I've owned a Cervelo Aspero and I now own an Ari Shafer. The Ari is hands down the better bike both on and off road. The slack head tube angle is not detrimental at all. I'm using 50mm Schwalbe Overland 365 tires and I have no problems on B+ and A- club rides. I just finished a century and I hung with the road bikes with no issues. I also have a ton of cornering confidence with larger tires. I think the pros out weigh the cons. I'm a firm believer that stability equals speed. I may be wrong, but I expect to see road bikes following gravel bike geometry trends in the near future.
Nobody ever mentions Norco in the gravel sphere. Is there a reason for that? The Search XR A1 has the recommended (by Ben) 2x GRX, 72 head angle (in 58cm size), 70mm BB drop, and decent tire clearance. Seems to hit all the buttons. But I can never find anyone recommending it. Norco MTBs rock. Not so much on gravel????
I have a Devinci Hatchet that I squeeze some 2.1 Mezcals into for gravel/adventure rides and then throw on a carbon wheelset with 34 Pro Ones for road rides. 11 speed 10-42 Cassettes and a 40 or 44 tooth chaing, easy to swap with Eastons Cinch system. I love how it rides both on and off road, plenty fast enough for me, looks the business and gets the job done.
I have gone the one by gravel bike route with two sets of wheels, both equipped with cassette and brake rotors. It makes for an easy swap. Both sets of wheels are identical (Roval Terra CL’s). I have a Sage Titanium Barlow with a 72.5 head tube angle. It handles very nice on everything. The gravel tires are Pirelli Cinturado gravel H. They roll very well on the road and is my everyday ride setup. The road wheels are mostly for road events. I’ll use them at El Tour de Tucson. At 70 years old, I don’t do fast group rides and I’m fine with the one by set up. It makes for a clean and simple setup.
I realized recently that I'm using my 2022 Revolt mainly as a road bike, so I"m glad I have the Di2 2X drivetrain. I like it on the road but it's not very aero - or maybe that's more me.
Black Heart Allroad Ti here. 'stable' road bike/'twitchy gravel bike. set up as a dedicated road bike with fast wheel/tire (30mm) package the thing just simply rips and is super fun to ride, even if it is 18.5 pounds (w/ cages, computer, pedals).
Nobody ever talks about Superior. Their bikes are purpose built to be dual-purpose. They can fit a road 2x groupset (many gravel bikes can only accommodate the smaller chainrings of a gravel groupset), and they have bigger tire clearance and the geometry to do both
in the part of Europe where I live, the roads are okay but the trails are rough and here there is nothing like a decently light XC cross country MTB or even a tough trekking bike. My Canyon Pathlite 6 (2022 model, 40mm tyres, internal cabling. 1X 36T 10-51T 12 gears) is the best bike I have to ride here by far, despite also having a Giant 3X MTB and a 2X Decathlon road bike, I beat all my Strava records with the Pathlite 6, on the road..., which surprises me A LOT but I suspect it is due to a most "stable" gearing being 1X, also that the 40mm tyres don't make me feel the road as much and I don't get as tired, etc.... Love how the FRAY Endurance All Road bike you showed in the video allows for a 40mm tyre in the 1X model. After trying 1X and having 2X and 3X bikes I can safely say that I am the biggest fan of 1X nowadays
Been using Cx bikes as road bikes over 10 years. My current cx bike is 2017 raliegh rx 2.0 is at 72degree head tube and takes up to 40mm. After sandy punice to hardpack race last weekend at mammoth tuff with too many toe hits with the front wheel with 40mm gravel tire on, as I am on the upper fit adjustment limit of a 58 size frame of (border line size 58/60 frame). That frame is too small for gravel but fine for road/light fast hardpack paths/CX. Most gravel would be another frame that I am now looking for post race.
I ride a 2020 Giant revolt advanced with a 1x mullet setup and 2 sets of wheels. With what modern gravel bikes have turned in to I feel like my revolt is more all road now. I love how it handles with 40s or 36c road tires.
