"If we want the next generation to choose the bike over the screen, we need to keep telling a story of adventure."

It’s not unusual to see the words 'gravel and adventure' written together, as one category in the world of cycling.

But have the industry’s designers and marketers become too focussed on the race-adjacent aspects of gravel, transposing road culture onto what was supposed to be a blissful escape from the tarmac? Is the ‘adventure’ part of ‘gravel and adventure’ being overlooked amid talk of watts, grammes and racy angles?

This is something Dom Mason feels strongly about, so, as we get ready for the Gravel & Adventure Bike Expo, let's ask him what’s on his mind, how he sees our particular corner of the cycling industry, and what we need to hold onto…

Dom, you’ve mentioned before that you sometimes look around at the gravel sector and feel the industry is drifting away from what made gravel special in the first place. What do you mean by that?

“When we started building what would now be called gravel bikes, the idea was very simple: ride a long way, through all seasons, across mixed terrain. Our earliest bikes weren’t marketed as ‘gravel’. They were fast road-endurance machines adapted for rougher ground. Nobody had gravel groupsets. People just ran Shimano Ultegra gears with 35mm tyres. Hardly anyone fitted bags, because there weren’t many bags to fit these bikes.

“As riders started venturing further off-road, small brands began making clever luggage and components to support proper multi-day adventures. And that’s when gravel really found its feet. It split naturally: some riders wanted fast, performance-led mixed-surface riding. Others discovered they could use the same platform for multi-day trips and big adventures.”

That sounds like a positive story of evolution, right?

“It is positive. Massively so. One of the things that gives me the most belief in what we do at MASON is seeing people heading off on their own adventures. That’s the heart of it. And adventure means different things to different people – whether that’s a simple weekend in France, or exploring local trails with the family, or something truly epic like Josh’s mountain races, Weronika’s exploration in central Asia or Angus’s fastest known time on the EDT. It all counts. It’s all adventure. It all has the potential to be life-affirming."

So where do you feel the problem lies?

“What concerns me slightly is that the industry seems to be drifting back to its default mindset: speed, watts, stiffness, weight. The old race-bike vocabulary. And while there’s nothing wrong with going fast, it narrows the lens. It risks pushing gravel back towards something exclusive, technical, and performance-obsessed.

“That’s not why gravel grew. It grew because it was inclusive: a breath of fresh air that welcomed all kinds of riders, not just the young, fit, competitive minority.”

You’re saying that marketing messages are becoming more about watts and aero gains than about experience?

“Exactly. A lot of modern so-called 'gravel' bikes from the big brands are basically road bikes with loads of clearance. The adverts talk about saving six watts or being 'the fastest on test'. And yes, those things are relevant if you’re racing. Our bikes are fast too: fit the right wheels and tyres and they’re easily race-capable. But when the marketing messaging focuses only on numerical gains, you’re missing what gravel gives people: time away from noise, time with friends or family, time to stop and look around, marvelling at where you’ve managed to bring yourself.

"These bikes give you the chance to discover a new place at your own pace. That’s not just marketing fluff. It’s the very reason many of us ride bikes. “If you tell a teenager or a new rider, ‘Come out with me, we’ll set our bikes up to save six watts’, they’ll look at you like you’re ridiculous. But tell them they’ll see something new, surprise themselves, and have a brilliant day together: now you’re speaking their language.”

Does this shift affect the actual bikes being designed, or mostly the way they’re being marketed?

"Mainly the marketing, though design follows marketing eventually. The big brands do offer excellent adventure-capable bikes. But the focus seems to be shifting towards power-led performance again, and geometry, tyres and wheel choices often reflect that.

"I don’t think we should lose sight of the other side of gravel: the multi-day trips, the long weekends, the loaded-up rides with friends. The side where you stop, take a photo, sketch something, sit around a campfire. That’s as real and important as racing, and it needs to stay visible.”

Let’s talk specifics. What elements of MASON’s range capture this adventure-first philosophy you’re talking about?

“Bikes like the Exposure, ISO, and our flat-bar adventure models [the RAW and the Macro] express it clearly. They’re efficient and quick, but they’re not designed around a race position. Geometry is stable and confidence-boosting, especially when the bike is loaded.

