The post How Do You Avoid Catching Malaria When Cycling Across Africa? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

But what happens if you ride a gravel bike, and prefer the ergonomics, lever feel, reliability and brake performance of Shimano GRX Di2? Can you wire a Pinion Smart Shift gearbox to Shimano GRX Di2 levers?

One CYCLINGABOUT reader was dissatisfied with his TRP Hywire levers. Patrick found that the brake master cylinder leaked droplets of hydraulic fluid that accumulated over time and ended up on his hands and handlebar.

Patrick decided to go on a journey to see if Shimano GRX Di2 shift levers would work instead. This was never going to be a straightforward task as Shimano uses proprietary plugs for their Di2 system. In other words, you can’t just connect the Shimano wires to the interface of a Pinion Smart Shift gearbox.

But Patrick still found a way to combine Shimano GRX Di2 levers with a Pinion Smart Shift gearbox! You can read his step-by-step tutorial HERE.

How To Wire Shimano GRX Di2 Levers To A Pinion Smart Shift Gearbox

Inside Shimano GRX RX815 levers are two shift buttons that connect to a small, round “function box”. This function box contains the interface electronics for the Di2 plug. For Patrick to make this hack work, the Pinion Smart Shift wires would need to be soldered directly to the wires inside this function box.

Patrick first removed the rubber cover of his right-hand GRX Di2 lever and untightened a small screw to gain access to the function box.

Next, he had to get inside the function box. A cap had been glued over the body of the box, so Patrick carefully cut through the glue until he could insert a spudger and pry off the cap. And there it was – the circuit board with the interface electronics.

Patrick pried up the circuit board to reveal three wires connected to the shift buttons. The wires were de-soldered and the Di2 cable was pulled from its hole. He then used a multimeter to confirm the shift buttons were wired up to function as expected. Yellow was “shift up”, purple was “shift down” and grey was a common wire that completes the electrical circuit.

To conveniently connect and disconnect the lever, Patrick purchased two 3-pin Higo Mini-X connectors/sockets. He soldered one of the cables to the function box and the other to the wire that originally came with the TRP levers.

The hardest bit was soldering the new wires to the existing wires inside the function box. The box is incredibly small and the cable lengths inside the box were very short. Patrick also had to remember to put heat shrink on the wires before soldering.

Once everything was soldered together, Patrick decided to fill the whole box with hot glue to seal it from humidity and protect the wiring from vibration. There was no need to re-fit the original cap as the box was now fully potted with glue.

And just like that, Patrick likely had the world’s first Pinion-compatible Di2 shifter!

Connecting The Levers and Gearbox

The last thing to solder was the other Higo connector to the Pinion Smart Shift cabling connecting to the gearbox. Patrick then added some heat shrink over the wires and hid them all in his downtube.

Currently, the shift buttons on the Shimano GRX RX815 right side lever are working fine and reliably. If Patrick wanted, he could connect the left lever in a similar way to be able to shift with both hands.

You can see more pictures and information about the Shimano GRX Di2 hack HERE.

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• Gravel Bikes

The 7 Best Pinion Gearbox Gravel Bikes & Commuter Bikes In North America (USA)

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May 2, 2024

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The Priority Gemini Pinion Gravel Bike Has A Gearbox & Belt Drive For $3499

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April 29, 2024

The post How To Wire Shimano GRX Di2 Levers To A Pinion Smart Shift Gearbox appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

I’ve spent the last month researching the latest touring and bikepacking bikes, calculating various measurements, observing the latest trends, contacting bike manufacturers (for additional information), and updating all the terminology and general advice in my guides.

I’ll share my favourite bikes in the coming months – stay tuned for that.

Latest Changes To The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide

A big change for 2025 has been the re-classification of what it is to be a “gravel” bike.

Gravel bike tyre clearances are currently getting wider; it’s not uncommon to find bikes designed to fit 2.20” or 55mm wide tyres. To reflect the evolving design of gravel bikes, I’ve pulled a bunch of models from the “off-road” category and put them in the “gravel” category.

Another change I’ve made is the introduction of around 20 new lightweight cross country hardtail mountain bikes. These bikes fill the gap between gravel bikes with a suspension fork, and the more capable mountain bikes in my guide.

Cross country MTBs are often just as light as gravel bikes, however, they offer more off-road capability thanks to their suspension fork, longer front centre, and ability to swallow wider tyres. Downsides include smaller front chainring sizes (for top-end speed), smaller frame triangles (limiting frame pack volume), and a longer reach to the handlebar (less upright riding position).

The last big change is that I’ve created more off-road bikepacking bike categories.

With the influx of lightweight XC mountain bikes with 2.3 to 2.5″ tyre clearance, creating a category of bikes with 2.6 to 3.0″ wide tyres made sense. Most of these bikes use rigid forks and are broadly known as “plus” bikes (eg. 27.5+ or 29+ tyres).

The Touring Bicycle Buyer’s Guide has seen another wave of new bikes with a gearbox (or internal gear hub) and belt drive. There are now more than 100 models!

These gear systems are less susceptible to damage and experience significantly less component wear than derailleur drivetrains. They have a very wide gear range, instant gear changes and don’t require any tuning or adjustment. The only maintenance is an oil change every 5,000 to 10,000 km.

Almost all gearbox bikes are equipped with belt drives, which are maintenance-free, very clean, and can last significantly longer than a chain.

Compare Bike Sizing On Bike Insights

A large proportion of my time has been spent inputting the latest frame geometry numbers of every bike in my books into the website Bike Insights.

If you haven’t seen this nifty web tool before, it allows you to visualise the size differences between any two bikes found in my guides. It is particularly useful when determining the best bike size for you, as manufacturers do not have a standardised way of sizing them.

For example, use this link to see the 63cm Bianchi Impulso gravel bike overlayed on the 56cm Kona Sutra. Given the sizing name, you’d think they’d be 3 to 4 sizes apart, but they measure up almost identically in terms of frame length and handlebar height.

While the sizing discrepancies aren’t always this stark, Bike Insights is a useful way of checking you’re getting the right-sized bike.

Another useful way to use Bike Insights is to borrow, hire, test, or get professionally fitted to a bike that (1) feels good in terms of size, and (2) is listed in the Bike Insights database. You can then use this bike as a size benchmark for comparing any of the bikes in my guides.

Accessing The Update

Those who have already purchased my buyer’s guide(s) will have received an email with the book updates on the 5th of February 2025.

If you have already purchased these guides, you can also search your email system for your original “Gumroad” receipt. That will take you to your portal with the latest book(s), along with the buyer’s guides from previous years.

Failing that, please get in contact with me using a private message on Facebook or Instagram (note: I’m currently cycling through Africa and don’t always have an internet connection).

If you’re a new customer, awesome! My guides will teach you everything about bikepacking or touring bikes, before allowing you to compare over 320 bikes at the back of the books. These guides are updated yearly – for free – so you can always keep on top of the latest bikes and information.

You can get the Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide HERE.
You can get the Touring Bicycle Buyer’s Guide HERE.

The post The 2025 Touring & Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guides Are Now Available appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

If you aren’t familiar with alt bars, they’re a unique type of mountain bike handlebar that’s designed for long-distance riding. These comfortable handlebars offer a broad variety of hand positions, riding postures, and accessory mounting points. Most of these bars will provide some extra steering leverage for better control over your loaded bike too.

To make sure you properly understand upright riding positions, backsweep angles, backward reach, grip design, handlebar material and much more – make sure to first read my complete guide to finding the most comfortable alt bars HERE.

Right, let’s dive straight into the best alt bars currently available.