Scott Addict gravel.. serveral people including myself Got this and two wheelsets here In Denmark. But but i also have a trek roadbike and a giant tcx i use for gravel 💁🏻♂️ my son and i fit the same setup, so we can ride together 👌
I think but not sure. Shimano has the 2x12 GRX group that provides a good choice for those who are interested in having a gravel bike with more options for long distance pavement rides. Personally I have a Shimano 2x11 with a crazy 48/30 chainring up front on a sweet White Industry crankset.
I am fortunate to have a few bikes, my favourite road bike is my old school S Works tarmac SL4. Super Light, snappy, “quick”. My gravel bike is a Cervelo Aspero. I have Ultegra C36’s with Pirelli P ZERO 30 mm,, for the Aspero as a “road bike”, it is super comfortable and would be an ideal multi purpose bike. But if you like light and fast and “quick”… that it is not. The 2x front with a big cassette make it work for everything. But I spin out pretty early and I climb at a much more relaxed pace than with my tarmac or my Allez Sprint. If you aren’t racing your road bike, if you ride for fitness and fun and adventure… the gravel bike as a multi purpose machine is awesome
Diverge E5. Nothing proprietary on it as stock. Reliable GRX400. Set of nice road wheels with 32’s, 11-32 rear for road rides, 21#. Stock wheels with 38’s and 11-36 rear plus redshift suspension post for the trails, 23-24#
I went for two wheelsets. Swapping is quick. I have the OBED Boundary 2x which ticks all the boxes. 72 angle and first 40mm easily. Ultegra/GRX mix. Also can do bike packing.
I went with the two sets of wheels (complete with cassettes and rotors) for my Giant Revolt. It wasn't cheap, but it's been great. It truly feels like I have two bikes, and I can swap in no time.
Do you have any issues with disc rotors rubbing? I would think that you would need identical hubs, rotors and cassettes for everything to transition smoothly between wheelsets.
@@hansschotterradler3772 I haven't had any issues. Rotors and cassettes are identical. The hubs seem compatible though the wheelsets are from different brands. I try to use the wheelsets 50/50 to maintain even wear.
IME if you're not racing, the jumps between cogs on 7sp cassettes was perfect so a bigger jumps between cogs may not be bad. If you are racing, sometimes that big jump is exactly the wrong gear either way.
This has me curious as to how much faster I could be on a road bike. I have a 1x Stigmata V4 that handles road duty with semi-slick 42c gravel tires. I average around 20mph on shorter rides in the 20 mile and 2000 feet range and 18ish over the bigger days at 50 miles and 5k climbing. I definitely feel the gearing on descents and spin out around 30ish mph.
On my ADHX, i swap tires seasonally (until I get another set of wheels). The biggest thing I've come to realize is the steering response on the road comparing 38mm tires at 44 psi to 30mm tires at 60 psi. The steering with the 38's is slower to initiate, and then tips in more quickly after a slight delay. With the 30's, it feels just like a normal road bike. I don't know if this is due to a slight change in trail or the lower pressure and larger/wider tire patch.
My Giant Revolt is a great dual purpose bike , I use it mostly for gravel . With the chip flipped I can put on 2.2s . With road tires I run 32s. It is a great bike for both. 😃🚵♀️ the jersey, socks and hat are great. 😃 facial hair makes men look older lol
![[TH] RNT vs SPG - VCT Ascension Pacific - Day 1](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RUTkf8Detj8/mqdefault.jpg)
I've owned a Cervelo Aspero and I now own an Ari Shafer. The Ari is hands down the better bike both on and off road. The slack head tube angle is not detrimental at all. I'm using 50mm Schwalbe Overland 365 tires and I have no problems on B+ and A- club rides. I just finished a century and I hung with the road bikes with no issues. I also have a ton of cornering confidence with larger tires. I think the pros out weigh the cons. I'm a firm believer that stability equals speed. I may be wrong, but I expect to see road bikes following gravel bike geometry trends in the near future.
Nobody ever mentions Norco in the gravel sphere. Is there a reason for that? The Search XR A1 has the recommended (by Ben) 2x GRX, 72 head angle (in 58cm size), 70mm BB drop, and decent tire clearance. Seems to hit all the buttons. But I can never find anyone recommending it. Norco MTBs rock. Not so much on gravel????
