Year In Review: Best Gravel Gear of 2020
When we started this thing in early 2018 it was largely about the gear. Gravel was a thing, but it wasn’t THE thing. There were untapped regions, unpredictable podiums, clueless executives, and gravel bikes without the gravel specs. We found old solutions for new predicaments as the bike industry was slow to catch up to a consumer-driven trend. Gear designed for “mountain” and “road” bicycles were repurposed for the Roads. You know, all THE ROADS. Anyway, it’s almost 2021 and things turned sideways quick in early 2020. The bicycle became everything to everyone in a very non-traditional year. All the bike companies and riders won, yet there was no racing.
Connections continued online while we ventured deeper, offline. Here in San Diego, the Cleveland National Forest became our destination. If crowded planes and packed vans couldn’t take us there, our bikes would. But the bike itself can only take you so far, and it’s often the other things that make the ride. Your favorite pair of bibs, the most comfortable handlebar tape, or the bag you won’t leave at home. Gravel is all about the gear. There’s no safety of the next gas station or short trek back to the trailhead. When we ride we go deep, making the right equipment choices more important than ever.
With the opportunity to test a myriad of new products in a range of categories, the time has come for our year in review. The Gravelstoke Best of 2020 is intended to be a resource for the adventure cyclist who appreciates suitable, high-quality, durable goods for THE ROADS ahead. Categories were selected to encompass the most critical elements of our setup while offering insights into our favorite product from each.
1. Best Tool - Topeak Torq Stick
The torque wrench is an important tool and every serious cyclist should own one. However, finding a good small one that packs all the right features isn’t easy. The Topeak Torq Stick was a really nice surprise when I first used it. Small, lightweight, and simple to operate without much fuss. A simple dial adjusts the range from 2-10 Nm, which delivers the appropriate torque to a hex drive reversible ratcheting head for quick and reliable installations. The kit includes a five bit magnetic storage pen that detaches from the aluminum body, keeping everything tight and accessible with no soft case or zipper to mess with. If you are looking for a well made torque wrench that does all the right things well, check out the Torq Stick.
2. Best Nutrition - Skratch Labs Sport Superfuel Drink Mix
Although real food is best, sometime I want a good calories in a bottle. But it turns out that not all polysaccharides are created equal, and many sport drinks use a cheap carbohydrate additive that’s often found in candy or soda. After 2 years of development, the athlete focused Skratch Labs launched their Sport Superfuel Drink Mix, and the outcome is impressive. The difference is a carbohydrate that’s more soluble, tastes great and is well tolerated by the stomach. As a result, you can get 400 calories in a single bottle with Skratch Superfuel, versus 250 calories from a comparable product like GU Roctane Energy Drink Mix. So if you’re interested in packing fewer rice cakes on your next ride, give Dr. Lim’s Superfuel a try.
3. Best Sunglasses - Alba Optics ANVMA
The Alba Optics ANVMA are a thing of beauty. Technical yet practical, classic yet modern. ANVMA’s frames are molded with TR90 nylon making them thin, flexible and so light that you’ll forget you’re wearing them. Designed for the cyclist who loves traveling light, the ANVMA is the best adventure eyewear product available today. Trust me, I own two pairs. The prescription lens ready design is handmade in Italy and available in multiple colors including my personal favorite, Green Forest.
The Alba Optics ANVMA costs $135
Learn more at albaoptics.cc
Shop Alba in US at audaxca.com
Follow @albaoptics
4. Best Gravel Shoes - Specialized Recon 3.0
Finding a good shoe is difficult. Finding a good gravel shoe is almost impossible. We spend hours on the bike pedaling over uneven surfaces, encounter water crossings, hike steep sections and climb over gates. No other piece of kit will likely experience the same level of intensity that shoes do. Compounded with the fact that everyone’s feet are unique and product designers have a real challenge. Enter the new Specialized Recon 3.0. The Recon not only looks amazing, but it does a better job than most in providing all day, ergonomically-focused comfort. Its materials provide durable performance while the double BOA adjustment offers a precise fit. If you’re looking for a better gravel shoe in 2021, give the Specialized Recon 3.0 a look, your toes will thank you.
