The Ultimate Gravel VS Mountain Bike Showdown! | Which Is Faster?

We are muddy, tired, and now very wet as well, but we have finally got to the bottom of the gravel bike versus mountain bike debate once and for all. That's true. It's maybe taken about 120 kilometers, many hours, but we've reached a conclusion. This video will tell you what it is and how we got here. I think it's time for a shower and a hot pie and a pint and getting clean. I think you might be right, mate. Let's do it. Let's go. We have tried on many occasions to prove the supremacy of the gravel bike over the mountain bike. Frankly, we failed because it is hard to quantify what makes these bikes so fun. On paper, they are slower than road bikes on the road and slower than mountain bikes off the road. Well, no, sometimes slower than mountain bikes, but certainly, it is really hard to measure just what makes these bikes so good. For me, the body position and the efficiency of them is a really intoxicating combination. They are the logical choice for any mixed surface ride and particularly epic ones, which is precisely what I'm hoping to prove today. In spite of what many of you feel and write in the comment section, this is going to be a mini summer epic gravel versus mountain bike. With me on this adventure is a new recruit from our sister channel, the Global Mountain Bike Network. Out of courtesy, I did ask the veteran mountain bike presenters and weirdly, they didn't rush to join me, but Isaac is too new to be able to say no. The unfortunate thing about choosing Isaac though is he is really good at pedaling. He was a pro road rider and he's still getting podiums in national-level crit races. Me and my gravel bike are going to have our work cut out. Isaac, thanks for joining me on this little adventure in our own backyard. Thank you for inviting me. Wow. Yes, it's cool. Talk us through what you're riding today. I'm riding my Canyon Luxe today. It's a World Cup machine. It's the choice of Matthew van Pieterse and it's built for speed. It's 100 mil travel only front and rear with a lockout. Perfect for the gravel. It's around 10 kilograms, give or take. 10? Yes. Pretty light. Pretty speedy. Okay. All right. Today, I am on my trusty Canyon Grizzle, battle-scarred. It's currently in acoustic mode actually because someone has stolen my Di2. The main differences then between our two bikes. Mine's fully rigid, fully suspended. 42 centimeter wide bars versus what? 76 centimeter wide bars? That's around that, I think. Yes. 45 mil wide tires with not much tread versus what? 65 mil wide tires? Yes. They always work in imperial steel mountain bike, but it's around that. Yes. Two and a bit. Yes. Two point something inches. Then the other thing as well, I don't know whether- I got one of these. Do you remember those? Yes. Front derailleur? I think maybe used that last night actually on my road bike. On your road bike? Yes. Okay. Yes. Those jokes aren't going to work with you, are they? Might need a bit of polishing. Yes. Okay. All right. We should do it. Some of the finest gravel slash tamest mountain biking this side of Dreamtime awaits. Should we do it? All right. Cheers. Which way is it? I think it's this way actually, dude. Which way? Are you sure it's that way? It's an unofficial route. It's been put together as a labor of love, as a money-raising exercise actually for a local air ambulance, as much as just putting it together for the sake of it. It's brilliant. It's exactly the kind of thing that I love, piecing together the best of some of the hundreds and thousands of miles of tracks and roads that we've got on this very densely populated island. It's duly loaded onto my Wahoo. It's the kind of route you can only do with a GPS device on your head unit, otherwise you'd spend all day looking at a map. We started out on a canal path. It's not very sociable at the minute, is it? It's not, is it? I'm just here eating mud on the wheel. We started out. It's exceedingly busy, it being school holidays, and actually it's not raining for once. We've been dodging around people. I'm quite surprised Isaac's managed to get massive handlebars through some of the gaps, actually. You all right there, mate? Yes, just a bit. Handlebars? Victory for gravel. Yes, big wide handlebars. I'll do that to you. Right, this is the top of our first climb of the day. It feels like we need to say something about it because it's not an ordinary climb, is it? Despite climbing an altitude of 237 feet, was it? Something like that, yes. Because, I don't know if you've noticed, there are 29 locks on this canal. Originally completed in 1810, apparently. They've been at it a while, pumping the water back up. You might think gravel riding and mountain biking is slow, but my word, if you're on a canal boat, this