Why I Sold my Gravel Bike

[@jojoanggono3229]

Your line of thought is perfectly understandable. I am not an athlete myself. I came from the tought of multiple bike for multiple purpose but now I tend to be multiple wheelset for multiple purpose. I stick to my CX bike (Chromoly frame with carbon fork), with 2 sets of wheel, one tends toward more pavement, one tenda toward more gravel/mud.

[@plutoplatters]

Most people don't understand "things" neat things... bikes, fishing collectibles, knives... you name it !! They have no idea what you feel and see. I cannot imagine life without having this "love" feeling towards a few things.

[@earlgrey1492]

plutoplatters I agree with you dude but if its a hobby thats getting out of hand then it can annoy people. For example if you blow out all your cash on a carbon bike and end up with barely any money to get through the month.

[@australiantruckspotting8883]

Good comment dude, people are either uncategorically “things” people or they’re not. If they’re not they’ll never get it. For those poor souls, there is sport on tv.

[@LazyGrayF0x]

It’s called love of having, not love toward things

[@Zefferum]

"Why I sold my gravel bike"? Because I already have a cross bike that I find suits me.

[@gbfarmsthrissur2406]

Exactly.. there ends the matter

[@ravenone6255]

Thanks, you save me 15 mins

[@williama.roesler1019]

I am an ex-road cyclist who, @ 65yrs. old, still rides about 3,000+ miles a year. I just purchased a brand new cyclocross (gravel) with a full Shimano 105 groupo. (FSA crankset etc.) Quality has has been heightened on the 105 group from past low standards. Internal disc brakes, carbon fiber frame & I love it for my age. I sacrifice nothing. It is outstanding for my age, & past injuries from triathlons & brief racing career in the eighties. If you are over 55yrs. old, buy a good one. You will never look back in doubt. I have been riding steadily since 1983, when I did my very first Ironman Kona. I still have my carbon fiber road bike, & I know I will never ride it again. Maybe if I want to do 2 long rides in a row, I will switch off. However "Gravel" Bikes are perfect for us aging "baby boomers" that had things like broken or separated shoulders & tender knee's. Best investment I ever made. Do NOT hesitate if you are still a miles "junky" riding 18-20MPH........& 40-60 mile treks.

[@ClintGibbs]

+William A. Roesler good post... Thanks

[@johnrankin5921]

Good advice William. 68 years old and did my 1st mtn bike race in 1987. I live deep in the Rocky Mountains at 8-9000 feet so mountain biking is still king. But as tourist traffic gets worse, I am considering a gravel bike. My mountain bike is a Trek Pro Carbon Superfly full suspension. What do you think of full suspension gravel bikes that are coming out next year. Seems it would be kinder on the wrists, elbows, and knees on rough gravel which we have a lot of. Thanks, John

[@kingprone7846]

cyclocross bikes arent the same as gravel bikes. particularly if you have cyclocrossbikes which follow traditional european geometry. theres a few cyclocross bikes from america (specialized) which are more like gravel bikes...

[@ericguizzetti]

What did you buy? I am looking at Specialized Diverge or Roubaix?

[@oei130]

eric guizzetti I have the roubaix. I wish I waited a year for the diverge instead. Roubaix maxes out at 700x31c. And while the future shock saved my wrists, the fact that I cannot put panniers on is a let down.

[@thetinusnl8834]

Watching this in 2023 and I love how you were way ahead of your time already. Another excellent video. I feel like the whole gravel hype right now tries to fill the non-existent gap between CX and MTB. 1 roadie (or possibly aggressive CX with fitting 2by gearing and swapping tyres/wheelsets) and 1 MTB makes much more sense than 1 gravelbike with 2 wheelsets.

[@jimbob5b200]

Brilliant as a lockdown has closed my bike park and my 29er enduro is collecting dust ! I have a cyclocross which I've been sticking the miles on I do about 8 steep miles to some big woods then about 3 miles of almost foot paths and about 20 miles home all that time I dream and wonder what a gravel bike would be like and you've hit every question, back pain, geo, actual useage , so you made very sensible points of observation that actually mean something to a working dad amateur thank you . I have upped my bars on my cyclocross I climb lots of hills for me there every where so I've modded 180 rotors and a 2 x 50th cassette ( not for the faint hearted only just started leaving the tool kit at home !) Beside my modified Madness I have fitted a dropper post like my enduro bike and I descend on the roads a crazy speeds and its given me the confidence to do some quite silly stuff in the steep woods ! Thankyou for observation very on point and relevant for non pro amateur in swampy hilly bumpy twisty u.k 👍

[@grantwallace1882]

We are so lucky here in Devon, England. We are close to coastal rides, trail parks, forest roads, quiet lanes and Dartmoor. In fact, we live on Dartmoor.

[@cycletrade2276]

Makes sense for me too. When I ride more than 3 hours it's with a group, so I use the road bike. But most of my rides are 'workouts' so to speak and less than 3 hours and often 90 minutes or so wherein I can accomplish whatever intensity and or intervals I wanted. I was strongly considering a gravel bike till I saw your video, but I' going to stick with the 2 I have; a cyclocross and a road bike. Thank you!

[@KaiAdventure]

I have a steel frame cyclocross bike and invested in a 2nd wheel set for my road rides. It's all I've ever needed and wanted.

