Help needed - Gravel or MTB?

[jamiecanter]

Hi everyone, 

Will be off to Europe for a few weeks and currently planning a bike packing trip. Looking at picking up a Canyon Grizl CF SL 6 AXS (Max budget R55k) and touring for 2 weeks. Alternative is to bring my road bike along instead (Cannondale Supersix), save some cash and pick up a solid MTB back in SA. 

Would need to upgrade my road bike to a compact crank and alu rims. 

I'm mainly a road rider looking to get into gravel rides and races (based in CT - Dville/Northern Suburbs so have access to a few gravel roads) and maybe a bike packing trip once a year. Not so keen on riding single track (bike handling isn't great) from a MTB perspective but I do enjoy riding dirt roads and the suspension and wider tyres do give me more confidence.  If I get a gravel bike, I would primarily use it as a winter road bike given the state of our roads - so more usage on that side.

Big thanks for any help and advice. 

Edited March 17 by jamiecanter

[RobertWhitehead]

Depending on your size I do have a Cannondale Topstone currently in the works otherwise I would always prefer mtb over gravel but it's catching on 

[Mark6363]

It’s been about a year since I asked a similar question on here, and took the advice of holding on to my Hardtail MTB ( and Road) while I got a good feel for the gravel roads around here…. Almost ready now to N+1, so also interested in the inputs.

[danievj]

Wish I knew the answer. Did a gravel race 2 years ago on my Checkpoint and suffered a lot. Did the same route this weekend pushing along on the hardtail, which felt a lot easier. Time difference over a 100km segment was 36 seconds 🤦🏻‍♂️

[JM Rides Bikes]

21 hours ago, jamiecanter said:

Hi everyone, 

Will be off to Europe for a few weeks and currently planning a bike packing trip. Looking at picking up a Canyon Grizl CF SL 6 AXS (Max budget R55k) and touring for 2 weeks. Alternative is to bring my road bike along instead (Cannondale Supersix), save some cash and pick up a solid MTB back in SA. 

Would need to upgrade my road bike to a compact crank and alu rims. 

I'm mainly a road rider looking to get into gravel rides and races (based in CT - Dville/Northern Suburbs so have access to a few gravel roads) and maybe a bike packing trip once a year. Not so keen on riding single track (bike handling isn't great) from a MTB perspective but I do enjoy riding dirt roads and the suspension and wider tyres do give me more confidence.  If I get a gravel bike, I would primarily use it as a winter road bike given the state of our roads - so more usage on that side.

Big thanks for any help and advice. 

Why not both?

I recently put a gravel groupset on a 2013 29er Hardtail and its effing awesome! (PS. its also steel! )

with your budget you should easily be able to build up a VERY cool hybrid gravel bike from a used hardtail.

(EDIT:
1. the fork helps with bumps and you can lock it out on the road.
2. The wide and tall 29er tyres also absorb some of the bumps. (a lot of research done regarding rolling resistance and tyres Check out GMBN and GCN on youtube)

3. Its cool and different and fun. do you need any more motivation

Lastly chat to @RobertWhitehead He builds bikes for clients and would definitely be able to assist 
)

Edited March 18 by JM Rides Bikes
add more info

[Baracuda]

22 hours ago, jamiecanter said:

Hi everyone, 

Will be off to Europe for a few weeks and currently planning a bike packing trip. Looking at picking up a Canyon Grizl CF SL 6 AXS (Max budget R55k) and touring for 2 weeks. Alternative is to bring my road bike along instead (Cannondale Supersix), save some cash and pick up a solid MTB back in SA. 

Would need to upgrade my road bike to a compact crank and alu rims. 

I'm mainly a road rider looking to get into gravel rides and races (based in CT - Dville/Northern Suburbs so have access to a few gravel roads) and maybe a bike packing trip once a year. Not so keen on riding single track (bike handling isn't great) from a MTB perspective but I do enjoy riding dirt roads and the suspension and wider tyres do give me more confidence.  If I get a gravel bike, I would primarily use it as a winter road bike given the state of our roads - so more usage on that side.

Big thanks for any help and advice. 

It really depends on the nature of the gravel you are intending to ride. I have found that one needs to be brutally honest with oneself.

If it is Gucci Gravel - decent gravel roads and even jeep track, without rocks and heavy corrugations, then a gravel bike with 40-45cc tires is great. Also great if your ride is mixed tarmac and decent gravel roads. Think about getting a Red Shift shock absorbing stem, it helps alot. 

If it is rocky (bigger than 20mm stones/rocks), corrugations or lots of mud, then an MTB with 55mm (2.1, 2,2 inch) tires and front fork is better. 

 

[BuffsVintageBikes]

As some who has both, IMHO the hardtail is a more versatile tool. I'm about to depart on a Cederberg trip on mine after using my Gravel bike on the Plett2CT trip previously.

 

 

[guidodg]

I would buy the Grizl...end of story...

[W@nted]

I am following. Grizl or revolt are shouting at me. Both can be fitted with 50mm tires when needed.