The Best Alt Bars For Bikepacking and Touring

The alt bars listed below are in order from largest to smallest backsweep.

• Best For Varied Hand Positions: Velo Orange Crazy Bars
• Best For Comfort and Speed: KOGA Denham Bars
• Best For Frames With A Short Reach: Surly Moloko
• Best For Maximum Control: Tumbleweed Persuader
• Best For High Rise: Ritchey Comp Buzzard
• Best For Value For Money: Ritchey Kyote
• Best For Most Mountain Bikers: Salsa Bend Deluxe
• Best For Shock Absorption: Passchier Gump 760
• Best For New Alt Bar Users: Soma Dream Lowdown
• Best For Lightweight Design: SQlab 311 FL-X Carbon
• Best For Aero Loop: Satori Falcon Aero
• Best For High Rise & Small Backsweep: Cannondale Cruise Control
• Best For Drop Bar Conversions: Curve Remlaw

Note: I may earn a commission when you purchase a handlebar through my links. This directly supports CYCLINGABOUT and allows me to continue to provide high-quality cycling information to you.

Velo Orange Crazy Bars V2

Best For Varied Hand Positions

Backsweep: 35-degrees
Width: 780 mm
Rise: 40mm (1.6″)
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 532g (18.8 oz)

$109 at Amazon

The Velo Orange Crazy Bars use a 35-degree backsweep angle and a long backward reach. This means it will best suit the most upright of riding positions.

Velo Orange touts their second version of the Crazy Bars as “intended for touring on paved and unpaved roads, single and double track, gravel and crushed limestone, and everything in between”. As this handlebar is almost identical to the handlebar I designed myself (KOGA Denham Bars), I have to say – I agree with this assessment!

The 780mm width provides excellent control and leverage on rough surfaces, while the bullhorn section offers an aerodynamic position for smoother roads and headwinds.

If you don’t feel the need for the bullhorns, the Velo Orange Seine Bar is the same design, minus the bullhorns.

KOGA Denham Bars

Best For Control and Speed

Backsweep: 34-degrees
Width: 711 mm
Rise: None
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 400g (14.1oz)

€120 at Vakantiefietser

I designed the KOGA Denham Bars for world bicycle travellers. The shape was inspired by the Crazy Bars V1, and I suspect the KOGA Denham Bars then informed the later-released Crazy Bars V2.

The KOGA Denham Bars offer lots of control over a loaded bike, there are many hand positions for comfort, and the bullhorns allow you to be more aerodynamic in headwinds. The bullhorns essentially mimic the hoods of a drop bar, making them a nice spot to hold on faster rides.

A great thing about these bars is that they fit bikepacking bags, large handlebar bags, and randonneur bags and baskets.

While this handlebar is certainly similar to the Crazy Bars, it features less rise, less width, shorter grip sections, and a slightly smaller backsweep angle. This makes it a bit better in urban areas. I typically recommend fitting these bars to bikes with the handlebars level with the stem (at a minimum).

While I use and love these handlebars, they are unfortunately the most difficult to purchase on this list due to the small-scale manufacturing and international shipping costs. Don’t worry, I won’t be offended if you choose the Velo Orange Crazy Bars instead!

You can read my in-depth article about the KOGA Denham Bars and their design HERE.

Surly Moloko

Best For Upright Frames With A Short Reach

Backsweep: 34-degrees
Width: 735 mm
Rise: None
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Steel
Weight: 709g (25oz)

$110 at Jenson USA

The Surly Moloko might look similar to the above handlebars, but in terms of backward reach, it couldn’t be more different. This handlebar swoops a long way forward before starting its backsweep, resulting in almost no backward reach.

This design quirk makes the Moloko especially suitable for drop bar conversions, and for those who are seeking a large backsweep without making their ride position more upright. It also means you can ride mountain bike trails without risking your bars slipping.

The Moloko features a loop that gives you some more hand positions and additional space for mounting accessories. You can even get handlebar bags that nest perfectly inside the loop; I have a bunch listed in this resource. That said, when you install a bag you lose some hand positions and possibly even some accessory mounting points.

Tumbleweed Persuader 30

Best For Maximum Control

Backsweep: 31-degrees
Width: 800/840mm
Rise: 50mm (2″)
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 411g (14.5oz)

$115 at Campfire Cycling

The Tumbleweed Persuader is the widest alt bar featured in this resource, and this provides maximum control over your loaded bike. They have a lot of backward reach and slightly less backsweep than the previous bars we’ve seen. The 50mm rise should make the Persuador especially well-suited to low front-end bikes.

You can get these bars in aluminium or steel. I think the aluminium ones are the pick as they’re quite lightweight for a tough adventure bar, plus the 160mm wide, 31.8mm clamp area is a great space for bikepacking gadgets.

You can also get the Persuader with a 20-degree backsweep. This will be ideal if your bars are not super upright, or you’re not ready to commit to a large backsweep angle just yet.

Ritchey Comp Buzzard

Best For High Rise Design

Backsweep: 27.5-degrees
Width: 820mm
Rise: 70mm (2.8″)
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 367g (13.0oz)

$58 at Amazon

If you want a more upright ride position without the long backward reach of the Tumbleweed Persuader, you cannot beat the Ritchey Comp Buzzard. This bar is wide like the Persuader but thanks to its short backward reach, it won’t make your bike feel any smaller.

This bar can turn old mountain bikes (with a low front end) into mile-munching touring or bikepacking machines.

The Ritchey Comp Buzzard has a nice wide centre section to accommodate various bags and accessories. It’s built lightweight thanks to the double-butted aluminium and it even comes in at a great price.

Ritchey Kyote

Best For Value For Money

Backsweep: 27.5-degrees
Width: 800mm
Rise: 35mm (1.4″)
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 355g (12.5oz)

$44 at Amazon

Ritchey also has other great comfort MTB handlebars such as this one – the Ritchey Kyote. This alt bar is essentially a low-rise version of the Comp Buzzard, so it offers a short backward reach too.

The Kyote is perfect for those who are looking to maintain a lower ride position and will be great for drop bar bike conversions too. The best bit is that it’s only US $44.

Whisky Scully

Best For Moderate Backsweep Angle

Backsweep: 23-degrees
Width: 820mm
Rise: 20mm (0.8″)
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Carbon
Weight: 237g (8.4oz)

$180 at Amazon

If you’re a bit of a gram counter, but still want some backsweep – you’ll love the Whisky Scully. This handlebar is one-third of the weight of the Surly Moloko, thanks to its carbon construction.

It’s still ISO tested for bumpy terrain and would be a great upgrade for paved commutes and whatever off-road riding you’re into — gravel, XC, singletrack, and beyond.

The 23-degree backsweep is now getting closer to the common shape of a city bike handlebar. It has a moderate backward reach, and moderate rise too.

Passchier Gump 760

Best For Shock Absorption

Backsweep: 22-degrees
Width: 650/760mm
Rise: None
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Bamboo
Weight: 330g (11.6 oz)

$225 at Passchier

Bamboo offers greater natural flex than traditional handlebar materials. These are the most flexible handlebars I’ve ever ridden. They flex so much up and down that you can actually see them moving underneath you (check out this video).

This flex isolates your upper body from shock and vibration coming up from the road or trail and helps your eyeballs to rattle a bit less in your skull. The great thing is that despite all this flex, they still pass ISO fatigue and strength testing.

The Passchiers are made from laminated bamboo with a carbon fibre sleeve in the middle for the stem clamp. You can get them in two different widths, and they offer a modest 22-degree backsweep angle.

