Why A Gravel Bike Is The Only Bike You'll Ever Need!

Рет қаралды 238,105

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 390

@malcraghill7 2 жыл бұрын

Not entirely convinced by the "reduce your carbon footprint - then travel around the world" argument, but I'm a gravel fan.

@DittersGustav 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, best way to reduce your carbon footprint is not to buy a new (gravel) bike you don't have.

@Paganiproductions84 2 жыл бұрын

i don´t care about my carbon foodprint that fake news bullshit anyway

@marchingoftwenrty 2 жыл бұрын

@Hamid Djn which run on what?

@pex3 2 жыл бұрын

Yes while it's better to buy 1 bike than 3 bikes, it's better to buy 10 used bikes than 1 new one (assuming that the people selling the used bikes are not going to turn around and buy a new bike lol)

@peterc2248 2 жыл бұрын

I have to laugh at all this carbon footprint nonsense - it's just basic marketing. As a species we are unable to (and mostly unwilling if we're honest) to live sustainably. Like organised religion, it's all a bit daft really. Nice bike though :-)

@wongasaur 2 жыл бұрын

Can I just say… Alex is a real gun of a presenter - from his tech know-how to his power-based experiments and the ability to hold his own in front of the camera and around the pros - all without real need for a co-host, he’s a real asset to the channel and plenty fun to watch!

@RogerProvoensis 2 жыл бұрын

I think this may be Alex’s best spot yet. I’ve watched many of his. This one holds up to repeat viewing. So, I agree with Timothy.

@victormourana 2 жыл бұрын

When your bike gets featured as the poster bike for "the only bike you need" video!!! My heart is full! :D

@robertperessini1399 2 жыл бұрын

Great video Alex. I am 68 and have been riding for a number of years. I sold both my road and mountain bike and bought an e-gravel bike. Never thought I would ever buy a e-bike. My enthusiasm for riding is back!!

@GCNalex 2 жыл бұрын

Great to hear, E-bikes are amazing, im all for them, keep it up

@ezekielvaldez02 2 жыл бұрын

I absolutely agree to this. I made my self a gravel bike because of it's durability and slight lightness compare to MTB. I used this every single day from my home to my job. And it makes me feel so good to see this video. More power to this channel ❤️❤️❤️

@Seppster58 2 жыл бұрын

Got a gravel bike last year. We mainly do rail trails and park trails with a few roads thrown in for the mix. Found this to be the best fit. And lastly, Alex - love the colour coordination with the bike and shoes. Nice look. 😀👍

@dtz1000 Жыл бұрын

A fat tyre ebike will go anywhere a gravel bike will go. It's a good alternative if you don't want to pay rip off gravel bike prices. The bike in this video is about £5000. Ridiculous price for a bike with no electric motor.

@Koen030NL Жыл бұрын

@@dtz1000 an e-bike does little to nothing to your fitness. Ridiculous to pay such a lot of money for a bike that doesn’t do a lot of good for your health.

@dtz1000 Жыл бұрын

@@Koen030NL ebike has been very good for my health because I use it a lot. If I had a push bike I would have given up riding ages ago and would now be getting no exercise.

@NunoJoel 2 жыл бұрын

Some manufacturers are going to hate this video and wheel manufacturers are going to love it lol, I personally have been doing this for a while now with my cyclocross bike a pair of wheels for tarmac with 25mm tires and another pair with 35mm tires for gravel, just want to say great content and a big hug to everyone at GCN

@GCNalex 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Nuno

@appa609 Жыл бұрын

In my opinion, the most important reason to have a light bike is you can carry it around easily. As someone who lives in a big city and moves my bike up and down a lot of stairs, elevators, in and out of transit, it's super nice to have a bike that easily lifts with one hand onto your shoulder and maneuvers in tight spaces.

@Sergio_Math 11 ай бұрын

I ended up doing this! I was one of those N+1 folks. I had 4 bikes. Road, MTB, Gravel and a commuter (a 90s mtb with drop bars). I realized the vast majority of my rides are gravel and road or a mix of both. I rarely did MTB, and when I did, it was mostly with my family abroad, who have extra bikes to lend me. Most of my MTB rides at home I could have done on a gravel bike, but opted for the MTB for variety... Now I have a 3T Exploro Ultra with two sets of wheels, one for road and light gravel, and a very chunky 650b set for off road and single track. Not only selling the other bikes allowed me to buy my dream bike, but I'm also happier with more space at home. Sure, I miss the full sus every now and then, but I think if there is a space for another one, it would probably be a Brompton for running errands. Taking the 3T would be... too much probably.

@ericolsen983 2 жыл бұрын

I’m down to one bike, Trek Checkpoint SL6. We travel and camp a lot and I can take one bike and 2 sets of wheels and do anything. Running 40 for mixed terrain and Hunt aero wheels with 28 for the road. Bike is pretty fast. 2 by 11 speed ultegra drive train. Lots of fun and goes everywhere.

@TheOkinawaBoy 2 жыл бұрын

I'm down to 4 bikes 😀 One more is coming and hope to get Pinarello sometimes.

