This Mountain Biker Hates Gravel Bikes - Can We Change His Mind?

[@gmbn]

Have you ever tried gravel riding? Let us know what you think in the comments!

[@elononoras1902]

Of course, on XC bike ;D it's about having fun, bike does not matter that much. And there is expression: "meters, not kilometers" ;)

[@AnthonyStJames-yn8nr]

I've done everything on my gravel bike, commuting, long rides, trails, bike packing and even simple errands. It's perfect for nearly everything. Although, I've opted for the more aggressive setup on mine with 2.25 inch tires and a short travel fork in the front. It removes the fear of potholes in the road that would normally scare roadies. I've been a long-time GMBN subscriber, and I will say that whatever bike Blake will ride, he can somehow make it seem fun to ride. He has that energy.

[@peterfranzjr.1190]

I'm a roadie, MTB, runner, gravel rider, and trail runner. I love the crossover of the gravel bike, it's a cool middle ground!

[@AnthonyStJames-yn8nr]

@@peterfranzjr.1190 same! All rounders rule!

[@TheBikeChallenge]

It's good fun when underbiking a little. Annoying when that line is crossed

[@Sixbillion1]

I have a gravel bike, and honestly, I prefer riding road with it. It’s more for the occasional cut thru off-road. Riding single track on one stinks.

[@streddaz]

Yes, they are a road bike that can go off road, not an off-road bike. They are great at what they are designed for and that's gravel and they do road pretty well too. Singletrack not that great.

[@sonofawil]

This guy gets it.

[@haentz]

Yeah, love my gravel for being able to quickly go anywhere and far but on those trails a XC would be much better…

[@TheMachoGabacho]

I’m sticking with my two-bike setup: XC bike for the rougher stuff and endurance bike for road and light gravel. My Domane can fit 35mm tires. If I need more than that I go for the XC hardtail.

[@jstogdill]

That was my setup until this week. Got a stupidly good deal on a trek checkpoint that I couldn’t pass up. Truth is it’s not enough different from the domane to be necessary but I’m still having a blast on it. I like the one by setup and the frame is a bit more stretched out so I don’t feel as over the front wheel on descents.

[@AllorNone23]

How much does your XC setup weigh?

[@dcv9460]

PLEASE DO THE TOUR DIVIDE Gravel Race! That would be AWESOME!!! 😎💯💯💯💯

[@streddaz]

The Tour Divide is really an MTB race as the majority of the bikes are an MTB.

[@ff2e]

I do a lot of gravel races and ended up getting in to mountain biking from it. Our local race series kept getting more extreme and adding more single track and tech to races. People on xc hard tails started destroying everyone. I built a hard tail with more gravel like geo and a big front chain ring and thought well of i have this I might as well try some xc races and I've been absolutely hooked on xcm since

[@billydeewilliams8909]

Big chain ring is such a crazy hack for all kinds of riding. I have a 1x 44t oval on my gravel bike, and 10-52t GX Eagle in the rear, and I'd put it up against your gravel-y XC any day. I also have a trail HT.

[@Taun1000]

Haha. So basically, you just built a 90s MTB…

[@ivarsmaurans9664]

As an owner of both gravel and XC bike i can say that i love both. They are somewhat similar, but not the same. I can't agree with Blake, to my mind gravel bike is not for the singletrack. It's simply too sketcy and uncomfortable. Gravel tires are nothing like XC tires, the grip is much less and they dig in sand. But the gravel bike is way faster and it's great for everything else, commuting, gravel, exploration, travel, road and simply riding along. Every time i do not have specific plan for the ride i grab my gravel bike. However if i'm heading for the woods, i would definitely pick XC bike.

[@marksandoval5361]

I ride gravel but my gravel bike is a full-sus XC bike with gravel tires.

[@ivostarmans1199]

Next to my trail bike, My gravelbike with 45mm tires and 1x11I use it on xc trails, gravel and road. Very fun and versatile.

[@steffgofpv9681]

My gravel bike is mostly used as a bike packing bike and I really like it. But for the occaisonal road ride or on forst roads, it is good fun too 😅

[@Verbot819]

I just love all videos including Blake

[@joehilling4305]

Had my Gravel bike just under a year. Bought it to ride road in the winter. However, over the summer I took it on all sorts of off road, including tracks and trails, and I absolutely love it! Little bit of air off tree roots, riding steep off road muddy descents. Might only be going 10mph but I do have a big smile on my face when doing it!

