Which Bike Is Fastest For Strade Bianche? | GCN Does Science

Strade Bianche has quickly become an iconic race of the cycling season, famous for its long stretches of white gravel roads. It’s a brutal, challenging race, so it made us wonder, should the pros be using gravel bikes instead of road bikes? We went to Italy to find out, comparing both bikes on the gravel and the asphalt. This is GCN Does Science: Strade Bianche edition!
Watch Strade Bianche live & on demand on GCN+ 👉 gcn.eu/8x1
00:00 Intro
01:34 Strade Bianche gravel roads
02:52 Our experiment
04:01 Gravel bike, gravel sector
07:21 Road bike, gravel sector
10:55 Road bike, asphalt road
12:33 Gravel bike, asphalt road
13:43 Results
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Who are your picks to win the women’s & men’s Strade Bianche? 🏆👇 Let us know in the comments below! 💬
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[@gcn]

Who are your picks to win the women’s & men’s Strade Bianche? 🏆👇

[@chrisstrider]

Lotte Bosberg Kopekey

[@Jari1973]

Definitely Lotte Kopecky for both men and women 🥰 But the big question is.. how can wider ones with lower tire pressure be slower??

[@nineunauk]

@@Jari1973 in this instance, weight, knobbles and gesr ratio

[@filippopogacar]

with Manon in Tuscany I guess Dante Alighieri could forget Beatrice

[@JohnLumapaskeith]

MVDP and Alison Jackson

[@vlado29]

Lol, these gravel roads are much smoother than most normal tarmac roads you ride bikes on in Slovakia, haha

[@yuuzhang]

It just looks like it in the vid. Did some of those roads Last year and it was bumpy af.. a lot of washboarding

[@lg.studio]

100% agree 😄

[@gcn]

Hahaha do you ride a gravel bike in your local area? 🚴

[@ondrejmitas3325]

Totally agree with Vlado, the alleged “tarmac” by airport dubova is the roughest road i have ever been on. The gravel in the carpathian vineyards is much more bearable.

[@JeanFrancoisDesrosiers]

Smoother than in Canada too!

[@paulhartman3118]

A gravel bike with 35’s center slick would be my choice.

[@Schradermusic]

33mm might even be enough... problem is there aren't really any center slick gravel tires made to the standard of very top end road tires.

[@Schradermusic]

@@andrewfennell6511 I don't think so... I tried them and they can't compete with a road tire in the slightest. Even a medium priced one. Also the tread started to crack after 2 months on the pair I owned.

[@marekholub8668]

33s are the UCI limit

[@nstrug]

@@marekholub8668 for cyclocross. There’s no tyre limit for road.

[@ThelastSkeleton]

Panaracer Semislick SS Plus is the choice 🤓

[@bike6626]

I absolutely enjoy the Conor and Manon videos. There is such a good give and take from them when they present together. I have learned so much from Conor over the years he has been on the GCN videos.

[@DaveCM]

They are my two favorite and they do make a great team.

[@AleksiJoensuu]

The height difference is also really funny 😄 I hope that's not too insensitive, but they did do a video on frame size together before. But it's just hilarious in some of these scenes when Conor has to crouch to fit the frame! Reminds me of Gandalf in Bag End 🤣

[@gcn]

These two make a great pair! What's been your favourite Conor video? 🎬

[@AleksiJoensuu]

@@gcn Mine was the endurance ride where he ultimately broke down. In fact I left a long comment to thank him for it. I found it more inspiring than the now typical "Ooh it's tough, are they going to make it, oh yes they have!" story!

[@bike6626]

@@gcn Any of the bikecamping videos.

[@davethedogdude]

One thing to consider is that in the peloton, many of the riders are not going to be able to pick their line on the gravel sections. So literally plowing through the gravel that you avoided with the road bike is what would happen to many if not most of them. I'd still guess the gravel bike to be slower overall, but I think perhaps there would be more of a difference in favor of them on the gravel sections vs. the road bike that has to slog through the loose / rough stuff.

