Choosing your gravel bike
Still on the fence about which kind of gravel biking you want to do: adventure or all-round? Look no further; we’ve pitted our R-Spec, all-road, against the G-Spec, gravel and adventure.
So, you’ve heard the buzz, and you’re ready to get into gravel bikes this year.
Maybe, though, you’re still on the fence about which kind of gravel biking you want to do: adventure or all-round?
Look no further; we’ve done the research for you and pitted our R-Spec, all-road, against the G-Spec, gravel and adventure.
As you probably guessed, the R in R-Spec stands for road. If you’re planning on attacking the asphalt, on your own or in a group, with occasional forays onto packed gravel trails, then the R-Spec is the machine for you.
The different versions of the R-Spec have a few things in common: they all come equipped with reasonable and comfortable tires, the Maxxis Re-Fuse size 700x32. They also all feature a front derailleur to allow you to find the perfect cadence for your group rides. And we’ve designed all three R-Specs with a classic cockpit: handlebars that match the width of your shoulders without exterior flare. In other words, the R-Spec offers exactly the configuration sought-after by road cyclists who seek the freedom to explore.
The road is calling, but it’s more a call to the road less travelled: the rough roads, the abandoned or logging roads, the wooded trail, or even the mountain single-track, found deep in a national park. In short, the G in G-Spec is for gravel, for gnarly, for when you need to just give’er.
Adventure is in the DNA of the Hatchet G-Spec, whether you’re heading out for a day of fun or for a week of bike-packing.
That’s why all five configurations of the Hatchet G-Spec come equipped with Maxxis Rambler 700x45 tires, ready to face difficult terrain and loose snow. When it comes to the cockpit, we provide a bit more handlebar flare in the G-Spec than the R-Spec, giving you more width and control.
Choosing a Hatchet means choosing flexibility without having to ignore the call to adventure or forgetting the taste of the open road.
Whether you choose the Hatchet R-Spec or the G-Spec, either frame can be outfitted with 700x45 tires (or even a bit bigger, to be perfectly honest).
And finally, any Hatchet configuration comes with a variety of mounts for racks, mudguards, and other bike bags and accessories for bike-packing and cycle touring.