[@K9Manhunters]

Gravel bike for road and gravel aka not technical stuff. Hardtail mtb for forest, single tracks, etc. FS XC for marathon races.

[@xosece]

what does FS stands for?

[@K9Manhunters]

@@xosece Full Suspension

[@jamiefarrell6496]

Love that Blake and Rich are gravelling in mtb territory 🙂 I think the versatility is the key argument in this use case…you can throw in laps and loops on the trails when you’re doing other rides. Rich’s conclusion is the right one…it doesn’t replace your MTB, but there’s definitely room in the garage for one. Love my Crux…and my Epic Evo…and my Ostro VAM

[@junka1975]

Never ridden a gravel bike but I would say for road riders who just want a little more adventure, they're going to be a good option as they're basically a beefed up road bike.

[@markhay1664]

Underbiking a breath of fresh air really hones the skills and bike handling. Loads of fun. Your not going to beat a MTB off road but if you like a challenge and want to improve your fitness gravel bikes are a must 👍

[@kb7rsk1]

Longer mountain rides can include highways or roads to get back to the car. Having knobby tires is a detriment on those road sections. My gravel has the Fox 32ax Fork to save my hands and arms on the vertical descents.

[@Zuza_Naruszewicz]

Yes! Tour divide all the way :)

[@richardpayne5176]

Hold my beer 😅😅😅

[@Jormvngandr]

@@richardpayne5176 cant skip a challenge like that... ;)

[@charlesstafford1564]

Don't knock gravel bikes! Underbiking is fun, especially on smooth singletrack. The climbs are a breeze on a gravel bike and the descents are sketchy AF!

[@zimmejoc]

I was underbiked today. I usually enjoy the challenge, but the forest service had just put down new “gravel” but instead of using gravel, they used rocks. All kinds of sharp edged things about 1.5” in diameter. Bike was slipping all over the place. Rocks being kicked up everywhere. It was awful. I drove my car on the newly rocked road, and it was sliding around and floating all over the place.

[@markbailey2130]

Mountain biked & raced all my life (I am 50) but I LOVE my gravel bike. Perfect for canal rides, low grade mtb trails and getting in miles. Even been on "road" rides with roadie mates . Its opened up options and forced me to use skills that I had forgotten when taking the GB off road when muddy and technical as you dont have suspension and super fat tires to help you. You certainly have to think more when off road on skinny tires.. There is a place in this world for both. Finally cyclocross.. Enter a CX race on a gb, you will hurt in places you did not know existed!!

[@chrisridesbicycles]

As always, the answer is N+1. XC bikes are normally designed around a typical 1-1.5h XC race but a lot of gravel bikes are designed for long hours in the saddle. In the 90s we had the XC tour category for this which evolved into All Mountain bikes. More capable for alpine tours, yes, but also heavier and a bit overkill for your tours in less challenging terrain.

[@andre_renard]

Yes, do the tour divide! That would be awesome.

[@sherab2078]

Yeah! And this combination of versatility and relative simplicity of construction is what bought me. I mostly do adventure/touring riding and I usually don't need MTB capabilities. Gravel bikie brings to the table everything I need. I guess XC would work well for me too, but for longer rides I prefer drop bars. They put my arms and hands in a more neutral, comfy position.

[@AK-ContentCreatIon]

DO IT! The more the better! You are fun AND up for the job!! Go for it!

[@richardclark9425]

A trail bike and a gravel bike can ride everything. There are other 2 bike combos that will cover all the bases, but for me and where I live this is the best combo

[@johnssmith4005]

For me it's XC and Enduro

[@krissto]

My point exactly, Commencal Meta TR and Sonder Camino Ti, best bike combo for me.

[@johnpayne2465]

I had a Specialized Rock Combo in 1990. The first gravel bike? No one understood it then either, but what an awesome bike it was. Loved it. Rode it everywhere.

[@UKWormy2024]

I think gravel bikes are a nice compromise but seem more aimed at roadies who want to do a bit of off road but want that familiar feel and position, similarly we mountain bikes mostly prefer our upright position and often suspension so would gravitate to xc or hardtails if we want to increase the speed on a little bit of road but still want to do mainly off road. More options on bike, encouraging more riders is never a bad thing.

