A Deep Dive into Tom Martin’s Cannondale SuperX Gravel Race Bike

Just ahead of the Gravel National Championships Elite Race Tom Martin talked us through his race bike.

 

Watch our Cannondale SuperX bike check video.

 

With the road season barely over, Wheelbase CabTech Castelli rider Tom Martin headed straight to Scotland for the inaugural Gravel National Championships in Ae Forest, Scotland.

Fresh from finishing second overall in the National Road Series behind teammate Tom Armstrong, Martin arrived carrying excellent form into his short gravel season which would also see him racing at the European Championships in Belgium, the UCI Gravel World Series in Ruthin, Wales and sea Otter Europe in Girona, Spain.

Ahead of the Gravel National Championships, we took a closer look at his Cannondale SuperX and discussed the setup choices he believes will give him the best chance of success on one of the biggest gravel races of the year.

 

A Familiar Feel

For Martin, one of the keys to transitioning quickly from road racing to gravel is maintaining a familiar riding position and handling feel.

The Cannondale SuperX shares much of its DNA with the SuperSix he rides throughout the road season, allowing him to move between disciplines with minimal adaptation.

“The geometry is very similar to my road bike,” he explains. “The gravel bike is slightly shorter, which helps with handling and makes it a little more agile, but it’s also much more compliant and comfortable.”

The similarity goes beyond race preparation. Living and training in the Lake District, Martin regularly uses the SuperX for road rides as well, taking advantage of its ability to smooth out rough, unpredictable lanes.

 

SRAM XPLR 13-Speed One-By Drivetrain

For 2026, Martin has opted for a SRAM one-by setup paired with the latest 13-speed cassette.

While the simplicity of a single chainring has obvious advantages in racing, the main reason for the switch was tyre clearance.

“Last year I was running a two-by setup, which limited me to a 45mm rear tyre. Moving to the one-by gives me significantly more clearance and allows me to run tyres up to 50mm if I need to.”

The simplified drivetrain also removes one more decision during racing.

“In gravel, there’s already so much happening. Having one less thing to think about when selecting gears is definitely a benefit.”

To maximise reliability, Martin runs a chain guide after experiencing chain drops during particularly rough sections at The Gralloch earlier in the season.

“The issues only really happened in extremely rough conditions, but having a chain guide gives a bit of extra peace of mind.”

 

 

Road-Derived Cockpit Setup

Continuity is a recurring theme throughout Martin’s bike build, and his cockpit setup is no exception.

The handlebars are exactly the same as those used on his road bike, helping maintain consistency in position, comfort and control.

Keeping touch points identical allows Martin to move seamlessly between bikes throughout the year without making significant positional adjustments.

 

Manuka Cycleworks Wheels and Panaracer GravelKing Tyres

Wheel and tyre selection can often make or break a gravel race, particularly at an event such as the National Championships where every watt matters.

Martin’s choice is a set of 50mm carbon wheels from Manuka Cycleworks, featuring a wide internal rim width designed to better support modern gravel tyres.

“The wheels are actually the same depth as I use on the road. The wider internal width works really well with larger gravel tyres and provides excellent support.”

For Ae, he chose Panaracer’s GravelKing X1 R in a 45mm width, prioritising outright speed over additional puncture protection.

The tyre features an extremely fast-rolling centre section with more aggressive shoulder knobs to provide grip when cornering on loose surfaces.

“It’s their lightest and fastest casing. There’s almost no tread through the centre, which keeps rolling resistance low, while the side knobs still give plenty of confidence in the corners.”

With dry weather forecast and a relatively fast course expected, Martin was willing to accept a little additional puncture risk in exchange for reduced weight and faster rolling speeds.

“It’s definitely an all-in choice for this race, but the conditions should suit it perfectly.”

 

Race-Day Puncture Strategy

Even with a lightweight tyre setup, Martin had no intention of being caught out by a puncture.

His race-day toolkit is deliberately minimal but designed for speed.

A tubeless repair kit will be taped to the stem along with a CO₂ cartridge on the frame, allowing rapid repairs without searching through pockets.

“If I do puncture, everything is ready to go and easy to reach.”

As a backup solution, Martin also carries an SKS electric pump in a jersey pocket.

Importantly, he approaches any mechanical issue with a calm mindset.

“There’s no point panicking. If something happens, you just deal with it as quickly and calmly as possible. You’ll always recover better if you stay composed.”

 

Hydration and Fuel

Unlike some gravel racers, Martin won’t be using a hydration pack for the 90km National Championships course.

Instead, he plans to rely on conventional bottle cages and large-capacity OTE bottles.

With only two laps to complete, he believes carrying excessive hydration would simply be unnecessary weight.

“There’ll be plenty of fuel available from two large bottles, and I can always pick one up through the feed if I need to.”

 

Confidence Heading into the Nationals

After an outstanding road season and several strong gravel results throughout the year, including a top ten finish at The Gralloch, Martin headed into the Gravel National Championships full of confidence.

“I believe I’ve got good legs,” he says. “I’ve been in the right moves all season and had some good results on the gravel as well. It would be nice to put together a really strong ride tomorrow.”

With proven form, a carefully considered bike setup and favourable conditions forecast, Martin was undoubtedly one of the riders to watch; he would go on to take an excellent 6^th place from a two-up sprint for the line with his Cannondale SuperX performing flawlessly without any mechanicals or punctures.