I had the privilege of riding a Lefty for one trail run a few years back and even though it's normally on bikes that are too expensive for my tastes, or abilities I experienced stiffness and flex-free steering precision that I've never encountered with any fork other than rigid forks before. Granted, my old RS Pikes with a Maxle are far from the best or stiffest thing around today but I've tried out newer bikes with modern, better Fox and BOS forks than mine and they're still missing the bump-sensitivity and precision of that Lefty I tried. Before you think I'm mad for Lefty forks, I'm not. They're expensive and much harder to maintain, apparently. They also severely limit your frame and hub choices. Like most of us, I make do with perfectly acceptable regular forks and almost wish I'd never ridden that Lefty. I'm not willing to put up with its downsides but I now know how much more flex, weight, and sticktion my own forks bring to the table. Ignorance was bliss!
@@chrisfanning5842 there's a big impacting factor you're missing. The wheels. They change the way a bike handles massively. Cheap wheels are weak and flex in both axes. The radial flex is okay, but the lateral makes the steering fell muddy. Entry trail wheels are stiff in both directions which isn't optimal, but better. The wheels on the lefty were probably high(er) end,maybe carbon. Good expensive wheels flex on radial impacts, same as the suspension,but not laterally, so the feel very precise to steer. I never rode a lefty, but their lateral stiffness is praised (and marketed...) so mayby you felt the combination of really good wheels and a really good fork.
@@blackpete Lefties are just AMAZING. The best suspension ever you will ride, and not only are they superstiff, but also react way faster to imperfections as they have way less stiction.. but what makes them amazing in use also makes them a pain in maintenance, just look at the intervals: cannondale.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/219100977-What-are-the-required-service-intervals-for-Lefty-forks- Essentially £1-£1.50 per hour of operation.
Hahaha spot ON and just like UCI road racing rules...roadies are generally very difficult to accept changes/progress......ie the hoohaas regarding disc brakes which MTB have been using for ages and even slow acceptance of tubeless....hahahaha
As mountain bikes got more suspension had to ride tougher terrain to get the same level of excitement, when I got a CX bike was amazed how much fun it was riding green and blue mtb trails and even the forest roads became enjoyable. I think suspension would make it more comfortable and easier but mean less grins.
Ah, as a citizen from a third world country, I have finally found a road bike fit for my city. Though I might have to work for a year to get enough money to buy this.
Dave Zabriskie said something similar, although more complimentary of mtb. He said in an interview for a gravel channel that “if you think the course seems easy, just downgrade your bike”. His own way of saying how much he enjoys both mountain and gravel.
For me it’s more like an “MTB light” not gravel. come on , dropper post and full suspension frames? Why? I think the market is trying to sell everything right now under the umbrella of gravel. I am huge fan of non-competitive bike touring and bike-packing but these features are totally unnecessary.
My main problem with shocks and other suspension pieces on gravel bikes is simply the service interval of those pieces. The Lefty Ocho rebuild interval is 200 hours. That's fine on a mountain bike as you're not generally going to be riding more than 2-4 hours at a time. Gravel/road? You might be rebuilding 2-3x or more a year if it's your primary/commuter bike.
I had a Slate when I lived in Iowa. Completely awesome there as gravel roads could be very rough. I now live in Minnesota, with much smoother gravel and traded my Slate in on a new Domane. I run two wheel sets, and with 40c tubeless it’s great on MN gravel. So, yes, probably niche for states like IA, KS, NB, etc. but completely worth it on those rough roads. The maintenance intervals are definitely inconvenient. I usually was ‘notified’ about mine when the fork began to stick and the ride suddenly got much harsher.
@@bink281 Yes 50 hours for a small service, but also 200 hours for a big service, its just that most people dont do it like that. Most people will just get it serviced when they really notice problems or after a long time like 2 years.
I’m looking forward to these becoming more mainstream, I live in South Somerset and always found the roads uncomfortable on a road bike, have since changed to a gravel bike and couldn’t be happier. Looking at that Cannondale it just gives you so many options on one ride which can only be a good thing in my eyes.
@@earthstick It's always a compromise. You just need to decide what and how much you want to compromise. Which is gonna be different for every rider. When you buy an MTB solely for off road riding, you compromise things as well. For example an enduro bike is gonna be better on the descends, and an XC bike is gonna be better on the climbs etc.
@@phillipstewart2031 Is road bikes the ultimate future of both mountain and gravel riding? At some point cyclists are gonna understand that straight tubes and narrow tires are soo much faster! They will even find a genious system that is lighter and easier to use than those giant rotors sticking on your wheels. The future is bright
I have a 90's rigid steel frame Peugeot mountain bike I've put drop bars and a road crankset on as my winter commuter. Of course it's a heavy beast compare to today's gravel bikes, weighs 16 kilos.
Modern MTBs are a bit different. The biggest problem is reach. Straight bar specific bikes always have longer top tubes, especially new MTBs. If you put a drop bar on an MTB you will be super stretched out. You can just put a short stem on it, but the handling might be crap with a super short stem and drop bars, and even XC bikes are moving to shorter stems so sometimes you simply can't get a short enough stem to account for the extra reach added. You can also try to size down, but the fit might never feel right. Then you have drivetrain compatibility issues. Then if you want a bit higher gears for road sections, you might not be able to put a chainring big enough on an MTB, because chainring sizes are usually pretty limited for maximum tyre clearance. Then you have the $$$ issue. The bike in the video is expensive, but so is converting a new MTB (drop bar hydro prices are ridiculous). There are drop bar MTBs out there that were designed from the ground up with drop bars in mind, like the Salsa Cutthroat (sweet bike IMO). But it's not as simple as just bolting drop bars on instead of flat bars.
@@HollyBoni have you seen the high end gravel bikes? they have a long wheelbase and high reach, and require a short stem its basically a mtb with dropbars and a rigid fork and low headtube
@@HollyBoni imo if you wanna go fast off road, rigid titanium is the way to go. just get a custom frame done and you're good to go. make the toptube really low, and have it slope up. hell, just get a moots with the weird rear triangle, don't need shocks.
I own both a mtb and a gravel bike (no front suspension), using the gravel bike even on light trails is a pain particularly because of the rigidity but also it’s geometry that puts you above the handle bars, how hard it is to position behind the seat and also very narrow handle bars to deal with rocky terrain. I really like the gravel for tarmac and occasional dirt road short segment but would def not recommend for any trail of any level
Si, you caught me. I had already made up my mind about suspension on gravel bikes (against) before watching the video. After hearing your thoughts I am a bit more open to the idea but will stick with my old tried and true titanium cyclocross bike for my personal gravel adventures.
I roll a 2018 Specialized Diverge full Carbon W future shock suspension, Which it really does add to the comfort and overall feel of a really fast machine that's compliant.. ✌💜😎
You can always lock-out the suspension and put road tires on a gravel bike, especially if the stack height is roughly the same as a road bike. That said, the midnight blue/green Topstone Carbon with ultegra and rigid fork is one of the best looking bikes I've ever seen.
@@P0pcornmaschine looks like someone else didn't. But the problem is, it isn't a joke, is it? Marketing people pushing 90s MTB geometry hard, now with 90s miniscule travel suspension fork. And in a couple of years a suspension gravel with more travel and a gravel bike that weights less etc. Just ride what you like but don't be fooled by the marketing - a suspension fork adds a kilo to the bike and at least a few hundred dollars to the price... Wake me up when there's a full suspension bike below the UCI limit...
