Gravel Bikes Exist Because Mountain Biking Is Boring

Gravel Bikes Exist Because Mountain Biking Is Boring | Gravel Vs MTB Race

Рет қаралды 1,656,465

4 жыл бұрын

Are gravel bikes just retro mountain bikes? They share a lot of the same characteristics: narrow bars, wider tyres and long stems.. But how similar are they? And have modern gravel bikes improved cycling? Si and Dan compare their old XC bikes against a pair of Lauf True Grits to find out.
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Пікірлер: 3 500

@rmnstr604 3 жыл бұрын

Gravelbikes excist because it's a brilliant strategy to sell even more bikes.

@Arhats_Corner 3 жыл бұрын

Wow! GCN is still actively liking comments on a 10 month old videos!

@emmanuelbreton-belz4465 3 жыл бұрын

well I'm replacing to bikes with one, then I'm not sure it's the best selling strategy for everyone.

@millmoormichael6630 3 жыл бұрын

Arhat's Corner No actually mtb bikes are boring. I might add classic road bikes are boring as well. Imho

@harrygrillakis2393 3 жыл бұрын

Millmoor Michael Not tryna argue just stating that you say , classic road bikes are boring ?!?!? no way mate ,I’d pick a old school Raleigh with Reynolds 753 tubing or even a 531 tube set , over a carbon monstrosity anyday of the week . , nothing beats the clean lines , the style, the light and smooth ride quality, don’t even get me started on the attitude , absolutely love the classics , yea carbon is faster for top end racers but we all know eddy Merck’s on a steel bike would leave all these plastic roadies in the dust .

@markrowlands3469 3 жыл бұрын

and i think Eddy would have have said "these carbon bikes are shit" and then turned up on the lightest one he could find...

@klauswalter2969 3 жыл бұрын

the industry want‘s us to feel bad about our old bikes every year

@matthewotremba9230 3 жыл бұрын

INDEED

@stevenofford495 3 жыл бұрын

Best thing is, the bike I coveted and couldn't afford in the 90s, someone gave me for free now!

@errcoche 3 жыл бұрын

Almost every cyclist is "over-biked". I see retirees here in South Florida on modern racing road bikes all sitting two inches or more too low. I decided that this is because they bought a bike intended for a young man to be able to ride in a permanent tuck that these geezers can't achieve but since the bars don't go up on these things they have to drop the saddle. They are paying $5,000 for a 12 lb bike that doesn't fit them and their bodies are 30 lbs or more overweight. It's laughable. I am stuck in the 80s and will not ride anything other than steel. Brakes will have rubber blocks and cables and I might switch back from indexed shifting as well. I am also a clips and straps guy. I am not in the Tour de France and I don't feel the need to play "dress up". I have become my father. He was always checking for mudguard clearance and eyelets and pannier bosses.

@CPD0123a 3 жыл бұрын

@@errcoche I feel ya. I ride the 90's on an old 'Goose with a cheapo Walmart grade suspension fork slapped on it, and while I mostly ride rail trails, it's definitely just the right kind of bike for the job. My only gripe about it is that it's long in the tooth, so some parts are rather worn, (my bb just ate itself completely, for example) others are outdated and hard to replace or upgrade, and it's only 26", not something more modern like 27.5 or 29". But it's still great fun. Makes my folks a bit mad when they see me blow money on it, though. Always get hit with "why don't you just buy a better bike?" Well because a better bike is $300 or more, even for just a Walmart Schwinn.

@errcoche 3 жыл бұрын

@@CPD0123a You can get a Shimano sealed BB for maybe $15 ( well you probably bought one already I am guessing ). Other than that it's just maybe worn cassette/freewheel sprockets, chainrings or chain that you should have to contend with. You can regrind pitted cones in hubs with a drill and some sandpaper. It's a badge of honor to wear out your drive train. If you have a steel frame, you can widen the rear dropouts for an 8/9 speed drive train and get access to some better components. My sister-in-law rides a Mongoose steel frame that I bought for $45, not chromoly or anything, and I want to get her a better bike but she won't give up her beloved 'Goose. She grew up dirt poor in El Salvador and this is the first bike she ever had that had all its parts so to her it's the ultimate riding machine. At the end of the day it's about riding not the bike ( tell me that when I am poring over upgrade parts though ! ).

@connor0morrin 3 жыл бұрын

"its super light and to be honest its not trying to hard" the bike costs 5k for gods sake i think thats trying

@downgradefan 3 жыл бұрын

... and the retro mtbs now cost $50 on a garage sale for almost, but not quite the same experience

@cilldaracyclist2822 3 жыл бұрын

@@downgradefan I actually got my current mtb out of a ditch haha its a fully rigid one and just needed two tubes, amazing what lazy people will throw away!

@downgradefan 3 жыл бұрын

@@cilldaracyclist2822 Good thing the bike does not have to be expensive to be great fun :)

@cilldaracyclist2822 3 жыл бұрын

@@downgradefan yep facts pal, I've actually put about 2500km on it in about 6 months using it as a commuter

@kaedeschulz5422 2 жыл бұрын

@@downgradefan Depends on the bike i guess. Some retro bikes can get expensive tho

@remkojerphanion4686 3 жыл бұрын

Biking is all about having fun, so whichever bike gives you a thrill, is the one to have.

@thebikehippie6562 3 жыл бұрын

All bikes it is

@s0ckeyeus429 4 жыл бұрын

CORRECTION: gravel bikes exist because ROAD biking is boring.

@Sco0bs 4 жыл бұрын

😂😂😂

@ParhelionMedia 4 жыл бұрын

@@Sco0bs Haha, yeah. I'm really starting to prefer cruising through the woods with no traffic!

@Jabba1625 4 жыл бұрын

Dealing with highly opinionated MTB riders is boring, I ride both road and MTB, the roadies are generally speaking much less up themselves then mtb riders, and for everyone, road riding gives far endurance then just MTB alone, I prefer XC MTBs, but in saying that, each to their own, just the fact you ride a bike should be enough for everyone, bicycles are great

@Matt-vo5zm 4 жыл бұрын

@@Jabba1625 "roadies are speaking much less up themselves". meanwhile this video is all about roadies trying to prove themselves better than mtb riders

@Jabba1625 4 жыл бұрын

@@Matt-vo5zm I thought they were discussing old MTB vs a gravel bike, basically not trying to out do MTB riders, the wankers I have to deal every week at the MTB park is completely grating, makes you feel ashamed to say you ride a MTB.

@Darkhalfcustoms 4 жыл бұрын

I love that you put it back to 4:3 picture frame for the retro bike.

@stojg 4 жыл бұрын

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who caught the different ratio frame changes for the bikes. Well played lads.

@ellenorbjornsdottir1166 4 жыл бұрын

And full CD audio quality like a VHS Hi-Fi audio track.

@brennandouglas5504 4 жыл бұрын

I only clicked on this video because I wanted to hear there made up lies on how they are to scared to ride on real mountain bike trails

@AlexandarHullRichter 2 жыл бұрын

And the VHS static!

@john_john_john 4 жыл бұрын

I didn't really notice mtb getting boring. I was too busy riding mountain bikes to actually realize it.

@2112jonr 3 жыл бұрын

It's only got boring for marketing execs with 10 second attention spans. For the rest of us who are normal, it's still mountain biking and still exciting.

@ghensold 2 жыл бұрын

It has everything to do with the trails in your area. In many parts of the US and Canada the trails require a proper MTB to enjoy. Especially the newer trails which are being built specifically for modern MTB capabilities.