“Even our faster gravel bikes, like the Bokeh and BokehTi, are designed so you can ride them all day in comfort. They’re light and responsive, but not at the expense of stability or adaptability. You can run them loaded, run them unloaded, swap wheel sizes, travel anywhere.

"And that adaptability is the core. We add equipment mounts and eyelets because they give riders choice. Use all of them or none of them. The point is that they’re there.”

You mentioned wheel sizes. I know you’re a fan of riding 650B wheels. What’s your perspective on the industry’s apparent move away from this size?

“That’s a perfect example of what I mean about this whole topic. A few years ago, 650B was an excellent option for gravel and adventure. WTB brought out Road Plus tyres and suddenly you could fit big-volume rubber that was matched to the frame and the overall bike. For us, it was a revelation: the same rolling radius as a 700×35, but with loads more comfort and capability. A 650B 2.35” tyre on a drop-bar bike is incredible off-road.

“But fashion shifted. Journalists and big brands started running speed tests: “This 700×50 is the fastest!” And because the testing favoured lighter, minimal-tread tyres, 650B got labelled as slow.

“It’s not slow! It’s adaptable, forgiving and brilliant for real-world adventure. Several MASON models [the Bokeh, BokehTi, Exposure and ISO] support both sizes because riders should have the freedom to choose. Why narrow it just because of fashion?”

There are other trends in componentry: integrated cockpits, race-bike-style routing, all of that. How do you view such stuff?

“Integrated bars and hidden cabling are great for racing. And we offer those setups for people who genuinely want them.

“But if you’re travelling with your bike, boxing it up, or changing luggage regularly, routing everything through a one-piece bar isn’t always practical. Again, it’s about choice, not dogma. Some customers come in wanting a certain look because they’ve seen it marketed everywhere. Our job is to ask: ‘Is this right for what you actually want to do?’, and to offer a choice of approaches.

What about groupsets? Electronic vs mechanical? Is that part of this discussion?

“Both are excellent options now. When we started, gravel riders basically had Ultegra or bodged-together parts. Today the choice is huge, and that’s a great thing.

“Electronic shifting is reliable and easy to work with. Modern mechanical gears are also superb. The key difference for us isn’t speed of shifting. It’s dependability. A good shift is important when you’re grinding up a steep, slippery climb, sure. But we’re not promoting electronic because it’s ‘X percent faster’. We like it because it works brilliantly and is simple to live with.”

Finally, can we chat about luggage and carrying systems? Any thoughts on that side of the gravel boom?

“Most of the adventures we’re discussing call for some kind of equipment – whether that’s a few sandwiches or a full bikepacking set-up. And the wealth of choices there is something the industry has done well. Brands like Tailfin, Restrap and Apidura are offering innovative ways to carry your kit. It’s never been easier to set up a bike for a big journey.

“Something I’m less convinced by is built-in frame storage. Just because it can be done doesn’t mean it should be. If you have to faff with your bottle to retrieve an allen key or a cereal bar from a hatch in your down tube, is that really progress? A simple bag or jersey pocket often does the job better.

“But again, it’s about choice. That’s what matters.”

To sum up, it sounds like you’re not arguing against fast gravel bikes, but against letting that become the whole story.

“Exactly. There’s nothing wrong with speed. If someone wants a flat-out performance gravel race bike, brilliant. We can build that. Many people love that side of cycling.

“But the gravel and adventure niche also has something precious: it’s open, it’s diverse, and it’s genuinely welcoming. If the marketing swings too far towards watts, stiffness and race messaging, we risk shrinking the audience again. We’ve been there before with road cycling. It became narrow, exclusive, male-dominated, and intimidating for newcomers.

“Originally, the concept of gravel bikes broke that narrow focus wide open. And we should protect that diversity. I don’t want the definition of ‘high performance’ to be narrowed to speed-at-all-costs. A bike that comfortably and reliably carries you and your camping equipment through a weekend of bikepacking is high-performing in its own way – just as much as one that takes you to an FKT or a race result.

“Most of us ride for experience, connection, discovery. If we want the next generation to choose the bike over the screen, we need to keep telling that story of adventure.”

MASON Cycles will be at the Gravel & Adventure Bike Expo (part of the Adventure Travel Show) in London on 10-11 January 2026.