This Guy HATES Gravel Bikes - Can We Change His Mind?

Рет қаралды 123,909

Күн бұрын

Rich hates gravel bikes Can Conor change his mind? We heard that @gmbn's Rich Payne hates gravel bikes and would much rather shred the gnar aboard one of his full suspension mountain bikes. Can we convert him to the joys of under-biking? Or will gravel cycling be a step too far for this flat bar fanatic?
00:00 Intro
00:38 The Hater
02:00 The Ride
11:20 The Verdict
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Пікірлер: 630

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Do you love gravel bikes? Let us know in the comments below 👇

@amikamharamikamhar4870 10 ай бұрын

I like gravel but i am using mtb

@alinapopescu872 10 ай бұрын

I do, yes.

@Gmh6477 10 ай бұрын

Totally overlooked the alternative of putting gravel, cross, or even “commuter” tyres on a road bike, 99% of that loop could have been easily done on a road bike with burly tyres especially when you take in to account he walked the roughest part of it….gravel bikes are pretty pointless in the uk.

@josemanuelgarciaotero9393 10 ай бұрын

I do not dislike them, but where I live it does not make any sense to have one. Better mountain bike and road bike. Besides, they are a bit expensive. I believe it depends of how many km of suitable tracks you have to enjoy them.

@BRNOOB_ 10 ай бұрын

@@Phil-bz1kzlmao

@zedddddful 10 ай бұрын

Gravel bike's are a solution to the increasingly shocking road conditions gives you options.

@johnmoore2342 10 ай бұрын

Tubeless helped to sort that problem for me ... they're happily eating up the rubbish roads I have to put up with nowadays.

@jamaly77 10 ай бұрын

My local authorities just repair any road damage that might occur...

@okantichrist 10 ай бұрын

@@jamaly77your lucky then 🥳

@yohansharp3040 10 ай бұрын

I use my 26mm tyre rim brake carbon road bike on light off road, goes fine

@codemonkeyalpha9057 10 ай бұрын

They are great road bikes in the winter when it is wet and muddy out on the country roads. I'm not sure I'd ride mine on anything more offroad than some short smooth gravel stretches between roads though. I have a FS MTB and it is just a lot nicer offroad. The rattling alone is enough to put me off lol, suspension is awesome. Really my gravel bike is just to save my road bike from the weather, I keep that for sunny days only.

@colinlittlewood9613 10 ай бұрын

As someone who only has the money and space for one bike, my gravel bike has been perfect. 90% of my riding is on roads (albeit many of them in a poor state), but I can go off-road to have more fun and get away from the traffic.

@nluisa 10 ай бұрын

Same here. I also do mostly road riding and I may take me a while to get to the off road sections. MTB are just too slow on the road. Also, MTB are also more costly to maintain, especially full sus. I can service everything on my gravel bike, but I'm not sure I could learn how to service suspension forks or shocks.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Gravel bikes are a great option if you are looking for on e bike for everything. Do you think you'll ever go for 2 sets of wheels? Road and MTB? The GCN Tech crew think that is the way to go 👉kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kNqliryavLjHp3k.html

@adamerickson3505 10 ай бұрын

I got a cross bike (canyon inflite) You can ride that thing anywhere.

@mcl40000 7 ай бұрын

@@nluisa hardtails...easy solution. obviously a roadbike will be faster, but there are faster rolling tires for mtb´s then doubledown assegai...

@Aus10c 5 ай бұрын

I got one bike: A gravel bike. I don’t see myself having 2 separate bikes. If you want the gravel bike to do more road work, throw on road tires. If you want more off road riding, throw on a suspension fork and knobby tires. Unless you are doing some ultra extreme mountain bike jumping….swapping out some parts should cover a majority of riders in a road or off road setting

@tomgilfedder5810 10 ай бұрын

Less cars = more fun

@jamaly77 10 ай бұрын

and better air quality

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

SAY IT LOUDER FOR THOSE AT THE BACK 📣

@birkaster 9 ай бұрын

THIS. I ride fire roads because there are no cars, period.

@galenkehler 9 ай бұрын

How are there less cars? Gravel roads are where all the trucks full of rednecks are, and they don't follow the rules of the road. You'll just get gravel spun off in your face when they do a burnout as they pass.

@Wings_of_foam 19 күн бұрын

Sure, but don't ride 3 people side by side on small roads because you have to chat. That sh*t is crazy and selfish. Single line.

@KuanTii 10 ай бұрын

My wife is not interested in gravel ridding. However she does ride a gravel bike. She uses it like a road bike. She doesn't feel safe on road tires but the wider gravel tires give her a much greater since of security. Just one more reason someone may want a gravel bike . She absolutely loves her gravel bike.

@SkribbleNL 10 ай бұрын

Yh a lot of people don't need the fastest bike, just one that is fast enough. So a bit of sturdiness can be a good trade. Less to worry about

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Great point! Gravel bikes do offer less twitchy handling and much more comfortable option.

@diogo10borges 10 ай бұрын

@@gcnI think a gravel bike is an excellent option for people who are starting road cycling before going into a real road bike. Maybe a video suggestion 😉

@ericb8985 10 ай бұрын

Sorry, but this sounds delusional. You can also get road bikes in any geometry and road tires offer more grip on asphalt. An endurance road bike, especially the somewhat larger frame size if you are in between two sizes, is probably your most stable option apart from a dutch bike.