[@asw16177]

I have an e-gravel bike and I'm firmly with Rich on this, it seems that people want to show horn this style of bike onto mountain bike trails. I live on the south coast and this is where the gravel bike is at its best, mixtures of cliff top paths, sea front tracks and a bit of road to link them all up. The gravel bike has its place.

[@Damiendrops]

How about a manual challenge between a gravel bike and mountain bike, then finish off with a very steep, technical descent? That would be good video.

[@simonbowlzer9046]

Just got my first gravel bike . Mtb’r through and through. It’s a hoot !! Great addition to the stable

[@robertbransby]

Pointless, he knows he'd have far more fun on an XC bike

[@elmomos]

Gravel vs XC video needed!

[@robertbransby]

@@elmomos no it really isn't 😂

[@pituife]

Marketing BS. For trails, rocks roots, mountain climbs: Hardtail mtb. For gravel: gravel bike - it's how it's called, gravel is gravel (not rocks, not climbs). I have both, you cannot compare. And there are so many gravel routes, more than mtb trails, so why record a video there...

[@neilelliston]

I tried it once. Fast on smooth stuff, but not comfy. And rubbish downhill

[@zerogearnoidea]

Love my gravel bike. It’s 7km from mine on roads to the local trails. Fast to ride there, have a little shred and then ride back. Ideal.

[@ish474]

RIDE ALL THE BIKES!!!

[@Johnslist]

Exactly, no such thing as hating a bike. Just ebikes, but I don't consider them bikes..:P

[@mixjon76]

@@Johnslist Ebikes are real bikes too.Hater!;)

[@Johnslist]

@@mixjon76 I know, I fully support the ADA

[@TitoJoebs]

Go for the gravel ride competition Blake & Rich!. As for Rich, as Blake said, you can put in a dropper post on your gravel bike. That';; be fun when descending! I'll wait for that episode!.

[@knitrundig4663]

Great video, thank you. Blake’s evil laugh is awesome. And yes do the Tour Divide or something similar.

[@Engineers_Shred_Too]

Nice intro video to the gravel bike! I bought a salsa cutthroat gx with 52 tooth cassette and 29 x 2.2 inch tires and love it! Racing next to some who ride on 40 mm tires through single track and chunky gravel at 30 mph still has me scratching my head a little 🤔. But I do get dropped quickly on the tarmac.

[@djpablo73]

yes yes yes to you two doing the tour divide!!

[@lmbraga]

Yes, you should tag-team the tour divide

[@333wheeler]

An XC bike with rigid forks, file tread tires and around the same weight will do the same job. Some good conversion mtb to gravel videos out there if you want to build one up on a smaller budget.

[@billydeewilliams8909]

Not necessarily. I just converted my rigid XC bike back into a regular hardtail. I hated the stock Fox 34 Rhythm it came with, which is why I converted it to rigid with a Trek 1120 fork in the first place, but with my old 160 Lyrik Ult, it sings. As a rigid, even with a 29x3.0 on the front and i40 wheels front and rear, it did nothing that my flat bar gravel bike can't do, and was slower and harder on my wrists, etc. since the gravel bike can comfortably run a shockstop suspension stem, but the XC bike cannot. Rigid XC is just big gravel, due to modern tech/bikes.

[@jto-mtb]

My girlfriend and were faced with buying new bikes, so we rented gravel and hard tail xc bikes on different weekends. Our favorite rides are long paved climbs with techy but easy descents. We went for the MTB, just because of the comfort and versatility. We are speed / number or weight weenies, so the mtb was the way to go. But for someone else, i get the decision to go gravel.

[@fraanzfan8158]

I just use my trail bike as gravel bike

[@jonm7272]

Yes, Tour Divide, do it!! And make a feature length film of it.

[@cra_55]

Gravel riding is more fun on an XC bike. Almost as fast, more comfy, and you get the option to do some light shredding if you get bored.

