As primarily a roadie, my biggest gripe with a gravel bike is the sluggishness. This set up may be the way to go if you're not riding chunky, gnarly gravel.
Great video. Im thinking of this for myself, using 38 tires on the Roubaix. For me, riding 60/40-70/30 gravel, (typically hard pack dirt roads)..this could be a N+1 killer ( for me and what I do)....
Just because a road bike has room for 35 to 38 mm tires does not mean that it is ideal for all gravel. A tight packed Trail or byway Road would be just fine, I think The real point and the change that has come about with gravel geometry IS NOT the same as endurance geometry. Gravel is a much more relaxed with a slacker head tube angle, longer chain stays, wider (typical) handlebars and a longer overall wheelbase which all contribute to better handling on rough stuff like gravel. Along with wider tire clearances and if I'm not mistaken frames that have been reinforced to take on more stress and thus are heavier than a purpose built road bike. Of course it boils down to what type of riding you do most often, but I would definitely ere on the side of a gravel bike as a road bike versus a road bike as a gravel bike. imo
I was doing jumps off of speed bumps on an aluminum city hybrid bicycle and eventually the top tube and the head tube separated at the joint and I got it re-welded back together. I was probably off the ground about 1 foot each jump. So I am thinking that a road bicycle would also break too if I did jumps off of speed bumbs with it. Gravel bicycle are probably more rugged. So my question is do you think it would also break too if I do jumps of about a foot off the ground with gravel bicycles. A mountain is even more rugged than a gravel bicycle. Would a mountain bicycle be able to handle a one foot off the ground jumps without eventually fatiguing and breaking?
I put 35 tires on my Trek Domane Gen4. And use it as Gravel…why not? Most of the time I use my roadbike…so switching to the Domane for gravel feels “right”.
For those (like me) who is trying to make their road bike to gravel by changing the wheels with little clearance, it is fine if you are on dry gravel. Muddy terrain can lead to mud accumulation and hardening near the chainstay close to the bottom bracket area. This hardened mud can be difficult to remove and requires attention to prevent damage to the bike. Also check the Silca Pressure Calculator for the best tire pressure for your gravel adventure!
Funny I own this exact Roubaix and just build up a second wheelset with 38mm Gravel tyres (pathfinder) and its amazing. Easy to switch between both. I mus say with the 32mm Mondo tyres which actually measure 34mm on the wide rims you can ride Gravel as well.
I really appreciate your recommendation at the end of the video. This is reasonable and honest. Maybe this could be the way to get the do it all bike so many of us keen for. Thanks for this excellent review, David!
I've been running a Specialized Creo for two years, and earlier this year bought some gravel wheels. It's the closest I'm going to get to a 'do it all' bike.
I've been looking to buy a new bike (have a cheap entry level gravel bike) but have almost only ridden tarmac, so a gravel bike a bit overkill for me, and when I looked at specialized bikes I apparently had outdated information as I thought the tire clearance on the Roubaix was 33mm, and that was my number one worry with it. I'm still gonna test ride a few before buying, but the Roubaix is in good lead on my list right now.
yes this new SL8 goes up to 40mm, as many other endurance bikes are. That doesn't automatically make them gravel bikes in my opinion and with a nice 32-35mm slick tyre you have a good setup with lots of clearance for road riding, and the option to add mudguards
The only thing Specialized missed the mark on the Roubaix was the downtube storage. That’ll be the upgrade on the 2025s hopefully. David, What brand is that tail bag? Thanks and excellent video !
Great vid. Thanks David👍 . I actually prefer 1 for road + 1 for gravel. Roadbike light comfy responsive, few aero touches, narrow handlebar. Gravel for light to medium offroad can be cheaper, alloy is good enough, wider handlebar bit slacker front angle. ...however, this new Roubaix makes me think (i personally would prefer Roubaix as one-bike over Diverge, because of bit racier geometey and faster steering characteristic, and 40mm tires are good enough for me).😀✌️
@davidarthur may be you should try that bike with 33c in cyclocross (supermarine next event for example). It would be interesting to see if this bike blurs the limits with 700-32c road tyres on tarmac and 650-45b on gravels
What is the maximum Tyre size with a fender for the robaix sl 8 sport apex ? And also the compatible fender . I am looking for either pdw or reneherse fender
@@davidarthur I've gone the other way and bought a 22 Canyon Grail CF SL with better clearance and will get myself a second pair of wheels. Maybe wrong place to ask, but the bike comes with a set of Zipp 303s wheels. These look good for the 'road' wheels. What would you recommend as a pair for 'Off-Road'? Something cheaper/ shallower rims? Thanks for great set of videos!