@scratchy996 2 жыл бұрын

@@TearmoonBroadcasting lol, that's so wrong.

@iankirven2711 2 жыл бұрын

@@TearmoonBroadcasting bud you've got that backwards

@strzebowiska 2 жыл бұрын

If you watched the movie to the end you would hear an explanation that the real point was that modern mtb (FS) bikes are overkill for the routes most of us ride. Hence the evolution towards gravel bikes. When the 29er came out, montstercross bikes came with them, and of them the less armored gravels.

@janciloz 4 жыл бұрын

Agreed, average Joe's mountain bike ride is very different to all those fancy videos featuring trails, jumps, stunts, etc. But the same difference applies to road biking as well! Anyone would love to climb those majestic Alpine passes, but most people in fact end up riding on dull, flat roads with heavy traffic!

@samueltaylor2757 Жыл бұрын

Dull flat roads? Speak for yourself! I ride dull hilly roads

@alimackerali9259 4 жыл бұрын

Is there some beef between GCN and GMBN we need to know about 😆

@lIoIlb 4 жыл бұрын

GCN is owning the discipline of old school off road cycling that mountain biking has pushed itself so far away from. Dead on, guys, best video ever. Every bike was sick!

@simonrichardson5259 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah they are more talented than us.

@hillcountrymax 4 жыл бұрын

@@simonrichardson5259 But they'll never look as good in Lycra at a cafe stop.

@grumpynerd 4 жыл бұрын

GCN presenters are mods, GMBN presenters are rockers.

@tquindt1 4 жыл бұрын

I think there has been a long rivalry between "Roadies" and "Filthy Mountain Bikers." All of our GMBN and GCN presenters are highly competitive individuals who enjoy ribbing each other (and slamming Triathletes) as well as their mates in the other discipline. Gravel Bikes are bringing these two groups of cyclists together, albeit kicking and screaming at times.

@bassmandudge 4 жыл бұрын

Be interesting to now give exactly the same bikes to Neil and Blake and use the same track and see what the outcome is. GCN vs GMBN... a video I would really like to see.

@dranurag22 4 жыл бұрын

this one seems really intresting.....

@workingguy6666 4 жыл бұрын

GMBN refused to do a fair test of timing when it came to 26", 27.5" and 29" - they only tested them on down-hill routes. Across entire mountains (or hills), where climbing is as much of MTB'ing as descending, an equal-trim-level 26" bike will weigh less, ascend better, and completely even out - if not beat - the 29" for an entire route.

@Bushwackerinpa 4 жыл бұрын

@@workingguy6666 lol really? 26er wheels suck in any sort of ledgey/rooty climbing.

@mrowczak1900 4 жыл бұрын

@@workingguy6666 29ner is much faster than 26" one. I've got both, and I always am much slower on 26" wheels on trails with good flow rate. On more technical routes, 26" all the way. So, this is why I mostly ride on 27,5 inch wheels. It's between them. Fast enough and rigid enough too.

@workingguy6666 4 жыл бұрын

@@mrowczak1900 There's more to it for a true scientific approach. On the plus side, yes, 29" is able to roll better. But all things being equal (I mean equivalent level rims, spokes, tires, drivetrain), the 26" and 27.5" will both have less rotational inertia to overcome - especially at higher speeds where many of us ride gravel (16, 20 MPH). I'm not going accuse you of making the mistake of comparing a modern light-for-its-size 29" drivertain to an archaic 26" design (i.e. rims made for rim braking, heavier old-school crank arms, etc.), but that seems to be how many people compare them. 27.5" is probably good enough/best since no-one seems to be making modern-design 26" rims to make wheels out of.

@ItsATrap614 3 жыл бұрын

7:25 You know you're a roadie when you dismount for that lol. Sketchy is good!

@stuartwhelan233 3 жыл бұрын

I was thinking that myself l would of been over that with my dog in his basket..

@Pensasneuvostoliittolainen 3 жыл бұрын

Also the "gnarly" jumps before that. You'd have to try pretty hard to injure yourself on those :D

@alicangul2603 3 жыл бұрын

@@Pensasneuvostoliittolainen Gnarly jumps were described as such only as a joke. Plus I wouldn't ride either over that slippery wood surface on a bike I only used for just a couple of minutes and don't know how the tyres are going to behave.

@Pensasneuvostoliittolainen 3 жыл бұрын

@@alicangul2603 yes

@gsavage02 3 жыл бұрын

@@stuartwhelan233 E

@joeb123451 4 жыл бұрын

A mountain biker would keep trying the bridge untill they could clean it..these roadies are only interested in times. Missing the whole point.

@The1trueDave 3 жыл бұрын

I think they were hamming it up to be honest!

@devononair 3 жыл бұрын

Hehe, interesting. I got given a road bike (I'm primarily an MTBer, and ex-dirt jumper), and became obsessed with times, to the point where I was getting migraines after rides. One day, after a long spell out injured, I went for a gentle ride to ease myself back into it, and discovered road riding could be fun if you aren't bursting a lung trying to beat your personal best! Now I keep in mellow and just enjoy the ride, (most of the time).

@KunaevNS 3 жыл бұрын

DevonOnAir exactly!

@stevek8829 3 жыл бұрын

@@devononair you hit that nail on the head!!

@gregs.9045 3 жыл бұрын

Having ridden the North Shore, North Vancouver on a daily basis back in the day, that step down onto the wet bridge looked about a two out of ten on the difficulty scale and it's always faster to ride something than get off and walk it. It's amazing this video has over 1.2 million views - I suppose that's what happens when a business can establish themselves on KZfaq and attract sponsors to donate expensive gear people want to see.

@Samicle 4 жыл бұрын

Cross country bike: "Am i a joke to you?"

@wivenxz2339 4 жыл бұрын

@@fragotron I'd delete your videos before calling anyone a bitch you fucktard. go get high and sing the "computer song" again

@OayxYT 4 жыл бұрын

@Venxz lmao

@robbysoaks 4 жыл бұрын

@@wivenxz2339 Why would he delete his videos? Does he strike you as the kind of guy who gives a shit?

@kentmoore9563 4 жыл бұрын

The reason people ride gravel is they don’t get hit by a Car on the pavement.

@joesimonetti 4 жыл бұрын

Very very true....

@iggyblitz8739 4 жыл бұрын

Perhaps, unless you are an ex bike courier that finds playing through traffic fun.

@craigbigelow8160 4 жыл бұрын

Go against the traffic!

@mdgeist472 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah but they gotta watch for the tree that might jump in their path.

@guntherlynn3331 4 жыл бұрын

fucking true

@onepoh4680 4 жыл бұрын

I just realize that these guys have 2/3 of their body made of legs....now I understand why they all have such high seats lol

@bishopm4401 4 жыл бұрын

Holy shit you’re right lol

@gypsyxxx 3 жыл бұрын

frickin weird lookin --skinny dudes

@stuartwhelan233 3 жыл бұрын

Lol

@DickWhistles 4 жыл бұрын

“Retro” MTB bikes, “weren’t THAT good”!?! They were (read: ARE) focking brilliant!

@BingoBangoBabyInc 4 жыл бұрын

I thought KZfaq had recommended me an old GCN video when I saw Lloydie actually riding a bike in the thumbnail. I had to double check that it was really posted in 2019.

@tquindt1 4 жыл бұрын

Only because there was the reward of beer at the end.

@cameronread5779 4 жыл бұрын

😂

@rea50 4 жыл бұрын

"In the Future we gone have flying cars" Future: one special bike to each terrain or discipline, one to pedal near your house, one to pedal in the city, one to go to forest place, one to rocked places, one to sand places.....

