It’s definitely a trend, and a good one too IMO. Two friends of mine just bought AR bikes. With two wheel sets you’re good to go for pretty fast road days and proper gravel. Love the look too. The Fara AR is a good example.
Like it or not, today's bikes are designed around most people's riding abilities. They figured out that bikes that are comfortable and versatile sell better than bikes that are poorly made replicas of what riders use in the Tour De France. There are still plenty of rim brake, aluminum crit racing bikes both brand new and second hand but if you are looking for an all new bike you can't go wrong with this category. I've put 200 miles on my Canyon Endurace AL in less than 3 weeks and while there are some compromises at the onset I'm actually riding it more than I would my more aggressive Cannondale Caad 8 from 10 years ago. It's not the bike it's the engine in the end and good fit and comfort translate to speed over time.
I am a beginner, on a budget. I won't buy a second bike to the one I already have. This is something exactly what I am looking for in a bike (and mine does it all, a price/value bike from Decathlon, RC520). Comfort, versatility. So for me, a relaxed endurance geometry, tyre clearance up to 40-45mm, plenty of mounting points, 2 by groupset, and two set of wheels. One for road, one for gravel/tour/bikepacking/adventure. With that, I can cover a lot of ground with one bike on a budget on the long run. If I'll be able to upgrade my bike, I'd look for the same features
My 2014 Roubaix takes me everywhere in comfort and on long 10 to 12h rides and those sometimes include gravel and forrest and farm tracks in the Scottish Borders hills. It is simply a question of how you ride your bike on those non ideal surfaces and in part how wide your tires are. I run 'old fashioned' 25mm tires at 6 bar on 19mm wide rims for the road and there are very few tracks I would not be able to ride on, at least slow and with care. The one thing I probably will change in the future as I am getting older into my 70's is moving from R6800 2x11 Ultegra to a MTB drive train such as a 1x11 speed Deore with a 11 to 46 cassette (40 or 42 on the front) or similar to help me up the hills.
One additional feature: Robustness. An all road bike shouldn’t be a fragile, weight weenie build. My 2017 Felt VR30 came with beefy, wide bars, and is built to take a slight beating. (VR was for Variable Road.) It’s also a bit slack, compared to a typical endurance bike. The build included a 46/30 crankset and 11/40 cassette for serious climbing. The one thing it missed is tire clearance. I can run 30s with fenders/mud guards, but it can’t do 33c cyclocross knobbies without dishing the wheels and losing some paint. But it came out before gravel was mainstream. It’s a great winter bike. It keeps its fenders year round, but for real gravel, I grab my XC bike.
Jan Heine would strongly disagree. 650 slicks are the epitome of all road. I tend to agree. Randoneur Bikes have been all roading for decades. Tom Ritchey would agree with this statement. Ride what you got!!!
This is a bit of an odd one. If you think back to the late 40’s and early 50’s Rene Herse and other French makers were producing bikes with 650b wheels and 38 - 42mm tires and lower gears than the “racing” bikes if the time specifically for longer rides on poor terrain. I brought a Genesis Croix de Fer 11 ago and it came with a 50/34 up front and 11-28 up the back and massive 33mm cross tires! That was quite wide range with big tires back then. I think it’s more to do with the fact you can get a much wider variety of chainsets, cassettes and tires and the bikes to run them now. I run a number of endurance, all road and a monster cross bike. Why? Because I can these days. Call them what you like it’s more to do with the tire and group set choice plus how wide the clearances are rather than tailor the bike to the role (or just get a few “just in case 😂)
If you have a Gravel bike you don't really need an all road bike or Road bike unless you want to ride rim brakes or race, plus you can do XC MTB stuff on the gravel bike.
@Wooly Chewbakker I'm not really any slower with a wheelset swap to road tires. Most gravel bike geometry is somewhere between an endurance road bike and an xc MTB it has a more comfortable geometry than my road bike.
@Wooly Chewbakker the position on my road bike and gravel bike is the same I especially chose the frame of the Gravel bike for that reason. If I need to get more aero I just use my aero bars. My road bike is pretty much relegated to training rides these days. Most rides I do for fun I like to explore new areas and with a gravel bike I can ride almost anywhere pretty fast. Wide slicks have almost no aerodynamic penalty only a rolling resistance one that's why you see more 28mm tires and even wider tires in the pro Peloton. Sounds like a you problem in the end.
