First time watcher. When you said you respect out time and told us up front your choice without dragging it out ...I was like..ok I like this guy! Subscribed and video liked! 👍
Thanks man ! I started filming myself talking about the pros and cons of both and i was like… this is too freaking long lol. I will try to do the same in the future.
Your knowledge is practical. I do not listen to anything but practical advice born from experience and, without any smelly commercial motivation. Where's the LIKE TWICE button. Thank you. 77 and riding continuously since 1972.😊
I very much like riding my (very mild) gravel bike on mild terrain. I find my (very nice) MTB cumbersome on the same terrain. We have to be careful not to extrapolate these feelings to very different circumstances - heavy loads, very rough terrain, multi-day riding. Your video made these points very well. We also have to remember that most of us are just regular people, not pro-racers. Keep up the good work!
Same here. I only want to use my MTB when the terrain is adequately rough. The gravel bike is plenty comfortable when the terrain is mild or paved. I'm pretty scrawny, so I'd be miserable dragging my MTB up large hills on long rides, haha. Perhaps that's also because my MTB is a cheap and heavy hardtail. Funny enough, I found the most economical way to shed weight on that bike... was just to get a different bike, haha.
Just started Bikepacking and I thought that my old MTB would be bad, I almost sold it and bought a Gravel one, until I saw this video, thanks a lot, subscribed for sure!!
Another great video, keep it up. I was riding the Tour Aotearoa (New Zealand) last year with a mate. Both on MTB's and had many discussions about this topic. Totally agree with your points.
Thank you for stating your preference up front. I stayed to listen to your reasons and agree with what you said. Keeping my old MTB for offroad bikepacking trips. Cheers.
Hi =) nice sincere explanation ❤️ I’m a 70’s Shinamo racing cyclist who hated skinny tires and aching body bend riding those racing bikes. Yes, it’s for race, speed and aerodynamics matter. When mountain bike came around, it’s a game changer but then I lost speed because of the knobby tires =( However, I gain comfort and better control on tricky terrains. So, your explanation makes total sense for those who was confused of what to own. I’m not a racer and I don’t do stunt on my bikes now…. which is why I felt ATB (all terrain bike) are the best for those who want good ride but not into tricky mountain tracks but rather than a bike that can handle anything that’s within your means. So for those who’s not clear of your riding choices, try anything you can lay your hand on and work it out from there. Fat tires with smoother threads and abit upright sitting position together with some big cogs are my best riding comfort for touring and semi off road.
@@GabrielRancourtCycling Wow! That’s a very great decision you got there….haha. Yes, the marketing on sporty stuff attracts but in reality as we aged, we tend to take life easy and enjoy the breeze…. watching the birds n the bees and some more…haha. Unless one is into racing and winning, we really don’t need to ride in a uncomfortable position. The next changes I’m waiting for will be the day when I felt it’s a hassle getting my leg across the standard bicycle frame, that’s when I be switching to folding or those mini Velo frame kinda bike. I believed there will be tons of those new Brampton G Line copies coming up in no time. The new wheel size is ideal for aged people who has been on standard frame like me to downgrade to.
WOW greatest channel ever. I agree with your choice, especially considering there are hardtail frames these days from companies like Orbea, BMC, and Factor that easily come in below 1kg
My gravel bike is perfect for rough road bike packing. For really rough stuff my Surly ICT fat bike is all I ride now. Even with the heavier weight I prefer it over my 29r MTB.
... just went through all this with my 42 yo road bike, steel frame 27.5 ... put 38mm knobbies on it and panniers. .. the fram seemed stout enough... except with a 70 lb load the rear lasted about three weeks.... went to a 27.5 Mtb with 2.134 tires mounted with swchalble pickup tires, rated 350 lbs ea.... what a difference... I'm constantly catchig road bikes on the climbs. thx for the info... great job!
Another first time watcher here. An excited one, I must say, because you told point by point all my reasons to recommend an MTB XC instead of a gravel bike in most cases, specially for long bikepacking trips. Suscribed, liked the video and commented. Keep going!Greetings from Spain!
To the point! Thanks, man! I’ll try to do the same in the future! I hate when UA-camrs take forever to get to the point you clicked for from the thumbnail!
Nice video. Loved the practical experience and the direct way in which you delivered it without any messing about. Also, nice colour grading! Instant sub.
Just subscribed. I feel your pain, it takes a lot of patience to build an audience, but you have some great experience and advice that is worth hearing so keep it up. I am behind you on subscribers but still working on it!😊
Great video! The moment that I started to watch this video I was like... wait! I know this guy from Ryan's video. I also have a Salsa Timberjack and love it and I use it for all purposes.
It's great to hear the perspective of an expert rider. Most of UA-cam is filled with armchair quarterbacks. I will never need all of this advice, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate learning about it.
Great vid. Did over a thousand miles of GDMBR in 2022 starting in New Mexico and halfway through Colorado. Rode my 2019 Transition Patrol enduro bike. 180, 160 mm fr.rear. very comfy. Big tires, strong brakes. Could bomb singlestrack, blaze rough roads and strip gear off for s shuttle of yhe Monarch Crest !! MTB is unlimited. Makes a great daily commuter and slay the bike park on the weekend ❤
Thank you so much ! I really wanted to create this channel to inspire people to get outside and live their dreams. I will try to put some wisdom at the end of each videos in the future. Thanks for watching !
Un petit commentaire aussi sur cette super vidéo. Elle est pleine de bon sens mais aussi d'expérience. Je te rejoins totalement sur le confort global apporté par un flatbar. J'ai fait 10 ans de gravel dropbar chez Giant avec notamment les premiers Anyroad à l'époque. J'ai changé cette année par Spe Flatbar Sirrus 6.0 X carbone + roues carbones Hunt. Montage Mulet Sram 11-50 et plateau 40D. Pneus en 42mm. Le confort du flatbar et la sportivité / rendement du carbone.. what else ? Mince, j'ai vraiment pas envie de revenir sur du dropbar. Mais bon il m'a fallu 10 années de pratique pour connaitre le monde du vélo et savoir MON besoin. Mais aussi savoir ajuster par quelques petits tips ou accessoires pour être parfaitement installé. Actuellement mon seul point négatif serait le freinage, gamme Sram Level que je trouve insuffisant. Il faudrait que je l'upgrade. Je vais me pencher sur le sujet :) Je te rejoins, on a pas besoin de vitesse en randonnée, mais de pouvoir grimper cette montée devant nous! A bientot Arnaud
Superbe ! Merci du partage ! Pour ma part, je vais faire mes prochaines courses en flat bar. Je vais faire une vidéo là-dessus ! Je me suis trouvé une façon d’avoir autant de possibilité de positions qu’en drop bar !
@@GabrielRancourtCycling ah oui il y a énormément de possibilités entre les thumbrest, les innerbar de sqlab, les poignées Ergon, les prolongateurs voire même les anneaux de chez ridefarr! Avec tout ça, c'est le bonheur :)
I would like to thank you very much for making this video. This video served as a great reminder for me why I should continue using my MTB. Last month, many people around me tried to convince me to buy a new bike, a Gravel Bike. They told me that Gravel Bikes are lighter, faster, and have a design more suitable for long-distance cycling. I spent several days researching this type of bike, but I still prefer MTBs for all the reasons you mentioned. And I think that if I were primarily interested in speed, I would choose to ride a motorcycle rather than a bicycle. Thank you ❤
@Black-7ack Agree with you, plus you can always put a different tire on your mtn bike to go a little faster if you want to. Gabriel mentioned Continental Race Kings, the Vittoria Mezcal tire rolls fast too. Happy trails!
