Ignore the naysayers, gravel suspension WILL make you faster! Here's why I think it should be standard on all gravel bikes
Gravel riders seek compliance, but why not suspension? Here's why I think suspension is the way forwards for gravel, and not just for elite riders
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With Canyon’s suspension-equipped gravel bike being spotted at the Traka, suspension forks on gravel bikes have once again been a big talking point. As a mountain biker who dabbles in gravel, I reckon it's not a matter of ‘if but when’ with the widespread adoption of suspension components on gravel bikes, and that’s only going to make gravel faster.
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It’s not just Canyon kicking off the suspension debate once again, as big distance gravel and record chasing supremo Lachlan Morton also weighed in, claiming that big tyres are “trying to mimic what suspension does”, as our friends at BikeRadar have reported recently. To a point, he’s not wrong.
Large volume tyres bring more grip and compliance to the party, which both branch off into a whole bunch of other benefits. Those include increased braking power, less rolling resistance, and more comfort via better vibration reduction. However, a tyre’s ability to deform and absorb vibration is in no way controlled. Typically, a tyre will rebound quickly after it absorbs a bump, and while that will lessen vibration transmitted to the handlebar, or bike in general, it can only do that so much before suffering the downsides of tyre pressures that are too low.
2025 boardman trvl fork 1.jpg, by Liam Mercer
That's where suspension comes in. I’ll admit, I’m a little biased here because I love a suspended gravel bike and because of my mountain bike background. But suspension of any type isolates whichever wheel from the frame. Throw adjustable damping into the mix, and I believe that even for the increased weight, gravel-specific suspension will make any kind of rider faster.
Of course, suspension forks bring better comfort to a gravel bike’s front end, so riders will no longer be white knuckling it down loose descents, but a gravel fork does so much to boost rider confidence in all scenarios. Even with the fattest tyres, compared to a bike equipped with a gravel fork, a lot of vibration is still transferred to the hands. So when cranking over potholed and lumpy fireroads, the rider can focus more on laying down the watts, rather than fending off arm pump.
2023 mondraker dusty xr riding 3.jpg, by Liam Mercer
As suspension moves independently of the frame, riders can load the bike and trust it better in corners, simply because there’s more than just the tyre working to achieve good traction. Both the tyre’s carcass is working to absorb bumps and the suspension itself. That effect then boosts braking traction, owing to, again, lesser vibrations at the bar. With a suspension fork, gravel riders can lean on the brakes with much more confidence, too, while reaping increasing braking power thanks, again, to more traction.
Ultimate USE Vybe Suspension Stem Hero.jpg, by Matthew Page
I can feel the question coming, “What about suspension stems?”. They’re a different ball game altogether. They do a great job of damping vibrations, which is their main intention, but in my opinion they do little to retain the geometry of a handlebar as they make it more dynamic - the handlebar’s rise and angle move during impact, owing to the fact that it's isolated from the movement of the whole bike. That’s not the best feeling, having a handlebar dive under heavy braking when tackling steeper terrain reduces confidence. Although it does boost grip a little, a suspension stem doesn't offer the increase in traction that a fork can.
A suspension fork does dive under braking load, but it can be tuned to do so minimally, and one that’s set up properly will still reward with better traction. Additionally, the handlebar and the bike’s dynamic geometry will feel more natural as the fork uses its travel.
Aero is, of course, a big talking point too, and it’s very unlikely that a suspension fork will be as aerodynamic as a standard carbon fork. That said (I’m not being scientific here), I believe that all of the benefits will outweigh the extra weight and drag over your average gravel course. Plus, let’s keep hoping that RockShox unveils its rumoured linkage fork, which is certainly more aero than telescopic options.
I can bang on about frame compliance, too. Yes, it's a lighter-weight method of bringing comfort to the game, but like tyres, it's not damped or particularly controlled. It does make things more comfortable, but why not make a stiff frame for power transfer and add a suspension component? Yes, pedal bob is something to combat, but what if that suspension comes with RockShox's auto-adjusting Flight Attendant tech? Alright, I might be getting ahead of myself there.
Gravel bikes are compared to 90s mountain bikes all the time, and throwing suspension onto them doesn’t help, but there’s a reason why suspension has become part and parcel of mountain biking - it’s more comfortable, grippier, it's faster and just better. Suspension is going to become a much bigger aspect of gravel, and it’s time to embrace it. It’ll make you faster.