@plusbonus1165 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah , who cares , just ride ! Spot on .

@xordano 3 жыл бұрын

Better than predicted.

@user-od7hh8qg9d 3 жыл бұрын

As long as I'm not participating in anything, my MTB is all I need.

@DinnerForkTongue 3 жыл бұрын

@@user-od7hh8qg9d Same here. I ride my hardtail literally EVERYWHERE.

@tigersfan125 3 жыл бұрын

You forgot one for snow.

@ClemensAlive 4 жыл бұрын

Anybody noticed that GCN just not seems to be a fan of suspensions...?

@umu-san4414 3 жыл бұрын

They unnecessary on most roads and trails. Like Cyrus said they are for jumps.

@inkyjet2383 3 жыл бұрын

@@umu-san4414 Idk because jump bikes only have front suspension generally, it's more for being able to take sketchier lines. I can't take the same lines that I do on my hardtail than on my full sus for example. It really improves your grip. But then again I live in wales which is amazing for mountain biking so I can understand their point that it may not be useful on most trails. But it definitely does help with jumps probably saved me a few times when I've cased 😂 but wouldn't say that was it's main function

@umu-san4414 3 жыл бұрын

@@inkyjet2383 well yeah. Back suspension will make most rides feel smooth. I would say they eat at your speed a little, but if your are in a harsh mountain bike trail better to have stability than extra speed. I'm a roadie at heart so I the hard tail better. Also, most mountain trails in area are okay for gravel and front only suspension.

@inkyjet2383 3 жыл бұрын

@@umu-san4414 yea they do definitely slow you down on certain trails but thats mainly on blues and some reds because they are much smoother trails, but if you've got to slow down because you lose grip because you dont have rear suspension then you'll most definitely be slower

@Martin-lu3qm 3 жыл бұрын

Lol Clemens .. du hier 😄 hoffe dir geht's gut

@fugg3543 3 жыл бұрын

This video makes me feel super grateful for the excellent technical trails available for free in the provincial park that I can ride to in less than 5 minutes.

@JordanBoostmaster 4 жыл бұрын

I'll go back to 26" wheels, though not the V-brakes.

@democratic_chocolate2067 4 жыл бұрын

26” are more fun in my opinion

@peterbense5650 4 жыл бұрын

I ONLY ride 26".

@danielbelosic3112 4 жыл бұрын

My man said it all

@keithc9510 4 жыл бұрын

the boostmaster hiding in plain slight

@DHFlip18 4 жыл бұрын

Jordan, I couldn't agree more, V-brakes sucked! Those Magura hydraulic rim brakes were pretty decent though. But 26" is far from dead, they're very capable and wheels are stronger imo. Many of my friends jumped on 27.5" because the wheels roll faster and its better for tech. Unfortunately, they still use their brakes just as much 😆 Watching you send is effing awesome (Boostmaster indeed) and YOU can certainly benefit from bigger wheels. Now if I could find 26" tires I'd be happy 😆

@markcomaniuk9181 4 жыл бұрын

You guys had me crying when the music stopped when he gets off the bike on the "narrow" bridge!

@no_name4485 4 жыл бұрын

the "narrow bridge" would be so easy to just ride over and the gap looked as if you could bunny hop it

@identiticrisis 4 жыл бұрын

@@no_name4485 It's just occurred to me that was probably the joke! What with the whole MTB is / MTBers are boring schtick.

@fernandorendon8618 4 жыл бұрын

You guts wanna talk music? Check how when the old-less-identifyable-with guy demonstrate the "out of fashion" product, the screen ratio goes 4:9 and the music is a 90s like steady 4-4 beat with static magnetic tape video fx, and when the young--cool-guy demonstrates the product thei're trying to market and sale the aspect ratio goes 16:9 with more "modern" beat and superimposing video fx

@harald9756 4 жыл бұрын

@@fernandorendon8618 r/iamverysmart and r/nobodyasked

@Chris-tz2um 3 жыл бұрын

I've been looking at buying my first bike for a couple weeks now. Just something to ride sometimes, so like a $500 bike. Nothing you guys do helps with that buying process, but I love your videos. Cheers.

@Bruceillest101 2 жыл бұрын

What did you end up getting?

@qetuoification Жыл бұрын

Get the gt on sale at dicks sporting goods!

@chocosheepart3328 Жыл бұрын

@@Bruceillest101 your mom

@t44n3st 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you GCN editing crew for making sure the effects (AND aspect ratio) of the retro MTB portions were also on period! Made me very happy!

@cup_and_cone 4 жыл бұрын

My theory: Gravel bikes are replacing the sense of exploration that MTB used to offer. When we went MTB'ing 20+ years ago it felt and seemed like an adventure into the woods...because it was. We rode singletrack on rarely traversed trails out into the middle of nowhere, with no GPS and no sense of security. Modern MTB parks have completely ruined that experience and the whole sense of adventure. Modern MTB trails are all centrally located trails that are well manicured, artificial feeling, and it seems impossible to escape from civilization on them. Gravel bikes almost seem to be giving that sense of adventure back to people, letting them go farther than ever before, leaving the busy world behind and reconnecting with the outdoors.

@cup_and_cone 4 жыл бұрын

@SneakyPants 2.0 My comments denotes bike parks and bike trails. Plenty of singletrack inside protected lands like National Forests are still built/maintained with common best practices. And the difference between that artificial gravel road and trail riding is that most people haven't ridden the gravel road a bazillion times like they have their local MTB trails. Most of us probably have multiple times more mileage of gravel/dirt roads than MTB trails, which is my major point. MTB trailheads look like tailgate events on weekends these days. Head out onto a logging road and you may never see another person for 50 miles.

@takeoischi4156 4 жыл бұрын

The country of Scotland does exist you know? and the Lakes, endless miles of amazing natural trails (look up McTrail Rider and tell me you could do the stuff he does on a retro bike). Modern MTB parks have well maintained trails that are purposely designed and built by bikers that can have much bigger and better features. (that you wouldn't go near on a retro bike) So there's something for everyone depending on what you're into, go to a groomed and "artificial" bike park/trail centre or get lost in the wilds on natural trails. Still want a lightweight bike that has great pedaling efficiency? Get a modern cross country bike, they easily blow retro bikes out the water. I've had days out on both my full sus mountain bike and my gravel bike where I never saw another rider so that feeling really isn't exclusive to one type of biking

@ArthurTugwell 4 жыл бұрын

Cheers grandad.

@joebloggs9617 4 жыл бұрын

@@cup_and_cone So your issue is with bike parks and not the bike. get a XC bike if you want to ride logging roads and it will be more capable when you come to any single-track.

@AdamNigelDark 4 жыл бұрын

I agree totally, the sense of freedom is lost in those cycle parks, it's just going round the same old paths with the Dad's and their little kids. The gravel bike works on the road and can go down a farm track and through the woods.

@truantray 4 жыл бұрын

As a person who does both MTB and road, I find it hilariously ironic to call MTB boring.

@SnakebitSTI 4 жыл бұрын

"Includes paid promotion" says it all, really.

@nate_wil 4 жыл бұрын

Ain't this the truth!

