Batch aims to repeat the process, now in the gravel corner of the industry. Now, surely, these new gravel offerings won't completely knock your socks off, but that isn't Batch's intention. However, will they get new riders out on two wheels without the incredible cost barrier? Absolutely.
While much of the discussion surrounding the 32" wheel size has centered around cross-country bikes and XCO World Cup racing, gravel bikes seem like one of the best and most obvious applications. But as far as we can tell, 32" gravel tires are even more rare, with most of the big-wheeled gravel bikes we've seen relying on the aforementioned mountain bike models.
The Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 AXS holds the much-coveted and sought-after best overall bike in our best gravel bike buying guide. In what is a crowded market, earning that plaudit isn't easily achieved. Our own tech writer, Tom Wieckowski, scored the latest iteration of the Grail with a glowing 4 out of 5-star review. Canyon says the Grail is a 'Rapid where you want it, rugged where you need it' gravel bike,
The Diverge 4 Expert AXS comes spec'd smartly with all the gear you would want in a bike of this caliber, but nothing extra "just for show". It starts with the SRAM Rival AXS XPLR groupset. It's a great-looking groupset and sets off the gunmetal matte frame nicely. The crankset is one of my favorite features, and it looks great on the new Diverge4.
Sitting above the headtube, Future Shock delivers 20 mm of hydraulically damped travel, smoothing out gravel chatter before it reaches the rider. Specialized claims it reduces peak impacts by up to 53%. It can save up to 11 watts on rough surfaces. The updated unit is also lighter and more adjustable than before. There are tune options that let riders decide how much support they want for racing, adventure, or all-day rides.
Incredibly, perhaps in both senses of the word, the brand claims it is both 37 watts faster than its predecessor and 34 watts faster than its nearest (unnamed) competitor.