Very helpful advice thank you. Being an old rider I get a few aches and numb fingers which is much worse on the gravel bike.I don’t like carrying bags as it makes the bike too heavy particularly for hike a bike sections and lifting it over gates etc. But it’s cold here in UK so I still need to take warm and waterproof clothes.
I live in Europe and do a lot of bikepacking through the Alps. I own also a Salsa Cutthroat, but I think that a flat bar is more suitable for long distances because of the different grip positions. But after numerous Transalp-Tours, I have now decided that I will install a 100 mm suspension fork. Your video confirmed my decision to some extent.
I am even preferring my fatbike for any type of bikepacking because it has a lot of "suspension" without a suspensionfork, it does not sink into mud when it is loaded and is smooth on every surface. I built it up with leighweight rims, tires with low rolling resistance and tubeless. It does not weigh more than my regular MTB with suspension fork. I chose tires between 3.8 and 4.8 inches depending on season and terrain. After frequent use for about a year I would say if I had to sell all my bikes except one I would keep my fatbike. BUT good rims and tires are absolutely cruicial on a fatbike. They are the determining factor between a great ride and an awful experience imo. I really enjoy my gravelbike, too. But I prefer it for recreational faster rides at the weekends and for communting. Overall it has a too high gear ratio (GRX) and is more tiring on long rides because it is a much bumpier ride on long distance than my plushy fatbiike.
Yes a fat bike is a really good option for bikepacking ! Would not work for me on a race like the tour divide but I would consider it for other races. I’m planning to do some bikepacking this winter on a fat bike !
I agree with your comments about the cassette. However, for my gravel bike with a 142mm rear, I use a 10-51 microspline 12 speed XT cassette, no problem at all. More and more gravel bikes come with a 1x and big cassette, it just makes sense.
Bon vidéo et je suis 100% d'accord. J'avais un hardtail en carbone pour le Tour Aotearoa et je referais exactement pareil. J'avais des aerobars dessus et j'ai trouvé ça vraiment utiles quand même pour les longues sections de route ou quand j'avais un bon vent de face.
@@GabrielRancourtCyclingJ'ai justement un Procaliber et un Checkpoint. Ma conclusion a ce stade est que c'est le type de terrain pratiqué qui décide + la préférence personnelle entre confort vs rapidité
Loved your video, I have a steel road bike that fits 35c and I have to agree with your final message, I took it and bikepaked in some chunky rainy roads (no mud, luckily) and yes, it was doable and enjoyable, but I missed lower gears for a more consistent pace (my easiest is 36t with a 34t chainring, so 94.4%) and some suspension. Anyways, had a trauma-laugh with the "peanut butter" mud, just once I had it, luckily unloaded, but it was easy half an hour of cleaning in some creek to counting going. Cheers!
I traveled over 25,000 km on a (two wheel short base) recumbent. You talked about comfort… THAT is comfortabel, efficient and faster! Mostly for roads, but comfortable… definitely!
I'm riding a Full suspension MTB and a Gravel bike for some time, and this is my opinion: 1 - nowadays you can use up to 2.0 tires on a gravel. For my experience, you wouldn't need any more than that. Yes, mud will call for a bigger tire, but even a 2.35 mtb tire will not go easy if there is really a lot of mud. 2 - in long rides, suspension will help a lot your hands and back, but if you want it only to make the bike more comfortable and not to have more performance, a suspension stem usually works really well and wheights a lot less 3 - I weigh 70kg. I never felt that I would need more break power than a 2 pistons break, considering I use little strength to break. So, my hydraulic STI until now is more than enough 4 - the geometry of I gravel bike is more aggressive than I mtb, but if you did a good bike fit, it shouldn't be a problem for you. I can ride many hours with my gravel in bad terrain with no problem. 5 - The 142mm rear hub of my gravel bike uses XDr freehub, with a 12 speed 10-51 mtb cassette Considering all of that, I know that I never bike packing for so long distance. My experience is based on bike rides of less than 500km.
Great points ! If you have found the perfect rig for you… keep it. I tried so many bikes over the years and i can tell that i will take a mtb any day for my next big races. The next one will be about 2000 km long.
I can already, know I got a gravel bike and sold my XC bike exactly for that reason. The Tour Divide is an extreme example and most people don't race bikepacking.
finally someone talking about someting that bugged me for a long time. I'm exactly at that point. Want something for long rides, gravel/off-road and comfortable. Everyone tries to push me into a gravel bike but I somehow low the idea of a steel MTB with a suspension fork and big tubeless tyres. Hard to find in EU tho
I love my suspension fork. I can't imagine riding washboard gravel with no suspension. I also love my Aerobars. They help my hands, help my seat and make me faster in headwinds.
Is my opinion too. I'm looking forward to a lightweight full suspension in next years because of back pain :). The unique feature I really miss from gravel bikes are the amount of holes to fix stuff in the frame and in the fork. We need good 100 / 120 mm suspensions with with holes to fix stuff without so many adapters :).
Hey man ! I have a lot of mounting option on my salsa cutthroat buy with the taillfin aeropack, you can load a lot of weight without any mounting points… i will make a video about it !
Bonjour Gabriel, bon travaille avec ce video. J’ai 64 ans donc je ne vais pas rouler les aventures comme GDMR, plutôt 3, 4 jours a l’Ontario et Quebec. I am a new subscriber because I found your opinion to have a lot of insight. Half way through I was thinking that a video about drop vs flat bars would be good so I will have to wait for that. I am riding a Kona ULTD that works fine for my purposes. I was able to fit a SunRace 11-51 rear cassette but it did require a significant B-screw adjustment compared to the stock 11-42 cassette to get sufficient clearance for the derailleur jockey wheel. For my purposes this works fine since I am not racing and mainly focus on the travel and camping. Looking forward to more videos. Bon chance avec la chaîne.
Merci du commentaire ! Le Kona sutra ultd est un de mes vélo préférés de tout les temps ! Je crois qu’avez la nouvelle cassette, c’est un vélo qui peut tout faire. Au plaisir se se croiser sur les routes du Québec et Ontario ! 😊
My surly bridge club has a 1x11 drive train....34t chainring and 11-51 cassette. Thinking of converting to a 2x system with shimano cues parts...this will give me an additional gear inch on the low gear and 10 gear inches on the top end. Plus I've converted to bar end shifters on my alt bars instead of the trigger shifters...have thumb tendon soreness.
Glad you find a rig that works for you ! I don’t know if I would go for a 2by system. Depends on what you are trying to accomplish ! What is your next trip ?