[@ClintGibbs]

👍

[@texstars1]

Hi Clint, I agree with every word you said, plus many of the comments given by readers. As an ex-cx rider, not as good as your lot, but well you know, I fettled a scandium CX Kinesis Race frame, with WTB 37mm tyres, which turned out to be the best handling bike I have ever owned! I didn't want to give all this up by changing to 'gravel' with relaxed angles, bendy tubes, etc. no sir, but long all day adventure rides were getting to me. The rough stuff. So unbelievably, I swopped my carbon sear post for a USE Vybe suspension, and the KCNC extension for a Redline, elastomer model. No regrets, less stress and fatigue resulted in more fun, longer and maybe faster rides. With Avid Ultimate calliper brakes, weight is 9 kilos. Good enough for me. My CX bike morphed up a little, more comfortable, but still basically the same. Great. Living in isolation in the Carpathians of Transylvania, I only use a - mountain bike - for single trail riding in the mountains however. It can be done on a gravel or CX bike, slowly, but descending on any bike with drop handlebars is an accident waiting to happen. The rider's weight is too high and too far forward. A bump or front wheel braking can somersault you over the 'bars, landing on your head, hitting a granite rock which could injure or kill you. Do you ride alone? On a mountain bike, you can descend flat out, safely. Best wishes to you all from across the pond, good riding. Ken.

[@nateisright]

For me, I think it comes down to tire choice. Going fast on technical terrain can be done on 28c tires, but a tubeless 2.2 is less likely to flat. Suspension is only required for handling in rocks and drops, imho. Thank you for your video. This is an interesting, perennial topic.

[@classactracing]

You said it right " A CX bike is a perfect bike" I normally use my CX bike to hit the road with the roadies. When I get tired of the road I search for some fire roads or single track. Its great to have a versatile bike that can do it all. Stay Classy and Ride Bikes!!!!!

[@grega4450]

I have a gravel bike to commute/ road bike to commute in good weather and my MTB full suspension bike. Love my Gravel bike it gets through everything on snow or rainy days. Put 4k km in a year. I also have a hybrid bike I bought first, I put 3k km in the first years and now it sits there. That one could go be considered my regret purchase.

[@kimrice394]

I do the same. My carbon cross bike is my cross/road/gravel bike. Depends how serious you take each discipline. For long frequent fun rides on gravel you'll want a steel bike though. If it's for fun, I'm on a steel rigid mtb w/ cross tire.

[@brizi2003]

Hi Clint, I think you've touched on something that most cycling enthusiasts can identify with. And I think you made a really important point when you said (paraphrasing here) that the best bike for you is the one that best suits the type of riding you do most of the time. I think that can also be extended to riding a similar bike to the people you ride with most too! My current bike count is 5! including: Summer road for my summer riding with a road club, winter road so my summer road doesn't get wrecked by winter salt etc., single/fixed road for solo rides, improving pedalling technique, fitness & strength, cyclo-cross from when I used to race (hardly touched now) & all mountain for all types of mountain biking either solo or with others with similar bikes. Realistically I could probably manage with 1 road & 1 mtb. However, fewer bikes mean more compromises. I think I could do all my rides on a cyclo-cross bike, it really is a 'do anything' bike, but it wouldn't be the most fun or most efficient and might break on some of the off-road that my mountain bike takes in its stride. I find your videos to be most informative - keep buying/trying new bikes - it helps us all!

[@lancelaw542]

Hey Clint. Good points all. You and I have communicated about this in the past. What I ended up doing was I bought two CX bikes. One bike is set up for strictly for CX (2017 TCX Pro DI2) and the other (2017 TCX Pro 2) I have set up for road training, group rides and gravel rides. I converted to double chain ring and light weight road wheels that I swap out. The Pro 2 with the road set up is essentially a Defy with a beefier frame and the capability to put 40C tires on it. Also with the weights the Giant currently has on the new CX bikes ~17 or less lbs (road set up) it's a no brainer in my view. I wanted the most bang for my buck and I wanted to get good use out of all bikes. My 3rd bike is the 2017 Anthem- it works great for everything I do MTB wise. Thanks for your help and insights in making the decision.

[@ClintGibbs]

+Lance Law 👍

[@SwayJJ]

Only on youtube does it take 17 mins to explain something that should take 2

[@TheArfabrizio]

SwayJJ you saved precious time of my life

[@anata5127]

Exactly!

[@tubesockets120v]

Clint's long winded but thorough.

[@gbfarmsthrissur2406]

Exactly... it make me sleepy... boring

[@tomekkruk6147]

Yeah! takes 17 minutes to say "i sold my gravel cause i wasn't using and enjoying it as much as i was hoping for".

[@saltemann3581]

I just realised when you were looking down into your lap at some point that you were talking from a script. That is adorable, and certainly a sign that you take your youtube videos at least a little bit serious. I get to watch it for free, thank you!

[@pahouseholder]

Thanks for all your info and analysis. Most helpful. I do the same thing with my Specialized CruX 1x on the gravel roads and crushed limestone trails around my house in Nebraska.

[@samuellambert8919]

Honest reviews are just so useful. Thanks mr. Gibbs

[@jimjigga]

More power to you Clint, if it's within your means by all means have fun, enjoy life. Thanks for all the review and content. I've learned alot. great sport

[@williamfrykman2060]

Hello Clint, I've really been enjoying your videos. I moved to Cologne Germany this past August and will be here another 4-years before returning to the US. I had a real difficult time deciding what bike to purchase, specifically to take advantage of the amazing bike trails which transverse all of Europe, and I almost went with the Niner RLT 9 RDO 5-STAR. In the end, that beauty was a bit more than I could justify so ended up going with Canyon's Endurance bike (I only live an hour from their headquarters in Koblenz, so I went down for a test ride prior to buying the bike). Anyhow, I want to personally thank you for your KZbin Channel. It is fabulous. Cheers, Wil

[@TheRhino711]

Thanks for the helpful tips! I'm saving for a CX bike to buy next winter when they should be cheaper. Hopefully in two seasons I will be fit enough to ride from Rochester to Buffalo on the Erie Canal. I always assumed a CX bike is better than my rigid frame 90's style MTB to ride on the canal towpath.

[@johnhirka654]

People used to ride steel bikes for 100s if not 1000s of miles, and still do. But back when it was the standard, people were OK. Quit worrying about having the perfect bike everybody. I hate seeing arguments about "this bike vs that bike"...how can you criticize what someone LIKES? Just enjoy what you have. Most guys I know who obsess over their gear and bike are the ones who ride the least. Hell, my buddy has a $500 giant roam and explores 300 miles a week !!! Whatever works...were spoiled to live in our era with "riding style" specific bikes.

