XC MTB vs Gravel Bike Which Is Better
Darren Does Sports
507 views
XC mountain bike vs gravel bike — which is actually better when the road gets rough?
My mom and I rode the Tygh My Shoes route near Tygh Valley, Oregon on two completely different bikes.
I rode my Lauf Seigla gravel bike, while she rode her lightweight Pivot Mach 4 SL XC mountain bike.
Tygh My Shoes is a 30-mile mixed-surface route with roughly 2,800 feet of climbing and a 50/50 mix of gravel and pavement. It has smooth pavement, chunky gravel, washboard, steep climbing, creek crossings, and some legitimately rough sections.
The interesting part wasn’t figuring out which bike was universally “better.” It was seeing how differently the exact same route felt depending on the bike.
The gravel bike was faster and more efficient on pavement and smoother gravel, while the XC mountain bike gave my mom more confidence, suspension, and control when things got rough.
By the end of the ride, I think the biggest takeaway was that choosing between a gravel bike and an XC mountain bike has a lot more to do with your riding style, confidence, and terrain than simply choosing the fastest bike.
IMPORTANT ROUTE NOTE:
When we rode Tygh My Shoes, part of the route was closed because of the Grasshopper Fire. Roughly a third of the route near the top of the climb — including access to the normal descent — was closed.
Instead of continuing through the closure, we turned around and rode back down the same gnarly climb we had just come up. Honestly, it was still a ton of fun and made for a pretty great descent.
PS: Sorry about the muffled audio, the mics inside the jacket didn't workout as well as i wanted!
Please check current closures and conditions before attempting the full route.
THE ROUTE / GPX:
Dirty Freehub — Tygh My Shoes
https://dirtyfreehub.org/routes/orego...
THE BIKES:
Lauf Seigla
https://www.laufcycles.com/product/la...
Pivot Mach 4 SL
https://www.pivotcycles.com/en-us/bik...
MORE FULL-LENGTH VIDEOS:
Should You Buy a Gravel Bike? One Bike, Every Surface
Should You Buy a Gravel Bike? One Bike, Ev...
Mt. Hood’s Mega Loop
Mt. Hood's Mega Loop
Sleeping Outside Was the Easy Part… | Lewis River Bikepacking
Sleeping Outside Was the Easy Part… | Lewi...
If you like gravel riding, mountain biking, bikepacking, and figuring out what gear actually works in the real world, consider subscribing.
Which bike would you choose for this route — the XC mountain bike or the gravel bike?
#GravelBike #MountainBike #XCMTB
4 Comments
XC MTB vs Gravel Bike Which Is Better
Darren Does Sports
507 views
XC mountain bike vs gravel bike — which is actually better when the road gets rough?
My mom and I rode the Tygh My Shoes route near Tygh Valley, Oregon on two completely different bikes.
I rode my Lauf Seigla gravel bike, while she rode her lightweight Pivot Mach 4 SL XC mountain bike.
Tygh My Shoes is a 30-mile mixed-surface route with roughly 2,800 feet of climbing and a 50/50 mix of gravel and pavement. It has smooth pavement, chunky gravel, washboard, steep climbing, creek crossings, and some legitimately rough sections.
The interesting part wasn’t figuring out which bike was universally “better.” It was seeing how differently the exact same route felt depending on the bike.
The gravel bike was faster and more efficient on pavement and smoother gravel, while the XC mountain bike gave my mom more confidence, suspension, and control when things got rough.
By the end of the ride, I think the biggest takeaway was that choosing between a gravel bike and an XC mountain bike has a lot more to do with your riding style, confidence, and terrain than simply choosing the fastest bike.
IMPORTANT ROUTE NOTE:
When we rode Tygh My Shoes, part of the route was closed because of the Grasshopper Fire. Roughly a third of the route near the top of the climb — including access to the normal descent — was closed.
Instead of continuing through the closure, we turned around and rode back down the same gnarly climb we had just come up. Honestly, it was still a ton of fun and made for a pretty great descent.
PS: Sorry about the muffled audio, the mics inside the jacket didn't workout as well as i wanted!
Please check current closures and conditions before attempting the full route.
THE ROUTE / GPX:
Dirty Freehub — Tygh My Shoes
https://dirtyfreehub.org/routes/orego...
THE BIKES:
Lauf Seigla
https://www.laufcycles.com/product/la...
Pivot Mach 4 SL
https://www.pivotcycles.com/en-us/bik...
MORE FULL-LENGTH VIDEOS:
Should You Buy a Gravel Bike? One Bike, Every Surface
Should You Buy a Gravel Bike? One Bike, Ev...
Mt. Hood’s Mega Loop
Mt. Hood's Mega Loop
Sleeping Outside Was the Easy Part… | Lewis River Bikepacking
Sleeping Outside Was the Easy Part… | Lewi...
If you like gravel riding, mountain biking, bikepacking, and figuring out what gear actually works in the real world, consider subscribing.
Which bike would you choose for this route — the XC mountain bike or the gravel bike?
#GravelBike #MountainBike #XCMTB