I used to think flat bar gravel bikes were silly, now I've tried one I know they're silly, but I'm into it
21d 4h ago by sh.itjust.works/u/_haha_oh_wow_ in micromobility from www.cyclingweekly.com
God I hate news article head lines
Not really a news article though, more like an op-ed
Other than handlebars, what is actually the difference with a flat bar gravel bike and most hybrid bikes?
Possibly more tire clearance and a slightly more robust frame (not quite a mountain bike, but maybe a little beefier than a hybrid). Some nicer gravel bikes also have some suspension options you don't typically see on stock hybrids.
Interesting, my hybrid has got front suspension and usually see gravel bikes don't. Though a lot of hybrids don't too.
Of course hybrid also seems to just be an everything else kind of category. Seen some commuter focused ones that are pretty much road bikes with some unmaintainable, sorry, "maintenance free" parts. Then there is mine (Boardman MTX) which are closer to a mountain bike with narrower tyres and different gear ratios.
Gravel suspension is different than the traditional forks you see, and it's usually only on higher end gravel bikes. Most entry level to mid range gravel bikes don't have any suspension.
Hybrid front suspensions are usually just traditional MTB fork type designs, gravel bikes tend to have stuff like suspension stems, I probably should've specified that.
Ahh right, yeah mine looks similar to a mountain bike front suspension. I think it's a bit different in that it's not expecting impacts from jumps and stuff like that but I presume that means it's the same general designed but tuned for smaller impacts.
Yeah, they sometimes use suspension seatposts too, which typically have less travel than the equivalent MTB would have.