What Are the Benefits of a Drop Bar Mountain Bike for Gravel Racing?

Question

For what reasons would a pro gravel cyclist decide to ride a drop bar mountain bike instead of a standard gravel bike for certain competitions?

Answer 1

A professional gravel racer might choose a drop bar mountain bike for races because they believe it will get them from the starting line to the finishing line in the least amount of time. The main advantage of a drop bar mountain bike is the ability to use wider tires, which can offer lower rolling resistance than equivalent gravel tires. This can be especially beneficial on courses with rough terrain where rolling resistance is more critical than aerodynamics.

Comments

You're letting the secret out! SHHHhhhhhhhhh....I've been running a Salsa Fargo Ti with a Stepcast 34 fork for a few years and it's very fast.  I raced Lost and Found last year and changed my bike choice last minute from my Niner RLT w/ 45c Terra Speeds to Fargo with 100mm fork and dropper post on 2.2 Race Kings.  I ended up getting 1st in my age group after flatting and crashing.  The dropbar mountain bike was so much faster and comfortable.  I was the only one in the front group that was on a 'mountain bike'.  Out of 1,000 riders I pulled a top 10 downhill time with ease and had a great time on that descent.  Most other guys were cursing, walking, etc.

---

Been riding a 40mm Rudy fork for a year now. 45-47c mostly. Faster everywhere, not going back. Won my age group at Unbound 200, Rock Cobbler, BWR CA, etc. It works.

---

Laurens ten Dam just win the 1000 km transcordilleras race in Colombia on a full suspension MTB with drop bars.

---

I’ve been riding my 2011 Cannondale Flash Ultimate as a drop bar mtb with both mtb and gravel tires since 2019. Best bike out of my quiver!

---

If you're into suspension equipped, very MTB-esque drop-bar bikes, the Mason ISO is exactly that type of a "monster-gravel" or "drop-bar MTB". Its geometry is designed for 100mm suspension, even though it comes with a (very long) carbon fork and it has massive tire clearance. It's also really pretty (for a MTB-esque thing).

---

I never had a gravel bike. Instead of buying one Ive done such conversion from my old Kellys Quartz. Added drop bar, changed fork for a lighter version with shorter travel, very old RockShox, some elements replaced with carbon ones and it lost ~3kg. Now riding it gives so much fun, my dream bike from the old days.

---

I use a carbon version of the Surly corner bar on my hardtail sometimes. It's a nice in between drop bars and flat bars and it uses mtb style brakes and shifters so it's easy to switch back and forth.

---

I can't believe that the industry still doesn't make hardtail drop bar mt bikes.  I made mine four or five years ago, before Sram Axis or Shimano GRX.  The only disadvantage is the narrower bars when in certain mt bike situations.  Drop bar hardtails are the coolest bikes.

---

Good content. You make some very valid points. As you say, there are "gravel" bike races that have so much trail, or in wet conditions, a bike like this would certainly excel in one. The Overland in Vermont comes to mind. There are a few others in the northeast which are notorious for rocks and techy sections as well.