately at everything I want it to do

[@Panoramix0874]

@@danielschurmann7558 That would be an Audax bike!

[@lauratimmins2177]

I'm a 65 gal who rides road mainly but bought a 2024 e-assist Creo 2 expert. I did have 47 mm that came with the bike but switched to 38 mm with centre slick on the tire. Loving the bike for all reasons. Climbing hills is easier now. I can now ride gravel and dirt trails which I would not ride with skinny tires. Plus the descending on hills is amazing like you say with fatter tires giving you more confidence. I do love descending on my 23 mm tire on my 16 year madone but the two bikes are worlds apart. Fab video!!!❤

[@hicky62]

40 years ago, I was riding a steel bike with Campagnolo and 1 1/4 inch tyres on. I used it for touring, or bikepacking, including gravel, commuting, and of a weekend I'd put narrower, lighter tyres on and compete in club races and TTs. Did I win, no but I didn't expect to. Was I happy whenever I rode it, definitely. Now I have 3 bikes to do the same stuff. Like most people, I've fallen for the newest, and lightest is best marketing ploys. Am I going to buy a new bike because it takes wider tyres and has disc brakes, no. Ive learnt my lesson. Manufacturers need to sell bikes, fair enough, but we dont have to keep changing for the latest model.

[@seraph4581]

Bro it's called being an enthusiast. Yeah you don't need to be one, most people aren't. But there are people that enjoy seeing how technology evolves and want to experience the newer things.

[@user-lx6pk9os2d]

Not to mention doing it all on a 6 speed 11/18 freewheel and 42/52 chainset... 😁

[@hicky62]

@@user-lx6pk9os2dNa, 5 speed block. I can't remember gearing on it though. Chainset was definitely 39/52. Height of modernity as it was cotterless.

[@roadcyclist1]

You can do the same thing with many bikes today. So I'm not sure what your point is?

[@hicky62]

@roadcyclist1 My point is, gravel/road crossover bikes are nothing new. This is just the latest rehash of how I and others have cycled for many years. One bike, multiple usage.

[@CatManDoSocial]

Don't care about gravel but I'll watch anything with my two favorite presenters. Bravo! That said, with bike prices being what they are, being able to have just one, all-road bike that can accommodate a wide variety of tire styles and widths just might be the best choice for most of us.

[@plefevre]

I bought a Canyon Endurace for this purpose. Great on the road, great on gravel too. It can only take 35mm tyres however, but I find it does the job pretty well.

[@raylovinggood9398]

I sold my road bike and bought a Kona Libre CR gravel bike in late 2020. It came with 650b x 47 WTB Venture tires. I really enjoy riding the few gravel roads in my area. I also have DTSwiss wheels and Teravail 700c x 38 Rampart “road” tires that are wonderful on the road and fine on the gravel. Big volume and low pressure compared to 23 and 25mm tires convinced me to never go small again on tires. Nothing smaller than 38mm!

[@flynbenny]

I switched my hybrid to some WTB 700c x 37 gravel tires from the road/urban 30s I previously had. I is much more comfortable on the roads, and over the ever present expansion joints in concrete bike paths and sidewalks. I have noticed little to no change in rolling resistance, granted I chose a tire that is lightweight and fast rolling. I want to get onto a bike that is a bit lighter (it weighs 13kg) and with drop bars, I will probably get something like that Kona which allows large tires, I see no downside to them.

[@lenwilkinson8541]

I guess I am ahead of the curve. I have owned a BMC for over five years. It is a road bike fitted with 38mm Rene Herse Barlow Pass tires, which have almost no tread. My BMC works extremely well both on the road and on Gucci gravel.

[@gcn]

Is that type of gravel a thing now too?

[@PapaPaul723]

2 things, Ollie and Si are hysterical, they do point/counterpoint quite well. Keep up the great work!! #2 When I was in High School, I had a cheap road bike with 37x590 tires. I would still singletrack with my friends. The rear rim was bent to hell, but it was fabulous. Ride what you got. Ok there's a #3. There was something called a hybrid bike that started about 30 yrs ago. And the bike snobs looked upon them in disdain. Well, they are now in vogue and you guys just took a spin on one. The only difference between then and now is you guys have drops, not flatbars. I have an old Jamis Tangier that I threw drops on and It's my go-to bike when I am going multi-surface. I also own several specialty bikes for cyclocross, tri racing, serious road, commuting, mtb. Sidenote I have choices now because I buy used and do my own wrenching which is how I can afford the stable I have. So, unless I am doing something specific, I jump on a hybrid...... Glad you guys caught up. Its tough being a trendsetter. 8-)

[@ebsalonga]

650b compatibility is the perfect feature for do-it-all road/gravel bikes. A fat 650b that’s in the 47-51 mm range is about the same size as 28-32 mm road tires.