[@gcn]

Interesting point! Those at the pointy end of the race will have a little more choice in their line 👀 Perhaps for the average rider the gravel bikes will allow a bit more confidence!

[@marksIItimewarps]

@@gcn The roads are quite bumpy where I live and I often notice roadies riding as a group doesn't always pick the same lines to dodge a pothole or a sewer cover, etc. Some go to the left, some to the right and I've seen plenty of near misses among those closely drafting each other. As I ride a gravel bike myself with seatpost suspension, I can simply go straight through most of the potholes and creases on the asphalt. Roadies hate drafting behind me for this reason because they can't stay on my wheel when the roads get very bumpy. I don't like riding with roadies myself on these roads due to chance of collision when they don't pick the same lines and I have to go straight, only makes things more dangerous.

[@anotheryoutuber2463]

@@gcn confidence is speed, metal exhaustion is real

[@Stirling1989]

What incredible cinematography! New channel needed: GCN Behind the Scenes showing how these amazing videos are made with the drone shots, tracking shots etc.

[@gcn]

Would you like to see a behind the scenes video with some of out GCN creators? 📽

[@bettyjones8363]

@@gcn That sounds brilliant

[@AltoAdipe]

​@@gcn yes, please.

[@michaelstrecha54]

@@gcn Definitely yes!

[@jornidema1884]

Yes please the first person drone shots where amazing

[@ViveSemelBeneVivere]

Ultimately I suppose the choice of road or gravel bike could be based on whether the road bike gains enough distance on the tarmac sections to keep the gravel bikes behind on the gravel, or, whether the gravel bike falling behind on the tarmac sections could catch up on the gravel sections. Road bike with wider tyres would be my choice.

[@Bike4Coffee-Cake]

Be good to see it run with a hybrid tyre (like 38mm Specialized Pathfinder Pro) so you get a lot faster on tarmac but still more corner grip and volume for gravel. And not too soft. I reckon that would close the gap a lot.

[@lesflynn4455]

Really interesting video guys. I'm not really surprised at the results, but I'm impressed with the method of your analysis, using a modern road racing bike and the 1x gravel bike. Though I think Manon should have ridden it as well. Surely she has a gravel bike and a road bike.

[@chrisstrider]

What a beautiful video ❤

[@gcn]

One of our favourite places in the world to make content!! 😍

[@djrlloyd]

Nice Welsh count down Manon. Da iawn diolch. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@colnago888]

It’s hilarious how Manon was just able to rest her elbows on the saddle, and Connor’s towering legs are the same height!! Exactly how tall is Connor???

[@douglaspate9314]

I saw that

[@pretzelhunt]

8' 5".

[@peterthomas8053]

Great video.👍 Loved it when Conor sounded a bit confused with Manon's countdown 'tri, dau, un'. 😂

[@SwanWillTearYouApart]

i did the sportive on 28mm gatorskins, felt pretty unsafe , scary at times descending and struggled for traction on some of the steep ascents , which there are quite a few. If did it again , def go gravel , or at least 35mm That said a lot of the locals were on 25mm and Im not a Pro ;)

[@dennismicallef9350]

Are flats not an issue with skinny slicks on gravel? I can't imagine riding my road bike with 25c tires on a gravel road. Maybe that's all in my head.

[@marekholub8668]

33s are the limit for UCI events

[@gcn]

We bet the Sportive was super fun! It's such a cool place to ride. Did you lower the pressure a little in those 28s to help get a bit more traction? 🚴

[@hectorkidds9840]

Gatorskins are pretty sketchy on tarmac, not surprised you didn't enjoy them on gravel!

[@bubblesezblonde]

loved this thanks

[@roberttell1587]

Would be interesting to see a road bike with 32 or maybe 34mm tires as a comparison.

[@mellissanash7517]

exactly.

[@ifrit35]

So basically a cyclocross setup with some René Herse Stampede or something of the like. I agree.

