5 Wild Gravel Bikes from Chiricahua Gravel Camp
Two years ago, we joined The Cycling House for the inaugural Chiricahua Gravel Camp in Rodeo, New Mexico, a fleet of adventure-ready gravel bikes gathered to tackle the rugged terrain of the southeastern Arizona’s largest Sky Island. With fall season upon us, memories of the Chiricahuas are on our mind, so we're pulling five of those bikes out of the archive for a closer look. A few of these rigs are also a bit of a time capsule, early examples of brands still feeling out gravel geometry and compliance before the industry realized tires offer all the suspension we need. Each bike brings us back to that five day camp and the friends we met along the way. Check out the bikes below, and hit the link for our full story on what made the inaugural Chiricahua Gravel Camp an unforgettable experience. And keep an eye out, our recap from this summer's Montana Gravel Summer Camp with TCH is coming soon.
1. Suzanne’s Chamois Hagar
Among the assembled gravel rigs, the Evil Bikes Chamois Hagar stood apart with its progressive geometry. The slack head tube angle and generous tire clearance proved to be the perfect match for Suzanne as she confidently tackled technical terrain while maintaining pace with the lead group throughout the 4-day tour. Her enthusiasm for the SRAM Reverb AXS XPLR dropper post was evident, as she maximized its utility on the varied terrain. The bike's triple bottle mount configuration and WTB Venture 700x50 tires rounded out a thoughtful build, providing both ample hydration capacity and the ideal balance of compliance and grip needed when climbing mountains and descending on the Chiricahua’s tenderizing washboards.
2. Jon’s Moots Vamoots CRD
Jon Cariveau's Moots Vamoots CRD (Complete Race Design) emerged as perhaps the most visually striking bike on our Sky Island adventure. The CRD distinguishes itself in the Moots lineup through its fully integrated cockpit and T47 bottom bracket, resulting in an impossibly clean aesthetic with internally routed brake lines. With tire clearance up to 45c, the CRD proved remarkably versatile across the Chiricahua's varied terrain, from hardpack fire roads to chunky gravel and ribbons of tarmac. Jon's choice of Terreno Zero Lite tires complemented his skillful riding style, offering both speed on straightaways and confident grip through loose corners. The bike's custom Ground Swell finish manages to elevate the titanium fabrication even further, combining matte anodization with precisely placed bright polished details.
3. Dave’s Revel R+
For the inaugural Chiricahua Gravel, I opted for the Revel R+ Titanium, equipped with SRAM's Force XPLR eTap AXS groupset. The 42t chainring paired with a 10-44 cassette provided enough gear range for the diverse terrain, while the Revel carbon wheels wrapped in Soma Cazadero 700x50 tires delivered both speed and stability. The Gravelstoke x Topo Designs Top Tube Bag proved to be a reliable companion, staying firmly secured while keeping essentials within easy reach. The titanium frame's natural compliance, combined with the high-volume tires, struck a perfect balance, maintaining efficiency on long pavement sections while taming the occasional washboard and rocky terrain.
4. Mike’s Moots Routt YBB
Mike's Moots Routt YBB brought a bit of mountain bike DNA to the fleet, and it suited him. The titanium frame runs Moots' YBB micro suspension, a small amount of rear travel tuned to take the edge off without turning mushy on smooth ground, and Mike leaned on it through four days of rough terrain, riding strong and steady across the group. Tire clearance up to 50mm gave him room to run wide and confident on loose descents, while three bottle mounts let him keep hydration and tools low for a steadier center of gravity.
5. Todd’s Pinarello GAN GR-S Disk
And finally, Todd's Pinarello GAN GR-S Disk was a real blast from gravel's confused past. Launched in 2016, it translates elite European cobbled classic tech straight onto a road frame, right down to the DSS micro suspension elastomer bolted onto the seatstays, borrowed from Team Sky's Paris Roubaix race bike and good for about ten millimeters of rear travel. The geometry never really left its road race roots though, steep angles, an aggressive stance, and a tire clearance ceiling of just 38mm that looks almost comically tight by today's standards. Pinarello rounded it out with a wave shaped fork and asymmetrical tubing built to “fight drivetrain torque”, an odd, over engineered answer to rough roads. Hats off to Todd for tackling the Chiricahuas on it, though if you're lucky enough to grab a spot at an upcoming Chiricahua trip with The Cycling House, bring something with bigger tires and slacker angles.
🖊📷 Dave Malwitz | follow