@jonpram1737 4 жыл бұрын

Don't worry, nobody's attacking you. Obviously mountain biking is fun and the bikes are better at it than ever before... However they're completely right ... just from the wrong angle. The orginal mountain bikes were ... really gravel bikes. They evolved into the mountain bikes we have today and left a gap which is now called gravel bikes... but really 99% of mountain bikes actually purchased and 99% of off tarmac MTB bike rides in the 90s ... gravel bikes/rides by today's standards. And so I completly agree - of course riding a modern full suspension high tech bike on a mixed gravel path only is a bit overkill. People miss the old mountain bikes because they were the gravel bikes of their day. It's like how cars keep getting fatter and bigger but keep the same model name, then a new smaller model slips in - we had mountain bikes, then cross country bikes, now gravel bikes ... it's all just a class of bikes for people who ride on bike paths and trails as well as roads ... so a heck of a lot of people To be honest what I really miss from the 90's is bike prices. There's always been cheap shit and specc'd to the 9's expensive ... but the mid range quality bikes are now considerably more expensive when adjusted for inflation. Technology moves on and they're better materials... but it's also been 25 years lol.

@tylergarza8695 4 жыл бұрын

@David Kemp he said it was ironic. not that it was offensive. chill

@tylergarza8695 4 жыл бұрын

@David Kemp I don't think it WAS a joke. They even joke at how silly it sounds to say such a thing. That's acknowledging that it isn't a joke.

@derrickmapagu 3 жыл бұрын

Gravel bikes are popular because countries like mine's roads (Philippines) are like gravel trails by itself with potholes and uneven broken road. Perfect for moving around town in a good speed. Not to mention they are bit more comfy to ride too coz of the bigger tire, more tire suspension. Btw, nice Zaskar, I also have one in red, reviving it.

@bergkatze3186 Жыл бұрын

Tama

@YuunaAndCuddles Жыл бұрын

First I've thought that mountain bike is equal to bikes having gears. I've had that wrong, and I wished I had a gravel bike instead. So I had my hardtail "upgraded" to gravel specifications, but kept the riser handlebar, as dropbar parts are kinda expensive here in the Philippines.

@adamalgeo 4 жыл бұрын

Bar ends are still the bomb!, I have Bar Ends on all by bikes 26" Scott Yacora(2003) , 29" Monsen 529 ( 2015) , 29" Giant Anthem (2013/7), the additional hand positioning is great on longer rides

@naludiner6155 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for giving bar ends some love. I thought I was their last fan. I still ride then on the trail, and in the wilds of New Mexico no less. It's amazing how doing that on an old school MTB can improve handling skills when on the hoods back on the road. For real!

@holben27 4 жыл бұрын

my man who hates bar ends they're fantastic. Their exclusion on modern bikes is purely a weight and aesthetic thing. They make climbing actually fun instead of just pure pain.

@kevinmontgomery1383 4 жыл бұрын

@@holben27 The old Brama Bars were lighter than bar ends. Arguably, one third the weight of a bar and ends.

@kevinmontgomery1383 4 жыл бұрын

At least, when they came out.

@alexandercherednichenko9630 4 жыл бұрын

I put bar ends inside grips on 700mm handlebar. This is perfect!

@csn6234 4 жыл бұрын

Bar ends ... Like curb feelers for mountain bikes. What a waste of money. And they look stupid, too. They scream out, "Hey, look at me! I hope you notice me!"

@BruceChastain 4 жыл бұрын

I just completed a gravel race yesterday with a 90s MTB, fully rigid, was perfect really.

@SIvers-or2ke 4 жыл бұрын

Yep. Wish I still had mine.

@notkray8468 4 жыл бұрын

Never expected that I will came across with Hacks and Rides in this channel!Im a subscriber and your restored mtb was so cool!Hope you post more vids!

@BruceChastain 4 жыл бұрын

@@notkray8468 wow thanks a lot for the nice words! For sure I watch GCN! I really enjoy their tech videos.

@ernie12man 4 жыл бұрын

Hours and hours on a flat-bar one-hand position. How perfect can that be?

@BruceChastain 4 жыл бұрын

@@ernie12man only 3 hours, no big deal. Although with maybe a longer ride some bull horns would be good.

@Spacegoat92 4 жыл бұрын

I'm still having just as much fun with my hard tail as the day i bought it!

@davidziemelis1593 3 жыл бұрын

Hard tails rock. don’t they?

@Spacegoat92 3 жыл бұрын

@@davidziemelis1593 They sure do! I've got second one since posting this, a Fatbike I did up. It kicks ass! I'd love a dual suspension bike, but then I might be tempted to try downhill, and my body doesn't handle crashes as good as it use to. LoL

@lukasmovnik6084 3 жыл бұрын

Which hardtail do you have?

@Spacegoat92 3 жыл бұрын

@@lukasmovnik6084 A Focus Black Forest. Absolutely love it!

@lukasmovnik6084 3 жыл бұрын

@@Spacegoat92 Nice

@bishopm4401 4 жыл бұрын

GCN: helps a create GMBN with its own presenters just for mountain biking Also GCN: just puts Simon in a GMBN kit and gives him a mountain bike

@MaximRecoil Жыл бұрын

Simon won the 2005 Under-23 British National Mountain Biking Championships, so he's more than qualified for this video. Don't let his pretending to not know what he's doing on a mountain bike fool you. Dan Lloyd won the Southern Area Mountain Bike Championships when he was a junior, so he knows what he's doing on a mountain bike too.

@fel1918 4 жыл бұрын

Cyclocross bike: "am I a joke to you ?"

@maniac0303 4 жыл бұрын

I changed my tires on my gravel bike in a need for a cyclocross competition... It feels complete different and it makes way harder, slower and sometimes impossible to ride a lot of trails, where a gravelbike-tire is easily capible of... Not all rider have the skills like cyclocross pros to compensate this issue... When you can put 40mm wide or wider tires on a cyclocross bike... Voila, you have a very good bike, wihch is nearly capible the same as gravelbikes... But the geometry isn't optimized for this purpose...

@AwwSweet 4 жыл бұрын

@@maniac0303 BikeRadar did such test. Which tire will be better - 2", but less grippier, 35mm with aggressive thread, 40mm, with less aggressive thread. 40 mm won.

@TheDarKris 4 жыл бұрын

When you can’t run wider than a 38mm tire, yes 🤣

@ClockCutter 4 жыл бұрын

The first winner of Dirty Kanza was a cross bike. This take on gravel by GCN is completely wrong. That's not a surprise, since gravel riding/racing emerged in the US. Gravel emerged with road and cross riders, often the same people, whimsically mimicking the harsh riding conditions of Belgian cobblestone racing. Hence, the many gravel rides in the US with "Roubaix" in the title.

@MilatovichFamily 4 жыл бұрын

Yes.

@moritzalbrecht2555 4 жыл бұрын

That Mutant got to be one of the most amazing looking bikes ever to be featured on GCN. Genuinely awesome.

@vojtaklemperer2997 4 жыл бұрын

I love how the old mountain bike scene is in 4:3 and the new gravel bike scene is in 2,35:1. Great!

@81caasi 3 жыл бұрын

I didn't catch your ratios lol...

@paulm9079 4 жыл бұрын

I was a bicycle mechanic from 1990 to 1992 - this video brought back some memories. Thanks guys!

@honpaul2203 3 жыл бұрын

What do you do now? 🚴

@paulm9079 3 жыл бұрын

@@honpaul2203 Computer software tester - I get paid to break stuff. :)

@dlp1750 4 жыл бұрын

In reality, I ride my drop-bar gravel bike miles on gravel and paved roads in order to get to short intervals of true trails. I readily surrender slower trail performance for the much faster and more comfortable travel on those lengthy improved surfaces. This is the market segment which gravel bikes are targeted, and at which they excel.

