Over the last few years, Unbound Gravel has become the launchpad for the gravel industry’s next big thing. Every year, the Emporia, Kansas, start line and expo area become a rolling tech gallery packed with unreleased wheelsets, tyres, cockpits and bikes ridden by pro athletes under varying degrees of secrecy.
This year appears to be no different.
We already know defending champion Cam Jones will be riding a Scott prototype bike with 32″ wheels, and most of the Specialized Off Road athletes will be aboard the brand new Crux 5. Today, we also spotted what appears to be brand-new prototype gravel race bikes from Giant and sister brand Liv, machines that we are fairly certain preview a new tier of the Revolt and Devote platforms.
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
They were hard to miss in fact with the Liv prototype in a bold fuchsia pink with gold detailing, and the Giant version featuring a monochrome black-and-white graphic treatment.
It wasn’t all that long ago that we first spotted prototype versions of the current-generation Giant Revolt Advanced Pro right here at Unbound Gravel, months before launch. Now, almost exactly two years later, Giant and Liv appear to be back in Emporia with another pair of unreleased gravel race machines, and this time, there appears to have been a significant transformation: a move away from “do-it-all” gravel side.
Both prototype bikes show a clear shift toward race specialisation. Where the outgoing Revolt and Devote platforms were proudly versatile, with multiple mounts, fork bosses, flip-chips and seatpost options, these new bikes look far more singular in purpose.
The fork blades have been stripped of the fork mounts and accessory bosses. Cable routing is now fully integrated through the cockpit, rather than neatly tucked beneath the handlebar as on previous models. The overall silhouette is cleaner, sharper and more aero in appearance.
Both bikes also appear to be designed around 1x drivetrains only, and, of course, tyre clearance appears to have been beefed up.
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
Australian Liv athlete Peta Mullens outfitted her new steed with yet-to-be-released Maxxis Aspen tyres with a HYPR-X|EXO casing in a 55mm, although actual frame clearance will likely be slightly tighter if following strict ETRTO recommendations. And with the projected mud for Saturday, those 55mm will likely be swapped to something narrower as well.
The finishing kit hints at a closer collaboration with CADEX for complete-package aero savings.
Some of the prototype bikes were fitted with what appeared to be unreleased top-tier CADEX components, including deep-section carbon wheels and integrated one-piece cockpits. The wheelsets in particular looked similar to CADEX’s MAX-level race products, hinting these bikes are aimed squarely at the sharp end of elite gravel competition.
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
Despite the brands’ strong racing heritage and support of elite gravel athletes, neither currently offers a true “Advanced SL” gravel race bike equivalent to their top-tier road machines such as the Propel Advanced SL or Langma Advanced SL.
That could be about to change.
And according to the athletes riding them, the changes go beyond aesthetics.
Liv athlete Melissa Rollins described the bike as noticeably stiffer and more responsive than the outgoing top-level Devote.
Meanwhile, Mullens highlighted the bike’s more aggressive fit and lower front end.
Mullens is also running an unusually long 140mm stem on her one-piece cockpit, paired with narrow 36cm handlebars.
“I’ve had a bad back for probably 10 years and I’ve always gone shorter [on the stem], but this year I saw a new bike fitter and he actually pushed me longer and I haven’t had back problems for several months,” she explained.
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
Across the industry, brands increasingly appear to be splitting gravel bikes into two camps: the Swiss Army knives and the scalpels.
When we reviewed the top-end Revolt Advanced Pro 0, we praised it for being a highly versatile bike that could comfortably handle racing duties while remaining capable for bikepacking and mixed-terrain adventure riding.
These prototypes, however, suggest Giant and Liv are leaning harder into pure speed.
That mirrors what we’ve seen elsewhere in the market recently, with several brands moving toward lighter, stiffer and aero-optimised gravel race platforms focused purely on getting its rider to the finish line fastest.
For now, the Giant and Liv bikes remain firmly under wraps, but history suggests prototypes spotted at Unbound rarely stay hidden for long.
Come Saturday, the fuchsia pink Liv bikes will be raced by Tessa Neefjes and Peta Mullens. The Giant prototype will see action in the 200-mile pro men’s race under Brendan Johnston and Cole Paton.
Explore More