@GabrielRancourtCycling I'm going to be doing a supported ride in june from San Francisco to Santa monica over 7 days. It's a group of 2500 cyclists and 800 roadies. It's going to be the last AIDS Lifecycle ride because the cost of doing these rides for those who raised a minimum of $3500 to help support the SF AIDS Foundation and the LA LGBTQ center was costing too much. This ride will help me tweek my bike setup w/o racks and gear on the bike and prove my 70 yr old body can handle the hills and distances. Then, I'm planning to do the PCBR from Vancouver to San Diego in August after I've recovered from the ride.
thanks for bringing some very interesting points. If I were you btw, I'd use the Silca or the Sram tyre pressure calculator. That being said, I have 3X drivetrain MTB, a 2X flat bar road bike and a 1X (single chainring) flatbar fitness bike with a MTB drivetrain, 36T and 10-51T 12 speed Shimano XT drivetrain. That bike is the Canyon Pathlite 6 (I also LOVE the looks of the Canyon Roadlite 6), the 2022 version with internal cable routing. And I gotta say there is no colour. My fitness bike with a MTB drivetrain is light, has great clearance, and since I am using it a week ago I am breaking all my previous records on Strava segments even on road, and I don't know why, 'cos I am not trying harder. My gut feeling tells me it's because of the 1X drivetrain and the tyres. I live in a very hilly place and the bike also has a front suspension (70mm iirc). I locked it though, for now, 'cos I am riding on road most of the time. The bike came with 40mm tyres and at the correct pressure they are super comfy. Still, never loaded the bike for now. Thanks for the informative video, food for thought.
That’s some things to think about ! I’m at a point in my riding that confort and feeling riding is more important than speed ! Take the bike you think you enjoy the most !
@@GabrielRancourtCycling yup, I enjoy the fitness bike the most. Mainly 'cos it accetps MTB tyres and has MTB gears. It's perfect for me, but my road bike with 28mm tyres should be theoretically faster, I have almost ridden 1200Km on it, with wax, and now with the Pathlite 6 I am just beating my own times after riding just 120Km in it. My next bike is probably going to be a XC (cross-country) MTB, or maybe another fitness or trekking bike, but I'm not sure yet. The Riverside 920 from Decathlon also seems to be an okay bike. Btw, I don't have a gravel bike but I wonder.... what about the mount points on a gravel bike vs MTB? Don't you miss that on the MTB? I mean, there aren't many mounts, if any, on my MTB, and I wonder how you managed on your long trigps. Thanks for replying btw.
@@GabrielRancourtCycling That was long time ago. In south America I started in Argentina, Chile, then Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador. This took me half of a year. In Europe I traveled in different years Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia (I am from Latvia 😅), Poland, Ireland. Turkey.
Great video matey! I have 2 gravel bikes, I love them! But on my last trip through the mountains of Wales, I really wish I'd brought along my 29er, it literally was hell! The lack of braking was worrying, my hands, arms and shoulders were sore, I literally felt destroyed some days! My 29er isn't ideal with it's slack geo, but it's a hardtail and it's steel which will be a big plus! My only issue is it's weight, it's 15kg before it's even loaded, 5kg heavier than my Ti gravel bike! I guess I'll just have to try and pack lighter! My last self supported trip for a week was a 22kg payload! Really need to save 5-7kg minimum, 30+ kg feels crazy!
@mokotramp 22kg of gear? That is almost 49 pounds! Old cycle tourist here, 71 years old, crossed U.S. three times cycling and the Great Divide once at 68. On the GDMBR, I started with 9kg not counting food and water. Food and water weight varies depending on resupply options. Tip, look at what long trail backpackers, (hikers), use and duplicate their advice for "base weight". Your adventures will be more enjoyable with less gear and clothing because it simplifies life on the trail. Just offering friendly advice, not trying to be a jerk. Happy trails ☮
Es un punto de vista muy particular, viajes cargados, por terrenos complicados. Yo creo que habría que tener una bicicleta de MTB, una de Gravel, y una de Ruta. Y usas la que consideres según tu viaje. Saludos desde sudamérica, y los espero a que vengan a pedalear en nuestra Patagonia Argentina.
I ride a Sutra LTD that’s more like a late 80’s mtb, just for the joy of riding something other than an mtb for a change :). I don’t care about the weight, the aerodynamics, or having a perfect setup. With my full sus I do :). A 32t with a 11-46 cassette makes the Sutra LTD a nice generalist bike. 2.4”s during winter. The drop bars are nice just to be able to change your grip every now and then, but flat bars are admittedly much more convenient in soggy, uneven and slippery winter rides.
@@k______________________ i loved this bike ! I did so many thing with it. It’s just heavy for starting a fully loaded rig. I was also not able to put a 100mm fork on it and the gear ratio wasn’t big enough when I was going in crazy steep hills. I would have keep it for going around the city but I have too many bikes already !
Good review. But the context is about a certain terrain, race condition and back pain. If you were to do a long distance bike packing in Japan, u wouldn't be hitting that kind of terrain and a gravel work as fine or if not better. For more upright on gravel, he can add a slanted up stem too.
Yes of course, i will always choose the best rig for what im doing, but for now, i think the mtb is the best all arounder when you dont know whats coming
Checkout a Cotic Cascade. Drop bar MTB with MTB geometry & components. Rigid fork is suspension corrected to 100mm fork such as a SID. But agree, I prefer my HT MTB to my gravel when bikepacking where I live (Scotland).
Looks like a really cool bike ! It is really similar to the salsa fargo ! Great bike. Love the salsa cutthroat because it is lighter with the carbon frame !
@@GabrielRancourtCycling A frame made from Reynolds 853 is barely a Pound/0.5kg heavier than an equivalent carbon frame, but rides so nice - and it's easily repairable, shrugs off rock hits etc. I've the Cotic Flare Max MTB, and are demoing a Cascade next week (as a replacement for both my HT & gravel bike for bikepacking). Also check out Fairlight Cycles for their 'all road' bikes.
@@br5380 Try demoing the Cotic Solaris (SolarisMax if you can find one) as well. Super versatile bike, excellent 853 tubing with ovalized top tube for a lively ride, runs great with a shorter-travel SID fork and can be set up fairly light in XC mode. Has modern progressive geo for confident descending, too.
For the places I regularly bikepack, Wales, England and Scotland, it has to be a MTB. If I spent a lot of time on-road or if I'm going through Europe at a pace then its a gravel bike, no question. That said, there are plenty of gravel bikes that can fit a 2.1 tyre with mud clearance, plenty with super slack HT angles. I'd rather do long miles on a gravel bike but rough terrain I'd go MTB. Suspension options with gravel just give you a bit of squish to take chatter out of washboard or dampen those rare big hits. Don't get the fork, get the stem and seatpost.
I agree a hardball MTB would be great bikepacking. If you want more aero. You can always add an aero bar. However, bikepacking trip isn't a race for who is the fastest. Thinking which bike will make you faster just make no sense. Instead, think about comfort on the bike on multiple long days should be the focus.
I was wondering why would you convert a Salsa Cutthroat to a flat bar bike with front suspension instead of going with a Hardtail mountain bike like the Specialized Epic Hardtail or Trek Procaliper?
Because thats the bike I have and I wanted to try ! + I have custom bag made for it and the position is perfect. I still have everything to convert it back to dropbar. I still have the rigid fork also, will convert it if i need to.
If you do bikepackung mostly on roads and carefully planned before your trip, get a Gravelbike. If you like adventures and wanna drive "everywhere" get the MTB. I have both, but riding the GB on sth. like a trail it's soon uncomfortable and you will be slower. On roads of course the opposite, see above. Both works kind of...
Very upfront and honest video,I am a rodie but commute to work in an MTB,Merida Big Nine hardtail;thinking to use it as a gravel bike too,only swapping my tires I think will be enough,..What size tires should I get for that purpose(moderate gravel/commuting)?Actually the bike fits Maxxis 2.4 at front and 2.2 at the rear,two much dragging for commuting hehe...any suggestion would be much appreciated.