@TenSapphires 2 жыл бұрын

Trek checkpoint is great choice.

@CHRISTIANZEGARRA2018 2 жыл бұрын

Is the Trek Checkpoint SL6 equivalent to the Grizl CF SL?

@sventice 2 жыл бұрын

Are you using an 11/34 cassette and a 34/50 chainset? How's it working out on steep dirt? (This is a sincere question, not snark.)

@hollywoodundead72 2 жыл бұрын

I could never ride another bike without ISO SPEED or something similar. I don't care if it's a 5 pound hyperbike the ride will be rough without some kind of vibration dampening tech

@jorritvandommelen 2 жыл бұрын

I agree, love the video. I only have a gravel bike and I did not even change the setup, such as gears and tires, ever. Yet I rode 200km+ trips on the road, managed to hit 35kph+ average speeds on road rides, did gravel and mountainbike trails and multiday bikepacking trips. The difference the rider makes is far bigger than the difference a bike will make for the majority of amateur riders. My bike is setup a bit more towards a road setup with Shimano GRX 2x11 and Vittoria Terreno Zero 38mm tires. Still it manages amazingly well on gravel and light mountainbike trails. And when I go for a gravel ride, it is very hard to find routes with over 60% of unpaved trails anyway in my area.

@Marco-jc4zx 9 ай бұрын

What bike do you have if you don't mind sharing?

@jeremysweeten2792 2 жыл бұрын

In this day and age….ONE kick ass gravel bike is the best choice! Very few of us are going to ride the extreme benefits of a race/aero/climbing specific bike. The gravel bike is the best BANG for $$. And easiest way to do MORE with less

@mdc123-v2v 2 жыл бұрын

It can't XC. It can't DH. It isn't optimum for road cycling and it doesn't have the travel for any adventure type bike-packing. What exactly is it the gravel bike is good at? Wouldn't a good spec HT offer a LOT more versatility?

@steveherrera2243 2 жыл бұрын

@@mdc123-v2v I’m currently in this predicament and researching like crazy. Gravel bike like the Canyon Grizl or a lighter XC mountain bike with some faster rolling tires.

@3811eric Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the review, Alex. I bought the 2023 Grail cf SLX 8 Di2 - Yes, this bike is one of the fastest and lightest gravel bikes out there. I don't regret owning this machine one bit.

@apm9507 2 жыл бұрын

Everytime we ride on the road, due to traffic, we often need to get onto the gravel, rocky, junk covered shoulders, thus making a road bike trip into an off road trip.

@christopherwatson1163 2 жыл бұрын

believe me this is not really "off road" ...it's just a road but not as smooth. Get tae the mountains on a full squish!!

@andrifsig 2 жыл бұрын

Great video Alex! Possibly your best presentation yet! You have really come into your own at GCN. Getting my gravel bike on monday! Not letting go of my endurance road bike and touring bike just yet though... ;)

@Noddingdog63 2 жыл бұрын

I have to agree. I run a Planet X Full Monty with "off road" 40mm tyres which I swap out for something more tarmac friendly when needed. I only have the one bike...it's all I need really. My "Mongrel" is on the GCN Bike Vault.

@ragwort3369 2 жыл бұрын

An old-school touring bike seems to me to be a much better choice as an all-rounder. Something like a 2009 Dawes Galaxy will do long day rides on road at a decent pace, handle mild off road with the right tyres and (crucially, for me) carry a decent amount of kit in a rear pannier for a commute. Oh, and you can load the thing up with four panniers and a tent and ride it round the world or through the Yorkshire Dales for a long weekend, if that's your thing. I often think a GCN "how to..." video on converting an old-ish tourer to a gravel bike would be a good watch.

@davethedogdude 2 жыл бұрын

Not technically a gravel bike, but I use my Giant TCX (cross bike but has huge tire clearance) as a do everything bike. I can fit 2.1" MTB tires on it with 650bs and ride it on single track or rough gravel and it becomes more stable and less "cross bike twitchy" as a side effect with the 650bs. I can put 35-40mm tires on 700s for normal gravel/grass/cross. I can put 28/32mm tires on it and turn it into a nice road bike. I have different wheel sets with different tires and cassettes, I just toss on whatever wheels fit my ride. The clutch derailer takes up chain slack so anything from an 11-42 to 11-32 works fine without messing with anything when I swap wheels.

@mhamadhazeem3520 2 жыл бұрын

I have been riding my gravel bike since i was a kid, 8 years now and i can not recommend your guys get a gravel bike more! It is just fast comfortable and so fun! Go Gravel❤

@PolyglotBikepacker 2 жыл бұрын

Strong video Alex. Honestly I have been groveling for a few years now and I love it. But the other day I was on my top tier rim brake bike with 28mm and I just nailed 31.5 kmph avg on a 172 km ride. I still think with a gravel bike that would be impossible. That said, for just having fun, yes one bike will do.

