Clint, I'm subbed to your channel...anytime you need to get more space in the shed feel free to send me one of those bad boys. Just watched you vid on gravel vs cx bike, good job!
I am running 40mm tires on my titanium gravel bike and find I am only about 3-5 km slower on smooth road compared to my carbon road bike given the same level effort. With the gravel bike tires, you pump them up to max and run on the middle ridge to achieve near road bike speeds. The advantage is that you can ride over just about anything as this video show. You cant go wrong with a gravel bike in a titanium frame. One of the most versatile bikes I have ever owned.
Having just bought a RIBBLE CX5 2017 I am now in complete agreement with your statement of best bike you'll ever own. I have been looking for this bike for 10 years now. My smile hath returned!!
I'm a roadie, but I picked up a cannondale crossbike for my commuting (40miles a day), and I love it!! I've done single track, dirt, gravel, bombed out roads, etc. It's fast, fun and comfortable. Only gripe: chainring size. 42-36 is OK, but I'd love something more than the 42.
Iv just got into biking again for cardio as I'm a competitive bodybuilder and Iv just brought a cyclocross bike todo it with where I live. Best thing Iv ever bought!!! best of both worlds and I didn't think I'd enjoy it that much but its fantastic!!!!!
Great video, the one bike solution is definitely a cross bike, despite what gravel bike owners may say. I view the cross bike as a the same as a fast gravel bike anyway gravel bikes are only different when they become endurance / touring bikes with panniers and relaxed geometry which then makes them just slower cross bikes, and less of an all round bike The cross bike wins gravel races, which says it all. Stybar used a cross bike in the TDF and they are used in Paris Roubiax, as well as up/ down mountains (3 peaks), and some are almost the same as a fast road bike, just with wider clearance
I saw a carbon and titanium cross bike just like yours in Nottingham before I left for Brunei, I stopped to talk to the guy on it and comment on how nice it was. They are a very versatile bike and I could definitely see myself buying one as an alternative to a mountain bike any day. At the moment I don't have a need for one as all my riding is on the road but it would be a nice thing to add to my collection one day. By the way it's not the bike that was dropping other bikes, it was the rider on top of it. 😉
Great video, thanks! I agree, I love my basic Fuji cyclocross bike for rail trails, dirt roads, smooth trails, city riding, 20mi road rides, commuting. Here around Boston it is great for the dirt/gravel rail trails (Topsfield to Peabody) the Concord Reformatory trail, Battle road, and many many state and city parks. I also use it on a sailboat to do great rides on the coast of Maine. Mostly I mountain bike on a full suspension. The Fuji is my other bike.
CX is the most versatile bike I've ever owned, and I've been riding since I could walk! I smash out little tours - loaded up, no problem, country road rides - got a road-going tyred wheelset and a thicker set for long bumpy canal rides etc! Quick and strong around town, I fill the panniers up with weekly groceries and still fly past all the glass-cranking power-rangers muahaha!! Best feeling ever - savage! I love my hardtail MTB as well of course but my Marin CX is my babe
I have owned four cross bikes now and never enjoyed them. Never comfortable on long rides, too slow on the roads, and too uncomfortable on the trails (where I live anyway). Cross bikes are good for one thing IMAO, racing cross (which is usually never longer than an hour or two). These days, I have a lot more fun on a actual gravel grinder (Volagi), than I ever did on a cross bike. Thanks for the video, fun shots!
cyclocross or if you want to mix with a little more road go for the gravel grinder which manages distance better based on the slight differences in geometry. own both, love both. will never go to another bike. sold my MTB's and have never looked back.
Good video, I'm about to buy one of these, a Scott Speedster Gravel, for use throughout the winter here in Limousin. I am a thirty year veteran mountain biker but the tracks here in the winter and usually flooded and crappy, almost un-rideable so this might be the answer. I have a long former railway track which is a mix of cinder and old tarmac and this type of bike would be a good way to ride that during the winter.
I solved the"road problem" every MTBer faces by putting 25mm slicks on my 2nd wheelset. Looks completely ridiculous on 26 incher but does the job, these small wheels are hyper "agile" on technical descents (to the point one has to be careful not to overdo and slip), also one has to be reeeeally soft on rear brake (discs too strong). And I always have suspension ready for rough road/cobbles ;-)
I bought a GT Grade gravel bike this winter as my rim brakes weren't safe in the wet. I fitted mudguards and it was ideal as a winter bike. I cycled about 45 miles to London last week and half the ride was on the canal path which was much nicer than by London roads. road.cc/content/tech-news/191096-just-gt-grade-carbon-ultegra
Microage did you see season 22 episode 1 of Top Gear ? how hammond crashed on tram lines on his 9k pound bike ? thats why you need a hard tail with wider tyres
I bought a Whyte Friston , it s "gravel bike" but is actually a CX bike due it short stem and wide bars .. and does all the off road stuff I need , does road OK , but I dont do road ..
I have a idea buy a xc bike and put drop bars on and now you have a more useful gravel bike with will probably be a lot more comfy when going off road and on road
Ist ja schön und gut, das man mit einem Rennrad jetzt auch offroad fahren kann, doch ich frage mich ob das angenehm ist, die lage, der krumme Rücken, der untergrund ohne Federung, der einen komplett durchschüttelt, da denke ich bin ich mit meinem Enduro besser dran.