[@dayvidknight6395]

Correct. I am lucky enough to have 3T's original Exploro - in gloss black. It has 650B wheels with WTB's Horizon 47mm tyres. The bike is aero-optimised for the 47mm tyres with a distinctive wide down tube. The geometry gives the bike the feel of a road bike and the tyre's diameter is approximately the same as 700C with 28mm tyres. I run a 9-32T 11 speed "Bailout" 3T cassette and a 44T chainring (1X) giving me the same ratio as 54-11 at the top end. This bike is fast everywhere. No need to change the wheels/tyres for off or on road. I bought it new for £10 000 less than the pastel coloured BMC machine - shown here - and it is perfect.

[@333wheeler]

Main factor is the area where you actually live and do the majority of riding. Its mostly bridle and canal tow paths around by me which a training road bike with 28s on has always been able to handle.

[@user-lx6pk9os2d]

I built up a cheap gravel frame with a 2x Force AXS groupset 45/33 and 10/33 cassette at the end of last year. Got 2 sets of wheels, set up road and gravel. Just swap the wheels depending on what I'm doing. Result is absolutely brilliand fun and haven't touched my "proper" road bike all 2024 - to the point I'm seriously considering getting rid of it.

[@dagatoe]

No. Although I think your point is valid what sets my gravel bike apart is not just clearance but the gearing and the ruggedness. I live in an area with mountain roads and access roads that can be super steep with lots of loose gravel and road gearing just wouldn’t cut it here. Again it comes down to the terrain and the type of riding you intend to do.

[@justsomedude7556]

I ran two wheelsets with my Domane for a few years. I ran 30's and I was able to fit in a 40 comfortably. I eventually sold it and got a CheckPoint frame and now run 45's that measure out to 47's and 35 road tires on my road wheels.

[@FranderPoel]

Thanks for the video Si and Ollie, my cervelo áspero 5 with 32mm tires improved a lot my rides in worn out pavements in Brazil, I really love those kind of bikes!

[@gcn]

gravel bikes are great on the worn out pavement

[@marcusathome]

I built myself a gravel bike based on a '70s french randonneur frame (Reynolds 531), and that's the perfect gravel bike for me. Of course weight cannot compete with anything modern and I'm limited in brakes (centre pull), tyres (max 35mm) and gearing (Ultegra 3x9). Still, this bike has an unmatched ride quality, the geometry is a bit more relaxed and forgiving, and it looks cool! To the point: Taking a road race bike like the BMC, putting on wide and knobby tyres and call it a gravel bike, doesn't work. Relaxed geometry and a more comfortable frame is key for me.

[@Pastamistic]

The 40c Pirelli Gravel H has been a fantastic tire for mixed rides. Since getting a gravel bike creating mixed routes have been some of the most fun I've ever had in cycling. Those tires still roll so well on pavement, excel on gravel, and are still great on dry trails.

[@michaelfleming4015]

I find that even the M tread is fine on Tarmac because the center line knobs line up perfectly to run on tarmac.

[@martinhu1934]

I've ridden them for 3 years now, three pairs with zero defects, absolutely perfect. They do, however, make me a bit slow on road, even on 3bar, and I got a racy bike with carbon rims. Easily makes me 2-3km slower, which is pretty big margin, and in corners you really slow down as opposed to road tyres.

[@gcn]

hey thanks for sharing your experience :)

[@kinchasasepang1140]

I use the the Vittoria Terreno Dry in 38 and 33 width and its the same. It's very sturdy and fast.

[@Aragorn.Strider]

Well I still use my gravel bike as a road bike with bigger tyres on them and works great. And if there is a small gravel section, no problem

[@MJQuintana]

That's why I love my Triban RC 520. It's an Endurance, Semi-gravel Road Bike. Or that's how I set it up atleast.

[@baguilar3282]

Hi Stand Ollie! You should come over and use your gravel bikes to ride the entire C&O canal route. It's an awesome ride. Love all your videos!