I will make a video about it but the best tire i have ever ridden is the Continental RaceKing 2.2 ! The best !!!! Best rolling resistance out there, super confortable, puncture resistant and light.
its funny how I always keep up with those fancy gravels with my 2016 canyon 3x10. You forget a few points though. In general, MTB have barely any mounting options for your bags. front and rear. Exceptions are there, cannondale for most. But on mine, I can't mount a pannier in the rear unless I mount it on my seat, that gives me 20kg< load. I know the tetra racks and thats the only option for me. Surley bikes are the answer, but they come without suspension and a heavy price tag.
Mountain bike geometry is very different from a road bike. Just look at head tube angle. I come from a road racing background, and really enjoy responsive handling. So for me, a gravel or touring bike is rather sluggish in comparison (and a mtb worse). For me, a touring/gravel would be the middleground compromise. I do own a nice CF mtb with a super light aeris fork, but I reserve that for pure trail riding. I wouldn't get a mtb for general long-distance touring. But I do understand why a mtb is better for the races you are referring to. However that doesn't represent 99% of people.
depends on the track or road you gonna take both has its purpose the rougher terrain the mountain bike excel the smoother the terrain the gravel bike excel
I'm a bike tourer that rides on pavement 80% of the time, and I prefer my gravel bike ( Salsa Fargo) for this. My moment of realizing that mountain bikes are not for me came when I took my MB out of the box I'd packed it in at the Athens airport prior to a ride across Turkey and Greece. Dear Lord, these front shocks are heavy! Got a gravel bike with no suspension soon after returning to the US, and have never looked back.
Hi there, first of all great channel; really digging into the content since i am a newbie. I am only a bit concerned about going uphill with a mtb compared to a gravelbike. Is it that much slower? I have pretty strong legs but i dont want to 'kill' them over time😂 and i want to buy a Salsa Timberjack, any thoughts about that bike? Keep them coming with your vids 🎉😊
Thank you so much! I think going uphill will definitely be quicker on an MTB with a flat bar. I’ll make a video dedicated to that, but I can say you can generate much more power using the leverage of a wider bar, especially on steep and chunky roads… and there are plenty of those on the TD! The Salsa Timberjack is a great bike, but it’s a bit heavy due to the steel frame. The cutthroat would save you some weight for sure.
Thanks for the quick reply. The Timberjack only has an aluminium frame as far as i reckon, plus even a titanium frame but that costs already around 5000 dollar. But the Timberjack is still a bit heavy.... will check out the cutthroat for sure 😊
First time watcher. When you said you respect out time and told us up front your choice without dragging it out ...I was like..ok I like this guy! Subscribed and video liked! 👍
Thanks man ! I started filming myself talking about the pros and cons of both and i was like… this is too freaking long lol. I will try to do the same in the future.
Same goes for the chapters which let you scroll through the details while checking out all main points!
@@GabrielRancourtCycling yes same thought. subscribes cos very clear and good content
Team MTB!!! Loving your new videos.
Thanks man ! Working hard on this new YT project ! 😊 my tour divide movie will be release here !
Your knowledge is practical.
I do not listen to anything but practical advice born from experience and, without any smelly commercial motivation.
Where's the LIKE TWICE button.
Thank you.
77 and riding continuously since 1972.😊
Thank you so much !!! I will make others videos like this one ! Come back later ! Have a nice day 👌💪
I very much like riding my (very mild) gravel bike on mild terrain. I find my (very nice) MTB cumbersome on the same terrain. We have to be careful not to extrapolate these feelings to very different circumstances - heavy loads, very rough terrain, multi-day riding. Your video made these points very well. We also have to remember that most of us are just regular people, not pro-racers. Keep up the good work!
Yes we all have specific needs and we do not all want to win the race ! I go for confort and fun !
Same here. I only want to use my MTB when the terrain is adequately rough. The gravel bike is plenty comfortable when the terrain is mild or paved. I'm pretty scrawny, so I'd be miserable dragging my MTB up large hills on long rides, haha. Perhaps that's also because my MTB is a cheap and heavy hardtail. Funny enough, I found the most economical way to shed weight on that bike... was just to get a different bike, haha.
Just started Bikepacking and I thought that my old MTB would be bad, I almost sold it and bought a Gravel one, until I saw this video, thanks a lot, subscribed for sure!!
Wow great testimonials ! Thanks for watching !!
i love the nice edit touch of the camera zooming in to you when you highlight the reasons. instant sub!
Thanks ! I will try to edit with the same style in the future !
Another great video, keep it up. I was riding the Tour Aotearoa (New Zealand) last year with a mate. Both on MTB's and had many discussions about this topic. Totally agree with your points.
that's the fuel I need to keep going ! Thank you so much ! How was the Tour Aotearoa ? I was looking to do it in the next few years !
Thank you for stating your preference up front. I stayed to listen to your reasons and agree with what you said. Keeping my old MTB for offroad bikepacking trips. Cheers.
My pleasure ! Will try to be always straight forward with my opinion !
I'm not sure how your channel managed to end up in my feed, but I sure am glad it did. Cheers man!
Thanks for watching !
Thorough, frank and meaningfully informative. Thanks.
@@Soundchain101 thanks ! Will try to do other videos like that !
Merci pour le vidéo! Ton approche est claire et directe et c'est hyper apprecié!!
Merci à toi 😊 ! Je travaille présentement sur une série complète de ces vidéos ! As-tu un sujet que tu aimerais que j’aborde ?
Hi =) nice sincere explanation ❤️
I’m a 70’s Shinamo racing cyclist who hated skinny tires and aching body bend riding those racing bikes. Yes, it’s for race, speed and aerodynamics matter. When mountain bike came around, it’s a game changer but then I lost speed because of the knobby tires =( However, I gain comfort and better control on tricky terrains. So, your explanation makes total sense for those who was confused of what to own. I’m not a racer and I don’t do stunt on my bikes now…. which is why I felt ATB (all terrain bike) are the best for those who want good ride but not into tricky mountain tracks but rather than a bike that can handle anything that’s within your means. So for those who’s not clear of your riding choices, try anything you can lay your hand on and work it out from there. Fat tires with smoother threads and abit upright sitting position together with some big cogs are my best riding comfort for touring and semi off road.
Totally agree ! I sold my road bike this year and will ride my adventure and mtb bikes for life
@@GabrielRancourtCycling
Wow! That’s a very great decision you got there….haha. Yes, the marketing on sporty stuff attracts but in reality as we aged, we tend to take life easy and enjoy the breeze…. watching the birds n the bees and some more…haha. Unless one is into racing and winning, we really don’t need to ride in a uncomfortable position. The next changes I’m waiting for will be the day when I felt it’s a hassle getting my leg across the standard bicycle frame, that’s when I be switching to folding or those mini Velo frame kinda bike. I believed there will be tons of those new Brampton G Line copies coming up in no time. The new wheel size is ideal for aged people who has been on standard frame like me to downgrade to.
This is a good video--straight up advice from someone who's been there. Thanks.
@@ross6853 thanks ! That’s the idea, I will make videos from all my previous experiences.
@@ross6853 thanks ! I will make other videos from my previous experiences !
WOW greatest channel ever. I agree with your choice, especially considering there are hardtail frames these days from companies like Orbea, BMC, and Factor that easily come in below 1kg
Wow what a nice comment ! Thank you soooo much !!!