I consider buying a cross bike, but it wouldn't be good for the type of technical downhill riding I love... I did compromise and start turning my road bike into a mixed on/off road bike, but I couldn't lube without my mtb
im a strong believer that downhill bikes are one of the best bikes you can own but if we are talking practicallity a solid enduro bike is where its at. You can do anytrhing on an enduro bike, downhill, uphill, dirtjump, flow and tech trails are all in the enduros range but if we are talking about whats more fun to ride nothing beets a downhill bike.
Really enjoyed this review . 55 yrs old and you make me feel I can experience this ? Ive seen the cannondale caadx on e bay and think I will bid now , thanks !!! wish me luck !!!
I used to ride on MTB last years. Many years. This year I bought a cyclocross. At the beginning I though I'm a kind of freak. After few months I'm very surprised it was a very good idea to bought this bike. I can go anywhere as I did on MTB. What is obvious I can ride much faster on asphalt. Much faster. What is not obvious I suppose is speed on corners. Much higher than on MTB. I'm using Giant Anyroad, but I'm pretty sure that other cyclocross bikes are as good as mine. To have such light MTB bike you have to spend much more money. Cyclocross is much lighter as it is, so money stay in your pocket. For now I've done about 1500km, and had no puncture. Surprise?
Awesome video man. Also saw your vids on pedestrians, cyclists, motorist and thos people who wanna save a few seconds lol. However, I did realize that you are going pretty fast on your cyclocross bike. What is the width of the tires you are using? I am using 35mm tires the shwalbe rocket rons with vision 30 wheels. FYI, you made me get a cyclocross bike, I switched from MTB to cyclocross for commuting. @velofil Definitely loads more fun and faster but needs getting used to. Wondering now if I can hit an average speed of 40kph so that I can join my road bike buddies during their night run. Any pointers besides growing leg muscles as thats in process :)
Would love buy a gravel or cyclo but frustrated i cant mount rack and use as work commute also. Ie cannondale 105 2017 onwards removed eyelets for carrier. Any of you cyclo heads use a work commute with light panniers laptop, removabld fenders etc.
Great video! I'm about to jump into the cyclocross world with a Kona Jake. --- I see you are running the Racing Ralph tires - are they the 35mm? What are some of your favorite tire choices? Thanks again for the video, I'm excited!!!
on the half of those roads I would pick a road bike, on the other half I would pick a hard tail MTB. In both cases I would have twice as much fun. This movie didn't convince me to CX bike by a bit...
+Velofil Hello. Awesome cyclocross upload. Can you tell me please your name of your cyclocross bike/s and if you bought it like this or did you add by your own other components because I loved that speed adrenaline on downhills. I'd appreciate if you'd reply back:). Salute.
Yup, that's completely true. I have a fixie bike that I convert to a single speed, thicker tyres from time to time and go off-road with it. Although its fun, its not the same as my XC bike which unfortunately had to be sold :(
Cool bike! I have to admit I'm one of those pedal assist e-bikers ;-) But after a full year of e-biking, I think I'm now in good enough shape to start cycling with a regular bike and cyclocross could be a great choice for everyday use and this video seems to concur ;-)
Velofil Yes Finland has great infrastructure for cycling (a lot of bike lanes) and a lot of trails too, because we live in middle of forests mostly lol. Cycling in the city streets still need a lot of changes here, the culture is too car-oriented...man, I have cyclocross fever now, looks so much fun!
These kind of bikes really got me interested as I live in the mountains but I'm concerned about riding long distances on it (150km+) Should I get a cross bike or maybe a gravel bike with bigger tires? Versatility is the key point I'm looking for as my rides would cover wide gravel roads, fire roads, regular roads, singletracks and even a bit of highway (everything at a slow-ish pace). I've only owned cheap 'Decathlon' bikes before, it would be my first expensive 'top brand' bike and I'm really confused as to what to buy.
I have Cube cycle pro bike 2015 model. With ultegra in front and 105 in back. the best bike I have ever own. Regarding the speed, it is a question of your shape and not the bike. Train hard, go faster. My bike weights 9.4 kg. Its not light as a carbon road bike but it can pass almost any gravel, dirt, mud, cross-country roads, and more which typical road bike cannot. However they are not "sexy" as super road bikes
A cyclocross bike is basically a race bike with wider tires, slightly different geometry, v- or disk brakes and with a different cable routing. I don't think that there is a road bike brake with enough clearance for really wide tires? You can ride all this with a standard road bike but it's not much fun I guess.
Gravel bikes are optimized for comfort over longer distances ridden on gravel and fire roads and sometimes even some smoother singletrack whereas 'cross bikes are intended for short duration (
Great video, I'm seriously looking to trade in my road bike for a cross bike, in your experience, do you feel a big difference in terms speed and rolling resistance vs a road bike?
A local bike seller where i live, advised me against the use of cyclocross bike for long distances... or trips 4/5 hours long, in mixed terrain. What you think about it? (p.s. i like the giant tcx) thx!
Ask him what the alternative is, he will have no answer :-) This is from the GIANT Website "Move up through the field in heated cyclocross battles, or go long on gravel road epics."
