Just How Different Is a Pro’s Gravel Bike from an Amateur’s?

One of the best parts of an event like SBT GRVL is the ability for normal, everyday cyclists to mix it up with the pros. It also gives people the chance to see how the pros set up their bikes differently–and sometimes the same–than the amateur riders at SBT.

This type of access allows us to see just how different the pros set up their bikes against an amateur, albeit a very experienced one.

Here, the pros are represented by Keegan Swenson and Tobin Ortenblad. Both were aboard new SRAM Red AXS groupsets.

And in comparison? A very willing (and kind) Dan N., who also rode the 125-mile Black Course of SBT GRVL 2024. While Dan also brought a new Santa Cruz Stigmata to the race set up with a SRAM electronic groupset, there were some critical differences in bike setup.

Let’s compare how a pro sets up their gravel bike compared to an amateur cyclist. Both take their setups seriously for the same event, but the bikes end up being quite a bit different.

Tire differences

Tire choice was perhaps the most obvious choice between the pros and non-pros at SBT GRVL. I dive deeper into this in my story covering Five Tech Trends We Found from SBT GRVL 2024, but the pros found themselves riding Black Course, a 125-mile loop that is far and away the most rugged and demanding SBT GRVL course yet.

The Black Course suffered from several segments that recently received new gravel, making the terrain unpredictably loose in some parts. There was also the addition of ‘The Wall,’ one of the steepest sections of any SBT GRVL route yet. Not only did it require a low gear, but it was loose enough to make it nearly impossible to get away with the narrow tires of years past.

The recommendation from SBT? Don’t bother bringing anything narrower than a 45 mm wide tire.

Swenson and Ortenblad took advantage of the massive tire clearance the fourth-generation Stigmata offers. That means there was a 29 x 2.1” Maxxis Aspen out back paired with a 2.25” Aspen ST up front. Those are dedicated XC bike tire widths, formerly cast aside before being adopted for a generally fast gravel race. Maybe gravel bikes really are just worse than mountain bikes? (Jokes!)

This Stigmata was set up a bit differently in the tire department. Dan N. went a Maxxis Reaver in the 700c x 45 mm width. Dan saw that SBT announced a recommended 45 mm width in the week leading into SBT GRVL and quickly pivoted.

Yes, both riders used a Maxxis tire, and both even have somewhat similar tire treads. But while the pros maxed their tire clearance, Dan went for a balanced approach of speed, comfort, and grip.

Both Tobin and Dan felt they were quite happy with their tire choices after the race.

Aero still matters

Tobin opted for a Ritchey MonoCurve Carbon Integrated bar and stem. It’s a road bar, which offers a stiff front end that you can really pull on in a sprint. Perhaps more interesting still, the bar was discontinued years ago. It is old enough that it doesn’t have its dedicated out-front computer mount. Thus, the Garmin computer is strapped to the top of the stem.

Dan’s gone for the stock bar setup. That means there’s a Zipp Service Course alloy stem and Service Course XPLR alloy bar. Both are proven, reliable components, but neither are quite as light or as stiff as the one-piece Ritchey cockpit.

Few other people used this shoe cover that Keegan placed over the tops of his Giro Empire SLX shoes. Doing so offers just a bit of aero efficiency, just in a place that continues to be shoved into the wind with each pedal stroke. That, plus the Silca aero socks, and it’s clear that Keegan Swenson is looking for marginal gains.

Should you adopt a lower position on your gravel bike? Probably not unless you know you can maintain it comfortably. No need to fold yourself into a pretzel without the ability to maintain said pretzel shape. And as tempting as aero socks are, I’m not convinced they’ll make you much faster on a gravel bike and their lower speeds.

The pros go for the very best wheels and drivetrains

What do the pros use? Whatever their sponsors offer, obviously. It so happens that both Tobin’s and Keegan’s drivetrains line up with Dan’s.

The top two SBT GRVL finishers were both on new variations of SRAM Red AXS. Keegan opted for the new 13-speed Red XPLR AXS groupset, while Tobi’s bike was built with a 12-speed variation. Doing so exchanges a tighter set of gears in the middle of the cassette for a better low gear: 48 up front with a 10-52t cassette to be specific.

Keegan and Tobin also diverge on wheelset choice. Keegan opted for a Reserve 40|44 wheelset that has a bit of extra pedaling stiffness and the smallest bit of aero efficiency. It’s a far cry from the deep Reserve wheels Keegan went for last year.

Tobin uses Reserve 25 carbon wheels, a shallow rim that prioritizes low weight and ride smoothness. One could go with a deeper rim, but the wide tire width alone makes any aero gains made from the rim a challenge.

Dan also built his Stigmata with a SRAM groupset, though it is Rival AXS XPLR, perhaps the single most common groupset on new bikes at SBT GRVL.

This Stigmata uses the stock drivetrain, and Dan swapped for a spindle-based SRAM Rival power meter. That includes the 40t chainring that comes stock with the Stigmata, as well as the stock 11-44t Rival XPLR cassette.

Dan’s Stigmata uses the stock Easton ARC 25 alloy rims laced to DT Swiss 370 hubs. This alloy wheelset is proven, durable, and easy to repair. It’s not as light or as responsive as the Reserve carbon wheels on the pro bikes, but it is more than enough to perform at SBT.

Why the difference in gearing? Because the pros can, mostly. The 40-10 top-end gearing on Dan’s Stigmata still allows the rider to travel at roughly 30 mph at a 100 RPM cadence. Few will need more than that on their gravel bikes.

Different tool placements

The pros need their bikes to be as light as possible. “Duh,” you say in unison. But as far as tools are concerned in gravel, they also need them to be as easy to access as possible.

Tobin placed his main tools–a CO2 cartridge and a Blackburn tubeless plug kit– on either side of the seat tube bottle cage. Both are easy to access and from my personal experience, easy to use.

Keegan Swenson has a propensity for not using any dedicated mounts for his tools and plugs. That continues here as he elected to secure a Stan’s dart to his top tube using electrical tape.

Dan has opted to use a saddle bag out back to secure his essentials. It’s a smart, tidy option, though it does neglect to use the rather sizable downtube storage hatch the Stigmata offers.

So, what’s the same?

People complain regularly about how expensive bikes are. But one of the many beauties of a bicycle is it allows normal people to ride the stuff the pros do, so long as they’re willing to spend the money.

Dan’s Stigmata doesn’t cost quite as much as the bikes that placed one-two at SBT GRVL 2024, but the core tenants are the same. Specifically, that comes from the same progressive gravel geometry as well as the massive clearance for tires and mud.

Ultimately, what’s the same about these bikes is the dirt on them. Dan’s Stigmata might be more modest but it has the same dirt and conquered the same terrain as the pro bikes. Not many bikes can say the same.