[@Kristian_Saile]

Gravel bikes are basically 80’s mtb’s. I love mine for grinding forest service roads and two tracks with occasional singletrack. It’s kind of fun doing singletrack just due to the simplistic nature but I enjoy riding a hardtail mtb more on flowy singletrack. If I could only have one bike it would probably be a gravel bike but I have a quiver of a gravel bike, fat bike, full sus trail bike, and a hard tail trail bike…. Not to mention some of my old mtb’s dating back to the mid 80’s when I started mtb’ing and honestly, they are all fun in their own ways. Riding bikes are fun.

[@paulgordon7526]

Love my gravel bike for mixed road / off road rides. 😃

[@Kathy-jj3jk]

I got a gravel bike to do some gravel racing but also found they are so much fun on single tracks and faster on the roads to get there. I also found that it made me a better mountain biker. I haven’t done any bike packing on it yet but plan to.

[@PhilDiasPJD]

Xc bike with rigid forks. Job done 👍

[@deadcandisco5974]

Definitely do the Tour Divide! 😃

[@SonnyDarvish]

Rich is riding an all-road bike. With slick and narrow tires, I ride on hardpack. When it comes to trails (and fire roads where I live are almost like MTB tracks), I put on 2.0 - 2.2 conti race and cross kings (27.5) and raise the wide handlebars, almost like a rigid XC bike. That's what I call versatility, apart from the faff to replace bars and their positions for each context.

[@bazbroon]

Tour divide would make an epic film

[@BOONERBOYO]

i've got two gravel bikes and no mtb. living the biking dream. depends on what you want to do on a bike really, innit?

[@augmented2nd666]

I can bairly tolerate those bars on my Vintage Apollo road bike that I used to ride to work cause it was 20 bucks. I couldnt imagine riding it with bigger tires offroad, that would be just aweful, and constantly at risk of smashing your face on the stem/bar being so close to it, one big root or rock, and your done, you've knocked yourself out. As for what its intended for, gravel, fire roads, walking paths with pedestrians everywhere, just ride a decent XC bike, I have my first Hardtail still, a GT Aggressor from 3 years ago, with zero upgrades, it works fine for all that, i'm not trying to win a race so weight doesnt matter, and if it gets stolen while i'm going into a store, who cares, it was 300 bucks. Most of my in town riding is actually on my Street BMX, as I cant pass up an opportunity to grind some ledges or rails or session a flat bank for a bit. Ride what you like, but be careful with those drop bars off road, the fire roads we have where I am, have watermelon boulders mixed in, and all other sizes of rocks to contend with, a gravel bike is not having a good time on those and your face is at serious risk of smashing the stem.

[@a_diverge]

Road or MTB....owned a Gravel bike before...happiness was when i sold it. 😅 Great video though..🚲

[@pittviper6320]

Richs face at 7.39 when Blake suggested a gravel race 😮 😂

[@martyurwin]

DO SOME TIMED COMPARISONS, please? XC vs Gravel, loops, uphill segments only, downhill segments only, tech climbs, tech dns, etc.

[@richardpayne5176]

great shout, i'll see what i can do

[@lilbruin]

Yes please to watching your guys take on the Tour Divide. That would be great. Interestingly, GCN has a gravel vs road vid today. Must be something in the air?

[@jeremyclutterbuck4665]

I’ve been considering converting my old 2012 Niner Jet9Rdo into a full squish gravel 🤷‍♂️

[@paulgibbs4936]

HELL YA!!! Get after it.

[@fabian-barrington-hirst1974]

Or just take out the front fork to make your xc a rigid,i love em.a tad old school but the weight saving alone make hell of a difference.still dont like seeing gravel bikes out there,i always think a roadie is lost lol

[@FrankCastle82]

I have an hardtail MTB and a Gravel bike, I use the gravel bike for road riding (I didn't want to get an all out road bike as most aren't rated to my weight) and the MTB is for single track, I doubt i'll ever use the gravel bike for single track, I just don't think i'd trust it on the descents, but on the road, its superb, its fast and the climbs are so much easier on it.

[@KonstantinV1970]

I like road bikes, gravel bikes, XC bikes and enduro bikes. They all have their home zone. I would rather not take a gravel bike on a S3 oder even not a S2 Trail - the natural living habit of a mountainbike. 😉

[@gavin18787]

I still think it is just what I was doing in the 90's on an MTB but with drop bars and the lines are becoming more and more blurred where it ends and XC starts. But I suppose XC courses are alot more extreme now days so it has all just moved along. I do have a gravel bike myself. It is in my stable as my commuter and winter road bike. Also do the odd off road bit on it and agree on the same kind of terrain you based your video on you do have a smile on your face and have a giggle.

