How gravel gearing became 2025's defining Classics tech trend

BikeRadar reports that gravel-specific gearing, characterised by wider cassettes and smaller chainrings, is emerging as the defining technical trend for the 2025 Classics season. This shift, observed across professional teams and manufacturers, indicates a move towards greater gear range and lower ratios, departing from traditional road setups. The article highlights this as a significant development, suggesting its widespread adoption for the demanding cobbled races next year.

This evolution isn't entirely new, with riders like Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert occasionally experimenting with non-standard ratios in previous editions, seeking an edge on the brutal gradients and varied surfaces of races like the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. The increasing technicality and intensity of these events, coupled with the desire for optimal power transfer and cadence control, has evidently pushed manufacturers to formalise and promote these "gravel" setups for road use. It signifies a convergence of disciplines, driven by performance demands.

Ultimately, it’s a pragmatic adaptation. When the roads are effectively gravel, one might as well use the appropriate tools. The peloton, ever keen for marginal gains, will undoubtedly embrace anything that promises an easier push over the Kwaremont.