[@johnferguson5658]

I've sold my dedicated road bike and have purchased a Pivot e-Vault. I have a 700c wheelset with 35c slick tires (RH Bon Jon Pass) and a 650b wheelset with 47c knobbies (Maxxis Rambler). It's essentially 4 bikes in one, with the ability to either use the electric assist or take it completely out of the frame and ride acoustic, with either wheelset. Such fun, couldn't be happier.

[@nickize3146]

I love GCN's videos that research new technologies. And the banter between your hosts! 😊 I'd love a video about the massive tires I'm seeing on bikes. They're about 5 cm wide. I live in Ontario, Canada and I'm seeing them everywhere. I saw someone fall off their bike. I think she thought it was safer with the wider tires.

[@anttihurtig]

My Endurace CF with 35 mm semislicks on light carbon wheels is quite perfect for both road and gravel. Would be interesting to mix this comparison even more up with a BMC Kaius with similar wheel/tire swap 🤔

[@kinchasasepang1140]

That's exactly what I think. I just wrote the same thing about Kaius because I hadn't read your post.

[@singingitman]

I have Trek Checkpoint. I have two sets of wheels, one lighter set with 21mm internal width and 28mm road tyres with TPU Tubes. The other slightly heavier hookless with 25mm internal, with tubeless 40mm. Both wheel sets use the same hub so that I don't have to keep re-aligning brake or re-indexing the derailleur. The change makes a reasonable difference to the overall bike weight. And being the 2019 checkpoint it has adjustable rear dropouts so you can adjust the wheelbase to change the ride feel, more stable or quicker handing.

[@frazergoodwin4945]

@singingitman I built up my Trek Checkpoint from the frameset with GRX Di2 2x and run it with aero wheels with 32mm road tires, aluminium wheels with 45mm mud tires, or Roval terra carbon wheels with 42mm pathfinders. Does it all!

[@johnnycab8986]

10 years ago, 32mm CX tires were plenty for riding dirt roads. But...infrastructure maintenance in the US has gotten so bad over that time that dirt roads are just rougher and rougher, I'm now running 2.1 MTB tires to deal with this.

[@christopherharmon9336]

I often ride my 1998 Gary Fisher w/2.0" Bontrager slick/hybrid-style tires on my local multi-use path. The 2.0 tires make the path feel like it's freshly paved asphalt. Sadly, the path is better than most roads here in Colorado.

[@凸Bebo凸]

Yeah, when the Republicans win and get rid of the Federal Income tax in a few days we aren't going to have working roads at all, gonna be rough. The last way the rich pay into the system is about to dry up.

[@kevinblankenburg4816]

I love my BMC Granfondo. It's capable enough for light gravel.

[@Chris-ss3hb]

Love mine too. A great, all round design

[@JFomo]

I was looking at videos of the Enve Fray and then this video gets uploaded. I too am looking for a roadie that takes gravel tires.

[@hermenderoo3677]

I'd love a video about how to get a second set of wheels on a bike that you already own; what is important to be the same, and what is not important / up for choice? So many times you talk about a second set of wheels, but teach us how to get it (second hand)

[@tonygoddard8039]

I have a Ribble CGR as my road and gravel bike. I swap out the wheels to swap between the two. It works well for me. If I want a more off road day then I'll go for my hardtail MTB. It's great to have all the options. I'm blessed 😁

[@dougmaceachern5568]

I much prefer my gravel/off and back road rides. As I approach my golden years I found I am loosing my nerve due to too many close calls on the roads due to distracted/angry drivers.. I really enjoy your video's keep up the awesome work..

[@bassplayer60659]

Wanted a gravel bike for years. Finally got one and love it! Two different wheel options for road or gravel. Now my road bike lives on the indoor trainer

[@AQUPAS]

Those are some beautiful BMC's! This was a fun episode to watch! Great job GCN!

[@gcn]

Hey thanks!

[@AQUPAS]

@@gcn 😊 👍

[@Kole777]

I have a Trek FX 2 Disc from 2019 that I just put some wider tires on, new grips, pedals, EEsilk stem and seatpost. Man this thing got transformed into the perfect bike for me. Now THATS the gravel / fitness bike for the people.

[@bca-biciclindcuaxel7527]

I ve been doing off road on my road bike for years ! I have a DT Swiss 1850 all road wheelset ( more than 10 years old ) and it simply won't die :))

[@whatwelearned]

Bike company makes specialist bikes, says specialising is king then Bike company makes all-in-one, says generalising is king Money machine go wwwrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[@roadcyclist1]

Specializing in 1 discipline will always result in the highest performance. A do everything bike has its place in allowing you to not have to buy multiple bikes, even if the performance won't be quite as good.

