We have experienced mechanics to service your bicycle repair needs. Our Hybrid bikes have gears like the road bikes so they are great for long distance rides. Our Hybrids are also great for bike riders that do not need a high performance road bike but want to get in some serious riding. Our Beach Cruisers and Hybrid cruisers are great for the casual rider to cruise on. There is the West Maui loop for experienced road biker, to easy going highway rides for bike riders at any skill level. 1x chainrings are prevalent across both bikes although you will also see the use of double chainsets too.There are many bike riding trails in Maui. Cyclo-cross gearing is far more specific and will often be tailored for the track that is being raced. As gravel bikes will face a broad spectrum of terrain in one ride, they will often have a wider range of gears. Gravel bikes also use wide tubeless rims compared to narrower cyclo-cross rims, and some cyclo-cross bikes still use tubular rim and tire setups. Gravel bikes are seeing the addition of short dropper posts for more clearance when descending while cyclo-cross bikes are still using exclusively rigid posts. There are some other component differences beyond the handlebars. And in such conditions, you want a narrower handlebar, to prevent bumping and a potential crash. After the first lap, there is usually one dedicated racing line, which everyone starts following. Cyclocross racing courses often feature very tight 180-degree corners. In contrast, during a cyclo-cross race you want very direct steering responses and a cockpit narrow enough to not bump bars with a rival when bunching into a hairpin turn. Then there are those radically flared ends, to give you a bit more steering leverage and stability when speeding down a loose gravel road. That necessitates the need for the best gravel handlebars to be wider.
Gravel bikes often carry additional lights, head units and bike bags on the handlebar. (Image credit: PNW) Cockpit width and component choiceĪlthough both cyclo-cross and gravel bikes are equipped with drop handlebars, the geometry and sizing are different. There is a strong utilitarian culture around gravel biking too so they will often feature mounts for mudguards or racks as well. Gravel bikes usually have frame, fork and seatstay mounts, to carry water bottles and bikepacking bags with tools, spares and food.īeyond the mounting points, gravel frames are also a bit more structurally robust to tackle fast rough descents and to carry the additional weight. Whether it's all-day epics or multi-day bikepacking adventures, the nature of the terrain could mean resupply points are few and far between so there is a requirement for self-sufficiency. The gravel riding experience is about ranging out on more adventurous routes. On gravel bikes, it’s very much the opposite. That means there is no requirement for frame bags and mounting points on cyclo-cross bikes. Most racers who suffer a puncture or mechanical during a cyclo-cross race will simply swap their bike or a wheel when they reach the service area.
With regular access to service pits on each short lap, you don’t require to carry much water or any tools. The next feature of distinction between cyclo-cross and gravel bikes is the ability to carry loads and attach accessories.Ĭyclocross races aren’t long, few of them are beyond an hour and a half in duration. (Image credit: Guy Kesteven) Frame features Why? Because they provide a comfier ride and better braking performance, especially for a bike laden with bikepacking bags.
Much bigger than what you’d use at a cyclocross race. Gravel bikes have seen a strong move to tires in the 700x45c size. Official cyclo-cross races are mandated by the UCI, to a maximum tire size of 700x33c so cyclo-cross bikes are rarely specced with tires any larger. The frames do have generous clearances but this is for mud rather than rubber. That’s why cyclo-cross bikes aren’t designed for ultrawide tires. Narrower casings cut through the surface layer of mud, enabling a wheel to find the available grip below. Over the last decade, the best gravel bike tires have been getting bigger, enabling lower pressures and better grip and comfort on rocky loose surfaces.įor mud riding, you don’t want flotation as it will struggle for grip in deep wet mud. The same logic applies to cyclo-cross and gravel bikes. A spiked winter tire will have a narrow profile while a summer tire will be considerably wider. Think of the difference between a summer and winter tire on a conventional trail bike. Terrain dictates bike purpose and the most significant difference brought on by terrain is often tire choice. (Image credit: Teravail ) Tire clearance and size