I bought a couple Cannondale Slates for me and the Mrs a few years back. Absolutely love them. For all the reasons mentioned in the video. Try one. They are amazing. And now I want a Topstone.
The Lauf is going to have much less maintenance and issues like that. I think it is also designed to take out the road buzz as Si called it where this left fork is for the medium to large bumps
A beautiful machine, however weighing up the cost of the bike against the pain and inevitable trip to the dentist via an angry Mrs, I think I will wait for my numbers to come in.
Great piece, Simon! The cynics would say this is the bike companies trying to bleed the customer base dry behind the flag of n+1. I love to see the time, effort, money and risk which goes into developing and applying this sort of tech. Also, it seems almost purpose-built for the UK's potholed roads!
Gravel bike for decent money is extremely fun to ride on gravel roads, parks, partly roads. Any MTB would be just slow and heavy (or seem slow, but still be and seem heavy).
Bike companies are always creating "niche" in the market in order to sway people to spend more. First, there was the RBs then followed by the MTBs afterwards they combined both to come out in our consciousness the Gravel bikes in rigid forks then now introducing a Gravel bikes with suspensions so we goes back to MTBs. People spend more by following this "niche" with they created to enriched themselves.
I've just sold my emtb to fund my Gravel Bike. I've just purchased the new Orange X9 Pro complete with 40mm travel Fox AX front fork..... 1 month in & my face aches from the constant smiling..... Great video Si
Nice vid Si. I recently bought a gravel bike with 650b and i will never look back, still fast on the roads but so much more comfortable with the pot holes and generally crap roads around the cotswolds. In my opinion it's faster around my neck of the woods. You are spot on, nimble is the word
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I think a combination of a Moots Routt YBB with a Lauf SL would be a worthwhile test in this category!
This topic is front and center for me! I spent the past weekend on so many gravel roads on my gravel bike and when I returned home, said to my partner...is it possible to put front suspension on my Norco? We are looking at options now because it would be so much more comfortable, especially with the rocky gravel roads we have in New England. Thank you for this run-down of information. Cheers!
I bought a Suntour Suspension Seatpost and a Redshift Shockstop Stem for my gravel bike. The reason is because some of the routes I take are through some small mountain villages with fast descents with very rough roads that fatigues my hands holding on and braking during those sections. The seatpost is to see if it will save my spine in the long run. I also suspect these upgrades are way cheaper than going out and buying a new full suspension gravel bike. Heck, they cost less than half of just a Lauf Fork.
All bikes are getting better and for sure, it looks like a bit of suspension on gravel bikes is the way to go. You always do good work, Si, as Scientific Si and thanks for that.
I’d like to try both this and the Niner full suspension gravel bike that was on the channel a while back and see which I like more. I don’t really like the bobbing I get on my FS e-bike and I like standing up more on a road bike so I suspect I’ll like the Cannondale. But that’s just a guess.
I finally tried 40s on my road bike and I am loving the “MTB” trails less than 2 miles away from my apartment. And then on Monday I ride it 10 miles to work on the road. I believe it to be the absolute best for what I need!
One of the most exciting things about this video is the Venture Front/Byway back tyre combo. Another thing to trickle down from MTB, and something we should see more of, and is likely to be the next focus in adventure road/ gravel tyre development. I’d love to see more choice out there for this.
Gotta say I'm a fan of suspension in a Gravel bike. I bought a Specialized Diverge Sport last year and its supper versatile. Especially as I've also bought a set of Hunt aerolight34 wheels for it as a road set up. One bike, two wheel sets and it runs really great whether that be on club group rides, longer distance training rides on the wonderful roads (NOT!) of Belgium, on pavé, or on forest trails and farm tracks. The "future shock" front suspension just means I'm more comfortable on my ride and I don't actually notice it otherwise. A true quivar killer.
I'm incredibly excited to see the engineering specifically designed around gravel biking. I don't think anyone should confuse this at all for a cross country or downhill mountain bike at all - as Si said, its design concept is still very much a light, rigid road bike, and the specialized suspension is very much built around that as opposed to truly harsh offroading.
I have a 2017 Cannondale slate Ultegra. Still love it. It’s my commuting bike... er... when commuting was a thing. Tubeless carbon rims.. I might get one of these new lefty top stones as my only issue has been the 650b size and choice of rubber
I am definitely open to front suspension if tuned for the road. I think it’s better day go this route them to get increasingly larger tires. Some bikes are exceeding the 50 mm range now. Not so quick anymore.
Nice Video! Thanks. I have a Diverge with first gen future shock. I mainly use it for commuting over rutted bike tracks carrying a clarinet, saxophone, flute, laptop, lunch, and change of clothes. (I teach music.) It carries this weight really nicely as opposed to my old flat bar road / hybrid commuter which used to flex side to side. I don't actually ride it on gravel very much but the suspension is great for all the pot holes and ruts. I Australia they lay some new bike tracks that are as bumpy as a road after 20 years of use......Ah....... I dream of Switzerland!
I started in MTB but now, work/living circumstances put me in the heart of the city, meaning I have a high % of time on roads. That said, over the past year, I haven't done a route yet that didn't include some section of off-piste, which at times can get quite gnarly. I have route options available that could see 25-33% of my ride on questionable surfaces. As such, I continually find myself yearning for the utility of a MTB to cruise quickly and accurately over the rough stuff but with the lack of grams of a road bike for speed on tarmac that comprises the majority of my route-km. This Cannondale Topstone, unlike the Frankenbike that is the Slate, looks like it ticks all of the boxes. I want no limitations on my riding. Now if GCN could just help me to complementarily demo the bike for a year, that would be quite nice thank you very much!
depend on which is your priority....1) fast on the road and can still go fast thru non technical trails = gravel bike wt susp. 2) Very Fast on the road but can only go thru gravel road (fireroad type) = rigid gravel bike 3) non so fast on the road but way faster on technical trails both down & up = full susp XC bike 4) slow on the road but can bomb thru/flatten tech trails/rock garden/downhills = ALL Mountain trail bike......Choose which suits you preference.. Anyway, way few years back santa cruz brand have a gravel bike like called "jake the snake"
I think the problem with suspension gravel bikes is that it takes away some of the versatility by making the bike heavier and too soft for climbing on the road, you also have to worry about maintaining those parts which can be expensive if you don't have the know how. If you are doing enough riding off road where a suspension is necessary 80% of the time, you probably want a mountain bike.
The main reason I bought a gravel bike over a MTB is I prefer the positive connected feeling you get from a bike without suspension. Gravel bikes have filled the void left when MTBs went down the suspension route. There will be a market for suspension gravel bikes, but more of a niche one imo.
Good take on this bike. The topstone lefty isn’t exactly a full suspension bike, I know, I own a full suspension gravel conversion (2015 Scott Spark) and a topstone lefty. Proper full suspension operates with sag and the travel is dampened. In the cannondale, there is no sag front or rear and only the front is dampened. The benefit to real suspension is traction, since the wheels follow the contour of objects they roll over, they never lose contact. The benefit of the topstone lefty is that it rides like a road bike should, but attenuates the blows from what you are rolling into and over all day long. Don’t expect this bike to have the traction of a dualie mtb but it stays glued better that a fully rigid bike and being several pounds lighter than my dualie conversion, runs like a rocket.
