Gravel Vs CX Bike: What Really Is The Difference?

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  • čas pƙidĂĄn 22. 05. 2024
  • The cyclocross bike is the original off road, drop bar bike. A versatile bike that can ride on road, and off. Back in the day, they had knobbly 25mm wide tyres, powerful cantilever brakes, which were so ineffective that a cross race was about 40% running. As you can see, they have evolved.
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  • Sport

Komentáƙe • 1,1K

  • @gcn
    @gcn  Pƙed 5 lety +241

    Cross or gravel, what's your choice?

    • @Jasonsadventures
      @Jasonsadventures Pƙed 5 lety +84

      Best gravel bike I have is a 1985 Italian road race bike with 25mm tyres.. sketchy as hell but it makes you feel alive.

    • @darrinschwarz7446
      @darrinschwarz7446 Pƙed 5 lety +22

      Gravel please. With 700x50c tires. Thank You, drive through.

    • @area4race
      @area4race Pƙed 5 lety +26

      My choice... i take my Enduro Bike slap some skinny tires on it and ride with you guys, why spend so much money :D

    • @daz_the_cyclist8961
      @daz_the_cyclist8961 Pƙed 5 lety +7

      Gravel bike 650b all the way Cannondale Slate all the way

    • @lilwillie428
      @lilwillie428 Pƙed 5 lety +29

      Cross, because I can’t afford a special bike for gravel lol

  • @ar-videos
    @ar-videos Pƙed 5 lety +1265

    GCN = Gravel Cross Network

  • @theylivewesee1674
    @theylivewesee1674 Pƙed 5 lety +413

    people: if only we had more comfortable road bike for off road track
    cx bike: hold my beer
    gravel bike: hold my brewery

    • @yoshikochikuni1247
      @yoshikochikuni1247 Pƙed 4 lety +7

      Legs: *Hold my Jesus.*

    • @TheSHARCRASH
      @TheSHARCRASH Pƙed 4 lety +1

      Same difference mate! 😂

    • @KandiKlover
      @KandiKlover Pƙed 3 lety +5

      Touring bike: Hold my everything and lack of mechanical issues.

    • @sepg5084
      @sepg5084 Pƙed 3 lety +6

      @@KandiKlover and arrive 1 hour later and twice as tired

    • @coreygolphenee9633
      @coreygolphenee9633 Pƙed 3 lety +8

      Mountain bikes became dirt bikes so road bikes had to become mountain bikes

  • @AlecKollman
    @AlecKollman Pƙed 4 lety +6

    ive been riding a trek x01 cyclocross for a decade. ive taken it on multiday tours, century rides, trail, cross courses, rail trails, roads... you name it. love the cross bike.

  • @Xyrium
    @Xyrium Pƙed 5 lety +30

    More great stuff from you guys. Totally digging Canyon lately. That Grail is damned sweet. Good work, again!

  • @danmarks158
    @danmarks158 Pƙed 5 lety +47

    Bought a year-old Boardman CX recently and shoved 40mm "adventure" tyres on it. Can pretty much go anywhere now - road, canal path, gravel, singletrack, grass, mud. Really enjoying going out for road rides and then turning off when I see a path leading into green nowhere.

    • @GeekonaBike
      @GeekonaBike Pƙed 5 lety +9

      Buying used is Recycling! Plue sticking it to the industry's BS marketing.

    • @thepassionofthegoose5472
      @thepassionofthegoose5472 Pƙed 4 lety +5

      @@GeekonaBike I've been out of cycling since I retired from cyclocross racing in 09 after racing for over twenty years. The first time I heard about a gravel bike I literally thought I was being joked. In 1998 my Surly Crosscheck had 44's on it and I rode it on 99% of the trails I rode my XC bike on. My race bike was a Steelman eurocross because of gearing and weight, but the idea of a cyclocross bike with fatties is 90's AF. Stay well.

    • @MybeautifulandamazingPrincess
      @MybeautifulandamazingPrincess Pƙed 3 lety +1

      There's only so much metal and natural resources in the world, and they're not renewable. People need to stop making and selling shit, cause mining is a very big problem for the environment that no one talks about, and than will cause bad things for humanity in the future

    • @blinzi69
      @blinzi69 Pƙed rokem

      have you ever heard about a mountainbike lol its so funny that people think it has been impossible to ride on all terrains equally good before the gravel bike - which is just a mountainbike with a roadbike handlebar!! - has been born

  • @daylightsensor8695
    @daylightsensor8695 Pƙed 5 lety +377

    *G R A V E L C R O S S*

    • @hammy340
      @hammy340 Pƙed 5 lety +2

      Looks like the best thing ever! CX singletrack!

    • @Charliened1
      @Charliened1 Pƙed 5 lety +3

      hammy340 isn’t that just XC on bikes not built for it.

    • @CanIHasThisName
      @CanIHasThisName Pƙed 5 lety +3

      ​@@Charliened1 Those bikes ARE built for it, that's the thing. Many XC races have completely lost touch with the trends. Modern XC bikes can tackle AM terrain, yet so many XC races (marathons especially) are technically less challenging than some gravel races.
      Gravel bikes are just as capable as old timey XC bikes and they can fly on the paved roads. Nowadays it's not that rare to see gravel riders invade XC races and ride technical singletrack.

