Gravel bike vs xc

what is the difference these days? racier geometry on the XC?

XC is a mountain bike, usually full suspension but some people run hard tails.

Not to be confused with CX for cyclocross, unless the OP meant that

I'd be a big fan of gravel bikes they cover such a wide range of cycling types. Obviously there'll be draw back from one over the other depending on what you consider racing.

XC racing can be a mixed bag from forest trails to fire roads and are generally not to technical in Ireland but to be competitive you'd want a proper xc 29r with front suspension and dropper. Certainly a gravel bike will handle most trails but without suspension or a dropper you will be on the backfoot in my opinion. there are the odd exceptional riders who will take gravel bikes down enduro trails but they're few and far between and usually doing it for their audiences not out of choice.

I'm guessing you mean CX cyclocross though which is basically where gravel bikes developed from so there's no reason you couldn't race and race well on a gravel bike.

If you aim is xc races I'd be going with a hardtail 29r especially over here as they're nothing mad although they do seem to be improving. You'll see the pro races these days I'd be reluctant to go down some of them on my enduro bike 😂

You will see lads at some of the xc races on gravel bikes though so they are capable but in saying that all the front runners will be on hardtails or full suss with short travel 120mm.

For general use and the odd race biking blitz or similar I'd go for the gravel bike. There are some great gravel races also which wouldn't be dissimilar to xc races.

A hardtail mtb is great though if you fancied doing the likes of Ticknock/ballinstoe/blooms or Sligo. A hard one to call as you'll know where you'll be riding most. Can't go wrong with a new bike though 😁

While you 'can' cycle a xc tail on a cx or gravel bike you will have no fun on it, you will be rattled to death and be worried about breaking wheels, getting punctures or going over the bars.

In all my years racing xc I only seen one gravel bike at one nire valley drop, not sure he did the full event (get a xc bike for xc racing)

enough about XC, he's already said that he meant CX

bah, I'm the idiot.

Cuchulainn Club in Dundalk also run a (Handicapped) XC League on Tuesday evenings from mid April - mid July.....

"Gravel" Bikes.... slower and harder work on the roads than a Road bike.. and slower and harder work off-road than an XC Orientated hardtail....

At least with a CX bike you can tackle forestry fireroads and race CX in the winter...

However, rare there isn't a good bit of road between fireroads in my experience, notwithstanding boreens in between with are kinda a half way house. For long gravel spins, I'd still pick a gravel bike for the on road bits and multiple hand positions (same as we say road bike over hybrid for longer road spins). But if you can get a CX bike with enough clearance and are comfortable with the geometry.

Probably wouldn't work if you're looking at racing, but my next purchase will probably be a steel/ titanium gravel bike that has multiple mounts. It strikes me as the most versatile;

• steel/ titanium will take a fair bit of abuse, which tends to come with the territory - don't see the need for carbon unless you're competitively racing - I've scratched/ chipped my carbon CX bike on fireroads and forest sections;
• generally more clearance for wider tyres than CX bikes;
• can be used as commuter bike in winter;
• take everything off and its a streamlined gravel racer;
• multiple mounts (a draw back with a lot of pure CX bikes) means allows for fixed mudguards and bike packing options.

I think the carbon gravel thing is possibly marketing eating itself. Do you really need something uber-light for gravel riding? On any proper technical trails, if you were looking for gains then a dedicated XC bike would offer more over a steel/ titanium gravel bike that a carbon gravel bike. IMO anyway.

There's always the aluminium option too (although that's not very sexy/ on trend these days). But alloy welding seems to have come on massively over the past 10/ 15 years, to the point where I really need to look at the joins on big tube sections to be sure I'm not looking at carbon. Steel probably makes the most sense to me (durability and ease of repair), but polished titanium is undeniably slick looking.

An xc bike will do everything.

Even on the supposed home of a gravel bike, on gravel or greenways, the xc bike will get far fewer punctures and sail over and through everything. You dont need to constantly look out for the next hazard or potential puncture. Far more comfortable, less mentally tiring as well .

With proper xc tyres its not particularly slow on the road either. Theres not much difference in rolling resistance to the gravel/cx tyres .My giant xtc has seen a few commutes and is fine for a 26/27kmh average.

So where are you losing out on the road, aero and hand position changes. Depends on the length of spins that you do really.

And off road theres no comparison.

Really? Those welds are nice, very neatly stacked.

Yes, I agree it's a rather inelegant design