Would love a factor mtb !!! Soooo nice 🤑😀
My gravel bike is perfect for rough road bike packing. For really rough stuff my Surly ICT fat bike is all I ride now. Even with the heavier weight I prefer it over my 29r MTB.
Glad you found your perfect rig !
... just went through all this with my 42 yo road bike, steel frame 27.5 ... put 38mm knobbies on it and panniers. .. the fram seemed stout enough... except with a 70 lb load the rear lasted about three weeks.... went to a 27.5 Mtb with 2.134 tires mounted with swchalble pickup tires, rated 350 lbs ea.... what a difference... I'm constantly catchig road bikes on the climbs. thx for the info... great job!
Haha nice !!cool that you find your right rig for you! Keep pedaling !
Another first time watcher here. An excited one, I must say, because you told point by point all my reasons to recommend an MTB XC instead of a gravel bike in most cases, specially for long bikepacking trips.
Suscribed, liked the video and commented. Keep going!Greetings from Spain!
To the point! Thanks, man! I’ll try to do the same in the future! I hate when UA-camrs take forever to get to the point you clicked for from the thumbnail!
Nice video. Loved the practical experience and the direct way in which you delivered it without any messing about. Also, nice colour grading! Instant sub.
Thanks! Haha, I'll make sure to get straight to the point and capture some nice pictures in the future as well!
Just subscribed. I feel your pain, it takes a lot of patience to build an audience, but you have some great experience and advice that is worth hearing so keep it up. I am behind you on subscribers but still working on it!😊
Thanks man !!! Keep on the good work !
Very accurate summary! Thank you for a interesting film and good luck with developing the channel. greetings from Poland.
Nie ma za co! Kontynuuj świetną pracę-nie mogę się doczekać Twoich nowych filmów, gdy zostaną opublikowane! 🎥🚴♂️
Great video! The moment that I started to watch this video I was like... wait! I know this guy from Ryan's video. I also have a Salsa Timberjack and love it and I use it for all purposes.
Haha yes its me ! Thanks for watching ! Love the salsa timberjack ! 🤟🤟🤟
It's great to hear the perspective of an expert rider. Most of UA-cam is filled with armchair quarterbacks. I will never need all of this advice, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate learning about it.
That was my goal of starting this channel! Thanks. I have been riding for 25 years and i want to share some of the knowledge i learned along the way
Great vid. Did over a thousand miles of GDMBR in 2022 starting in New Mexico and halfway through Colorado. Rode my 2019 Transition Patrol enduro bike. 180, 160 mm fr.rear. very comfy. Big tires, strong brakes. Could bomb singlestrack, blaze rough roads and strip gear off for s shuttle of yhe Monarch Crest !! MTB is unlimited. Makes a great daily commuter and slay the bike park on the weekend ❤
WOW ! That's impressive ! Thanks for sharing your experience ! MTB forever !
Closing thoughts are the best advice for anyone looking to ride anything. Bike might not be optimal, but if it's capable enough, give it a shot.
Thank you so much ! I really wanted to create this channel to inspire people to get outside and live their dreams. I will try to put some wisdom at the end of each videos in the future. Thanks for watching !
Un petit commentaire aussi sur cette super vidéo. Elle est pleine de bon sens mais aussi d'expérience.
Je te rejoins totalement sur le confort global apporté par un flatbar.
J'ai fait 10 ans de gravel dropbar chez Giant avec notamment les premiers Anyroad à l'époque.
J'ai changé cette année par Spe Flatbar Sirrus 6.0 X carbone + roues carbones Hunt. Montage Mulet Sram 11-50 et plateau 40D. Pneus en 42mm.
Le confort du flatbar et la sportivité / rendement du carbone.. what else ?
Mince, j'ai vraiment pas envie de revenir sur du dropbar.
Mais bon il m'a fallu 10 années de pratique pour connaitre le monde du vélo et savoir MON besoin.
Mais aussi savoir ajuster par quelques petits tips ou accessoires pour être parfaitement installé.
Actuellement mon seul point négatif serait le freinage, gamme Sram Level que je trouve insuffisant. Il faudrait que je l'upgrade.
Je vais me pencher sur le sujet :)
Je te rejoins, on a pas besoin de vitesse en randonnée, mais de pouvoir grimper cette montée devant nous!
A bientot
Arnaud
Superbe ! Merci du partage ! Pour ma part, je vais faire mes prochaines courses en flat bar. Je vais faire une vidéo là-dessus ! Je me suis trouvé une façon d’avoir autant de possibilité de positions qu’en drop bar !
@@GabrielRancourtCycling ah oui il y a énormément de possibilités entre les thumbrest, les innerbar de sqlab, les poignées Ergon, les prolongateurs voire même les anneaux de chez ridefarr!
Avec tout ça, c'est le bonheur :)
Just found your channel and subscribed within 5 minutes. Great content and I’m looking forward to future videos!!
Thank you so much ! Working on a new video today !!!
@@GabrielRancourtCycling Great to hear! I’ll see it when it’s out!
🔥🔥🔥🔥 thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching !
I would like to thank you very much for making this video.
This video served as a great reminder for me why I should continue using my MTB.
Last month, many people around me tried to convince me to buy a new bike, a Gravel Bike. They told me that Gravel Bikes are lighter, faster, and have a design more suitable for long-distance cycling. I spent several days researching this type of bike, but I still prefer MTBs for all the reasons you mentioned. And I think that if I were primarily interested in speed, I would choose to ride a motorcycle rather than a bicycle.
Thank you ❤
Haha great point ! Love that i could help you make up your mind !
@Black-7ack Agree with you, plus you can always put a different tire on your mtn bike to go a little faster if you want to. Gabriel mentioned Continental Race Kings, the Vittoria Mezcal tire rolls fast too. Happy trails!
That was staggering useful! Great vid.
Thanks for watching !!!
Great video Gabriel!
My pleasure 🤟👌😀
Very helpful advice thank you.
Being an old rider I get a few aches and numb fingers which is much worse on the gravel bike.I don’t like carrying bags as it makes the bike too heavy particularly for hike a bike sections and lifting it over gates etc.
But it’s cold here in UK so I still need to take warm and waterproof clothes.
Totally agree ! Same for me !
Fantastic video! I appreciate your experience and insight.
Thanks for watching !
I live in Europe and do a lot of bikepacking through the Alps. I own also a Salsa Cutthroat, but I think that a flat bar is more suitable for long distances because of the different grip positions. But after numerous Transalp-Tours, I have now decided that I will install a 100 mm suspension fork. Your video confirmed my decision to some extent.
You wont regret it ! Come back here when you do and let me know what you think about the front suspension !
Thanks for doing this video. I was asking this question to myself.
My pleasure !
Thank you for the info, keep the great job
Thank you so much !
I am even preferring my fatbike for any type of bikepacking because it has a lot of "suspension" without a suspensionfork, it does not sink into mud when it is loaded and is smooth on every surface. I built it up with leighweight rims, tires with low rolling resistance and tubeless. It does not weigh more than my regular MTB with suspension fork. I chose tires between 3.8 and 4.8 inches depending on season and terrain. After frequent use for about a year I would say if I had to sell all my bikes except one I would keep my fatbike. BUT good rims and tires are absolutely cruicial on a fatbike. They are the determining factor between a great ride and an awful experience imo. I really enjoy my gravelbike, too. But I prefer it for recreational faster rides at the weekends and for communting. Overall it has a too high gear ratio (GRX) and is more tiring on long rides because it is a much bumpier ride on long distance than my plushy fatbiike.