I love my Scott Gravel Addict with 44mm Rene Herse. Fast and comfy on/off gravel
Great video as usual Ben. One question: what are those beers on the shelf to your left?
I have a Devinci Hatchet that I squeeze some 2.1 Mezcals into for gravel/adventure rides and then throw on a carbon wheelset with 34 Pro Ones for road rides. 11 speed 10-42 Cassettes and a 40 or 44 tooth chaing, easy to swap with Eastons Cinch system. I love how it rides both on and off road, plenty fast enough for me, looks the business and gets the job done.
I have gone the one by gravel bike route with two sets of wheels, both equipped with cassette and brake rotors. It makes for an easy swap. Both sets of wheels are identical (Roval Terra CL’s). I have a Sage Titanium Barlow with a 72.5 head tube angle. It handles very nice on everything. The gravel tires are Pirelli Cinturado gravel H. They roll very well on the road and is my everyday ride setup. The road wheels are mostly for road events. I’ll use them at El Tour de Tucson. At 70 years old, I don’t do fast group rides and I’m fine with the one by set up. It makes for a clean and simple setup.
Wish you a speedy recovery
I think chainstay length is also an important part of geometry to consider for a snappier, road-ier feel
Yeah, agreed.
I realized recently that I'm using my 2022 Revolt mainly as a road bike, so I"m glad I have the Di2 2X drivetrain. I like it on the road but it's not very aero - or maybe that's more me.
Black Heart Allroad Ti here. 'stable' road bike/'twitchy gravel bike. set up as a dedicated road bike with fast wheel/tire (30mm) package the thing just simply rips and is super fun to ride, even if it is 18.5 pounds (w/ cages, computer, pedals).
Nobody ever talks about Superior. Their bikes are purpose built to be dual-purpose. They can fit a road 2x groupset (many gravel bikes can only accommodate the smaller chainrings of a gravel groupset), and they have bigger tire clearance and the geometry to do both
"Which factors" at 0:06 is a nice editing touch
in the part of Europe where I live, the roads are okay but the trails are rough and here there is nothing like a decently light XC cross country MTB or even a tough trekking bike. My Canyon Pathlite 6 (2022 model, 40mm tyres, internal cabling. 1X 36T 10-51T 12 gears) is the best bike I have to ride here by far, despite also having a Giant 3X MTB and a 2X Decathlon road bike, I beat all my Strava records with the Pathlite 6, on the road..., which surprises me A LOT but I suspect it is due to a most "stable" gearing being 1X, also that the 40mm tyres don't make me feel the road as much and I don't get as tired, etc.... Love how the FRAY Endurance All Road bike you showed in the video allows for a 40mm tyre in the 1X model. After trying 1X and having 2X and 3X bikes I can safely say that I am the biggest fan of 1X nowadays
thank you as always a great bit to think about
3T Exploro is a good choice too. It's kind of a gravel, road, cx thing. I hated mine at first but it is really growing on me.
Been using Cx bikes as road bikes over 10 years. My current cx bike is 2017 raliegh rx 2.0 is at 72degree head tube and takes up to 40mm. After sandy punice to hardpack race last weekend at mammoth tuff with too many toe hits with the front wheel with 40mm gravel tire on, as I am on the upper fit adjustment limit of a 58 size frame of (border line size 58/60 frame). That frame is too small for gravel but fine for road/light fast hardpack paths/CX. Most gravel would be another frame that I am now looking for post race.
Good vid bro n congrats to Brennen! Hey what about the giant bike revolt? Did you love that bike and does it do road/gravel????
I ride a 2020 Giant revolt advanced with a 1x mullet setup and 2 sets of wheels. With what modern gravel bikes have turned in to I feel like my revolt is more all road now. I love how it handles with 40s or 36c road tires.
Scott Addict gravel.. serveral people including myself Got this and two wheelsets here In Denmark. But but i also have a trek roadbike and a giant tcx i use for gravel 💁🏻♂️ my son and i fit the same setup, so we can ride together 👌
I think but not sure. Shimano has the 2x12 GRX group that provides a good choice for those who are interested in having a gravel bike with more options for long distance pavement rides.
Personally I have a Shimano 2x11 with a crazy 48/30 chainring up front on a sweet White Industry crankset.