[@barneyklingenberg4078]

@@roadcyclist1The Gravelbike is the do it all bike.

[@cjohnson3836]

Ridiculous people shocked that companies in a capitalist world do marketing go derrpppp

[@MrDannyM1976]

Good video as always, I've been a fan for many years. I have to say yes, to a road bike with gravel tires, especially for the so-called endurance bikes (Roadmachine included). These seem to be going in that direction, with already a relax fit, and allowing wider tire clearance. I recently purchased and old Trek Domane (SLR) frame and build it up as a road specific bike. The bike can take up to 38mm tires (maybe more), so I've consider getting an inexpensive wheel set with 38mm tires to take on some gravel, even though I already have a CX Felt bike that I use for that purpose. If you already own one of these allowing larger tire clearance, it's a plus and easy way to ride on gravel roads. Like Si and Ollie mentioned in the video, the common rider might want to adventure and not race.

[@ducnut]

I completely agree with your assessment. It’s too bad most shops aren’t educated and still beat the skinny tire drum, when a more versatile “gravel bike” better benefits the customer.

[@colinb8327]

I’d love to see a video of what tyres are best for wet and frosty/black ice winter conditions. Gravel or road type tyres? Would hopefully save some painful slip outs and bike damage, and let us get out in the nasty weather. I currently use a gravel bike for my winter trainer, and Road bike for summer/race use, but it would great to know what tyres would be best in winter.

[@plck-plck]

Why are you doing me so dirty? This video is all I need to actually grab that Roadmachine I've been eyeing, BUT probably not enough to convince my wife. Really, thanks.

[@gcn]

Don’t worry, we won’t say a thing 🤐

[@brosettastone7520]

You’re the reason this market exists , have fun being ripped off when you sell it in 2 years for a 60% loss just to buy something even more expensive and continue the cycle

[@Daniel-yf9iy]

I’ve been using the stock Maxis Receptors on my Kona Rove since I bought it and am really enjoying the versatility. I like the idea of an endurance road bike that has clearance for a wider dirt or “all surface” tire.

[@seattlegrrlie]

Kona Rove is one of the best bikes of all time

[@SeifEddineB]

some people are already doing this for a long time, having two sets of tires, road and gravel, fully equipped rear wheel with cassette and everything! quick 10 min swap and hit the road, either tarmac or gravel.

[@johnlieto8906]

Great video boys! I like the idea of one bike and change the wheels. And just love getting on Sy about the technical roads he tries to ride on with a gravel bike!

[@michaelfleming4015]

Thank you for acknowledging the kind of riding most of us do. Get out and have fun with friends, riding bikes that can handle whatever comes. My “road” bike is actually a Cannondale Topstone but with a wheel set with 30 mm road slicks mounted. My “gravel bike is a Specialized Diverge with 40 mm M treads. I suppose the Diverge has some more off road tweaks in its geometry, but they both match my bike fit. I guess the only difference is that the Topstone has 2x Shimano 105 drivetrain and the Diverge is 1x GRX. But both can basically be used to ride anything.

[@christiannevannieuwenhoven9459]

😃 I have been using my 3T Explore from 2019 until now as a road, gravel, and even an MTB bike when riding with 650b tires. The same for my Factor LS since last year. And with my cycling capability, they suit perfectly.

[@evandavies4329]

I have a Road Machine form when they were first launched and run it with 2 sets of wheels and now switched to a GRX 810 groupset, works exactly as Si says, have used it for everything from Paris-Roubaix to UK gravel events. Love it.

[@gcn]

Sounds like a great setup! Thanks for sharing your experience

[@chilltechnologies8933]

I think Si's got it right. I have a BMC Teammachine for the road, and with 28mm tyres on it, it's quite surprising how well it handles moderate gravel. I also have a Ridley X Trail frame (which was Ridley's early adopter "Allroad" frame - with a bit of cyclocross in it) which I built up myself as a gravel bike and this is the one I ride the most nowadays, with 35mm Schwalbe G One Allround tyres (on Reynolds AR29 gravel wheels), which are a bit knobbly, plus a 2X Rotor 46/30 crankset and GRX for the rest. For my riding, which is a mixture of our terrible road surfaces in the West Country, plus a fair bit of off road bike paths and muddy tracks, plus riding in the US, where the roads outside the cities, particularly in the MidWest and out West, are very much gravel/hard packed earth (and often quite rutted), this is perfect. And I don't find that I am going any slower on normal road surfaces on the Ridley than on the BMC. The descending/cornering point (you do feel safer on wider tyres) is most certainly a factor there. I do love my BMC, and were I to make a change and indulge myself in a new bike, I'd certainly look at the Roadmachine, or maybe the Cervelo Caledonia (which is quite a bit cheaper), perhaps with those new gravel tyres with the slick bit in the middle.