[@brianmurphy8032]

i just bought a second hand giant roam 2 for a couple hundred quid love it as an alternative from my felt roadbike nice to have a choice to suit my mood / road bike to workout on leg heart / lungs and the roam to roam around from town to town casual style having a look around best both worlds as you say enjoy what you have

[@jaredladdjamison4560]

100%!!!

[@joggyb]

Great explanatation again, nice job Clint. I am attacking the light gravel roads from the other side, I put gravel tyres on my disc brake road bike. I was a hard decision: cx or road endurance with disc. But ended up with the later. It is true what you said, gravel is different in every region. In my surroundings the gravel roads are shitty concrate roads with potholes. Thats why I went with the road bike. The industry is pushing everyone to the right number of bikes is n+1, but once you get one or two (or three) bikes that do the job and putting reasonable saddle time on all them will make you way more satisfied than collecting dusty bikes.

[@elitebicycleracers]

Thanks, as someone who struggled with whether I could justify owning a gravel bike, I appreciate the detailed perspective. In your situation it sounds like you already had at least 1 MTB and 1 cross-bike, so it would have been hard for me to justify further carving-up the off-road spectrum by adding yet another, gravel bike to the mix. That's getting really nuanced about bike selection. I held off buying a gravel bike a long time because it seems like this was a re-packaged and more modern version of the "hybrid" like I had in the 90s. But I also have not owned any off-road capable bikes in years, and so it made more sense for me as a roadie to get the gravel bike to expand my terrain and still be able to cross back and forth with it. Still, I run into the same issue I did with the hybrid back in the 90s, which is that it takes me just far enough off road to get a little frustrated at not having even fatter tires and a suspension fork.

[@JeanThevenet]

I have a cross and a gravel, the role of the gravel is hiking, comfort, to avoid getting tired to go far whereas the cross bike is for speed, power, with geometry of a road bike but which passes the turns even better without touching the ground with the pedals.

[@connieback7577]

My Giant TCX is my all purpose bike. I've already put 3500 miles on it this year and it's not the only bike I ride. My other bike is a cro-moly steel vintage Trek hybrid I use on paved hill rides for strengthening.

[@ctrawick3]

Great video, Clint. Completely logical thought process, in light of where you ride. I'll admit though, it can be a challenge to discern between "want" and "need" when it comes to bikes.

[@NaeMuckle]

6 and a half hour drive isn't too far? I live on the east coast of Scotland. If i drive 6 hours west im in the sea 😂

[@your_average_cultured_dude]

Ikr lol. 6 and a half hour drive. You could go for example from Spain to the Netherlands in that time.

[@WildWoodCraft]

Hey Clint. I'm down to two bikes at present. Trek Remedy 9.9 carbon for trail/enduro but light enough for recreational XC in the mountains and a Norco Search carbon for gravel and road. I use 28mm continental gatorskins for my road riding as i tend to do steep back lane mountain roads with cattle grids, pot holes and side ditches. Winter or AX (adventure cross - a new term in UK to describe a road/off road mixed ride) i use Clement x'plor USH tyres. Two bikes and i can really say i've got the whole spectrum covered.

[@terrygrabba2481]

i had the the 85 and now a 86. same color as yours. best bikes ever. 700c..... my 85 had this awesome custom paint scheme with all chrome covers.. and guards..... i got more lookers than harley guys.

[@KaiAdventure]

Your video got me interested in looking at some common specs for Gravel vs CX bikes. Here's some data from Trek in the 56 cm size. Looks pretty much the same to me. Gravel: 2021 Trek Checkpoint SL 6 56.6 cm Top tube 102 cm Wheelbase 7.6 cm Bottom Bracket Drop 9.11 kg Weight Cross: 2021 Trek Boone 6 55.8 cm Top tube 102 Wheelbase 6.8 cm Bottom Bracket Drop 8.23 kg Weight

[@ClintGibbs]

Make sure you look at the angles, especially the seat tube angle and head tube angle. Head to angle especially will change the front- center which will make the ride quality different.

[@DAVIDSMITHband]

I'm so far out of the loop, it's silly. But, if I could only have one bicycle, it would be my old steel Raleigh mountain bike from the 1980s. It's a small frame with riser bars and bar ends. 3x7. Indexed rear thumb shifter. Friction front. Touring tires. 26 x 1.9-ish. She's fast, and I can get into a pretty low position. Those tires do gravel, chipseal, pavement, and dirt all really well. The wide tires are a lifesaver. I've toured on that bike, and it's never overloaded. Somehow... I wound up with four bicycles that I personally ride. But, that one is "the one". It does everything. The gearing is 26-38-48 and 13-28. I never run out of gears on either end here in SE Tennessee.

[@briantruck2284]

True

[@bobmajew53]

Trail riding definitely a lot of fun to escape vehicles and populations. I am fortunate to have a large Park not far from me which is forested and has a bunch of deer Trails which have become mountain bike trails. Cross Bikes and gravel bikes really differentiate in tire clearance, mostly. My Cx is weird because it has a high bottom bracket and enormous tire clearance and long chain stays. It would be a gravel bike except of the tube angles.

[@jazzechos1372]

I know that this is a old video but I wanted to jump in to mention that the biggest of all the differences between a Gravel bike and a CX bike is time. The CX bike you are good to go for a few hours on where the gravel ride you can be on it for days.

[@timwang9727]

ha, your local gravel road even better than the paved road in Michigan. Some people ride cx on paved road because the surface is horrible

[@fkrr5]

Lol, I ride my CX bike on Michigan roads for the same reason. It got the point where I was getting the crap beaten out of me with my road bike. Pavement here is just too rough.

[@your_average_cultured_dude]

It's better than 90% of roads in the part of Romania where I live (and most of Romania in general, but there are certain places where it's really nice pavement)

[@201950201950]

great information. thanks to your gravel vs cycle cross I decided to get a gravel bike. I bought a very adorable Mozilla from gravity. I live in California near some small mountains so it's perfect. thank you for your help.