@KuanTii 10 ай бұрын

@@ericb8985 Wow to use a term of delusional LOL - Are you trolling me? I stopped reading your comment after that one word.

@nickadams8952 10 ай бұрын

I am an MTBer and I love my gravel bike for its versatility. Road, gravel, commuting and a bit of gentle trail riding. A comparison between a lightweight XC hardtail vs. gravel bike might be a good follow up video to this one.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

We already have! Check it out here 👉 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mrh4m8iixJzDhXk.html

@Sir-Kay 10 ай бұрын

@@gcn I just watched the video and you guys didn't convince anybody with that hot mess excuse of a race. You don't race men against women or at least not against a woman who clearly admitted she's not into mountain bikes.If you guys are in doubt or think we're just being rude, I live in Poland, find your baddest gravel rider and let's see how well he does against me on a 29 hardtail.Make sure he's not 60kg as I'm over 110kg and he shouldn't be a pro rider either as I'm not. Find a regular but bad ass rider and we'll make it happen. Gravel bikes are for posers.

@Tarmaccyclocross 10 ай бұрын

A so called gravel bike is pretty crap at all those things

@blekfut5763 10 ай бұрын

@@Sir-Kay Gravel bikes are created for the long distances. Do the 100-200-300 and more km trip on gravel roads on your 29er, you'll be much slower and more tired than on a gravel bike. But you're right - gravel bikes are intended for a specific purpose, and bike companies or channels like GCN try to convince us that they are all-purpose and many people fall for it.

@Sir-Kay 10 ай бұрын

@@blekfut5763 Thant ain't right. But, guess what? I'll never be able to prove it to you because afterall, we're only talking crap here on the internet right. Gravel bikes serve no purpose they are portraying it to do here in the video if you can only use them on long distances. People are desperately trying to make it look like the do-it-all bike while in all honesty the only thing I can see it doing is a super long bike-packing ride across countries other than that, it's a pretty niche bike and not a do-it-all. Failure to agree just means you're a mindless consumer after this point.

@inz_uzi 10 ай бұрын

It's simple. If you love mountain biking then gravel bike is not for you. It simply can't do the stuff you love. However if you just want to ride on quiet countryside gravel roads then gravel bike is perfect. A few years ago I bought an old full suspension bike from a friend just to try it but I really struggled to find any spots where I could really have fun on it in my area. To go on proper trails I would have to drive somewhere and it's too much hassle for me. I prefer to just get out of my house and ride my bike. Riding a full suspension bike on relatively flat gravel roads is just overkill.

@MrEcted 10 ай бұрын

That's weird, I love mtb riding but also love riding my gravel bike.

@inz_uzi 10 ай бұрын

@@MrEcted Don't be silly. It's perfectly normal 😀. I meant that gravel bike is not for someone who needs to go gnarly and send it on absolutely every ride. 😉 I own a full sus, cyclo-cross, road and TT bikes. I've bought the cyclo-cross bike when no one even heard of gravel 😊 (at least here in Europe).

@MrEcted 10 ай бұрын

@@inz_uzi Well yeah, but that is completely and totally obvious. A given.

@orbeuniversity 10 ай бұрын

@inz_uzi I totally agree with you. That is my attitude as well, go out and ride, and have the confidence that my bike will be able to handle some dirt trails along the road and not worry about that. On a somewhat separate note, I am struggling to figure out what kind of bike I have. Perhaps, you gentlemen can help me. It is definitely not an MTB nor a Road bike. My bike model is a *Giant Roam Disc-3.* I believe it is a Cross-Country, or Cross-Road but I am not sure about that. It has suspensions at the front and the tires are not as thick as an MTB. Greetings from Canada!

@inz_uzi 10 ай бұрын

@@orbeuniversity Sorry but I'm a roadie by heart and I have no idea what the difference between the cross-country and the cross-road bikes is. 🙂

@SniperSpec0ps 10 ай бұрын

In Washington State, we have a Rails to Trails program that turns abandoned railroads into trails for cycling. The most popular being the John Wayne trail, which crosses the entire state, upwards of 300 miles. R to T's are extremely well maintained, and very level because of being railroads. It's as if these were built specifically for Gravel Bikes, they match perfectly to them. Wide, smooth, very long bike dedicated dirt roads, with no need for suspension. Perfect.

@Jean-jk4zv 10 ай бұрын

🍿 sounds good 😮

@shalakabooyaka1480 10 ай бұрын

Rails to Trails are all over

@SniperSpec0ps 10 ай бұрын

@@shalakabooyaka1480 I figured as much, just giving a quick overview and where the JWT is located.

@shalakabooyaka1480 10 ай бұрын

@@SniperSpec0ps check out the great American rail trail, it's pretty incredible. It's not complete at the moment, but it goes from WA to MD

@SniperSpec0ps 10 ай бұрын

@shalakabooyaka1480 I've read a bit about it, safe to say it's definitely on the bucket list! So awesome, thanks!

@Moose_of_the_Ages 10 ай бұрын

I ride a gravel bike because it gives me the versatility I need to deal with city riding. Sidewalks and roads that have need of repair are increasingly common, and my gravel bike allows me to not worry nearly as much about puncturing or damaging a rim while remaining quick and nimble.

@cherriagana 10 ай бұрын

To me, the gravelbike is the perfect commuter bike :)

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

They're so versatile! Having a gravel bike for commuting that you can also shred at the weekend is the perfect choice!

