thehammerdog

As older non racer type of rider I luv the new o everything fear nothing style of these bikes..disc brakes, cool looking, comfy. Would you consider one as your only bike?
check out this TOMAC
https://www.singletracklink.com/2013/...n-gravel-bike/

datlas 

Fad. Too small a niche IMO.

znomit

They will be huge in Texas
https://rt.com/usa/texas-gravel-asphalt-txdot-748/

Campag4life

Really depends on the roads you plan to ride. If mostly pavement and occasional forays on dirt, I would go with more of a road bike like a Roubaix which would be faster on the tarmac.

If riding more singletrack that isn't too rough, that bike would be a good choice....or any top cross bike....like a Spesh Crux in all carbon which will take 32c tires or even 38c. For a lot of riding a 28c will give good versatility which will fit a Roubaix. Looks like a nice bike. I would opt for the all Ti version. I don't like mixing materials on a frame personally.

Bacciagalupe

"Gravel bikes" are basically cross bikes with a few small tweaks.

They'll work fine for all-rounder use, as would a cross or endurance bike.

merlinextraligh

It's a growing niche. There are more gravel races every year, and participation in them is growing. 700 people did Dirty Kanza this year.


And a gravel bike is pretty versatile. As pointed out, they're essentially cyclocross bikes with some weaks, most notably increased tire clearance.

So whether a whole category of "gravel bike" becomes a staple, or we just see "cyclocross" bikes with more flexibility for wider tires, rack mounts etc., I think you'll see more bikes like the one the OP posted in the coming years.

If I do DK again or Trans Iowa, I'm buyinh one.

merlinextraligh

Only if I was going to ride a lot of gravel, and/or do loaded touring.

Great choice if you live in Emporia Kansas.

For mostly road riding, and an occassional foray into the gravel, a conventional road bike that could take a 28mm tire would be a better choice.

Darth Lefty 

It just seems like a rebranding of the bikes that already existed, "cross style" all-purpose bicycles for normal people. Those had already been changing from cantis to disks.

Some of them are just a drop bar on a hybrid.

thehammerdog

what are the tweaks and are they indeed different....they loo fster cooler but it maybe smoke & mirrors.....so how are they not CX bike

RJM

Bikes like these don't do anything I can't do on my Rivs, so it isn't exactly revolutionary. The disk brakes are cool though.

One and only bike? They are really versatile, so sure you could certainly use it as a one and only bike.....Unless you are really into time trialing or something.

I think these kinds of races are pretty cool and would be fun to participate in. Lots of gravel roads around me, so the extra tire width really helps out and it also makes it really comfortable on the road. All in all, great bikes.

merlinextraligh

Admittedly, the term "gravel bike" is somewhat marketing driven.

But there are meaningful differences between a typical gravel racer, and a cyclocross bike. Biggest difference is tire clearance. Maximum legal tire width for UCI races is 33mm. Most cyclocross bikes are designed to use a 32-35mm tire.

Purpose built gravel racers are typically built to take tires 2" or wider. Gravel racers also tend to have a bit longer wheel base, higher bb, longer chainstays and more relaxed head and seat tube angles.

I did DK on a traditional cyclocross bike, and it worked pretty well, but squeezing 40mm tires on to it created mud clearance issues at times.

merlinextraligh

There's something to your comment in that gravel race bikes are in someways a throw back to more traditional bikes that allowed the use of wider tires, before everybody started buying road bikes that are essentially road racing bikes.

That said, I doubt you'd finish Dirty Kanza on a Rivendal Roadeo due to the 33mm tire limit, and the lack of mud clearance from the caliper brakes.

The DK promoters recommend tires at least 2" wide. The ability to take really wide tires is what differentiates gravel grinders.

merlinextraligh

Biggest thing is tire size, mud clearance. Typical CX bike takes 32-35mm tires. Gravel Grinders typically can take 2"+ wide tires. Next, Gravel Grinders tend to have longer wheel bases, longer chain stays, higher bottom bracket, and more relaxed head and seat tube angles.

A gravel grinder is really a CX bike designed for longer races (100 miles plus), and to handle rougher terrain, hence he wider tires.

A true (traditional) CX bike is designed for UCI legal tire widths (33mm), and to corner well on a "crit on grass" course, ridden intensely in 45minute to 1 hour bursts. True CX bike you pick it up and run with it when the conditions are really bad.

RJM

Agreed.


Sam Hillborne has canti posts and can take at least 42 with fenders, but I agree, the Roadeo really isn't the bike for that kind of stuff. It does pretty good on gravel though and dirt road riding.

thehammerdog

The DK promoters recommend tires at least 2" wide. The ability to take really wide tires is what differentiates gravel grinders.[/QUOTE]
So a gravel bike can use the same wdth as my MTB wow....

Doohickie

My thought exactly. Include lugs for mounting fenders and racks, and this is a a pretty handy tourer/commuter.

Looigi

Marketing departs are always coming up with new stuff to sell, segmenting, slicing and dicing the market every which way in order to create more products and more demand. That's their job. What else are they going to do?

gc3

I think you got everything right except this part...I seem to recall reading they have lower bottom bracket relative to a true CX design...so, materials aside, its basically true road geometry with capacity for much bigger tires...

ThermionicScott 

"Gravel bikes" aren't the fad. Paying $2000+ for one is.

Myosmith

The term "gravel bike" may come and go, but people have been gravel grinding from before Orville and Wilbur had a bike shop. As long as there are unpaved roads and trails, there will be people who want bikes to ride on them. The original rigid MTBs more resembled gravel grinders than what is considered a MTB today. The 1980s - 90s hybrids were often outfitted with slightly beefier tires and were used on mixed surfaces. My 1993 Trek Multitrack was my go-to bike for general riding on a variety of road surfaces long before I heard the term "gravel grinder" and it is still my gravel bike today.

I think the versatility of CX and gravel bikes will lead to increasing usage, just as the rigid steel MTB became a mainstay commuter, fitness, utility bike. I can see gravel bikes becoming popular even with people who aren't your typical "gravel grinders" and just want a comfortable all-weather, all road condition bike.

darb85

its cyclical, itll go away, then come back, then go away, just like the last 30 years

wheelreason

My gravel bike is an old steel Stumpjumper with mostly LX stuff on it.

GuitarBob

I own a Kona Rove which probably falls in the "gravel grinder" category. I am a little slower on it than my road bike (not sure that would be true if I swapped out the 32s for 23s), but the steel frame and bigger tires make it a super comfortable ride on crappy roads. Besides what others have mentioned, it has slightly longer chain stays than hard-core CK bikes, plus it can take a rack and handle some light touring.

If I could have only one bike (good gawd no!), it might be the one I'd choose because of its versatility.

buffalowings

I think it's silly, unless you already have a roadbike and a cyclocross, I would get those two before getting a gravel bike, which seems like a cross between both.

Jseis 

We've thousands of miles of logging roads. If the land owners can be persuade to allow cyclists..possible that such bikes have a big future here. Unfortunately...the trend has been to gate all roads to prevent vehicles..any vehicle, from entering.