Soma Dream Lowdown

Best For New Alt Bar Users

Backsweep: 20-degrees
Width: 780mm
Rise: 25mm (1″)
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 425g (15oz)

$99 at Amazon

The Soma Dream Lowdown is an alt bar with less backsweep and backward reach than most. As this bar has moderate dimensions all around, I think it’s a really good starting point for those who are alt bar curious!

The bar is still quite wide, giving you a whole lot of control over your loaded bike. And the 25mm rise makes it suitable for those chasing a slightly higher bar height than what they currently have.

These aluminium alt bars are lightweight for a tough adventure bar, plus the wide section at the front of the bar provides ample space for lights, smartphones, and GPS devices.

Salsa Bend Deluxe

Best For Most Mountain Bikers

Backsweep: 17/23-degrees
Width: 710/740mm
Rise: None
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 309g (10.9 oz)

$78 at Jenson USA

The Salsa Bend Deluxe is an MTB-specific flat bar that’s available with a moderate 17 or 23-degree backsweep angle. They’re tough, strong and durable, and great for long days of bikepacking, touring, or shredding singletrack.

The Bend Deluxe offers a very short backward reach to preserve your stem length, meaning that when you fit these comfortable MTB handlebars to your bike, the reach to the bars will likely end up in the right ballpark.

Go for the 17-degree model if your bars are lower than your saddle, or you want to give alt bars a try without committing to a large backsweep. Try the 23-degree model if your bars sit a bit taller.

SQlab 311 FL-X Carbon

Best For Ultralight Design

Backsweep: 12/16-degrees
Width: 740 mm
Rise: 15, 30mm
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Carbon
Weight: 198g (6.9 oz)

$339 at Amazon

SQlab has built its name on comfort. Their research suggests that a cyclist’s wrists are overstretched on any flat bar with less than a 9-degree backsweep angle…

That’s why the SQlab 311 FL-X handlebars offer a generous 12 or 16-degree backsweep angle, and with a longer backward reach than most bars in the MTB category, they provide a more upright riding position too.

The 311 FL-X bars have been designed to flex more than most handlebars, and this will result in a super comfortable ride on both rough roads and trails.

And at under 200 grams, the SQlab 311 FL-X handlebars are also the lightest on this list.

Satori Falcon Aero

Best For Aero Loop

Backsweep: 15-degrees
Width: 740mm
Rise: None
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 504g (1.1lb)

$44 on Amazon

The Satori Faclon Aero combines the loop design of other alt bars with one of the more conservative backsweep angles on this list. As a result, it shouldn’t feel too different from a standard mountain bike bar. While it doesn’t have any rise, there are ample hand positions for comfort.

The loop adds space for luggage storage, and accessories (phone, GPS, lights etc), as well as an aero hand position. The loop is a similar size to other alt handlebars, allowing it to fit bags made for Jones and Surly bars.

Cannondale Cruise Control

Best For High Rise & Low Backsweep Angle

Backsweep: 15-degrees
Width: 740mm
Rise: 100mm (4″)
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 433g (1.7lb)

$67 at Amazon

If you’re after a whole bunch of rise with a more familiar backsweep angle, you’ll be best off with handlebars that feature a reinforcing crossbar. The Cannondale Cruise Control is a retro-inspired cruiser bar, trail bar, comfort bar, and BMX bar all rolled into one!

The best bit about the Cannondale Cruise Control is that it’s lightweight aluminium (rather than steel) and uses a regular 31.8mm stem clamp, unlike many handlebars of this moto design.

Curve Remlaw

Best For Drop Bar Conversions

Backsweep: 12-degrees
Width: 800mm
Rise: None
Stem Clamp: 31.8mm
Material: Aluminium
Weight: 400g (14.1 oz)

$99 at Curve Cycling

The Remlaw Bar is the only handlebar here with a forward reach design!

Curve essentially wanted to create a flat bar that could be used in place of a drop bar, yet still have comparable reach without compromising handling.

When converting from a drop bar to the Remlaw Bar, the same length stem can be used as it puts your hands in a very similar position in space.

Best Alt Bars Summary

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Bikepacking Aero Bars: Increase Your Comfort And Speed On Your Bike Adventures

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Comparing The KOGA Denham Bar Shape With Similar Alt Bars

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The post The 13 Best Alt Bars For Bikepacking and Touring (Comfortable MTB Handlebars) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

Alt bars are a type of handlebars that are designed specifically for long-distance cycling. They typically offer a broad variety of hand positions, riding postures, and accessory mounts. In addition, you’ll gain extra steering leverage for better control over your loaded bike.

Alt bars are suitable for those who are touring on paved and dirt roads, along 4×4 tracks, down singletrack trails, through unkept fields, and across everything in between.

With the varied hand positions of these handlebars, you’ll not only get to change the pressure points in your hands throughout the day, but you’ll activate different muscles in your arms and back too. Alt bars ultimately help you to look after your body on long rides.

• Bike Gear
• Gear

The 13 Best Alt Bars For Bikepacking and Touring (Comfortable MTB Handlebars)

byAlee Denham

November 30, 2024

A comfortable alt bar setup might even give you the power to cycle more miles, recover quicker, and enjoy more of the scenery while riding.

Many of the alt bars I recommend in this article HERE will help you achieve a more upright riding position. This is usually accomplished by reducing the distance between your saddle and the grips via large backsweep angles, a long backward reach, and a tall handlebar rise – you’ll learn about these terms in a moment!

Alright, let’s find out how to choose the most comfortable alt bars for bikepacking and touring.

Upright Riding Positions

The first thing you need to consider is how upright your riding posture is, and whether it would be beneficial to set your grips even higher.

Your core muscles fatigue on long rides, so most people end up putting more weight onto their hands as the hours go on. By increasing your handlebar height, you can keep the load on your hands at an acceptable level.

In addition, a more upright riding posture usually reduces strain on the neck, shoulders and back, and you tend to look around more at your surroundings.

The primary downside of an upright posture is a less aerodynamic riding position, but you can still rocket along if you fit some aero bars onto your alt bars (highly recommended).

A great starting point for a comfortable alt bar setup is setting your handlebar level with your saddle. You can do this by selecting a bar with a tall rise. If a tall bar setup is new to you, make sure to give it some time for your body to adapt as it might feel a bit strange at the start.

It’s worth noting taller riders will often tolerate a lower handlebar compared to shorter riders as they have longer limbs relative to their torso length. Riders with a strong core tend to also tolerate a lower bar. That said, individual variations exist, and not everyone fits these general patterns.

And a downstream effect of fitting taller bars is that you might also need to swap to a more padded saddle (as you now have more weight on your butt!).

Ok, you should now have a good idea about handlebar height, so let’s discuss the ideal backsweep angle.

Alt Bar Backsweep Angle

Alt bars use larger backsweep angles than typical MTB handlebars. This helps to preserve the natural wrist position of a more upright riding position, reducing finger numbness (which often arises from overstretching your wrist).

I consider:
Small backsweep angles to be 5 to 12 degrees <- almost all MTB bars
Moderate backsweep angles to be 12 to 25 degrees
Large backsweep angles to be 25 to 35 degrees

It’s instantly noticeable going from a flat MTB bar with a 5-12 degree backsweep angle to the 20+ degree backsweep angles of most alt bars.

The perfect backsweep is determined primarily by your ride posture, but also core strength, grip choice, and glove choice. There’s a healthy dose of personal preference in there too.

The more upright and relaxed your body posture, the more backsweep angle you will likely find comfortable. This is because your elbows will naturally pull in closer to your body, changing both your wrist angle and the interaction between your hands and grips.