@Sozzled39 10 ай бұрын

@@gcn You're not shredding on a gravel bike. You're going over some gentle bumps. Gravel bikes cannot shred. That's my humble (and possibly uninformed!) take anyway.

@kylehewitt795 10 ай бұрын

@@Sozzled39shred is relative to the equipment and speed. Gentle bumps on a mtb - not shredding. Gentle bumps on a penny board - serious shredding.

@tsurutom 10 ай бұрын

Got a gravel bike and a super light hardtail XC. Favorite route is like 50% road, 50% gravel trails, parts of it quite bumpy. I alternate between the two bikes, depending on whether I want to have more fun on the smoother bits or on the bumpier bits. But both are an absolute blast, whereas a pure road bike or a heavier full sus MTB likely wouldn't.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Sounds like the perfect setup!

@Jean-jk4zv 10 ай бұрын

Same 😊

@nikkismith8750 10 ай бұрын

I'm with Rich. A lightweight hardtail mountain bike is far more suitable for the terrain, or is that a step too far for the dedicated roadie??

@liamgallagher7842 10 ай бұрын

Much slower and less comfortable on the road on longer rides.

@brendandor 10 ай бұрын

What about putting gravelly handlebars on a hardtail xc bike... One of the comfort roblems with MTB for long distance riding is the lack of variety in hand positions.

@Rzarecteh 10 ай бұрын

@@brendandoryou may as well just get a gravel bike with suspension at that point

@spanking.gorgeous 10 ай бұрын

Me too. Drop bars may be more aerodynamic but the stability, control and ease of getting on the brakes make a flat bar far superior on anything but tarmac IMO. Road bike for the roads if there's any gravel, I'd take lightweight XC over a gravel bike any day.

@JIMMYHIBBS1 10 ай бұрын

Yep - I’ve got a 700c hybrid hard tail (Trek) with gravel tyres which is perfect - The UK has little gravel really - and this is perfect for the mud of winter, and I love the fact it’s a change from my road bike position

@heatherbellbikes 10 ай бұрын

I have a MTB, gravel and touring bike. No road bike, yet. I went from a hardtail to a touring bike. The touring bike is dreadful on anything but the smoothest gravel, at least for me. You feel every single bump, which is headache inducing. I had a coccyx injury last year and riding my bike became almost impossible. I took part in an Etape and I hired a biked for it. The only thing in my size was a gravel bike but it had road tyres for the event. I had no pain so went straight out and bought a gravel bike. I have to say, I absolutely love it. It is great on the road, it’s really light, it manoeuvres quickly, and it’s great on gravel, rough and smooth. I can nip onto grass as well if I need to. It’s just a great all-rounder. I’m getting a set of road wheels so I can swap out if I want to go on a long road journey. Perhaps in a year or two, I’ll graduate to a road bike. Who knows? For the moment though, my gravel bike is king.

@billmccaffrey1977 10 ай бұрын

I purchased my first gravel bike last year for only 2 reasons: more relaxed posture that most modern road bikes (12 spinal surgeries); wider tires with better puncture protection. I view the gravel bike as a more relaxed and robust road bike. I road a Trek 950 mountain bike in the 90's and my current gravel bike reminds me of this.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

This! ☝ They're not just great off-road

@thsaintful 10 ай бұрын

Rich's bike handling skills really came out in that hard downhill section!

@jamesmedlow 10 ай бұрын

I'm the opposite. Gravel has been the gateway drug to drop bars. I've come from 25 years of XC/bridleway 'MTB' and after changing to a 650b 50mm gravel rig, the MTB only gets used for proper MTB stuff like the Lakes, Peaks etc etc. Once a year. I can now shred the endless miles of bridleways, much faster and efficient than before. Then hit some quiet tarmac to link up the next village/town or singletrack or bridleway. I can use the same bike for long road rides or cyclocross or packing. Versitility is king. For me, around here, a wide tyre gravel rig gives me 90% of what my MTB does. The MTB only gives me 15% of what the gravel rig does. Yes, either will do either, but the gravel does it all very well, the MTB does a little bit, very well. It would be a different story if I lived in a more mountainous area, obviously.

@Seppster58 10 ай бұрын

Great video guys. Myself am a Gravel Rider that transitioned to Mountain Biking. Roads aren't too safe here so I mainly stayed on gravel routes. Then I discovered mountain biking and now I mix the two. Mainly gravel riding with my wife but go mountain biking on my own. Best of both worlds for sure.

@cliffsangelsphotography 10 ай бұрын

I mountain bike and gravel bike, and I love both. I can see both Connor's and Rich's perspectives. As mostly an MTBer, gravel riding opens up my options while I'm road riding, and I can choose how spicy I want my options to be while still being able to get back on tarmac to continue my route. I love having variety

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Always good to have the options! 🙌

@Jaytas88 10 ай бұрын

As a mountain biker I really love my gravel bike, for the same reason as Rich enjoyed it on the rough/Technical track, something you wouldn't think twice about on an MTB becomes a bit of a challenge, some old school MTB fun. I ride mine in the MTB park quite a bit and it brings some life into the easer/mundane tracks. If I take the wife and kids for an MTB I often take the Gravel bike so we can all have a bit of fun the easer trails that they enjoy. When I need to ride on the hard top stuff it can do that as well.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

You're right! There is some great fun to be had in underbiking 🙌

@henryhuber1050 10 ай бұрын

I genuinely believe that the reason gravel bikes push bigger tires and relaxed geo, is because as road bikes continued to chase speed, They lost alot of comfort. So gravel is a road bike that is actually usefull for the average person

@amishrider 10 ай бұрын

I use my gravel bike as a road bike in rubbish weather, commuting to london during train strikes and gravel ride events (2 this year) My dad recently bought one and we went for a gravel/off road ride. He fell off 3 times and we didn't get a cafe stop but we had great fun and he wants to do it once a month to mix up our road rides. He got a specialized diverge (aluminium with claris gears) and he loves it. It came with 38mm tyres and after 1 ride he wants to go wider 😀

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Awesome, sounds like he's loving it!