[@ebikescrapper3925]

Put a different stem and flat handlebars and you have a light weight hybrid / xc bike. It's probably cheaper to buy a light weight hybrid in the first place, the next big thing will be hybrids renamed 'Urban bikes'.

[@pennywood5653]

Mine goes on road, gravel and single track. Lots of fun. I can't ride my full sus to work, I wouldn't want to, and I can't really ride it from my doorstep along the transpennine for a long distance leg stretch. Gravel has its place, youve just got to be able to ride it there.

[@LVSweetSammy]

Have a Salsa Cutthroat with 29'er tires for on and off road fun. (Schwalbe Speed G-One, shockingly grippy) 😊 I truly believe you guys could have fun riding a beach crusher on single track. 😂 Thanks for a great video.

[@irmawerndly9082]

Love my gravel bike! Just as much as my mtb, really

[@JeffMTBinVA]

Blake, we all know you would rather be riding your Scout.

[@zyrus4712]

still a very hard NO from me. i prefer my hardtail for trails like this. it does make everything more fun, everything a mtb can do better than a gravelbike. the parts where a gravelbike shines are the parts i dont care about. the riding position, urghs, the position of the handlebars, ewwww. riding a gravelbike feels like always being in a super unneccesary aerodynamic position and having the permanent risk of going over the bars cause of this. it feels very unpleasant. very uncomftable. very holding back. i have tryed it and i hated it. gravelbikes are just roadbikes.

[@stug45]

Gravel bikes are hilarious fun but also effective on longer rides. They suffer when it's rough though and unless they're built strong, don't be jumping them!

[@ghostAFsky]

Gravel bikes are ideal for mixing multiple terrains over long rides. I ride it out to local trails and enjoy the whole adventure. Cant do that in a road bike and it would be miserable on most mtbs.

[@Hipp0campus_1]

@@ghostAFsky honest question, why not put a dropbar on a Hardtail? It's not much heavier than a gravel, has pretty much the same road capabilities and for me the biggest plus is having a front suspension. It makes riding even on rough roads so much more comfortable than a rigid fork.

[@ghostAFsky]

​@@Hipp0campus_1You certainly could. Plenty of gravel bikes with a fork now too. But personally I like the simplicity and longevity of rigid and I do find the difference on pavement to be significant. I will keep suspension to my dedicated mtbs.

[@billydeewilliams8909]

I have a flat bar gravel bike that answers all of your concerns. Try it! They're fast as hell, fun on the pavement and off, and super comfortable. OTB concerns are a skill issue, outside the most extreme conditions (mine has a 71.5 head angle). I just took it down a crazy rock garden at Mt Diablo, and sure I had to go kind of slowly, but never came close to going out the front, even with a 120 stem. If you really can't handle it, slap an angleset in there (they're like $100), or get a Salsa Cutthroat or a Santa Cruz Stigmata, both of which have ~69 (nice) head angles.

[@kennethcampbell7263]

🤣 Oh Rich 🤭 I would love to see you doing the The Tour de Vide or the Tuscany Trail.

[@reezone2310]

Reminds me years ago in gmbn nightmare episode where martin dreamt of gmbn presenters turning into roadies... They've come true😂

[@tcoliukos675]

Yes, the Tour Divide would be very cool. No to the gravel bikes. I'm with others that say Road or MTB. A hardtail is all I really need.

[@wizkidcyclist9968]

...and Global Gravel Bike Network was born! Gravel bikes are the best...

[@_jsrvn.008]

pls do a video on gravel wheels on XC bikes! Then make a comparison to see if the performance is better or not.

[@inthebush3]

Gravel bikes are for riding from your house on any road as far as you want to go. Hard tail xc bikes can do this too but not as comfortably. This video is entertaining and funny but I think most of us know it's not what gravel bikes are designed for. That's why my Merida Big Nine xc bike has a category 3 frame and the Merida Silex gravel bike I'm lusting after has a category 2 frame.