Yes a fat bike is a really good option for bikepacking ! Would not work for me on a race like the tour divide but I would consider it for other races. I’m planning to do some bikepacking this winter on a fat bike !
Press "Like" repeatedly. I really like the reason. Currently I use MTB for touring in all road conditions....FC / Thailand
ขอบคุณมากๆ ขอให้สนุกกับการปั่นจักรยานเสือภูเขานะ!
Great! This is the most professional story. Thanks.
Thanks ! 🙏🙏🙏🙏
I agree with your comments about the cassette. However, for my gravel bike with a 142mm rear, I use a 10-51 microspline 12 speed XT cassette, no problem at all. More and more gravel bikes come with a 1x and big cassette, it just makes sense.
Glad for you ! Looks like the perfect gravel rig !
Quel plaisir d'écouter tes vidéos, des choses simples et bien explique aussi bien pour un amateur qu'un pro ;-)
Merci la légende !
Bon vidéo et je suis 100% d'accord. J'avais un hardtail en carbone pour le Tour Aotearoa et je referais exactement pareil. J'avais des aerobars dessus et j'ai trouvé ça vraiment utiles quand même pour les longues sections de route ou quand j'avais un bon vent de face.
Merci du commentaire ! Mon prochain vélo risque d’être un trek supercaliber !!
@@GabrielRancourtCycling Moi j'ai un vieux King Kahuna 2014. 😅. Mais comme tu dis dans le vidéo : The best bike is the one you have!
@@GabrielRancourtCyclingJ'ai justement un Procaliber et un Checkpoint. Ma conclusion a ce stade est que c'est le type de terrain pratiqué qui décide + la préférence personnelle entre confort vs rapidité
@@jfb92bien d’accord ! 😊
Loved your video, I have a steel road bike that fits 35c and I have to agree with your final message, I took it and bikepaked in some chunky rainy roads (no mud, luckily) and yes, it was doable and enjoyable, but I missed lower gears for a more consistent pace (my easiest is 36t with a 34t chainring, so 94.4%) and some suspension.
Anyways, had a trauma-laugh with the "peanut butter" mud, just once I had it, luckily unloaded, but it was easy half an hour of cleaning in some creek to counting going.
Cheers!
Haha ! Yeah 35c loaded is a bit narrow for Offroad ! Peanut butter mud is the worst !
Well done!
Thank you, great presentation
Thanks for watching !
I have a gravel bike and a hardtail MTB and more and more I am drawn to bikepack on the MTB. Agree with you!
@@mikelampman1693 welcome to the club !
New subscriber from Catalonia 🙋♂️ well, actually in Majorca.
¡De nada! ¡Sigue con el gran trabajo-estoy emocionado por ver tus nuevos videos cuando se publiquen! 🎥🚴♂️
I traveled over 25,000 km on a (two wheel short base) recumbent. You talked about comfort… THAT is comfortabel, efficient and faster! Mostly for roads, but comfortable… definitely!
Nice !!! And congrats for your accomplishment !
What I forgot to ask if you ever tried a recumbent?
@@mennosolarquestnever but looks like a lot of fun !
Good video. Keep consistent and you're going to go far on YT.
Thanks man ! Working hard on two more videos today... thanks for the fuel !
@@GabrielRancourtCycling Great to hear. You got this!
Very good content!! Keep on!!
Thank you ! More videos coming !!
Thx for the honest and detailed breakdown!
My pleasure ! Flat bar vs drop bar is coming soon !
Gabriel, loving your videos, keep making them. Jeff, Fergus, Ont
Thanks ! That gives me fuel to keep going ! Lets fo this !
I'm riding a Full suspension MTB and a Gravel bike for some time, and this is my opinion:
1 - nowadays you can use up to 2.0 tires on a gravel. For my experience, you wouldn't need any more than that. Yes, mud will call for a bigger tire, but even a 2.35 mtb tire will not go easy if there is really a lot of mud.
2 - in long rides, suspension will help a lot your hands and back, but if you want it only to make the bike more comfortable and not to have more performance, a suspension stem usually works really well and wheights a lot less
3 - I weigh 70kg. I never felt that I would need more break power than a 2 pistons break, considering I use little strength to break. So, my hydraulic STI until now is more than enough
4 - the geometry of I gravel bike is more aggressive than I mtb, but if you did a good bike fit, it shouldn't be a problem for you. I can ride many hours with my gravel in bad terrain with no problem.
5 - The 142mm rear hub of my gravel bike uses XDr freehub, with a 12 speed 10-51 mtb cassette
Considering all of that, I know that I never bike packing for so long distance. My experience is based on bike rides of less than 500km.
Great points ! If you have found the perfect rig for you… keep it. I tried so many bikes over the years and i can tell that i will take a mtb any day for my next big races. The next one will be about 2000 km long.
I can already, know I got a gravel bike and sold my XC bike exactly for that reason. The Tour Divide is an extreme example and most people don't race bikepacking.
I love my gravel bike but you are right, a hardtail is better for bikepacking unless you know the path is perfect gravel. And more confortable aswell.
Totally agree !
finally someone talking about someting that bugged me for a long time. I'm exactly at that point. Want something for long rides, gravel/off-road and comfortable. Everyone tries to push me into a gravel bike but I somehow low the idea of a steel MTB with a suspension fork and big tubeless tyres. Hard to find in EU tho
My goal with the channel is to try to talk about stuff that I dd'nt hear anywhere else. Thanks for your comment.
look into broken road steel from sonder alpkit based in uk
@@aafridi284thanks !
I love my suspension fork. I can't imagine riding washboard gravel with no suspension. I also love my Aerobars. They help my hands, help my seat and make me faster in headwinds.
Amen !
Looking forward to the handlebar video too
Working on it !!! 🤟🤟🤟
Is my opinion too. I'm looking forward to a lightweight full suspension in next years because of back pain :).
The unique feature I really miss from gravel bikes are the amount of holes to fix stuff in the frame and in the fork. We need good 100 / 120 mm suspensions with with holes to fix stuff without so many adapters :).
Hey man ! I have a lot of mounting option on my salsa cutthroat buy with the taillfin aeropack, you can load a lot of weight without any mounting points… i will make a video about it !
Bonjour Gabriel, bon travaille avec ce video. J’ai 64 ans donc je ne vais pas rouler les aventures comme GDMR, plutôt 3, 4 jours a l’Ontario et Quebec. I am a new subscriber because I found your opinion to have a lot of insight. Half way through I was thinking that a video about drop vs flat bars would be good so I will have to wait for that. I am riding a Kona ULTD that works fine for my purposes. I was able to fit a SunRace 11-51 rear cassette but it did require a significant B-screw adjustment compared to the stock 11-42 cassette to get sufficient clearance for the derailleur jockey wheel. For my purposes this works fine since I am not racing and mainly focus on the travel and camping. Looking forward to more videos. Bon chance avec la chaîne.
Merci du commentaire ! Le Kona sutra ultd est un de mes vélo préférés de tout les temps ! Je crois qu’avez la nouvelle cassette, c’est un vélo qui peut tout faire. Au plaisir se se croiser sur les routes du Québec et Ontario ! 😊
Great video
Thank you !!!
