Flat Bar Gravel Bikes: The Future or Just a Gimmick? // Boardman TRVL review

[@beholderlt]

when I started biking this was a hybrid bike 🤣

[@JIMMYHIBBS1]

I have something similar from Trek - it’s a hybrid, but I’ve done King Alfred’s Way and many multi day gravel rides on it - I love the difference between its flat bars and my road bikes drops ….. it’s not a gravel bike …. But it can do gravel (and UK mud)

[@heath6015]

​@@JIMMYHIBBS1yep looks like my 2014 Trek DualSport DS 8.3, only with modernized 1x instead of the 3x

[@purklefluff]

I used to ride a hybrid bike everywhere, it was cool but the feeling of that and a gravel bike is pretty different. This sort of bike has a lot of the same DNA but brings in less of a 'sit up and beg' body position, and learns a bunch of useful lessons from road, gravel and mountain bike design from the past couple of decades. I took some inspiration recently and built a flat-bar gravel bike for my partner. It's wild how good of a bike it is, fast and comfy, practical for bike packing, super good gearing, lightweight, the brakes are immense. There's something about flat bars which is just kind of friendly to ride with. Confidence inspiring (which was the brief given by my partner, and I filled in the blanks) Big fan of this design direction. Maybe not this specific bike but the overall sentiment is really cool

[@ItsMeHammie]

Not only that, but people buying hybrid bikes aren't spending 1600

[@JIMMYHIBBS1]

@ that’s what I have - a Trek DS3 - 2021 - Orange - more than up to the task of bike packing gravel rides …. Basically a hard tail mountain bike with 700 wheels

[@therealardman]

I have a Decathlon Riverside 900 bike, 6 years ago it was called a hybrid and everybody hated hybrids. Costed 450 euro's, 10 speed Mikroshift, Tektro hydraulic discbrakes, fork with 40 mm travel, same weight as this one. Fitted a suspension seatpost and it is one of the most versatile bikes I have. Did mtb trails, gravel, bikepacking with it. You can throw everything at it and it will do it. Nice to see some love for this kind of bikes, but you can find them a lot cheaper and spend some on little upgrades and away you go. In the first year did 10.000 km on it, most fun I had for less then 500 euro's

[@andrewhayes7055]

A bike for the casual rider, the ones you see pottering along canal towpaths on a sunny Sunday morning

[@DDai-qd8uk]

Yeah nothing confusing about it

[@rodneyhanson9884]

Perfect

[@Andy_ATB]

They're just as much cyclists as the wannabe pros wearing lycra......People need to drop the snobbish attitude.

[@the.communist]

@@Andy_ATB 'cycling" has become a yuppie sport

[@bcmtnbka]

It's a hybrid bike. how quickly the cycling industry has forgotten one's its creations. If you forgot, a hybrid bike is based on mountain bike geometry and designed for both on and off road usage.

[@joneaton3366]

Hybrids different geometry to mtb I've got both ,

[@jevgeniardassov]

Does that mean, we have done a full circle??? 😂

[@paulvanreesch2493]

Hey, Einstein said time isn't linear.

[@endianAphones]

Not everyone needs a mordern downcountry bike, so it makes a lot of sense.

[@Paulklampeeps]

Kinda, but with superb improvement of course

[@dominicbritt]

Only some people... the ones with a short attention span and very poor memory

[@rodneyhanson9884]

Full cycle?

[@Scomelbasses]

I love this style of bike. I have a Sirrus X5 with the current compliance junction frame that I use as a gravel bike and it’s fantastic. I like it as much as my Diverge.

[@gerardnatale2387]

That's what I use for my gravel bike too! Love it!

[@TerryNutkins3]

It’s the perfect bike for the kind of people I see on my local canals and greenways who want a MTB but find modern ones under geared and over biked

[@the.communist]

hardtails are a great all rounder. Though toddays hardtails start getting too much of a slack head angle

[@emausderratsuchende5447]

I built a bike like this exactly...the Radon 10.0 was actually a CC HT, but I modified it...1.4 Michelin high-pressure socks, 1x12 XT and an Alicarbon fork with 6 eyelets for luggage. I use this bike as a gravel/commuter/all-year commuter and bikepacking bike...I'm very happy with it.