[@mommamooney]

My husband rides a gravel bike as his road bike. He doesn’t mind the extra work and he’s always ready for off road

[@nwhiting84]

Great topic! I purchased a bike, a race oriented gravel bike with the intention of running two sets of wheels/tires/cassettes. I think more and more people will gravitate to this model for cost effectiveness and versatility. It's more economical to run one bike and multiple wheelsets than having two puprose built bikes. I still get out and max out on the road while also enjoying scenic southern Utah OHV trails and gravel.

[@shanebracey9862]

I have a 2019 Specialized Diverge. 48/34-11/34.105 throughout. 2 sets of wheels. DT Swiss with 28mm conti 5000 and Mavic allroad with 38mm gravel tyres. 1 bike and double the fun!

[@connorparadis4804]

Nice video. I definitely see the appeal for road feel on gravel roads for the sake of getting away from vehicle traffic and feeling more immersed in nature. Kudos to BMC, but I would like to see you guys feature models further down on the scale

[@roysauto7674]

If you compare the geometry you'll likely find it very similar to many lower priced bikes. A Trek Domane looks to be very close to the same geometry, but fits slightly narrower tires, and is available for $1000.

[@ianfurqueron5850]

I agree with the general idea. I would prefer a fairly aggressive road race-oriented bike that can fit moderate gravel tires than to fit road tires on a more gravel-oriented bike. Most of the drop-bar riding I do is only on the road, but there are a handful or gravel or "all-road" rides I wouldn't mind trying that would be less than fun on a pure road bike. The BMC is something I'd consider although for that price (well above $10K in the US) I would probably go with a custom Ti frame with a few options suited to the type of riding I like to do.

[@TimSwinson86]

One thing that's missing, gravel geometry is now comfortable, especially as you get older. You can stick slicks on and be 90% of what a road bike is, but be more comfortable.

[@lux-wattage]

Really appreciate the fun sketch segments you add to some of the videos. Sketchy Saturday!

[@bungg1337]

I got a triban rc500 from decathlon with gravel 35mm swalbe g-one tires. It has standard road tires on it. I love it so far! Its a good bike for it's price.

[@jamesshields1969]

I totally love the concept that certain road frames that have the tire clearance for gravel tires is absolutely the way to go and now make your road frame an “All roads” frame I do this actually with my LiteSpeed Watia(a gravel specific frame) however, love the ride, feel and geometry of that frame so much I swap road tires for gravel often. I race this specific bike regularly to include the El Tour De Tucson😉, and still get sub 4:30 centuries

[@jbuffaloman311]

Have been switching out wheel sets on my Santa Cruz Stigmata for years now to match my riding. 50mm rims with 30mm tires for the road and a set of 650b wheels with 50mm tires. Works great! More bikes should be designed and built this way.

[@jesper2129]

I’ve decided to ditch my Somec Diablo SL rim-brake aerobike and bought a second-hand gravel disc frame. Now I have a gravel wheelset (40mm) and a road wheelset (30mm) for it. This setup works well for me, and in the future, I plan to invest in a high-quality carbon or titanium aggressive gravel/all-road frame that I can use with both wheelsets. Ideally, I want frame clearance for 40mm tires-maybe something like the Rose Backroad FF or a similar model. I also prefer a 105 groupset over GRX. This market niche has been interesting, and I still think there’s potential for manufacturers to explore further. For me, it’s mainly a matter of space and wanting one "good" bike that does it all. Interestingly, the guy I bought the Somec from did the same thing-now I’m following in his footsteps.

[@yvesbusschot3009]

Thank you for this great video. I like the tone of voice of your channel. 2 remarks guys: 1. UCI world championship last month in Belgium was WELL a gravel race. Everybody has been fooled by the pictures on TV. The guys in front were so strong( and the weather exceptionally fair for the season in Belgium) that those champ’s literally were flying on the paths. But those are my weekly paths as I live there and really rides those paths every week. I can assure you there were holes, mud, stones , roots … gravel… lot’s of short terrible uphills…. But… they were so fast… that we could not see that on TV. I swear it, it is so. 2. Why not do the opposite: take a fast gravel frame( with gravel tire clearance and group set) … and simply change the wheels … or as suggested , use a fast gravel tire ( rather slick on top and more structured on the sides) . Wouldn’t it be even better?

