Whether click shoes, helmets or clothing: gravel wherever you look. Almost every manufacturer is trying to jump on the trend bandwagon and include the right products for adventurous off-road cyclists in their range. Experienced long-distance mountain bikers can only smile at this. After all, they have been celebrating cranking through the terrain without suspension, with panniers on the bike and on narrow tyres for more than two decades. With lightweight, sporty hardtails. But they are no longer hip enough. Fast gravel racing bikes for light terrain, on the other hand, are. Thru axles and disc brakes like on mountain bikes are the norm. Wide-supported racing handlebars, lowerable seat posts, minimalist suspension (such as special suspension forks) and tyre widths of up to 2.0 inches ensure more riding fun and comfort off-road. There are also plenty of mounting options on the frame and fork for attaching bikepacking equipment. The only thing missing is a flat bar to turn the Gravelbike becomes an unsprung hardtail again.
BMC Urs LT
BMC is launching a full-suspension version of its Urs gravel bike with the addition "LT". The carbon bike with a 70 degree head angle and 45 millimetre tyre clearance comes with 20 millimetre suspension integrated into the steerer tube. At the rear, an elastomer element (10 mm travel), the D-shaped seat post and a special carbon layup of the flat seat stays ensure a high level of comfort on rough tracks. BMC also equips its new "gravel bike full suspension" with frame protectors on the fork dropouts, down tube and chainstays, gives it a top tube mount and even makes it possible to mount lightweight pannier racks and mudguards. If you want to take things to the extreme, you can even equip the Urs LT with an integrated dropper post.
Suspension forks for gravel bikes
30 millimetres of travel is what Cannondale gives its Lefty fork in the gravel bike Topstone. It doesn't sound like much, but it's worlds apart from rigid carbon forks like our Concept comparison of suspended and unsprung gravel bikes and MTB hardtails has shown. In the summer, Sram followed suit with its XPLR series and a Rockshox fork. It is probably only a matter of time before suspension giant Fox follows suit with a gravel bike suspension fork.
Alternative: sprung stem
Vecnum wants to add 25-30 millimetres of suspension travel to gravel bikes and rigid hardtails with the new stem. The handlebars do not tilt on bumps and the spring characteristic is adjustable. The 90 mm version should weigh less than 300 grams.
Soon a mountain bike hardtail with racing handlebars?
