So for something like an endurance bike, which is designed to efficiently eat up miles on the road, a balance needs to be struck between efficiency and comfort. Once you go wider than 28mm, a tyre will start to become more of a drag, with the extra rolling resistance slowing you down. They need the extra tyre volume for riding over massive rocks and all of that scary-looking stuff that mountain bikers do. At the other end of the extreme, a mountain bike can boast clearance for tyres over 70mm wide. A super speedy aero race bike won’t have that much tyre clearance - it’ll be about 30mm max - as these bikes are ridden exclusively on paved roads, they don’t need more. Tyre clearance matters because it is the main determining factor as to what terrain your bike can comfortably take you over. The bigger the clearance above and to the side of the tyres, the wider the tyre that you can fit. This is the space in the frame and fork for tyres. Mountain bike tyres will also be wider and grippier, and mountain bikes will offer more effective suspension than you’ll find on even the most cushioned gravel bikes.įor light off-road terrain, a gravel bike is just as effective and will be lighter than an equivalent mountain bike, but once you start venturing onto technical trails, mountain bikes are the winners.First up, we have the most easily identifiable difference. However, while gravel bike gearing may be significantly easier than road gearing, it’s not a match for the range offered by a proper mountain bike groupset. Gravel bikes borrow many features from mountain bikes, such as their geometry designed for stability, suspension features, wide tubeless tyres and wide-range gearing.īut the drop bars and more aggressive gearing of gravel bikes make them more enjoyable if your rides include any tarmac or faster, less technical off-road terrain. Mountain bikes offer geometry, tyres and suspension better suited to more extreme off-road riding. This helps you accelerate fast and steer around tight obstacles on a racecourse, rather than remaining comfortable on an all-day (or multi-day) gravel riding epic.Ī cyclocross bike’s tyres will normally be narrower, to comply with race regulations (UCI-sanctioned events only permit tyres up to 33mm wide) and help cut through muddy or sandy ground.Īs a result, there might not be as much clearance as a gravel bike and you probably won’t get as many mounting points for mudguards and other accessories either. Someone choosing a bike for cyclocross racing will look for more aggressive geometry with faster handling. Well, whereas a gravel bike is designed for endurance riding and exploring, a traditional cyclocross bike will be geared towards racing, usually for an hour or less. Wide tyres, big clearance, lower gearing – these are all features of the best cyclocross bikes, so just what is the difference between a CX bike and a gravel bike? Gravel bike tyresĬyclocross bikes are racier and less practical than gravel bikes. If, on the other hand, you expect to ride your gravel bike mainly on technical off-road terrain, there are machines that come with really wide tyres on smaller 650b wheels and a layout that looks more similar to mountain bike geometry. Indeed, many of the best endurance road bikes now come with the tyres and clearance (up to 35mm, in many cases) to handle light gravel riding. If you intend to ride predominantly on roads, with the occasional off-road track to mix things up, you’ll probably want a bike that rides more like an endurance road bike. It’s worth considering the type of terrain you’re likely to want to use your gravel bike on and choosing a bike designed to handle that. Some seatposts and seat tubes, including on Specialized’s bikes with Future Shock Rear, are also designed for extra vibration absorption. The frame’s tubes will often be shaped to cushion the ride too, particularly in the rear triangle, where curved and flattened sections in the chainstays and seatstays will help with in-saddle comfort. The Specialized Diverge STR incorporates rear suspension through its Future Shock system.
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