Gravel Bike Vs XC Flat Bar | What’s The Difference?

Are you torn between a gravel bike and a flat bar XC mountain bike? Which is faster? Which is more versatile for bikepacking trips? In this video, Anna & Doddy are out in the Forest Of Dean to spend the day comparing the two options as they look at the pros and cons of gravel Vs flat bar XC bikes!

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[LukaszMielczarek]

3:22 that scream 😂😂 another great video, need more of Doddy and Anna! Great chemistry on screen as always

[markbils]

Some ppl don't have the choice of using different bikes for different types of riding. The main factor is getting out and riding is it not.

[curtvaughan]

Really enjoyed this. Yeah, that XC bike without suspension reminds me a lot of "mountain bike shaped objects" from the late 80s through the mid-90s - just needs 26" wheels. Having woken up a couple of months ago to find myself 70 years old, I remember those bikes were fun to ride back then, for both city riding on pavement, gravel outside the city limits, and flowing single track. Used to follow Ned Overend and whippersnapper John Tomac in early mtb races, and much of their racing occurred on bikes like this. I still ride, and have both a hard tail and a full sus. mtb, but at times wish I had something like the featured gravel bike for the kind of riding I'm mostly doing these days

[apm]

I live in rural eastern Idaho. Our weather varies from -35 C to +35 C, with ❄️, hail, 🌧️, sleet, freezing rain, slick ice, 80 kph headwinds, and sandstorms. Within 50 meters of my home I have rocky canal trails that are very difficult on anything other than a fat tire bike. I'm an avid cycling commuter. During pounding sleet headwinds, only my velomobile will do to pedal to work. For trips that don't require picking up anything, my 1984 Bianchi Limited race bike is exquisite in perfect weather. It's my well past midlife indulgence for $300 used from the basement of Dave's Bike Shop in Idaho Falls. My Salsa Marakesh touring gravel bike is nice for most weather and gravel trails. My single speed cafe racer bike is a single speed Walmart bike that I put gravel bars on for aerodynamics vs the headwinds I often encounter. My cafe racer is an awesome commuter bike because nobody in their right mind would steal it. It's ugly but still pretty fast. My Amsterdam bike is a nice commuter for nice weather and rain. But it's in the shop due to riding over rail road tracks fast one time. My wife and I have a tandem bike which is fun for dates. This Friday we will celebrate her 30th anniversary of her 20th birthday with pedaling into town for sushi. If I had to have one bike only, it would be my Surly Pugsley fat tire bike with additional studded fat tires for the slick ice which knocks ATVs into the ditch. It's slow but it will get me there and back in all possible weather, all possible surfaces, and all terrains.

[_odaxelagnia]

Doddy and Anna are such great presenters
Even when i'm not that interested in the topic of a video i still watch it because of how charming you two are😊

[DanB-pgvu]

This is my experience with both bars.
Flat bars, stock are great for control and handling precision. Also due to the position being in the middle of the bike, they feel genially great off-road. Another advantage is the wide range of modifications available, including adding bar extensions to it. With some bar tape, this improves comfort for longer rides. Aero can also be improved by adding bar drops, but up to a point.

Drop bars, the combining of the brakes and shifting is useful.
Due to most drop bar bike geometry. It pushes your position forward on the bike which was always great for road riding. But was never idea for off-road terrain, especially when descending.
Tying to correct this position on the bike was found to be very difficult. This is due to the lack of bar extension modifications out there that support the larger bar diameter.
What helped a bit was raising the drops as high as they can go, then adjusting the hoods accordingly.

[kirkwoodbharris]

I've come to the conclusion that when trying to decide whether to buy a gravel bike (or any bike really), it really comes down to what terrain are you riding and how many bikes are/will be in your garage

[dragoclarke]

Did the Coast and Castles (NC1 I think) on my hardtail XC bike, then a few months later a slightly shorter two day trip on my gravel bike. Got to say the XC was more comfortable and just as quick. As long as its got two wheels just ride it.

