Giant Revolt X Pro

Steve Shrubsall gives Giant's gravel mile-muncher a multisurface mauling

- Steve Shrubsall

£6,499 | 9.9kg

People often look at gravel bikes and ask why… Why aren’t you using a road bike? Why aren’t you using a mountain bike? Why are you riding a hardtail with drop bars?

Indeed, I used to ponder the same kind of queries. Do we really need gravel bikes? What purpose do they serve in the UK, where quality gravel paths are not exactly in abundance?

With the Giant Revolt X, the plot thickens. Not only does the Taiwanese marque’s latest gravel offering come with 52mm tyre clearance, but you’ll also find a remotely operated dropper post, a flip-chip to tweak geometry settings, and 40mm front travel courtesy of a RockShox Rudy Ultimate fork.

What’s the point? Well, we’ll get to that…

PROS & CONS

PROS

OFF-ROAD COMFORT 

PERFECTLY SPECCED

CONS

A BIT HEAVY FOR A GRAVEL BIKE 

REMOTE DROPPER SWITCH HINDERED RIDING IN THE DROPS

Frame 

The headline here is probably the flip-chip technology – which comes more or less as standard on modern mountain bikes. Located in the rear dropout, the chip allows instant geometry, wheelbase and tyre clearance tweaks, essentially making two bikes out of one. Longer wheelbases are conducive to more technical riding, offering more comfort on rock-strewn trails and greater control on uneven descents.