My surly bridge club has a 1x11 drive train....34t chainring and 11-51 cassette. Thinking of converting to a 2x system with shimano cues parts...this will give me an additional gear inch on the low gear and 10 gear inches on the top end. Plus I've converted to bar end shifters on my alt bars instead of the trigger shifters...have thumb tendon soreness.
Glad you find a rig that works for you ! I don’t know if I would go for a 2by system. Depends on what you are trying to accomplish ! What is your next trip ?
@GabrielRancourtCycling I'm going to be doing a supported ride in june from San Francisco to Santa monica over 7 days. It's a group of 2500 cyclists and 800 roadies. It's going to be the last AIDS Lifecycle ride because the cost of doing these rides for those who raised a minimum of $3500 to help support the SF AIDS Foundation and the LA LGBTQ center was costing too much. This ride will help me tweek my bike setup w/o racks and gear on the bike and prove my 70 yr old body can handle the hills and distances. Then, I'm planning to do the PCBR from Vancouver to San Diego in August after I've recovered from the ride.
Great information
Thanks ! Working on other videos !
Straight forward and clear. Thank you.
That is my goal !
Very informative . Thanks for creating the video.
Thanks for the comment and good vibe !
thanks for bringing some very interesting points. If I were you btw, I'd use the Silca or the Sram tyre pressure calculator. That being said, I have 3X drivetrain MTB, a 2X flat bar road bike and a 1X (single chainring) flatbar fitness bike with a MTB drivetrain, 36T and 10-51T 12 speed Shimano XT drivetrain. That bike is the Canyon Pathlite 6 (I also LOVE the looks of the Canyon Roadlite 6), the 2022 version with internal cable routing. And I gotta say there is no colour. My fitness bike with a MTB drivetrain is light, has great clearance, and since I am using it a week ago I am breaking all my previous records on Strava segments even on road, and I don't know why, 'cos I am not trying harder. My gut feeling tells me it's because of the 1X drivetrain and the tyres. I live in a very hilly place and the bike also has a front suspension (70mm iirc). I locked it though, for now, 'cos I am riding on road most of the time. The bike came with 40mm tyres and at the correct pressure they are super comfy. Still, never loaded the bike for now. Thanks for the informative video, food for thought.
That’s some things to think about ! I’m at a point in my riding that confort and feeling riding is more important than speed ! Take the bike you think you enjoy the most !
@@GabrielRancourtCycling yup, I enjoy the fitness bike the most. Mainly 'cos it accetps MTB tyres and has MTB gears. It's perfect for me, but my road bike with 28mm tyres should be theoretically faster, I have almost ridden 1200Km on it, with wax, and now with the Pathlite 6 I am just beating my own times after riding just 120Km in it. My next bike is probably going to be a XC (cross-country) MTB, or maybe another fitness or trekking bike, but I'm not sure yet. The Riverside 920 from Decathlon also seems to be an okay bike.
Btw, I don't have a gravel bike but I wonder.... what about the mount points on a gravel bike vs MTB? Don't you miss that on the MTB? I mean, there aren't many mounts, if any, on my MTB, and I wonder how you managed on your long trigps. Thanks for replying btw.
thanks for giving the answer up front
No problem ! Will try to do the same in the future !
The same, man!
I traveled south America, Europe and Turkey and absolutely agree - Mtb is the most appropriate choice.
Love it ! What was your ride ?
@@GabrielRancourtCycling That was long time ago.
In south America I started in Argentina, Chile, then Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador. This took me half of a year.
In Europe I traveled in different years Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia (I am from Latvia 😅), Poland, Ireland. Turkey.
@@jurmalarewowww ! Congrats ! 🎉 what an acheivement 😮
@@GabrielRancourtCycling Thanks!
I just wanted to see the world while was young.
Currently I use bike for city commuting only. 😅
@@jurmalarehaha you still have time for new projects !
Great video matey!
I have 2 gravel bikes, I love them! But on my last trip through the mountains of Wales, I really wish I'd brought along my 29er, it literally was hell! The lack of braking was worrying, my hands, arms and shoulders were sore, I literally felt destroyed some days! My 29er isn't ideal with it's slack geo, but it's a hardtail and it's steel which will be a big plus! My only issue is it's weight, it's 15kg before it's even loaded, 5kg heavier than my Ti gravel bike! I guess I'll just have to try and pack lighter! My last self supported trip for a week was a 22kg payload! Really need to save 5-7kg minimum, 30+ kg feels crazy!
@mokotramp 22kg of gear? That is almost 49 pounds! Old cycle tourist here, 71 years old, crossed U.S. three times cycling and the Great Divide once at 68. On the GDMBR, I started with 9kg not counting food and water. Food and water weight varies depending on resupply options. Tip, look at what long trail backpackers, (hikers), use and duplicate their advice for "base weight". Your adventures will be more enjoyable with less gear and clothing because it simplifies life on the trail. Just offering friendly advice, not trying to be a jerk. Happy trails ☮
Ooo wish you will be ok for your next ride ! Thanks for sharing your experience ! Mtb rocks !
Es un punto de vista muy particular, viajes cargados, por terrenos complicados. Yo creo que habría que tener una bicicleta de MTB, una de Gravel, y una de Ruta. Y usas la que consideres según tu viaje. Saludos desde sudamérica, y los espero a que vengan a pedalear en nuestra Patagonia Argentina.
Thanks !
Good points,nice presentation, pleasant colors. Got this from the algorhythm and liked itt :)
Thank you so much ! Working hard to make pretty images !
I ride a Sutra LTD that’s more like a late 80’s mtb, just for the joy of riding something other than an mtb for a change :). I don’t care about the weight, the aerodynamics, or having a perfect setup. With my full sus I do :). A 32t with a 11-46 cassette makes the Sutra LTD a nice generalist bike. 2.4”s during winter. The drop bars are nice just to be able to change your grip every now and then, but flat bars are admittedly much more convenient in soggy, uneven and slippery winter rides.
@@k______________________ i loved this bike ! I did so many thing with it. It’s just heavy for starting a fully loaded rig. I was also not able to put a 100mm fork on it and the gear ratio wasn’t big enough when I was going in crazy steep hills. I would have keep it for going around the city but I have too many bikes already !
Thanks for explanation 👍😊
My pleasure, working on a series of videos like this one.
Good review. But the context is about a certain terrain, race condition and back pain. If you were to do a long distance bike packing in Japan, u wouldn't be hitting that kind of terrain and a gravel work as fine or if not better. For more upright on gravel, he can add a slanted up stem too.
Yes of course, i will always choose the best rig for what im doing, but for now, i think the mtb is the best all arounder when you dont know whats coming
Thanks! Very helpful 👍
👌👌👌
Great video....love your insight...what would be your preferred wheel size/tire width for the tour divide assuming your frame could clear it? Thanks!
I really think the best sweet spot is 2.20 inch !! The continental raceking is the best in my opinion !
Thanks for an honest and informative video!
You have earned a like and subscription from me.
Thanks !!! Trying to be to the point and honest as possible !
Merci pour les conseils, je suis en Gravel mais sur route et chemin roulant .
HelloFromparis 😊
Vive la France ! Bonne continuité en gravel !
Checkout a Cotic Cascade.
Drop bar MTB with MTB geometry & components. Rigid fork is suspension corrected to 100mm fork such as a SID.
But agree, I prefer my HT MTB to my gravel when bikepacking where I live (Scotland).