@OldClam5 10 ай бұрын

Gravel biking 100% was a gateway to mtb for me. I ended up selling my gravel bike, since I never used it anymore after getting a mtb. I'd rather throw some comfy alt bars on a hardtail or rigid ATB than ever go back to a drop bar gravel bike.

@saskhiker3935 10 ай бұрын

I did a 50km ride the other day. 60% gravel, 25% tarmac and 15% double track. The double track section I was under biked, but when you are riding new territory off exploring, a gravel bike can make any route available to you.

@jamiegolden7093 10 ай бұрын

When I bought my gravel bike (2021 Giant Revolt Advanced 2) in August of 2020 my road bike and mountain bike got lonely. From my house we have tarmac, gravel, dirt, snowmobile trails (wider than single-track but replete with rocks and roots) and mild single-track. I love the Revolt on all of it. This Spring I fit a RedShift suspension stem and I plan to swap the stock rims for a carbon set. It's still my favorite bike and I love that I'm on the road a lot less. I still ride the other bikes in their target (especially the fat bike on snow in Winter) environments but I love gravel riding and my Revolt. At the end of the day, though, anything that gets you outside is the right thing. Rubber side down, my friends!

@sarahsanderson6314 10 ай бұрын

Great video guys. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this channel.

@joeredmond7954 10 ай бұрын

Really enjoy any of the GCN/GMBN crossover videos. I'd like to know why the humble cyclocross bike never gets a mention? I came to cyclocross from a MTB background, I've ridden my crosser for years doing this kind of thing. The worst thing is these days I feel if people see me they'll think I'm one of those "just jumped on the bandwagon gravel riders" - oh the shame... (P.S. - any bike-packers/tourers feel similar considering the bike industry/media seems to be creating bike-packing as the next fad?)

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Cyclo-what sorry? Only joking we love cyclocross but there are some key differences. You can catch Si putting both head to head here 👉 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iZ5yYNWi1q6tdZs.html

@cjharrer01 10 ай бұрын

Love my gravel bike! I do occasionally take it on some pretty serious single track (I started cycling with a mountain bike and switched to road - now road and gravel). The thing I like about gravel is the freedom and ability to mix trails and tarmac for stops. To each their own, nice video showing the adaptability of Graveling!

@randyhale4181 10 ай бұрын

I've been a mountain biker since 1994 and I found gravel bike riding in 2017 and haven't looked back since.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Awesome! Which kind of riding do you prefer?

@festerofest4374 10 ай бұрын

I used to be only into road, but close calls with cars on my local narrow, 50-60+mph roads pushed me away from cycling the last few years, UNTIL I got a gravel bike! I have a good amount of dirt roads near me and that's where I'm finding cycling to be fun again.

@jeffcoulter7181 10 ай бұрын

Agree, just don’t see the point. They probably make a good replacement for the old touring bike concept.

@Unpreeeedictable 10 ай бұрын

I took my endurance bike with 28mm tires on three “light” gravel rides earlier this summer. It was the first time riding some of the many rail trails in our area. Although it should have been obvious, the lack of cars was an honest to goodness cycling epiphany. I’m hooked! Just getting my first gravel bike sorted and plan one off-road ride a week for the balance of the summer and then a few a week when the Canadian fall weather comes. Can’t wait.

@colinricketts1415 10 ай бұрын

My gravel bike (more a cross bike) gets used for what we would have done 30 years ago with a rigid MTB with one or 1 1/2 inch wide tyres - I don't have amazing off road rides I can do from my house, but mixing bridleways, canals, forest racks and lanes keeps riding fun. And as others have said - the lanes can be in shocking condition in places, so gravel bikes make riding aroud the less busy roads less stressful

@cyclingSausage 10 ай бұрын

I have a road bike, an MTB, and an xc hardtail. For this type of stuff I go out on my xc hardtail and wouldn't consider a gravel bike for this purpose. However, the tarmac roads are so bad I have considered getting a gravel bike to replace my road bike.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

You make a good point!

@62north 10 ай бұрын

I like gravel since it's almost a roadbike but it allows me to ride on roads where there are basically no traffic, that way I get a much more peaceful/enjoyable ride.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Absolutely! For some more gravel content, you could check out our 'Fastest known time' film on GCN+ 👉 gcn.eu/fkt

@markmarlatt1105 10 ай бұрын

I like it for rides that take you to new areas! Having the option to jump off the road if the cars are too close or you find a nice trail to explore.

@user-rv4mq3xv3p 10 ай бұрын

Next year Connor and Rich do Megavalanche after Blake and Hanks epic efforts this year....show the big fella how off roading is done Rich!!!

@Jean-jk4zv 10 ай бұрын

With gravel bikes.

@jaranth 10 ай бұрын

Great visual demonstration... it really illustrates the capabilities of the gravel bike, and where it is most useful. I have the trifecta: a road, gravel and mountain bike. They're all great... especially in the right environment. Best tool for the job, you know?