Conversely, smaller backsweep angles generally suit lower, performance-oriented body postures as your elbows naturally sit wider (see animation above).

If you were to use a large backsweep angle with a low riding posture you’ll likely find your hands naturally want to rest diagonally over your grips, creating pressure points on your palms.

Here are my backsweep angle starting points:

• 5 to 15° will feel most comfortable if your handlebar is lower than your saddle
• 15 to 25° will feel most comfortable if your handlebar is around the same height as your saddle
• 25 to 35° will feel most comfortable if your handlebar is significantly higher than your saddle

If you’re not sure where to land, I’d recommend starting with a bit less backsweep angle, rather than more. The 15 to 25° range is a great start.

Alt Bar Rise

To achieve a comfortable setup for long-distance riding, you should also consider using alt bars with extra rise, which will allow you to sit a bit more upright.

Handlebar rise is measured from the centre of the handlebar to the bar end. Some bars in this resource have zero millimetres of rise and others have over 100mm of rise (4″).

Additional bar height can also be achieved via your stem or by using a steerer extender.

Keep in mind that the ideal backsweep angle will likely need to increase along with the bar height.

Alt Bar Width

Wider handlebars provide additional steering leverage. This results in better control over heavy-loaded bikes on rough trails.

But wide bars also make splitting traffic, getting through doorways, and riding in tight singletrack more difficult. I’ve found that 700 to 730mm is my sweet spot between bike control and travel practicality. But if I spent less time in urban areas, I would likely prefer something closer to 800mm.

Please note that you can cut down all handlebars to size; manufacturers will usually have a minimum recommended width. Just make sure there is enough space on the grip sections to install your shifter(s) and brakes where you like them first – 200mm is about as short as you can practically go.

Also, keep in mind that wider alt bars increase the effective distance to the bars from the saddle. This means you might need to compensate by using a shorter stem or fitting a bar with a long backward reach…

Backward Reach

A handlebar with a large backsweep angle usually brings your handlebars closer to your body, putting you in a more upright ride position. But it isn’t always the case!

You also need to look at the handlebar’s overall design to determine whether it has a long or short backward reach. Does it swoop forward before starting its backsweep like the Surly Moloko, or swoop backward right from the stem clamp like the KOGA Denham Bars?

Handlebars with a long backward reach (eg. KOGA Denham) will put you in a more upright position by reducing the distance from your saddle to your grips. Conversely, handlebars with a short backward reach (eg. Surly Moloko) will allow you to maintain a body position similar to a flat bar.

One important thing to note about long backward reach handlebars: they are not suitable for all mountain bike trails. This is because they can slip and rotate in the stem clamp after a big impact (eg. rock drop). That said, I regularly ride on singletrack; I just make sure to avoid jumps or drops that could cause my bars to slip.

Alt Bar Stem Length

The length of the backward reach also needs to be considered along with your stem length.

To a large degree, you can use stem length to place your grips in the perfect location. But this might require changing your stem length by 30 to 60mm, depending on what riding position you’re looking to achieve.

In some circumstances, you might need to use an especially long stem to get your grips in the ideal position. For example, if you want to fit a handlebar with a long backward reach to a drop bar frame, a 130 or 140mm stem might be required.

Alt Bars and Frame Design

Another thing to consider is the handlebar design that will best pair with your frame.

A flat bar frame (like a mountain bike) is usually the best option for a handlebar with a long backward reach. This is because flat bar frames are usually longer than drop bar frames (by ~50mm), so they will likely accommodate a handlebar with a large backsweep angle and long backward reach.

A drop bar frame (like a road bike) is usually the best candidate for a handlebar with additional forward reach. This is because drop bar frames are usually shorter than flat bar frames, so you’ll want some forward reach to make sure the grips aren’t too close to your body.

Alt Bars For Drop Bar Frames

The most suitable alt bars for a drop bar frame either have a small backward reach or none at at.

There are also alt bars that have been designed specifically for drop bar conversions. These unique handlebars have a large forward reach, allowing you to place your hands slightly in front of the stem clamp.

The Curve Remlaw preserves the hand position of a drop bar without requiring a different length stem. They might even save you a bit of money as you might not need to buy a longer stem.

WhatBars Comparison Tool

A really cool tool for comparing alt bars is WhatBars.

You’ll find many handlebar options in there. Simply select a few bars and the tool will allow you to visualise and compare their geometry and grip locations.

Fitting Inner Bar Ends To Alt Bars

If you like the idea of the ‘bullhorn’ hand position found on the Crazy Bars or Denham Bars, you can find component manufacturers that create clip-on versions.

This hand position is not only more aerodynamic, but it puts different pressure through your hands, and changes the load through your wrists, arms, back and neck.

An internal study by SQlab showed that these inner bar ends can save 14 watts of power output at a speed of 36 km/h (280 watts). This is simply because these inner hand holds put your body in a more aerodynamic riding position.

The Soma Bar Ins Extensions are a great choice as you can choose your clamp location, extension length, and even the inward and upward tilt angles. There is a short (95mm) and long (150mm) bullhorn available.

The Bar Ins clamps angle the extensions inward about 25°, so the extensions would stick straight out on a 25° backsweep alt bar. If you wanted to match the 7° inward bullhorn angle of the Denham Bars, you would need to find an alt bar with an 18° backsweep angle.

Spirgrips are a more performance-oriented product that’s designed to sit next to your grips. They are much shorter and lighter than Soma Bar Ins and are shaped to cup your hands well. They are angled inward to ensure your wrists engage with your bars at a suitable angle.

The SQlab Innerbarends 410 2.0 are another great option, and these best fit right next to your grips. A cool feature is that you can integrate them directly with the lock-on SQlab grips, removing one of the grip clamps. The only downside is that compared to the Bar Ins, you’ll have less ability to tune the angles.

You can, of course, use any regular bar ends too. The only downside is that they’re not usually designed for sweptback handlebars so you might find they angle outwards rather than inwards.

Alt Bar Materials

Alt bar manufacturers offer a broad range of materials including aluminium, steel, titanium, carbon and even bamboo.

The best alt bars for most riders are made from aluminium, which balances cost, weight, comfort, and durability in equal measure. However, other materials are becoming increasingly common in alt bars for various reasons.

To generalise:
– Steel alt bars are known for their durability but they’re heavy
– Carbon handlebars are strong and lightweight but they’re less forgiving to crashes and rough transit
– Titanium handlebars are durable and lightweight but also quite expensive

I’ve listed a bamboo model in my best alt bars article as I found it to have a shocking amount of compliance built in. You can see it deflect a couple of centimetres just by pushing down on it – there is a video of this flex in my article.

Alt Bar Grips

Your grip choice is arguably just as important as the alt bar itself.

One of my top recommendations for alt bar grips is thick silicone grips. These super soft grips will not only damp vibration coming up from the road or trail but conform nicely to your hands.

My two favourite silicone grips are the Wolf Tooth Fat Paw lock-on and ESI Extra Chunky.

My other recommendation is grips with a shaped design. These grips have been optimised for large backsweep angles, which allows your hands and wrists to sit at a very natural angle. These grip designs also often have a ridge in the middle that cups inside your palm, and a rearward wing that distributes hand pressure across a larger surface area.

Look out for the Ergon GC1, XLC GR-S22 or SQlab 710 for an extra comfortable design on a handlebar with lots of backsweep angle.

Handlebars and Bags

And lastly, make sure to think about how your luggage will integrate with the bars you choose.

A wide straight section next to the stem is ideal for mounting bikepacking handlebar packs (eg. Revelate) and touring handlebar bags (eg. Ortlieb). Alt bars with shapes that sweep forward before starting their backsweep can especially create clearance issues with wider bags.

