The Carrizo Plain National Monument, California's largest natural plain, is nestled in the heart of California and can be reached by a 2.5-hour drive south from the Bay Area. Covering over 200,000 acres, the monument is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, including several endangered species.

The plain is situated on the San Andreas Fault and is renowned for its exceptionally unique geology, which includes the Caliente Range and the Temblor Range. Visitors to the monument can see evidence of the area's geological past, including fault lines, folds, and uplifted sedimentary rocks.

Apart from its geological significance, the monument has a rich cultural history dating back thousands of years. Several Native American tribes once called the area home, and visitors can view evidence of human habitation such as pictographs and petroglyphs.

Recreational opportunities within the monument include cycling, hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing. Visitors can also spot a variety of wildlife, including pronghorn antelope, tule elk, and California condors.

All in all, Carrizo Plain National Monument is a remarkable and significant area in California that provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience a diverse range of natural and cultural resources.

We have always loved Cervelo's focus on a bike's purpose. In the case of the Aspero, Cervelo set out to make a proper gravel race bike that is efficient to pedal and fast over rough terrain. It's the bike for riders with gravel events and racing on their calendar, but it does so much more. The Aspero also delivers a comfortable and stable ride that lets you easily access all the speed they've added in.

What We Love: Responsiveness - The Aspero responds faster to the rider's inputs than any other bike in our shootout. Handling and pedaling feel like the bike is reading your mind rather than reacting to you. Like a fast road bike, it feels like every bit of your effort is translated into forward motion, but thanks to the big tires, it doesn't beat you up by being too stiff.

Born as the wild-child sibling to the much-loved Giant Revolt, the Revolt X adds flair to the already great package. With suspension forks and a dropper post, the Revolt X adds capability and confidence when the trail is rough, or dare we say... it crosses dangerously close to XC mountain bikes of old. But, if the goal of the Revolt X is fun, it delivers on that promise.

What We Love: 40mm of plush suspension. Yea, suspension on a gravel bike; who would have thought. The extra cushion doesn't only add comfort; it means that the rougher the trail, the harder you can push the bike. It makes easy work of chunky singletrack that you would have never expected to ride a gravel rig on and feels akin to cornering an XC bike in the corners

Santa Cruz is known for making some of the best-handling mountain bikes on the trail, so they have big shoes to fill with the Stigmata. Used as their cyclocross racer and gravel bike extraordinaire, the Stigmata doesn't disappoint. It's a stable, sure-footed sledgehammer perfect for any race. Unlike the Cervelo Aspero, which opts for improved aerodynamics, the Stigmata sticks to the formula of making a fast bike through excellent handling and incredible comfort.

What We Love: Classic and predictable - Similar to the Cervelo Aspero, the Stigmata doesn't try to be all things to everyone. Instead, it focuses on being a very fast and predictable bike that generates speed from dialed-in handling. As a result, the Stigmata is undoubtedly the mountain biker's choice when they cross over the world of skinny (skinnier than a mountain bike) tires.

A true do-anything ride, the Topstone feels like the most balanced bike of our bunch. It feels at home in almost any environment and out of place in none. Want to do a gravel race? Sure. An overnight bikepacking trip? We've got you. Looking to use the Topstone as your everyday road bike? Its neutral handling feels as at home on the pavement as off-road.

What We Love: Value - With possibly the widest price spread, the Cannondale Topstone goes down to $3200 with carbon frames and $1200 in alloy. With a bike that checks so many boxes for speed, stability, comfort, and versatility, the Topstone delivers that package to more levels than nearly any other bike available.

You'd be forgiven if you hadn't heard the name Rondo before. Mike's Bikes is the US distributor for the brand, and for years they've offered massive value for the performance they bring to the table. In addition, their bikes, specifically the RUUT are some of the most adaptable bikes available with the unique ability to change their geo from race ready to bikepacking stable.

What We Love: Everybody hates a know-it-all, but we sure do love a do-it-all. The RUUT's ability to transform into your desired bike is unlike anything else in our fleet. We love the ability to change to fast and nimble, or sure-footed and stable. Likewise, its clever frame design makes tons of room for two full-sized water bottles or for a big frame pack to better fit the adventure you've picked.