[andyward]

I love my Fully ridged Mtb, I think it has a ton of advantages over a gravel bike especially on real Nasty Mountain Gravel Backpacking route. $800 Frame, $500 Fork., that bike is cool but absolutely ridiculous. You have to use Areo bars to make up for the aero drag in the flats. Plus for a true comparison, with the same tires, and same chainring/gear ratios. The guys round my way that put down the same times on there xc bikes on loop trails to me are putting in the same times on gravel loops as I am, they for sure catch up on flats but get lost on climbs and Decent. Right tool for the right job, I got it.

[heyg]

I never felt 100% comfortable with drops and changed out to flat bars and added SQLabs inner bars. . Solves the position/aero argument and I'm more confident in sketchier terrain. Rockshox Judy would be a great upgrade as well to help with the chatter of longer rides.

[c]

My son and I cycled 75 miles to start of Peddars Way, a 46 mile offroad pre Roman road that runs from near Thetford to Hunstanton. Fairly bumpy, very dry with lots of loose flints. We used a hardtail 29er and a steel touring bike with 40mm Clement explorer gravel tyres. We swapped bikes occasionally and we concluded that there was no appreciable difference

[dyzoly]

3:22 such a perfectly executed splash!

[daveslaughter]

Looking at GCN and GMBN videos on this, it looks like the gravel roads in Great Britain are often single lane old bridle paths or lanes with little or no vehicular traffic, and therefore no washboarding. Where I live in Montana the gravel roads are largely unmaintained logging or mining roads or forest access roads to backpacking trailheads often with substantial rocky, washed out and washboarded areas. I am in a group which does gravel rides weekly and I ride these roads almost daily. Some of the members have high end "gravel specific" bikes but often choose to ride their mountain bikes with front or dual suspension instead. Additionally, for many of these rides the lowest gearing on most gravel bikes is not adequate (especially for older riders), especially if you carry panniers or packs. My Timberjack hardtail is perfect for many of these rides and has attachments for racks as well. My point is that gravel roads run the spectrum from almost tarmac in quality to babyheaded, rutted, washed-out, rock-strewn washboarded nightmares more suitable for fat tires. I wish you would do a segment on choosing a new bike based not on "gravel vs road vs singletrack" but on what is the most appropriate bike for the terrain you generally ride.

[niceguypants]

Absolutely love seeing Doddy out on a bike....more of that please.
Doddy is a great presenter, Anna is a great presenter, but together 'they're greater than the sum of their parts'; brilliant duo, double-act, team...(reluctant to say couple)

[SJ-tkri]

One of the most significant differences between gravel and XC/Mtb bikes - often overlooked in these comparison videos - is gearing, particularly the front ring or mech configuration.

[Seppster]

Anna and Doddy videos are the best. Great comparison. Reminds me of my rides with my wife. She is on our gravel bike and I keep up with my MTB. Until this year, I was keeping up with an older hardtail and just got a new XC. We have lots of gravel rail trails around so we venture long rides. Great video, great team, great channel!!

[BeardyMat]

I have both but they have their limitations, as suggested in the video. My gravel bike just cannot cope with rocky / bumpy sections without slowing right down, but it's great on long road / tame gravel rides. My XC however is more versatile, can handle most rough terrain and gets a decent speed on road but is limited on fast DH. Love having both bikes to choose from depending on the ride, but if the route is more off-road than road I'd take the XC

[patrolmaverick]

Judging by some of Anna's comments, will we be seeing her do some bike packing videos at some point?

[apm]

I love the classic mountain bike look!

[Soundchain]

I need to hear more about the impact of drivetrains. A Moloko bar on an aggressive hard tail 29er frame will give you all kinds of hand positions (more than a drop bar) and provide the aero rider angle (if on the inner hand positions of the Moloko) of most road bikes. Throw 40-50c gravel tires (I.E. match the gravel bike) and then it is a matter of weight (can be quite comparable with a racing hardtail). So what is really left that matters and can be an expensive and decisive buying-decision difference is the drivetrain. More on this, pretty please😊 as I wonder aloud if it is really the key/material consideration.