@ebikescrapper3925 10 ай бұрын

You could do that route on a road bike and a touring bike , just fit wider tyres. All rides can have a cafe stop not just gravel rides.

@tsurutom 10 ай бұрын

I'm guessing most people don't care for switching tyres every other ride though.

@ebikescrapper3925 10 ай бұрын

@@tsurutom You may or may not find that some people who buy gravel bikes swap their tyres for thinner ones. The reason for this is they use their gravel bike only on the road and never go gravel. Also road tyres will be able to handle the surfaces in this video apart from the one difficult section. GCN promotes wider tyres for road use as they claim they provide more comfort. I have seen numerous cyclists on road group rides not being able to keep up with their colleagues due to the original gravel tyres fitted.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Cafe stops are very important

@bindingcurve 10 ай бұрын

Well, that's what a lot of gravel bikes are, a road bike with clearance for some fairly fat tires.

@ebikescrapper3925 10 ай бұрын

@@bindingcurve then why not call it a road bike in the first place

@raff5604 10 ай бұрын

Connor is such a great presenter, love his videos.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Never a dull day filming with Conor! 🙌

@leedorney 10 ай бұрын

He's the best in all honesty

@NeverTooTiredToRideTwoTyres 10 ай бұрын

he had rich's energy to bounce off!

@leedorney 10 ай бұрын

@@NeverTooTiredToRideTwoTyres Yeh but even on his own he's soo heartfull, Hanks so showy, Oliver - geeky.. Si original and informative, Manon - juries out on her...

@goldenmath4091 10 ай бұрын

I have both road gravel and MTB, and living near Rich in the Mendips use the gravel the most, I can't do rowberrow, but everything else is awesome, love it

@timcarnes3467 10 ай бұрын

well done video. My face huts from smiling so much. You gotta bring rich back for more....

@xosece 6 ай бұрын

the GMBN guys always bring me a smile. That gravel bike really passed the test. I like road bikes and MTB bikes equally, albeit I'd like a 1X road bike with the gear philosophy of a mountain bike, love those 10 or 11/52 (or more) sprockets

@alansmith2593 10 ай бұрын

The best thing about gravel bikes is they make trails feel even more exciting:) You have to proper focus and chose your line wisely and it’s lush :) It might not be what its designed for and it might shake the wheels off but it’s proper raw fun :)

@blekfut5763 10 ай бұрын

So maybe you'd try to ride the trails holding the handlebar with one hand or maybe with spoon with the egg on it in your mouth? I'm sure your trails would feel even more exciting...

@simonk337 10 ай бұрын

I've been an out and out roadie for years, but having just got a gravel bike I'm converted. So much fun, a much harder workout and safer than being on the roads all the time. I'm pleased we have options 💪

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Whoop whoop! Welcome to the gravel club! Do you think it's a stepping stone to the mtb? 👀

@simonk337 10 ай бұрын

@@gcn I've got one of those too. Fun sometimes but too slow on the road, which you need to do in order to link the New Forest tracks together 😁

@paulh262 10 ай бұрын

"If your coming from a road background" isnt an argument. Just buy an MTB and keep your road bike and then you have both options. Unless you don't have the space for two bikes at home it's just a rubbish compromise. Especially in England where those nice "gravel" tracks turn into deep mud for the winter months.

@thedocgonzo88 10 ай бұрын

I love gravel bikes because you can ride anything on them. You can't go as fast as a road bike - but you can keep up pretty well and even outrun some if you're fit enough. You can't go as fast over dirt roads as you can with a cross-country, but you can ride them without any problems. You can't do everything quite as well as with the specialized bike, but you can do almost everything and do it all relatively well. For me as a small explorer it is simply the most beautiful bike.

@ArnageLM 10 ай бұрын

Rode some parts of the Amstel Gold Race yesterday and, in the same ride, rode some technical trails with the same (gravel)bike! Not the fastest on both surfaces, but the combination is gold! 🤙

@grumpy-dad3701 10 ай бұрын

I use my trusty hardtail on all surfaces. Can't afford cost or space to have more than 1 bike.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

One bike that works for all your needs is perfect as far as some are concerned!

@bboyle09 10 ай бұрын

15 years ago my then-girlfriend (now wife)'s dad asked me for advice on what bike to buy. I steered him toward a cyclocross bike because he lived by a really good tarmac bike path, a ton of good dirt roads, and "trails" that were not technical at all. A cx or gravel bike opens up road riding like centuries and such that you can't do as well on a mountain bike, so that was the main reason I figured a cx bike was better. On the other hand, a guy showed up on the local group ride with a mountain bike a few weeks ago and hung in there pretty well, so maybe hardtail xc bikes are better on the road than we give them credit for!

@darrin2382 10 ай бұрын

Can we get the name changed from 'Mountain Bike' to 'Bit of dirt track in the local woods Bike' as most MTBs have never seen a mountain :) On a serious note...again its GCN jumping on the gravel bike band marmite wagon. If you ONLY had ONE bike, and like to do road/gravel, then choose a bike with drops and plenty of frame clearance. If you mainly choose rough terrain and occasional trails, then choose something with flat bars, suspension and max frame clearance. The best bike is the one you are sat on.

