The new Otso came out and it looks great! Good price, more aero, fairly customizable, 50T chain ring, storage, etc. Only slight negative is they only claim 50mm clearance so curious if a 2.2 would fit or not….
Also overheard on the weightweenies sub regarding the next Crux
*Saw the bike today. Hidden cables, clearance for 2.2s, and features the new aero wheel set.
Honestly, it’s nothing revolutionary and I don’t see a reason to move from the old frame to this one. If anything I’d grab the new gravel wheels. If I need more than 50mm, I’m simply using my hard tail. I’ve never raced more than 50mm either.
I feel like this bike will get mixed reviews. It’s not offering anything the market hasn’t seen, but it’s taking away a lot of what the biggest fans of the Crux love.*
Finally, DJ and some other Felt riders were on a new Felt frame. Also looks like some super deep Enve gravel wheels spotted as well. I also got word no upgrade to MOG this year
For 2026 I am looking to upgrade my 2022 Crux. As of now I think the main options for this year will be:
MOG
Allied Able
Lauf Seigla
New Crux Model
New Felt Model
- Any other new models rumored??
Other Options:
Otso (after seeing real world clearance)
Keep riding my current Crux set up.
What are others thinking for the best 2026 gravel race bikes?
Add downtube storage (likely) and some consideration for aero and I bet they will sell a bunch of them. I think the allied is a really smart bike (at least for the type racing I do), sounds like the crux may be following that mold. I’d still be a little surprised to see “official” 2.2 clearance, but on the other hand I think they would be dumb not to go there. It’s less of a FU to shimano than it’s been in the past, it seems like a no-brainer to ditch 2x in favor of more tire clearance these days. Even if you optimize the geometry for 50’s, having clearance for 2.2’s opens up options when needed.
The XMCS gravel bike looks the most appealing to me. Tyre clearance of 57mm, short chainstays, good geometry, and sensible pricing with the frameset and handlebars well under 2000€ shipped to Europe. Here’s some more info: XMCS: 2026 Aero Gravel bike
Luaf is announcing something today. I’d be surprised if it’s gravel-related, but we shall see. The Siegla is about 4 years old, but was a bit ahead of the big brands on some trends when it was released. The Siegla replaced the True Grit, which was about 5 years old at the time.
IMO, the obvious “gaps” on the Seigla are downtube storage and integrated/hidden hoses and Lauf has been vocal against adding those in the past. I think the geometry still holds it’s own with today’s bikes, I personally love the fit and how it rides/handles.
I’m a fan of downtube storage, that’s probably my biggest complaint after having the Seigla for a while. As much as I like integrated cabling/hoses in some ways, it definitely has significant downside. Especially on a gravel bike that’s constantly ridden in the slop. And you can’t ever have completely hidden hoses with the suspension fork anyway. If given a choice, I might prefer integrated cabling on an updated Seigla, but it’s close to 50/50 for me.
Honestly, I picked the seigla due to its simplicity, no silly cable routing, fragile/noisy door, and it has monstrous tire and chainring clearance. Don’t like the way gravel bikes are going, so got it because it doesn’t do all the things. I think it is still the workman’s race bike, even with everything else that has and is coming out.
Agree with most of that except the downtube storage. And yeah, it’s poorly executed on some (most?) bikes. The downtube storage on my Epic 8 is outstanding, zero rattles and very solid. Hard not to miss once you’ve had it. If everything is going well, you never use it or know it’s there. But it’s nice to know you always have a spare tube and other emergency stuff in the bike and not have to worry about carrying it. I’m not a fan of saddle bags.
Downtube storage is one of my requirements on my XC and Gravel Bikes. I’m always carrying a lot of crap for long events and already have a lot in pockets.
Tremendously well executed on both the Epic and the Mog for me.
I think the chances are pretty good. Schwalbe has shown it’s 32” gravel tires and will be making them available in 2027 for model year 2028. This might indicate they are working with a manufacturer to provide the tires for that company’s bikes.
The fit and overall geometry issues under discussion for MTBs are, or can be, reduced in gravel bikes but it remains to be seen if there will be forks available to do so. Right now all the apparent forks available are too long given that they’re MTB forks and the most common tire is 32x2.4.
Of course, there’s the separate issue of whether 32” gravel bikes will be designed around XC tires 32x2.1+ or Gravel tires 686-40 through 50. Or span both options.
The downtube storage hatch was less of a red line than head tube cables, I just haven’t played with one that seemed well attached/strong, and it needs to stand up to 1 liter bottles off road. I like them in theory, just not the ones I’ve played with. I value simplicity on my bikes more than most though, as I have a history of being hard on equipment.
Just had to put in a vote for the Argon 18 dark matter, I’m loving the bike. Great tire clearance, downtube storage, integrated cables, and reasonable pricing, way lower than the allied.
I think the Allied is cool. Just a little on the beafy side. If it was more aero then it would be excuseable. But with no clear aero attempt, the high weight and not having more clearance than a much cheeper Lauf, its a hard sell. I know its a new bike but if they did an aero version of that, that would sell.
I am really curious about things like the Cervelo gravel bike. Honestly I think it hits a market. If you live in Colorado or somewhere where the gravel is just a glrofied paved road, I think these bikes will flourish. OR if you live somewhere where the gravel race’s are half road. I dont fancy a 2.1 when I have 45 miles of paved roads inbetween my gravel sectors and will happily run a 42.
I think the definition of what is the best race bike for gravel is highly dependent on a number of factors:
How tall and heavy are you? I say this because if you’re 1.7m tall and 60kg, you don’t need tyres as wide as someone like me (2.03m, 100kg). I’d argue that 50mm for me is equivalent to 38mm for someone of normal size. Not requiring clearance for the widest tyres opens up a lots more bike options.
What sort of gravel are you racing? Is it smooth, champagne hardpack or lumpy, gnarly rough stuff? This will inform the tyre clearance choice, but also how aero the bike is.
What is your budget? It’s all good and well saying that some £10,000 bike is the best bike out there, but who is willing to spend that? Is it better to go a little cheaper on the frame and optimise the groupset and wheelset?
I raced last year on a Canyon Grizl. SL6 with SRAM Apex, GRC1600 wheels. I did the UCI worlds qualifier on 2.2/2.1 Schwalbe Racing Ray/Ralph tyres and the finals on 2.1 Racing Ray/45mm G-One RS.
This year, I’ll be doing the domestic races here in Sweden on a Canyon Grail with 50/45mm G-One RS/Terra Speeds and if I race in the UK, I’ll be on the Grizl with MTB tyres. They are really different terrains, and the average speeds here in Sweden are at least 5kph quicker due to the smooth gravel.
So to conclude, I really don’t think that there is a one best racing bike. Another consideration is that economising a little on the spec of a bike may free up the cash for a really great cycling holiday. What’s more valuable to you? SRAM Red or a week away on an unforgettable cycling tour?