[@K9Manhunters]

I have a hardtail and love it. 2023 I got myself a gravel bike (rigid fork) and keep thinking about switching the dropbar to flatbar. I just prefer flatbars. Put some innerbarends and they are so comfortable. But, the geometry is the main issue. Reach on my gravel bike is much shorter than on my HT. With a Flatbar, I'd probably be too compact (even with a longer stem). Anyway, for now I'll stick with it. I agree, that for single tracks, a mtb hardtail makes much more sense. The bike you reviewed is nice for people (like me) who don't like dropbars (yes, they exist). I think at some point, I'll get a good gravel frame (maybe size up) and put 600mm flatbar with some rise and backsweep on it and it will be perfect. Thanks for the great content you put out there.

[@nycdrummingstar]

I know exactly who this bike is for, it's for that person paying attention to the life insurance commercial with Depeche Mode playing in the background. I think you hit all the major points. Nice work! 👍

[@alexanderwooldridgesmith6629]

This bike is perfect for me. Flat bars so my back can take longer rides and enough top end gearing to make road sections go quickly, something that modern 1x mountain bikes lack.

[@the.communist]

One of the best all rounder is the first 29ers hartails.

[@SuperCanonshooter]

Bike looks fun but that fast trail looked like a blast!! Great video, David!!

[@wayne5741]

Just the thumbnail and first minute of the video gave me the perfect idea for my old bike. I recently bought a new roadie & XC HT MTB, but my old Giant CRX Zero still has a lot of life left to give. I've had to fit some new stuff in 2024 to keep it going, but I could also do a total make-over to make it more of a bike for the things I can't or don't want to do with the road bike or high end MTB. Already upgraded to 32mm profile tyres, there's enough clearance to add a lot more rubber, a different drivetrain & new brakes would make it a whole different bike, and yet so the same & familiar. Maybe even add some suspension... Hearing all the talk of the 90's MTB, you & the bike did remind me of my 90's yellow/purple HT MTB I had back then. Chainstay cracked near the seatstay from a hit by a car, one of my few major crashes, thankfully didn't get injured. I was on my way to my (future) wife's place of employment (didn't make it there). So many memories. Come to think of it, I owned a Peugeot citybike when I met my future wife.

[@elektronenwolke]

Biggest Impact where MTB's in the 80th. Now they scratch the head to find new hypes to sell. Can't wait for the 26" steel frame revolution 😅

[@sergei1396]

Everybody who said this is a hybrid bike makes a huge mistake. I'm riding gravel for about 10 years. First CX bikes, after proper gravel bike , and a few months ago, I bought Marin DSX 2. A flat bar gravel with geometry is absolutely similar to modern progressive geometry bikes. First, I was thinking of changing flat bar to road bar , but after a few rides, I went back to bike shop and changed for bigger size. Put smaller chaining, wider Vittoria Tereno dry tires. And just having lots of fun.

[@the.communist]

So in ur statement u r confirming is a hybrid bike! Arthur is presenting the problems u did with urs

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

I'm at a loss to understand WHY someone would desire LESS hand positions rather than more? If the riding is non-technical (where I assume this will be ridden) the extra control of a flat bar (ala MTB) vs drop makes no sense to me. But maybe since the old "hybrid" bike has gone the way of he dodo (I remember selling 'em back in the 1980's to people asking for the upright position of MTB's without the weight and drag of the fat 26" tires) this will be "a thing"?

[@rodneyhanson9884]

Nah, its a hybrid

[@marcolgyrubish9498]

Imagine an analog car coming out that's just a modernized mk2 gti. Do you think drivers would be saying, "omg, it's just a mk2 🙄" The opportunity to own the old school formula from a brand new package? The bike community is lucky to have gravel, and those bagging on it just don't realize it yet.

