Best list of Gravel Bikes Race 2024
Best list Gravelbikes Race 2024 - Seven gravel bikes for high speed on different terrain: UCI race, fast multi-day tour with minimal luggage or cyclocross? “Gravel Race” in its various variations stands for such areas of application. Velomotion explains what is important about models in this category, what they all have in common and how they can differ.
Mountain bike, touring bike or gravel bike: What these categories mean on the whole is clear to everyone. But as soon as you start sorting within a category of bicycle, things get more complicated. Because only very few models are strictly limited to one area of use, and last but not least, individual use determines whether a bicycle is a city bike or a touring bike, for example.
A subcategory like “Gravel Race” is also a case like this: sounds clear, but the bikes that come together behind this term are quite different. Many gravel racers also see themselves as bikes suitable for touring for bikepacking purposes and allow the installation of luggage systems and add-on parts; Other models, on the other hand, are purist and are only equipped with threaded holes for mudguards. When it comes to gearing, variety is also the order of the day: race gravel bikes are available with 1×12 gears as well as with a double chainring at the front - after all, both are used in racing.
But what exactly is typical of a "gravel race" bike? One characteristic of all bikes that fit this description is a rather sporty riding position with a shorter head tube and a longer top tube, which isn't compensated for by a very short stem (as with a trail gravel bike). In extreme cases, you sit on such a gravel bike much like you would on a road bike – a good example of this is the Storck Grix.2 . Some bike manufacturers choose their riding position so that the frame only increases in height, but hardly at all in length; the choice between two sizes then results in a lower and a more upright riding position.
Typical, but not mandatory, for the "Race" subcategory are aerodynamic frame shapes and/or components, such as those found on the Fuji Jari Carbon 1.1 or the Storck Grix.2. Gravel racers like the Riverside also take their cues from modern aero road bikes, with features like low-slung seat stays and flat fork legs. Details such as internally routed cables and deep-profile aero rims are, of course, particularly useful at higher speeds.
"Gravel racing" can also look quite different, as Specialized demonstrates with the Crux. Its sporty riding position and sleek appearance are derived from cyclocross bikes, enhanced by generous tire clearance for tires over 45 mm. The super-light bike can be equipped with three bottle cages, which is practical on longer rides; the minimalist design doesn't allow for any other accessories.
From Velomotion.de 's current test field, we've selected seven gravel bikes that truly deserve the "Gravel Race" label – but, as mentioned, they do differ significantly from one another. All of them are capable of fast riding – on short cyclocross laps, in UCI open gravel races, and with minimal luggage on multi-day extreme tours.