You’ll notice that some of these handlebars feature a loop. This provides more hand positions and space for accessories, and can also serve as a small front rack.

Summary

Now that you have a good idea about everything alt bars, it’s time to head over to my article that features the 13 Best Alt Bars For Bikepacking and Touring.

I’ve narrowed down the best alt bar picks with varying backsweep angles, rises, and more. With multiple options at the US $50 price point, you should find something in your budget and for your needs.

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Comparing The KOGA Denham Bar Shape With Similar Alt Bars

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The post How To Choose The Most Comfortable Alt Bars For Bikepacking & Touring appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

Importantly, these are not custom one-off bicycles that use obscure components. They are all stock gravel bike models you might find in a bicycle shop near you!

How Did These Become The Lightest Gravel Bikes?

Bike manufacturers use different methods to hit their weight targets.

Some start with an ultralight carbon frameset, while others fit obnoxiously light carbon wheels and components. That said, it’s likely a combination of weight savings that will get your bike model on the lightest gravel bikes list.

The frameset weight is one way we can understand how a bike manufacturer went about hitting their weight targets. That’s the combined frame and fork weight usually without small parts like bearings and bolts. When you start with a light frameset, you get a big head start on the components.

The lightest gravel frameset amongst bikes on this list is 1,125 grams and the heaviest is 1,625 grams. When we average out all frameset weights on this list we arrive at 1,396 grams, which typically breaks down to under 1000 grams for the frame and a bit over 400 grams for the fork.

The wheelset weight is another important data point as they are often a bike’s heaviest component. That means they usually have the most weight to lose!

All wheelsets on this list are made from carbon fibre, and the rim depths vary. In some cases, bike manufacturers have traded off some weight for better aerodynamics to create the fastest bikes possible.

Even amongst lightweight gravel bikes on this list, there is over 400 grams of variation between wheelsets. The lightest wheels are just 1230 grams and the heaviest are 1643 grams. When we tally everything up, we find that the average wheels tip the scales at 1425 grams.

Why Bike Weight Is Not About Speed

If you’ve been reading CYCLINGABOUT for a while, you’ll know that bike weight is not that important in terms of speed. This is because a one or two-kilogram weight saving is actually a tiny reduction from your overall total body+bike+gear+water weight.

Spending big money to save one kilogram will not make you as fast as you think. When I run a computer simulation, shaving one kilogram off a bike only saves around one minute on a hilly 4+ hour ride, although it can be as much as two minutes if you’re a lighter and less powerful rider.

The biggest advantage of a lightweight gravel bike is the way it feels underneath you. The bikes listed below offer the sensation of quick acceleration and will feel highly responsive to your pedal inputs. They will undoubtedly encourage you to put the hammer down at any moment.

Weight Corrections

I’ve made a weight correction to the following bikes to level out the playing field.

I’ve deducted weight from bikes with heavier tyres and added weight to bikes using lighter tyres. This is to ensure that bikes that come with wider and/or more durable tyres do not incur a significant weight penalty.

The average tyre weight across all bikes on this list is 480 grams, which is a reasonable weight for a 45mm gravel race tyre. Any tyre above this weight I’ve subtracted from the bike weight, and any tyre below this weight has been added to the bike.

For example: If a bike comes with 580-gram tyres, I’ve made a weight reduction of 200 grams (as there are two tyres) to standardise the bike weights. And if the bike comes with 380 grams tyres, I’ve simply added 200 grams to a bike’s weight. You’ll find the stock tyre weights listed below.

Right, it’s time to inspect the lightest gravel bikes in the world!

Scott Addict Gravel RC (7.92kg or 17.5lbs)

• Frameset weight: 930+395 grams – 96 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1490 grams – 65 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 485 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: US $9,999

The heaviest-lightest gravel bike is the Scott Addict Gravel RC!

This top-of-the-line model features one of the lighter framesets and builds up into a very capable gravel race bike. Tour Magazin has tested the lateral frame stiffness to be higher than many bikes here, which will make it feel extra responsive underneath you.

In addition, the fork legs will flex back and forth over bumps more than typical, providing additional ride comfort for your hands and upper body.

There has been no expense has been spared on the components here. A SRAM Red AXS drivetrain and Syncros carbon components help to keep the bike under the 8kg (18lbs) mark.

The Addict RC is only one of two gravel bikes on this list with a 2X drivetrain. This allows for closer steps between each gear, making the bike extra suitable for road bike use if you were to fit some narrow slick tyres.

Factor Ostro Gravel (7.90kg or 17.4lbs)

• Frameset weight: 899+425 grams – 97 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1632 grams – 207 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: €9799

The Factor Ostro Gravel has more aerodynamic features than your typical gravel bike.

The deeper and more truncated head tube profile, tight integration between the fork crown and frame, dropped seat stays, aero seatpost, and rear wheel cutout will undoubtedly make for a quick gravel race bike in the wind.

But despite all these aero features, the Ostro Gravel is the 6th lightest frameset of this list.

That said, the Factor also has the lowest frame stiffness of any bike here (according to Tour Magazin lab testing). It’s over 20% less stiff at the head tube and bottom bracket than competing products. This will not be a big deal for lighter and less powerful riders, but for heavier riders who can put more power through the frame – it might be a dealbreaker.

The Ostro Gravel has a solid race build. It’s equipped with a SRAM Force AXS wireless drivetrain, SRAM brakes and some fast-rolling Good Year tyres. While the wheels on this bike are surprisingly heavy for their depth, hopefully, this translates to high overall strength and durability.

Vitus Venon EVO-GR (7.88kg or 17.4lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1000+450 grams – 54 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1545 grams – 120 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 490 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: £4,299

The Vitus Venon EVO-GR is a lightweight gravel bike that offers a raft of aero features. This will make it one of the faster bikes on a gravel race course.

While it doesn’t have the lightest frameset or wheelset, it’s a great overall package that undercuts plenty of rivals on price when you consider the high-grade specification (SRAM Force AXS plus plenty of carbon components!).

One thing to note is that it has a lower torsional frame stiffness than most gravel bikes here, in fact, it has similar stiffness values to the Factor Ostro Gravel. Again, this will be fine for lighter and less powerful riders but might not be appropriate for heavier and more powerful riders.

Allied Echo Red AXS (7.85kg or 17.3lbs)

• Frameset weight: 950+380 grams – 66 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1355 grams – 70 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 453 grams
• Tyre clearance: 40 mm
• Price: US $11,355

The Allied Echo is billed as a two-in-one road and gravel bike.

The magic of it is the integrated flip chips at the fork and rear dropouts, which not only change the wheelbase length but also the bottom bracket drop – important when you’re changing the overall wheel+tyre diameter.

When the flip chips are in the “road mode” position, the wheelbase length and BB drop is reduced, making for a more compact layout that gives the bike a more responsive and agile feel. When the flip chips are in the “gravel mode” position, the wheelbase length is extended, making the bike more stable and forgiving on gravel.

Some of the pros of the bike include its quick and easy geometry conversion, excellent stiffness, and notable ride quality. Some of the cons of the bike include its compromised gravel mode geometry, narrow maximum tyre width, quirky stem design, and slack seat tube angle in the smaller frame sizes. It also uses gear ratios better suited to the road rather than the gravel.

Overall, the Allied Echo is a very capable bike that is suitable for a wide range of riders. It is a great option for those who are looking for a single bike that will ride well on both gravel and tarmac surfaces.