As with any bike discussion, there is significant crossover technology that on the surface may blur the edges when comparing specific bikes. I ride both road and mountain and often can be seen riding my S-Works Epic XC on the road; the disadvantage is speed. I can comfortably ride 18-20mph in most conditions and push up to 25mph in favorable conditions, but not over longer distances - I mainly use the XC bike for training on the road when I have less riding time available do to running out of gearing and eventually, the watts to push a large bike in an upright position. Even on Gravel, the XC has limitations on the speed side and requires a significant increase in watts to maintain higher speeds. With a Gravel bike like the S-Works Diverge or the Cannondale Lefty, the weight increase is still significantly less than my super light XC along with aero frame and riding position, allowing me to increase my speed on average by 5-6mph, and in favorable conditions (no wind...) I can ride 26-28mph for longer distances; or significantly less watts expended to maintain the same speed. A similar jump can be made when I ride my pure Road bike. What about my S-Works Hardtail... yes it's a bit faster because it's lighter than my full suspension XC, but not much, and the aero aspects of the riding position and the bike still hinder higher speed performance. Now, given that I am older (64) I'm not going to do much single track on my Gravel bike, but wider trails and gravel roads, or urban jungles, the Gravel bike with some suspension can't be beat as it keeps the tires in contact with the ground, less fatigue on the body, better gearing for the terrain, lighter weight and Aero qualities adds up to a fast ride for less effort. There is a definite place in the cycling world for a lightweight suspended Gravel bike and it is the future of this blended riding environment. Great video Si... Seems like some testing is in order on these bikes to numerically show the benefits!
I would love to see a GCN logo on that high-tech bike stand. Patent pending? On another note, how did you get on with the BB30A? Any annoying knocking, clicking and generally unhealthy sounds originating from the BB? I bought a Topstone C 105 in Jan '20. Fantastic smooth ride - but many other issues. e.g. been through 2 rear wheels in 4 months (stock hubs are made from compressed toilet-paper I reckon..... ). Upgraded.
Cannondale have always thought outside the box and to be fair they have succeeded. Since the dawn of time inventors and riders have been trying to make bikes more comfortable and putting suspension where the impact area happens is the best choice.
I see PLENTY of room in the market between traditional rigid gravel bikes, and XC mountain bikes. My quiver killer dream bike sits in this space that's currently under-served. More of this!!!!!!!!
I have got a full suspension road bike, a 2000 Hercules Emozione. It makes the ride really smooth on the road but comes with a penalty of around 2-3kg. Now with the trend to gravel bikes I would like to fit bigger tires in there. With 1mm of clearance I can just fit 28mm wide tires. And now modern endurance disc bikes can fit already wider tires of around 32-35mm which are not as plush as a full suspension but are probably a better compromise for speed and weight.
Absolutely suspension has better control over rough terrain. I like how you said instead of the energy bouncing you up over bumps which slows you down, it absorbs that so you can go faster. People can spend a lot on a typical bike so adding suspension , why not, the more this is done the more expectation it will be there.
Yes, gravel riding would be better with small full suspension. Many have some built in already (Moots and Specialized). Takes some of the knock out of bigger bumps. Important distinction is not taking a gravel bike for true mountain biking. We still need dedicated Mountain bikes for that.
I can see how racers would benefit from additional speed on certain courses, but for me there's something extra-satisfying about having the skill to make it through with no suspension. In real-world application, I'd go unsuspended gravel with appropriate tire size for the terrain, or go Mt. bike for extreme climbs and descents and more difficult technicals. That just makes sense to me especially when you're looking at such things as cost/benefits in terms of performance and maintenance/durability.
Just got my Kona gravel bike a week or so ago. Such a blast. I admit, proper suspension would help but I’m using this more as a commuter bike with the odd trail session here and there.
Just started riding my Cannondale Topstone 105 alloy (not rich enough for carbon). It's a dream, and a perfect match for my regular riding route. If I were to consider rougher terrain, some suspension would be nice to have. As it is, on the packed roads that I ride, the big tires and carbon fork dampen the road enough for me.
Great analysis and quite impartial. Personally having experienced MTB from the 80s I love the more conservative fully rigid gravel bikes. They are a great reminder for what cycling is all about. It's an uncomplicated and healthy way to explore the world around you. If things get rough you still have the option to carry the bike on the shoulder. Putting your feet down it's not a shame 😉
Love the Topstone, love Cannondale. At the same time I have a Ridley X-Trail gravel bike - without suspension. Really don’t see the need to upgrade it. Seems like one more thing to service, as much as I like the aesthetic and the potential, just not worth it for someone like me who already has a very serviceable gravel bike. Ride what you’ve got & love it!
If your off-roading is getting so demanding that it requires suspension then are narrow drop bars and a road racing riding position going to hinder you next? I think there is a place for these bikes along the spectrum of road to off-road, it just depends where you want to be on that scale.
Wheel base is also a major difference that wasn't covered very much, but just from eyeballing your gravel bike it's pretty obvious how much shorter and more nimble, but as a result less stable, the gravel bike is compared to a trail or downhill setup.
Living in SoCal where the gravel is rocky, I totally understand the appeal of suspension on gravel bikes. However, suspension does make it a bit more of a specialized tool instead of the all rounder it's best as. My gravel bike doubles as a road bike with a wheel swap, so I'm good with a rigid one for the foreseeable future. If I ever needed more comfort, I could just revert to a suspension stem/seatpost if necessary.
The Idea of suspension on gravel bikes is just amazing to begin with, I havent really had any experience with any other bike than XC bikes, but my terrain is usually a good mix of Road, Gravel and good climbs. I would definately try a gravel bike to see the different feel especially in terms of speed. Question is since Tires play a big role on performace, What tire size would be a sweet spot for a perfect all round Gravel grinder with / without suspension? Also Do a piece on Suspension Gravel bikes only ....Like try out the Leftys the Full Niner , the levarg i'd love to see what the lads at GCN think about those as well...AND ...any suggestions on online shops that would ship bikes down to Kenya for decent prices. Thanks.
For the type of riding here in the coffee belt of Colombia, a little suspension could be nice on these old, often rocky logging roads and busted up chunks of concrete that comprise of the other mixed surfaces. (Most people here are riding Downhill and XC Mtn. bicycles). However, I do enjoy the extra challenge (and perhaps arm workout) of under-biking them on my rigid fork on the gravel bike.
One of the main reasons why I bought a gravel bike is that I can use it in two different ways with two different wheelsets. For me, losing more of a road bike DNA is not attractive at all, such as 1x drivetrain and suspensions.
You can consider any bike if you like but what really determines which bike makes sense is you style of riding and even more WHERE are you planning riding, in my opinion. I live in North California, the real north meaning in the redwood forest, so all roads and paved roads are bumpy...now you tell me what I am riding and what I am planning to get as my next bike. Smile.
Just bought the Triban RC 520 Gravel. Good partial groupset (Shimano 105), not the lightest, not the heaviest. Suits my budget just fine. I'm looking mainly road and path, but light rubble and wooded paths too. Perfect for my needs. Replaced the rear cassette already from a Microshift 11-32 to a Shimano 11-34, for steeper hill sections. Will replace the chain for a proper 105 Chain soon also. Carbon forks. I'm not looking for rough gravel terrain, otherwise I'd be using a mountain bike. The wider bars of the mountain bike will also help with control on the bumpy stuff. Otherwise - road bikes with suspension would have been brought out by now.