[@HolloGravelClassic]

I agree with you all. The Surly MS with 650b and 700c wheelsets has been an awesome bike for me in rural MN, USA. I love being on the road and often find myself on chunky gravel, or use gravel to connect highways. I can swap to the 650b for more bike packing adventures.

[@jonathanzappala]

The rear light looks smart.

[@patrickgallagher6333]

Screw expensive bikes. I bought the universally well-reviewed Decathlon disk RC120 and use it on the road as well as on gravel and even for bikepacking. Upgrades: - 165mm cranks - 48-32 chainrings + Microshift Acolyte 11/38 cassette + Microshift Marvo RD (gaining one lower granny gear at 7.5 gear inches - without even using a Wolftooth!) - 650B MTB wheels with 40mm gravel tires (swap them out for the stock 700C road wheels when commuting) - TRP Hy/Rd hydraulic brake calipers - Aluminum mud guards - Rear rack - Suspension seat post + Redshift suspension stem Even with all the upgrades the total cost of this road bike/gravel monster was only about 1000 GBP

[@GummeeH3]

best part of that BMC is the 'where's that go?!' factor. Pass a road you haven't ridden before and if you wonder 'where's that go?' you can go find out on the same bike you're already on.

[@gazman428ninja]

I actually sold my full on Gravel bike last year. It was my go to bike and I did love it, but it was just to extreme to use all the time. It was 1x11 grx with dropper post etc that I also used as my winter bike. What I found was the gearing was too wide for commuting 22 miles each way over lumpy terrain. I've switch to a titanium gravel bike with 2x12 di2 and it suits me far better. It's not quite as stable as the last bike on single track but still good enough that I took it and raced it at a UCI gravel event. Throw in my road wheels, tyres and mudguards and it's ok for clubruns in the winter too. I think gravel has gone the way mtbs did years ago, not everyone needs a 180mm long travel bike, most would be better and have more fun on a xc machine.

[@paulcurotto3884]

Great video gents. My old school steel touring bike with an eight speed cassette, triple Chainset and 35 mm tyres is a great ride on canal and bridal paths comfy and stable. Look at what the ruff stuff club used to do all without the aid of a MTB or Gravel bike.

[@thermaljunkie]

And vice versa.. i own a canyon grail cf sl. Normally using 40mm gravel tires, but because of the sound i don´t like, i switch to 32mm GP5000. I won a new bike. Fast, lighter, no noise at all.. I love it!

[@k2dave1969]

I currently have a rim brake endurance geometry bike that runs 25's and is great... my gravel bike is a 700cx 38 with gravel kings and it runs 50/34 front and 11/ 40 rear and is also heavier and a bit slower but it is the roadie's gravel bike....I use that bike more because of it's versatility as a secondary road bike and and can also do dirt. It is heavier but more capable and I currently have done my longest rides on it. It is my off season whip. whilst my carbon road bike stays on the trainer off season waiting for the good NY weather.

[@MikeKrumlauf1]

Good NY weather - both months 😂

[@simoninhyogo]

Gravel frame with road group set and 32mm gravel slicks works great for me. I have pannier mounts for commuting and it's not much slower than my road bike. More comfortable for commutes or relaxed rides, too. If I had to give one bike up, I'd keep the gravel bike.

[@justduit2]

I did the same thing, built up a Ritchey Outback gravel frame with road components and 32mm road tires. I decided comfort was more important than speed for my 57yo body. I'm not racing anyone but myself, so absolute speed isn't that important to me but comfort makes it easier to keep going.

[@timdixo]

Agree with Si,almost the perfect setup except for the integrated cockpit. The utilitarian bike must accomodate aftermarket suspension systems eg a Redshift shock stop stem and seatpost. The integrated stem is a triumph of form over function.

[@robertsas9001]

At the beginning, about 27 years ago was riding mtb, then at my teenage years was riding a Peugeot road bike. Moved to UK when I was 18 bought my first jump bike ( Scott voltage) followed by a specialized P3. Few years ago switched to mtb ( nukeproof scout) got stolen and just bought my first gravel bike recently. I love it 😊

[@PorucznikBorewicz]

That is one elaborate advertisement. I love it.