@SteveBell1967 4 жыл бұрын

Fully agree. i have nothing against MTB's.. love them in fact. Their defenders here are idiots though... "buy a hardtail?" Laughs. They'd get dropped inside a 1/2 mile riding out where I live... I've seen it happen! I'm the RD for the High Plain Grinder.. MTB's can't compete on gravel. End of story.

@grumpynerd 4 жыл бұрын

@@SteveBell1967 If I *had* to make one bike do everything, I'd buy an 29er XC bike with a spare 700c wheel set for the gravel use case. XC tires are light and fast rolling by mountain bike standards, but even so they're rubbish on roads compared to a gravel tire. If you look at gravel bike frames they aren't all that different from XC mountain bike frames -- a little lower in the bottom bracket, a little less tire clearance. So proper wheels and tires would help a lot. The thing is, wheels aren't cheap, and your'e still stuck on a flat bar, so it's probably false economy.

@DannyHanny_ 4 жыл бұрын

@@grumpynerd The problems we're seeing with modern 29" MTB's is that the top-end gearing is only really made for 20 MPH, maybe 21 MPH. On gravel, with the wind working with you, that's not enough - I have to imagine it's even more-so with down-hill gradients, but it's completely flat where we ride. The old-school triple chain-rings of the 26-incher era bring a lot more to the gravel riding experience. Modern MTB single-front-chainrings fall flat for a 'do everything' platform, which is why GCN made this video. I'm still shocked that they made it, but they've earned a big kudos for doing so. I'm sure the reasoning will be lost on folks who have only ever owned the modern versions of XC mountain bikes - they just don't seem to know the limitations of them.

@grumpynerd 4 жыл бұрын

@@DannyHanny_ It's still possible to config mountain bikes with 2x drivetrains, although that's stock only on low end bikes. Aftermarket chainrings for 1x setups are available up to 42 teeth depending on your crankset, which pared with a 10-50t XD cassette gets you within spitting distance of what comes on some gravel bikes, albeit with about a 3 watt penalty. That's nothing, though, compared to the losses from being in the wrong riding position. Maybe if they still made those old Scott AT-3 handlebars...

@DannyHanny_ 4 жыл бұрын

@@grumpynerd Yeah, it's generally known that anyone can put any front chainring on that they'd want to on a 1x system, but I've been cycling for 30 years, and have only ever seen chainrings changed out for specific riding when flat-landers are vacationing (or moving to) hilly areas. Be honest - nobody is changing 1x rings out per ride on a weekly basis. A modern 29" mtb with a 1x just isn't getting changed over for mtb'ing on Saturday, then changed again gravel on Sunday. An education on the possibilities isn't what is needed here; a facing of the realities of folks and their bikes is. Granted, a XC MTB racer may change a front ring to compete in a gravel race once in a while, but generally it isn't happening, and the flexibility that is there (on paper) isn't being realized when it takes time to change mechanical parts.

@Falasi4 4 жыл бұрын

Gravel bikes exist because bike companies needed a new category to sell...

@vibratingstring 4 жыл бұрын

Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!

@MrSandaliass 4 жыл бұрын

@connerburck86 4 жыл бұрын

I'd say that statement is more applicable to plus size wheels and fat bikes. Gravel bikes are the new road bike for normal people

@mojofiltehise1 4 жыл бұрын

true

@AdiAdHag 4 жыл бұрын

indeed

@derekulrich3830 4 жыл бұрын

Watching you guys walking that bridge over that ditch hurt my '90s XC riding heart

@13opacus 2 жыл бұрын

I,m still riding a 26” alloy hard tail with bar ends and disc brakes, and loving it! :) And what’s with walking over the bridge?

@peterward4005 2 жыл бұрын

Noticed when Simon did it, it was quite springy wondered if they thought it might snap if they rode fast over it

@nagylevi3827 Жыл бұрын

Comedic effect, I think.

@robbchastain3036 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Dan and Si, this presentation has everything--bar ends, triples, big air! And I grin and thank you again for this comparison of gravel and retro mountain bikes. And mutant does work better than hybrid. And suddenly I seem a little more rad, heading off to work on my mutant.

@kwaktak 4 жыл бұрын

"Hybrid" gets a bum rap. When I hear that term I think of something with a chrome fenders, white wall tires, a wide leather seat with steel springs and a wicker basket on the handlebars. I like "mutant" (or "Frankenbike") for those end user co-op hodge podge creations but nowadays the big brands are pushing marketing buzz words like "dual sport." As for the "modern" hybrids, my wife loves her Trek FX2 - and I have to admit that it's not half bad. It's her first bike though; she's never ridden a full rigid MTB with a steel frame - but my back remembers! It may weigh a little more, but a suspension fork with even just 100mm of travel is a good thing to have.

@robbchastain3036 4 жыл бұрын

@@kwaktak I agree, hybrid isn't the worst name, just that over time it has become, I think, a synonym for a big-box bike category: Comfort Bike. Ugh, that one is the worst. And a mutant sounds like our equivalent to a rat rod, something tough and cool and cobbled together by its owner.

@endaohalloran6649 4 жыл бұрын

The old Top Gear vibes I'm getting from this video is soothing to my soul

@jonathanm877 4 жыл бұрын

Learn to drive!

@TheX-3d 3 жыл бұрын

I used to LOVE those narrow MTB bars years ago. I can't imagine them now.

@asthenewt 4 жыл бұрын

I still get a big kick riding uk trails on my 90s Specialized Hardrock HT rigid forks. Gotta luv retro mtb

@evilc.reations 4 жыл бұрын

"Getting aero for the good bits" sums up the disconnect with actual mountain biking here

@mrvwbug4423 4 жыл бұрын

It wasn't unheard of to see aero bars on MTBs in the 90s. Bar ends were pretty standard (and are still amazing for climbing).

@evilc.reations 4 жыл бұрын

@@mrvwbug4423 Yep, owned some bar ends myself. It's just that climbing and bits where you could reasonably "get aero" are not really what I, or many others, would qualify as "the good bits" in mtb.

@jaymueller2418 4 жыл бұрын

Salvatore Gravano I hope I never have to ride a hardtail 26er again. I say that with all due respect having ridden mountain bikes since the early 90’s...my old back appreciates the squish!

@yonseimatt 4 жыл бұрын

Agreed, but this isn't about actual mountain biking, as Dan and Si were quick to point out. I use a mountain bike for my local trail centres, but anything else rough-roady? Somthing with drop bars (ideally) or bar ends.

@yonseimatt 4 жыл бұрын

@@mrvwbug4423 Aren't they banned now in races? And from many trail centres for that matter? Danger of spiking someone in a crash, or something?

@OmarTan 4 жыл бұрын

Si and Dan riding together on a GCN video? Finally! Felt like ages!

@aidany3541 3 жыл бұрын

No one: Men wearing Licra: We need to make Mountain Bikes Worse...

@2dcutout 3 жыл бұрын

"How many of us actually have those trails on their doorsteps" Me. I do. I moved somewhere that requires it, because I really love mountain biking...

@kierenovery8420 3 жыл бұрын

I just happen to live within 2 hours of three world class MTB parks. Bikes are for everyone, I think that if you’re (not you kind sir who I’m replying to)(I’m replying to anyone who says that anything with two wheels is boring) finding yourself bored in your rig, then you mustn’t be making the ride interesting. One of my best friends rides only roadies and he finds ways to challenge himself, thank goodness for Strava. With a MTB, you can always improve, if you don’t have a sweet as bike park near you, build a jump, build a berm, go riding with a buddy, race your buddy. Theirs no such thing as being bored, just people with boring personalities. Look at me, I’m getting so keyed up about something that if I hadn’t wanted to watch this video voluntarily, I’d have never felt this way in the first place. :D. KZfaq.

