Can We Prove That Gravel Riding Is Harder Than Mountain Biking?

Mountain biking is known for being tough, but we think gravel riding might be even tougher! With our new power meters from Favero, we put our gravel and mountain bike assumptions to the test: Gravel riding is not just better, it’s also harder. Will we be able to prove it?

00:00 Gravel is harder than MTB. Can we prove it?
00:42 Which discipline places more demands on your body?
01:39 Our Assioma PRO MX-2 Dual-Sided Power Meter Pedals 😍
02:00 Where are we for this test?
02:35 Our bikes: Canyon Lux Trail & Orbea Terra
03:05 Test Breakdown
03:22 Lycra vs MTB Gear
04:03 Si’s turn on the MTB
04:33 The Pedals
05:11 Alex’s turn on the gravel bike & lap #2 for Si
06:00 Si’s reflections
06:56 Instantaneous Angular Velocity (I.A.V.)
08:00 Next test
08:54 Technical details of the Assioma pedals
09:24 More riding!
09:53 Predictions, Results and Reflections
12:07 Is mountain biking tougher?

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[hansschotterradler]

I ride road, gravel and XC, all without power meter. XC feels like doing a bunch intervals at each incline, while road and gravel feel more like consistently putting out power.

[Frostbiker]

I don't think I had ever seen a clipless cam shot. Your videographers are exceptional, as usual.

[roypennock]

I have both a gravel bike (Marin Gestalt XR) and a hardtail mountain bike (Rocky Mountain Fusion 30) and I ride both on the same local trails, mostly blues - nothing crazy, where I live in the Canadian Rockies. I don't have a power meter but based on feel alone I would say that I put about the same work in on either, just at different points in the ride based on each bikes' characteristics. On the steep stuff the gravel bike's taller gearing makes for a bit more work but the riding position out of the saddle and on the hoods make up a lot for it. On the rough stuff the hardtail is obviously quicker but struggles a little when it gets twisty as it's quite a bit longer. On longer rides I find the gravel bike to be more comfortable, the Marin has relatively wide flared bars that fit me well, I find flat bars, while they're great for control and stability, are a bit hard on my wrists after 10 or 15k of bumpy singletrack. Each bike has its strengths and weaknesses and each is a blast to ride in its own way, always makes it hard to choose which one to take out each ride. Gonna be riding the gravel bike in my second-ever Gran Fondo of 152km and 1300m of elevation, it's a road event but I think its going to work well, wish me luck!

[jacksonbangs]

I would say that the rider who rides their mountain bike or gravel bike to and from the ride are the hard core riders. In other words they ride their bikes instead of hauling them on a car to and from the start of the ride.

[Ryan.T]

I love my gravel bike, but realistically they are very limited and when it gets really rough an MTB is the way to go.

[Mclovinthedank]

You guys should do Gmbn vs Gcn, 2 super endurance bike races, 1 gravel 1 Mtb. Then they can tell us which is harder. It would be alot of work to answer that question, but it would without a doubt answer it.

[padmanabhaprasannasimha]

The only thing that's genuinely hard is riding a mountainbike trail on an under-geared cyclocross bike (with semi slick tires)

[brianb]

Coming from an endurance racing background here, I find 100 miles of gravel much easier than 100 miles of MTB. It’s hard to find a gravel course that is as hard as an MTB course. Plus gravel usually includes a bit of road which definitely eases the wattage output.

[rubenconzales]

I have a severe rash after 65km mtb ride today, now I know why. Thanks for the info.

[edmundhodgson]

I love leaving the house to go on a gravel adventure for the day. I love skimming through the trees and boosting off any feature I can find on a trail bike. I love getting back from a road ride having not been run over. I love bikes...

[MrPharmageek]

2:28 Si: "trying to go gently, about... 230 watts?" Haha, that's well into my vo2 max range...

[thealliest]

6:54 that’s exactly how my power chart looks on most mountain bike rides, even more so during races.

Also, in NO way would I ride a gravel bike on a mountain bike trail. MTB trails are not designed anymore for fully rigid bikes. Gravel bikes for unpaved roads or smooth double track. MTB for anything more technical

[jhs]

Just picked up my new Pro MX-2 pedals yesterday and looking forward to trying them out tomorrow so good timing on this video.

[shigjetar]

Mountain bikers don’t care about the data, we just ride dirt roller coasters. I think gravel is harder because that’s more what it’s about.

[mitch_smith]

I ride curlies for cardio and mtb for sheer joy!

[ivostarmans]

Thats why I got both. Gravelbike for longer rides and a bit replacement for my hardtail, also a road set for the winter to ride in the evening.Now I have a heavier trailbike for more fun and technical trails.

[chrisridesbicycles]

Lovely camera work. The best shot was the cow lazily flopping the ear when Si rode by. (What a heroic effort by the way riding past a deadly beast)

[my_way]

0:29 the bike I'm using for trails sometimes is a old bike (my spare bike) (13 years) 20 inch wheels no suspension flat handles. Its worse than gravel bikes. My commuting bike and my main is a Carrera MTB

[bassplayer]

Midwest usa rider, im way more a mtber but ive done a ton a gravel this year. Regular gravel rides are 60-80 range, decent effort. Did a 32miles 3.5 hour cx mtb ride and paced myself and was cooked.

[StrongmanTaylor]

I ride both. I use my gravel bike to get fit, and I ride emtb to get more experience. Both compliment each other greatly.