Have a good look at this bike. It’s magnificent. Its aero frame and handlebars make it look like a performance-oriented road bike, but its single chainring drivetrain and cassette come from mountain biking. Let’s look at its wheels, there’s no doubt it’s a gravel bike. Sure, but usually the tyre section is thinner.
The Gravel is a hybrid bike, born in the USA from the need to be able to ride on gravel tracks (hence the name). The Gravel is not dissimilar to a road bike, and while it might not have the same performance (less recumbent geometry, wider tyres), it is not, strictly speaking, an off-road bike either.
But ultimately, its “non-performance oriented” versatility is the reason for its success.
Admittedly, despite satisfying the specialists, the growing sophistication of the ranges is keeping a large part of the public away. On the one hand, we have performance-oriented road bikes (road bikes are still very much inspired by racing, and in particular the Tour de France) and therefore efficiency (composite, aerodynamic, light and rigid frame, extended position, very narrow tyres), on the other hand, we have mountain bikes (wide handlebars, more upright position, long travel suspension with multiple settings, large tyres). The choice is quite divisive.
Between the road bike and the mountain bike, the Gravel bike is a sort of missing link. A mellow road bike capable of riding on easy tracks.
But what about this one with its big tyres? It will be a bit more comfortable off-road, but not hugely so, because of its geometry and handlebars. It is undoubtedly an efficient model, and 3T is a very sharp brand, but it is in a way very emblematic of the shortcomings of our western conception of products, notably of hyper-segmentation. Nowadays, there is almost one product per persona (user profiles in marketing). We could blame marketing, but this is both a reflection of the inventiveness of engineers and also the fault of users, who often want the impossible – a bike that does everything.
So after the big tyre Gravel bike, what would be the next step? A Gravel with big tyres and straight handlebars? To which we would eventually add front suspension? Let’s not get too carried away…
The world of sport, both the brands and the enthusiasts, must question its relationship with the “material”, its renewal, its complexity, and finally this hyper-segmentation leading to a multiplication of products that leaves the consumer perplexed. Tomorrow’s innovation is also going to have to take into account a level of responsibility. We used the term ‘responsible innovation’ because tomorrow’s performance doesn’t have to mean absolute performance or efficiency at any price.
