Over the past decade, the gravel bike style has finished nothing however diversify.
A purchasing expertise that may as soon as depart you introduced with only a handful of pretty samey bikes, is now a choice making course of dominated by tyre width selections, slacker or steeper geometry, aerodynamics, and in some instances even suspension setups.
However are we overcomplicating issues? Second place finisher on the UCI Gravel World Championships, Lotte Kopecky, appears to assume so.
Kopecky’s Specialised S-works Crux
The Belgian machine and right this moment’s silver medalist supplied some fairly sturdy proof that we’re. The Belgian rode to the silver medal place on what can solely be described as a lavatory customary gravel bike. Smart tyres, street bike gearing, and no suspension in sight.
For her maiden UCI Gravel World Championships, Kopecky opted for a customized construct from commerce group sponsor Specialised, selecting the Specialised S-works Crux as a basis.
The Specialised Crux is the extra conventional of the American bike large’s gravel bike lineup, posing extra racey geometry than its extra exploration-friendly brother, the Diverge. The bike is marketed purely on low weight, broad tyre clearance, and nimble dealing with – some what of a rarity in a time the place aerodynamics is starting to grip the gravel scene.
Apparently, Kopecky’s bike didn’t have a Common Derailleur hanger, which might recommend that she was nonetheless using the now-outdated Specialised Crux frameset.
A more in-depth look reveals the previous type Crux frameset.
(Picture credit score: Future (Fergus Jones))
Consider it or now, there are solely two different elements on Kopecky’s bike that may be traced again to the world of gravel – the wheelset, and the tyres.
For rolling duties, Kopecky opted for a set of the ultralight Roval Terra CLX II wheels. Weighing in at a feathery 1250g (claimed) for the pair, the wheels measure up 32mm deep, and have a 25mm inside rim width, with a reasonably broad 30mm exterior rim width. Specialised has remained cussed when it comes too hookless too, persevering with to go for a hooked rim profile on its excessive finish gravel wheels.
Roval wheels and Specialised Pathfinder tyres full an all-American suite of componentry.
(Picture credit score: Future (Fergus Jones))
The Roval’s have been arrange in a tubeless configuration with Specialised’s personal Pathfinder gravel tyres. The Pathfinders have grow to be fairly a well-liked alternative amongst gravel racers over the past couple of years, and have a slick band of rubber within the centre, sandwiched edges with deeper tread sample, aiming to maintain issues quick on the flats, but nonetheless grippy on the corners.
An SD-Worx group mechanic informed Biking Weekly that Kopckey was not utilizing tubeless inserts both, conserving it easy with a sealant solely technique.
Street bike gears and a street bike cockpit for Kopecky.
(Picture credit score: Future (Fergus Jones))
One other slight shock was that Kopecky was not utilizing the newly launched Sram Crimson AXS XPLR groupset, as an alternative selecting to experience an entire street bike groupset, full with conventional two by setup with 48/36 chainrings.
As soon as once more straight out of the street bike playbook, was the Roval Rapide CLX cockpit. Kopecky appeared eager to maintain her contact factors as acquainted as attainable, through the use of the very same one piece carbon handlebar setup that she has been utilizing all yr to nice impact on the graceful roads. The eager eyed amongst additionally, you will have observed the Time Xpro street biking pedals.
(Picture credit score: Future (Fergus Jones))
Why did Kopecky depart the tech behind?
Properly, that is barely deceptive – that is nonetheless a motorcycle full of tech.
Let’s not overlook that Kopecky was hammering around the Forest of Brabant on way over $10,000 price of race bike, even when it was a barely older frameset.
In all chance, the choice to go for street bike elements was most likely one in all familiarity. Till right this moment, Kopecky had by no means raced a gravel race earlier than, and subsequently has by no means actually had an opportunity to fettle round getting the right setup.
Kopecky, off the entrance with eventual winner, Marianne Vos
(Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
The secure choice then, could be to maintain the contact factors the identical, and attempt to apply probably the most comparable bike match attainable to the brand new gravel bike, all of the whereas counting on her bike dealing with prowess to do the speaking.
It is also price allowing for that European gravel is completely totally different to the kind of terrain you might be more likely to encounter at a race corresponding to Unbound. The 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships course is comparatively tame in comparison with different gravel races world wide, making it far simpler to run less complicated setups on race day.
Nonetheless, Kopecky’s silver experience right this moment is proof that with the precise legs and the precise abilities, you do not essentially want a suspension fork and a couple of.1″ tyres to race gravel.
Re-inflatable tyres nonetheless? Properly that is a complete different story…
