Adventure vs Race - The Best Gravel Bike For You

This video contains paid promotion for Trek Bicycles.

In this video, we dive into the key differences between adventure and race-oriented gravel bikes to help you choose the best one for your riding style. We’ll break down everything from bike geometry and tire choices to performance and handling.

Whether you’re looking for comfort and stability for long off-road adventures or speed and precision for fast-paced mixed terrain rides, this video has you covered. If you're unsure which gravel bike is right for you, watch this guide to find your perfect match!

#bike #cycling #gravel #adventure #racing

Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:29 Key Differences - Tube Shapes
02:26 Ride Position
03:04 Frame Features
04:14 Weight
05:04 Tyre Clearance
05:51 Similarities - Integration
06:27 Suspension
07:04 Gearing
07:51 Which Is Right For You?

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[bikeradar]

Adventure or race - which do you prefer?

[sccxvelo]

Use an older CX bike that goes up to 40mm rear, 42-45mm front for fast - smoother gravel and short road rides/ errands.. Looking for an another frame for wider tires, works with modern parts, no toe overlap with wider tires, travel, and comfort on long rides .

[ichor]

I really like the gen3 checkpoints but wish it came with 2x grx. I live in the flatest of flat here in deep south texas, so I have no need for 1x with super easy gearing.

[Csapi]

Unless you've finished top 10 in a UCI gravel or Life Time Grand Prix race, you don't need a gravel race bike!

[grvl]

Blah blah marketing. I slammed the stem on my "adventure" bike and put some fast wheels and tyres on it for hardpack gravel. Now it's a race bike 🤷🏻‍♂️

[keith_cottongim]

I have a racy gravel frame and an adventurery gravel frame. After 4 years not sure which is best for me

[grahamwood]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pair of bikes so utterly boring in design and colour

[Cycling.Bikepacking]

If you buy 1 size smaller and fit 1cm longer stem - your “adventure” bike suddenly becomes racier than your “race” model. Pure marketing bs.

[mrfdtt]

Recently I took an "adventure gravel bike" with 2.1" MTB tires to a race. The only guy who was quicker races in the CX world cup. On really rough terrain and in corners he struggled more than I did, but on climbs it was the other way around.

[chrisjong]

Great to see Jack again, more video's with him please🎉

[oldmanbucksaw]

Both the Checkpoint and Checkmate have relatively long reaches and low stack heights. The stack on the Checkpoint is lower than other bikes in the "adventure" class.

[tomlamontagne]

What about price factor ? The checkmate starts at 11k here 🤯

[CycleXplorer]

Still loving my aluminium Topstone as a bit of a do it all gravel bike. Super comfortable and almost 5 years old. It's done gravel rides like King Alfred's Way, South Downs Double, club runs, some time trials and the Pan Celtic Race.

[michaelfleming]

I have a Topstone and a Diverge. Both have dropper posts, and hydraulic disc brakes. I currently have 30mm Pirelli P zeros on the Topstone and Pirelli Cinturato M on the Diverge. Each bike has a second wheel set with the opposite tires, all tubeless. Point is, the gravel bikes can do it all. I have an outstanding Andante hard tail mtb that is a great ride, but if I stick to green and blue trails, I find it fun to ride them on a gravel bike. That’s the main reason I have droppers on them. Nuff said 😅🚴🏼‍♀️👍🏼

[planetrock]

52 sec in.. "comes with an unhealthy disregard for your personal safety" I'm tapping out already. This sweaty sock spouts some tosh

[tomas]

The stem is the key, with a regular stem you can change from adventure to race easily.

[ricksantana]

I was just told recently that Pirelli has 40 mil treads been googling but to no avail…