@jojodroid31 3 жыл бұрын

Everyone living in the mountains or even close to hilly country parts can ride cool trails.

@HkFinn83 3 жыл бұрын

How many people live in a major mountain range though, that’s the point. Most people are way overbiked for where they live

@HkFinn83 3 жыл бұрын

Actually Ben you just proved the point, you had to MOVE to get near challenging trails. How many people can/will do that? Pretty close to zero I’d guess

@matiasbrevisfey5466 2 жыл бұрын

I live really close to where the ews was taken place In Chile.

@RavyDavy 4 жыл бұрын

Started watching, seen Dan in his cycling gear - knew this was going to be a good content - wasn't disappointed. Loved that Orange/Yellow paint job on the Lauf.

@bergerniklas6647 4 жыл бұрын

Who spotted the Squirrel at 12:56?

@hightower2537 4 жыл бұрын

The one si is hiding in his pants?

@hendrikdependrik1891 4 жыл бұрын

13:00

@Bils1280 4 жыл бұрын

Awesome cinematic timetravel, love the idea with the 4:3 and the 2:35 : 1 bars!

@ericcioffi7309 3 жыл бұрын

Great video guys. I am thinking of converting my Lauf Anywhere into a flat bar bike. Primary use will be winter road riding and trail riding with my son. Will the geometry work or is it just not worth doing? Thanks!

@kiochannel018 4 жыл бұрын

That part when they got off and carry the bike through the small bridge 😂

@peterbarnes2845 4 жыл бұрын

Gravel bikes exist because road bikes are boring

@Fantastika 4 жыл бұрын

And dirt jumpers exist because gravel bikes are boring

@raze3055 4 жыл бұрын

And DH bikes exist because dirt jumpers are boring

@sebastianpuzon5041 4 жыл бұрын

So Enduro Bikes exist because DH Bikes cant pedal uphill

@sulaimanjafri1362 4 жыл бұрын

True

@ernie12man 4 жыл бұрын

Gravel-bikes ARE road bikes ;) ,.. ALL-ROAD Bikes is their true name , 'gravel' is stupid-ass marketing label. Now Mtn.Bikes ? + 10 lbs, +$2k-$3k, bouncy down-hill overkill bikes, yawn ......

@seansimpson4472 4 жыл бұрын

I remember wanting one of those Raleigh's as a kid.

@SrSacaninha 3 жыл бұрын

Cool video. I still ride my mountain bike from the 90's and wasn't aware of all the developments and different categories. This was helpful.

@LightCarver 4 жыл бұрын

Haha - they go "back in time" and still have front suspension.

@iggyblitz8739 4 жыл бұрын

Of course, it's been around since the 90's, it's just much more advanced now, and having a full suspension bike back then was more rare and a big deal and mainly came out in the late 90's.

@krYrrr 4 жыл бұрын

Oh you roadies never learn 🤣

@bikemike1118 2 жыл бұрын

Great one! And yes, bring bar ends back! They’re so so good …being able to change position of your hands on the bar is essential IMO

@iancraig2507 3 жыл бұрын

Very interesting for those of us who lived through it all. In the early 60’s a mountain / gravel /road bike had 28” wheels back pedal brakes wide handlebars and was ridden every where.

@tee331 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah we all had those as kids in the 70s a road bike with the widest bars you could get hold of. We called them trackers.. And yeah we went everywhere on them except for narrow passageways 😅

@grumpynerd 4 жыл бұрын

One of the things I've noticed in these "retro" bike reviews is that the retro bikes usually have some serious unaddressed maintenance issues -- in this case a bad fork. If you can't do a proper service job on the forks, it's like doing a retro car review on a car that needs new ball joints and tie rod ends; of course it'll be rubbish. A fairer comparison would be with a fully rigid bike from the 1990s. Also, non-race bikes from that era had larger tires -- 1.95 was more typical. Finally, c'mon guys. Ride that skinny bridge. Retro mountain biking was supposed to be terrifying.

@mrvwbug4423 4 жыл бұрын

1.9 was pretty normal for 90s MTBs, but even in the early 90s you started seeing wider tires, one odd trend was the really wide front tire and narrow rear.

@kwaktak 4 жыл бұрын

@@mrvwbug4423 some bigger brands still do that on their entry level MTBs. Trek Marlins come with 2.2" up front, 2.0 in the rear.

@rogeriocosta1035 4 жыл бұрын

They work for people who sell new bikes. Older bikes will be always slower in these tests.

@grumpynerd 4 жыл бұрын

@@mrvwbug4423 I don't think the effect of tire width on rolling was understood back in the day. Even today some fat bikers run fatter tires in front on the theory that the front tire will have more traction (correct) and the rear tire will roll faster (not necessarily).

@adambrickley1119 4 жыл бұрын

@@mrvwbug4423 yeah, my mate had 3 inch farmer john on his muddy fox front wheel?

@whatahustler 4 жыл бұрын

I am still riding my 2006 Ghost 26"HT MTB with narrow flat handlebars and bar ends with great pleasure. And it is still fast!

@seeyounorth 4 жыл бұрын

+1 I've got a 2005 Gary Fisher Ziggurat 26" with bar ends that I ride gravel with about 3 times a week! Glad to hear the love for bar ends.

@impossibletruffle 4 жыл бұрын

I have a 2007 Corridore with carbon front fork 26" and mavic crossland STs, narrow bars and ends that gets daily use. It flies down proper trails and overtakes things on the road. Still want a proper full suspension bike for more serious trips though

@alexandercherednichenko9630 4 жыл бұрын

Put 700mm handlebar and move bar ends inside grips. So you still have bar ends benefits and all good stuff from wide handlebar too!

@krypt0z 2 жыл бұрын

This had me laughing! Such a great video. I am a new biker, started with a gravel bike! Learning a lot from your contents :)

@jasonpeckman472 2 жыл бұрын

Great video! I absolutely lack the courage to ride expert trails in Colorado. However, riding my gravel bike on gravel and mild single track is really fun.

@19redmiata94 4 жыл бұрын

I took my Trek Crockett CX bike fitted with the widest tires that would fit to an MTB trail that became boring as I got more skilled. That boring trail is now fun again. Blasting down narrow single track on a gravel or CX bike is a ton of fun.

@davethedogdude 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I love riding my CX bike on single track. It makes it fun. I can fit 42mm (more on the front if I want) tires on it with 700s. (Giant TCX). If I put 650b wheels on it, I can fit 1.9/2.1" MTB tires and it drops the BB a bit and transforms the bike into something even more stable on rougher stuff, just a bit less responsive/fun on easy stuff. I wouldn't take it downhill on a boulder covered mountain, but I don't have one of those handy anyway.

@MrMattie725 4 жыл бұрын

Drinking Duvel from the bottle, hurts my Belgian heart

@snakebiteparadise5504 4 жыл бұрын

dont cry son, i also drink duvel from the bottle and i'm belgian. it's still very good

@langun2 4 жыл бұрын

Exactly what I was thinking 😂

@mrvwbug4423 4 жыл бұрын

I suppose it could be worse, they could be drinking ABT12 straight from the champagne bottle.

@unicorncycling806 4 жыл бұрын

How is this even possible? Doesn't it just foam up like hell in your mouth?

@joris818 4 жыл бұрын

blasphemy !!!