[@robinsonsadventures2174]

I have all, full sus, xc, road and gravel and the only one I ride is the gravel it’s fantastic

[@chisauking]

The truth is, modern bikes are so good now, they can cross over to other categories and sometimes their distinctions are blurred. One bike can do all(most) now. However, if you are a bike nut like me, you would still buy every bike for every category 😂

[@sebastiansoberon9273]

yes do it, ride the tour divide

[@marcleuchter2355]

In the 1990s, mountain bikes had no suspension either. But if you mainly ride on routes like in the video, I think a gravel bike is not comfortable. I would always use my full-sus Mountain bike here. I have also a gravelbike riding it on the road, but I am able to go during a longer ride offroad for a few miles if necessary.

[@GravelHerault]

The key to grasp gravel is long distance + mixed terrains. Half road half dirt? You can't beat a gravel bike because they can do both fast and comfortably. Sure you can probbly ride some nice XC for 300km on rocks, roots and single tracks but add 50% tarmac to that and it will become tiresome and boring real fast. Another way to look at the problem from an economics standpoint is you can much more easily do long distance efficiently with a cheap gravel bile while you'd have to reach to super high end light XC bikes and add drop and/or aerobars to achieve the same (which people seems to be doing more and more tbh). At least that's in my own experience, and I *love* mountain biking.

[@bassw1758]

😂 they associative as mountain bikes!

[@mkenyon7429]

So how about a video on riding to the single track trails and do a few loops then head home. Leave the four wheeled cage home. Bet Si would meet ya.

[@whispering_pines]

I hear Brompton now has a gravel bike too🎉🎉🎉😂😂

[@andyk3643]

Im still not understanding the whole gravel craze. Its like riding 90s mtb but with better brakes, drop bars, and better technology. Just build a rigid xc bike. Makes no sense.

[@samuel-JF1981]

I did exactely this... I found a rigid (and light) fork & frame, a flat carbon handlebars and a 2x10 MTB transmission... Works like a Gravel at a much lower cost!

[@yukiko_5051]

Gravel bike is aimed towards those that ride long distance through both tarmac and gravel. Xc bike is not comfortable for long distance and way too slow on tarmac

[@200KCycling]

Gravel bikes are fun in the right conditions. I think they are also destroying the cycling industry because with the right tyre setup they do the job of a road bike, endurance bike, all road bike and a short travel MTB. Im a lifelong MTB XC guy but my gravel bike by far gets the most use of everything in my garage.

[@PhilDiasPJD]

Same here mate ​@@samuel-JF1981

[@billydeewilliams8909]

I just converted my rigid XC bike back into a regular hardtail. I hated the stock Fox 34 Rhythm it came with, which is why I converted it to rigid with a Trek 1120 fork in the first place, but with my old 160 Lyrik Ult, it sings. As a rigid, even with a 29x3.0 on the front and i40 wheels front and rear, it did nothing that my flat bar gravel bike can't do, and was slower and harder on my wrists, etc. since the gravel bike can comfortably run a shockstop suspension stem, but the XC bike cannot.

[@dblevins343]

I've got 3 bikes. The original was an entry level hardtail that I've maintained (replaced almost every part on it over time) for 10 years. Over time I got a trail bike and now have a endurance road bike. For me, a gravel bike just didn't make sense. I'd rather have my hardtail over a gravel bike. It's a bit more capable and it performs great on gravel. The issue with a gravel bike is it can't compete with road bikes on the road and it can't compete with hardtails with anything more than gravel. It just feels too niche. Unless that's the exact trails you have, a hardtail is more versatile and thus gets things done a bit more easily. I don't dislike gravel bikes. I just don't think they're the best all around option which seems to be how they're marketed often times.

[@Coerced]

I recently bought a gravel bike. It's not made for fun dynamic riding like any MTB. It's made for efficiency. So much efficiency that you start feeling like a torpedo on the straights. That's what it's all about. That said, I can't bare riding corners or chuck with it because it's so boring compared to any MTB. I just think of it as a roadbike that doesn't explode as soon as it touches a bump

[@woduk]

I’m still unsure about gravel bikes I use my hardtail to ride to work on. Thinking to save money and put some xc tyres on

[@surfrider75]

Gravelbikes are taking the place of our old-school non-suspension XC bikes. Current XC worldcup is a rat-race to more expensive bikes. The current XC WC tracks need full suspension and dropper posts. They add weight and cost. In the Netherlands with mostly forest single track. You dont even need front suspension. We now have slacker geometry. It makes way less nibble. I used to choose a size smaller 26" MTB to have it as nibble as possible. So yes, gravelbikes take the place of the old-school XC bike, because we dont have nibble MTBs anymore. Why no Gravelbike? Really dont like the hand/brake position of the dropbar. Give me a gravelbike with a flat bar and I'm open to it.