@scottlstone 2 жыл бұрын

Not impossible. Swap out the tires for road or have two dedicated wheel-sets. I do 80% of my riding on the road so I run 35mm TerraSpeed on a gravel and I’m not far away from your average. Impressive figures BTW 👍

@onenotesolo256 2 жыл бұрын

To echo scottlstone - good job! If it’s any help, my last two tarmac rides have been c.120km at an average of 30.7 and 30.8kph, on a gravel bike with a 1x (mullet) drivetrain (42t ring and 10-52 cassette) and 32mm GK semi-slicks that measure 35mm on the wheel. The bike weighs virtually the same as my road bike - on which I can usually average no more than 1-1.5kph quicker on identical routes - and is noticeably more comfortable, despite being at the racier end of the gravel bike range (Cervelo Aspero). It climbs as quick as my road bike too. The extra tire and general confidence levels mean I can explore the road less travelled more easily, and I’ve come to prefer MTB pedals overall anyway. I’ve also gone for two wheels sets, the second being 650b with 47mm knobbly gravel tires. And you feel more comfortable throwing on a handlebar or small frame bag on the gravel bike than you would on a weight weenie road bike. I would not for a second advocate for ditching the road bike, but for a normal person who is not racing, I jump on the gravel bike 75% of the time. And if it’s pouring with rain before I even leave the house, I’ll happily head out on the gravel bike whereas I might’ve stayed at home on the road one. Only two potential downsides: 1x gearing can be a pain on fast group rides because you’re hunting for gears when someone else sets the pace; and on fatter tires you’re probably putting out a bit more horsepower to get the same result (this has actually been good from a fitness POV!). All food for thought!

@phunkalicious4 2 жыл бұрын

I love my gravel bike and have been riding it extensively for years on gravel, road etc. Best purchase I have ever made.

@teuast 10 ай бұрын

I got a gravel bike after my roadies were stolen. 2017 Masi Comp X, steel frame, Tiagra, mechanical discs, technically billed as a cross bike but basically a gravel bike in all but name. I definitely saw it as a cheap replacement at first, and it took a while before I could look at it and not see my own misfortune, but I remember the first time I took it out for a proper gravel ride in the Diablo foothills, getting deep into the woods, away from traffic noise, and having kind of a moment of realization that I was actually having more fun than I'd had on my roadies in a long time. I've since broken and replaced both of the wheels (separately and with non-matching wheels), the saddle (though technically that was just because my old housemate's dog chewed on the old one), my brakes (which led to replacing most of my groupset), and my crankset and BB. I may also get some flared gravel bars next time the bike is in the shop, as a Christmas present to myself or something.

@thebr0wnhornet 2 жыл бұрын

One bike with 3 wheel sets works for me - carbon with 28mm, 650b w 47mm, and a 32 spoke touring set 700x35. Derailleur/chain/chainring seems to work on all the different cassettes just fine

@onenotesolo256 2 жыл бұрын

This! I have 700c x 32mm (GK semi slick but still that measure up 35mm on Zipp Firecrests) and 650B x 47mm knobbly tires. I am tempted to do 700c x 28mm for faster days road as well.

@sventice 2 жыл бұрын

I own three bikes: a road bike, a touring bike, and a gravel bike. I bought the gravel bike two years ago, intending to use it as a commuter and easy dirt bike. Since the day I bought it, it's the only bike I've ridden. I now use it for everything: road riding (with 30mm road tires), touring, and, go figure, gravel riding. It's truly the Swiss Army Knife of bicycles; it's not the best at anything, but surprisingly good enough for everything, and fits easily in your back pocket.

@cjohnson3836 2 жыл бұрын

Spot on. I'd only add that if this is your one bike, go for an AL (or any metal really) frame as many, if not most, carbon frames will lack the rack mounts that can be found on AL (Canyon Grizl is a good example). A light rack and basket or whatever is the single best daily-use/commuter upgrade you can make on any bike. No more sweaty back. The more comfy the commute, the more likely you'll keep doing it. The more you save not driving a car. The more money you have for baller carbon wheels.

@johnpayne2465 2 жыл бұрын

Being heavy, I decided a CX frame (gravel wasn't a known option then) and two wheelsets would solve most of my problems, and keep some cash in my pocket. So far so good!

@MMMS75 2 жыл бұрын

I took the gravel one bike quiver two years ago. Orbea Terra 1x GRX. Two wheel sets with different cassettes: DT Swiss with wider range cassette for gravel, Hunt carbon with narrower cassette for the road wheels. Larger chain ring up front. Works fine in the Midwest. Upgrading the seatpost to a PNW Coast dropper next!

@marcalvarez4890 2 жыл бұрын

That black and orange paint is gorgeous.

@dannykee8160 2 жыл бұрын

Just purchased myself a hybrid with gravel setup (Polygon Heist X7) after selling off my road bike. You've made the point here.

@Nahduge 2 жыл бұрын

How do u find the suspension on the heist? Thinking of it but not too sure if the suntour suspension is worth it over a rigid

@dannykee8160 2 жыл бұрын

@@Nahduge maintenance wise rigid is a better option. I find it decent for soaking rough terrain but not anything hard core and it doesn't have a rebound settings so I had it at pretty high air pressure to suit how I ride. The BB clearance is pretty low too. I often scratch my pedals during turn which I think pedalling was OK as my other bikes.