[@ClintGibbs]

+jesse diaz nice. Gravel bikes are fun!

[@jemma_19988]

An inconvenient truth - modern day bike marketing is all a load of rehashed ideas at a higher and higher price

[@robertdore9592]

I've always looked at Mountain Bikes and Gravel Bikes as the 'the Kings new clothes'. The Cycle to work scheme is responsible for a lot of bike salesmen using the word urban to sell a bike to some commuter. Just one of my pet peeves. most bike frames are based on two triangles forming a diamond, and THAT'S pretty much it.

[@frederickaugustusdouglass9713]

@@robertdore9592 so tell me, i have just moved away from the city and i now love riding since am now in the country, I love going gym but i hate cardio, so i want a good fast bike for my fitness, i also dont want to spend stupid money like my best mate, his bike is 5000 pounds lol. my budget is 500 - 600 pounds

[@telemarktumalo6978]

Feel bad for you that you don't live closer to the mountains. But, glad for you that you can replace your bikes when you feel the need. Stay tuned, as bikes are changing quickly.

[@timrice5342]

my gravel bike turned into a 28c fendered commute / bad weather bike. Gravel is my HT 29er on 2.1 WTB Nano's.

[@jameseby8207]

So glad you are not selling your cx bike and are still going to race cx

[@joen3992]

I've narrowed down to 4 well maintained, upgraded bikes. I stick to Mountain bikes 3x9. I can't justify the cost and all the rocket science involved with 1x11. My next bike would be a 29er Mountain bike with wide 700c tires, rigid forks, disc brakes 2x10....wide ass handle bars. That to me is heaven! Ride nice and fast in the city. oh ya!

[@mrjack8849]

Not sure why folks buy new bikes every year and replace with something they already have. I have a 8 year old Trek road bike that I bought new and a 9 year old Haro MTB that I bought new. I probably don’t ride as much as many folks on here, but I would estimate each of those bikes has close to 7-10k miles on them. I never really got into mtn biking so I converted that bike to a commuter bike simply with new tires, grips, and racks. The road bike has nearly remained unchanged, except for straight replacement parts, yet I’m still doing 60-80 mile rides on it (more with training). I do tuneups on the bikes and replace parts as needed at a fraction of the cost of buying an entire brand new bike. My mtn bike now has nicer components on it probably worth $400 more than if I bought the new original equivalent bike. When I do get a new bike, I want more an Adventure/gravel bike. Essentially a road bike I can take off road and carry gear since I don’t do hard core trails. I figure after 10 years, a new bike wouldn’t be too bad. Bike commuting to work also saved me a ton of gas money over the years. I guess if I was sponsored and got heavily discounted bikes and made money off of KZbin talking about new bikes, I might get a new one more often.

[@tillman40]

All bike purchases start with a level of delusion - me

[@nelsonwalker7105]

I couldn't have stated the problem better.

[@littlegoobie]

I liken the new breed of high end biking to sommeliers and their wine tasting. It's 99% pure horse shit. in a blind test, i highly doubt any of them could tell the difference between $4000 wheels and $400 in a manner that is replicable. just as it's been shown in wine tasting that they can't do it either, given multiple glasses of the same wine, an "experts" grading of the same bottle will vary wildly..

[@joynthis]

These wheels have a warm tone, with hints Verbena, aloe vera, melisse, lemon-balm, and finally the usual apple; the palate as always is shady and cool, though more overtly mineral than usual, but the finish crescendos into a salty tide that clings and doesn’t quit.

[@insideout2600]

littlegoobie the crude and REALISTIC truth . shows just how much bullshit is out there .

[@ericpmoss]

joynthis: No elderberry, no deal. ;)

Since 2009 I have an gravelbike. Its an Kuota Kross custom build.

[@jamie4293]

i love the video of the gravel stretches. Super cool!

[@johnlindsay7301]

I'm surprise don't you don't have a hardtail mountain bike. They are so versatile and fun. You can also pick one up for cheap. I got a Giant Talon 3 a couple years ago for $800 CDN. Great aluminum frame, hydrolic brakes, the rest was what it was until upgraded. I've slowly been building it up over the last two years making it a project bike which adds to the fun of owning it. I've got an XT crank/chainrings; Easton carbon handlebar and stem; Rapid Rob Schwalbe tires(due to wear as the stock tyres were going bald but they were great tires); Giant dropper post(every MB needs a dropper post); Giant dual lock on grips and pinned pedals. I've had a blast building this bike up and it is a dream to tide. It's a smile maker. Still plan to replace the Suntour fork one day but I might to have to get a new thru axel wheel first as I can't find a decent suspension fork with QR. when you upgraded your Anthem to the Thru Axle was that on the from and back or just the back? I assume I'll have to replace the entire hub if not wheel to upgrade to thru axle for the front. Is that your understanding? Let me know your thoughts. And think about a hardtail. You'll love it. I know you have a short travel xc bike but it is not the same. I'm sure you know that. Thanks for the update on why you sold the gravel bike. I think it was a necessary post in context to your gravel vs cyclocross series.

[@ClintGibbs]

+John Lindsay (Happyface) I've had a lot of hardtails over the years and enjoyed them. My favorite was my Niner single speed. When I upgraded my Anthem to a through Hub I had to get the Dropout kit that giant sold specifically for that bike. That's the only way you can do it.