[@JIMMYHIBBS1]

I have a flat bar’d hybrid bike which I use for Gravel - done King Alfred’s Way and other multi day rides on it - I love the difference between it and my drop bar’d road bike ….

[@Andy_ATB]

It's what I'd call a ATB........Ideal for everything apart from really gnarly trails. So roads, towpaths, light gravel trails, forest roads.......

[@DandyHippo]

So everything except actual mountain biking? Yes.

[@DandyHippo]

*apart from anything that even remotely looks gnar

[@Andy_ATB]

@@DandyHippo Define mountain biking; to some it's riding in the country on natural trails; this bike can handle that. Others, and a lot of UK MTB media, it's bike parks, jumping huge gaps, and not really pedalling.

[@the.communist]

Whats been called a hibryd

[@DandyHippo]

@@Andy_ATB for me an atb is an enduro bike. What with you can actually ride ALL terrain. From downhill to asphalt.

[@UKMitchy]

I would narrow the bars. If not riding off road then it would make the bike more comfortable. I did this with my 6 year old Orro Terra C when i swapped from drops to flat bars.

[@rodneyhanson9884]

I thought the bars looked a tad wide

[@wellingtonduggan7416]

Love the colour way! I have a pink stump jumper 89 comp in pink,it's a bit more stretched out Very similar to that era in colour. Nice bike

[@hnurminen]

This could be a great winter bike for me. Up here in Finland winter riding means 3-4 months of snow and ice in various forms, so studded tyres on and this could be a better winter option than my current hardtail XC bike.

[@DandyHippo]

Why bro. Whats the difference

[@manabiker]

Gravel bike are still evolving, I live in Michigan, we probably have more gravel roads than paved roads, Thats thousands of miles of gravel. I've ridden drop bar, 700x42 for years, and MTB's too, evem Fat boles. but Our gravel roads have freeze thaw, so roacks, washouts, and pot holes the size of a VW. I like riding my Epic EVO on the gravel roads much better then the gravel bike. I think the Specialized WC, or the Trek Supercaliber would be the best way for gravel bikes to go, to ride on our roads, Gravel roads are safer then paved here for many reasons. I never used the drops on those bars, and I like having the brakes/shifters seperated, I put bar ends on my flatbar gravel bike, for more hand positions, I've also put on Red Shift suspension seatpost/stem, The Epic EVO is so much better going 30mph downhill gravel with whashouts that have drops, and ruts, pot holes, rocks, loose gravel, and large rock type gravel put down on the frozen roads, because the roads can't be graded in winter, they are frozen solid, the gravel roads get real bad when they thaw and refreeze.. Downbars work better on paved, but gravel roads are much safe with fewer cars, so the suspended bikes are better for our real gravel roads. Keep evolving to make the bike safer, and work better on real gravel roads.

[@joneaton3366]

I got myself a xc bike and its a fast all rounder for every type of ride 😊

[@bitgeist21]

I cannot believe how smooth those aluminum welds are. I am very impressed. Why can't Cannondale/Specialize achieve smooth welds like that?!?! WTF?!

[@niklaskristensson2231]

Agree

[@gravelDave]

I wonder if they made the bike quite short to accommodate a drop bar? Would be interesting to test the same bike with a short reach drop.🎉

[@davidbell1250]

I do like this with the components and colour theme. Its 10% off at £1,440 at the moment, interestingly the colours have been switched around from the prototype as the teal was around the BB (which also had grx).

[@haminmohd60]

Ive tried flat bar on my silex and yup I got to change the stem length to 90 from 80 to compensate the reach. Its just feel cramp but for more offroad riding, its fun.

[@davidarthur]

Ooh interesting thanks for sharing - you prefer with the flat bar to the drop bar now?