@M3ntalbug 4 жыл бұрын

"Don't drink this, it's not gluten-free" That was so mean! 😄 Nonetheless, that was quite an entertaining *and* instructive video, thanks mates, and cheers! 😊

@radiantmind8729 3 жыл бұрын

I had a Specialized Rockhopper back in the 90’s-hard tail with no suspension fork-and I LOVED it. I rode it everywhere.

@DonutEndurance 4 жыл бұрын

Let’s be honest here, Dan only agreed to get muddy because the bikes had bottle openers.

@jakobjarle4597 4 жыл бұрын

Is this the first video with Dan riding since Mallorca? Love it! And that video with Gmbn how to jump like a pro from like 2015 must have really done the job. Looking rad ;)

@cerealkiller4248 4 жыл бұрын

I had a 94 Zaskar LE until it got stolen in 2010, Pace RC35 forks it was stunning in a burnish finish. That bike in the intro brought back memories............ I used to ride the Afan Valley trails with guys from work on it, I remember following/racing them down some trails and when we stopped my knees were literally knocking together with fear, I'd never experienced anything like it before, and never have since. Every fibre of my body was screaming 'brake' whilst we kept pedalling. As for this gravel bike, I'm reminded of the early 80's when we took drop handled bikes and put "cow horns" on them. The cow horns were very wide, very low handle bars making our drops off roaders, and allowing us to wheelie for a few hundred feet for the first time.

@MuvoTX 4 жыл бұрын

I love my 26" hoo koo e koo, straight/short bar, long stem. Its great for climbing and xc trails. Love the feel of the chromoly frame. More important than anything though is after 20 years I have just gotten so used to it. I can lean on it one way, twist / turn my legs, hips torso and thighs and I know how it will respond. I took the bar ends off but really dont miss them that much honestly.

@josephryan5949 4 жыл бұрын

Loved this one. I've got a 1998 GT Avalanche. It's brilliant for the local woodland trails. Got me back into cycling again.

@katherinelangford981 2 жыл бұрын

2016 GT Aggressor over here. Enjoy it every week. Gravel, road, or trails.

@jamessbca Жыл бұрын

1997 GT Avalanche here. Maybe 98. These videos just encourage me to keep my "old bike" :)

@tquindt1 4 жыл бұрын

Dan promising to get rad? Try the Random Tandem. Martyn, if you're watching, recruit Lloydy. We all want to see that.

@alphamechanic 3 жыл бұрын

This is wonderfull this video is what i have been looking for 😀😀😀 . It realy explain the ideas on my mind that i can explain on my on

@patricktaylor4997 3 жыл бұрын

You did it guys. You've convinced me to turn one of my retro MTBs into a gravel bike. I'd seriously consider buying a proper gravel bike but....$$$ Nice presentation, but oh, for that walk-of-shame over that tiny little wood-bridge! C'mon now, go back there and show us how it's really done! (preferably in the rain)

@basstrom88 4 жыл бұрын

Instead of using my gravel bike as a "less capable" mtb compared to my dual-sus trail bike, I bought it to be a more versatile road bike. I was using my trail bike for weekend fun and my steel road bike for commuting with panniers, but carrying gear on the latter was harsh on myself and the bike on anything but nice roads with 25c tyres. The gravel bike with 42c tyres has opened up a whole range of possibilities such as bikepacking and back-road/path commuting with bags or panniers that would be impractical on the trail bike but still dangerous or harsh on the road bike. I also like that the on-road efficiency of the gravel bike is pretty close to my road bike and far higher than my mtb with 2.5" tyres. I think gravel bikes are a good contender for the best "all-round" bike, as they are more fun and capable than standard commuter/touring bikes, but a bit more practical and efficient on-road than XC mountain bikes (especially in terms of gear mounting options - my gravel bike can mount 5 water bottles!).

@colincoulthard3021 4 жыл бұрын

That's exactly what I've used my gravel bike for. Got rid of my flat bar road bike, and replaced it with a drop bar gravel bike, far more versatile. I have taken my gravel bike on mountain bike trails, but for anything that's even slightly gnarly, I do think that my mountain bike is more fun.

@Bernholesurfer 4 жыл бұрын

What about Randonneuring bikes?

@synndakitt 4 жыл бұрын

Ballsy to the roadie who chose the title of this video. As a mountain biker, I'm so glad I watched the video first before I roasted GCN in the comments.

@batterybuilding 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah especially when they tiptoe over that bridge. Suddenly those monster truck tires make sense 😂

@saahomotivation9606 3 жыл бұрын

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mLybkriBud6xZ2w.html

@naimas8120 3 жыл бұрын

Lmao

@Crustyfur 3 жыл бұрын

I've recently revived my 2000 GT Tempest, its now sporting wider bars, shorter stem, new rims and modern (wider) rubber and some new (lighter) Rockshoxs. I put some essentially gravel tyres on, pumped them up to 50psi and took it for a spin on my 15 mile off road training circuit. It SMASHED all my sector times I set on my 29er Hardtail. I was climbing faster and it was mega fun down the quicker sections. Its now getting a modern drive chain. The 2 month old 29er hasn't left the garage since I started playing with the GT. The V-Brakes are killing me though!

@gcygnet8817 2 жыл бұрын

Haha he actually uses the gmbn shirt when mountainbiking! Great eye for detail, great vid.

@isaidgooddaysir2585 4 жыл бұрын

So basically what we're saying here is that John Tomac was right all along.

@joeinglesfield7446 4 жыл бұрын

Thank f*+k I didn’t have to scroll too far for this comment

@henrycruickshank7884 4 жыл бұрын

Except, John Tomac admitted that it was a terrible idea putting drops on his MTB...

@alistertaylor2477 4 жыл бұрын

Henry Cruickshank from memory, he said it was right at the time because he was doing 30000km a year with drops!

@henrycruickshank7884 4 жыл бұрын

@@alistertaylor2477 I think your right although he still did say it handling wise it was not a good idea... Not that this has bearing no modern gravel bikes... Just always gets highlighted as a "drops are great for off-road" argument but is so misplaced as JT said it wasn't very good at all.

@thomashutten712 4 жыл бұрын

John Tomac only used drop bars so he could train with drops for his European road racing team. He would not have done so otherwise.

@barry9559 4 жыл бұрын

Would love to see a video with timed runs comparing the gravel bike to a modern xc hardtail. And to hear which is more fun.

@jennywilliams5950 4 жыл бұрын

I recognise this place! I trained and played here as I lived right next door to this wood. Riding bikes similar to the ti Raleigh in the video. Great test guys. Long live the sketchy, narrow bared bikes that rode these woods for many years.

@BRollOffroad 4 жыл бұрын

nice video, loved the square scenes haha. we see "over biked" in the offroad community like crazy. all these people i see with $20k in axles, lower gears in diffs and transfer case, $15k in armor, triple lockers, 40"+ tires.. it's like "congratulations, you've outfitted your rig to do the 2 hardest trails in the state but after you do them both in a week then what?" i like my pretty stock and often overlooked model that i can have fun on a 2-4 rated trail and test myself on 5-7 rated trails. also puts a smile on my face to summit somewhere and only see rigs near the $100k mark and i'm in my $8k Xterra with a $1k lift. my buddy's buddy did it with a Jeep, even ran the tires half filled with water at 4psi, said it was boring as hell. have to tow it everywhere then he'd turn the idle up and do nothing until he was at the top, no technique, no problem solving, it was point and shoot. he didn't have it long before he sold it for an open diff Samurai on 33" tires to have some real fun.