[@bonn1771]

the 9er bike was sweet but for your area it makes sense. come to VT and you will need a gravel bike. great video

[@trailrunnah8886]

I agree with you, it seems kind of silly to have both a "gravel" bike and a cross bike. I think the whole concept of a need for a gravel bike is just clever marketing on the part of bike manufacturers, since as you pointed out, a CX bike is perfectly suited to riding gravel, or any less than optimal road surface. And interesting point about using your MTB for cross races in the mountains. I have a cross bike as my only "road" type bike, and have done a few cross races. During all of those races, I felt that I would have been faster on a cross country MTB. Other than the few races, my cx bike mostly stays on pavement, running 28C Maxxis Refuse tires. It's an '11, with cantilever brakes, so I'm itching to replace it with a hydro disk bike. I want another CX bike, but for the type of riding I do I think an endurance road bike would suit me best. Just about everything I ride is paved, and the few times I HAVE come upon dirt or gravel roads, the 28C's did fine. I really like the Giant Defy Advanced 2, but just wish it could take 40C's, or at least 35C's. Can you suggest a similar bike that will fit the wider tires? I'd like the wider tires in case I decide to use it for trails or a CX race. I think the Defy maxes out at 28C. Thanks!

[@ryand121984]

Debating between a gravel and CX bike. I finally ended up getting a full on Cyclocross bike by All City and it is amazing!

[@joen3992]

To each their own; whatever floats your boat is my motto. I just can't get over them handle bars. They remind me of them awful awful 10 speed CCM bikes I was force to ride in the 70s. When I bought a Norco Mountaineer riding in Toronto, going to school in the 80s. It had 'mountain bike riser handlebars. It was a God Send! Next to slice bread. Control at my finger tips. Lean back and see the world...can't get over the gravel stuff. But hey, I was a kid riding down the gravel road off a mountain with mates before Gary Fisher even became famous for lol

[@jubilaru8789]

for me, mountain bikes are like tractor pulling (i had a fullsus) . i hated all the 10 months that i own it.... gravel bikes are like an audi allroad - it does what i want when i want with compromises that i can handle... i will only replace it with an endurance bike that accepts 35-40mm tyres.... cyclocross has a stack/reach that's too aggressive for me... thank you for your impressions.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

Not all cyclocross bikes are that aggressive. In fact, in one of these videos Clint even mentions that the TCX has a lower BB, and more relaxed position than other CX bikes, and CX bikes from the past.

[@EricCBohn]

I'm considering building up an Air 9 carbon or RDO as my one bike to rule all bikes - gravel/singletrack/etc. Of course the decision for one is based on financial limitations...I think a carbon hardtail would suffice for the majority of riders in terrain such as the midwest or, from what I've seen, the SE away from the mountains. The carbon would soak up bumps better than aluminum, and be lighter than steel. I'd love a RKT or a Spearfish, but it's just not in the cards...if I want to go fast I'd do like you and get something lightweight and more road-ish oriented.

[@NickDpernia]

The biggest, and really only, difference I've noticed is during a fast decent on gravel / dirt roads. You NEED wider tires and disc breaks, typical to a gravel bike, in these situations. 34mm tires and cantilever breaks, typical to a cross bike, WONT cut it.

[@angelomedi]

This is so interesting to me, considering how I let myself get influenced by the DoItAll type of bikes nowadays. I had a motorcycle which I used on the city where I used to live(not very bicycle-friendly), but then relocated to mexico city(much more bike-friendly, and interesting to ride inside n out) and left myself with a fixed gear ive used mainly for transporting myself. My dad asked me to sell my motorcycle to him(strange, since he bought it to me initially), which I did, in order to get a new bicycle, an opportunity i hadnt had prior to that (mainly due to school fees I have to pay, rent and so on). I then researched a lot, finding the best bike for me. I initially wanted a road bike , putting fitness and going fast as a priority. But I also love going off-road, and didnt wanted to exclude this type of riding... So in the end I went to what I thought could be an allPurpose bike: Specialized AWOL. It is a steel touring bike in essence, and got thinking that I could use it offroad and onroad without any problem, which, it does, but at a certain extent. This bike can do all of that and a little more, without excelling on any other discipline except touring. Several months later (5) i now find myself not extensively touring as long as I thought I was (lots of other small things to do in order to then prepare for a long tour) not riding offroad as much as I want to... My rides have been long but pretty much on solid pavement, and urban scenarios. For that, the AWOL works fine, but feels heavy and sometimes unnecessary to use 42c wheels despite the comfort... Especially compared to almost any other road bike Ive tested... I am kind of regretting my decision, and I now feel that, when looking to buy a bike, I was trying to fill needs that in the end actually werent needs at all. Maybe I should have bought a road bike and eventually and probably a mtb for the minimal off road rides i do. (I even now have an inherited 90s Trek hardtail, so that gap is already been filled). What do you think, was it a well made decision and im just overthinking, or I really caught myself on bikes that can "do everything"?

[@samuelkmaina]

Try the Merida Silex 400 Gravel bike, the best in town. It nulifies all the reasons you have given for selling your Gravel bike. With sleek tyres, it's a fast comfortable road bike, intermediates makes its a good Cyclocross, add some nobies and you can do some mountain biking. Check it out and maybe give a review.

[@KG-jr8lc]

Hey Clint, no offence but i dont get why people swap out their bikes every season. Whats your reason for buying at least a new frame every year/season?

[@ClintGibbs]

+Kevin G no offense taken. All of us have different priorities and different values and different Lifestyles. For me, it's getting good resale value for my bikes. With the sponsorship discounts that I get from Racing for my local shop it's not a huge outlay of cash if I can get a good resale value for the bike. Also I like having fresh content for my KZbin channel. Finally, I like keeping up with the latest technology. But hey, I've had my Hutch Pro racer for 35 years!

[@KG-jr8lc]

Thanks for the reply, I really enjoy your videos!

[@HermanoToro]

Kevin G resell value. Ride a bike for a season, sell it and put the money toward the upgrade. Otherwise, the value on your bike falls out and you'll find yourself re-investing 80% of the value on a new bike. I guess this could depend on where you live, but here in the PNW, a three year old bike is nearly worthless; in my experience.

[@KG-jr8lc]

good luck finding someone who pays 80% off the price after a year of use here in germany...i mean clint gets his discount so its more reasonable to do...