@albullit 2 жыл бұрын

5:30 True, that specific section you could ride on a road bike, but the three ways to get to it you couldn’t unless it’s high summer.

@christopherharmon9336 2 жыл бұрын

I suggested to a friend that he either buy a gravel bike or a 29er hardtail. Both are "go anywhere" bikes, with the hardtail having a slight advantage off-road, and the gravel bike having an advantage on-road. My favorite bike for exploring is my old hardtail with its 44-32-22 triple crank, and it's why I'm just not in a hurry to buy a gravel bike. If modern, premium hardtails had 2x cranks, I think the decision between purchasing a hardtail or gravel bike would be even more difficult. The capability a gravel bike has is very impressive. Right now, I'm a bit torn...Specialized Diverge Elite (aluminum) or a Marin DSX.

@georgeyung3546 2 жыл бұрын

I have had many bikes in my lifetime, and it true. I have road, MTB and Gravel bikes. Don't event bother getting out my other bikes now after buying Giant gavel. Brilliant

@Nahduge 2 жыл бұрын

Which one do you have?

@georgeyung3546 2 жыл бұрын

@@Nahduge I have Gravel revolt advance 2 model. It's all the bike you'll ever need to be honest. Jack all trade. So glad I brought one.

@danielbender4327 2 жыл бұрын

When I was shopping for my first “serious” bike (that is, something with drop handlebars rather than the hybrid I had), it became almost painfully obvious that a gravel bike was the only real option, completely on the basis of versatility. Therefore, Diverge. And zero regrets. …ok, i lied - one regret. I chose the sleek black frame instead of the hot pink. But my wife would have killed me for that, so I probably made the right choice?

@rufatzeynalli5538 2 жыл бұрын

I will do that pinky one, if it is on sale more than black one :D

@gilberturesti338 2 жыл бұрын

Good video, this started building my gravel bike. For me it makes better sense as I'm getting older. Gives me more options.

@williamroberts6937 2 жыл бұрын

Got a steel frame and Campy Ekar with Mavic Allroad Elites with 38 mm tubeless and I can do almost anything with it. My new 'go to'

@brendonnoble5227 2 жыл бұрын

Nice shoes, colour coded with the bike.

@scottlstone 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. Theory of having one bike is a good one and IF you could only have one bike then a gravel bike is a good choice. Most enthusiasts want the plus1 and will still have many. Road/Gravel/XC and I still want a Trial bike too!

@alancritchley8835 2 жыл бұрын

Alex , best video from you. Fast , informative and relaxed with your stats! And yeah nailed it ! One bike to rule them all!

@gcntech 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it!

@simonpowell2559 2 жыл бұрын

I have an old steel Peugeot road bike, and an old Scott mountain bike. Both work a treat. Why would I want a new bike that doesn't do anything better?

@1a2b3c4. 2 жыл бұрын

BEST VIDEO ADVICE EVER...I have a total of 7 bikes.... I will get rid of all and upgrade one, thanks for the video.

@timwightman4473 2 жыл бұрын

I have one hybrid bike which does all my needs. It cost £320 and its cheap to maintain, by using it for commuting cycling saves me money!

@waynehollard 2 жыл бұрын

That Grail is a beauty in that colour combo 😍

@ginomaulucci1618 3 ай бұрын

I've been getting by with mostly a gravel bike. Something not mentioned in the video is bike packing, as my gravel bike allows loaded travelling making it just that more versatile.

@jjudin 2 жыл бұрын

Great way to talk about carbon footprint reduction and then a while later taking implied air travelling to all kinds of great destinations for a hobby activities.

@andreanetto69 2 жыл бұрын

That’s what I did for my girlfriend’s bike. I bought/built an MTB hard tail carbon frame and drop bar, but with a 27.5 rigid fork: she says everybody that she has a comfortable aero bike when she uses the road smooth tyres/wheels, but a funny gravel bike when we go off-road and she puts on the bike a 2.1” off-road tyre. And I have to admit that I love her bike more than mine…

@JBthePAdashC 2 жыл бұрын

I did exactly this about a year ago. I had an electric commuter bike (Flash: no longer in production or business) and an acoustic gravel bike (Trek Checkpoint ALR 4). Sold them both and bought an electric gravel bike (Canyon Grail:ON). Best decision I ever made.

@IamPapaShaw 2 жыл бұрын

I bought a Cannondale gravel bike a few years ago and it’s perfect for me. I’m never going to race. The bike is the most comfortable I’ve ever ridden. It’s 9 pounds lighter and 2 MPH (3.2KPH) faster than the lightweight mountain bike I rode previously. I prefer the look and feel of a drop bar bike.

@christopher2041 Жыл бұрын

I bought a cervelo aspero with an extra set of wheels, i’ve got 42mil gravel grinders on one set and 28 mil four seasons in the other, totally happy with my decision 🤘🏻😆🤘🏻

@jameslee-pevenhull5087 2 жыл бұрын

So there it is. Find a decent 20 year old light rigid MTB and fit racing bends. Done. BTW, the polar bears are doing fine.