Mondraker Arid Carbon RR SL (7.81kg or 17.2lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1250+435 grams – 289 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1642 grams – 217 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 525 grams
• Tyre clearance: 50 mm
• Price: €9499

Lauf Seigla Ultimate (7.69kg or 17lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1030+435 grams – 69 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1400 grams – 25 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 632 grams
• Tyre clearance: 57 mm or 2.25″
• Price: US $6,290

The Lauf Seigla is the lightest gravel bike with the ability to fit 2.25″ wide mountain bike tyres, which will allow it to handle the roughest gravel roads. The frame has also been designed in a way that allows it to flex vertically, smoothing out bumpy terrain.

This is the first bike we’ve seen without fully integrated cables, and this makes bike maintenance easier and allows you to change the handlebar and stem dimensions with ease.

The Seigla Ultimate is equipped with some lightweight carbon wheels that will make the bike feel fast and agile, and a tough SRAM Red XPLR wireless groupset. Given the Red XPLR groupset retails for around US $4000, this makes the Seigla one of the best-value lightweight gravel bikes!

I’ve made a correction of over 300 grams to this bike as the Lauf comes standard with some wider-than-average tyres with good puncture production. Expect it to weigh under 7.7kg with some gravel race tyres.

Rose Backroad FF Red XPLR (7.67kg or 16.9lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1020+420 grams – 44 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1550 grams – 125 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 445 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45mm
• Price: €6999

Specialized Crux Pro (7.67kg or 16.9lbs)

• Frameset weight: 825+400 grams – 171 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1408 grams – 17 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 47 mm
• Price: US $7500

The Specialized Crux Pro starts with a sizeable headstart over other gravel bikes, as the frameset is just 1225 grams. This makes it the second-lightest gravel frameset here.

The Crux Pro is a rather traditional gravel bike that will best suit those who ride in a non-competitive sense. There are no fully integrated cables, aero frame sections, or one-piece bar/stems to be found. This not only saves weight, but makes bike maintenance easier, and allows you to dial in your bike fit.

The Crux is equipped with lighter-than-average wheels that will spin up quickly, and one of my favourite components is the Roval Terra Carbon seatpost that flexes vertically with ease and will smooth out the bumpiest gravel roads.

The Specialized Crux Pro is finished with a SRAM Force wireless groupset and fast-rolling Specialized Pathfinder tyres.

Ridley ASTR RS (7.62kg or 16.8lbs)

• Frameset weight: 891+420 grams – 85 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1643 grams – 218 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 575 grams
• Tyre clearance: 52 mm or 2.1″
• Price: €11,699

Ridley makes one thing clear: the ASTR RS is a thoroughbred gravel race bike aiming for the podium. The frameset, integrated bar-stem, and wheels are all aero-optimised to create the fastest gravel bike possible.

In fact, the ASTR RS has the deepest and heaviest wheels of any bike on this list. While the DT Swiss wheels are over 200 grams heavier than average, the time savings at 35km/h (22mph) will undoubtedly make up for the minor weight penalty.

This bike has notably wide tyre clearance for a gravel bike (52 mm or 2.1″), allowing you to fit the appropriate tyres required to handle rougher courses.

The new Forza NIMBUS Pro one-piece handlebar and stem measures 360 mm wide at the hoods (to keep your frontal area smaller) but becomes significantly wider in the drops thanks to a generous flare. This should give you ample control over technical descents.

Trek Checkmate SLR 9 (7.61kg or 16.8lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1223+415 grams – 242 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1355 grams – 70 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 450 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: US $12,000

The Checkmate SLR 9 is a newer, lighter and faster gravel race bike from Trek.

It’s clearly aero-optimised with its large tube profiles, reasonably deep carbon wheels, and one-piece Aero RSL bar/stem (identical to that found on their road race bike, the Madone). The bars are 30mm narrower at the hoods than the drops, which will put your body in a more aerodynamically efficient ride position.

The Checkmate uses what Trek calls its new ‘Gravel Race’ geometry, offering a lower and shorter-reach position than the outgoing Checkpoint SLR. That said, it’s not as low as many bikes on this list.

A top-tier SRAM Red XLPR gravel groupset and moderately deep Bontrager carbon wheels assist in keeping this bike as light and fast as possible.

The Checkmate also employs Trek’s IsoSpeed technology, a decoupler at the intersection between the top tube and the seat tube that assists the saddle/post in smoothing imperfections on the road or trail.

Canyon Grail CFR XPLR (7.55kg or 16.6lbs)

Frameset weight: 1030+372 grams – 7 grams heavier than average

Wheelset weight: 1452 grams – 27 grams heavier than average

Tyre weight: 455 grams

Tyre clearance: 45 mm

Price: €8,499

Schmolke Gravel Infinity (7.55kg or 16.6lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1100+460 grams – 164 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1375 grams – 50 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 457 grams
• Tyre clearance: 40 mm
• Price: €8250

Schmolke are carbon manufacturing specialists from Germany who are best known for their ultra-lightweight bike components. But Schmolke doesn’t just make carbon handlebars and seatposts in their Lake Constance factory – they make framesets too!

When compared to the competition, the Schmolke framesets are not anywhere near as lightweight. But their ultralight components more than make up the difference, helping this bike to sit amongst the top 10 lightest gravel bikes available.

This gravel bike is a bit more traditional than most, with its external cable routing, two-piece bar and stem setup and mechanical drivetrain. The Gravel Infinity uses Campagnolos Ekar 13-speed drivetrain, which yields a gear range of 470% – wider than most on this list here.

The cost is kept quite reasonable for a made-in-Europe bike thanks to their direct-to-consumer business model.

Cube Nuroad C:62 SLT (7.49kg or 16.5lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1150+415 grams – 169 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1230 grams – 195 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 485 grams
• Tyre clearance: 50 mm
• Price: €5999

The Cube Nuroad C:62 SLT is a great bike for gravel racing, and with 50mm tyre clearance, it’s also a good option for anyone who wants an efficient bike that can handle a variety of terrain.

The frame is made using Cube’s C:62 carbon fibre layup, which is reinforced with nanoparticles to make it stronger, lighter, and more durable. Tour Magazin lab testing suggests it’s one of the stiffest and most responsive framesets on this list, and the fork tests as one of the more comfortable models available.

The Nuroad is also among the cheapest here, in fact, the SRAM Red XPLR drivetrain, brakes and shifters retail for €4,465 by itself. When you factor in the frameset and wheels (which are the lightest here btw), I’m not sure how Cube make any money on this bike!

Overall, the Cube Nuroad C:62 SLT is a very well-equipped bike that offers the highest value for money on this list. It’s light, efficient, and versatile, and should be perfect for gravel racing or simply exploring the countryside.

Superior XR 9.9 GR LTD (7.47kg or 16.5lbs)

• Frameset weight: 827+420 grams – 149 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1567 grams – 142 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 445 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: €7500

Superior is a Czech brand that offers very high-performance bikes for a reasonable price… well, relative to others here. Superior starts with the third lightest frameset, and goes on to build the fifth lightest gravel bike.

The impressive part is that it has been equipped with one of the most aerodynamic wheelsets featured on this list. If it were to use the same wheelset as the Cube Nuroad, the bike would slot into second place!

You can find aero features throughout the frameset and cockpit, and there is no expense spared on the components – notably the DT Swiss wheels and SRAM Red XPLR drivetrain.

BMC Kaius 01 One (7.40kg or 16.3lbs)

• Frameset weight: 910+400 grams – 86 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1355 grams – 70 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 44 mm
• Price: US $12,000

The BMC Kaius is the lightest gravel bike I could find with fully integrated cables.