[@andrewmcalister3462]

Drone shots, bikes, Tuscan roads…. 😍😍😍

[@Seanlamoureux603]

Coming from the northern east coast of the United States, we have gravel everywhere. I can say for myself even on the "loose" stuff I would be comfortable on 23 mm road race tires, which I have ridden on roads worse than that.

[@ncolt91]

Planned a ride during holidays on the Eroica course (very similar to Strade, probably some of the same roads) she was on 25mm and I was on 40mm - on the first climb I heard the walking on cleats :) we then just rode on the tarmac roads through the chianti hills and after 15min or so she started to talk to me again

[@gcn]

Hahaha would you go for a gravel bike next time?

[@ncolt91]

@@gcn for sure, even if you are a bit slower it's way more fun and you can enjoy the views for longer 😊

[@Sevendaver]

Crazy but fun to watch you two.

[@tompriestner9007]

Would be interesting to see the impact of weight by using Manon too as although the gravel bike would be relatively heavier lighter riders probably need the extra traction. Pidcock often seems to struggle on gravelier stuff (like Brabansa Pijl (?!) 2021 when he won) compared to smoother climbs

[@andrasszabo1570]

There must be one. Historically the classics riders have been much more successful than the puncheurs. 80 kg Cancellara is the record holder with 3 wins, too.

[@gcn]

Interesting point! Perhaps gravel bikes are a great option for lighter riders, Being able to run those tyres at a lower pressure and get a bit more grip might come in handy for those that struggle when the road gets rough? 🪨

[@jordanbell4331]

Love this analysis! It'd be fascinating to see a 'hybrid' setup too. 40mm tires feels a bit too large for this kind of gravel imho, but as Connor said they make the ride so much smoother and faster on the gravel sectors. Maybe a road bike with 30/32mm tire with a bit of cornering tread could be the sweet spot? Still fast, but gives you more comfort and *safety* in those rough sections or the corners. It's great going fast, but one slip or big rock and you're out of the race! MvdP for the men, Niewiadoma for the Women!

[@CxCPromech]

Neiwieedomma for off the podium. Winning days r behind

[@TheWillRogers]

The quality & frequency at which these videos come out is impressive. When do you all sleep.

[@LarsRR]

A little (much) repetitive and usually not much of actual testing of components/ bikes/ gear…

[@julianallen515]

So the outcome was the same as when Ollie and Manon rode it last year to decide the first bike. I think Manon had more fun this year with Connor doing the riding.

[@robhardisty9395]

Blake listening to Conor describing the white gravel roads as gnarly 😮 🤯

[@andyclark8991]

Manon your always cool you. Love love the videos there awesome

[@BixbyConsequence]

Nice work GCN. I would have hoped the choice for the racers would be less obvious though. More gravel, less tarmac, perhaps?

[@tongpocalypse151]

The music and editing on this one = proper 👌

[@thomasliekens9266]

Tbf, there is still a uci limit of 33mm for tyre width. I'd love to see a comparison between 28 and 33mm on these roads though.

[@bergerniklas6647]

Nah, afaik it is only limited in CX at the moment.

[@bergerniklas6647]

ARTICLE 1.3.018 “Wheels of the bicycle may vary in diameter between 70 cm maximum and 55 cm minimum, including the tyre. For the cyclo-cross bicycle the width of the tyre (measured between the widest parts) shall not exceed 33 mm and it may not incorporate any form of spike or stud.

[@witoldrudnicki8962]

I think that the tire pressure was simply too low on the gravel bike. Tire pressure calculator suggests about 37 - 40 PSI. No wonder the bike was sluggish on the tarmac.

[@markmoreno7295]

I am with you. When going out for a carefree ride I take my Squishy bike, but when I am seriously eating up the miles, I take my road bike.

[@alainpfammatter8224]

interesting and great video. I would have thought the gravelbike would be faster by a bigger margin on the gravel roads.

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

I had a great time watching this episode :)

[@h31sman]

I have that bike and it easily fits 32mm tires which is what I run for regular road riding. Would have liked to see the comparison with wider road tires.