One thing that people overlook: gravel bikes LOOK like a road bike. They look fast, sleek, slim and nimble in comparison to wide, sturday, stable, chunky mountainbikes (not worse, just a different aesthetic). And that is really important for a lot of people.
I have tried this way back with my Trek Fuel 90 (26 inch wheel) full suspension XC bike. I have 700c wheels for it and ran them with 19mm road tires. Awsome test...pretty fast until you ran out of gears and the riding position was not optimal for going fast..how ever for over 12km commute it took away roughly 5 min. Originally I did it to save my XC tires from road wear, that bike was my only bike at the time. But it was comfy ride even with 10 bar tire pressure. I agree with you it would be cool to see the test of modern FS gravel bike with road tires and high tire pressure.
Where I ride gravel roads can often have severe washboarding and moderate pot holes so suspension could make a lot of sense. How about a video on xc mountain bike vs suspension gravel on cobbles?
I am all for suspension in gravel bikes but I am a very aggressive rider and enjoy fully rigid mountain bikes as well. I love pushing the limits of my gravel rig and suspension makes those limits alot harder to push.
I guess Gravel bikes can be anything in between a strict road bike and a full suspension MTB now. I think the main problem going forward is the lack of standards. It would be crazy expensive if every company had their own proprietary suspension designs unlike the standardized MTB suspension forks and rear shocks.
@@dermax_hd Is there a law for that or something? There are bikes out there with MTB geo (head angle, suspension corrected fork etc.) adjusted for drop bars (shorter top tube), MTB tyre clearance, MTB BB shell like the Salsa Cutthroat. Makes sense to call these drop bar MTBs. But i'll call them adventure bikes then. Happy? 😁
I have a hard tail MTB, the suspension does something but not as much as I might have hoped. Maybe it needs to be a bit softer. That brings me to a question. If your tyres are low pressure, nice and soft, when you hit a bump are they not going to compress and possibly hit the rim before the suspension reacts? Should the suspension be more compliant than your tyres?
As an enduro rider I've been thinking about buying a gravel bikes, mainly because a XC bike is still a mountain bike and I can't avoid trying to do the same stuff I do on the enduro bike. Gravel bikes are the best option for fitness training for mountain bikers I believe
I have two cyclocross bikes. A Raliegh RX Race 1x and a Focus Mares CX4. I road the Raliegh to a pretty impressive time i feel at the Paris Roubaix Challenge and I use this bike a lot on fire roads around cannock chase but riding with a friend on an 8kg hard tail all day. It was really disparaging to see him disappear over a 100 meter section of roots and bricks. Suspension definitely has its place.
As always, people in the comments (already) whining that you should get an MTB. Just remember, the MTB will be slower on gravel roads, and probably not as comfortable on long rides. Also, in case you haven't noticed, your car will hopefully have suspension, and it's there to improve handling and comfort.....
@@jeidun What problem? Is buying a gravel bike a problem? Why is it not a problem that there are all kinds of different MTBs optimized for different tasks? Following your logic XC bikes shouldn't exist either, because you can do the same things and more on a trail bike or an enduro bike.
@@jeidun Si literally spent 10 minutes explaining the difference, slower gearing, heavier, different geo, suspension is tuned for different things and so on. Also, other people have made the comment, you are looking at serious money to do this. MTB's are a bit boring and slow on roads/tracks, while, any drop bar bike is sketchy where terrain get's serious. It's a different tool/toy for different situations.
si you left half the fork at home
He lost it. Rattled loose.
Seriously ... it’s made like that to be lighter
I had the privilege of riding a Lefty for one trail run a few years back and even though it's normally on bikes that are too expensive for my tastes, or abilities I experienced stiffness and flex-free steering precision that I've never encountered with any fork other than rigid forks before. Granted, my old RS Pikes with a Maxle are far from the best or stiffest thing around today but I've tried out newer bikes with modern, better Fox and BOS forks than mine and they're still missing the bump-sensitivity and precision of that Lefty I tried.
Before you think I'm mad for Lefty forks, I'm not. They're expensive and much harder to maintain, apparently. They also severely limit your frame and hub choices. Like most of us, I make do with perfectly acceptable regular forks and almost wish I'd never ridden that Lefty. I'm not willing to put up with its downsides but I now know how much more flex, weight, and sticktion my own forks bring to the table. Ignorance was bliss!
@@chrisfanning5842 there's a big impacting factor you're missing. The wheels. They change the way a bike handles massively. Cheap wheels are weak and flex in both axes. The radial flex is okay, but the lateral makes the steering fell muddy. Entry trail wheels are stiff in both directions which isn't optimal, but better. The wheels on the lefty were probably high(er) end,maybe carbon. Good expensive wheels flex on radial impacts, same as the suspension,but not laterally, so the feel very precise to steer. I never rode a lefty, but their lateral stiffness is praised (and marketed...) so mayby you felt the combination of really good wheels and a really good fork.
@@blackpete Lefties are just AMAZING. The best suspension ever you will ride, and not only are they superstiff, but also react way faster to imperfections as they have way less stiction.. but what makes them amazing in use also makes them a pain in maintenance, just look at the intervals:
cannondale.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/219100977-What-are-the-required-service-intervals-for-Lefty-forks-
Essentially £1-£1.50 per hour of operation.
Sometimes roadies' opinions are as stiff and unforgiving as their frames and tires...
stiff like a sports car = gotta go faaaast.
Przemyslaw Sliwinski at least trials riders know to differentiate their opinions and frame stiffness...
Hahaha spot ON and just like UCI road racing rules...roadies are generally very difficult to accept changes/progress......ie the hoohaas regarding disc brakes which MTB have been using for ages and even slow acceptance of tubeless....hahahaha
Or perhaps it’s different strokes for different folks.
@MRGRUMPY53 You've been living under a rock mate?
As mountain bikes got more suspension had to ride tougher terrain to get the same level of excitement, when I got a CX bike was amazed how much fun it was riding green and blue mtb trails and even the forest roads became enjoyable. I think suspension would make it more comfortable and easier but mean less grins.
I definitely regret getting a full sus trail bike for riding mtb in my area. Even the harder trails I could probably do on my cx bike.
Yeah but even a cx bike , when you hit big roots and ruts and branches they just are not made for that abuse without any compliance of a suspension
exactly my thought, I thought the point of gravel bikes was a "back to the roots" cross country experience..
Ah, as a citizen from a third world country, I have finally found a road bike fit for my city. Though I might have to work for a year to get enough money to buy this.
Ur probably better off with a cheap one from some local shop, bikes like that get stolen pretty easily
Are you from England?
the best bike, is the one you have!
Chad Hayag yes it’s hard to be a British.
this bike is stupid, cost big and easy target for thefs , stay low profile with your cheap wheels and be happy.
What I like about this is that nowadays we have more options when it comes to choose a bike. Excellent video!
Remember Simon telling he rode gravel cause mtb had got too easy?😅
Jeez
Dave Zabriskie said something similar, although more complimentary of mtb. He said in an interview for a gravel channel that “if you think the course seems easy, just downgrade your bike”. His own way of saying how much he enjoys both mountain and gravel.
So dum. Change terrain!