Looks like a really cool bike ! It is really similar to the salsa fargo ! Great bike. Love the salsa cutthroat because it is lighter with the carbon frame !
@@GabrielRancourtCycling
A frame made from Reynolds 853 is barely a Pound/0.5kg heavier than an equivalent carbon frame, but rides so nice - and it's easily repairable, shrugs off rock hits etc.
I've the Cotic Flare Max MTB, and are demoing a Cascade next week (as a replacement for both my HT & gravel bike for bikepacking).
Also check out Fairlight Cycles for their 'all road' bikes.
@@br5380 Looks amazing ! We don't have those bikes in Canada.
@@br5380 Try demoing the Cotic Solaris (SolarisMax if you can find one) as well. Super versatile bike, excellent 853 tubing with ovalized top tube for a lively ride, runs great with a shorter-travel SID fork and can be set up fairly light in XC mode. Has modern progressive geo for confident descending, too.
MTB for me! Take care!
Welcome to the club !
This is will all shake out to some new category of MTB-gravek hybrid. Keegan Swenson is leading the way with his hybrid bike at Leadville 100.
Totally agree
Dylan Johnson started it, Swenson is following his lead
For the places I regularly bikepack, Wales, England and Scotland, it has to be a MTB. If I spent a lot of time on-road or if I'm going through Europe at a pace then its a gravel bike, no question.
That said, there are plenty of gravel bikes that can fit a 2.1 tyre with mud clearance, plenty with super slack HT angles. I'd rather do long miles on a gravel bike but rough terrain I'd go MTB. Suspension options with gravel just give you a bit of squish to take chatter out of washboard or dampen those rare big hits. Don't get the fork, get the stem and seatpost.
There is some great gravel bikes out there ! If it fits for you, go for it !
I agree a hardball MTB would be great bikepacking. If you want more aero. You can always add an aero bar. However, bikepacking trip isn't a race for who is the fastest. Thinking which bike will make you faster just make no sense. Instead, think about comfort on the bike on multiple long days should be the focus.
Totally agree ! Thanks for watching !
I was wondering why would you convert a Salsa Cutthroat to a flat bar bike with front suspension instead of going with a Hardtail mountain bike like the Specialized Epic Hardtail or Trek Procaliper?
Because thats the bike I have and I wanted to try ! + I have custom bag made for it and the position is perfect. I still have everything to convert it back to dropbar. I still have the rigid fork also, will convert it if i need to.
@@GabrielRancourtCycling Cool, thanks for answering my question, looking forward to more videos.
Nice video
Thanks for watching ! Im working on a whole series of these !
I also have it, but it is local. I cried and finished my ride today. I regret it for the first time after such a long time.
Oooo noo!
If you do bikepackung mostly on roads and carefully planned before your trip, get a Gravelbike. If you like adventures and wanna drive "everywhere" get the MTB. I have both, but riding the GB on sth. like a trail it's soon uncomfortable and you will be slower. On roads of course the opposite, see above. Both works kind of...
Agree ! Good points !
MTB all the way, mine is vintage steel and it's incredible.
Steel is so nice ! Love those bikes !
Very upfront and honest video,I am a rodie but commute to work in an MTB,Merida Big Nine hardtail;thinking to use it as a gravel bike too,only swapping my tires I think will be enough,..What size tires should I get for that purpose(moderate gravel/commuting)?Actually the bike fits Maxxis 2.4 at front and 2.2 at the rear,two much dragging for commuting hehe...any suggestion would be much appreciated.
I will make a video about it but the best tire i have ever ridden is the Continental RaceKing 2.2 ! The best !!!! Best rolling resistance out there, super confortable, puncture resistant and light.
@@GabrielRancourtCycling Mike Hall set his Tour Divide record on Continental Race Kings.
Great video buddy... are you canadian? Like your accent, I live in canada and my coworkers are from Quebec! Sorry, if Im wrong.... best !
You got it right ! I’m from Quebec ! Thanks for watching!
its funny how I always keep up with those fancy gravels with my 2016 canyon 3x10. You forget a few points though. In general, MTB have barely any mounting options for your bags. front and rear. Exceptions are there, cannondale for most. But on mine, I can't mount a pannier in the rear unless I mount it on my seat, that gives me 20kg< load. I know the tetra racks and thats the only option for me. Surley bikes are the answer, but they come without suspension and a heavy price tag.
It was true until the taillfin system ! I will make a video about it but my girlfriend use the aeropack system and can load everything she wants !
The answer to every video like this... "It depends".
Thanks for watching ! I only wanted to offer my real world experience on long bikepacking trip but yes it depends !
Would be crazy next to compare FatPacking for winter 😅
What a nice idea ! Just need to find a crazy partner to do it with !
Mountain bike geometry is very different from a road bike. Just look at head tube angle. I come from a road racing background, and really enjoy responsive handling. So for me, a gravel or touring bike is rather sluggish in comparison (and a mtb worse). For me, a touring/gravel would be the middleground compromise. I do own a nice CF mtb with a super light aeris fork, but I reserve that for pure trail riding. I wouldn't get a mtb for general long-distance touring.
But I do understand why a mtb is better for the races you are referring to. However that doesn't represent 99% of people.
I agree your opinion ! It always depends on the distance you are covering and the type of terrain you are riding on !
depends on the track or road you gonna take both has its purpose the rougher terrain the mountain bike excel the smoother the terrain the gravel bike excel
I agree. I made this video for long distance bikepacking races like the tour divide… in this case, i still think mtb are the right choice
I'm a bike tourer that rides on pavement 80% of the time, and I prefer my gravel bike ( Salsa Fargo) for this. My moment of realizing that mountain bikes are not for me came when I took my MB out of the box I'd packed it in at the Athens airport prior to a ride across Turkey and Greece. Dear Lord, these front shocks are heavy! Got a gravel bike with no suspension soon after returning to the US, and have never looked back.
Hi David ! The salsa fargo is considered a mountain bike with dropbar ! Maybe you like more the mtb than gravel bikes after all !
Great video.
Thank you !
Did you use aerobars. What opinion you have about
Yes I used aerobar on the tour divide… there is pros and cons… do you want me to make a video about it ?
@@GabrielRancourtCycling yes please
Now how about a cinelli hobootleg geo? Boost, suspension compatible, 3" tire clearance, postmount brakes?
Don't know this one ! But looks like a really cool rig !
Hi there, first of all great channel; really digging into the content since i am a newbie. I am only a bit concerned about going uphill with a mtb compared to a gravelbike. Is it that much slower? I have pretty strong legs but i dont want to 'kill' them over time😂 and i want to buy a Salsa Timberjack, any thoughts about that bike?
Keep them coming with your vids 🎉😊
Thank you so much! I think going uphill will definitely be quicker on an MTB with a flat bar. I’ll make a video dedicated to that, but I can say you can generate much more power using the leverage of a wider bar, especially on steep and chunky roads… and there are plenty of those on the TD! The Salsa Timberjack is a great bike, but it’s a bit heavy due to the steel frame. The cutthroat would save you some weight for sure.
Thanks for the quick reply. The Timberjack only has an aluminium frame as far as i reckon, plus even a titanium frame but that costs already around 5000 dollar. But the Timberjack is still a bit heavy.... will check out the cutthroat for sure 😊
Very educative video ! Would you suggest doing endurance races on a full enduro mountain bike ?
If you want a real challenge, go for it ! I know someone in quebec who did this for a race.. he’s crazy 😂