is like a day's outing to get down here. We moved two miles, though. Yes, there we go then. Anyway, one in 44. It wasn't the worst gradient we've had, but things are about to get proper, aren't they, I think? I can see over there. Finally, finally. We're tracking along the canal path now and Si's on the front setting the pace. It's actually quite hard to think pretty hard. With the big wide 750 bars, there's all manner of things and boat launch ramps and all this stuff just to snag me and send me into the water, which is good fun, but it is, I have to say, absolutely gorgeous, this bit of sunset. This is absolutely premium gravel bike territory, this. I'm not going to win any awards for exhilaration, but as a way of cutting through the countryside, away from cars, is absolutely brilliant. We are making good progress, actually. We're sitting normally about 28K an hour, which is easy rolling on a gravel bike, but I have a feeling Isaac's going to have to be working quite hard to sustain that on his mountain bike. He looks a little bit like he's raised the mainsail and he's tacking into a headwind. If we're talking about CDA, that is terribly inefficient. Watch your head. We haven't turned a corner in about 30 kilometers, but anyway, things should start getting a little bit more gravelly slash mountain bikey. That was a bit trickier than I thought it was going to be. Yes, look at this. This is like technical single track, Isaac. It's the kind of section where I'm always glad I'm on a gravel bike rather than a mountain bike. I think Si has chosen a specific video for me where he's just going to bat at me. I don't know whether I said initiation, but anyway. Genuinely though, I'm always glad that I'm on a drop bar bike when I'm climbing, unless it's super bumpy. Yes, me too. Because it's just not comfy getting out of the seat on a mountain bike, is it really? If it's really hard and you need the leverage, that's good. But I have a feeling the tables will turn because I think it's going to get a bit bumpy over the top. Yes, we'll see. I think that's a white horse, isn't it? Oh, yes. It's not super, super bumpy this bit, but definitely the tables are turning a little bit. What do you reckon? Gravel bike or mountain bike territory, this? Oh, please get me on a mountain bike. Keep me on a mountain bike. I'm not going to turn the gear and sit up. That's all it is, isn't it? You like that body position. When it's steep, I do. Yes? Yes, but I just think it suits the way I can engage my glutes and stuff. I feel like it's easier on this bike, but that's, I guess, quite personal. I don't know how to process that. Just trying to tiptoe past it so it doesn't chase us. I don't like cows either. I've found a kindred spirit somewhere else sensible enough to be afraid of Britain's most dangerous. Look at this one. It's eating half a tree. Do you want to go first? I think you look like you're doing pretty well. I think we've gone the wrong way, mate. That's a get out of jail free card. Oh, thank God for that. This is the high point of the ride, which to anyone who doesn't live in Southern England will laugh at because I think we're about 200 meters above sea level here, but it does mean we've got a descent coming up. You're starting to get excited? It's nearly lunchtime. I'm excited. You look excited. Yes, but to be fair, it's been super mellow riding up to this point, hasn't it? There's a potential for it to get mildly interesting for a mountain biker. You're still out seeing new bits of the country that I wouldn't have done otherwise and that route has given me that. It's not as though I'm sat there bored on a mountain bike. It's still bike riding and you're still having to think about not riding to the canal. It's always good. Yes, that adds a certain element of something, doesn't it? Yes. To try and not get soaking wet. Shall I take the lead down here just so you don't go too fast? Yes, just so I can keep an eye on you and make sure you're all right. Yes, okay. Cool, right. See you. You all right? Just keeping up? The thing that is now becoming apparent is that neither gravel bikes nor mountain bikes are waterproof. This is about as English summer epic as it's possible to get actually. These cream and strawberries are just around the next corner. That's right, yes. Taking a turn for the worse. Clearly, the weather, still bad, but also I said earlier about how we will come to see how much this part of England love horses. This kind of track is my nemesis and it's the nemesis of the gravel bike as well. Rutted, horsey, bumpy. How was that for you? Not great. Still not fun? Not really. Obviously, the suspension forks do take a lot of the sting out of the wrist. I can just sit there and just turn the pedals and just hit nails. Lovely, I love