If i have a gravel bike with a slack geo the same 2x setup i would use on road bike and already have 2 sets of wheels (44mm knob for gravel and 32-35mm for road), is there any reason for me to get another *Endurance road bike (with slack geo) that i would use 32-35mm tires? I can see a case for another road bike if i wt anted a more aggressive aero bike with 28mm tires, but my road rides are catered for long distance/ audax type rides. Would i benefit from an endurance road frame? or should i just stick with my gravel bike?
David the Roubaix is cool but, I think you already have a cool gravel bike, the Crux. If I wanted to ride gravel and maybe road I think the Crux covers both bases pretty well and would be my choice, plus with the right wheel set all you'll need to do is change the tyres , road to gravel or visa versa.
IMO the core difference between road bike and gravel bike should be the strengh and durability, which makes gravel bikes being able to cope with harsh off-road condition. I'm not sure roubaix has those level of strengh and durability.
@@davidarthur it looked cool and showed you on the bike in a full view, but looked a bit artificial as if you were riding on a blue screen with a fake background.
Are you questioning the wisdom of spending £5999 on a Specialized SL8 road bike for using it off-road? I wonder if I'm the only one riding sub-£500 bikes.
The paint is probably the exact same as the paint on the Crux, Diverge or any other gravel bike from another brand. The entire point is that with a second wheelset you can put on tyres that are designed to deal with gravel and general off road without puncturing…
For me it would depend on the ratio of road and gravel, if it was more of the latter I would go Diverge because it can still do road with slick tyres well
I put a set of gravel wheels on my Ribble sl a while back, and it’s been a real treat to ride on trails and for bike pack adventures. Mud build up can occur occasionally but it’s rare and just a case of poking it out with a stick and you’re on your way.
there's a good reason why Shimano has created a gravel specific groupset: the gearing. Offroad you often need lower gears, so an endurance roadbike is probably not the best choice for gravel.
Road bikes will soon go out of fashion altogether. Even for city riding, your average Deliveroo rider has big fat tyres with tread and probably a battery pack.
@@davidarthurYeah maybe. I prefer either a road ride or an off-road ride because combining the two requires a gravel bike which is a compromise on both. For true adventuring when you’re not entirely sure of the surface… the gravel bike is perfecto though!!
It depends on where you live. David, in the UK, sees VERY different gravel then I do here in Michigan, where we ride on 'dirt roads' as their known. It's a blast. This video today shows UK 'gravel', which to me is almost like mountain bike trails.
@@jametz66 Exactly - I grew up in the UP. We always took our bikes out into the woods on logging roads. In fact when I heard this thing about "gravel bikes," my first thought was, "Isn't that what bikes are intended to do?" What we called "English Racers" back in the day with their thin tires were rather impractical for the snow, mud and dirt roads of the area.
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
I've been riding a Crux Pro for over a year and absolutely love it for double duty. I have two wheel sets also.
As primarily a roadie, my biggest gripe with a gravel bike is the sluggishness. This set up may be the way to go if you're not riding chunky, gnarly gravel.
Gravel cyclist when they find out MTBs exist 👁👄👁
@@imaXkillXya we know they exist. A lot of us have one or more. What is your point? MTB sucks as a gravel bike..
Sticking with the Spesh theme don't forget about the Crux! I have a road background and absolutely love my Crux Pro for double duty.
Sluggishness - Really? Ah, .straight from the Gravel bike 'Bingo'....aka bollocks.