    • @deusexaethera
      @deusexaethera Pƙed 5 lety

      @@Charliened1: LOL

    • @deusexaethera
      @deusexaethera Pƙed 5 lety +2

      @@CanIHasThisName: OR...OR...OR maybe, the manufactured distinctions between different types of riding are bullshit to begin with! I can ride a road bike on gravel, and I can ride an XC bike in the woods, and I can ride an "all-mountain" bike on pavement. And you know what? THEY ALL WORK. They all work _differently,_ of course, but they all work.

  • @museisbliss1174
    @museisbliss1174 Pƙed 5 lety +227

    I love Ollie, doesn't take him self too seriously and having a laugh, often slightly at his own expense

    • @garthly
      @garthly Pƙed 5 lety +8

      British culture.

    • @demonstructie
      @demonstructie Pƙed 5 lety +8

      I stopped watching gcn after they got dull and too commercial, coincided with diversity hire Emma. I clicked on the thumbnail in my feed because I was surprised to see Ollie. I remember him from some other yt channel I forget the name of because the channel content was a bit shit but I do remember thinking he's a talented presenter.

    • @chrisblanchard4938
      @chrisblanchard4938 Pƙed 5 lety +1

      Benjamin Kettleborough....I agree with you.

    • @mplsmark222
      @mplsmark222 Pƙed 2 lety

      I am a huge fan of self deprecation. So many celebrities take themselves too seriously or have egos that don’t live up to their talent. Ollie seems genuine and I am always entertained and find his tech show always worth my time.
      Great episode

  • @eloyanzola
    @eloyanzola Pƙed 5 lety +159

    great video. the gravel cross course looks awesome, but, besides the bike differences, do wonder if the second laps benefited from simply learning the course on the first lap.

    • @etienne9306
      @etienne9306 Pƙed 5 lety +25

      Totally agree. They should have changed the order of the bike for Ollie.

    • @mraffifpv1685
      @mraffifpv1685 Pƙed 5 lety +30

      And speeding through the finish without braking...

    • @singlespeedchronicles7640
      @singlespeedchronicles7640 Pƙed 5 lety +14

      Not to mention the "warm up"

    • @milanbabic92
      @milanbabic92 Pƙed 5 lety +2

      I guess wider tires (rolls faster on that terrain) and more relax geometry on gravel bike gave them more confidence. Weight is probably less important since the difference is around 200+/- grams for cross bike.

    • @Mike-oz4cv
      @Mike-oz4cv Pƙed 5 lety +9

      It was (in usual GCN style) totally unscientific. You’d need at least several laps and then take the average or median value to arrive at any kind of significant result. Of course the seating position of both bikes should also be adjusted to be identical. The only remaining point is which tire pressure to use for each of them.

  • @Juan0003
    @Juan0003 Pƙed 5 lety +14

    The boys at GCN hard at work for us. Brings tears to my eyes!

  • @MrIanD1
    @MrIanD1 Pƙed 3 lety +108

    I'm still laughing at "What a stupid sport"😂😂😂

  • @cyclingnerddelux698
    @cyclingnerddelux698 Pƙed 3 lety +11

    Love the self-deprecating humor from both of them.

  • @HkFinn83
    @HkFinn83 Pƙed 3 lety +53

    Let’s be honest they’re all going to be used mostly on the road - the cross bike with slicks vs the gravel bike with slicks on the road is what I want to see. I suspect the cx bike is way faster.

    • @dries365
      @dries365 Pƙed 3 lety +14

      On a performance level, probably, but the CX bike has much lower gears than the gravel bike

    • @g.west2372
      @g.west2372 Pƙed 2 lety +1

      you'll run out of gears at relatively slow speeds... with a changed gearing and a 2-speed crankset the CX would be more aero

  • @naughtyplanet
    @naughtyplanet Pƙed 5 lety +136

    Hi, I am the bicycle industry and I need to keep inventing more and more variations on this simple machine to maintain my business model. Thanks.

    • @Max__apex
      @Max__apex Pƙed 4 lety

      naughtyplanet
      YES

    • @scorpionblade4112
      @scorpionblade4112 Pƙed 3 lety +3

      More variations dont correlate to more sales, as most people only buy 1 or 2 bikes regardless of if there are 100 bike types or 2. Plus more variations is better as it allows people to buy what suits them better.
      (although after a certain point you get diminishing returns, and analysis paralysis).

    • @naughtyplanet
      @naughtyplanet Pƙed 3 lety

      @@scorpionblade4112 Going through this right now. I actually *cant find* a suitable MTB as there are too many fine specialisations. Its total bullsh*t TBH. Further the 'specialisations' con with MTB is that they put more wear parts on them so you are stuck with ongoing and very expensive upgrades. Hate it.

    • @naughtyplanet
      @naughtyplanet Pƙed 3 lety +1

      @@scorpionblade4112 It must correspond to more sales otherwise why bother doing it. Production runs are commercial decisions. No money to be made = no production.

  • @fopias1234
    @fopias1234 Pƙed 5 lety +177

    I realy enjoy the bumb in the production guality recently. Good work lads!

    • @gcn
      @gcn  Pƙed 5 lety +9

      Cheers Topias.

    • @PaganiZondaF650hp
      @PaganiZondaF650hp Pƙed 5 lety +7

      Canyon don’t pay for cheap produced vids

    • @Freakysantana
      @Freakysantana Pƙed 5 lety +1

      Back at the start of the channel, that would of been a fake cowpat.