@Crypt0Crossf1re 4 жыл бұрын

I really like how you guies did the “Wayne’s World” scene transition! That was pretty nice homage.

@deKampeerwijzer 4 жыл бұрын

And the VHS-effects were great too.

@sholtowalker1151 4 жыл бұрын

In 2001 I had a frame made for me built for 26" wheels (standard mtb wheel size then), with clearance for tyres up to 2 ins. and mounts for V-brakes. Most of the rest of the bike was built more or less around a road bike design with drop bars and stay clearance for a triple chainset. Groupset was Shimano Ultegra. It had been an idea that had been buzzing around my head for the previous ten years, initially inspired by US pro MTB racer John Tomac who always preferred drops on his mountain bike when he was racing in the 1980's. The bike I ended up with was an absolute dream. I took it to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco off-road for a week with a group of mountainbikers shortly after it was finished and it held its own. Since then I've raced it, trained and toured on it. A few years ago I had it re-fitted with disc brakes and an upgraded transmission (still triple!) and still getting tons of fun out of it. Not sure if there are any other contenders, but I think I might be able to claim to have unwittingly come up with a gravel bike over 15 years before anyone had even thought of the name.

@curtisgoodwin8962 4 жыл бұрын

Daddy Longlegs i have a Kona Hot that I bought new in 1995. Rode the wheels off it and in 2010 sent it to Tom Teesdale to replace a damaged top tube and weld on disc brake mounts. Turned it into a commuter bike after that. Now I’m going to put on 650B wheels shod with 40mm tubeless tires, a drop bar with brifters, and presto - gravel bike! I’ll never part with it. Sure I’ve got a carbon road bike, Carbon full suspension mtb, and even a fatbike, but the Kona can replace all of them! RIP Tom Teesdale.

@largerthanlife.camera9031 2 жыл бұрын

JT is legendary, he races DH with dropübars! :-) I personally could not imagine that

@demoanddestroy Жыл бұрын

So I have a few bikes ranging from modern to vintage.. I ride my gravel bike in the trails and I just cant seem to get used to drop bars offroad.. I kinda wanna go flat bars on it.. But that kinda changes everything.. I love your videos.. They give me ideas on what to try next.. Keeps it fresh

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot! You should check out our epic gravel adventure in Iceland on GCN+ gcn.eu/gts

@arunallen1277 3 жыл бұрын

Such a great nostalgic video - has inspired me to get a gravel bike!

@twainf 4 жыл бұрын

The Klein paint schemed Mutant does look pretty epic there!

@Murgoh 4 жыл бұрын

I just "frankensteined" my early 90-s Peugeot non-suspended 26" mountain bike into a winter/bad weather commuter by installing drop bars, road crankset/front derailleur, mudguards and a luggage rack. I'm going to put studded tires on it and use it to ride to work in the winter. Yes, it's heavy but otherwise quite useable for the 12 km trip to work when the weather is such that I don't want to ride my road bike.

@andrebartels1690 4 жыл бұрын

I believe you are going to regret that in five our ten years.

@Murgoh 4 жыл бұрын

@@andrebartels1690 Well, I still have all the original parts.

@lightbulbjim 4 жыл бұрын

I've done the same to a 90s mountain bike. It's my go-anywhere bike. Only cost me $50 plus conversion parts!

@jeffreyquinn3820 4 жыл бұрын

I just put heavier duty tires on my '84 Norco Avanti SL cruiser & it handles everything the mountain bikers keep insisting will wreck it/spell my impending doom. The skinnier tires go through snow drifts a lot better as well. Fenders would be nice for spring & fall, though. I also put 90's mountain bike twist shifters on the ends of the drop bars to eliminate the reach to the down tube to shift. They're also easier to shift while wearing globes. Also $50 (20 years ago) plus conversion parts.

@atthesummitMTBskills 3 жыл бұрын

Was out on my 1992 Specialized Stumpjumper today and did a “gravel” ride and had a right good time. Used the bar ends loads as they are great for when you need to push on a bit. Now going to slap on some drops and go a true mutant gravel/mtb freakbike

@reillys7981 4 жыл бұрын

"How many of us actually have those trails on their doorsteps" Face Slap

@batterybuilding 3 жыл бұрын

Right? I’ve lived in three large cities and all had multiple good trail systems within their metro areas.

@JaccoSW 4 жыл бұрын

13:00 Squirrel!

@jonathantang6414 4 жыл бұрын

1:52 "Who has that sort of terrain on their doorsteps?" - Dan, ME! I LIVE IN PNW!!!

@bradcomis1066 4 жыл бұрын

Hahaha, I thought the same thing. As we all know having a bike for the gnar and for the smooth stuff is necessary. No need to see the two at odds with each other.

@maplenook 4 жыл бұрын

Don’t tell!

@mrvwbug4423 4 жыл бұрын

Me, I live in the rockies. I have amazing trails 20 minutes away, and am a 5 hour drive from Crested Butte, and 7 hour drive from Moab.

@christianholmstedt8770 4 жыл бұрын

I live in Tucson AZ so it's literally in my backyard. 4 hrs to Sedona and another 3-4 hrs from there to Moab. But.... I do agree and I've always though the 'new' gravel bikes were just wannabe oldskool mountain bikes.

@JasonWD 4 жыл бұрын

Me too. North Shore. I rode my retro MTB here a few times and nearly died.

@jack303030 4 жыл бұрын

Yes, that's the spirit. Having a nice Duvel after a ride.

@patrickberkery8854 2 жыл бұрын

Hell yeah! My 91 Gary Fisher Procaliber that I bought new still rips! Climbs and handles like a dream.

@ryanscrumley2709 4 жыл бұрын

I've actually been saying this for years. I currently have three bikes in my stable. A YT Jeffsy, Giant Trance, ans Diamonsback Overdrive. The overdrive is a very entry level beginners bike and is very much like what I rode in the 90's. It cost less than $500 new and truthfully I take it out on occassion and have a total blast on it! Trails that are boring on my modern bikes come alive on the overdrive! Contrary to all the crap you read on facebook in the mountain bike groups you don't have to spend a ton of money to have fun. In fact you can sometimes have more fun on these simple bikes! Not saying I'm giving up my modern bikes because I often do ride technical trails where a more capable bike does make a difference but for the vast majority of riding a simple bike is more enjoyable!

@DiegoCamarero 4 жыл бұрын

1:20 hahaha you guys are hilarious. Thank you for the laughter. :D

@jamesbowden4871 4 жыл бұрын

This is why I love my Trek Marin from 2003: the frame geometry on this hardtail mountain bike makes it versatile on and off-road (especially if you switch between sets of wheels with road tires and off-road tires). The mechanical disc brakes provide plenty of stopping power and are clearly superior to V-brakes or Cantilever brakes, but they're not silly and finicky like hydraulic disc brakes. The front suspension also really takes the edge off of poorly maintained and battered roads riddled with potholes that we find in Canada, so it makes the perfect commuter bike, too.

@AlexandarHullRichter 2 жыл бұрын

Trek Marin? Trek and Marin are competitors.

@jamessbca Жыл бұрын

Similar situation here. My medium grade (hard tail) mountain bike from 1997 apparently makes an ideal gravel bike in 2022. The frame dimensions are similar, hard tail, etc. Hold on to your old stuff long enough and it will be back in fashion again, it seems!

@cowsagainstcapitalism347 Жыл бұрын

I invented a new type of bike called a pavement bike. It's like a gravel bike, but for pavement. It's completely different from a gravel, road or track bike, which are definitely not literally the exact same thing with different components. Next year I'll invent an asphalt bike.