At first glance cyclocross and gravel bikes look nearly identical, so what’s the difference?

Here’s the short answer: Cyclocross bikes, like the Inflite, are designed to excel at one thing—going fast as hell on a cyclocross race course for 30 to 90 minutes. Gravel bikes, such as Grail and Grizl, are more versatile and tend to provide more stability and more comfort on longer rides.

Here’s the more in-depth answer: Cyclocross bikes are dedicated race bikes and their ride quality is perfectly suited to riding flat-out for about an hour on a cyclocross race course that’s oftentimes muddy, has a ton of back-to-back corners, and which requires that riders quickly dismount and carry their bike over barriers, or bunny hop them. ‘Cross bikes tend to have short chainstays, high bottom brackets, and lower, more aggressive cockpit positioning.

Gravel bikes, as we mentioned earlier, are more stable and versatile. You can still ride like a bat out of hell on a Gravel bike, and on more technically demanding trails. The bonus here is that a Gravel bike’s more forgiving geometry will let you keep that speed up over longer, multi-hour, rides. Gravel bikes tend to have longer chainstays, lower bottom brackets, and more upright cockpits. You can also fit fatter, more compliant, tires on Gravel bikes (usually up to 42mm), whereas Cyclocross bikes are generally limited by racing rules to a tire width of 33mm.

Looking to win fall and wintertime cyclocross races? Buy a ‘cross bike like the Inflite. Want to maximize your daily adventure quotient and go fast over a wider range of roads and trails? Get a Gravel bike like the Grail or Grizl.

We match your wheelsize to your frame size to ensure that you’re getting the best-handling bike possible. Smaller (2XS and 3XS) models feature smaller 650b wheels while larger frames are equipped with larger 700c wheels and tires. This allows us to actually create a more consistent ride quality across our size range. This means riders of all sizes benefit from the same outstanding handling performance.

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There’s space for up to 38 mm tires on the Inflite, though if you are racing, you may need to stick with 700x33 tires to meet race regulations. We provide more clearance on the Inflite, to make the bike as versatile as possible for riders. Every day, after all, isn’t race day and sometimes you just want to rock a fattier, “cushier” tire on training rides. With the Inflite, you have that option.

The Inflite does not have mudguard mounts, because it is a dedicated race bike. Want mudguards? Explore the Grail or Grizl gravel bike range.