    • @ianparkes5097
      @ianparkes5097 Pƙed 5 lety +4

      This man knows guality when he sees it.

    • @AbhayPeshin
      @AbhayPeshin Pƙed 3 lety

      Love the Guality of this comment..

  • @f4614n
    @f4614n Pƙed 5 lety +4

    For me its really important to have a bike that is versatile enough to not be purely street dependent and that can be used for bike packing. What I miss on most gravel bikes though is the possibility of adding rack mounts for my panniers. I hope you can feature more of the bikes similar to the ones in this video with just two additional screw holes left and right under the saddle.

  • @beatsandboots
    @beatsandboots Pƙed 5 lety +2

    One of the most useful videos for me, as I think about getting a Canyon model. Also 2 of my favourite presenters!

  • @ChristopherHable
    @ChristopherHable Pƙed 5 lety +5

    Thanks for all the info guys. I just started getting into gravel and it's a wonderful way to ride. Keep up the gravel videos!

    • @gcn
      @gcn  Pƙed 5 lety +2

      Glad you're loving it Christopher 🙌

  • @andrew.mccarter
    @andrew.mccarter Pƙed 5 lety +32

    I love this kind of content great stuff thanks

  • @gdfggggg
    @gdfggggg Pƙed 5 lety +5

    Had a cx bike, rode many miles mainly on road, it was quite a harsh ride with sharp handling. Swapped to a gravel bike, was a much more relaxed ride and more assured on the gravely bits.

  • @mosesobidiegwu291
    @mosesobidiegwu291 Pƙed rokem

    New to bikes, learning the differences. It so interesting to digest all information about these bikes. I feel like I am 20 years behind already. Great work GCN

  • @ronbyers9912
    @ronbyers9912 Pƙed 5 lety +29

    I have been thinking about the future of bicycling and it seems to me the disc brake is changing everything. Gravel bikes are already taking advantage of disc technology. I ride with a woman whose sole ride is a gravel bike. She keeps up with everybody and can also take the bike on gravel rides. Others I know own dedicated road bikes for rides on the tarmac and gravel bikes for rides on rough roads. She tells me that she doesn't see the need to own two bikes. She can just swap wheel sets. Of course, this doesn't apply to racers but most riders I see aren't going to be part of a race team anytime soon. Of course the cross bike is for those who are dedicated to a particular sport that requires you to carry your bike in the mud. It is always going to be a niche bike. The gravel bike, on the other hand, is well on its way to becoming the every man's road bike for Sunday rides with friends.

    • @reddaB
      @reddaB Pƙed 5 lety +4

      I really want a gravel bike for this reason. I am not a racer and I cba becoming one. The roads where I am are shit messes. I cycle courier on a sportive style road bike. I do fine but its a bit intense constantly. I would like some wider wheels and more versatile so I could go through woods as detours to excursions along the pothole roads without having to use my mtb.

    • @CanIHasThisName
      @CanIHasThisName Pƙed 5 lety +4

      Gravel/adventure bike appears to succeed where cross/hybrid kinda failed. It's the middle ground between road and MTB. A much needed middle ground, with the recent evolution of mountain bikes.
      Mountain bikes are becoming more and more capable off-road, but the modern trend is to ride a few kilometres of the same track over and over. The bikes often reflect that. Road, on the other hand, is mostly about going fast, often at the cost of comfort and practicality. Gravel/adventure is generally about going far and often, with very little maintenance.
      But it's not all flowers and sunshine. Gravel bikes are still evolving and not all manufacturers are fully on board. Very few brands make sub-compact chainrings (FSA makes 46-30 and those are great on gravel). There are only two models of derailleur with a clutch available for road groupsets. Gearing is still a tad too much on the road side and pretty much all gravel bikes have 11-34 (or 11-42 for 1x) . Although the new Ultegra and 105 derailleurs being able to work with an 11-40 is a good step forward, most people don't know it's possible since Shimano doesn't officially admit compatibility.
      The selection of gravel (38-47mm) tyres is small and tubeless variants are held at a pretty high price point. And currently, it's a wild west. There are probably as many "adventure" categories as there are MTB categories, but it's currently all considered just "gravel". Comfortable road bike, versatile CX bike, light XC bike, touring rig, commuter, monstercross. Those are very different types of bikes. It may seem just as a marketing gimmick, but some categories need to be established.

    • @raydenkaufman7267
      @raydenkaufman7267 Pƙed 5 lety +3

      I work in a bike shop in a relatively flat state. Most of our customer base is people who ride road. Lately there has been a big rush of people that want a gravel bike for the same reason stated. They are just as light as a good majority of your medium grade tarmac bikes, yet you can do so much more with them.

  • @diluteduk
    @diluteduk Pƙed 5 lety +729

    So what we learned is that CX bikes are basically only worth getting if you ride UCI CX races. Otherwise get a gravel bike.

    • @f4614n
      @f4614n Pƙed 5 lety +49

      That seems to be the takeway for almost everyone interested in this kind of bikes. More stable, better on rough terrain and faster on the street.

    • @JogBird
      @JogBird Pƙed 5 lety +11

      similar to tribikes basically, only get them if you do non uci tri

    • @jabba0975
      @jabba0975 Pƙed 5 lety +149

      Just buy whatever style bike the industry is pushing this year, and you'll be cool and popular and you'll live happily ever after. Promise.