horses. Yes, relentless bumps though, courtesy of horse hooves that takes the edge off. I think it's cool. We won't be on here forever, I hope. I can see blue sky up there. The rain has stopped. We're on tarmac as well now. How are you feeling, Isaac, at 32K an hour on the road? Pretty good. I want to cruise around at evens. I think that's good. Yes, this is the bit where I'm definitely not jealous of you, even with your dropper post and your knobbly tires. I do see what you mean. I think I'll get back to something a little bit more evenly. One thing I really like about routes like this is how we're cruising around on quiet roads and then suddenly you pop out underneath a motorway and you're like, oh yes, that's a giant motorway, but nowhere near it. It gets you into those liminal spaces as they're between the towns on the motorway. It's a cool track. It's these other bits you wouldn't normally see. It's been really cool for that. Yes, totally. It's a Thursday, I think. We're just cruising around on a Thursday. This is the Fosse Way, which means, Isaac, you'll be pleased to hear this, we haven't got a corner now for about 20 kilometers because it is a Roman road. That's excellent news. Especially on any bicycle, I really struggle going around any corner. Thankfully. Basically, it's going to be like a TT bike course, this, but just off-road. I think we've only got about 30K to go now, but I'm having to bring out the emergency gel because 40 grams of carbs, that's what I need. How are you doing? Good, yes. You got, look at that, injury. I know, my forearm. That's the main thing on this bike, actually, is I've just been cut to pieces and stung. Just had to fight off a wasp. Yes, man biking is extreme sport, isn't it? That's what they say. Get me back to the chair. Brambles, that's the problem. Right, come on then, let's hit up this Roman road. That is exactly how we got to this point. Now, in spite of the horrific weather we've just had, I have had a fantastic day out, so thank you, Isaac. I also think that this has been the perfect bike. It has been fun and fast and efficient. I've been feeling for you, sat up there with your hands super wide at quite an uncomfortable pace, but go on, how was it? It's been a great day anyway, and just seeing the route and having that impetus to go and do that tour, but it hasn't been the most comfortable, I think. Just the position, as you say, because I'm on my hands all the time and you're out-braced and you have to hold yourself a little bit. Maybe that's my lack of core strength these days, but it just seems as though you're always a little bit more comfortable. It takes going out on a whole ride, I think, for the gravel bike advantage to come out because it's just these little accumulative advantages over 100K that then means your elbows and your wrists and your shoulders and your back and your knees, everything is just a bit more supported. Then on the little technical bits, it's like a cross bike. You're nipping and turning and sliding on the pedals in a way that hasn't, on this bike, really come to pass. Now I've got a bit of a sore ass. I'm pretty tired. I'm just hacking around on the mountain bike. It's good, but I can see the advantages now. It's never looked that fun on a mountain bike. There were one or two sections where I was like, oh, it's almost getting fun. You put your dropper down, and then within a matter of 20 seconds, we're at a gate, or it goes back to being simply a gate. There's the one bit with the steps down the chalk, and I could double them up, and then I nearly died on the slippery bits, and then my arms are too wide for the brambles. It was 10 seconds over a five-hour, six-hour ride. The ratios aren't there. No, they're not. You might think then this is perhaps a niche experiment to prove the gravel bike supremacy. There aren't many people that are going to be doing a mixed surface ride at 120K long, but I do feel like you don't have to do 120K. It's just that this really crystallizes that difference, doesn't it? Yes. It's just brought it out for us. For me, I've ridden a road bike loads or in a mountain bike lots. I needed that amount of riding next to a gravel rider to hammer it home to me actually how it's going to work, but now I can see, I go up 10 minutes, and it would, yes. Yes. There we go then. All right. Well, let us know what you think in the comment section down below. Could prove to be a controversial conclusion. I honestly hope, Isaac, you're going to be allowed back on GMBN after that admission. Please. You probably don't want to do this again, do you? Anyway, there we go. Just get a bit more food. Thanks for joining us. You can see Isaac over on GMBN, of course. Make sure you subscribe to them as well. Yes, we'll see you in the next video. Thanks for watching.