For years now, gravel has been compared to old-school mountain biking, and that’s only gotten worse as gravel tech has progressed. Now, with suspension forks and dropper posts growing in popularity in the gravel scene, mountain biking’s influence on gravel is becoming very apparent, and it's safe to say that gravel is still experiencing an identity crisis.

• When cycling becomes your job
• 32in wheels for mountain bikes are here but do we need them?
• Gravel is better without tech

I was on the side of gravel bikes being incredibly valid in their own right. And for the most part, I still sit leaning over to that side of the fence. Over flatter and smoother terrain, the gravel bike excels, and with the aerodynamic componentry filtering through the road-cycling influence of the sport, gravel is only getting faster. Of course, UCI-sanctioned gravel racing is progressing the genre faster than ever.

However, in the UK at least, not all gravel roads are perfectly manicured and super smooth. With that, on my gravel bike at least, I’ve come to love any kind of product that introduces some comfort to the bike. Be it a suspension fork, dropper post or simply fatter tyres, my MTB roots have certainly sunk themselves into my gravel tastes.

2024 pinarello dogma xc ht riding 2.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Though more recently, I’ve been using a cross-country bike to train my legs for consistent power over longer distances in preparation for a project we've been working on. This is an area that gravel bikes are tailored for. But I’ve quickly found myself having a better, more comfortable, and more fun time riding my usual, and varied gravel loop on a full suspension cross-country bike - the Lauf Elja, to be specific.

Gravel bikes do bring significant benefits to this style of riding - it’s what they’re built for after all. Without any suspension to squish under pedalling loads, they’re more efficient, and being able to tuck into the drops minimises any drag my (large) torso will certainly create. Skinny tyres, or skinnier tyres, also reduce rolling resistance noticeably.

That said, I’ve been able to match my time, within a minute, give or take, around my usual 52km gravel loop on my XC bike. It’s a very different machine too, with 120mm of suspension at both ends, a dropper post and comparatively huge 2.6in tyres. Not only have I managed to get mighty close to the time I can achieve on my gravel bike, I’ve done so in more comfort and with a lot more confidence.

2024 lauf elja.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Even with RockShox Flight Attendant managing the stiffness of my suspension according to my power output and the terrain, it’s not as quick over flatter fireroads or what I consider 'actual' gravel. I would put this down to the more upright body position that the bike encourages, the increased drag of the larger tyres, and, try as it might, some marginal inefficiencies in my whizzy suspension. Weight doesn't really come into the equation in my case, as the XC bike is of a similar weight to my alloy gravel rig. Maybe some greater gains would be made on a lighter gravel bike?

However, thanks to larger brakes, those bigger tyres and 120mm of suspension at my disposal, I’ve managed to make up any time lost on the flats, on the descents. Even with suspension, descending lumpy terrain on a gravel bike, which naturally places weight far over the front wheel, is a scary (but also fun) endeavour. Because of that, I find myself dragging the comparatively lacklustre brakes, thus limiting any available traction of the slim tyres that are already light in the grip department.

So, from my experience, a cross-country bike can tread into the realms of gravel fairly confidently, but what a gravel bike can’t really do is tread into the realms of cross-country, and that’s where XC bikes take the win for me.

Have you ever ridden your gravel bike through a forest, found all of these trails shooting off either side of the fireroad and wondered where one goes, or attempted to follow it, only to find yourself massively undergunned and having a horrible time? While it’s still very possible to be underbiked on an XC rig, the equipment and geometry they employ open up mountain bike trails, or tracks that would certainly be too much for a skinny-tired gravel bike. So where I've been on a more 'gravel' XC ride, if I felt like tackling a stray mountain bike trail, I could do so without having a change my bibs afterwards.

2023 mondraker dusty xr riding 5.jpg, by Liam Mercer

The choice between a cross-country bike and a gravel bike is a lot easier to make at the racy end of the gravel spectrum. A race-specific gravel bike will outpace a cross-country bike, without a doubt. But where I'm merely an amateur graveller, the speed I've managed to achieve on my cross-country bike has really surprised me. Combine that similar speed with a more comfortable ride, and more confidence when descending, and the XC bike wins out. It's simply more versatile, especially if you buy one with plenty of space for luggage.

But with all of this in mind, it comes as no surprise that bikes such as Lee Cougan’s Innova Super Gravel exist, and that big-distance riders are turning to drop handlebars and aero extensions on their cross-country bikes for events such as Leadville.

You might also like:

• Riding bikes – what’s it all about?
• The best bike upgrade isn't the bike — it's the rider
• What happened to eMTB racing and can it be fixed?