Another bike category that is calling my name to buy! Gravel Bike. So with all the hype why not just ride a fully rigid Hardtail mountain bike? You have the ability for a wide range of tire sizes and it seems all the gravel guys want bigger tires. You can run a suspension fork if you like and lock it out, you can ride it easily on single track, gravel and pavement. Perhaps I am missing something, educate me please.
Why not "Gravel" a Hardtail
vcyclist
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I am sure many of have seen the Niner MCR, which is about to come out in November. It is pretty much full suspension mtb. I think also remember reading Fox made a gravel-specific version of their 32 shock.
Follow a guy on a gravel bike while you're on a hardtail. I've done it, he ran off and left me and was putting out much less effort, and I had tires that should have worked well/been fast on gravel. Now, if the downhills get a little rutted out or whatever, its certainly a different story. Funny thing, I went with some guys that were on FS and a hardtail while I was on a fully rigid mtn bike with gravel tires and I didn't seem to have that much of an advantage, but to be honest, they were both world class athletes and a lot younger than me.
Exactly same opinion. My daughter on gravel Merida silex and I on Trek Fex with XC tires she disappeared with no effort. My personal records are much higher on gravel bike on all kinds of gravel fire roads in the woods and of course on asphalt. Of course different story going downhill. Gravel is so much fun.
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I think this also depends if the bike is steel or not, cause I can assure you it be easier for me on a alloy or carbon gravel bike than my current steel model .
At the last gravel stage race we ran, there were lots of MTB's.
Quite a few running minimal race tyres and some running DHF/DHR tyres.
It's demoralising having to try and out-sprint an MTB with DH tyres at the end of a 42km hilly stage
Quite a few running minimal race tyres and some running DHF/DHR tyres.
It's demoralising having to try and out-sprint an MTB with DH tyres at the end of a 42km hilly stage
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Another hardtail gravel option.
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