While gravel cycling is splintering into different racing niches, the discipline is fast-becoming more demanding for both riders and bikes, as I experienced firsthand at Gravel Burn last year. I’m sure many of our readers will recall my Gravel Burn recap, where I mentioned I’d have been better off on a Cannondale Topstone than the SuperX Lab71 I used for the event. The reason for this change of heart was the sheer brutality of the terrain, which, at times, I felt was better suited to a mountain bike.
Some of the Pinarello team, including owner Ivan Glasenberg, were at the Gravel Burn riding the event on Dogma GR and Grevil gravel bikes and would have seen firsthand the demands of modern gravel stage racing and where future events might be heading. Fast forward a few months, and in an interesting twist, Pinarello has lifted the lid on the Grevil MX, which claims to “combine the aerodynamic efficiency of a road bike with the stability and control of a mountain bike.” The Grevil MX will join the current Grevil range, offering riders a more capable machine for challenging events.
(Image credit: Pinarello)
A new recipe or a remix?
Pinarello hasn’t completely reinvented the wheel here; rather, it has repackaged the Dogma XC hardtail mountain bike with a fresh lick of paint and a drop bar. This move was broadly employed at Gravel Burn, where many riders elected to use hardtail mountain bikes with drop bars, including Scott-SRAM’s Andri Frischknecht, who was on a Scott Scale with drop bars. Those on gravel bikes with suspension or mountain bikes with drop bars were at a clear advantage, with forks that soak up ruts and washboards and geometry better suited to steep, technical downhills.
While the press release waxes lyrical about how the Grevil MX is “shaped and reinforced to withstand the high torsional forces typical of aggressive gravel riding”, the bottom line is that the frameset is a repurposed Dogma XC mountain bike. A review of the geometry numbers corroborates our assumptions, with the same 67.75-degree head angle, 75-degree seat tube angle, 101mm trail, and 425mm chainstays (in medium) as the Dogma XC. It even utilises the same 100mm 32 Float Step-Cast (SC) Factory fork. The main difference lies in the inclusion of the Most Talon Ultra Light cockpit, which is found on the brand’s flagship road and gravel bikes.
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(Image credit: Pinarello)
Specced to go
With rumours of gravel frames cracking due to the demanding terrain of Gravel Burn, the introduction of a dedicated bike such as the Grevil MX will be welcomed by many. Like the Dogma XC, the Grevil MX will better handle the high torsional forces and high-frequency bumps and repetitive impacts of technical gravel riding, thanks to the layup of the Toray M40J carbon fibre frame and specifically shaped chain and seatstays.
While the Grevil MX should be able to easily clear 2.35-inch tyres owing to its Dogma XC blueprint, Pinarello says the bike is optimised for 50mm gravel tyres to balance speed and comfort, and recommends Schwalbe G-One RS Pro. Unlike the Dogma XC and regular gravel setups in Pinarello’s range, the Grevil MX will use a 12-speed SRAM AXS Mullet setup. As such, it combines a 38T chainring with an Eagle 10-52T cassette, complete with an XX SL T-Type rear mountain bike derailleur to ensure secure and efficient chain actuation.
The frameset is compatible with both electronic and mechanical groupsets (with internal cable routing), includes provision for a UDH hanger and can play nicely with a 30.9mm dropper post. It’s available in four sizes (S, M, L, XL) and one colour, midnight blue. The complete system weight is 9,04kg (medium). As expected, the Pinarello Grevil MX will not be easy on the wallet, with the SRAM AXS build priced at €8,500.
(Image credit: Pinarello)
Tech spec: Pinarello Grevil MXGroupset: SRAM XX SL Eagle AXS 10-52TChainrings: 32 to 38TBrakes: 160mm front/rear (The fork can accommodate up to 180mm rotors)Wheels: DT Swiss XRC 1200 110/148 XDRSuspension Fork: Fox 32 Float Step-Cast Factory, 100mmTyres: Schwalbe G-One R Pro, 50mmSaddle: Lynx 2.0 XC Superflow S CarbonHandlebar: Most Talon Ultra LightSeatpost: 400mm 30.9 seatpost with oval carbon railsWeight: 9.04kg (size M)Price: €8,500