Face Off: Two Gravel Bikes (For Triathletes) Go Head to Head

This article originally appeared on Triathlete

Triathletes tend to have a penchant for the latest trends--and gravel riding certainly ticks that box. With more and more multisporters heading off road and onto gravel (and with USAT announcing its Gravel Tri Series), we decided it was time to put two top gravel bikes to the test and give you the lowdown (from the tri POV, of course). We chose the Specialized S-Works Crux and the Obed GVR GRX: both great gravel bikes, but very different price tags and very different machines. We rode both on a mix of terrain (and road) to thoroughly put them to the test for durations ranging from 60-minute social spins to three-hour training rides.

RELATED: How to Train for Gravel Triathlon

Specialized S-Works Crux and Obed GVR GRX: The facts and similarities

Both bikes are performance-oriented carbon gravel bikes with hydraulic disc groupsets, carbon wheels, excellent tire clearance, and racer geometries. But that's about where the similarities start and end, especially when it comes to respective costs. At $12,250 for the complete bike, the Crux is unapologetically expensive--and more than three times the price of the GVR ($3,800). While this might not necessarily make this the most fair of head-to-head tests, we've kept this front of mind when comparing both bikes:

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