Exclusive review of the new BH GravelX Carbon 4.0

With its brand new GravelX Carbon, BH optimizes a model already known for its comfort and its ability to overcome almost all obstacles for long kilometers. With an articulated rear triangle and a fork designed to absorb vibrations, the new GravelX Carbon gains even more speed and traction. Ideal for long, rolling rides on harsh terrain.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: ©3bikes.fr

Gravel riding is still a booming practice, and each brand offers its own vision of the discipline. And each Gravel enthusiast also has their own way of approaching it, with their own requirements. Fast rides, technical rides where handling is key, short or endurance races, or even touring and bikepacking, Gravel has many faces, and everyone can find their place in it. The same goes for the equipment, with many possible options for bikes and gear. But for the GravelX, BH has always aimed for a compromise between reasonable weight, stiffness, control, and responsiveness, for long rides on varied terrain, and if possible at a good pace. This new version of the GravelX Carbon goes even further with a significant improvement in comfort and especially traction. The bike’s articulated rear triangle, designed to facilitate flex, significantly optimizes the rear wheel’s contact with the ground, improving its ability to clear obstacles and handle very bumpy terrain, while the fork’s particular shape further enhances vibration absorption.

These new features are complemented by a geometry focused on comfort and stability, similar to the previous version of the GravelX. The bike’s rather long wheelbase offers excellent balance at high speeds and on loose and/or stony paths. However, the bike is less at ease than some competing Gravel bikes or cyclocross bikes when riding winding singletracks found in woodlands. Its relative overweight is also not ideal for frequent accelerations in this type of situation. This is a deliberate choice by BH, for a bike that meets the primary requirements of Gravel, which are to ride long distances at a good pace on all types of terrain.

A modern frame with multiple features

The new BH GravelX Carbon 4.0 belongs to a family of four models, priced between €3199 and €6299. With its Shimano GRX Di2 1x drivetrain, Vision Team TC30 wheels, and aluminum components, it offers a good compromise between features and reliable, reassuring equipment, for a retail price of €4399. With a weight of 9.5 kg (complete with pedals and bottle cages), it is obviously perfectible in this regard, but the good news is that the basic aluminum components and even the wheels can be gradually upgraded depending on the level of investment in the practice, in order to improve the bike’s overall responsiveness if necessary, especially at low speeds.

At the top of the range, BH offers the GravelX Carbon 4.5, with slightly lighter FSA wheels and, more importantly, a Fox AX 40 suspension fork, for the most demanding terrains. At the other end of the range, the GravelX Carbon 3.0 is offered with a mechanical Shimano GRX groupset and Shimano RS171 wheels. Already a great start. It is also possible to choose the GravelX Carbon 3.5 at €3399, with mechanical GRX but the same Vision wheels as the test model.

GravelX Carbon bikes benefit from HCIM (Hollow Core Internal Molding) manufacturing technology, a process specific to BH’s high-end road frames, which uses an optimal amalgam of resin and Toray T800 and T500 carbon fiber plates. During manufacturing, very high pressure is applied to the frame mold to obtain an extremely compact material that prevents the formation of bubbles and imperfections in the material, and which optimizes the weight, stiffness, and strength of the structure.

The BB386EVO bottom bracket shell optimizes lateral stiffness. This BH-specific standard increases the bottom bracket width to 86.5 mm and allows for an increased tube diameter, all without increasing the frame weight. This bottom bracket width facilitates the asymmetrical shape of the chainstays, providing the necessary clearance for both the drivetrain with its extreme gear ratios and tires up to 45 mm wide. The wide Hutchinson Touareg 700×40 tires mounted on the bike offer an excellent compromise between rolling qualities on fast sections and the necessary resistance to tackle stones and roots on rough terrain.

This new version of the GravelX is distinguished by an articulated rear triangle, with seatstays attached quite low on the seat tube, but mounted on a linkage that provides slight flex to absorb vibrations, improve comfort, and optimize rear wheel traction. A notch in the chainstays reduces their vertical stiffness, which promotes this slight flex, truly noticeable on the trail.

At the fork crown, there is a distinct drop just below the head tube. The Air Bow fork has a particular shape, just like for BH’s road bike range. Curved shapes that allow for maximum tire clearance (for tires up to 45 mm), without altering lateral stiffness and steering precision, and which optimize airflow to promote speed gain. The GravelX also benefits from excellent integration of brake hoses and derailleur cables or wires into the head tube, for improved aesthetics and aerodynamics.

To conclude with the practical details that make all the difference, note the lower part of the down tube which houses a small storage box that covers one of the most sensitive areas of the frame due to the impact of stones on difficult paths. This integrated compartment can accommodate a small air pump or a CO2 cartridge. Finally, the bike features the famous BH thru-axles with a hidden butterfly nut integrated at the threaded end, which offer easy assembly and disassembly.

On the field

On the BH GravelX Carbon, the position is easy to adjust, thanks to a standard geometry focused on long-distance comfort, but which remains sporty. The cockpit is immediately at the right height and the controls fall easily to hand. We also appreciate the ergonomics of the Shimano GRX Di2 hoods, even if we can note that in this single chainring configuration, the shift levers on the left hood are useless.

During the first few hundred meters on asphalt, the bike seems a bit sluggish. But it must be said that between a road bike, a mountain bike, and a cyclocross bike, the Gravel is a fourth contender for our tester, who is discovering the model’s versatility, as well as its qualities and drawbacks. The initial doubts are quickly dispelled as soon as we hit the trails. The bike is extremely comfortable, whether on towpaths, across fields, or on harsh terrain. The vibration absorption is quite impressive, even compared to a hardtail mountain bike. When launched on rolling terrain, the GravelX quickly reaches 28 to 30 km/h, and the bike remains very stable. Lighter than a mountain bike, but also less airy than a pure cyclocross bike, it benefits from good inertia to maintain a high cruising speed.

On the other hand, the GravelX is not very responsive when accelerating; it feels a bit heavy when overcoming obstacles (like tree trunks) in singletracks. One can feel the significant length of the bike (compared to a cyclocross bike) and especially the weight of the rear, with a rear triangle that is inevitably a bit sluggish during changes of pace. Nevertheless, the system excels on steep climbs, especially when the surface is a bit loose compared to other more nervous Gravel bikes: the front wheel does not tend to lift, and the rear remains perfectly glued to the ground, which translates into excellent efficiency in these conditions, almost identical to that of a mountain bike.

On descents, without being extreme in terms of difficulty, the braking quality and bike stability remain appreciable and reassuring. The balanced position and bike geometry are also an advantage for riding with more confidence than with a cyclocross bike.

Unlike many off-road bikes, such as a mountain bike or even a cyclocross bike, the BH GravelX Carbon ensures smooth transitions between roads and trails. It allows for long journeys without worrying about the surface. On the road, the tire width is not too much of a handicap, and the position, similar to that of a road bike, allows for pushing big gears without catching too much wind. The drawback remains the single chainring in these conditions, with noticeable gaps between each cog on the cassette, but that is primarily a matter of personal preference.

Ultimately, the new GravelX Carbon loses a bit of responsiveness but gains in comfort and traction with a significant wheelbase and a rear triangle that prevents the bike from bouncing. This is not a bike for short, punchy races, but rather for long raids or ultra-distance events ridden at a good pace. However, by shedding some weight on the wheels (announced at around 1900g per pair) and components, it is possible to save almost a kilogram on the complete bike. This would offer even more versatility to an already very appealing model.

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