@kurre_kallkvist 10 ай бұрын

Where I live, I've got 3 paved roads to choose from but at least twice as many gravel roads. A gravel bike with wide road tires us perfect, it opens up so many more routes and also gives me a chance to escape the traffic of the 80km/h main roads around here! As an added bonus, 4km of gravel shaves about 2km of my commute to the train station... 😁

@Dana-gj5hr 10 ай бұрын

I only have a Gravel (TREK Checkpoint AL5). When riding a road bike this spring in Europe, I turned off a bike path onto a grassy/sand parking field and about lost it. Spoiled by not worrying about terrain.

@cokebottles6919 4 ай бұрын

I love Gravel, but it's very location dependent. Where I live, there are amazing road routes or mountain bike trails. We don't have "gravel" roads, just uncontrolled paths for serious rock crawling 4x4's. I think SRAM and Shimano need to push modular wireless shifting so we can just switch to drop bars for our XC bikes.

@scossar 10 ай бұрын

My main bike is a gravel bike. It's great for linking up single track trails. Basically, it allows for car-free mountain biking. A dropper post and wider handle bars help on gnarlier trails.

@markclevedon81 10 ай бұрын

A gravel bike is not a mountain bike but is a superb compromise and a solution to the appalling conditions of the road surfaces in my part of South Wales. Add disk brakes , the option of bigger tyres - up to 38mm on my Specialized and more relaxed geometry and gearing and they make more sense. I now feel more vulnerable when riding my road bike and often grab the gravel bike instead.

@paulmiddlemass6465 10 ай бұрын

This is my Main problem with people in Facebook groups complaining about destroying tyres and wheels on their gravel bikes. They are riding sections like that, which aren't what gravel bikes are for. It's not a fault of the bike or components, it's pushing them past their designed use

@CLONisKING 10 ай бұрын

I'm also a Mountainbiker and a Roadie but I do not have a Gravelbike. But I'm about to turn a old 27,5" Hardtail of mine into one. The reason being, I use it's air suspension fork for my commuter bike now and: When I go on a MTB ride in my area, usually 80% of the way is tarmac, or other flat roads. Yeah the suspension only really comes into play on a very small fraction of the ride. There are only 3 proper trails in close proximity (30k) that I ride with my fully anyway. But if I want to explore some wood roads or gravel paths a gravel bike should be faster and more fun. I think the Gravelbike is the better alternative to the hardtail if there are less rocky or rooty descents on your lokal trails and roads. If the majority of your ride is on flat roads I don't think the extra weight, the aerodynamic loss and decreased stiffness of a front fork is worth it. But for those who choose comfort over speed, the hardtail could still be the better option.

@r10000mips 10 ай бұрын

Cycled and built bikes for 46 years. Raced road bikes when young, got Cervelo for road now. Had mtb for ever. Got 3 full suss , 1 is ebike. Gravel bikes with road bars is dangerous and pointless. I would fit mtb 760 wide. Safer and comfier. That's my opinion...

@beardsonbikes 10 ай бұрын

As someone who used to mountainbike, I quite enjoy the gravel bike when getting older and not feeling the crazy mtb trails anymore. Still gives you the feeling of being more in nature than with a road bike, but not having to do crazy sections of trail anymore.

@mr.z2618 10 ай бұрын

Never ending battle. MTB XC, hard tail is the most versatile bike. The END

@geoffreyhoney122 10 ай бұрын

Thoroughly enjoyed this! Thanks Conor and gcn! I think Rich has a veryvalid point. It is a bit tame/boring. Part of the problem is that there really isn't enough 'Gravel' in England. (Perhaps a bit more in Scotland. ) The birthplace of 'Gravel ' i.e. North America, has LOTS of Gravel and a wide variety of gravel road types within that loose category. Take Rich to Unbound when you next do it Conor!

@geoffreyhoney122 10 ай бұрын

That said, I love the off road options I can get into with my Kona Sutra Touring Bike! I love Ontario's "Unassumed Road/Use at your own risk" signed backroads! Fun challenge, just att the very threshold of needing a mountain bike.

@jonasvieth 10 ай бұрын

I admit I was very sceptical about this gravel thing. Going as fast as my legs allow it on a roadbike or sending it down trails on a mountainbike are both so much fun. Trying to combine both surely must be a bad compromise. Or is it? When I am commuting to work the roads are not very peaceful and the family friendly lanes in the forest aren’t very narly. A gravel bike is therefore the fastest option if you want to escape traffic. Also when you can only have one bike it is easy to transfer it to a decent road bike.

@bikeskimawk670 10 ай бұрын

Variety in cycling is the spice of life. Ride to the level of your smile. 🚴‍♂️😃

@Radingtonbear 10 ай бұрын

That “unsuitable” bit looked like the good bit to me. Maybe I’m gravelling wrong… probably gonna keep doing it mind 😂

@user-oj8br1yu2w 10 ай бұрын

Getting a gravel bike has been amazing. Being able to do a mix of road, forests track, bridleway, MTB track on same ride is great fun. Before I was putting the MTB on the car now I can just ride there.

@ph1ca 10 ай бұрын

Looks like a typical gravel ride where I live (Yukon, Canada). Some pavement, gravel, chip seal, double tracks and single track as well. Gravel bikes are great for exploring a little of everything. And yes I ride some of the same trails as I do on my full sus trail bike, underbiking is the term we use here.

@thuggooch1776 10 ай бұрын

Rich your soooo onto it there. Gravel is the gateway for roadies to get into MTB. It eventually happens to most of them. Great video and thank you for sharing.