[@haminmohd60]

@ im back to drop now as i feel my hardtail feel much better. But its worth trying out just to get the feel😬 great vid btw sir👍🏽👍🏽

[@531c]

Looks ideal for most people. 1x nice and simple. Exellent brakes that work and non too heavy suspension forks.

[@christopherharmon9336]

I recommended a Trek Roscoe, Marin DSX-1 (flat bar, rigid-fork gravel bike, $1100 USD now) or the entry-level Cannondale Topstone to a friend who wanted to get back into cycling. He also didn't want to spend a lot of money. These bikes have a lot of capability, but may not excel at anything. That's the selling point of a bike like this. You can ride it out your front door, and ride on streets, hardpack trails, and light single track. It's a go-anywhere, within reason, bicycle. The other plus I see about the Marin or this Boardman is the mountain bike gearing. This or the Marin would be a great choice for a newbie that wanted to ride a 60-75 mile option at an event like Steamboat as a new rider.

[@Bandyrobs1]

Perfect for my wife. She has never got on with drop bars, so I think it’s a good move by Boardman, albeit not unique in the market.

[@charliecook6909]

Pretty cool bike, love the paint 👌 would be great for people just getting into gravel riding . The flat bar would offer a lot more control for off-road confidence building , then you could put drop bars on at a later date or just buy a mountain bike 😂

[@51249ca]

"Red-Grade" trail where I live is above a Double Black Diamond trail. Different trail ratings here in Western Canada

[@mellissanash7517]

I'd like to see you review this or a bike like this in a large to see how it compares. Also, switching the 44mm Vittoria Mezcal would add to grip and performance.

[@jamesjackson8521]

For me, the suspension is out. So is the Skittle Color😮

[@paulvanreesch2493]

Like the color, frame and build.

[@newetman4382]

I recently restored/converted my old Trek Marlin 6 to something similar to this, except I used a rigid fork. I think this is a hybrid.

[@indiebikes]

A very interesting concept. My Roubaix SL8 has made my Diverge somewhat redundant, so maybe a Spring conversion project is on the agenda! Would be good to give Shimano Cues a try too. How wide were the bars on that Boardman as I was thinking 710mm flat bar would feel very wide on the commute?

[@911PCD]

David, the quality of your content is next level. I’m really interested in any of your video choices because your experience is clear. I prefer your videos because of the one takes and relaxed style. Really useful and you’re having fun doing it - this is shining through now. I own a Caad12, a Topstone Carbon3 and a 90s MTB for context. A summary each time on gear choice so helmet, glasses, trousers - on this occasion - etc in the description please. As I’m sure the audience would be curious too. Happy New Year and keep up the quality content!

[@fuzzi1002]

Back in the day's my Rock Shox Mag 21 with long travel kit had 54mm of travel....😂😂

[@davidarthur]

Always wanted a Mag 21 so bad when I was a kid!

[@raoul853]

Have Boardman been looking at the Radavist? On a serious note about to flat bar up my Cux for blasting round the woods ij the summer...

[@welshbikepackingadventures]

Iv always bought Boardman, great bikes

[@joehoeper3941]

I totally called this trend coming. Add in a dropper and then you really got something.

[@two20john]

I think this is the future, but, it should have mudguards, panniers, and granny gears (I forgot it already does) maybe a bell?

[@gauguin007]

I don’t think drop bars make much sense on loose gravel or sand because in those conditions it’s necessary to get your weight off the front wheel so it doesn’t dig in. Also, the hand position on flat bars compared to being on the hoods gives you more control in slippery conditions.

[@ChrisSpriggs-rj2ys]

A really good bike for every day use 😊

[@Rob-zf2cv]

I'd consider it a more modern xc bike. Nice but too aggressive with that low front end for someone tall like me.

[@Ghost12561]

It is a flatbar adventure bike a.k.a hardtail bike 😂😂😂. What have happened to the bike industry Arthur?