[@richardpassavant]

I made this decision a couple years ago - I bought a wonderful Orbea Terra 1MX for gravel and then bought some nice, wide road wheels to switch between when I’m going to ride either the gravel roads or the road roads. Zero downside, the geometry of the 1MX is much more like an endurance bike and it’s perfect for me, I’m not going to buy a dedicated race bike anyway.

[@JuKi1505]

I ride a Cervelo Aspero 5, which is overall exactly what you talk about here, i just exists already for several years. Best bike for road/gravel and do it all 🙂

[@helengribben4518]

Si & Oli… the Ant & Dec of the cycling world!! Another great job boys… well done!

[@cyclingchickca]

I’ve ordered a road e-bike with capability for wider tires to be my all-road bike. I agree about enough ‘gravel’ for the average user. I’ll still have a road bike but my other bikes need to ‘go’ for garage space! Good video 👍

[@better.better]

as y'all like to say: it's about the bike that you have! make sure when you buy a bike that it has the capability to fit wider tires, that way rather than having two bikes, you can buy another set of wheels, then you can just swap wheels. for commuters this probably means "summer versus winter" tires more than it does "gravel versus road" that being said, when I first started commuting, what I had was a road bike, but then when I started my commute was all road. however after I moved to shorten my commute time, my commute adapted to include some trails. at the same time, and also become a supervisor at my job, so I bought a BOB trailer to be able to carry all the equipment. at that time gravel was just becoming popular, so since I now had a bit more money from my new position, I bought a mid-level gravel bike worked great for a couple of years but, unbeknownst to me, because the BOB hitches on using the quick release to the quick release axle, that axle wasn't strong enough to hold the trailer against the torque generated when the BOB was fully loaded, and it was slowly chewing out my drive side rear wheel drop out. eventually it just wouldn't hold the wheel straight anymore and the wheel started rubbing on the inside of the frame and actually wore a small groove before I noticed. so I had to come up with a way to shim the axle to its proper position until I could afford a new bike in late 2019. the bike I've been using since is a Surly Big Fat Dummy. it's a lot heavier and thus initially a lot slower, but I could carry my equipment without needing a BOB trailer (although I've often considered modifying the BOB to be able to mount to the rear "bumper"which unfortunately is wider than standard dropouts) and the 26×5-in tires are much more suited to these Northeastern US winters, although I do still carry snow shoes. the dreamy part however is the difference between (28mm), vs 1¾-in(45mm), vs 4- to 5-in tires (101mm-127mm) on the rail Access road, which is crushed limestone. I had a lot fewer pinch flats on the 45mm, but the ride was still terrible and so I stuck to trails even though it was a little longer, but with the BFD I go right down that access road, and while I've gotten punctures from bits of metal buried in the stone ballast, I have yet to get a pinch flat. I currently average about 10-11 mph(16-18kph) versus the 13-14 mph(21-23kph) I was getting on the gravel bike, but when I first got the BFD I was only averaging 8 mph(13kph) on pavement so I'm curious to see what I would get on a road bike these days now that I've mostly acclimated to the much heavier BFD

[@RicardoRocha-lg1xo]

That last bit about 35-40mm road tires caught my attention. I really want to give those 35mm P-Zeros a try. I’m sure it was a disguised plug, but a valid point nonetheless

[@Sb23global]

Do it! I switched from 28mm Pirelli Pzeros to the 35mm Goodyear’s designed for Zipp wheels (couldn’t wait for the Pirelli 35s to be released) and they are a total game changer for comfort, traction and yes…speed. Never going back to anything smaller than 35s for road.

[@RicardoRocha-lg1xo]

@ I was also thinking about going down to 28s, to distance my endurance road bike from my gravel bike (I went from 25s straight to 30s several years ago) but it seems that would not be the best move after all

[@Sb23global]

My evolution was 23mm w/125+ psi, to 25mm w/100 psi, to 28mm tubeless w/65-75psi, to now 35mm tubeless w/44 front and 47 rear. I’ve never been more comfortable or faster.

[@robinsoncd475]

I ride in an area with awful roads. I tried a conventional road bike, 25mm 100psi tyres. My teeth nearly fell out! I got a 3T aero gravel bike, put on 35mm tubeless road tyres. Perfect. I tried 50mm off road tyres on 650b wheels but the mountain tracks were too tough and rough, so I am now back on an MTB for those but my gravel bikes is wonderful on road

[@gcn]

It seems that poorly maintained roads are the main motivators for using a gravel bike

[@Mirthe_]

This may be the kind of bike I’ve been looking for. I like to go off-road, but I don’t want to be gravelling all the time. This is a solution I’ve thought of before - just put some wider gravel tires on my road bike, and I’m set. But unfortunately my current bike doesn’t have the clearance for it.

