Text by Adrian Grant Photos by Eric Levert / Crossroad Tremblant
Before entering the mainstream, gravel riding was very much an opportunity to “run what you brung”, whether it was an older hardtail or a road bike with 28mm tires shoehorned between the chainstays. Neither of these options were ideal. On long loops, any significant stretches of asphalt could turn into a slow and disheartening experience on a mountain bike. Meanwhile, road bikes, with their skinnier tire, could be downright treacherous when the pavement ended and dirt began. The advent of cyclocross bikes provided a better option, but with their aggressive geometry, short wheelbases, and only marginal improvements in terms of tire clearance relative to road bikes, they still weren’t a gravel cyclist’s panacea. What was needed was a non-competitive yet high performance bike, designed for both adventure and fun.
In response, the last five years have seen an explosion in the development of gravel-specific bikes. These include drop-bar frames with a more comfortable upright geometry for longer days in the saddle, and most importantly clearance for high volume tires (a minimum of 700x35mm up to 54mm or more (!) when equipped with a 650b/27.5 wheelset). This has allowed riders to push the envelope even further as to where one could conceivably ride a bike that, at its heart, was originally designed for pavement.
While gravel bikes are viewed by some as yet another special niche, created by a bike industry eager to exploit those looking for their next n+1, I see them as a practical and versatile solution to the problems the average cyclist faces every time they just want to go out for a ride. Specifically, gravel bikes offer an antidote to riding with heavy traffic. Because, let’s face it – cycling on roads with heavy traffic sucks. It can be a stressful nightmare of honking horns, high-speeds, and distracted drivers. And to be frank, the culture around road cycling can at times be intimidating, pretentious and unfriendly to the unshaven hoi polloi unfamiliar with “The Rules”.
In comparison, gravel roads provide opportunities to traverse remote and scenic landscapes, devoid of cars and other distractions, resulting in a relaxing experience. Perhaps that’s why the culture around gravel riding is generally much more mellow. Forget aggressive pace lines, wattage metrics and Strava times, and focus instead on having a good time! Whereas roadies may shun the use of saddle bags or other accruements, gravel riding embraces the use of top tube bags, handlebar bags and framebags to stash essentials like sandwiches, gummy bears and a can of your favourite IPA. Rest stops (or even better, pub stops!) are considered welcome opportunities to eat, drink, and socialize with your fellow riders, and not evidence that you need to harden up.
In short, gravel riding is road cycling’s chilled-out cooler cousin. The cousin most likely to offer you a beer rather than an energy gel. It’ll remind you what’s it’s like to be a kid again, when what mattered most was exploring new places, making friends, and having a good time. So go play in the dirt. Slow down, don’t speed up. Ride like you have nothing to prove, not to prove a point.
Go find your nearest gravel road. And just go for a ride.
The first generation of the Katahdin has proven itself both in races, gravel events and in bikepacking trips. For its second iteration, the Katahdin gets a makeover with progressive gravel geometry and new features to make it even more versatile.
A relaxed 70deg steering angle, longer reach, 75mm bb drop and 430mm chainstays increase the wheelbase of the bike and place the rider in a stable and comfortable position. The goal is less fatigue, and more speed for long outings and / or races.
The internal cables for an adjustable seat post, the fork adapted to the use of a dynamo hub, a threaded bottom bracket shell and all the mounts necessary to install bags and accessories are among the features of the Katahdin.
The frame is dressed with the Hunt wheels fitted with Maxxis Rambler tires, as well as the Shimano GRX 12 speed groupsets (offered in 1x or 2x), which make for a versatile and efficient bike.
* New bike. Only size small left. Please refer to the component list for specifications.
The Forillon is your best ally for cycling around the world. It is designed to be ridden efficiently on a variety of road types, while remaining stable and easy to handle when loaded with all your luggages. It's easy to see why the family behind the Terra Tributa project made these their bikes of choice for their nomadic lifestyle.
Strength and reliability are highlighted in the choice of components. The 36 spokes double walled with reinforced eyelets rims paired with 700x44mm tires and the Microshift transmission offering an immense speed range of 585% are perfect examples.
The Reynolds 525 steel tubeset as well as the 4130 steel fork have been selected to maintain excellent stiffness once the bags and panniers are added. Features such as the addition of extra spokes mounts, integrated kickstand plate, multiple mounts for bottles, front and rear racks and fenders make this a true Swiss Army knife for on-the-go travel bike.
Some demo units available. All in excellent 9-9.5/10 condition.
The Chic-Chocs has proven its abilities over the past few years in endurance races and winter expeditions. Whether it's for the Raid du Fjord, the Wendigo Ultra, or riding with confidence on groomed trails, the Chic-Chocs delivers.
A stable geometry with a long wheelbase increases traction and flotation on soft surfaces. In addition, the Chic-Chocs is designed with a 205mm q-factor, the narrowest available for use with tires up to 5" wide. Not to be overlooked for an ergonomic position.
Two Shimano drivetrains available with RaceFace cranksets and cockpit. Quality SunRingle rims and hubs (ready for -30degC!), and studdable tires that can be easily converted tubeless complete the package.
Throw on some 29x3" wheels when the snow melts, and you've got a 4-season bike ready for backcountry bikepacking trips!
When you venture on the less traveled roads of the backcountry, sometimes, the beautiful road becomes much more bumpy than what was predicted. The asphalt becomes gravel, and the gravel literally becomes an off-road trail. It is for this kind of adventure that the Anticosti was created.
The Anticosti bike is built with a custom selection of Reynolds 725 steel tubing, tapered where necessary to reduce weight. For this generation, the geometry has been revised (shorter seat tube length and slightly slackened steer angle) and the new shaped chainstays offer more clearance to the rear tire. This bike is ready for a quick gravel loop, or a more ambitious multi-day trip.
*Frameset comes with wheel axles, headset installed, seatpost collar and frame protectors.
Free shipping on the Taïga. Promotion runs until May 10. Canada and USA residents only.''The Taïga is a worthy adventure bike through and through. It is perfectly set up for some trail shredding straight out of the box.''Read the complete review HERE.
In between a trail bike and a multi-day adventure bike, the Taïga has multi purposes. Take it on your local mountain bike trails, or for a bikepacking outing in the more rugged backcountry trails.
Our selection of Reynolds 725 tubing gives this frame just the right amount of suppleness and responsiveness, while keeping the weight reasonable. A 67deg steering angle and 75deg seat angle strike a balance between modern and progressive geometry, without falling into an overly radical design. The 435mm chainstay length offers a centered position on the bike (front-center versus rear-center ratio), and can be increased for even greater stability when a rear rack is used.
* Complete bike (starts at $2949 CAD)
* The frameset (carbon fork) comes with wheel axles, headset installed, seatpost collar and frame protectors. (1649$ CAD)
* The frame only option comes with the rear wheel axle and seatpost collar. (1199$ CAD)
* The Rohloff option comes with the Speedhub 500/14 A12 DB PM black, the 180mm rear disc, the shifter and everything needed to install the hub on the frame. (+1899$ CAD)