Ive taken road koms on my gravel bike! 💪👍
Great video. Im thinking of this for myself, using 38 tires on the Roubaix. For me, riding 60/40-70/30 gravel, (typically hard pack dirt roads)..this could be a N+1 killer ( for me and what I do)....
Just because a road bike has room for 35 to 38 mm tires does not mean that it is ideal for all gravel. A tight packed Trail or byway Road would be just fine, I think
The real point and the change that has come about with gravel geometry IS NOT the same as endurance geometry. Gravel is a much more relaxed with a slacker head tube angle, longer chain stays, wider (typical) handlebars and a longer overall wheelbase which all contribute to better handling on rough stuff like gravel.
Along with wider tire clearances and if I'm not mistaken frames that have been reinforced to take on more stress and thus are heavier than a purpose built road bike.
Of course it boils down to what type of riding you do most often, but I would definitely ere on the side of a gravel bike as a road bike versus a road bike as a gravel bike. imo
Très bonne analyse ❤
I remember racing MTB XC IN THE EARLY 90’s and using. 1.9” Panaracers and winning on them. How things have changed. 😊
Fire XC Pros were the best tyres! Remember them fondly. Though I never won on them 😩
1.9 Panaracer Smokes were the tire to use in our muddy conditions here in NZ, won plenty on them as well.
@@gregmorrison7320 yes thats it smokes for muddy or wet (2.2 on front 1.9 on rear) and Fire for dry. The fires were damn fast in the dry. 👍
I was doing jumps off of speed bumps on an aluminum city hybrid bicycle and eventually the top tube and the head tube separated at the joint and I got it re-welded back together. I was probably off the ground about 1 foot each jump. So I am thinking that a road bicycle would also break too if I did jumps off of speed bumbs with it. Gravel bicycle are probably more rugged. So my question is do you think it would also break too if I do jumps of about a foot off the ground with gravel bicycles. A mountain is even more rugged than a gravel bicycle. Would a mountain bicycle be able to handle a one foot off the ground jumps without eventually fatiguing and breaking?
I'm running 35mm on my gravel bike. It's more than enough for most of my dirt roads and rail trails in the northeast US
I put 35 tires on my Trek Domane Gen4. And use it as Gravel…why not? Most of the time I use my roadbike…so switching to the Domane for gravel feels “right”.
I use a Diverge 2022 E5 as a road bike and I love it.
My 5 year old Genesis datum takes a max of 38mm. I ride 35mm and it's perfect for the gravel in my area and as a winter/wet weather road bike.
For those (like me) who is trying to make their road bike to gravel by changing the wheels with little clearance, it is fine if you are on dry gravel. Muddy terrain can lead to mud accumulation and hardening near the chainstay close to the bottom bracket area. This hardened mud can be difficult to remove and requires attention to prevent damage to the bike.
Also check the Silca Pressure Calculator for the best tire pressure for your gravel adventure!
Funny I own this exact Roubaix and just build up a second wheelset with 38mm Gravel tyres (pathfinder) and its amazing. Easy to switch between both. I mus say with the 32mm Mondo tyres which actually measure 34mm on the wide rims you can ride Gravel as well.
wondering, what height are you, and wich size you get ?
Is it fast with 32 or smaller tyres?
I really appreciate your recommendation at the end of the video. This is reasonable and honest. Maybe this could be the way to get the do it all bike so many of us keen for.
Thanks for this excellent review, David!
I've been running a Specialized Creo for two years, and earlier this year bought some gravel wheels. It's the closest I'm going to get to a 'do it all' bike.
I would be really interested to know if the bike has toe overlap ?
As if it does with the gravel tyres on it would with mudguards fitted .
Double duty bikes are the way forward. I have a new shape tcx with 40mm slicks and a 1x drivetrain and it gives nothing away.
Does 42mm fit roubaix 2024?