[@xipetotec2211]

Guys - you invented, or at least defined the 'Enduralgroad' (endurance/all-rounder/gravel/road) bike about seven years ago! Such short memories...

[@bradberry117]

YES! Having an all-in-one machine is a great idea! But when I do gravel events, the amount of debris bouncing up makes me thankful that I ride a dedicated gravel bike.

[@user-xvikol-635]

Leaving comment just to increase engagement for the channel. Also that Roadmachine looks sick.

[@Advcrazy]

Totally agree. I used to race on the road. Still get that competitive urge on and off road. In 2018 I Bought a gravel bike that was basically the same concept. It’s basically a road bike with clearance for 42mm tires, although not quite as long and low as my beloved TMR 01 Time Machine (road bike). I feel that tires make the biggest different on gravel, until you’re riding terrain that really benefits from more off road friendly geometry. But at that stage a 29er mtb is probably as good an option for most people. I’ve gotten by just fine with 42mm tires. Maybe 45-50mm would be faster over some terrain, but they’ll be slower on all the road sections and smoother gravel sections in between. So likely slower over all for mixed terrain riding.

[@RobbieAndrew138]

My choice - Endurance bike (Focus Paralane) with 35mm tyres. Slightly relaxed geometry, goes well on the road, goes well on the type of gravel I ride which is mostly Ollie's kind of gravel.

[@oliverwahrstotter53]

that's my setup for 2 1/2 years now! the only difference, I started from an aero gravel (3T exploro) and added a road wheelset with 35mm tires. It's agile and perfect on both terrains. Next step is to try another tire to get rid of the second wheelset.

[@darren7650]

A set of slicks/knobbies does not a gravel bike make. The gearing setup can be completely different; one geared for roads, another for the dirty mountains.

[@barneyklingenberg4078]

The gearing can easily be adopted to whatever you’d need on gravel and road bikes. No way to change the head tube angle though. Nor the wheelbase.

[@StuartHamilton-qd7zq]

Ride my Domane SL6 with Gravelkings. Great fun and a bit different when the weather changes and Zwift is the only other ride option. Cheaper than a gravel bike and I feel true to my roadie roots. As long as you’re peddling you’re having fun.

[@craigrogers4969]

If I wanted to invest in a road bike AND a gravel bike, I would have both. Until then, I put my gravel tires and rims on my road bike for the winter and that does just fine for gravel trail riding in the off season.

[@sethdf18]

I ride a Fuji Gran Fondo with 32 mm gp5000 tires. Just did a 40 miler half on unpaved roads. I no problem doing the ride and had a great time. Going downhill the two guys I road with on gravel bikes could go faster but otherwise no issues .

[@Smudgerio]

Totally agree with Si. I bit the bullet and bought a Topstone this year and found it a massive disappointment. I wish I’d just bought a climbing bike and a separate set of wheels/tyres for gravel. I. Now find myself buying road wheels and tyres for the Topstone.

[@teepee63]

That kind of gravel I could do on my audax with 25mm tyres, in fact I sometimes do, you just have to be a bit more careful, plus, half the country roads I use are very nearly gravel surfaces!

[@KFlickinger]

I live in the Midwest in the US. I can agree with the type of roads you are showing us that a road bike with clearance is probably enough for you. However, where I live, for a good five-hundred mile radius, the majority of my roads look like Unbound. Easier just to have a gravel bike to handle the mess I'm riding in.

[@bobjazz3093]

I use a Orbea Terra in the same manner, wheelset for road (32mm) and for gravel (40mm). I´ve no problem in my "normal" bike life.

[@barbmorris7785]

Ollie says it perfectly. For those of us with no mtb background, loving going off road on trails (not single track) a bike that could work for both is a great solution. Having just bought a gravel bike that can't handle (tires) our local park trails, and they are not that difficult, the industry needs to go back to asking the customer what they want, where they ride and not assuming folk want to do Unbound. Which would be never. This bike would be hopeless as a road bike and is barely manageable with 33 tires to ride cross. Not nimble. Has lots of places to put bags and stuff but the plugs are useless and keep falling out. Maybe I should be putting this on the mistakes, money I've spent that has been a waste.