@Wooly Chewbakker You already admitted you don't have the same body position on the two bikes you mentioned, so you already conceded the argument to me.
12 yr old well used Spec Roubaix (rim brake, 10 spd) desperately needed groupset replacement but...pandemic shortages. After careful sourcing 'tween my efforts and LBS, bike is now 11spd Shimano combo of 105 brifters & GRX drivetrain, 30mm tires (because...Spec Roubaix clearance). Perfect endurance, all-road, or whatever bike. New wheels are on the way to address worn Ultegra wheel brake tracks w/ tubeless next to deal with crap paved/unpaved roads in my area. Less than $900 USD spread across 18 months w/ @ half for wheels. All good, thanks!.
@@JamesSmith-qs4hx What's a "rim brake person"? I described a bike w/ rim brakes & clearance for 32mm tires, so "all road", or whatever anyone wants to call it, without shelling out for new. Stops just fine, like the disc brake bike stops just fine and the coaster brake cruiser stops just fine. Brakes are brakes and best when they work. Hope you have a better day.
Sounds to me like the industry is trying to make up a new bike category to boost sales. All those properties mentioned are already available with road oriented gravel bikes or endurance bikes.
I absolutely get where you're coming from. But, if you enjoy carving down fast descents then you need a bike with more aggressive geometry than what these will have. My Genesis Equilibrium always feels as if wants me to slow down and enjoy the ride. Thats nice, but hardly exciting, hence it goes into hibernation every spring!
spa cycles in the UK specialise in them. You can still get them they're just not 'in fashion.' Just bought one myself from a local bike shop in Prudhoe new Newcastle, Northumberland. It's a Sabbath Silk Route. Titanium frame absolute classic tourer, it's even got bar end shifters and a Brooks saddle. It's better than the Dawes Super Galaxy that they no longer make anyway.
The bike industry has seen the auto industry’s ability to generate sales by creating niche markets and convincing consumers they need more choices than anyone could possibly cope with. Example Back in the day BMW launched the X5 as a luxury SUV, then the X3 for people with less disposable income. Now they have an X variant for every model 1-7 with M versions and electric. It amazes me that there are so many types of MTB - none of which I understand a 63 year old riding bikes for 58 years and with a 2003 Trek Top Fuel 3x as my only MTB that has given me huge fun on every type of trail I have used it on. Never once thought oh I wish I had a slacker head angle 😅. Similarly road bikes I had a Specialized Roubaix for 15 years and then swapped for a Cervelo R5 which I still have. As I am getting old and stiff I may go back to the more relaxed geometry of something like a Vitus Venon but then the Cervelo will go. Peace to all who want to own n+1 bikes and regularly upgrade or ride road bikes on trails but it’s not for me thanks.
This is funny, the little monkey is now a sophisticated expert. Please stop. I can’t understand anything he says anyway because if I listen to him it puts lurgies in my belly
It’s definitely a trend, and a good one too IMO. Two friends of mine just bought AR bikes. With two wheel sets you’re good to go for pretty fast road days and proper gravel. Love the look too. The Fara AR is a good example.
Like it or not, today's bikes are designed around most people's riding abilities. They figured out that bikes that are comfortable and versatile sell better than bikes that are poorly made replicas of what riders use in the Tour De France. There are still plenty of rim brake, aluminum crit racing bikes both brand new and second hand but if you are looking for an all new bike you can't go wrong with this category. I've put 200 miles on my Canyon Endurace AL in less than 3 weeks and while there are some compromises at the onset I'm actually riding it more than I would my more aggressive Cannondale Caad 8 from 10 years ago. It's not the bike it's the engine in the end and good fit and comfort translate to speed over time.
I am a beginner, on a budget. I won't buy a second bike to the one I already have.
This is something exactly what I am looking for in a bike (and mine does it all, a price/value bike from Decathlon, RC520). Comfort, versatility.
