Ducati Trades Horsepower for Pedals With the New Monoscocca and GraviaX

Ducati is announcing a range of new bikes, and this time the only motor is you. The Ducati Monoscocca road platform and the Ducati GraviaX gravel bike are new, made-in-Italy, performance-oriented bikes that make use of Italian manufacturer Gruppo Zecchetto, also known for Cipollini bikes, DMT (Diamant) shoes, and Alé Cycling clothing. Gruppo Zecchetto already works with Ducati as a production partner on motorcycle components.

This is also not the first time that Ducati has dabbled in bikes. In 2005, the brand partnered with fellow Italian company Bianchi to produce the Factory 900XR. This time things are a little different, though. Aside from being a rim-brake bike, that Factory 900XR was a carbon tube-to-tube frameset. This time around, the major point of technical interest is that the Gruppo Zecchetto-produced bike is a carbon monocoque design. That choice should mean continuous fiber runs, fewer bonded joints, and better structural stiffness—at least in theory.

Ducati Monoscocca road bike

On the road side of things, Ducati is introducing two options, but they amount to build variations. The frame remains identical between them, with the standout feature being the single-piece monocoque construction. Aside from that, Ducati highlights the aero performance; however, that seems to rely on a standard truncated Kamm tail design with no further details provided. What is being shared on the aerodynamic front is the partnership with Vision to include either the SC 45 wheels on the lower-spec R model or the Metron 45 RS on the RR version. Neither wheel is meant to be an aerodynamic powerhouse.

That choice to go with a less aero wheel in favor of all-around performance makes more sense when viewed against the geometry. Ducati refers to this bike as having an all-around geometry and leans on a “balance of low weight, structural stiffness, and handling precision,” which in theory should come from the monocoque frame design. In practice, though, the Monoscocca RR is quoted at a weight of 7.18 kg in size M without pedals, even taking into account the Dura-Ace Di2 groupset and the high-end Vision Metron 5D ACR Evo cockpit.

Ducati GraviaX gravel bike

If you prefer dirt over pavement, just like the rally-inspired side of Ducati’s motorcycle division, the brand has an option for you. The GraviaX seems to straddle the same balance of heritage branding and conservative design. The frame shares the same Made in Italy monocoque construction as the road bike, but for off-road use, a storage compartment is integrated into the down tube alongside standard bag mounting provisions. Ducati also attempts to keep handling consistent across the size range by adjusting the fork rake—using a 57mm offset on smaller sizes and a 51mm offset on large and extra-large frames.

The GraviaX R build weighs in at a claimed 8.2 kg in size M and features a 13-speed SRAM Force XPLR AXS E1 wireless drivetrain. Notably, the dirt offering relies on fewer Vision components in favor of proprietary Ducati Carbon G-Line wheels featuring a 42mm profile and a 25mm internal width. The integrated carbon cockpit, also from the Ducati Carbon G-Line, has a minimal 6-degree flare, and the bike is outfitted with 45mm Continental Terra Adventure tires. The maximum tire clearance is not particularly progressive, but it keeps the bike firmly in gravel territory: you can fit a 50mm tire, provided you stick to a 1x drivetrain.

Pricing and availability

Again, much like the brand’s motorcycles, these new bikes are not a budget play. While the focus here is on the drop-bar offerings, it is worth noting Ducati is also launching two flat-bar e-MTBs: the enduro-focused DM-160 R and DM-170 RR, both powered by a 1300W Avinox M2S drive unit.

For the analog road and gravel platforms, both frames are available as standalone options for custom building alongside the ready-to-ride complete builds. The provided pricing is exclusively in Euros, so while you can check with your local Ducati dealer, US buyers are likely out of luck here. For more information visit the Ducati website.