Do you agree? Let us know your thoughts in the comments
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10 comments
I bought a Giant RevoltX, with Rockshox Rudy gravel suspension. Over rougher gravel - like you get on the typical forestry roads in UK and Ireland - it's a revelation. You have much more control on descents, it's just another level (as anyone whose ridden rigid v front-sus MTBs down trails will know). But the real difference is in endurance - after hours of riding, you're just not as fatigued as you would be when your arms have to take all the battering.
There is a down-side. I've also ridden "gravel" in Spain, where it was more a mix of completely hard-packed dirt that was almost as smooth as UK tarmac, and concreted paths with smatterings of gravel over it, and lots of gradient. On those courses, there was little gain from the suspension, but the 1kg weight penalty of the suspension was noticable.
Investigating getting a rigid carbon fork, with the right adapters for headtube, for the smoother courses. Then the RevoltX will be perfectly adaptable for any kind of gravel.
I use my gravel bike basically as a ruggedised road bike, something that will take the stresses and strains that a poorly maintained British road inflects on you. I might do the odd bit of light off-road here and there but I really don't need the added weight and complexity of suspension. If I was doing anything "gnarly" enough to require suspension I'd prefer to be on a flat bar bike anyway.
I think "gravel" is quite a broad category, and unless it gets split into distinct sub-categories you're going to continue to see a wide variety of bikes within that category. Certainly some of them will have suspension, but I expect most of them will not.
If you really need suspension, just get a XC MTB.....
Thanks but no thanks. I want something simple and easy to maintain. As it is I find maintaining disc brakes a PITA, adding suspension is a no no for me.
Yep, I ran a bike repair business and suspension was a nightmare. First, nobody ever services their suspension until it fails. Then you have to disassemble the bike to send it off for 3 figure sums for servicing with no guarantee that the fork will be serviceable.
Service yourself? Special tools, part specific spares, complex procedures, some involving risk of injury, and no guarantee you have a working fork are the end.
Imagine bleeding SRAM Avid disc brakes and multiply stress by 10.
Naysayer here. There's nowhere near enough travel on gravel suspension forks to make an appreciable difference over high volume low pressure tubeless tyres which are probably already fitted, and if you want more travel you actually need cross country full susser.
There is no reason for gravel suspension - only to sell you more crap you dont need.
If popularised in 90's tubeless would have slowed the development of MTB suspension.
Its a sad state of affairs that suspension came before fat low pressure tyres.
Naysayer here. There's nowhere near enough travel on gravel suspension forks to make an appreciable difference over high volume low pressure tubeless tyres which are probably already fitted, and if you want more travel you actually need cross country full susser.
There is no reason for gravel suspension - only to sell you more crap you dont need.
If popularised in 90's tubeless would have slowed the development of MTB suspension.
Its a sad state of affairs that suspension came before fat low pressure tyres.
The main reason people like rigid forks is because maintaining a suspension fork is a pain in the ass. Like look up the service intervals they expect you to do... Every 50 hours for a lower leg service? Every 100 hours for a damper and spring service??? It's obscene. If someone wants to deal with that they can go out of their way to pick a bike with one, or get one aftermarket, but it should definitely not be the standard.
I'm here for full-face helmets on gravel bikes! Let's go!
Naysayer here.
The "it's going to make gravel faster" argument that seems to be the premise of this whole article, is missing the mark.
First of all, I don't think I've ever seen anyone debate that. Yes, in most circumstances it will probably be faster.
Are we all in a race now, though? Or is that a relatively minor subset of the gravel riders, and is the rest just out to have a good time? To challenge themselves a bit for their riding skills and stamina, enjoy the outdoors, and enjoy the fun that brings?
Why would those riders want to be home a few minutes earlier?
The very reason gravel riding became so popular, is that it harkens back to a simpler time, with uncomplicated bikes (yep, just like those early nineties mtbs, but more modern), and not just following predetermined mtb trails, but inviting exploration.
Suspension made mtbs more capable, but it also completely changed the sport, now involving body protection, full face helmets, suspension setups, high risk, bike parks, etc. etc.
I'll let everyone decide for themselves if this new mountain biking is better or more fun, but fact is that that new sport already exists. So why would we want to go the same route with gravel bikes?
Just keep it simple! After all, it seems that people are already having a blast on their gravel bikes.