    • @adamsteineke4661
      @adamsteineke4661 Pƙed 5 lety +26

      I don't disagree, but I will point out that tight turns on a cx course could be more challenging on a gravel bike.

    • @dirtroadie4642
      @dirtroadie4642 Pƙed 5 lety +32

      I personally like how spirited the ride on my cyclocross bike is on gravel and single track. Gravel bikes seem a little too tame sometimes for my taste.

  • @jeffreythree
    @jeffreythree Pƙed 5 lety +2

    Keep it up! I love my gravel bike. I live close to lots of gravel roads, local paved roads are falling apart plus more congested everyday (lots of people move here), and my local MTB trails close at even a hint of rain. It is getting harder to justify riding skinny tires, no matter what bike they are under.

  • @ahabsbane
    @ahabsbane Pƙed 5 lety +1

    I've had a salsa warbird for a few years now and I love it. Tbh though I mostly use it as a commuter/recreation bike in the pothole ridden streets of MN.

  • @johnnydoe66
    @johnnydoe66 Pƙed 5 lety +17

    Ollie needs to visit GMBN and ride with Neil or Blake on Mountain Bikes.....It would be very entertaining to watch, but the skills he learns will help with his Road Bike handling. I use some of my mountain bike experience when riding on the road, whether it's rough pavement or tight twisting paths or country roads.

  • @michaeljbrennan3728
    @michaeljbrennan3728 Pƙed 5 lety +11

    Purchased a Cannondale Slate last year. It allows me to venture off road where my road bike can’t go. Gravel bikes are more versatile compared to mountain and road bikes. If you only have room (budget or space) for one bike, go for a gravel bike. Equally at home on and off road.

    • @karlpartridge9546
      @karlpartridge9546 Pƙed 4 lety

      A twenty year old Cannondale h700 bought for less than 200 dollars with drop bars added is probably just as adequate

  • @poundtownforever6126
    @poundtownforever6126 Pƙed 5 lety +6

    Love the cinematography and scenes

  • @christianweingartner9997
    @christianweingartner9997 Pƙed 5 lety +3

    Ridley X-Ride - purebred cyclocross with Cantis and Campy Record - fast, light, responds quickly . Love to ride it on roads, on MTB trails and sometimes even hook a rack and panniers on.

  • @LukeGJPotter
    @LukeGJPotter Pƙed 5 lety +9

    Cows on Arstoturf look less confused than Ollie. :D
    Ollie was a fantastic signing by GCN.

  • @MrSoloDev
    @MrSoloDev Pƙed 5 lety +6

    This episode made me laugh so hard:
    7:19 - Oliver cursing .. epic~!

  • @James-it8gx
    @James-it8gx Pƙed 5 lety +1

    Great video! Looks like a lovely place to go bikepacking (on a gravel bike of course)

  • @nanomckomsncom
    @nanomckomsncom Pƙed 5 lety +2

    killer video and killer tracks ! Loved every second.

  • @justinbartolini6039
    @justinbartolini6039 Pƙed 5 lety +4

    Drop bars that flare outward from the hoods are the most amazing upgrade you can make on either a gravel or cross bike, it is like the difference from going from skinny skis to fat skis in powder. I was able to fit a 38 rear and 44 front compass tires on my cyclocross bike and they are slicks, I ride everything with slick tires until it gets super wet and muddy, often traction is over-rated and unnecessary from my experience, for supple, properly aired tires with good technique is where you get traction from as opposed to knobs, knobs only come into play in mud and often the mud riding that defined my youth of mountain biking is more so just a way to ruin trails and now a days more and more areas are closed in the wet season to cycling - time to break out your trail running shoes or ski gear. Cool video and I wish I was rich so I can have a bike for every mood and condition but for now I will just ride everything on a modified cross bike and wonder why the mountain bikers think they need mountain bikes for a majority of the single track out there............

    • @horsebattery9243
      @horsebattery9243 Pƙed 3 měsĂ­ci

      Mountain biking is 100% a thing that ruins trails for anyone whose not a mountain biker.

  • @LewisCampbellTech
    @LewisCampbellTech Pƙed 4 lety +9

    Wider tires, lower bottom bracket, more mounts for mudguards and racks - sounds like they've re-branded touring bikes. I guessing 'touring' sounds slow and heavy, but 'gravel racing' sounds fast and exciting.

  • @ChrisH-my2ew
    @ChrisH-my2ew Pƙed 4 lety

    this is excellent. thanks guys. you hit all the cycling points of concern

  • @brianmessemer2973
    @brianmessemer2973 Pƙed 5 lety +1

    That song that started at 6:36 reminded me of the first Foo Fighters album. Especially 7:48. Nostalgic sound!

  • @OnzeManInKazakhstan
    @OnzeManInKazakhstan Pƙed 5 lety +748

    Since you guys are now invading our trails, can we at least still make fun of your spandex? Sincerely -GMBN

    • @gcn
      @gcn  Pƙed 5 lety +151

      Better tell that to the xc riders too 😉

    • @jamie-kd9tx
      @jamie-kd9tx Pƙed 5 lety +41

      bro we need to sacrifice xc riders to them its too late

    • @bernardvantonder7291
      @bernardvantonder7291 Pƙed 5 lety +51

      The extremist fundamentalist mountain bike fans are hilarious

    • @HOllyBOni
      @HOllyBOni Pƙed 5 lety +31

      When i'm on my gravel bike I wear Endura baggy shorts, a Fox MTB helmet, clipless Five Tens and a T-shirt. Is that cool enough?