😂 I remember that, whilst riding a boring, mellow trail and spouting off like it was technical 😂
For me it’s more like an “MTB light” not gravel. come on , dropper post and full suspension frames? Why? I think the market is trying to sell everything right now under the umbrella of gravel. I am huge fan of non-competitive bike touring and bike-packing but these features are totally unnecessary.
My main problem with shocks and other suspension pieces on gravel bikes is simply the service interval of those pieces. The Lefty Ocho rebuild interval is 200 hours. That's fine on a mountain bike as you're not generally going to be riding more than 2-4 hours at a time. Gravel/road? You might be rebuilding 2-3x or more a year if it's your primary/commuter bike.
I think this is an inherently niche product: only for people who can afford more than 1 expensive bike, and those with very specific riding needs.
This bike frame with a lauf fork, all flex, no sliding parts
I had a Slate when I lived in Iowa. Completely awesome there as gravel roads could be very rough. I now live in Minnesota, with much smoother gravel and traded my Slate in on a new Domane. I run two wheel sets, and with 40c tubeless it’s great on MN gravel. So, yes, probably niche for states like IA, KS, NB, etc. but completely worth it on those rough roads. The maintenance intervals are definitely inconvenient. I usually was ‘notified’ about mine when the fork began to stick and the ride suddenly got much harsher.
200 hrs is a very long time when you think about it. Typically, MTB forks have a 50 hrs service interval.
@@bink281 Yes 50 hours for a small service, but also 200 hours for a big service, its just that most people dont do it like that. Most people will just get it serviced when they really notice problems or after a long time like 2 years.
We are just re-living mountain bike development. We are now somewhere around 1999
Sit back, relax and enjoy the cyclomilennium crisis
@@PolyglotBikepacker you would think companies could take a lesson from history and skip all the interim steps, but where is the profit in that?
Yep
I would just put 40mm width gravel tires on a cross-country mountain bike if I need a gravel bike 😂
I’m looking forward to these becoming more mainstream, I live in South Somerset and always found the roads uncomfortable on a road bike, have since changed to a gravel bike and couldn’t be happier. Looking at that Cannondale it just gives you so many options on one ride which can only be a good thing in my eyes.
For the price of that thing you could get a half decent road bike and a hardtail...
But neither can do both road and off road really good.
Better have one best thing, than two good ones.
@@blackpete sure darling.
@@blackpete But this also can't do on and off road really good. It's a compromise.
@@earthstick It's always a compromise. You just need to decide what and how much you want to compromise. Which is gonna be different for every rider. When you buy an MTB solely for off road riding, you compromise things as well. For example an enduro bike is gonna be better on the descends, and an XC bike is gonna be better on the climbs etc.
One important aspect worth mentioning that suspension provides is compression and rebound damping. Tires do have some suspension but no damping.
Of course they do, it's inherent in the material, otherwise you'd be rebounding up and down endlessly after the very first bump.
Si’s so consistently good in these videos but at 4:21 he really surpassed himself 😄👍
I love GCN's (and Si's for that matter) attitude towards sponsored content.
Reasonable. They at least make it clear that it is sponsored.
The Jeremy Clarkson of the two wheeled pusher world?
Is mountain bikes the future of gravel bikes? ...
Is gravel bikes the future of mountain bikes??
No chance, that couldn't do half of what we can
@@phillipstewart2031 Is road bikes the ultimate future of both mountain and gravel riding? At some point cyclists are gonna understand that straight tubes and narrow tires are soo much faster! They will even find a genious system that is lighter and easier to use than those giant rotors sticking on your wheels. The future is bright
@Salvatore Gravano yeah, the biggest thing keeping me from buying a gravel bike, is a road bike. Already have a HT MTB
@Salvatore Gravano Lmao it's a hit now. Gravel's the ultimate bike for all terrain
At this point just put dropbars on a mtb and call it a day
It would be awesome if it was that simple.
I have a 90's rigid steel frame Peugeot mountain bike I've put drop bars and a road crankset on as my winter commuter. Of course it's a heavy beast compare to today's gravel bikes, weighs 16 kilos.
Modern MTBs are a bit different. The biggest problem is reach. Straight bar specific bikes always have longer top tubes, especially new MTBs. If you put a drop bar on an MTB you will be super stretched out. You can just put a short stem on it, but the handling might be crap with a super short stem and drop bars, and even XC bikes are moving to shorter stems so sometimes you simply can't get a short enough stem to account for the extra reach added. You can also try to size down, but the fit might never feel right. Then you have drivetrain compatibility issues. Then if you want a bit higher gears for road sections, you might not be able to put a chainring big enough on an MTB, because chainring sizes are usually pretty limited for maximum tyre clearance. Then you have the $$$ issue. The bike in the video is expensive, but so is converting a new MTB (drop bar hydro prices are ridiculous).
There are drop bar MTBs out there that were designed from the ground up with drop bars in mind, like the Salsa Cutthroat (sweet bike IMO). But it's not as simple as just bolting drop bars on instead of flat bars.
@@HollyBoni have you seen the high end gravel bikes? they have a long wheelbase and high reach, and require a short stem
its basically a mtb with dropbars and a rigid fork and low headtube
@@HollyBoni imo if you wanna go fast off road, rigid titanium is the way to go. just get a custom frame done and you're good to go. make the toptube really low, and have it slope up. hell, just get a moots with the weird rear triangle, don't need shocks.
0:39 gonna let us make up our own mind ? Thats what we always do Si. Nice vid and bike btw.
I own both a mtb and a gravel bike (no front suspension), using the gravel bike even on light trails is a pain particularly because of the rigidity but also it’s geometry that puts you above the handle bars, how hard it is to position behind the seat and also very narrow handle bars to deal with rocky terrain. I really like the gravel for tarmac and occasional dirt road short segment but would def not recommend for any trail of any level
Si, you caught me. I had already made up my mind about suspension on gravel bikes (against) before watching the video. After hearing your thoughts I am a bit more open to the idea but will stick with my old tried and true titanium cyclocross bike for my personal gravel adventures.
Oh how great. As soon as I start looking for a monster cross bike, gcn uploads this
Devinci hatchet. If you can find one in stock anywhere
I roll a 2018 Specialized Diverge full Carbon W future shock suspension, Which it really does add to the comfort and overall feel of a really fast machine that's compliant.. ✌💜😎
mine came with x30 tires, moved to x32. Been eying x37 at next tire replacement. Friend of mine get the new model, with x38 tires and he's enjoying it
Mine has 38's and they are Ideal!! 🙂
You can always lock-out the suspension and put road tires on a gravel bike, especially if the stack height is roughly the same as a road bike. That said, the midnight blue/green Topstone Carbon with ultegra and rigid fork is one of the best looking bikes I've ever seen.
Is mountain bike the future of gravel bike ? 😉
No!!! Who the hell wants to ride a montagne bike on hilly roads!!!!
@@kevywilliams3304 seems like you didn't get the joke
@@P0pcornmaschine looks like someone else didn't. But the problem is, it isn't a joke, is it? Marketing people pushing 90s MTB geometry hard, now with 90s miniscule travel suspension fork. And in a couple of years a suspension gravel with more travel and a gravel bike that weights less etc. Just ride what you like but don't be fooled by the marketing - a suspension fork adds a kilo to the bike and at least a few hundred dollars to the price... Wake me up when there's a full suspension bike below the UCI limit...
