Jans Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel Titan: What the TOUR editorial team ride in their spare time – Part 1

For TOUR editor Jan Timmermann, ‘gravel’ is a buzzword. As long as 15 years ago, he built his first rigid-fork MTB hardtail to cover long distances. Even before ‘gravel’ or ‘bikepacking’ had become established terms, Jan was crossing Europe on his unsuspended 29er mountain bike. Back then, he had to order bags and accessories from abroad, as cycle touring in Germany was still in its infancy.

“Micro-adventures” and “freedom on two wheels”? For Jan, the fusion of mountain biking and road cycling is the capitalist marketing exploitation of a riding style that has been brilliant ever since the invention of the bicycle. Unlike in his student days, the 33-year-old now has more money but less time at his disposal. So when he gets on his gravel bike, he often focuses on one-day ultra-rides. When his last steel frame broke, he brought a titanium bike home. We took a close look at the editor’s personal Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel.

Conclusion

To be perfectly honest: for me, gravel cycling is my second choice after mountain biking. That’s another reason why I invested in a progressive titanium bike early on. In my ever-changing fleet of bikes, the lovely Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel is a mainstay that requires very little maintenance and is always ready – in a truly timeless way – to embark on spontaneous adventures. - Jan Timmermann, TOUR editor

Information on the Falkenjagd Aristos Trail Gravel

• Intended use: Gravel / Bikepacking
• Frame and fork material: Titanium
• Frame size: XL
• Tyre size: 29 x 2.2” (55 mm)
• Weight: 9.6 kg (TOUR measurement, size XL, excluding pedals)

Facilities

• Drivetrain / Gear ratio: SRAM Force / GX / X0 Eagle AXS, 40; 10–52 (520 per cent)
• Brakes: SRAM Force, 180 / 180 mm
• Wheels: Tune King Kong / NoTubes ZTR Crest
• Tyres: Specialized Pathfinder, 29 x 2.2”
• Handlebars / Stem: Salsa Woodchipper / Thomson Elite X4
• Saddle / seat post: Selle Italia SLR Ti / Cannondale Save

The editor

• Name / Age: Jan Timmermann (33)
• Height / Weight: 190 cm / 82 kg
• Occupation: Cycling editor
• Place of residence: Upper Bavaria

35 or 350 km – nothing in between

Monstercross? Ultra-gravel? Mountain bikes with drop bars? It’s all old hat to me. Just like many other insiders in the scene, I recognised the potential of rigid forks and the trend towards wide tyres a good dozen years in advance. However, for the past 20 years, my heart has been set not on gravel bikes, but on mountain bikes. I’ve been working as a test editor for five and a half years. Since then, I’ve been in the privileged position of being able to try out new bikes virtually every week. I love gravel biking, but I rarely get to go on pure gravel rides these days and prefer to spend my free time off-road on a suspension bike.

When I reach for my gravel bike these days, there are three main reasons. Firstly: it’s an elegant set of wheels for commuting to work. Secondly: especially in winter, when the woods are covered in slush, it’s a great way to train for quick rides along roads and across fields. Thirdly: plenty of space for bags and water, as well as handlebars with plenty of grip options, make it the ideal choice for multi-week bikepacking holidays or one- to three-day ultra rides. When I get on my gravel bike, the daily distance is either 35 or 350 kilometres. For anything shorter than that, or in between, I prefer the mountain bike.

Five years ahead of his time

When I set off on a 400-kilometre solo trip in 2021, the head tube of my steel frame snapped after 30 kilometres. I had to carry the unrideable, bag-laden fixed-fork, drop-bar hardtail mountain bike home on my shoulders. Just a few days later, I bumped into Andreas Kirschner from Falkenjagd Bikes. He had the frameset for a special trail-gravel version of the Aritsos CX with him, and as it happened, the size was just right for me.

At the time, there were just 25 of these extraordinary gravel bikes in the whole world. What made it special was that the tyre clearance was exceptionally wide by the standards of the day, and the rake of the titanium fork was an exceptionally shallow 69 degrees. The geometry is reminiscent of the Tour Divide classic, the Salsa Cutthroat: smooth-riding and comfortable without veering into the extreme. I have a soft spot for titanium. Even my wedding ring is made of this lightweight metal. But it’s not just the material; the geometry and versatility of my Falkenjagd are timeless too. For me, as an occasional but long-distance gravel cyclist, it’s perfect.

Wide slippers

I’ve often wondered why gravel wheelsets have to be so expensive and heavy. Of course, the lack of suspension due to the rigid frame and the relatively narrow tyres does take its toll on durability. The durability argument applies to mountain bike components too, which, after all, have to cope with much tougher terrain. That’s why I’ve fitted an older aluminium cross-country wheelset to my gravel bike. With Tune hubs and tubeless rims, it weighs less than some carbon gravel models that cost twice as much.

Falkenjagd officially approves the bike for 50-millimetre-wide tyres. My frame can also accommodate 55-millimetre-wide tyres without any compromises. In my opinion, tyres of at least 53 millimetres are the future for most gravel bikes. Contrary to popular belief, wide tyres roll with less resistance than narrow ones. Cushioning, grip and traction are on a whole new level.

I’m happy to accept that wide tyres come at the expense of inertia; after all, I don’t experience many changes in speed when riding on gravel. The first time I fitted Maxxis tyres in the 29 by 2.1-inch size to the Falkenjagd, I broke all my personal Strava records on the very first lap – whether on forest floor, gravel or tarmac. I’m currently testing new models from Specialized.

Full range

As a mountain biker, I’ve never had any problems with large gear jumps. All my bikes are fitted with single-chainring drivetrains with a wide gear range. In my view, wireless technology has revolutionised gravel bike gear changes. Before that, I had to make do with expensive DIY solutions, such as special cassettes and derailleur cages, to increase the gear range on my gravel bike. Today, a SRAM GX AXS handles the gear changes on my Falkenjagd. It pairs seamlessly with the Force levers, cost next to nothing on the second-hand market and is compatible with an X0 mountain bike cassette. I’m a big bloke and I carry luggage from time to time. That’s why I’ve gone for 180-millimetre brake discs at the front and rear.

I’ve been riding the old Selle Italia SLR with a titanium frame since my 17th birthday. I’ve had the saddle reupholstered in the meantime. The Cannondale Save Carbon seatpost is also a bit of an old-timer. It’s already accompanied me on a 3,000-kilometre trip through Europe with 40,000 metres of elevation gain; it has a very pleasant flex and is extremely comfortable. Titanium bolts on my Thomson stem save a bit of weight. It’s only 70 millimetres long, so it provides direct steering response and harmonises perfectly with the wide-spanning aluminium handlebars from Salsa. Their extreme width gives me plenty of control and offers my large hands plenty of options.

A look into the future

I’m sure that 2027 will mark the start of the big rise in popularity of 32-inch gravel bikes. Tyre widths of 29 by 2.1 inches and above are already the norm. I think it’s a shame that so many bikes were sold during the gravel boom that don’t allow for wide tyres – that could cause a lot of frustration in the future. I’m also surprised that more manufacturers aren’t fitting their older hardtails with rigid forks, as Scott has done with the Scale Gravel. The distinction between race gravel bikes and adventure models will continue to grow. We’re already seeing this happen. In my opinion, the ideal gravel bike of the future will be aerodynamically optimised and lightweight, with large wheels and tyres but no suspension. When it comes to riding fun on trails, the mountain bike remains irreplaceable.

What do you think: what does your ideal gravel bike look like? What technical features do you look out for? Let us know in the comments!