So for me, a relaxed endurance geometry, tyre clearance up to 40-45mm, plenty of mounting points, 2 by groupset, and two set of wheels. One for road, one for gravel/tour/bikepacking/adventure.
With that, I can cover a lot of ground with one bike on a budget on the long run.
If I'll be able to upgrade my bike, I'd look for the same features
My 2014 Roubaix takes me everywhere in comfort and on long 10 to 12h rides and those sometimes include gravel and forrest and farm tracks in the Scottish Borders hills. It is simply a question of how you ride your bike on those non ideal surfaces and in part how wide your tires are. I run 'old fashioned' 25mm tires at 6 bar on 19mm wide rims for the road and there are very few tracks I would not be able to ride on, at least slow and with care.
The one thing I probably will change in the future as I am getting older into my 70's is moving from R6800 2x11 Ultegra to a MTB drive train such as a 1x11 speed Deore with a 11 to 46 cassette (40 or 42 on the front) or similar to help me up the hills.
Isn't a gravel bike an all-road bike too. I ride my Trek Checkpoint on all surfaces, i.e. all roads and more.
One additional feature: Robustness. An all road bike shouldn’t be a fragile, weight weenie build. My 2017 Felt VR30 came with beefy, wide bars, and is built to take a slight beating. (VR was for Variable Road.) It’s also a bit slack, compared to a typical endurance bike. The build included a 46/30 crankset and 11/40 cassette for serious climbing.
The one thing it missed is tire clearance. I can run 30s with fenders/mud guards, but it can’t do 33c cyclocross knobbies without dishing the wheels and losing some paint. But it came out before gravel was mainstream.
It’s a great winter bike. It keeps its fenders year round, but for real gravel, I grab my XC bike.
Canyon Endurace for me. Cannot be beaten 💪 🇩🇪
Ive been looking into the Endurance CF 7. But the Giant Defy offers so much more tire clearance.
Jan Heine would strongly disagree. 650 slicks are the epitome of all road. I tend to agree. Randoneur Bikes have been all roading for decades. Tom Ritchey would agree with this statement. Ride what you got!!!
This is a bit of an odd one. If you think back to the late 40’s and early 50’s Rene Herse and other French makers were producing bikes with 650b wheels and 38 - 42mm tires and lower gears than the “racing” bikes if the time specifically for longer rides on poor terrain. I brought a Genesis Croix de Fer 11 ago and it came with a 50/34 up front and 11-28 up the back and massive 33mm cross tires! That was quite wide range with big tires back then. I think it’s more to do with the fact you can get a much wider variety of chainsets, cassettes and tires and the bikes to run them now. I run a number of endurance, all road and a monster cross bike. Why? Because I can these days. Call them what you like it’s more to do with the tire and group set choice plus how wide the clearances are rather than tailor the bike to the role (or just get a few “just in case 😂)
For most people around the world the real deal / only bike they need is a Hybrid Bike ~ cheap and do a lot
If you have a Gravel bike you don't really need an all road bike or Road bike unless you want to ride rim brakes or race, plus you can do XC MTB stuff on the gravel bike.
@woolychewbakker5277 The same can be said about this "all road bike" nonsense.
@Wooly Chewbakker I'm not really any slower with a wheelset swap to road tires. Most gravel bike geometry is somewhere between an endurance road bike and an xc MTB it has a more comfortable geometry than my road bike.
@Wooly Chewbakker Your body position is probably not identical on both bikes.
@Wooly Chewbakker the position on my road bike and gravel bike is the same I especially chose the frame of the Gravel bike for that reason. If I need to get more aero I just use my aero bars. My road bike is pretty much relegated to training rides these days. Most rides I do for fun I like to explore new areas and with a gravel bike I can ride almost anywhere pretty fast. Wide slicks have almost no aerodynamic penalty only a rolling resistance one that's why you see more 28mm tires and even wider tires in the pro Peloton. Sounds like a you problem in the end.
@Wooly Chewbakker You already admitted you don't have the same body position on the two bikes you mentioned, so you already conceded the argument to me.