Judging by bike shop inventory around here, mtb are the only bikes. We have no mountains here.
just google flat bar gravelbike: how to sell a 90ies mtb in 2020
I bought a couple Cannondale Slates for me and the Mrs a few years back. Absolutely love them. For all the reasons mentioned in the video. Try one. They are amazing. And now I want a Topstone.
How does it compare to the Lauf fork you've previously tested?
The Lauf is going to have much less maintenance and issues like that. I think it is also designed to take out the road buzz as Si called it where this left fork is for the medium to large bumps
Is it only me that finds the aesthetic awful with a suspension only one side? It looks like a joke to me...
Yes.
its actually pretty ocol looking in real life.
I guess 9 likes they mean that they don't like it like me.. So for now it is 9 against 2.. Pretty clear so far :D
I certainly do NOT like the looks of Lefty suspension
You're not alone. The whole bike to me does not look good
A beautiful machine, however weighing up the cost of the bike against the pain and inevitable trip to the dentist via an angry Mrs, I think I will wait for my numbers to come in.
It’s almost like they invented these nearly 40 years ago, think they called them mountain bikes back then.
Great piece, Simon! The cynics would say this is the bike companies trying to bleed the customer base dry behind the flag of n+1. I love to see the time, effort, money and risk which goes into developing and applying this sort of tech. Also, it seems almost purpose-built for the UK's potholed roads!
I think you need to review Redshift on CX setups for minimum weight
Gravel bike for decent money is extremely fun to ride on gravel roads, parks, partly roads. Any MTB would be just slow and heavy (or seem slow, but still be and seem heavy).
Not an XC bike...
Just love Si and love gravel... So this combo is legit! Thx GCN! Well played...
Me: explaining gravel bikes to a friend
Friend: "oh so it's a hybrid?"
Me: "yeah basically"
Glad I'm not the only one thinking that. A flat bar gravel bike is basically just a hybrid bike.
Bike companies are always creating "niche" in the market in order to sway people to spend more. First, there was the RBs then followed by the MTBs afterwards they combined both to come out in our consciousness the Gravel bikes in rigid forks then now introducing a Gravel bikes with suspensions so we goes back to MTBs. People spend more by following this "niche" with they created to enriched themselves.
There were lots of people before gravel bikes who owned 5 different kinds of MTBs for different purposes.
@@HollyBoni my point. by the way, i forgot to mention ebikes.
Love you guys, keep it up😎
I've just sold my emtb to fund my Gravel Bike. I've just purchased the new Orange X9 Pro complete with 40mm travel Fox AX front fork..... 1 month in & my face aches from the constant smiling..... Great video Si
Nice vid Si. I recently bought a gravel bike with 650b and i will never look back, still fast on the roads but so much more comfortable with the pot holes and generally crap roads around the cotswolds. In my opinion it's faster around my neck of the woods. You are spot on, nimble is the word
I think a combination of a Moots Routt YBB with a Lauf SL would be a worthwhile test in this category!
This topic is front and center for me! I spent the past weekend on so many gravel roads on my gravel bike and when I returned home, said to my partner...is it possible to put front suspension on my Norco? We are looking at options now because it would be so much more comfortable, especially with the rocky gravel roads we have in New England. Thank you for this run-down of information. Cheers!
What a great way to start the summer. More suspension = less sweat? Happy Summer Solstice Si and GCN!!!!! ;-)
I bought a Suntour Suspension Seatpost and a Redshift Shockstop Stem for my gravel bike. The reason is because some of the routes I take are through some small mountain villages with fast descents with very rough roads that fatigues my hands holding on and braking during those sections. The seatpost is to see if it will save my spine in the long run. I also suspect these upgrades are way cheaper than going out and buying a new full suspension gravel bike. Heck, they cost less than half of just a Lauf Fork.
All bikes are getting better and for sure, it looks like a bit of suspension on gravel bikes is the way to go. You always do good work, Si, as Scientific Si and thanks for that.
I’d like to try both this and the Niner full suspension gravel bike that was on the channel a while back and see which I like more. I don’t really like the bobbing I get on my FS e-bike and I like standing up more on a road bike so I suspect I’ll like the Cannondale. But that’s just a guess.
I finally tried 40s on my road bike and I am loving the “MTB” trails less than 2 miles away from my apartment. And then on Monday I ride it 10 miles to work on the road.
I believe it to be the absolute best for what I need!
One of the most exciting things about this video is the Venture Front/Byway back tyre combo. Another thing to trickle down from MTB, and something we should see more of, and is likely to be the next focus in adventure road/ gravel tyre development. I’d love to see more choice out there for this.
Best video. Nice work Mates 😃
Gotta say I'm a fan of suspension in a Gravel bike. I bought a Specialized Diverge Sport last year and its supper versatile. Especially as I've also bought a set of Hunt aerolight34 wheels for it as a road set up. One bike, two wheel sets and it runs really great whether that be on club group rides, longer distance training rides on the wonderful roads (NOT!) of Belgium, on pavé, or on forest trails and farm tracks. The "future shock" front suspension just means I'm more comfortable on my ride and I don't actually notice it otherwise. A true quivar killer.
I'm incredibly excited to see the engineering specifically designed around gravel biking. I don't think anyone should confuse this at all for a cross country or downhill mountain bike at all - as Si said, its design concept is still very much a light, rigid road bike, and the specialized suspension is very much built around that as opposed to truly harsh offroading.
Great to hear Sumiko!
I have a 2017 Cannondale slate Ultegra. Still love it. It’s my commuting bike... er... when commuting was a thing. Tubeless carbon rims.. I might get one of these new lefty top stones as my only issue has been the 650b size and choice of rubber
I am definitely open to front suspension if tuned for the road. I think it’s better day go this route them to get increasingly larger tires. Some bikes are exceeding the 50 mm range now. Not so quick anymore.
Nice Video! Thanks. I have a Diverge with first gen future shock. I mainly use it for commuting over rutted bike tracks carrying a clarinet, saxophone, flute, laptop, lunch, and change of clothes. (I teach music.) It carries this weight really nicely as opposed to my old flat bar road / hybrid commuter which used to flex side to side. I don't actually ride it on gravel very much but the suspension is great for all the pot holes and ruts. I Australia they lay some new bike tracks that are as bumpy as a road after 20 years of use......Ah....... I dream of Switzerland!
I started in MTB but now, work/living circumstances put me in the heart of the city, meaning I have a high % of time on roads. That said, over the past year, I haven't done a route yet that didn't include some section of off-piste, which at times can get quite gnarly. I have route options available that could see 25-33% of my ride on questionable surfaces. As such, I continually find myself yearning for the utility of a MTB to cruise quickly and accurately over the rough stuff but with the lack of grams of a road bike for speed on tarmac that comprises the majority of my route-km. This Cannondale Topstone, unlike the Frankenbike that is the Slate, looks like it ticks all of the boxes. I want no limitations on my riding. Now if GCN could just help me to complementarily demo the bike for a year, that would be quite nice thank you very much!
depend on which is your priority....1) fast on the road and can still go fast thru non technical trails = gravel bike wt susp. 2) Very Fast on the road but can only go thru gravel road (fireroad type) = rigid gravel bike 3) non so fast on the road but way faster on technical trails both down & up = full susp XC bike 4) slow on the road but can bomb thru/flatten tech trails/rock garden/downhills = ALL Mountain trail bike......Choose which suits you preference..