I've been looking to buy a new bike (have a cheap entry level gravel bike) but have almost only ridden tarmac, so a gravel bike a bit overkill for me, and when I looked at specialized bikes I apparently had outdated information as I thought the tire clearance on the Roubaix was 33mm, and that was my number one worry with it. I'm still gonna test ride a few before buying, but the Roubaix is in good lead on my list right now.
yes this new SL8 goes up to 40mm, as many other endurance bikes are. That doesn't automatically make them gravel bikes in my opinion and with a nice 32-35mm slick tyre you have a good setup with lots of clearance for road riding, and the option to add mudguards
The only thing Specialized missed the mark on the Roubaix was the downtube storage. That’ll be the upgrade on the 2025s hopefully.
David,
What brand is that tail bag?
Thanks and excellent video !
Do you use click pedals when switching to the gravel setup? Other question: is that a Castelli jacket ? looks great!
Great vid. Thanks David👍 . I actually prefer 1 for road + 1 for gravel. Roadbike light comfy responsive, few aero touches, narrow handlebar. Gravel for light to medium offroad can be cheaper, alloy is good enough, wider handlebar bit slacker front angle. ...however, this new Roubaix makes me think (i personally would prefer Roubaix as one-bike over Diverge, because of bit racier geometey and faster steering characteristic, and 40mm tires are good enough for me).😀✌️
I hope you can check out the new Cinelli Nemo Gravel with the suspension fork system.
Looks cool.
Yes I've been speaking to them since Rouleur Live and it might happen in the new year :)
@@davidarthur that’s great. I am thinking of getting a steel gravelbike.
And for me the Cinelli Nemo Gravel and the DeRosa Santiago seems exiting.
You could even put some 650bs on if you needed even more plushness!
I'm sure it can work and does work, I turned my mountain bike into a road bike with nice suspension travel up front and a 48/28 crankset.💯👌🏻✌🏻🚴♀️
@davidarthur may be you should try that bike with 33c in cyclocross (supermarine next event for example).
It would be interesting to see if this bike blurs the limits with 700-32c road tyres on tarmac and 650-45b on gravels
I have an Allez 2023. I was able to fit 38 gravel tires on it. It works well on gravel.
Don't you need a longer chain?
I used the same size cassette
What is the maximum Tyre size with a fender for the robaix sl 8 sport apex ? And also the compatible fender . I am looking for either pdw or reneherse fender
I was wondering if I can do the same with my Van Rysel NCR CF. The clearance is up to 35mm officially
Great video - thanks. Looking at the Canyon Endurace too - Would that work as a 'gravel' bike with a wheel change?
max tyre clearance is only 35mm on the Canyon Endurace so does limit how wide a tyre you can go, so it would be a no for me personally
@@davidarthur I've gone the other way and bought a 22 Canyon Grail CF SL with better clearance and will get myself a second pair of wheels. Maybe wrong place to ask, but the bike comes with a set of Zipp 303s wheels. These look good for the 'road' wheels. What would you recommend as a pair for 'Off-Road'? Something cheaper/ shallower rims? Thanks for great set of videos!
If i have a gravel bike with a slack geo the same 2x setup i would use on road bike and already have 2 sets of wheels (44mm knob for gravel and 32-35mm for road), is there any reason for me to get another *Endurance road bike (with slack geo) that i would use 32-35mm tires? I can see a case for another road bike if i wt anted a more aggressive aero bike with 28mm tires, but my road rides are catered for long distance/ audax type rides. Would i benefit from an endurance road frame? or should i just stick with my gravel bike?
once your road bike hits gravel, it will identify itself as gravel bike.
Thinking about this for my Orbea Orca OMR. 35mm gravel king SS fits perfect mounted on DT Swiss gr1600
Ultimaze solition is using 650b wheels. So you can 44 mm tyres.
David the Roubaix is cool but, I think you already have a cool gravel bike, the Crux. If I wanted to ride gravel and maybe road I think the Crux covers both bases pretty well and would be my choice, plus with the right wheel set all you'll need to do is change the tyres , road to gravel or visa versa.
agree If only they had added fender mounts on CRUX it would be perfect.
IMO the core difference between road bike and gravel bike should be the strengh and durability, which makes gravel bikes being able to cope with harsh off-road condition. I'm not sure roubaix has those level of strengh and durability.
35mm CX tire is enough for dry-wet trails, asphalt or gravel roads.