The Kaius 01 features the fourth lightest frameset (despite having one of the stiffest frames according to Tour Magazin testing) and has been equipped with the fourth lightest wheels too.

This frame has clearly been given the aero treatment with larger truncated frame tubes, dropped seat stays, and a cutout on the lower seat tube to shield the rear wheel. The handlebar also has a small frontal area and aerodynamic shape to save further watts.

A top-tier SRAM Red XPLR 1X drivetrain completes this speedy gravel bike.

Parapera Anemos Masterpiece (7.2kg or 15.9lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1175+450 grams – 229 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1485 grams – 60 grams heavier than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 45 mm
• Price: €5999

The Parapera Anemos is the third lightest gravel bike on this list, despite having a heavier-than-average frameset… and wheelset! This means it’s the components where Parapera has really focussed on their weight savings.

At 150 grams, the Schmolke Carbon handlebar is one of the lightest of its kind. As is the 95-gram Selle Italia saddle, and 95-gram Schmolke Carbon seatpost. It’s all these small things that really keep the weight of this bike in check.

The cables are routed externally for quick accessibility during maintenance and a small reduction in frame weight. The classic handlebar/stem setup also offers maximum customizability in terms of length and width.

The Anemos Masterpiece uses Campagnolo’s Ekar drivetrain. This 1X system consists of a chainring with 40 teeth and a cassette with 13 sprockets from 9 to 42 teeth. With a gear range of just under 470%, all speed ranges are largely covered, and even steeper climbs are easy to tackle thanks to the reduction in first gear.

The carbon wheels from Campagnolo are a solid choice. While they are not the lightest, with an inner rim width of 25mm, they are perfectly suited to the 40mm Schwalbe G-One R tyres.

Gunsha SLX Gravel 3.1 (7.15kg or 15.8lbs)

• Frameset weight: 1050+460 grams – 114 grams heavier than average
• Wheelset weight: 1272 grams – 153 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 370 grams
• Tyre clearance: 44 mm
• Price: €5455

You probably haven’t heard of Gunsha before, but this German bike shop and online store stocks a bunch of ultralight wheels and components, as well as complete bikes.

The frameset is heavier than average, so Gunsha has equipped this bike with the third lightest gravel wheels here and has made significant weight savings on components like the brake rotors, handlebar, stem, seatpost and saddle.

Gunsha has also fitted some super light 370 gram tyres to this bike. This would have made it the equal lightest bike if I hadn’t added a weight correction to even the playing field.

While their Shimano GRX drivetrain isn’t as fancy as most, this helps to keep the cost down. In fact, you’re looking at the second-lightest gravel bike with one of the lowest costs here. That’s quite impressive.

S-Works Crux SRAM RED XPLR (6.93kg or 15.3lbs)

• Frameset weight: 725+400 grams – 271 grams lighter than average
• Wheelset weight: 1250 grams – 175 grams lighter than average
• Tyre weight: 480 grams
• Tyre clearance: 47 mm
• Price: US $12,000

The S-Works Crux holds the title for the lightest gravel frameset, and it’s been paired with one of the lightest wheelsets too. It’s no wonder it’s the lightest gravel bike here.

The Crux frameset is around 20% lighter than average, which is a seriously impressive margin to hold over the competition. It’s even more impressive considering that Tour Magazin has measured the frame stiffness and found it to be 30% stiffer than the Factor and Vitus at the head tube.

You can expect the Crux to climb like a dream, float over bumpy terrain, and accelerate faster than any gravel bike before it.

What I like about this bike is that it puts function before everything else. There are no fully integrated cables, aero frame sections, or one-piece handlebar and stem. This undoubtedly makes it a slower bike than the gravel racing competition (eg. Ridley ASTR RS) but it’s also lighter, easier to work on, and easier to perfect the handlebar width and stem length for a rider’s needs.

With top-of-the-line components and even a special carbon layup – this bike is expensive. If you’d like a more wallet-friendly version with similar DNA, check out the Specialized Crux Pro. It’s still in the top-10 lightest gravel bikes but some US $5000 cheaper.

It’s worth noting the S-Works Crux framesets also custom build into even lighter gravel bikes. Take some inspiration from this 5.64 kg (12 lbs) Twisted Wheels build HERE.

Summary

The post The 15 Lightest Gravel Bikes In The World For 2025 (Sub-7kg) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

This is all the gear I need to live and work in any country, and it’s optimised for both liveability and durability. I’ve made sure to highlight all my favourite items throughout!

I hope you can use my gear list to get an idea of (a) what to bring on a long-distance bike trip, and (b) what equipment is proven to be the most durable over multiple years of use.

You can find the specific product names of my equipment, the actual weights, and links to the items right HERE.

Timestamps

0:00 – Intro
2:47 – Electronics
4:23 – Camping Gear
7:37 – Clothing
8:56 – Shoes & Accessories
10:44 – Cooking Gear
12:30 – Cooking Accessories
13:47 – Bike Luggage
14:55 – Travel Essentials
16:09 – Toiletries
17:25 – Tools & Spares
19:13 – Summary

The post What I Pack For Bike Touring After 170,000km Around The World (Video) appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

The post What’s Better: The KOGA WorldTraveller or Tout Terrain Tanami II? appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.

It took me some time to work out why it was built this way – and in this article, I’ll be explaining it all.

This highly unusual bicycle was built by one of the most well-renowned tandem builders in the world, Co-Motion Cycles. This North American manufacturer has been busy hand-building bikes since the 1980s, and I actually once commissioned them to build a fully belt-driven tandem that I rode from Europe to Australia.

Ok, so why has the Pinion gearbox been separated from the cranksets on this bicycle? To understand, we need to learn a bit about how both Pinion gearboxes and tandem bicycles work.

Let’s start with the Pinion gearbox.

Understanding Pinion Gearboxes

What you’re looking at is an 18-speed Pinion bicycle gearbox. This is not dissimilar to gearboxes found in other industries, in fact, the designers of this gearbox are former Porsche automotive engineers.

Compared to derailleurs, Pinion gearboxes are less susceptible to damage, they don’t require any tuning or adjustment, they don’t wear out, and you can change gears any time. There is very little cleaning too – the only maintenance is the 10,000km oil change which takes no more than 15 minutes to complete.

The thing you need to know about these gearboxes is that, unlike a normal drivetrain, the drive sprocket moves at a different speed to the crankset and the speed varies depending on the gear selected.

In the first gear, the cranks rotate almost twice as fast as the drive sprocket (1 to 0.55). And in the 18th gear, the sprocket rotates significantly faster than the cranks (1 to 3.45).

Ok, so the changing sprocket speed is the first thing you need to remember. Let’s now discuss tandem bicycles.

Understanding Tandem Bicycles

Tandems use a timing belt or chain that links up the pedal speed of the front and rear riders. The sprockets of a timing gear are usually the same size, which keeps the front and rear cyclists pedalling at the same RPM.

The advantage of pedalling in-phase is that it’s easier to take off from stationary, it’s great for balancing, and both sets of pedals can stay up high when cornering.

But it’s worth noting that some tandemists do like to have their cranks out of phase, which can help eliminate the ‘dead spot’ in the pedal stroke. By setting the crank arms 90 degrees out there will always be one rider in the power phase.

Why This Pinion Tandem Drivetrain Has Three Belts

Knowing that the Pinion drive sprocket rotates at different speeds in different gears, it’s clear we cannot just connect this sprocket to another crankset like normal.

If we did, one rider would be pedalling at a vastly different cadence.

To get around this, Co-Motion has installed a typical timing gear on the non-drive side of their Pinion tandem with a 1:1 ratio.