I am fortunate to have a few bikes, my favourite road bike is my old school S Works tarmac SL4. Super Light, snappy, “quick”. My gravel bike is a Cervelo Aspero. I have Ultegra C36’s with Pirelli P ZERO 30 mm,, for the Aspero as a “road bike”, it is super comfortable and would be an ideal multi purpose bike. But if you like light and fast and “quick”… that it is not. The 2x front with a big cassette make it work for everything. But I spin out pretty early and I climb at a much more relaxed pace than with my tarmac or my Allez Sprint. If you aren’t racing your road bike, if you ride for fitness and fun and adventure… the gravel bike as a multi purpose machine is awesome
Hi from Honduras! How is that Rocky Mountain Solo? Que te mejores pronto!!!!
Ben has a beard. Is this a first?
Stitches in my chin + left-handed shaving = goatee
I’ve listed my gravel bike as “SUV” in my Strava posts for 4 years 😁
Diverge E5. Nothing proprietary on it as stock. Reliable GRX400. Set of nice road wheels with 32’s, 11-32 rear for road rides, 21#. Stock wheels with 38’s and 11-36 rear plus redshift suspension post for the trails, 23-24#
What gravel tire fits the Uthald?? I tried the WTB Byway 34mm and it rubbed on the front battery. BTW, the bike is sweet!
I went for two wheelsets. Swapping is quick. I have the OBED Boundary 2x which ticks all the boxes. 72 angle and first 40mm easily. Ultegra/GRX mix. Also can do bike packing.
I went with the two sets of wheels (complete with cassettes and rotors) for my Giant Revolt. It wasn't cheap, but it's been great. It truly feels like I have two bikes, and I can swap in no time.
Do you have any issues with disc rotors rubbing? I would think that you would need identical hubs, rotors and cassettes for everything to transition smoothly between wheelsets.
@@hansschotterradler3772 I haven't had any issues. Rotors and cassettes are identical. The hubs seem compatible though the wheelsets are from different brands. I try to use the wheelsets 50/50 to maintain even wear.
My Trek Checkmate SLR 9 with 1x13 goes well on the road and gravel. Basically a Madone that can take a wider tire.
The ultimate dual-purpose bike: Which drop bar XC is good on the road and why Supercaliber?
For my Gravel ride Strava posts I call out my bike as “SUV DIVERGE” 😁
I also own a diverge but the frame is a tank n heavy
@@rudyelizondo1935, hence the “SUV” moniker!
If 90% of what you ride is flats, go 1x.
@TheRidewithBenDelany why is it that Argon18 never gets mentioned in the mix? The Dark Matter is a great bike in eother 1x or 2x configurations.
IME if you're not racing, the jumps between cogs on 7sp cassettes was perfect so a bigger jumps between cogs may not be bad. If you are racing, sometimes that big jump is exactly the wrong gear either way.
Best gravel bike: LEGS
This has me curious as to how much faster I could be on a road bike. I have a 1x Stigmata V4 that handles road duty with semi-slick 42c gravel tires. I average around 20mph on shorter rides in the 20 mile and 2000 feet range and 18ish over the bigger days at 50 miles and 5k climbing. I definitely feel the gearing on descents and spin out around 30ish mph.
On my ADHX, i swap tires seasonally (until I get another set of wheels). The biggest thing I've come to realize is the steering response on the road comparing 38mm tires at 44 psi to 30mm tires at 60 psi. The steering with the 38's is slower to initiate, and then tips in more quickly after a slight delay. With the 30's, it feels just like a normal road bike. I don't know if this is due to a slight change in trail or the lower pressure and larger/wider tire patch.
Why does the USA has its own world champs…. That they don’t invite anyone else to.
Gravel Worlds started 15 years ago with the name being a tongue in cheek joke. Anyone is welcome. You can check out my video on it.
It was the US gravel championships. Not "world". Worlds are in Belgium.
My Giant Revolt is a great dual purpose bike , I use it mostly for gravel . With the chip flipped I can put on 2.2s . With road tires I run 32s. It is a great bike for both. 😃🚵♀️ the jersey, socks and hat are great. 😃 facial hair makes men look older lol