12 yr old well used Spec Roubaix (rim brake, 10 spd) desperately needed groupset replacement but...pandemic shortages. After careful sourcing 'tween my efforts and LBS, bike is now 11spd Shimano combo of 105 brifters & GRX drivetrain, 30mm tires (because...Spec Roubaix clearance). Perfect endurance, all-road, or whatever bike. New wheels are on the way to address worn Ultegra wheel brake tracks w/ tubeless next to deal with crap paved/unpaved roads in my area. Less than $900 USD spread across 18 months w/ @ half for wheels. All good, thanks!.
I imagine as a rim brake person you avoided the clot shot - Stay Strong, Stay Pureblood, and watch the rest drop like flies 💉💥💔
@@JamesSmith-qs4hx What's a "rim brake person"? I described a bike w/ rim brakes & clearance for 32mm tires, so "all road", or whatever anyone wants to call it, without shelling out for new. Stops just fine, like the disc brake bike stops just fine and the coaster brake cruiser stops just fine. Brakes are brakes and best when they work. Hope you have a better day.
So why isn't then the Canyon Endurace CF 7 an all-road bike, for example? it takes up to 35mm tyres and you can opt for knobbly tyres if you want.
depends what kind of gravel you are going through, 35 might not be enough for some riders, and more mounting point for bike packing is always nice
Domane endurance bike already offers 38mm clearance
Sounds to me like the industry is trying to make up a new bike category to boost sales. All those properties mentioned are already available with road oriented gravel bikes or endurance bikes.
Why do people believe categories boost sales? Do you have anything to back this crackpot theory up?
What are the thoughts on handlebar drops unnecessary in 90 percent of bikes?
I absolutely get where you're coming from. But, if you enjoy carving down fast descents then you need a bike with more aggressive geometry than what these will have. My Genesis Equilibrium always feels as if wants me to slow down and enjoy the ride. Thats nice, but hardly exciting, hence it goes into hibernation every spring!
What happened to touring bikes? They were all road/endurance/bike packing/ light gravel.
spa cycles in the UK specialise in them. You can still get them they're just not 'in fashion.' Just bought one myself from a local bike shop in Prudhoe new Newcastle, Northumberland. It's a Sabbath Silk Route. Titanium frame absolute classic tourer, it's even got bar end shifters and a Brooks saddle. It's better than the Dawes Super Galaxy that they no longer make anyway.
In the 90s, there was an All Terrain Bike(ATB), which I think was just another name for MTB. Just the name alone (All TERRAIN) trashes "All Road" haha
Another bike to add to the collection then😅
I agree about justifying price gouging by hyping up bikes.
What about places where it rains 100 to 150 days
Another day another only bike you’ll ever need video 😐
I imagine the next 'new thing' will be this, plus a triple up front. Full circle back to a proper touring bike.
The bike industry has seen the auto industry’s ability to generate sales by creating niche markets and convincing consumers they need more choices than anyone could possibly cope with. Example Back in the day BMW launched the X5 as a luxury SUV, then the X3 for people with less disposable income. Now they have an X variant for every model 1-7 with M versions and electric. It amazes me that there are so many types of MTB - none of which I understand a 63 year old riding bikes for 58 years and with a 2003 Trek Top Fuel 3x as my only MTB that has given me huge fun on every type of trail I have used it on. Never once thought oh I wish I had a slacker head angle 😅. Similarly road bikes I had a Specialized Roubaix for 15 years and then swapped for a Cervelo R5 which I still have. As I am getting old and stiff I may go back to the more relaxed geometry of something like a Vitus Venon but then the Cervelo will go.
Peace to all who want to own n+1 bikes and regularly upgrade or ride road bikes on trails but it’s not for me thanks.
rave reviews for this bike (owned by Wiggle/Chain Reation) coming everywhere. very suspicious
A small nod to Ribble for inventing the category with the CGR
Until next week’s episode it is lol
This is funny, the little monkey is now a sophisticated expert. Please stop. I can’t understand anything he says anyway because if I listen to him it puts lurgies in my belly
Hambini…..? You work here now ?
all road sounds like my hybrid from 2011, only with dropbars so ppl manufactuerers can charge $16k
My first “gravel” bike was a 2017 Domane ALR with 1x gears and 35mm tires that measured 37mm. I guess I was ahead of the curve 😅
Sounds like an all road bike is a touring bike