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The Ridley Ignite GTX tickles the line between a highly rugged gravel hardtail and “we put a dropbar on our hardtail MTB frame.” Ridley is calling it an “Alpine Gravel Bike.” From the looks of it, they’ve gone all-in on a platform that blurs the lines between gravel and MTB more than ever before. (All Images: Ridley Bikes) The Ignite GTX is built from the ground up with mountain bike geometry ( it is a mountain bike frame—you can see it in MTB mode here) , big tire clearance, and an optional 100mm travel suspension fork.
So, are we looking at the next evolution of gravel? Or have we just come full circle back to the drop-bar hardtail debate? Ridley Ignite GTX out wild A Gravel Bike… or a Mountain Bike with Drop Bars?
Ridley says the Ignite GTX is designed for ultra-endurance racing, extreme adventure, and bikepacking—think Atlas Mountain Race, Tour Divide, and everything epic.
Ridley’s idea behind the Ignite GTX is simple: Mountain bikes handle the rough stuff well but lack speed on flatter terrain, while gravel bikes excel on smooth surfaces but struggle in technical sections. Ridleys SLX MTB Hardtail Should merging these two segments create a “faster” and more capable MTB/gravel design? Maybe? Dropbars offer more hand positions than traditional flat MTB bar designs, and it has worked for Salsa with the Cutthroat.
So, what makes the Ridley Ignite […]
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