No other bike category has developed as rapidly in recent years as the gravel bike sector. The bikes with racing handlebars and relatively wide tyres are regarded as real all-rounders. Hardtail riders can only smile: a mountain bike is still the superior concept, isn't it? In this part of our buying guide series, we look at the differences in equipment between gravel bikes and hardtails. We also take a look at bikes with straight handlebars and rigid forks. Which interpretation of a fast bike for varied terrain is more convincing in the end? Curtain up for the final of our gravel bike versus MTB hardtail concept comparison.
Comparison of the equipment
Cockpit
On a hardtail mountain bike, wider handlebars distribute the rider's mass more evenly over the bike and offer more control on descents thanks to a wide support with a large lever. At the same time, shorter stems ensure direct steering behaviour and more control. Without (inner) bar ends, there is only one real grip position. The drop bar on a gravel bike not only has aerodynamic advantages, but also ergonomic ones. Many grip options relieve the strain on the torso, shoulders and arms on long rides. However, the brakes can only be reached in the drop bar and hood position. This leaves only two options on the descent, which either bring the rider far forwards or far down. Long stems and grips far forward create indirect handling. On descents that are far from challenging the rider's sense of safety on a hardtail, the front-heavy grip position on a gravel bike means that you will feel like you are going to roll over sooner.
Drive
Twelve-speed drivetrains with a gear range of at least 510 per cent have established themselves on hardtails. A classic mountain gear of 32 teeth at the front to 52 at the rear, for example, is also made for steep ramps. With ten teeth in the heaviest gear, you can still pedal efficiently up to around 45 kilometres per hour. The gear range is smaller on most single-speed gravel bikes, some of which have 13 gears on the cassette. The gradation of the gears is finer - an advantage on the road and especially when riding in a group. Some gravel bikes also rely on MTB derailleurs and cassettes, achieving higher speeds thanks to a larger chainring, but also harder uphill gears. Others are also equipped with double cranks. Depending on the cassette, however, the range does not have to be higher.
Seat post
Dropper posts with an adjustment range of up to 150 millimetres have established themselves with many hardtail manufacturers. On the trail, the additional freedom of movement is a game changer. But even on descents over gravel and in bends, a lowered saddle provides a huge safety advantage. Some gravel bikes are also equipped with telescopic seat posts with a stroke of 75 millimetres. However, most models save themselves additional weight, complexity and additional costs. A good decision for flat trails and gentle hills, a bad one for steep descents and technical passages. Some dropper posts, such as the Rockshox Reverb AXS XPLR, offer built-in compliance in favour of comfort. This is almost always accompanied by compromises in seat height. If you can do without a seatpost that can be lowered from the handlebars, the flex of a rigid carbon model with a small diameter is better for you in our test experience.
Price & weight of both bike types
"A good bike is expensive" - there is a grain of truth in this modified saying. Unfortunately, high-quality and well-functioning parts don't come for free. In principle, a good hardtail is not necessarily more expensive than a good gravel bike. If you want to use your bike as a piece of sports equipment, you will benefit from a low weight. Mountain bikes with suspension forks and off-road equipment generally weigh more. You have to factor in between 600 and 1200 grams more weight compared to a gravel bike. But even inexpensive gravel bikes are not light. The complete bike weights vary greatly depending on the sales model and concept. A real performance boost in terms of weight is only available on most bikes with a drop bar from 5000 euros. For hardtails, the leap into the top league is even more expensive. We can draw the following rough matrix from our test groups:
| around 2000 Euro | around 3000 Euro | around 5000 Euro | around 7000 Euro | |
| MTB hardtail | approx. 11.6 kg | approx. 10.8 kg | approx. 9.9 kg | approx. 9.4 kg |
| Gravelbike | approx. 10.7 kg | approx. 10.1 kg | approx. 8.7 kg | approx. 8.5 kg |
The alternative to gravel: hardtail with rigid fork
Scott also sells its Scale hardtail with a rigid fork and flat bar. "The addition of the name Gravel is cheeky. There's not a single gravel bike part on it," complains a test editor colleague with a preference for road bikes. The fact is that mountain bike hardtails are on the rise in the ultracycling scene. The longer the tour and the more metres in altitude and unpredictable sections are to be expected, the more likely racers are to rely on adapted hardtails. Robin Gemperle recently set a new record on the legendary Tour Divide route. The Swiss rider needed less than 12 days to cover over 4,400 kilometres and around 60,000 metres in altitude and chose the rigid fork hardtail Scott Scale Gravel. However, Gemperle ditched the rigid fork and replaced it with a 110-millimetre mountain bike suspension fork. He also fitted a gravel drop bar. Crazy hybrid or the best of both worlds?
We have not only been able to test the Scott Scale Gravel, but also other hardtails with rigid forks. Our conclusion: Lightweight carbon models, such as the Scott or the VPace C4M are lighter and cheaper than most gravel bikes. At the same time, the tyres and cockpit offer significantly more control off-road. The specialists come with a wide range of gear ratios and an even wider range of use. If you also fit inner bar ends (standard on the Scott Scale Gravel), you can also get a good grip on aerodynamics. In combination with lightweight wheels, rigid fork hardtails are a real weapon for training and fun laps. It's a shame that there are so few of them on the market so far, because they have what it takes to be the gravel bike of the future. Also already tested by BIKE and a tip for price-conscious bikepacking adventurers: Dhe Kona Unit X with rigid fork, wide tyres, straight handlebars and many bolt-on points on the steel frame.
Gravel bike or MTB? The conclusion of BIKE editor Jan Timmermann
I've already travelled all over Europe on a gravel bike myself. However, I only get my bike with drop bar out of the cellar a few times a year to sprint to work under full load or to ride several hundred kilometres in one go. It is the most expensive bike I own and is characterised by 50 millimetre wide tyres on lightweight MTB wheels, a 69 degree head angle, low weight thanks to a rigid fork, a high gear range with a mountain bike cassette and a comfortable titanium frame with a flexing carbon seat post. In this configuration, it has a permanent place in my fleet for endurance and bikepacking.
For everything else, I take the MTB. Whether it's bikepacking through Scandinavia or a fun after-work ride: Personally, I don't want to limit myself to tarmac and hard-packed gravel. Light hardtails have the better handling in every situation and also shine with versatility thanks to their equipment. Even in terms of value for money, they have nothing to hide. In my opinion, rigid fork models in particular are a great concept for many cyclists, which in my perception trumps the gravel bike. I think it's a shame that the majority of the market seems to have forgotten this.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