[@andrewmcalister3462]

Yeah, I would think a road bike with 32mm slicks would be a good setup for hard pack roads and tarmac roads like that. It might be a different case if it were wet and muddy.

[@jimlingmusicchannel]

And that's why I use my road bike even during winter here in Toronto. Can't stand anything slower than this.:)

[@trbeyond]

Pro teams: Gee, thanks GCN. We didn’t already know this. In all seriousness great video. Beautiful race.

[@66mikkim]

You should have compared the same bike with different tires, the roadbike (and the position) is much more aero than the gravel, and i would also say lighter that the gravel to.

[@Thomas-fy9yc]

I’d take a modern disc road bike with 32-34c tires and wide aero wheels like the reserves 40/44 or 52/63

[@LarsRR]

I don’t think a gravel bike is faster on any one of the sectors. The rocks are too small and too few to be a major puncture threat that would warrant the added puncture protection of gravel tires. Hardly anything is loose enough to have a 35 or 40c tire really make sense over a 28 or 30c. However, the narrower, faster rolling road bike tires will be at advantage for everything else.

[@pretzelhunt]

that wind was rippin'; kudos for the journey! A pizza for everyone!!

[@KillBill2203]

What about an endurance bike, i ride a Trek Domane SL7 2022, with tubless tires 32mm that bike is made for aswell road as cobbles.

[@deanpurcell7771]

What gearing is on the gravel bike?

[@markp353]

Would using an endurance bike like the Domane with 32mm tyres be the happy medium?

[@joeuser2360]

If there was only a way I could watch the race. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I can view it? Anyone? Anyone?

[@enjay6503]

Another great video! Surprised that there wasn’t a bigger difference between the performance of the bikes on the terrain testing. Can I ask what watts represent when cycling and how it’s worked out?

[@gcn]

The lines are blurring between gravel and road! We did this deep dive into Gravel vs Road 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaOapmyenLp-gNU - Perhaps we should get the Tech team to drill into the numbers? 👀

[@jemwoo2001]

I'd like to see if aero came into this... Gravel bike is quite a lot more upright so if you were ever to repeat this you could try road bike+road wheels vs road bike with gravel wheels...

[@PatrickLino]

1:59 - My college years 🤣

[@tomfitz3324]

As others say, tire and pressure choice have a lot to do with it. Not sure what gravel tires he had, but 35mm max with a smooth tread and and at least 40psi should be a good choice to not be worried when in the group (which is all day if you are being serious) and stay relaxed all day. Someone else pointed out the Crux as an optimal machine, and that’s probably true-very light and you can run whatever tires the day dictates, eg rain versus dry.

[@cjohnson3836]

He was riding cinturato gravel h. They're supposed to be pretty fast. At least they best be, considering the price tag.

[@KristjanKalda89]

20psi seemed extremely low pressure to me. I usually run around 40psi on much rougher gravel too

[@user-qx4bp5rf3n]

@@cjohnson3836 Pathfinder Pros are supposedly the fastest barring top notch mtb tyres. I don't remember who tested them(on actual roads not a drum), though. I think Silca.

[@genewhalen9264]

Ok so, road bike for the cycling gods and goddesses. Gravel bikes for us mere mortals. Another great vid by my favorite team!

[@marksIItimewarps]

Their gravel is so smooth, a road bike comes out better. But they use gravel bike I think mainly for traction and agility on the gravel section which is quite important in a race.

[@semenenkod6788]

It's really interesting if to set road tires on the gravel and compare with the regular tires

[@ivostarmans1199]

All the pros used the climbing bike, not even the endurance bike like in the past they used the trek domane.

[@qzrnuiqntp]

Is something existing like a grAvEROl? I would like to know how fast could go an aero gravel.

[@DirkSachse]

Got it, nobody needs a gravel bice! Thanks GCN!

[@grazza-cm8oj]

Great video! But would have preferred to see a gravel bike at the racier end of the spectrum. Let’s face it, a Grizl with 40mm tyres at 20PSI will never be a match to the road bike. Using a gravel bike actually set up to race would have been much more interesting.