@camerond8176 3 ай бұрын

A flat bar hybrid bike with some 38+mm tires works great, especially if you have a 50-65mm suspension fork up front with a remote lockout.

@sarahsanderson6314 10 ай бұрын

I’m an MTBer. I’ve considered a gravel bike several times over the years. However, each time I come close, I find another reason not to. My latest theory… Aren’t typical gravel type routes where dog walkers go? Navigating walkers & dog ‘poo’ bags aren’t really my thing. Equally, when considering a road bike - navigating angry drivers & the Highway Code, both would definitely take away any fun I’d have. Hills, big skies, solitude, HIT & adrenaline. That’s what it’s all about for me. Just saying. 🤷‍♀️

@baloghlcb 10 ай бұрын

I've looked at gravel and hybrid bikes many times, but just can't justify myself getting one. I just ride my full sus every where lol. If I ride some easy gravel or road I just throw on some less aggressive XC tires and lock out my rear suspension. I'm usually in no hurry to get anywhere and just go at a nice pace. Of course I do get some weird looks from some people though 😅.

@strawhorn1 10 ай бұрын

My first bike when I got back into cycling was a gravel. It has done everything from a sportive to trails suited for a full sus. The point is I like exploring new trails/roads and I know whatever is ahead I should be able to get through it.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

The gravel bike might be the perfect tool for igniting the cycling spark 🔥

@MrGazzamitch 10 ай бұрын

My gravel bike is my only bike now. I invested in carbon frame and wheels and ditched my road bike. Why? Being 60 years old here are my reasons - more relaxed riding position, extra couple of gears for spinning up the steepest hills (I am no longer interested in 'setting records' on the flat or downhill), wider tyres for the poor minor roads, wider choice of routes for traffic avoidance and touring (new forest next weekend) - and I'm too crap and scared for the more technical MTB. Most of all, my gravel bike feels fun. I enjoyed my road bike, but it never felt as fun as the gravel. Gravel gets a thumbs up for me - but each to their own. Find your own fun and enjoy it. Learn from others, but don't worry if their fun is not your fun. Life is too short.

@antonintopol228 9 ай бұрын

Finally an honest video about gravel vs XC. Comparing XC bike with gravel (never apples to apples - different gearing, thread) is just ridiculous and unsustainable BS. Just accept gravel as second bike for roadies who have access only to bad tarmac or very smooth forest roads :)

@gigglingchicken8444 10 ай бұрын

I am a huge fan. I love road riding in theory, except for all of the cars. A gravel bike is a perfect solution to minimize being by cars. Just today I took my gravel bike 80 miles round trip to a brewery. I did single track, country gravel roads, and gravel roads in the foothills for some great climbs and fun downhills. Didnt see many cars, was faster than my mtn bike, and saw some elk. It was just an awesome day. I love my my mtn bike and its so much fun as well but only on single track and technical trails, it can be a slog on gravel and asphalt.

@DatPenguin97 10 ай бұрын

I'm sort of throwing together a gravel bike out of an old school crossbike thing as a daily commuter to uni, running around town and maybe ride in the park/forest ways we have here. My XC-ish MTB is for the "big" tour and if I ride somewhere else on actual easy trails and it'll be replaced by a DC or a short travel trail bike fairly soon so not having to daily the MTB helps with that decision. The gravel bike is sort of like a road bike for someone used to MTBs in that regard

@elliottball9898 10 ай бұрын

Not a comment about gravel bikes but I have a video idea! Could you do an experiment video comparing typical speed of a narrower rim width and tyre combinations vs a wider rim width and tyre combo. Same rider, bike, wheel depth etc, watts.... and as you usually do just change out the wheel set for a wider set at a lower pressure. Would be interesting to see how the results compare over 2-3 different wheel-tyre combinations :)

@jamesvonvacheresse7888 10 ай бұрын

Think it's time for another gmbn gcn crossover . MTN bike/offroad skills. Old vid with Connor, Manon and rich was a good watch.

@Nib1246 10 ай бұрын

A nice hard tail is just as good for the job, Flat bars = more control (no aero needed here) . Cant blame the bike industry for trying to sell us more bikes I suppose. As long as you get out and ride, whatever your budget, nice vid guys :)

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Getting out and riding is definitely the most important thing, whichever bike you use!

@bindingcurve 10 ай бұрын

There are a couple of super light XC bikes that are on the group rides, but they are struggling after 50k or so. Start bombing down a smooth -4% grade and they are screaming "gap gap gap"

@DaveCM 10 ай бұрын

A hard tail isn't going to be as fast on gravel. It also doesn't necessarily make it better either.

@dorydiavelone3531 10 ай бұрын

Great job gentlemen!!

@10ktube 10 ай бұрын

Gravel bikes have almost made the N+1 solution exist for me. I race Time Trial, and singlespeed cyclocross, my TT bike is of course not really rideable in real life day to day, and the SS cross bike I could use, but not really well for a long training ride for example. But all of my other bikes are just because I like bikes. I could get an endurance road/gravel bike, have a set of wheels for road, a set for offroad, and almost be able to do all of my riding on one bike. It'd save space in my garage for sure.....

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Sounds like you've got a pretty sweet garage already!

@bindingcurve 10 ай бұрын

This is exactly what I do, I can swap in my road wheels and run in the A groups or put on the gravel wheels and rip up the gravel muti use trails and roads.

@ltu42 10 ай бұрын

I have a hardtail MTB along with a road bike. This video has convinced that I don't need a gravel bike.