    • @harrystephenson5446
      @harrystephenson5446 Pƙed 5 lety +5

      @@justinbartolini6039 Dropper post.

  • @alvingomez1990
    @alvingomez1990 Pƙed 5 lety +15

    I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned (or noticed) this before but Ollie sounds like a cycling equivalent of Jeremy Clarkson...

    • @rohan-xc5mt
      @rohan-xc5mt Pƙed 2 lety

      Haha! I totally agree with you.

  • @arontal
    @arontal Pƙed 4 lety

    Been wondering about this for a few years. Thanks for answering the question.

  • @berndkiltz
    @berndkiltz Pƙed 5 lety +2

    Beautiful Pictures, wow! Great Video. More of that!

  • @trampoline1star
    @trampoline1star Pƙed 4 lety +5

    Si’s and Ollies banter is so good 😂 😂

  • @Martijn196
    @Martijn196 Pƙed 5 lety +7

    Between modern bike paths and old bumpy paving stones most big city's offer I think there is still room for a new cyclocross variant made for commuting and racing and exploring cities bike company's could invent after everyone bought their gravelbikes.
    Something made for fast sprints between traffic lights and short corners while remaining comfortable on cobblestones, resists broken glass and is highly visible in the dark between reflekting city lights and has an air horn to honk back to cars.

    • @Zim1080
      @Zim1080 Pƙed 5 lety +1

      Hybrid anyone?

    • @jonathanbouchard39
      @jonathanbouchard39 Pƙed 5 lety +1

      I've got two bikes for that - a 'cyclocross' and a hybrid. But the most important of each is flat pedals so that you can burn away from the traffic lights quickly, and stop on a sixpence without worrying about clips. The lower gearing with the little granny wheel on the hybrid is great, but I've not tried it on a seriously long ride - not least because I've set it with the saddle slightly too low for traffic light and pub riding.

    • @Martijn196
      @Martijn196 Pƙed 5 lety

      @@jonathanbouchard39 I can recommend multifunctional mtb pedals which have clips at one and are flat on the other side. This allows you to ride with normal shoes to work or something similar whilst having the option to take the same bike for a fast ride through the city dressed in cycling gear. Most of the time you don't even have to unclip yourselve at every traffic light because there are often objects to hold on. And when the light switches to green you than can enjoy the excaleration boost from your clipless pedals. Cyclocross and hybrid bikes are great for cities. However, people were happy with their cyclocross and cross country bikes for gravel riding before someone introduced the gravelbike.

  • @jayshockey5461
    @jayshockey5461 Pƙed 5 lety +1

    Si and Ollie! Now that’s a GREAT combo!đŸ‘ŠđŸ»đŸ’ȘđŸ»đŸ‘đŸ» Great show guys!

  • @Flickerbrain
    @Flickerbrain Pƙed 5 lety +1

    Great video guys! Keep the Gravel stuff coming, it's the future!! :-)

  • @Jheassler
    @Jheassler Pƙed 3 lety +19

    4:24
    I’ve never heard someone’s voice crack unintentionally in a recorded song😂

    • @skyb8687
      @skyb8687 Pƙed 2 lety

      Check out the hives,the singer does it

  • @kingprone7846
    @kingprone7846 Pƙed 5 lety +6

    The best video on the net comparing the 2 bikes, hands down.. IMHO in a blind test 99% will always prefer the gravel bike as it is just so much more comfortable to ride (with the same tires obviously). A proper CX bike just isn't designed to be ridden for 4 hours straight on a nice gravel trail. Personally for me it is all about that on a CX bike you feel you sit on top of the bike rather than inside of the bike (mentioned in the video at 12:00 as well) and the tires. When I started riding CX many years ago on "gravel" and forrest terrain the choice of tires was very limited and a lot of CX tires are really more for mud and grass and just dont perform that well on forrest and gravel terrain.

    • @VincentJGoh
      @VincentJGoh Pƙed 5 lety

      Really, there's not a lot of true 'sitting' in cyclocross. You're rarely sitting for more than a minute at a time--you're always sort of hovering over the seat unless you're on the pavement. If you race CX, buy a CX bike, otherwise, buy a gravel bike. It's a relatively simple calculus.

    • @kingprone7846
      @kingprone7846 Pƙed 5 lety

      @@VincentJGoh you have never done a cross race.

    • @VincentJGoh
      @VincentJGoh Pƙed 5 lety

      @@kingprone7846 Hah, I've done a lot of cross racing; it's been my main discipline for 5 or 6 years. I'm not saying you never put your butt on the seat at all, but when you're racing through a bumpy field, you're barely touching the seat, so bumps don't toss you up in the air. You only get to sit down uninterrupted when you're on pavement or climbing. I'd honestly be surprised if you spend more than 60s at a time sitting and cranking unless you're on an unusually flat course.

  • @austinrussell32044
    @austinrussell32044 Pƙed 4 lety +1

    Laughed more than I expected to! Thanks for a great video

  • @DM-im6rm
    @DM-im6rm Pƙed 3 lety +2

    Great comparison! Would have been interesting, and more complete, to hear the differences in weight and materials in the two bikes, though.