[@HermanoToro]

Kevin G I think you misunderstood how the 80% was used. No one, anywhere, is going to pay 80% of the value in a bike after it's been used for a year. What I mean is, if you buy a bike for 4,000 USD, you can probably expect to get about 2500-2800 for the bike after a year of use. That's just a hard estimate, by the way. In some cases, you might even be able to get more. It all depends. Anyway, you can take the money you get back and put it toward your next bike. On the contrary, if you buy a bike for 4,000 USD and ride it for 3-4 years, that bike will not be worth a damn thing, and you will find yourself paying for the entire cost of your next bike.

[@alberthua]

@Clint. I was listening to your video and it makes sense form your perspective. It does better inform my thoughts at this time. I think the big takeaway for me is the locale and landscape you live in. I live in the Bay Area, where I can get to single track within 5 miles of my home, so for me a gravel may be more useful than you. The confusing thing that I haven't been able to infer from the little amount of exposure the RLT 9 RDO is what difference it will make going from RLT 9 -> RLT 9 RDO. I have seen deals for the BSB 9 and RLT 9 Steel and so those are tempting. For me, I have been thinking if BSB 9 may be more fun as it has better handling and I don't like to bomb down mountain trails anyways.

[@ryanho7033]

I'm also from the Bay Area and also debating on which bike to get

[@ShrinidhiKulkarni]

For some reason I just loved your T-Shirt! Great video!

[@evansilcox3771]

I don't think it's 'more' fun to ride a mtb on singletrack in place like Florida (or Ontario). I do think it's a different kind of fun. I take my cx bike (a Norco Threshold set up for racing so aggressive geometry) out onto pretty rooty, rocky, short steep climbs and descents, off camber singletrack on the Don Valley trails of Toronto. You're right that you can't simply fly over stuff like you can with a mtb, but the fun comes in picking good lines and learning how to shift your weight around. I can hit pretty good speeds through the blue square trails and I'm pretty sure I'll be able to hit smaller jumps. The nice part is that a cross bike is fun to ride through the city (10 miles) to get to and from the trails on pavement, grass and gravel. It's a pretty sweet feeling to be able to clean stuff that a lot of full suspension mountain bikers can't do!

[@robertsonfamilyfarm9126]

Interesting Clint your you/tube videos educated me about gravel bikes as a type of bike but I guess the cyclocross bike can play the part ! if they only had suspension WITH the wide tires . John Tomac style

[@jamesharoldbardwell2182]

I have to agree .gravel bike too niché. Ive ridden mtb's for many years and was given a specialized tricross ss which i liked but it lacked * thingness * and nearly three years ago bought a surly crossxcheck ss which i fell in love with and is all i ride now and still love serves all my needs .commute/urban shop runs/ general getting around / day rides on different types of trails/ roads ..id say its somewhere between a cyclocross and gravel bike

[@barstoonarrow6580]

3 is the magic number. More is too much. I've got a XC bike, road bike and a singlespeed for cruising :)

[@SuperDeinVadda]

what about moutainbikes or downhillbikes

[@your_average_cultured_dude]

Yeahm 3 is best imo. If I had a lot of money I'd have an Enduro, an aero road, and a project bike hybrid thing.

[@55whiplash]

Seeing as how I have 18 bikes laying around I confess I have a problem. Thing is, I still miss the one I sold...

[@LazyGrayF0x]

Mark Schneider you are not alone in this, struggle is real

[@luisortez336]

Donate a bike to me

[@55whiplash]

@@luisortez336 where do you live? General location

[@luisortez336]

@@55whiplash kennesaw GA

[@xsamitt]

I will pray for you!

[@wesleycurrin1457]

The Giant TCX might be the one bike for me since I ride on pavement and gravel in central NC.

[@kraiglavon4793]

I’m looking to buy one solid bike and have two separate pair of wheels and tires for pavement and gravel. Great information and video!!!

[@blahdaze]

In a season of reducing my bike inventory for the same reasons you outline at the beginning of the video, and consequently evaluating the "one bike" philosophy, I really appreciated this weighed approach. Like you I also occasionally "buy for the particular" rather than daily use. Having caught that pattern, I want to weigh my next bike purchase carefully. All that said, what are your thoughts on bikes like Van Dessel's ADD, that 100% mimic the geometry of a cyclocross bike (specifically Van D's "Full Tilt Boogie") with wider tire accommodations? Thank you, Matt

[@ClintGibbs]

+blahdaze I think you're going to see a trend more multifunctional bikes like that. Wide Tire clearance is going to be more standard in the future, I think.

[@ClintGibbs]

Joey Diaz I have to drive 6 hours to get to good mountain riding. Elijay and Blue Ridge Georgia have great trails. one more hour gets me into Asheville and Brevard North Carolina.

[@jevgenijgornostal1202]

Okey, so what i can tell,Im 26 years old cyclist, but definetly not proffesional . Riding about 5000 km per year. When i was younger i got my first cheap full suspension bike, it was heavy it was slow, so after few years i decided to buy 29er Hardtale, it was much better then previous bike but all in all it was not for me, most of the time i was spending on normal roads, sometimes gravel and forests by the way with 29er hardtale longest ride was 120km. Now i bought a specialized cyclocross bike and that is absolutely fenomenal thing for me. Lighter ,faster, very comfortable , still able to ride gravel and forest roads . In the summer i use 30mm tyres ,and planning to change for a wider in the winter. Tried to ride same 120km a day and it was much easier then with 29er . I absolutely enjoy cyclocross bike now:)

[@StephanieHughesDesign]

Great video. Excellent analysis. Thanks.

[@ClintGibbs]

All riding scenes were on dirt/lime rock/gravel...no paved roads.

[@rudyelizondo1935]

Like duh, the guy is s bike salesman, I bought a Cervelo R3 and never looked back. I can do it all on my R3, road and trails and it is super light. It cost me $3,800 but I have had it for 4 years and have ridden over 4,500 miles. Buttery smooth and excellent tech for carbon and Shimano ultegra gearing. I will keep this bike forever!!