[@333wheeler]

Something like a Hybrid bike converted to get the weight right down sticking with the flat bars might be the ticket. I am thinking along those lines myself .

[@streddaz]

There's a few brands that make flat bar gravel bikes.

[@MikeTheYokel]

@@streddazisn’t that basically just an old school rigid xc mtb with modern materials then?!?

[@streddaz]

@@MikeTheYokel pretty much. They do have road bike gearing an narrower tyre clearance but there isn’t much in it.

[@TheBikeChallenge]

Tour Divide definitely XC bike though

[@Fedelia86]

I don't understand all this smartassery and hate in the comments. XC bikes are great. Gravel bikes are great. Have fun guys! I like the gravel for faster rounds with more fast sections and smoother off-roads (fire roads, gravel, forest, etc) and longer tours. It's also fun on not-too-gnarly single tracks. And i don't get too annoyed if there are a few k of tarmac on the route. The XC is for everything rougher, gnarly off-roading, or very steep climbs. Also great when it gets more muddy or very loose. Of course there is overlap between the bikes - but also plenty of differences. Both are fun in their own way.

[@BrentonChan]

Who else is having flashbacks of that Halloween vid / Martyn's nightmare where Blake went full roadie? And was Doddy shaving his legs? Hahahah, good times

[@mybuickskill6979]

Definitely way much more funner ! 🤷🏼‍♂️ I'm team gravel bike here 🤗😂

[@timluscombe6686]

You’ve missed the point of gravel bikes completely. There not ment for single track and popping off jumps, they are for going on gravel cycle paths on road rides. Stick to Mtb when you do proper off road.

[@tbull1545]

exactly gravel bike are stupid and serve no purpose.

[@rip.tear.]

Did you even watch the damn video, they literally stated this

[@billydeewilliams8909]

Who cares what the point of a given bike is? One of the fastest ways to improve, and have the most fun, is to use bikes for what they're NOT meant for. I ride singletrack and dirt jumps on my gravel bike, and I do cardio road rides and hill climbs on my dirt jumper.

[@melvindayon851]

i want to see 3 of you blake,niel and rich for 1 content because i have fun to watch your videos tips and technique for trail 🤭😁

[@haydenmcdonald8260]

Love my gravel bike 2022 cannondale supersix evo se

[@sanzcruz1]

I think the position of hands on the drop handle bars is not that natural for dealing with rugged trails and that can be dangerous for beginners where the flat bars should be the choice for safety and stability and that should be mentioned

[@JosephSAi2HT]

Im def Rich and it “Paynes” me to try and steer when all the padding doesnt conform to a turn and not to mention the lever on my bum is quite annoying! I figured it out though.. . . . Just ride downhill with your back to track. Blake was as he was filming Rich whilst trying to cheer Rich on to, “c’mon m8, you can save £, catchUp”! 🤣

[@Jeff13579]

Some gravels are just xc bikes with curly bars. Change my mind.

[@dougbauer8608]

No way you’d catch me riding a zero suspension bike over all that. My body would take weeks to forgive me lol

[@darrenelbrow5144]

Why do people think gravel bikes are still a fad? Got my first gravel bike 7 years ago, wasn’t remotely interested in road or mtb. The gravel bike really ticked a lot of boxes. Skip forward to 2024, I’ve been in the bike trade for 5 years now, gravel bikes are still outselling xc bikes . I live and work near the New Forest and Purbecks and there aren’t many mtb trails, unless you drive for several hours. The gravel bike allows more folk access to off road trails without have to slog along on heavy bike with 2.5” tyres.

[@esmordt]

For me a gravel bike is just a road bike that I'm not afraid of entering some rough tarmac or eeeeaaasy tracks. I have one, it's funny, but a hardtail xc is way funnier (wherever out of the tarmac)