Anyway, way few years back santa cruz brand have a gravel bike like called "jake the snake"
Wasn't that Kona and a cyclocross bike?
@@chrisunderwood3453Exactly, yes, but did it have suspension, anyway? The current ones don't.
@@nikveldkamp8630 No. The Kona Jake the Snake never had suspension.
I think the problem with suspension gravel bikes is that it takes away some of the versatility by making the bike heavier and too soft for climbing on the road, you also have to worry about maintaining those parts which can be expensive if you don't have the know how. If you are doing enough riding off road where a suspension is necessary 80% of the time, you probably want a mountain bike.
The main reason I bought a gravel bike over a MTB is I prefer the positive connected feeling you get from a bike without suspension. Gravel bikes have filled the void left when MTBs went down the suspension route. There will be a market for suspension gravel bikes, but more of a niche one imo.
Si gave lowkey the best explanation on suspension that I've ever seen. Kudos to the lad.
Lauf Fork + Kinekt seat post = My full suspension gravel Jamis Renegade since 2017! Hell YES!!!!
Can I just say the quality of these vids are better than ever post lockdown🤙
Good take on this bike. The topstone lefty isn’t exactly a full suspension bike, I know, I own a full suspension gravel conversion (2015 Scott Spark) and a topstone lefty. Proper full suspension operates with sag and the travel is dampened. In the cannondale, there is no sag front or rear and only the front is dampened. The benefit to real suspension is traction, since the wheels follow the contour of objects they roll over, they never lose contact. The benefit of the topstone lefty is that it rides like a road bike should, but attenuates the blows from what you are rolling into and over all day long. Don’t expect this bike to have the traction of a dualie mtb but it stays glued better that a fully rigid bike and being several pounds lighter than my dualie conversion, runs like a rocket.
4: 44 As early as 1885, the Whippet brand of safety bicycle was notable for its use of springs to suspend the frame.
As with any bike discussion, there is significant crossover technology that on the surface may blur the edges when comparing specific bikes. I ride both road and mountain and often can be seen riding my S-Works Epic XC on the road; the disadvantage is speed. I can comfortably ride 18-20mph in most conditions and push up to 25mph in favorable conditions, but not over longer distances - I mainly use the XC bike for training on the road when I have less riding time available do to running out of gearing and eventually, the watts to push a large bike in an upright position. Even on Gravel, the XC has limitations on the speed side and requires a significant increase in watts to maintain higher speeds. With a Gravel bike like the S-Works Diverge or the Cannondale Lefty, the weight increase is still significantly less than my super light XC along with aero frame and riding position, allowing me to increase my speed on average by 5-6mph, and in favorable conditions (no wind...) I can ride 26-28mph for longer distances; or significantly less watts expended to maintain the same speed. A similar jump can be made when I ride my pure Road bike. What about my S-Works Hardtail... yes it's a bit faster because it's lighter than my full suspension XC, but not much, and the aero aspects of the riding position and the bike still hinder higher speed performance.
Now, given that I am older (64) I'm not going to do much single track on my Gravel bike, but wider trails and gravel roads, or urban jungles, the Gravel bike with some suspension can't be beat as it keeps the tires in contact with the ground, less fatigue on the body, better gearing for the terrain, lighter weight and Aero qualities adds up to a fast ride for less effort. There is a definite place in the cycling world for a lightweight suspended Gravel bike and it is the future of this blended riding environment. Great video Si... Seems like some testing is in order on these bikes to numerically show the benefits!
Hello Si, When you were in Colorado USA, you rode the 9er MCR. How does that suspension compare to the Cannondale Leftie?
good to see Si rocking the new kit.
I would love to see a GCN logo on that high-tech bike stand. Patent pending? On another note, how did you get on with the BB30A? Any annoying knocking, clicking and generally unhealthy sounds originating from the BB? I bought a Topstone C 105 in Jan '20. Fantastic smooth ride - but many other issues. e.g. been through 2 rear wheels in 4 months (stock hubs are made from compressed toilet-paper I reckon..... ). Upgraded.
Cannondale have always thought outside the box and to be fair they have succeeded. Since the dawn of time inventors and riders have been trying to make bikes more comfortable and putting suspension where the impact area happens is the best choice.
I see PLENTY of room in the market between traditional rigid gravel bikes, and XC mountain bikes. My quiver killer dream bike sits in this space that's currently under-served. More of this!!!!!!!!
I have got a full suspension road bike, a 2000 Hercules Emozione. It makes the ride really smooth on the road but comes with a penalty of around 2-3kg. Now with the trend to gravel bikes I would like to fit bigger tires in there. With 1mm of clearance I can just fit 28mm wide tires. And now modern endurance disc bikes can fit already wider tires of around 32-35mm which are not as plush as a full suspension but are probably a better compromise for speed and weight.
Disc brakes, suspension... Mtb.
Actually John Tomac put drop bars on his mtb. This was done in the 80s.
Geometry is different. suspension tuning is different. It's not a mtb, but it's not a road bike
@@austinshoupe3003 Some kind of...hybrid bike...
Absolutely suspension has better control over rough terrain. I like how you said instead of the energy bouncing you up over bumps which slows you down, it absorbs that so you can go faster. People can spend a lot on a typical bike so adding suspension , why not, the more this is done the more expectation it will be there.
Yes, gravel riding would be better with small full suspension. Many have some built in already (Moots and Specialized). Takes some of the knock out of bigger bumps.
Important distinction is not taking a gravel bike for true mountain biking. We still need dedicated Mountain bikes for that.
Bang on, ther's a lot of different ideas out there at the moment, maybe we'll see lots more innovation? There's still plenty of ideas yet to be tried
I can see how racers would benefit from additional speed on certain courses, but for me there's something extra-satisfying about having the skill to make it through with no suspension. In real-world application, I'd go unsuspended gravel with appropriate tire size for the terrain, or go Mt. bike for extreme climbs and descents and more difficult technicals. That just makes sense to me especially when you're looking at such things as cost/benefits in terms of performance and maintenance/durability.
For myself..& my cutthroat, a red shift stem & maybe the seat post is all I think I'd ever need suspension wise for the terrain I typically ride.
It's just good to have yet more options :)
Just got my Kona gravel bike a week or so ago. Such a blast. I admit, proper suspension would help but I’m using this more as a commuter bike with the odd trail session here and there.
That's a great application for a gravel bike - you can get to work a little faster than on a mtb, but it's still fun to take off-road on the weekend!
Just started riding my Cannondale Topstone 105 alloy (not rich enough for carbon). It's a dream, and a perfect match for my regular riding route. If I were to consider rougher terrain, some suspension would be nice to have. As it is, on the packed roads that I ride, the big tires and carbon fork dampen the road enough for me.
Great analysis and quite impartial. Personally having experienced MTB from the 80s I love the more conservative fully rigid gravel bikes. They are a great reminder for what cycling is all about. It's an uncomplicated and healthy way to explore the world around you. If things get rough you still have the option to carry the bike on the shoulder. Putting your feet down it's not a shame 😉
Interesting
Great product, easy to clean -worked out great !
Love the Topstone, love Cannondale. At the same time I have a Ridley X-Trail gravel bike - without suspension. Really don’t see the need to upgrade it. Seems like one more thing to service, as much as I like the aesthetic and the potential, just not worth it for someone like me who already has a very serviceable gravel bike. Ride what you’ve got & love it!