73 to 71.5 head angle is roughly the same? Rrrrrrrough ride!
Thanks for another informative video. Some of the shots look different. Were you using an action cam or something different?
Thanks. Used an Insta360 X3 for some of the shots, what did you think?
@@davidarthur it looked cool and showed you on the bike in a full view, but looked a bit artificial as if you were riding on a blue screen with a fake background.
The head angles are going to feel different, the handling on the Roubaix should be quicker and more responsive.
How tough is the paintwork against chipping or the tyres against puncture? It doesn't appeal to me at all, I'll stick to the road.
Are you questioning the wisdom of spending £5999 on a Specialized SL8 road bike for using it off-road?
I wonder if I'm the only one riding sub-£500 bikes.
The paint is probably the exact same as the paint on the Crux, Diverge or any other gravel bike from another brand. The entire point is that with a second wheelset you can put on tyres that are designed to deal with gravel and general off road without puncturing…
Why not compare the grave gravel bike to a xc or trail hard tail mountain bike.
because I've done those videos already :)
The gap between endurance and gravel bikes is pretty much closed, but not aero … yet!
Use CX bikes that can take wider tires for years now either canti or disc. CX bikes are gravel race bike now and vice versa.
Yeah i put 650b wheels on an electric road bike with Maxxis Rekon Race XC tyres at 50mm.
Just for a laugh.
5000 balles pour un vélo en 105 et des roues en aluminium 😂😂😂VAN RYSEL NCR !!!!
The answer is yes.
next aero bike as a mountain bike .... :)
If I need a 45 tire, I choose MTB.
Would you rather have a Diverge or this as your only ride for both gravel and road
For me it would depend on the ratio of road and gravel, if it was more of the latter I would go Diverge because it can still do road with slick tyres well
Any bike that can take a 38mm tyre on a 700c or 650b rim will work on majority of gravel trails. That's a fact, the rest is just marketing sophistry.
I put a set of gravel wheels on my Ribble sl a while back, and it’s been a real treat to ride on trails and for bike pack adventures.
Mud build up can occur occasionally but it’s rare and just a case of poking it out with a stick and you’re on your way.
there's a good reason why Shimano has created a gravel specific groupset: the gearing. Offroad you often need lower gears, so an endurance roadbike is probably not the best choice for gravel.
You can ride anything on "gravel" my commuter bike does it fine with 38mm tyres, just another type of bike the company's want you to buy.
Road bikes will soon go out of fashion altogether. Even for city riding, your average Deliveroo rider has big fat tyres with tread and probably a battery pack.
TLDR: Yes
They have for 140 years.
Yes. As they're all basically gravel bikes anyway.
Tbh id rather be on a short travel full suss 29er on that track. Would not want to get my road bike that filthy.
I have ridden gravel on 25mm tires with my rim brake TCR...
.😊
gravel is just a fad
somehow I don't think it is
Gravel bike… so niche. On road: use a road bike. Off road: use a mountain bike.
Or ride on and off road on the same ride with the same bike :)
@@davidarthurYeah maybe. I prefer either a road ride or an off-road ride because combining the two requires a gravel bike which is a compromise on both.
For true adventuring when you’re not entirely sure of the surface… the gravel bike is perfecto though!!
Why shouldn’t it work? Fat tires, and there you go.
This gravel riding to me seems weird . I ride on the road, I don’t know anyone who does gravel riding. Stick to the road for me.
💯
It depends on where you live. David, in the UK, sees VERY different gravel then I do here in Michigan, where we ride on 'dirt roads' as their known. It's a blast. This video today shows UK 'gravel', which to me is almost like mountain bike trails.
depends heavily on the region where you live.
@@Digi20 oh....for sure!! I love gravel for where I am, but I would not like what David showed today
@@jametz66 Exactly - I grew up in the UP. We always took our bikes out into the woods on logging roads. In fact when I heard this thing about "gravel bikes," my first thought was, "Isn't that what bikes are intended to do?" What we called "English Racers" back in the day with their thin tires were rather impractical for the snow, mud and dirt roads of the area.