@turboseize 2 жыл бұрын

Rigid MTBs don't have brakes, though. Well, technicalls they have - but cantilevers count as nonbrake. Have arigid MTB as my "it's-so-ugly-it-won't-get-stolen"-commuter bike. Great at that job (big tyres mean bad streets don't hurt as much). But the brakes (or lack thereof) is the only real thing that is getting on my nerves.

@garyhocking6947 2 жыл бұрын

I completely agree. I'm down to one bike, a Giant Revolt. I use 2 sets of wheels, one setup for off-road (40c) and one set up for only tarmac (28c). Setup for tarmac, I have no problem keeping up with my road riding group.

@funkydisciple 2 жыл бұрын

Nice video! Actually watched it till the end. I want a gravel bike.

@GCNalex 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much,

@williamsmith1453 2 жыл бұрын

Great vidoe! Yes, I love my gravel bike. Salsa Journeyman. I have road slicks and gravel tires. It's fast , fun, and the best choice I made in a bike. At least for me, gravel do do it all.

@ravennexusmh 2 жыл бұрын

it is, i built my own, hybrid frame, 700x47 smart sams, 2x10 with 50/34 and 11-36 rear. trp spyres with 180/160 rotors and 46mm pro PLT bars on a 55mm stem. frame measures as a 56cm effective tt (hence short stem) but a low top tube with a 46cm seat tube so lots down low clearance and nice springy seatpost. it's all 5700 105 with a custom 105 rear mech i made using a t670 cage and spring with 165mm sram xo dh carbon mtb cranks running the road 5 bolt spider

@matthewvelo 2 жыл бұрын

I had a road bike and a cyclocross bike for a while, but my new Scott Addict can take a 32mm tyre so it (with a spare wheelset) has become my one bike. Not sure I'll be taking on any mountain bike trails with it, but it does road and gravel pretty well.

@ceasar707 2 жыл бұрын

Sold my hardtail and road bike as well and now enjoying a titanium gravel bike with powershift hub and and 2 interchangeable pairs of wheels (650b 30mm deep with 47mm tyres and an aero set with 50mm rim depth an 30mm tyres) => my jack of all trades😎

@Rose_Butterfly98 2 жыл бұрын

If I were to keep only one bike it would be my mountain bike. Prefer having suspension, I would not dare to do a drop more than 10 cm on a gravel bike but I've definitely done 1m drops on my MTB and one of the short cuts I take has a 50cm drop. But I prefer to have more than one because when weird sounds happen, it can take the shop a few weeks to find out what's wrong. Heck it's been in the shop for almost a month. Lucky I still have my old mountain bike. And my new road bike.

@xosece 10 ай бұрын

well, found myself in that diatribe about a month ago, since I have a 29er MTB (Giant Talon 2) and I wanted a gravel bike (and I still like it) but after so much study and consideration, I ended up getting a road bike which I can't wait to unwrap and start cycling whenever I get it delivered and the weather isn't as rainy as in the last 3 weeks

@joshspencer6240 2 жыл бұрын

I do like the look of the Canyon, but other gravel bikes with standard handlebars allow you to easily add clip on aerobars so you can replace your triathlon bike at the same time! It might not be the most aero option, but it'll be reasonably quick depending on your other component choices.

@peterslater7791 2 жыл бұрын

totally agree. i run a cervelo aspero and it can handle basically anything i want, even with one wheelset. i do have a cruiser bike that i ride with my wife, mainly because the aspero is just not comfortable or fun to ride really slow. ;)

@pauljakeman 2 жыл бұрын

Going into this I didn’t know what a gravel bike was. Heard the name around but wasn’t sure what it was. Great video and thanks for actually saying what things are that I can get my head round. I’m not big into bikes so I needed this. Makes me want one now. I live more into the countryside with trails and gravel roads so it sounds perfect.

@drawzTV 2 жыл бұрын

That Canyon is a work of art. So is this video.

@Opforvideo2 10 ай бұрын

While I used Tomac Attack Tape on my Nitto dirt drops in the early 90's, the true drop bar/fat tire pioneer is Jacquie Phelan

@Alvio64 11 ай бұрын

I only have one bike, its a gravel bike and it's great. I can chuck on a pannier rack and a bag for a long trip, some lighter bags for a bikepacking over nighter, skinny tyres for a road ride with some mates, TT bars if I wanted to do an ultra endurance event (I dont but the option is there). Granted i don't race so i dont care about that extra weight mentioned. But overall 10/10 for the gravel bike, i dont need anything else

@jamiecox2506 Жыл бұрын

I bet my last dollar, not one of these guys across all the channels that advocate owning one bike, actually own only one bike

@mrmidtskogen 2 жыл бұрын

You need two bikes -> Gravel bike and Fat bike. That covers EVERYTHING. I’m running 1x on both of them. All I need. And I can ride in absolutely all conditions 😀

@gcntech 2 жыл бұрын

Fat bikes are A LOT of fun!