If your off-roading is getting so demanding that it requires suspension then are narrow drop bars and a road racing riding position going to hinder you next?
I think there is a place for these bikes along the spectrum of road to off-road, it just depends where you want to be on that scale.
Wheel base is also a major difference that wasn't covered very much, but just from eyeballing your gravel bike it's pretty obvious how much shorter and more nimble, but as a result less stable, the gravel bike is compared to a trail or downhill setup.
Living in SoCal where the gravel is rocky, I totally understand the appeal of suspension on gravel bikes. However, suspension does make it a bit more of a specialized tool instead of the all rounder it's best as. My gravel bike doubles as a road bike with a wheel swap, so I'm good with a rigid one for the foreseeable future. If I ever needed more comfort, I could just revert to a suspension stem/seatpost if necessary.
The Idea of suspension on gravel bikes is just amazing to begin with, I havent really had any experience with any other bike than XC bikes, but my terrain is usually a good mix of Road, Gravel and good climbs. I would definately try a gravel bike to see the different feel especially in terms of speed. Question is since Tires play a big role on performace, What tire size would be a sweet spot for a perfect all round Gravel grinder with / without suspension? Also Do a piece on Suspension Gravel bikes only ....Like try out the Leftys the Full Niner , the levarg i'd love to see what the lads at GCN think about those as well...AND ...any suggestions on online shops that would ship bikes down to Kenya for decent prices. Thanks.
Also amazing your capability to pedal and talk so fluently.
For the type of riding here in the coffee belt of Colombia, a little suspension could be nice on these old, often rocky logging roads and busted up chunks of concrete that comprise of the other mixed surfaces. (Most people here are riding Downhill and XC Mtn. bicycles). However, I do enjoy the extra challenge (and perhaps arm workout) of under-biking them on my rigid fork on the gravel bike.
Suspension is the best way. 50 or more miles it makes a huge difference
unless you're only on hard pack tracks
One of the main reasons why I bought a gravel bike is that I can use it in two different ways with two different wheelsets. For me, losing more of a road bike DNA is not attractive at all, such as 1x drivetrain and suspensions.
You can consider any bike if you like but what really determines which bike makes sense is you style of riding and even more WHERE are you planning riding, in my opinion. I live in North California, the real north meaning in the redwood forest, so all roads and paved roads are bumpy...now you tell me what I am riding and what I am planning to get as my next bike. Smile.
Just bought the Triban RC 520 Gravel. Good partial groupset (Shimano 105), not the lightest, not the heaviest. Suits my budget just fine. I'm looking mainly road and path, but light rubble and wooded paths too. Perfect for my needs. Replaced the rear cassette already from a Microshift 11-32 to a Shimano 11-34, for steeper hill sections. Will replace the chain for a proper 105 Chain soon also. Carbon forks. I'm not looking for rough gravel terrain, otherwise I'd be using a mountain bike. The wider bars of the mountain bike will also help with control on the bumpy stuff. Otherwise - road bikes with suspension would have been brought out by now.
One thing that people overlook: gravel bikes LOOK like a road bike. They look fast, sleek, slim and nimble in comparison to wide, sturday, stable, chunky mountainbikes (not worse, just a different aesthetic). And that is really important for a lot of people.
The natural progression from gravel bikes to mountain bikes is just the natural progression of bikes, we’ve seen it before.
"all mountain bikes can bike, but not all bikes can mountain bike" - author unknown
"Road bikes can't mountain well, MTBs can't road well, Gravel does both well" - Author Unknown
Can we talk more about narrow tires with suspension on mixed surfaces? Perhaps a 28mm tire with suspension would be a rocket off and on road.
I have tried this way back with my Trek Fuel 90 (26 inch wheel) full suspension XC bike. I have 700c wheels for it and ran them with 19mm road tires. Awsome test...pretty fast until you ran out of gears and the riding position was not optimal for going fast..how ever for over 12km commute it took away roughly 5 min. Originally I did it to save my XC tires from road wear, that bike was my only bike at the time. But it was comfy ride even with 10 bar tire pressure. I agree with you it would be cool to see the test of modern FS gravel bike with road tires and high tire pressure.
Where I ride gravel roads can often have severe washboarding and moderate pot holes so suspension could make a lot of sense. How about a video on xc mountain bike vs suspension gravel on cobbles?
I am all for suspension in gravel bikes but I am a very aggressive rider and enjoy fully rigid mountain bikes as well. I love pushing the limits of my gravel rig and suspension makes those limits alot harder to push.
Gravel bikes are just gonna be dropbar mountain bikes within 5 years.
I guess Gravel bikes can be anything in between a strict road bike and a full suspension MTB now. I think the main problem going forward is the lack of standards. It would be crazy expensive if every company had their own proprietary suspension designs unlike the standardized MTB suspension forks and rear shocks.
There are already a few drop bar MTBs out there, I don't see the problem with it personally.
@@HollyBoni its not a mtb if it has drop bars mate
@@dermax_hd right... because changing handlebars just changes the entire bike...
@@dermax_hd Is there a law for that or something? There are bikes out there with MTB geo (head angle, suspension corrected fork etc.) adjusted for drop bars (shorter top tube), MTB tyre clearance, MTB BB shell like the Salsa Cutthroat. Makes sense to call these drop bar MTBs. But i'll call them adventure bikes then. Happy? 😁
I have a hard tail MTB, the suspension does something but not as much as I might have hoped. Maybe it needs to be a bit softer. That brings me to a question. If your tyres are low pressure, nice and soft, when you hit a bump are they not going to compress and possibly hit the rim before the suspension reacts? Should the suspension be more compliant than your tyres?
I love Si, he’s my fav presenter by far.
Ollie and Dan are tired as my second fav.
As an enduro rider I've been thinking about buying a gravel bikes, mainly because a XC bike is still a mountain bike and I can't avoid trying to do the same stuff I do on the enduro bike. Gravel bikes are the best option for fitness training for mountain bikers I believe
I have two cyclocross bikes. A Raliegh RX Race 1x and a Focus Mares CX4. I road the Raliegh to a pretty impressive time i feel at the Paris Roubaix Challenge and I use this bike a lot on fire roads around cannock chase but riding with a friend on an 8kg hard tail all day. It was really disparaging to see him disappear over a 100 meter section of roots and bricks. Suspension definitely has its place.
Love your stick stand 😎😎
As always, people in the comments (already) whining that you should get an MTB. Just remember, the MTB will be slower on gravel roads, and probably not as comfortable on long rides. Also, in case you haven't noticed, your car will hopefully have suspension, and it's there to improve handling and comfort.....
get an *xc* mtb with gravel tyres. there. solved your problem.
Yeah, every car and motorcycle has suspension. Going 300ks on a racetrack without it....? Not possible.
@@jeidun hardtail or fs? 😏
@@jeidun What problem? Is buying a gravel bike a problem? Why is it not a problem that there are all kinds of different MTBs optimized for different tasks?
Following your logic XC bikes shouldn't exist either, because you can do the same things and more on a trail bike or an enduro bike.
@@jeidun Si literally spent 10 minutes explaining the difference, slower gearing, heavier, different geo, suspension is tuned for different things and so on. Also, other people have made the comment, you are looking at serious money to do this. MTB's are a bit boring and slow on roads/tracks, while, any drop bar bike is sketchy where terrain get's serious. It's a different tool/toy for different situations.