Electronic Drivetrain: Is it worth the hype?

[Chazmo]

I mean, pretty much every manufacturer under the sun makes basic flat bar general purpose bikes with utilitarian specs. Its not like that ever went away. All the various genres and subgenres and nitpicking about various categories is more for enthusiasts. Its like that in every hobby. You can spend big money chasing smaller and smaller gains, and spend lots of energy obsessing about smaller and smaller differences. At the end of the day, its your bike and it only matters to the extent that it increases your enjoyment of riding it.

Amen to that, jw!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A toughroad flatbar gravelbike is a 'roadbike' too but it has to have it's own special category that obfuscates it's abilities. And honestly, having 3 of them downstairs, I wouldn't consider riding them on the gravel roads out here. You want an MTB for that, something with wider tires and some suspension else you'll be skittering all over the place.

Perhaps the Australia is harder but here a gravel cyclist can ride any terrain as long as it's not a technical singletrack (rocks, jumps, etc). Them 45 mm lowly inflated tyres and a lightweight bike do the trick. MTBs are too heavy and too slow for the sport.

Somewhere near to Warsaw, Poland

 

[jabberwocky]

MTBs are too heavy and too slow for the sport.

Definitely untrue, I've known many people who ride MTBs for gravel. I actually have a friend who placed 2nd in the tour divide race who rides gravel on a niner MTB hardtail.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Definitely untrue, I've known many people who ride MTBs for gravel. I actually have a friend who placed 2nd in the tour divide race who rides gravel on a niner MTB hardtail.

Yes but you are talking about something a way more harsh than your usual Ultra 300 miler. In events such as Atlas Mountain Race it is all about the endurance not the speed.

 

[jabberwocky]

Yes but you are talking about something a way more harsh than your usual Ultra 300 miler. In events such as Atlas Mountain Race it is all about the endurance not the speed.

He rides normal gravel on it too, I've ridden with him on my ebike. Its not that unusual. There isn't that much difference between a flat bar gravel bike and a mountainbike. The local gravel group has several people who ride various mountainbikes.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

After a reconsideration, I must agree with you, jabber. Yes, many people choose lightweight XC bikes, hardtail or FS for gravel rallies/races, especially when the terrain is obviously hard (think of rough cobblestone, steep climbs etc).

My friend Alfer is a competing cyclist in XC and sometimes gravel races. A gravel bike is his daily ride but he chooses an XC bike when he feels it appropriate. Only he never wins gravel races against the proper drop bar gravel bikes, which he openly admits.

Yet, we all should bear in mind these people do not ride your average general purpose bikes. All such bikes are specialized for the purpose and expensive.

 

[stompandgo]

At the amateur level, it's not unusual for an MTB rider to win a cyclocross race. Good, fast riders are good, fast riders no matter what they are on. They definitely have the advantage at the start with the wide bars.

I rode by Pinarello (Nytro E5 Allroad) with 45mm (actual) Gravel Kings on trails that were meant for full suspension MTB's. It was totally the wrong bike for the course, but I made it. Of course, it was quite fast on any trail that was remotely smooth. I had trouble with the rocky descents. Rocky climbs were no problem to power through. My Allroad is an electric flat bar gravel bike, equipped with Deore XT Di2 in the SGS configuration (10-45).