[@JkDubbed]

The footage you showed is probably what I'll do 90% of the time split between that and paved roads, with an added grassy field or rocky path I find along the way. Though I'd love to visit a mountainous path a few times a month. Still debating between a cross or gravel grinder xD

[@toddmcdonough]

Good video Clint. Although I will miss seeing the steel Niner on the channel, I agree there was a bit to much overlap in the stable.

[@ryanho7033]

Hi Clint, Thank you so much for posting this! I'm from the San Francisco area so there are lots of hills, lots of gravel, lots of city riding and also lots of patches of dirt in my trips to and from. I'm currently debating between the RLT 9 Steel, a Soma Wolverine, and a Twin Six Standard Rando......It'll be for exploring, commuting, cross races, and an occasional overnighter - in that order. I plan on leaving a rando box with a mini rack up front too. With all of this in mind what would you (and everyone else) recommend? Thanks a million!

[@madcapper6]

About half way into this vid I began to wonder, "so what exactly is the difference between a gravel bike and a cyclocross bike anyway?" Just as I was about to do a KZbin search on it, I looked over on the right panel and there it was. "Difference Between a Cyclocross and Gravel Bike (In 4 Minutes)" by Clint Gibbs. How'd you know I was gonna ask that question? =D

[@stevendeckert6373]

Interesting, thanks. My quiver is four- cx/gravel, road race bike, steel commuting road bike, 29er hardtail. But I live in the midwest and am more of a roadie than you. I use the cx bike the most, also hate the multiple different riding positions.

[@chrisbarbz9238]

Let's face it. Getting into cycling is complicated and expensive, requires multiple types of bikes when riding multiple types of terrains. It also involves which type of tyres, crankset etc. in regards to terrain and the all the important factors in choosing "the right kind of bike for you". Just pick one and get spinning. What if you only had one bike and you lived in the 1817s. You wouldn't of course ride that in the mountains or forests would you? You think you're minimising/simplifying riding by having "just having three bikes" (paraphrase)???? when many, if not most people can only afford one or two at most riding seriously. Of course, you'd have to pick a bike for the right kind of riding. Would you pick a jetski when you want to ride in the snow? I'd like to someone get anywhere in a snowfield plane.

[@MrWoowootila]

Ok, have you seen the RLT 9 RDO? Seems like a great all around bike for gravel and cycle cross. Probably more toward gravel, but could be a one bike solution.

[@robwasnj]

Interesting point you made about using different muscles on different bikes. I don't notice i too much from mtb to mtb that i own but sometimes when I travel I jump on an exercise bike at the hotel and damn were my muscles screaming! I really didn't put 2+2 together but I guess the upstroke on an exercise bike requires a lot more of the hamstring to be used. With all this said, do you think building other leg muscles than those used on your primary bike would slow you down? Just wondering if you ride any really chunky stuff, trails like some of those in Pisgah Forest or even some of those large drops over in the Vortex area of Santos? On a few trips I felt really "underbiked" and didn't want to plow through large boulders on my 100mm rear 29er trail bike, it just felt that's be bad for the bike (and possibly me if things went wrong) Thanks for the video.

[@nverse0]

I like your videos Clint, the comparison of cyclocross and gravel bike geometry was quite informative. However I feel like the reason you sold the gravel bike can be distilled down to: I bought a heavy steel gravel bike and found I preferred using my light carbon cyclocross bike on hammerfest gravel rides because it was faster. Not incredibly surprising.

[@ClintGibbs]

+nverse0 probably true. I'm going to try to get a demo ride on a Niner RLT9 RDO in the next few weeks

[@nverse0]

Cool, look forward to your impressions of that bike. I actually have a carbon gravel bike that I also use for cyclocross.I took it on a 70 mile mixed surface ride in the mountains this weekend comfortably and just swapped the tires for a cross race this weekend. I agree with your assessment in the other video that the differences between gravel and cross geometries are smaller than between mtb categories.

[@johnrankin5921]

Clint, What do you think about full suspension on a gravel bike? And real suspension or the Isos technology the Trek has. I am 68, have mtn biked for over 30 years here in the Colorado Rockies. Full suspension on my Trek Pro Carbon Superfly and not sure I want my wrists, elbows, to ache or go numb on rough gravel which we have. Thanks, John

[@ClintGibbs]

Hard to say without trying one, like the new Niner, but it seems it will have its place on certain courses and for certain riders. Hopefully in the next year I can get my hands on one for a test

[@johnrankin5921]

Clint, Moots over here in Steamboat is coming out with one next year as well. What do you think of Trek's Isos technology? It is not true suspension but the handlebars and seat post will give a few millimeters on rough terrain. Thanks John

[@ClintGibbs]

I have to try it to really give my verdict. Specialized does the same thing on the Diverge with the Future Shock. To me it reminds me of the suspension stems back in the 80s.

[@johnrankin5921]

I agree, Clint. Cannondale tried the same type of thing, with the soft seat post and handlebars. Problem was, it didn't cushion the frame. We will see and I will hold off on a purchase until they get it refined. Plus, my Superfly is 24 lbs. with pedals. And, I am running Bontrager 2.0 XR 0's. Pretty narrow for a mountain bike tire. Thanks, John

[@MichaelSchneiderTexas]

I run my Giant Alum TCX for cyclocross and gravel also. I wish i had hydraulic discs instead of cable.

[@RonRivet]

I like to keep things simple too. I thought I wanted to get a Giant Revolt 2 but now I`m thinking a mountain bike would be more what my wife and I are looking for. What Giant mountain bike would you recommend that would be comparable to the Revolt 2?

[@ClintGibbs]

I would just say by the best Giant hardtail that fits into your budget. It would make a good gravel road bike and a good bike for off-road single track.

[@RonRivet]

@@ClintGibbs Thank you sir!