5. Best Jersey - Velocio Men’s Micromodal Long Sleeve
For me, 2020 was the year I left the traditional cycling jersey behind in search for a better alternative. This past summer I found myself grabbing a long sleeve lightweight jersey or fishing shirt even on hot summer days for improved air flow and protection from the sun. The new Velocio Micromodal Long Sleeve hits the mark perfectly with its casual style and comfortable-lightweight feel, while still maintaining three back jersey pockets. If you’re searching for a new look, while maintaining the traditional utility of cycling jersey, look no further than the Velocio Micromodal LS, available in men’s and women’s in both long and short sleeve.
6. Best Tubeless Sealant - Squirt SEAL Tyre Sealant
You may have heard of Squirt’s wax based chain lube, but have you tried their SEAL tyre sealant? On par with the best sealants we’ve tested, Squirt SEAL lasts long and does an excellent job of sealing small punctures. Comprised of latex, microfibres and BeadBlock™ granules, the product’s multi-ingredient approach was quick to seal on more than one occasion. If you are looking for a reliable tubeless sealant give SEAL a try and let us know what you think.
Squirt SEAL Tyre Sealant with BeadBlock 150mL costs $12.50
Learn more at squirtcyclingproducts.com
Follow @squirtcyclingproducts
7. Best Seatpost - PNW Components Coast Suspension Dropper
While I was already a big fan of dropper posts on gravel bikes, admittedly I was skeptical on suspension seatposts on any bike. But in my search for a 27.2 dropper, the PNW Coast had my attention. The Coast Dropper’s unique design adds air-tuned suspension inside the post, and at times I even forgot it was there. At first it was a bit distracting, but then I came to appreciate the slight amount of travel that subtracts a fair amount of bumps over the course of a long grind. And while the dropper post advantages remained, it was the 40mm of tuneable travel that I came to appreciate most about the Coast Suspension Dropper. If you are curious about suspension droppers, but you are not keen on how most of them look, don’t miss the PNW Components Coast Suspension Dropper, available with both internal and external cable routing options.
8. Best Large Bag - Bags by Bird Better Half Framebag
Designed specifically for gravel bikes with 0-10 degrees of top tube slope, the Bags by Bird (BXB) Better Half Framebag is simply delightful. The Better Half’s flap-fold-fidlock design works so well because it fits perfectly with so many bikes, and its magnetic closure mechanism destroys the zipper. If you’re thinking that the loss of a downtube bottle cage mount was a flaw, that’s actually this bag’s strength. I would often pack an extra 22oz Enjoy bottle inside the Better Half. Protected from the sun, these bottles would stay cold 2-3 hours longer than cage mounted bottles on the hottest summer days. The two compartments (right and left side) stored my phone, snacks, sunscreen, lights, cokes, burritos and tubolitos (not all at once). The BXB BHF is handmade in Atlanta and available now in black, black camo, coyote and marigold.
9. Best Gravel Tires - Hutchinson Touareg
If the Gravel King and the Venture had a child, it would probably look like the Touareg. The Hutchinson Touareg 650b x 47mm has a wide and compact small-block design that performs well on everything a gravel tire should. It’s also lightweight, comfortable, durable and surprisingly resilient against anything sharp. Whether riding, racing, commuting, or bikepacking, I can’t find anything that the Touareg doesn’t like. These tires have been on my Exploro since August even with three sets of tires in the queue, I can’t get myself to take them off. I wonder if they could last a whole year?
10. Best Gravel Bike - Santa Cruz Stigmata
Just look at it. The Santa Cruz Stigmata is the best looking carbon gravel bike available today, IMHO. The Stiggy experienced a refresh in 2019 that made it less cross and more boss. It’s fast, comfortable, lightweight, easy to work on and really well designed. The entire consumer experience is everything it should be, and I couldn’t tell you one thing I don’t like about this mustard CC. But that experience does come at a cost. My build, spec’d with SRAM Force/Eagle AXS and carbon Reserve 22 wheels is available for $6700.
Shop Santa Cruz Stigmata CC builds from $5309
Learn more at santacruzbicycles.com
Follow @santacruzbicycles
Thanks for reading and please let us know your thoughts, suggestions or differences of opinion in the comments below. With enough engagement you can expect a Part II of this Best Gravel Cycling Gear of 2020 to follow with tentative categories to include:
Best Light for Gravel
Best Gloves for Gravel
Best Bib Short for Gravel
Best Helmet for Gravel
Best Off-The-Bike Gear
Best GPS Computer for Gravel
Best Small Bag for Gravel
Best Saddle for Gravel
Best Gravel Handlebar
Best Gravel Wheelset