[@tonybennett3904]

Love the design

[@leerichy6489]

Where is all the weight coming from, is it the fork and wheels? On a dry decent day from spring to autumn that bike could ride those kind of trails easily. Having lived through the pink and purple anodised everything years I have no desire to see it return. It looks like a cheap anorak. Price really is a teeth sucker, very pricey. Well presented as always, enjoyed watching.

[@thomasthomas2600]

Still, I own my Specialized Crosstrail Comp 2011, with the addition of a rigid fork.

[@robertlindgren4953]

What hat is the red one under the helmet? 🪖⛑️?

[@davidarthur]

It's a Sportful Matchy headband, one of my fave bits of winter kit saddleback.co.uk/products/sportful-matchy-headband?variant=40353085980757

[@robertlindgren4953]

@@davidarthur Thanks mate! Saves the ears from the northern shit weather :)

[@Roger101Watson]

When I saw this on their website I thought it looked interesting. Are they using the gravel frame from the rest of the range with straight bars? I'm sure Halfords will pick us some extra sales from this. Nice review

[@niklaskristensson2231]

Cool bike! Nice welding. A bit too heavy ( this setup), I think.

[@przemyslawgawel8501]

A 26 inch MTB would have a dual air carbon crown and steerer RS SID and a cane creek suspension seat post. It would be a night and day don’t get me started…

[@endianAphones]

From my experience, a lot of people have prejudices against drop bars, and they ride trail or cross country bikes, however they don't really need one because they don't ride gnarly enough stuff to justify a modern XC/DC bike, so maybe it makes sense for that kind of people.

[@jakobfromthefence]

That’s my bike. Bought it three years ago. It’s a great travel bike

[@samslinger16]

Please could you do a review on the Genesis Croix De Fer 50

[@jeffreyhoops3611]

Many people already own a flat bar gravel bike. It’s the old trail bike gathering dust since you bought that full suspension rig.

[@twowheelsintokyo7039]

Gravel bike + flat bar = 80's mountain bike. For those who don't like the Rudy fork, try one, and you'll be a convert.

[@stephenkohler3472]

Anyone saying this is "just a 90's hardtail" never rode one.

[@DirkDierickx]

but it sure does look a lot like a 2010's hardtail!

[@stephenkohler3472]

Yeah, it does. And it would have been a legendary XC race bike if it did exist in the 90's

[@amitkumar-wj8gn]

This bike shows that cycling marketing does not just come full circle, it gives itself a fellatio too.

[@ericmosher6969]

we are slowly reinventing mountain bikes.

[@jackbiernacki8603]

A perfect bike! Just needs a dropper. And a bit wider tires. Then, a bit more front suspensions would be nice. And a more processive geo. Maybe a full suspension? Or just get a real MTB, LOL!

[@chrisrawlins9894]

I have the Marín dsx2 love it but it needs a suspension fork like this has !!!

[@ItsMeHammie]

1600?? People are saying these are for casual riders who are putting around. Those riders are not spending 1600. They're probably in at 300-500. Idk who would buy this bike other than someone who is unsure of what they want. Then they'll sell it shortly after and get the bike they really want

[@shanebracey9862]

Oh dear, it's an early incarnation of a hardball mountain bike!

[@Barryens]

The base Trek Procaliber is £400 cheaper. Stick some large gravel tyres on and viola!

[@theymademepickaname1248]

25 lbs. Is "quite heavy" ?

[@davidross8233]

If the fork was a cheap coil, this would be called a hybrid.

[@andreronan1035]

I’m not a weight weenie but the weight is very similar to an alloy hardtail with chunky tires and 100mm suspension fork. To me that’s a con. I’d expect something lighter.

[@evoermine]

Most hardtails of similar price weigh around 13 to 14 kg.

[@Lezz015]

This is just a city or commuter bike

[@JIMMYHIBBS1]

I have something similar from Trek - it’s a hybrid, but I’ve done King Alfred’s Way and many multi day gravel rides on it - I love the difference between its flat bars and my road bikes drops ….. it’s not a gravel bike …. But it can do gravel (and UK mud)

[@evoermine]

Except he’s just blasted through the woods on it and had a great time. So it’s not ‘just’ a city bike.