@mikebreakwell8106 10 ай бұрын

If you want to do gravel riding then you need to get to istria. There's 3000km of gravel in an area the size of Kent. Nearest airports trieste, Venice, Pula or Ljubljana

@jonmathias6159 10 ай бұрын

For me it's the versatility of a gravel bike. Mine is a winter road bike (bigger tyres and disc brakes safer on wet greasy roads), a summer tourer and for mild off-road work.

@petecaulton9271 6 ай бұрын

I use to have 2 bikes road and hybrid. Best thing now I have a gravel bike is only 1 bike to store and maintain. Especially as I’m not a top road or mountain biker. Makes cycling to work more interesting.

@cruachan1191 10 ай бұрын

I got back in to biking via an MTB that I inherited, but when I came to upgrade to a new bike I very nearly bought another one before discovering gravel bikes. Not for everyone obviously, but my local routes are a mix of a National Cycle Route and some country parks with dirt/gravel trails, so a gravel bike is definitely the best for me. A lot of the cycle paths, even though tarmac, are too rough for a road bike.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Sounds like you've found the perfect bike!

@chrisridesbicycles 10 ай бұрын

Could you do a video on how far you get if you put 33mm gravel tires on a road bike? I‘m looking at building a second wheelset for longer travel rides on the road bike with such a setup.

@niallshakeshaft1524 10 ай бұрын

I got a gravel bike because I wanted a drop bar bike for long rides with a relaxed riding position. I am a bigger fella, so I also figured they should be robust. In Finland we also have mile after mile of gravel country roads where you can get away from cars. So it is pretty much the ideal machine for me. BUT I broke the back wheel (spoke ripped out of rim) yesterday on some ill-advised rocky single track. Perhaps I need a mountain bike too? 😂

@klaatii 10 ай бұрын

You gotta love our bicycle community where everybody can find the bike the really like to ride. Not necessary to judge the owner, fall into stereotype traps and sharing personal assumptions on youtube comments. I'm tired of people thinking their bike is the bike..who wants to judge even, Just greet each other out there and enjoy whatever you are up for

@Kendoji1 10 ай бұрын

Yes part of the fun of riding my heavy steel gravel bike is the sense of underbiking when I’m on occasional proper mtb trails. Like being back in the 90s.

@alicat749 10 ай бұрын

The bits of proper gravel you did I would do on my road bike without a thought, a bit slower though. One of my routes uses the Brynmawr to Blaenavon and as the road Is pretty rough and dangerous for cycling in dryish weather use a section of single track on my TCR 25MM tubeless and SLR rims. The bike has no trouble. Some of the Welsh roads are more suited to full on mountain bikes though.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Welsh roads can be pretty terrible! Sounds like a singletrack section is the way to go!

@Grumpdad 10 ай бұрын

Love my gravel bike! I personally like being able to run fatter tyres & Mudguards ( ok, so I am not cool!) than my road bike, giving more comfort, confident braking & roadholding. Use it for 200k Audax. Only use it occasionally off road, usually on towpaths and easy off road leisure rides. It will never replace the fun of real MTBing and I am sure they are not intended to!

@GrumpyOldMan9 9 ай бұрын

The point of gravel bike is simply to allow a road racing bike to follow - without any punctures - a city bike on a tourist trip through the countryside, which often includes benign gravel bike paths.

@adventure_biker 10 ай бұрын

Gravel bike is the only bike i need . I sold all my bikes and bought high-end gravel bikes, and I never regret my decision.

@gcn 10 ай бұрын

Awesome! They're so versatile for a variety of terrain!

@DaveCM 10 ай бұрын

I have been so tempted to put my road wheels on my gravel bike just to see how they compare on tarmac. I really don't think there will be any difference other than the gearing.

@algmusicuk 10 ай бұрын

That proper bumpy bit is a regular part of my gravel riding 😊. That's gravel riding

@Hribster 10 ай бұрын

Hello, I'm wondering if low-end Gravel bikes are capable of similar rides to this one. For example Decathlon's 520 GRVL bike? If you try this in the future, I'm looking forward to the video. Thanks for the great content.

@guythacker6010 10 ай бұрын

As a "Roadie", I like the idea of a gravel bike. It's a good mixture of road and mountain biking. Good Video .....

@chris_noswe 10 ай бұрын

It’s so silly that cars can be whatever we want them to be; like a Land Rover that can take you anywhere. But with bikes I apparently need a lifted Jeep Wrangler (a mountain bike) if I want to venture into the woods. I’ve got an “adventure bike” from Trek with 2.1” tires and it does everything I need it to do; shred trails, be fast on the tarmac and be a perfect bikepacking bike - the Land Cruiser I need.

@simonalexandercritchley439 10 ай бұрын

Mtber since 1990 but no gravel bike.Have touring mtb, 29er hardtail and 26er fs. Also many road and a tt bike. Have done gravel on road bike with 23mm tyres more challenging, long as you have momentum and a compliant steel or ti frame and some mtb skills.

@zero64 10 ай бұрын

thats gotta be the slickest entrance into a video

@cd_dubbs 10 ай бұрын

My gravel bike was my gateway drug into my new mountain bike…. I still ride my road and my gravel bikes though. Just increased the value of “n” in my n+1 equation lol 😂

@cletusowns 10 ай бұрын

I am an MTB rider who rides a gravel bike for zone 2/endurance and to get rowdy because it reminds me of my rigid mountain bike as a kid. Underbiking is fun!