  • @Frankovelli
    @Frankovelli Pƙed 4 lety +6

    6:44 why does it look like he's always smuggling a boiled ham in his shorts? lol

  • @Martijn196
    @Martijn196 Pƙed 5 lety +5

    To be honest I don't even know what I am riding. I though I bought a cyclocross bike but there are little "gravel" writings on it and it has fender mountings. Anyways I got it for a very good price and in a city like Hamburg with pumpy cobblestone roads mixt with modern smooth bike paths its a great bike to deliver food with. Particularly during winter I'm glad to have the option for fenders. Together with my added dropable seatpost for anoying orders like soups or pizzas which repuire a more upright position I got the ultimative delivery bike.

    • @burkeculligan4756
      @burkeculligan4756 Pƙed 5 lety +2

      sounds like an awesome ride -- call it whatever you want - just keep riding it!

  • @DavidKent0407
    @DavidKent0407 Pƙed 5 lety

    Very entertaining and enjoyable video thanks. Loved it.

  • @NilsFerry
    @NilsFerry Pƙed 4 lety

    Really nice video that was a big help for me, guys. Thanks.

  • @humbertoleandro896
    @humbertoleandro896 Pƙed 5 lety +67

    That was a good video. You know what could great? Put 38m tires on both bikes and to the test again on that circuit and see the difference, after that, put 33m tires on both and do a couple of laps on a local CX course and check the differences again. Could the difference you found be all due to the tire size?

    • @teva4669
      @teva4669 Pƙed 5 lety +4

      You can't put 38mm tires on the cx bike, it doesn't fit

    • @humbertoleandro896
      @humbertoleandro896 Pƙed 5 lety +4

      On the Canyon Inflight you can. I have a friend who owns one and is running 38s with no problem

    • @niallmanchester
      @niallmanchester Pƙed 5 lety +1

      Teva Riou I’ve got the 2015 Inflite and I have run 40mm on them but that’s the limit if you want to keep bare minimum clearance.

  • @whatsintheboxbaby
    @whatsintheboxbaby Pƙed 5 lety +6

    How did the stig do around the gravel-cross course?

  • @cliffsangelsphotography
    @cliffsangelsphotography Pƙed 5 lety +1

    Awesome vid guys! Good to see you on the dirt. Can we get another round of GCN Goes Mountain Biking, this time with the new presenters?

  • @jimboate7922
    @jimboate7922 Pƙed 4 lety

    I am enjoying your Lake Erie circle tour. Looking forward to the Canadian side also. We did a tour once that also included the Sandusky to Pelee Island/Lexington ferries. Looks like you are getting a. It on rain, nice to see we both have the same MEC rain jackets. My wife and I just returned from a tour around I’ll d’ Orlean east of Quebec City. Really look forward to your videos and thanks for the Over night oats recipe. Taste good.👍

  • @rosscads
    @rosscads Pƙed 5 lety +6

    I have the Grail CF SLX featured here and the only time I would prefer to use a CX bike is in a CX race. The gravel bike is hugely versatile, equally at home on the road or a forest trail.

  • @zachwhitsel3181
    @zachwhitsel3181 Pƙed 4 lety +11

    With a few more tweaks you’ll end up inventing a mountain bike! It’s going to be awesome! May even have suspension!

  • @dewknow1315
    @dewknow1315 Pƙed 3 lety

    I got a Cyclocross Bike and love it I did a 206-mile road ride the STP Seattle to Portland bike ride with no issues.

  • @scottishjohn
    @scottishjohn Pƙed 5 lety +1

    😍 think that I may be bit in love with both those bikes! đŸšČ Gotta love the banter between Si and Ollie...looks like Ollie needs some cyclocross lessons. Think that could be a job for Lasty. I would be interested to compare how these two bikes got on with some muddy field action or even on some sand... Need to see these two in wet conditions... Not just the dry but none the less a very good video and who knows if Gravelcross will catch on!

  • @anvilhead59
    @anvilhead59 Pƙed 4 lety +9

    “Proper cyclocross there... You went through a puddle!” LOL

  • @Ripinda1911
    @Ripinda1911 Pƙed 5 lety +41

    IMHO the gravel bike is the best bike for a casual rider. For commuting you put on 30mm touring tires, fenders and a rack, for some off road fun you put on 650b wheels and very wide tires and you still have a decent road bike with 28mm and a posh set of wheels.

    • @pkomarek
      @pkomarek Pƙed 5 lety +7

      Completely agree. When I moved to London I planned to upgrade my Look 566 to a more aggressive road bike in their range. Before earning that privilege I spent a year commuting over two millennia of road construction techniques, traversing muddy forest paths in the middle of "normal road rides", and cursing my rim brakes in the rain. I upgraded to a gravel bike instead (Orbea Terra) and it is fantastic for life here.

    • @glennoc8585
      @glennoc8585 Pƙed 5 lety

      Or you leave a good road bike setup and buy a commuter/mtb for a reasonable price. I see youbpoint if room at home is an issue but wheela can be exoensive and gearing is different. You want different pedals to be honest.

    • @ianparkes5097
      @ianparkes5097 Pƙed 5 lety

      @John Porno I think that was made clear. Very little suffering to be had on a gravel bike.

    • @swilderspin
      @swilderspin Pƙed 4 lety

      Fenders?