[@philipcooper8297]

The best combination is a road bike with endurance geometry on 28c to 32c road tyres.

[@KenSmith-bv4si]

Why not ride a S-Works Cruxwith 32mm tubeless set up. I ride my Atheos on gravel paths near me on 28mm tubeless, plus the Crux is already lighter weight then most other gravel bikes so the hills should be easier.

[@SergioCristancho]

have not seen the video... and as a gravel rider more than a road rider... I must acknowledge one issue... modern road bikes have a lot of clearance... then a rider can go 'wide' enough to have more stable balance and grip... then a road bike in the legs body and hands of a Pro is versatile enough to win different types of races, sterrato, cobbles, and yes why not gravel races... When a gravel bike is more capable... well If there is an answer is years and miles from this... gravel bikes are more build to last, road bikes are made to snap.

[@DavosPessos]

30’s are the best compromise for road/ mild off road - that’s if your bike can run 30mm width tyres

[@alfredongos]

Question: are the recommendations for riding on this type of roads similar, or even the same as, for example, Paris-Roubaix ?

[@fabioqueiros9322]

They can’t be, the cobbles at Roubaix are real land mines when comparing to the gravel of Strade Bianche…

[@chones_]

more connor manon collabs gcn! y'all should be sending them on a lot more epic adventures.

[@gcn]

Where do you want them to go? These two make a great duo 🙌

[@chones_]

@@gcn that's the thing, you can put them anywhere and it'll likely be good content.

[@mpereirawolf]

Or gravel tyres 40mm but with Higher pressure Will make the wheel bigger giving advantage where top speed counts

[@redsquarejay]

I just got on my new bike today haven't ridden all winter. Feels so.. awful to have fresh muscles again gaga

[@Zzyyxx22]

Must be nuts in a bunch when you don’t have the luxury of line choice so maybe the gravel bike would be more forgiving when you just have to plow through. Also maybe the short section isn’t a completely fair comparison. Not that I’ve ridden the course but I’d imagine you’d feel much less fatigued after a day on the gravel bike so may be able to produce higher watts towards the end which may claw back a little time. Might not be the case though.

[@JohnLumapaskeith]

You guys did this last year with, Ollie 😁

[@willmo1725]

I bought a gravel bike, cause where i live. So for comfort and control on gravel tip scores. Stlill for speed on the pavement, road bike wins hands down.

[@laggypirates]

Fun video :)

[@ravennexusmh]

20psi is a very odd tyre pressure even for a skinny tyre gravel bike. That's more the pressure you'd use in a 2.4inch mtb tyre. I bet the gravel bike would of had much faster times in both gravel and tarmac at say 35psi. I run 35-40 on mine running 29x2.0 tyres. It scoots along nicely.

[@hbrameus]

Would for example using a new Canyon Grayl instead of a Grizl make a difference? There are a lot of “aero-gravel” bikes out there. And with a tyre more suited for road, there might be less of a difference.

[@swray2112]

Besides the use of 40s, which for the course were overkill, I hate that they used the word science in the title. To really get a sample that would support or at least lean towards an accurate conclusion, there should have been multiple runs with multiple riders and bikes. 3 runs each style bike, 3 riders and gravel bike with 35mm tyres!

[@Mati03x]

Fantastic video !!! I still prefer to have a mtb and a road bike.

[@dennismicallef9350]

Horses for courses. I love riding mtb, road, and gravel.

[@andrasszabo1570]

8:01 Is Manon counting in Welsh?

[@FlipperInc]

If you used the same wheel and tire combo on both, would the gravel bike be much slower on the road? or is the frame geo and lighter weight just as big of a factor

[@FatboyAussie]

Those gravel roads are nicer then bitumen roads in Australia

[@BudgieJohnson]

You need to take into account that you will not always have the luxury of picking the better line on the road bike on the gravel sections…..