@jasonyoung1898 2 жыл бұрын

A great follow up video would be the difference between road and gravel bikes; and not just the tyres. Try explaining the advantages of both on and off road. Discuss the advantages that the different geometries provide to the rider. Etc. Go in full detail and try to tackle even the obvious questions.

@anthonygain7645 2 жыл бұрын

This is something I am considering at the moment as I am about to get back into cycling after a short break and need new bikes. It would be interesting to see GCN take a gravel bike and show it in different setups and do comparisons, eg gravel bike with road wheels and cassettes vs a road bike , same with aero extensions and deep wheels vs an aero or tri bike , big 40 ish tyres vs an XC and on and on and on.

@dtz1000 Жыл бұрын

Get a fat tyre ebike instead. Much more fun and can go anywhere a gravel bike will go.

@willcook1071 Жыл бұрын

@@dtz1000😂😂😂😂

@dtz1000 Жыл бұрын

@@willcook1071 What's funny about the truth?

@garysladek9110 2 жыл бұрын

Like the matching orange bike, shoes.

@leonschumann2361 2 жыл бұрын

depending on what u need. l have a commuter road bike (not too expensive when stolen) a general road bike, a hardtail mtb u could do everything from freeriding, skatepark to ez downhill and l got a gravel frame l'm building up at. only thing left would be a cargo bike (and a velomobile for smiling) and then u can basically do everthing you could ever want to on a bike

@maksymlagutin3246 11 ай бұрын

I have a preference for gravel bikes with front suspension, and Canyon(Trail) offers a great selection with the RockShox Rudy fork. Alternatively, you might want to consider the Cannondale Top Stone Carbon Lefty, which boasts a full suspension setup.

@barriobarranco 10 ай бұрын

I've just bought one- love the road bike but the roads are lethal and where I live limited finding ones that aren't busy- but loads of fire roads, trails, the Speyside Way etc....plan is to cut the amount of time(risk) on tarmac to a bare minimum....

@vlogsbyakkas343 2 жыл бұрын

alex churning out a ton of videos, love it

@diobruttoporco 2 жыл бұрын

Sorry but I beg to differ, if I had to have one bike only, that would be my 29' Xc hardtail with 100mm of travel and 2,3 inches tires. Far more capable, safer and controllable than a gravel bike when going offroad and only a tiny bit slower on tarmac.

@Ninja_Revenge 2 жыл бұрын

Thx, I’ll stay with my sub 7kg S6 evo for climbing here in Japan

@michellelose2361 Жыл бұрын

Life-changing product!

@politrzysta 2 жыл бұрын

Having a gravel bike for the last 3 years I don't see myself ever buying a road bike. I couldn't stand the thought that I need to stick to good, paved roads or else I get a puncture or came home tired and broken because the ride was bumpy and shaky. Gravels FTW. And if I put some mudguards and sack on my bike I have a commuter to work.

@ronbyers9912 2 жыл бұрын

This year I am going to add a gravel bike to my stable. About 1/2 of my riding is on local gravel trails. They are all pretty smooth. While I can ride my road bike on them the number of flats per week is simply unacceptable. I am hoping that gravel tires will reduce the number of flats I have encountered. I am past racing and my road groups are made up of older relatively tame roadies. If I didn't already have a road bike I would think about only having a gravel bike and swapping tires/wheels between road and gravel. As it is I have a perfectly good road bike to ride on the road.

@turboseize 2 жыл бұрын

How do you get a flat on gravel? I've only ever managed to flatten mine in the city - read broken glass. (This is if we exclude the stack of racy tubulars that I inherited from my Grandfather in the 1990s. Those went flat if you gave them a funny look... every small stone or flint would cut them. But that was 25 years ago, and the tyres themselves probably were already old at that point. The last race my grandfather participated in was in the 1980s...)

@ronbyers9912 2 жыл бұрын

@@turboseize Wow, you are lucky. I have punctured my road slicks on sharp shards of gravel on more than one occasion.

@DRM1891 2 жыл бұрын

I’m tempted to sell both my mountain and road bike to then get a gravel bike on cycle to work. Just think I can do everything with it. Commute (add panniers and mudguards), trails, and roads too. Can’t see how there’s much doubt. One thing though - I’m no expert at all so what would be a good beginners one? My max budget probably in the region of £600 ish.

@seanrequiredfieldcannotbel1362 2 жыл бұрын

Dang, I've had NBD 3 times in 2022 by Valentine's Day. An endurance road (Fairlight Strael 3.0), aero gravel (3T Exploro RaceMax), and do it all commuter/bikepacking/adventure gravel bike (Watly Ti frame modelled on the Mason Bokeh). I guess any one of my three bikes could be the quiver killer...but I now need a mountain bike. It's unforgiveable that I basically have three gravel bikes and no MTB.

@Bravesdarrell8552 2 жыл бұрын

I’m running a 2021 Trek Domane SL5 , I have a gravel setup and a road setup. Change the wheels & tires and off I go .