  • @pmckeown38
    @pmckeown38 Pƙed 5 lety +4

    Great video guys, maybe the best double act GCN has to offer

  • @brendavane9148
    @brendavane9148 Pƙed 5 lety +1

    That looks like lots of fun. Very good video.

  • @painged
    @painged Pƙed 5 lety +4

    What’s to stop you from throwing some 650B tyres on the Inflite with a tire width/volume that matches a 700c tire profile? Then you’ve got a cross machine, a gravel grinder, and you can throw some 700c x 30mm tyres on for the road?

  • @langz020
    @langz020 Pƙed 5 lety +8

    I would love to see a behind the scenes video showing how you guys record such awesome footage! There was a section in the trees there that was epic camera work!

    • @gcn
      @gcn  Pƙed 5 lety +5

      Thank you Chris, definitely something we would consider doing, if there is interest to see such work.

  • @billbrobst2361
    @billbrobst2361 Pƙed 5 lety

    Thanks for making this video! I'm 57, raced road and track in the 80's and 90's but know ZERO about off road bikes. Live here in Vermont and it just makes sense for me to look into a dirt road bike because of all the dirt roads and trails around here. Very informative video for me.

    • @karlpartridge9546
      @karlpartridge9546 Pƙed 4 lety

      Before you fork out big bucks for something new drag out your old steel frame racer - put bigger tires on it and you have yourself a bonafide gravel bike !!!!

  • @frankzimmermann1318
    @frankzimmermann1318 Pƙed rokem

    Nice comparison. Well done. Another interesting aspect would be the use “on the road”. Usability for the ride to your workplace in changing undergrounds.

  • @HoshinoMirai
    @HoshinoMirai Pƙed 5 lety +19

    4:55 tho
    I could never do that without hurting or falling

  • @bosschu
    @bosschu Pƙed 5 lety +6

    I mean, look at Si's bike control, that's the best thing in this video

  • @SquareWheelMedia
    @SquareWheelMedia Pƙed 5 lety +1

    Good video, and top quality music.

  • @mrphraner
    @mrphraner Pƙed 5 lety

    real good video! thanx guys!

  • @tillo1726
    @tillo1726 Pƙed 4 lety +16

    4:10 All my roadies probably like, 'eeeyyy that's dangerous af'

  • @rickp6007
    @rickp6007 Pƙed 3 lety +3

    "ok, should we ride the bikes then dad?" I'm dying😂😂

  • @stephenjeffreys4219
    @stephenjeffreys4219 Pƙed 5 lety

    Great vid but I missed the comparison on times set by you guys. And if you wanted to, you could always ask GMBN to mix it up with a 29er hardtail to see which is the quickest over the same trail

  • @marlon.iraheta
    @marlon.iraheta Pƙed 2 lety

    Great video guys !! Thanks :)

  • @wesleymoore2548
    @wesleymoore2548 Pƙed 5 lety +9

    Am I the only one who found the thug lyfe glasses hilarious !?!?!?! Fuego edit my dudes!!!

  • @brownshit1
    @brownshit1 Pƙed 5 lety +42

    I liked the Mountain Bikes with drop handle bars.

    • @CryWolfFilms
      @CryWolfFilms Pƙed 5 lety +9

      Really? I kind of liked the road bikes with big tires

    • @motormonph9224
      @motormonph9224 Pƙed 5 lety +2

      i have 1. mountainbike frame with drop handlebar with a tire of 26 by 2.10 soooo lit for me hehehe

    • @do4511
      @do4511 Pƙed 5 lety +1

      With rigid forks haha

    • @Fetherko
      @Fetherko Pƙed 5 lety

      That's what I did to my MTB.

  • @seagoat6591
    @seagoat6591 Pƙed 4 lety

    Love the way you guys support each other , very cool đŸ™‚đŸ‘â€ïž

  • @lines374
    @lines374 Pƙed 4 lety

    I get a Focus Mares cx bike 2x11 , love it on streets with a street wheelset, love it on fast trails and longer gravelrides.

  • @TheCruizer
    @TheCruizer Pƙed 4 lety +88

    Someday bikes will have front and rear suspension and perhaps a small electric motor to get uphill!
    Oh wait... đŸ€”đŸ˜‚

  • @toniedvardsen8169
    @toniedvardsen8169 Pƙed 5 lety +4

    I had CX first, then switched to Gravel. Never going back, that`s for sure. Gravel is so much more comfort and stability. A really do-it-all, as I THOUGHT CX was ;)

    • @robbiejk9613
      @robbiejk9613 Pƙed 4 lety

      But a Cyclocross rides so much better and faster on road.

  • @pobg
    @pobg Pƙed 5 lety +1

    Great vid thanks guys

  • @stevemansfield9582
    @stevemansfield9582 Pƙed 5 lety

    Love it, Olly, don’t give up the day job!! 😂 you’re starting to make an awesome presenter!! Funny vid boyz, loved it. On a serious note, main real difference is if you wanna shoulder your steed or not and size of the tyres. I personally go for the CX because of the 1x set up on them. However I’d never go to a 1x set up on my road bike.

  • @andyk4676
    @andyk4676 Pƙed 5 lety +13

    Si and Ollie are a great combo

  • @user-ll5pj1vj3c
    @user-ll5pj1vj3c Pƙed 4 lety +5

    gravel should be compared to mtb, and road/gravel/cyclo should be put to the test wit equal tires, then have a go.
    seems the Gravel is more like all year, all terrain, all commute, mtrb, moutainroadbike.