[@TheLoobis]

3:00 I'm with you. I've got two fixies and on mountain (for taking my dog running)

[@powerwindpro]

i got 4 giants 2 tcr 1defy disc and 1 new fathom and now i wish i could put cyclocross tires on my defy disci want to ride more gravel but here in my country giant does´t sell cross-country bikes

[@threeinoneoil]

I think the whole industry really shot itself in the foot when it introduced gravel bikes, in conjunction with the trend in cyclocross bikes to increase bottom bracket drop. My ten year old cannondale CX had steep angles and a high BB, which made it sketchier on loose descents and a little more tiring to handle at higher speeds. So, gravel bikes are well differentiated from old gen cyclocross bikes, but now the difference is primarily marketing and rack bosses as opposed to handling characteristics. You had a previous video comparing geometries between your CX and gravel bikes, and the dimensional differences were negligible - in contrast to a comparison I made between my 2003 cannondale XR800 and my 2015 Trek Crockett 5. members.vintagecannondale.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_800x800/public/images/207098_10150144868755353_5658548_n.jpg?itok=o1L_Mg7B s7d4.scene7.com/is/image/TrekBicycleProducts/Asset_315961?wid=1490&hei=1080&fit=fit,1&fmt=png-alpha&qlt=80,1&op_usm=0,0,0,0&iccEmbed=0

[@instinct022]

need vs wanting. I always looked for a positive side of life. example, way of riding. either is a exercise for us humans. full sus vs hard tail. full suspension reduces bumps on back. I have a fs and road. that's it.

[@boxican83]

Clint, great channel. Anyways I see you been doin a lot of gravel lately... I'm from emporia Kansas you should come up and do an event.. we have several. We have 3 great bike shops I think you'd like it here. Cycling is huge here.

[@TheDarKris]

Random question: do you have a 27.5" 12x142 rear wheel that you could retrofit into the rear of the TCX? I was looking around and saw that people were able to run 27.5 x 2.1 tires on the SLR model of the TCX, however I wanted to see if the carbon model had similar clearances. It could also be a cool video idea if you did :)

[@davestambaugh7282]

It is so sad that in this day and age so many people have no where to ride but on gravel roads. I live here in Tucson an can ride hundreds of miles on smooth asphalt with out being forced to ride on bad roads.

[@ClintGibbs]

For me I don't actually feel forced. I enjoy the challenge of riding gravel. But it would be nice to live in an area where the roads are considered very safe.

[@motoed]

I came expecting something a bit different. I’m currently lusting for a gravel bike... but only because I’m looking at an all a rounder... I’m a casual recreational rider and have thought about a CX bike for years but have looked at the gravel as a main bike that I could do a CX on if I wanted, or swap out the tires and head out on the roads more often.

[@karlkaiser7803]

Good input,i bought a giant Acapulco back in early 90s to ride my son on great bike he now owns it .i took my brothers 12 speed Fuji of 37 yeaars which has been from fl to conn and still riding,another great bike.i finally made a decision to trade it for a 2017 giant roam 2. I am older can still put miles on but riding in fl @#$. So the riding i do now this bike should do all the tricks i want.

[@johnganshow5536]

Clint, Does Giant make a 29er Hardtail with trail geometry? I think the XTCs are more cross country geometry? I trust your opinion what would you recommend? Maybe another brand? If Giant doesn't manufacture what I'm looking for. Thanks!!

[@grahamramsay3402]

John Ganshow try the Giant Fathom. its a long travel xc bike in 29er or 27.5.

[@patreeko29]

Interesting video. Basically, go with what works. Cheers.

[@ClintGibbs]

+Patrick Edwards 👍

[@AlanJohnsonSunbird]

Interesting commentary Clint.

[@ponbcka]

hello clint! I only have a steel road bike, I decided to assemble a new bike for off-road trips and travel. I searched for suitable frames and I found this frame, but have not bought it yet. Do you recommend it still? I’m not a racer, I don’t like competitions, just an amateur who wants to ride nicely and look good.

[@ClintGibbs]

It sounds like a hard tail mountain bike may be the most versatile option for you. That is unless you are mainly riding trails then a midtravel full suspension 29 it would be the best.

[@2wheelsrbest327]

Hi Clint great video thats got me thinking. Probably a bit too late though as I own 8 bikes, and as you said when I brought them I could justify buying them to my wife and myself by saying what I intended to do with each one. Have I done it ! have I heck. My Tourer I had made to set off cycling around Europe. Its yet to happen. My racing bikes I couldn't determine whether I wanted aluminium or carbon fibre and then I questioned the sizing so I brought a different size. Rather than go on I hope you get my point. Now suddenly I have this urge to add to my collection either an Adventure bike, a cross bike, or a gravel bike. The temptation to get any one of these is motivated by being able to go off road when I want to but will I, I wonder ! Like William I am in my 60s actually I am 68 so I wonder how much longer I will be able to use any bike. But that said I am a bike nut so just going out into my garage and looking out them will still give me great pleasure. I am in the UK so what we use our gravel bikes for may be different to what you use yours for. Over here as well our used bikes have very little value when it comes to selling them hence why many of us have collections of bikes. Keep those pedals turning.

[@TheRealJoeMP]

I'm selling my CX bike to get a full rigid MTB. Looking for more speed on singletrack, or rough and rutted fire road descents, but retain as much road and fire road speed as possible. What do you think, Clint?

[@ClintGibbs]

+Joe if your focus more on trail riding then dirt roads then yes a MTB is going to be the better choice. If you didn't say you wanted speed on dirt roads I'd say go for a plus bike, but they will be slower on the dirt roads.

[@TheRealJoeMP]

Clint Gibbs Thanka for the reply, I have a 27.5+ hardtail, it's quite fun!

[@TheRealJoeMP]

I ended up getting a killer deal on an old MCR that I'll be running rigid with a dropper - stoked!

[@dnb888]

I got a gravel bike as my first bike. I find I go out for regular rides and find myself wondering if I should have just got a regular road bike