@paolosupino 2 жыл бұрын

best part of the video... Alex' shoes color matching the color of the bike 😂😂😂

@anj000 2 жыл бұрын

Mountain bike can do everything that gravel or hybrid bike can do. It will take you from point A to point B on paths too hard for gravel bike - and it is MTB that is most versatile bike. I don't belive you will have fun riding for hours on very bumpy road without a shock-absorber. MTB will be a little slower on smooth asphalt but on every other terrain it will be much pleasant to ride on hardtail MTB and people will have much more fun. And I'm talking purely from amateur perspective. I don't care if I'm 2km/h slower on asphalt, I don't care about wearing aerodynamic pants. This is bike for bike-nerds and I recommend ordinary people to stick with hardtail MTB.

@turboseize 2 жыл бұрын

A mountain bike on paved roads is just a pain in the ass. Slow and sluggish, and worst of all, it has flat bars. How can people cope with these for more than 30 minutes? If you live in the city, you will first have cover some distance until you get anywhere nice. I don't care how much better the MTB is in the woods - if it ruins my day while getting to and from there, then it's not worth it.

@anj000 2 жыл бұрын

@@turboseize I don't have any problems with flat bars and I guess majority of recreational bikers doesn't need fancy bars either. As I said - gravel bike is just for bike nerds. Majority of people will get by fine on hardtail mountain bike and have much more fun. Nobody cares if bike is a little slower on asphalt when every bump, rock and tree branch is very unpleasant.

@turboseize 2 жыл бұрын

@@anj000 I just came back from 60km on the MTB. Big mistake. Maybe it's because I've grown up on drops, but flat bars just feel wrong. Also, hands starting to get numb after just one hour... never had that problem with drops. Maybe bar ends would solve that issue. But flat bars alone, meaning no change in hand position possible, ist just awful. I get it that flat bars are superiow on technical offroad stuff. But I don't do that.

@mdc123-v2v 2 жыл бұрын

@@turboseize Gravel bike isn't optimum for paved roads either and it can't go anywhere that requires any travel. It isn't optimal for any style of riding tbh. MTB is far more versatile and engaging. Get a road bike if you're hitting the tarmac. A HT or FS for everything else. Most modern FS have full sus lockout making climbing much more efficient.

@turboseize 2 жыл бұрын

@@mdc123-v2v For the type of riding that I do, an all-road or endurance road bike with a little bit of tyre clearance would probably be perfect. I am currently maxing out my frame with 25mm, and while that is great on tarmac, it leaves a bit to be desired on gravel roads/trails (when I say "trails", by no means do I mean gnarly mountain bike stuff. Just something narrower than a road, but still with decent surface). I think 30something millimetres with a smooth profile should be the perfect compormise. I have an old rigid 1990s MTB as my commuter bike (so cheap and ugly that I don't care if it get's stolen...), and that thing is definitely NOT better for my recreational riding than my road bike. The road bike on gravel is sketchy, but even that can be fun. The MTB on tarmac is just annoying (even though I have decently fast tyres - that is, "fast" in MTB tyre terms). It doesn't matter how much more capable an MTB is - to get into the nicer parts of the ladscape, I have to ride 20km on tarmac. And then 20km back. And those 40km on the MTB ruin everything fun that I could do in between. And no, I won't "solve" this by putting my bike in the trunk of my car and then driving out of town. Driving your car to go for a bike ride is a travesty.

@barbamatteo 2 жыл бұрын

Agree, gravel make me love bikes again. Most xc trails can be done with a gravel, most road on pavement... the same. I don't do enduro or dh, and when i do i can rent.

@frazergoodwin4945 2 жыл бұрын

One (drop bar) bike owner here (OK, 2 if you include my old one sat on the indoor trainer). A Specialized Diverge gravel bike that I have two sets of wheels: - Hunt Aero-wide 34's with GP5000 tires for road riding that allows me to keep up on the club ride and - Roval Terra-C wheels with WTB byway 40mm tires for all road/gravel/forest tracks/ bikepacking. One bike* to rule them all! *still have my Brompton, Hybrid citybike, and full suspension MTB + the old Roubaix on the trainer

@niklavslacis2450 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, I think, one bike is best ever solution, just instead of changing tyres prefer to change wheels especially when tubeless setup is used

@andrewwinoto2421 Жыл бұрын

Alex is a damn Star... wow

@lesterfisher1758 2 жыл бұрын

Beautiful color 🧡🖤

@lydiadavies7073 2 жыл бұрын

I only have one gravel bike (well, cyclocross) as I don't have enough room or money for multiple bikes! You do pay a premium though for gravel bikes, could have gotten better spec road bike for same price... My aim is to do an ironman in the next 2 years, and when you start to put in serious miles then potentially the added weight and reduced aero do all add up into lost time and fatigue. So at that point nay be looking to get a 2nd bike. Happy for now though!