[@gcn]

Very true! Does that mean you would rather have the comfort and confidence of a gravel bike? 🪨

[@BudgieJohnson]

@@gcn hell yeah, for me it would be all about finishing...I can pretty much guarantee I would not be placing.....🤨

[@danielurbina9997]

I would use a road endurance bike with 32 or 35 milimiters tyres.

[@wspmjw]

Early March = Spring? Looks like it depends on the location...

[@dineshattri653]

Beautiful music 🎶🎶🎶

[@Swampster70]

How about using tires on the gravel bike that are closer to the road bike tires?

[@stephensmith2820]

What have we learned? Narrow smooth tyres are faster than wide knobbly tyres. Who'd have thought it. We don't need a holiday in Italy to work that one out.

[@helmiwijaya7]

lovely Manon

[@Lukas-bl9wy]

What about the finishline climb?

[@philipnelson79]

Gotta get there in contention first. 😅

[@NicolaDiMarco]

Well, same tires, same groupset would have been a more interesting comparison. I bet the gravel struggled on the tarmac with only 1x. Also yes, road bike might be faster if you are racing and much slowlier if you break it or crash.

[@ChrisCapoccia]

You would think the bike sponsors would push the teams to ride their gravel bikes

[@jeffreywilliams3646]

Question: Conor picked his line on gravel on the road bike. What if he was riding in a group and could not select his line?

[@l.d.t.6327]

like in a race, it would be single line.

[@fmaguire]

Sometimes it seems like Conor forgets he was a pro cyclist. 😂 This was a great vid tho. I thought the road bike would be faster on the gravel, so a bit surprised.

[@alfredongos]

8:00 Was that counting down in Welsh?... Why don't you guys adopt it as the GCN Countdown Language of preference? It sounds triple-cool !!!...

[@davidwashbrook9885]

The two bikes should be on the same gearing for a true test of which is faster

[@CxCPromech]

The science was already done at the gravel World Championships where most competitors rode normal road bikes no one on the podium rode a gravel bike not the winner not Sagan not even the guy on BMC who debuted a new gravel bike that day one third on gravel means 2/3 on Road 2/3 at a disadvantage now that road bikes can fit 32 mm tires don't be a wimp ride a road bike

[@1010mero]

I’m enjoying the bike so far kzbin.infoUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA My only real complaints are the brakes and the pedals. I feel like a bike designed for bigger people should have much larger pedals and more heavy duty brakes. I’ve only gotten two really good rides out of it, minimal downhill action, and the brakes feel like they’re already going out. A larger person has more momentum, so I think this wasn’t thought through very well. Also, I wear size 13-14 wide shoes. My feet cramp up on these pedals that are clearly made for smaller feet. Since I’m not a pro rider (and I don’t think many are who purchase this bike) I don’t think that the straps on the pedal are necessary at all. None of this takes away from the enjoyment I get from riding, however. I’ll just head to a bike shop to improve on a few things.

[@TheAesculap]

Conner look sleek like a greyhound 😍

[@achtfuenffuenf]

32mm allroad slicks tubeless

[@pascalpba6628]

What a beautiful race !!

[@gcn]

The scenery is stunning! 😍

[@TheGabcarva]

Cheapish travel oriented gravel bike vs awesome road bike is kind of apples to oranges

[@Stirling1989]

Is Conor rocking a dropper seat post on his gravel bike?!

[@blackwell95]

1x vs 2x gearing could account for the time difference

[@jason200912]

It's basically just 28mm tires vs 40mm tires. You guys should have used the same bike with different tires. Do the same test with 32 and 25mm and combine the data result summary all into one video

[@Stirling1989]

Props to Manon for trying to even get on Conor's bike

[@christophermee5214]

Some of the cracks in the road looked as though it will collapse soon

[@br5380]

How much of the time difference is purely down to gearing, as in loss of the top end of the 1x? There are road descents by me where I can't get near (slower) friends Strava times on my 1x gravel vs their 2x road bikes, even when running slicks.

[@donbarnard82]

Are your slower friends heavier?

[@br5380]

@@donbarnard82 not really, but I’m on a max of 42/11 while they’re running +50/11.