  • @alfredconqueror4422
    @alfredconqueror4422 Pƙed 5 lety +2

    I just bought a Specialized Diverge, and I'm really happy with it. It's great for me because the roads in Mexico can be quite aweful lol

  • @abenogcyklen5785
    @abenogcyklen5785 Pƙed 4 lety

    Love the route :-) love the clip

  • @peaceoftheworld
    @peaceoftheworld Pƙed 5 lety +8

    Guys, we are super!

  • @MUSHROOMONTABLE
    @MUSHROOMONTABLE Pƙed 5 lety +55

    A new discipline has been born:
    *G R A V E L C R O S S*

  • @matistysk79
    @matistysk79 Pƙed 4 lety +1

    Thanks to your video, it made it easier for me to choose the right bike for me. I bought a new bike in spring this year and was thinking What I will do with it. I was between Gravel bike or Cyclocross bike, but I wanted the opportunity to ride on streets and on gravel in the Swedish Forests around where I live. So this video helped me to noticed wich bike I should have for my purpose. Now I own a Scott Gravel bike and IÂŽm so happy with my choise thanks to you guys. Greatings from Stockholm

    • @gcn
      @gcn  Pƙed 4 lety +1

      It's great to hear how much you're enjoying cycling and how happy you are with the bike. Happy riding!

  • @mikeeberts3279
    @mikeeberts3279 Pƙed 5 lety +2

    I use my gravel bike as a super utility player... commuting and light touring in addition to gravel. I have a dedicated road bike for longer or faster road riding.

  • @reginaldscot165
    @reginaldscot165 Pƙed 5 lety +371

    Basically bike manufacturers needed a new way to get you to spend money... invent Slight differences between bikes to make you think you need another kind of bike? Simple.

    • @smalerider1727
      @smalerider1727 Pƙed 5 lety +21

      So gravel racing hasn’t been a thing for well over a decade, and they made bikes for it?

    • @tropfen
      @tropfen Pƙed 5 lety +26

      they are feeding the exact excuses every enthusiast bike rider makes to justify buying a new bike.

    • @TheOVERMUCH
      @TheOVERMUCH Pƙed 5 lety +19

      Not for me. I bought a gravel-bike and use it for racing and mountainbiking.

    • @michaltoman2805
      @michaltoman2805 Pƙed 5 lety +50

      Actually, gravel bike can be your only bike. Before, you could buy a cross bike, but it won't be as versatile. So why is that a bad thing? I don't try to defend the industry, I hate all the stupid standards they create and all the bullshit their marketing departments produce, but a universal gravel bike is not evil, it can be better for your wallet if you choose carefully.

    • @HOllyBOni
      @HOllyBOni Pƙed 5 lety +22

      Who doesn't like spending money on new bike stuff? It's awesome!

  • @Jimmy_experience
    @Jimmy_experience Pƙed 5 lety +19

    gravel bike for me 650b 2.1 tires is smooth on gravel

    • @mraffifpv1685
      @mraffifpv1685 Pƙed 5 lety +2

      My Giant TCX (CX bike...) can fit 650b 2.0" too... ( 2.1 would probably fit too)

    • @robivlahov
      @robivlahov Pƙed 5 lety +1

      2.1? That's what I run on my xc bike

    • @HOllyBOni
      @HOllyBOni Pƙed 5 lety +2

      XC? That's what I also use my gravel bike for.

    • @robivlahov
      @robivlahov Pƙed 5 lety

      @@HOllyBOni I'd have a tough time using a rigid bike for xc... The terrain dosnt let me... I do lockout my forks here and there tho

    • @HOllyBOni
      @HOllyBOni Pƙed 5 lety

      It was just a light hearted comment. :) Only sort of true. In the same ride I might use my gravel bike on pavement, gravel, dirt roads, singletrack. On the offroad parts I regularly meet guys on XC bikes. They won't replace XC bikes (okay a Salsa Cutthroat with a suspension fork can) but you can push these things pretty far with big tyres!

  • @TurneyUK
    @TurneyUK Pƙed 4 lety

    Very good, thanks guys 👍

  • @benstanden8784
    @benstanden8784 Pƙed 5 lety +1

    Finally pulled the trigger on a Crockett frameset to build up 1x (inspired by Si's Crockett from the CX vs MTB video), probably going to go for some larger non-UCI tyres though. Should be capable at both CX, gravel and touring :D

  • @kompetytor
    @kompetytor Pƙed 5 lety +3

    Depends of what you’re expecting from your bike, proportion is the thing in mathematics. 50% off 50% on road get the CX, 60% off 40% on get the gravel, 70% off 30% on - that’s when a hardtail XC makes sense. Efficiency drives the universe so why should you pay penalty for extra surface on your tires?!

  • @davidchomowicz7436
    @davidchomowicz7436 Pƙed 5 lety +3

    Best dual purpose cx first gravel second crossover bike that accommodates 40mm tires with a bit of clearence?

    • @tbone079
      @tbone079 Pƙed 4 lety

      David Chomowicz surly steamroller. jk

  • @brownmasao
    @brownmasao Pƙed 3 lety

    Thanks! This explained a lot :)