@parenthlete 2 жыл бұрын

Only prob with the carbon footprint idea is 90% + of us here prob already own a road bike and prob more others , and no plans to sell those That’s why manufacturers are fine to produce these gravel biking videos it’s a nice way to sell more bikes in short term

@tornagawn 2 жыл бұрын

The journey is complete, Obi Wan! Early 1980’s my first proper touring bike: Dawes Galaxy, triple chain rings & big tyres for off road exploration…..back then promoted by The Rough Stuff Fellowship…..gravel 0.9 Then my first mountain bike! A revelation! 1985….. Road became an interest 2008, my 1988 Cannondale M800 gained drops and thinner tyres circa 2014….gravel 0.95 Finally, an updated Dawes Galaxy. Gravel 1.0 😉

@stealfwayne 2 жыл бұрын

A good argument there for 1 bike and then 3 sets of wheels shod with sets' of Roadish tyres, A gravel /wet set then a set with more off roading these maybe 650b, and that would cover all my types of riding. Save a hell-a-lot of space in what is currently the bike room. My wife calls it the spare room but she is mistaken.

@markreams3192 2 жыл бұрын

Most of the weight gain in a high end gravel bike is in the wheels and tires. I have a titanium gravel bike with 2 sets of wheels. One lighter set for pavement and the other for mixed surfaces.

@sharikmarius Жыл бұрын

Mountain bikers were putting drops on their bikes long before Tomac put them on his Yeti. The original WTB and Cunninghams had drops (remember Alice B Toeclips?). The mid 80's Bridgestone MB-1 and multiple other MTB bikes and riders had drops before Tomac. Credit where credit is due, please.

@hollywoodundead72 2 жыл бұрын

I just got 32x700 tyre with light side wall tread for when I wana kick it on gravel, iso speed tech soaks up a lot of the roughness, so I'm happy with already kinda having an all in one bike, even though I mostly road

@christophersullivan6405 2 жыл бұрын

For me, a Gravel Bike and Hardtail Mountain Bike are the way to go. I quit riding road because it's too crazy where I live. Too many people in heavy cars on their cell phones. I don't need a full suspension bike, but there are some trails better suited to a mountain bike.

@biamarconchi 2 жыл бұрын

Alex, love the footware.

@the_trooper_72 2 жыл бұрын

I'm seriously considering ditching my MTB Bike, which I seriously love and have done for three years now and going gravel bike.. Mainly because of the geometry and speed and the fact that I cycle over 25 miles each time I ride out.. The mtb can get a bit slow and the uptake..

@blessedpeas 2 жыл бұрын

My treat to myself for getting my first professional job was to splash out on a new bike. I was initially keen on a road bike, but was won over by the versatility of a gravel bike's wider tyres, and the added reliability given most London roads are not exactly silky. I went with a steel frame as it's cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and easier to repair should I get in a crash. Speed considerations are a bit irrelevant a few seconds here or there due to extra weight or more tyre friction is a minor consideration when there's traffic lights every quarter mile. Not quite sure what people have against the idea of taking a bike on a holiday abroad, particularly when the most likely alternative would likely be taking a car to exactly the same locations, having arrived in the other country by plane/train/car.

@liamkaloy 2 жыл бұрын

If you can have only one bike then yes - get a gravel (and 2 set of wheels for tarmac and off road). But if only you can have 2 bikes always go for dedicated road bike and dedicated off road bike (gravel for very light off road, cross bike with front suspension for typical off road and true MTB for hard off road).

@strawhorn1 2 жыл бұрын

Due to financial limitations, and riding on a slight mix of surfaces, I've been using a cross bike as an all rounder for years. Currently doing 95% road so opted for 28mm continental gp5000. The bike has been on everything from gravel to sportives and even a gnarly section which would have been better suited to a full sus mb. My average road speed is comparable to my brother in law's road bike. The only slight downside is I'm doing all this on a bike that is touching 10kg.

@kidShibuya 2 жыл бұрын

How do the GP5000s stack up on gravel? I have them on my grail at the moment but I am afraid to cut them up on the sharp rocks lol

@strawhorn1 2 жыл бұрын

@@kidShibuya as I mentioned I am mostly on roads at the moment. Got two sportives this year so far. However some of the roads I've been on might as well have been gravel. I was a bit worried about destroying the tyres but so far they seem to be holding up really well. I'm not sure I would take them on sharper gravel but they have been on a few tracks with rounder stones.

@turboseize 2 жыл бұрын

@@kidShibuya No idea about the GP5k, but even the original Grand Prix was and the current Grand Prix Classic still is pretty durable. Grand Prix Classic apparently used the same Black Chili compound as the "serious" tyres. I often take my road bike with GP Classic on mild gravel, and the tyres seem to take it well. Now 2000km on the current set. One and a half punctures so far (means on one ride I got a snakebite 50km after I fixed the first flat because apparently I couldn't get enough pressure in with the hand pump). Flat was, of course, in the city (I have never ever flattened a tyre on gravel, only in the city with broken glass or some pointy metal). Previous set was without any punctures, that before had one (again, glass). Control and traction on loose gravel are nonexistent. On hard-packed dirt, surprisingly ok. If it's wet, you're toast - but what do you expect from 25mm?