[@JIMMYHIBBS1]

@@evoermine I run my trek on 700x40 tubeless and it’s very capable

[@ravenmoto5948]

I'll take flat bars anyday over drop bars

[@Lezz015]

@@evoermine yep, just a new way to sell commuter bike one more time :) I have a kinda classic touring steel bike with 32 tyres and also ride woods, so this is not a big deal

[@rivercloud32]

Perfect for a commuter bike

[@gaza4543]

I'll say it and say it again, "Gravel" bikes have taken up the slack of a niche that MTB left behind in 2015. You used to be able to get XC bikes that where light, nimble, and could be used fast on the road as they actually had gears they also only had room for around 2 inch Tyers. I dont need todays MTB's they are way to much bike for round these parts. A fast lightweight gravel bike would do it round here.

[@xaein9515]

Actually it always baffled me, do we really even need a gravel bike? A few years ago, a hardtail mtb works perfectly fine for gravel roads. which actually looks like xc with a fancy name

[@phenofinder9145]

That looks exactly like a Klein mtb from the early 90's!!???

[@Foxtrottangoabc]

The problem with these gravel type bikes the wheelbase is often too short with outdated geometry , so you are better off i personally think converting a hardtail to a gravel hybrid . Even todays XC hardtails are getting more and more slacker, infact painfully slowly , i think another degree and it will be sorted towards 66 or 66.5 headangle

[@lesterverne3454]

Gary Fisher Mt Tam 29er 2002

[@Miraflores1990]

We finally closed the loop hahaha

[@333wheeler]

Custom build an old Hybrid frame and you have one of these.

[@philipparris4287]

That sums up gravelbiking ,confusion.

[@richcrompton6891]

Isn’t that what we used to call a mountain bike?

[@kayvankarimi6360]

modern day late 80s mtb re -labeled oh and re-priced

[@marksandoval5361]

This Boardman bike makes no sense. Get any XC bike, hardtail or full-sus, and install your favorite gravel tire. I like the 700x47 Pathfinder Pro tires. The XC bike with gravel tires will be just as fast on pavement or gravel but a lot more fun on singletrack or rough gravel. Why bother with a 40mm gravel fork when you can get a 100-120mm XC fork.

[@bjorne46]

Looks like a short travel MTB to me.

[@peterharrington8709]

More MTB lite than Gravel bike. Not geared for fast gravel and road and similarly the riding portion not great for that either. As you say it would make as *decent* commuter or tourer although again mud guard situation and speed limit its appeal. Shame.

[@MrStingraybernard]

Not a fad I’ve owned 2 from Marin

[@WhaJMc]

I hate riding bikes with flat bars on the road, be it either sealed or gravel. Compared to a drop bar bike, the riding position has all the aero qualities of a brick. For me anyway a gravel bike has got to have drop bars.

[@stevekelly6544]

ATB. Nothing wrong with that!

[@philg7889]

Riding rough terrain with a titchy dropped handlebar is ridiculous. Get a mountain bike or hybrid if you like off-road.

[@TroyHiscock]

Drive a defy advaced 1....got a steel frame mountain bike made by panorama out back cycles...mountain bike is 1000 times better off road..

[@Gareth-pu5so]

flat bar bike is peak bike. non suspension though please.

[@rodneyhanson9884]

Its a 28er

[@slantedorbit]

Bikes like this perennially reappear because they sell, full stop.

[@johanntiedtke]

Mega

[@greghart6310]

"Gravel" is a gimmick. Just buy a full suspension XC mountain bike and be done with it.

[@Cicadawee]

Oh it has Woking issue also.hmmm whut the f^rt.😂

[@franciscorey5723]

La industria os está volviendo idiotas.....tengo una mtb para ir por el campo y eso es una mtb para ir por el campo.......no le deis más vueltas.

[@p.istaker8862]

More marketing nonsense.