The combined power of the riders is then fed into the gearbox using the first drive side belt. This belt essentially replicates what a Pinion crank arm does – feeding pedal power into the gearbox for a change in gear ratio.

Our last belt then sends the pedal power from the gearbox to the rear wheel just like normal.

After cracking the code of this bizarre drivetrain, it left me wondering why we don’t just put the Pinion gearbox at the rear cyclist’s crankset, and mount a second timing sprocket to the crank axle?

It turned out I wasn’t the first person to have this thought…

Campmajo’s Pinion Tandem Solution

Spanish custom bicycle builder, Campmajo, has built a few tandems with a Pinion gearbox at the rear crankset.

Campmajo machines a special sprocket spider that clamps firmly to the crank axle so that it can rotate at the same speed as the Pinion cranks. This allows for a 1:1 timing gear with the second crankset.

The issue with this setup is that it requires the drive side crank arm to be machined down to make space for the spider. But Campmajo has assured me they’ve extensively tested their modification and are so confident of its strength that they provide a 5-year warranty on it. The great news is that Pinion will still honour the factory warranty on the rest.

One downside to Campmajo’s design is that it might not be wide enough to fit two belt sprockets. This then had me wondering if it was possible to move the timing sprocket to the other side of the gearbox axle, and lo and behold, someone had already thought of that too.

Belt Bikes’ Pinion Tandem Solution

Dutch bike manufacturer Belt Bikes have created their own tandem crank arms for Pinion gearboxes. This has allowed them to build a sprocket spider into the left crank arm for a belt drive timing gear.

This is a super neat solution, however, the downside is that the q-factor – or distance between the crank arms – has been increased by 40mm to accommodate the new spider. This change in dimension could potentially result in knee-related pain for some riders, but it’s worth noting this is still 25mm narrower than many fat bike cranksets.

Summary

What started as an article describing a quirky Pinion tandem drivetrain took me down a rabbit hole of bikes and products I never knew existed.

It’s cool to see the custom bike community finding ways to fit Pinion gearboxes on tandems. While Co-Motion’s triple belt drivetrain is an interesting solution to the problem, if it were me, I’d be opting for the more simplified Campmajo spider and modified crank arm, or Belt Bikes Pinion tandem crankset.

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For those who aren’t aware, the Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 is an internally geared rear hub that has been servicing the demands of bike travellers for a few decades now. Inside the oversized hub shell are 14 gears that offer a wider gear range than most derailleur drivetrains.

The gears all sit inside an oil bath that’s sealed away from the elements. These hubs work great when the riding conditions are good and even better when they are not!

Rohloff hubs are especially popular amongst bike travellers and commuters who ride year-round. This is because they are very low-maintenance (especially when combined with belt drive), easy to clean, and impervious to dirt, mud, salt, and snow.

But one downside to the Rohloff hub has always been the necessary twist shifter which can be slippery when wet and hard to twist if you have sweat, mud, or sun cream on your hand. The twist shifter is also less ideal for those with limited hand or wrist mobility as it requires a lot of grip strength.

In addition, this shifter has always been awkward to fit to a drop bar bike.

While many aftermarket solutions have become available over the years, everything comes with compromises to either the ergonomics of the shifter (awkward shifter location), shift performance (long lever throw) or reliability (added shifter complexity).

The neatest and most popular solution is the Gebla Rohbox which allows you to use modified SRAM or Campagnolo shifters with your Rohloff hub. That said, some dislike the long lever throw, and find it slow to change multiple gears in quick succession. Users have reported shifting glitches too.

Now we have a new aftermarket electronic shifting kit for Rohloff hubs that promises instant gear changes with very little effort, and neat integration with drop bar gravel bikes.

Let’s take a closer look at the SternShift system.

SternShift Electronic Shifting For Rohloff Hubs

This shifting kit comprises three main components:
– An electronics box that contains the battery and the control board
– A set of gear shifters at the handlebar
– A rear gear mech that attaches directly to the Rohloff hub

This shifting kit is not wireless like you might expect. The system is instead fully wired from the shifters to the Rohloff hub. There is, however, a quick-release cable attachment at the rear wheel for quick and easy removal.

Mechanical engineer Hans-Hermann Herms spent three years developing the SternShift electronic shifting system. Approximately 50% of his time was focused on the hardware, and 50% on the software.

Flat or Drop Bar Electronic Shifting

The SternShift electronic shifters are available for both flat bars and drop bars.

The flat bar shifter clamps to the handlebar in the typical location and offers thumb shifting with dedicated up and down buttons.

The drop bar shifters are extremely compact and are designed to be mounted to the curved areas of drop bars. They are intentionally separated from the levers so that you are not tied to any specific brand of brake lever. To change gears, you use the sides of your thumbs to change gears (see video below).

Pressing the shifter buttons briefly changes one gear at a time. You also have the option of pressing and holding the shifter for a double-gear shift.

Hub Dynamo Powered or Battery Powered

You can choose whether you want a dynamo-powered or battery-powered SternShift system.

The dynamo-powered version is the neatest and most convenient, as the hub constantly supplies power to a small battery at the handlebar. The battery itself is capable of between 600 and 1800 gear shifts and can be optionally charged from a power bank while you’re cycling too. The charge level of the battery is displayed in green, yellow and red via an LED at the rear gear mech.

The system can also be used without a dynamo hub, although this is much less convenient as it will require frequent charging from a battery bank.

Pressing the shift buttons for more than three seconds deactivates or activates charging. This could be useful if you have a separate USB charger wired into your dynamo setup, or if you want to send 100% of your dynamo power to some bright lights.

After 20 seconds of inactivity, the system switches to ‘sleep mode’ to save power. It will switch back on automatically when you move the bike or press a shift button.

If the gears are changed more than 20 times while stationary (presumedly by accident), the system can even switch to ‘protection mode’ until you start cycling again.

SternShift Stem or Electronics Box

The central element of SternShift is the electronics box, which contains the battery and the control board. It’s also the place where all of the cables come together.

You can hide these electronics inside a specially designed stem with ports for the three cables. The stem is currently only available in a 90mm length and it has a ±6° angle.

Alternatively, there is an electronics box that’s mounted underneath your handlebar. This water-resistant tube houses a larger battery that can make three times more shifts between charges – if you aren’t powering the system from a dynamo hub, you’ll likely want this option.

Does SternShift Require A Special Frame?

Unfortunately, it does. The frame must have the long, non-drive side Rohloff OEM dropout to anchor the rear gear mech. That means you cannot use SternShift on a Rohloff frame that relies on the disc brake mount for its torque anchoring.

Is The SternShift System Waterproof?

SternShift is protected against water splashes, but not against full submersion. It also cannot be cleaned with a high-power pressure washer.

Can The SternShift Change Gears Under Load?

SternShift will change your Rohloff gears quickly and precisely, but not with full pedal force.

It shifts the same as any Rohloff hub, which means that you must ease your pedal force for a fraction of a second to make gear changes.

How Much Does The SternShift System Cost?

The SternShift kit has just hit series production.

The retrofit kit is €799 and can be configured for dynamo or battery power, and drop or flat bars. If you want the electronic components hidden inside a specially designed stem, the kit price jumps to €949. You can also buy the SternShift stem by itself for €199.

And if you have particularly deep pockets, SternShift is available with all Rohloff gravel bikes from Falkenjagd and Rennstahl and can be ordered in the configurator.

For more information on this Rohloff hub electronic shifting kit, make sure to check out the SternShift website.

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The post Electronic Shifting For Rohloff Hubs Is Now Possible Thanks To SternShift appeared first on CYCLINGABOUT.com.