Bike Forums - View Single Post - Gravel bike Fad or here to stay.

12-17-13 | 12:49 PM

#13

merlinextraligh

pan y agua

Joined: Aug 2005

Posts: 31,809

Likes: 1,231

From: Jacksonville

Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehammerdog

what are the tweaks and are they indeed different....they loo fster cooler but it maybe smoke & mirrors.....so how are they not CX bike

Biggest thing is tire size, mud clearance. Typical CX bike takes 32-35mm tires. Gravel Grinders typically can take 2"+ wide tires. Next, Gravel Grinders tend to have longer wheel bases, longer chain stays, higher bottom bracket, and more relaxed head and seat tube angles.

A gravel grinder is really a CX bike designed for longer races (100 miles plus), and to handle rougher terrain, hence he wider tires.

A true (traditional) CX bike is designed for UCI legal tire widths (33mm), and to corner well on a "crit on grass" course, ridden intensely in 45minute to 1 hour bursts. True CX bike you pick it up and run with it when the conditions are really bad.

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