Spotted at Unbound 2026: Giant Revolt, CADEX Gravel Wheel Prototypes

June 1, 2026

From what I found in Emporia this past weekend, it looks like both Giant and Cadex are working on some new gravel stuff, including a next generation version of the Revolt. The fourth generation bike was launched just over two years ago. Meanwhile, it looks like Cadex has a new wheel and tire around the corner, too. Just after the Unbound XL race took off, I was able to borrow this prototype rig to grab some pictures near the start and finish line.

Cockpit and Stem

It looks like a unibody SLR one-piece Giant cockpit on this frame.

A proprietary Contact SLR XR seat post with what looks to be a pretty decent setback angle.

Zero chance to get a dropper post on this bike.

For wheels, it looks like to be a new addition to the MAX line up with a 50mm rim depth.

In line with the last couple of wheel launches, it also looks like CADEX has new tires testing, with a 700 x 50c size here. The GXR would either be added too or replacing the current CADEX AR and GX Gravel Tires.

I wasn’t able to take the tire off to look at the inner rim. But it looks like CADEX has designed what appears to be an “upper and outer flare” on the rim. The company wouldn’t give me specifics just yet, but they did confirm its existence and talked about the design being purposeful for impact resistance.

Depending on the flip chip position, the current Revolt has a 53mm max tire size in “long” flip chip position, and a 45mm max tire size in “short”. So knowing that these are 50c tires pictured it would seem to be that Giant is at least matching or giving way more clearance than the current 53mm. Although we all know that it depends a lot of the wheel and tire choice.

Still plenty of room on the front fork with this 50c tire installed.

We can confirm that that is the same MAX wheel design at the HUB and spoke level.

Its looking like a UDH compatible set up in the rear.

Unless something changes, it looks like internal storage is a thing of the past on this new version.

Overall the bike and wheels seem to be a step forward in the fast and aggressive department that has become gravel racing at the elite level, as we see the bike losing some storage and extra bottle mounts on the front fork. I would also say this bike just looks like more aggressive geometry than the current Revolt. The new wheels seen share the fundamentals of the top-end MAX wheels from CADEX. In total it looks like a very racy machine — and one we hope to ride soon.