BIKERADAR NAMES REVOLT X ADVANCED PRO GRAVEL BIKE OF THE YEAR!
Posted by Eric Roque on
FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2023
The new Revolt X Advanced Pro has been selected by BikeRadar for its coveted Bike of the Year Awards, earning the title for Gravel Bike of the Year.
A year after the Revolt Advanced Pro captured BikeRadar’s overall 2022 Bike of the Year title, its more rough-road-capable cousin, the Revolt X Advanced Pro, took home this year's Gravel Bike of the Year award.
Competing against a field of finalists that included the BMC Kaius 01 One, Factor Ostro Gravel, Ridley Kanzo Adventure Rival AXS, and Pivot Vault Ultegra Di2, the Revolt X Advanced Pro was put to the test on the rugged terrain around Salisbury Plain in the south of England.
The bikes were ridden back-to-back over the span of a few weeks to compare the pros and cons of each contender, with testing taking place on wide gravel roads, forest fire roads, and singletrack trails. There was also a 70-mile test route over mixed terrain that included significant elevation change.
The specific model tested was the Revolt X Advanced Pro 1, which pairs a smooth riding composite frameset with 40mm of front end suspension travel that absorbs bumps and impacts so you can ride faster with more control over rugged gravel and dirt.
Standing out against the competition, the Revolt X Advanced Pro impressed testers with its “huge clearances, wide tires, two forms of suspension, and handling that’s so easy to get in sync with when the going gets lumpy and twisty.”
Comparing it to the Revolt Advanced Pro, BikeRadar senior technical editor Warren Rossiter wrote: “The Revolt X showcases the bike’s pure off-road readiness rather than its versatility… Out goes the lightweight carbon fork and seatpost. In comes a RockShox Rudy XPLR Ultimate 40mm-travel fork… Tires are swapped for something chunkier, and the geometry has been tweaked to bring the handling towards off-road maneuverability. In all, the Revolt X is just about as much fun as pure gravel bikes get.”
Looking at what makes the Revolt X Advanced Pro stand out against the competition, Rossiter added that, “The Revolt X works brilliantly off-road. The frame still has the same efficient feeling that made the original so addictive to ride. However, here it combines it with enough bump-taming tech to mean you’ll never have to think twice about which trail you take.”
Regarding the bike's component spec, Rossiter was thoroughly impressed, particulalry with the choice in wheels, noting that, “The Advanced Pro 1 gets a very competent specification for the money. One of the first highlights is the wheelset – Giant’s own 1,398g (claimed) CXR 1 boasts a high-quality performance road bike wheel weight, rather than one typical of toughened gravel bike wheels built to take hard knocks.”
Rossiter also applauded the decision to outfit the bike with a suspension fork, noting: “The Rudy Ultimate fork might provide ‘only’ 40mm of travel, but it uses it to stunning effect, swallowing up high-frequency, energy-sapping vibrations with ease. Ruts and roots are nulled well too – you’ll still feel them, but they won’t jar. The way the fork works through rough terrain impresses, delivering progressive compression resistance the further through the travel you push. For a short 40mm-travel fork to feel almost bottomless is an impressive feat.”
Summing up the overall performance of the Revolt X, Rossiter concluded that: “Given the technical nature of the trails I tested this bike on, the fact I never once wished I was on a mountain bike speaks volumes.”
For more, check out the full review at BikeRadar.com.
And for all the technical details on the entire Revolt X range, click here.
Source:
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/global/news/bikeradar-names-revolt-x-advanced-pro-gravel-bike-of-the-year/27727