What is a Gravel Bike?

What is a Gravel Bike?

Gravel bikes have become massively popular in recent years probably due to their versatility and the different riding opportunities they offer.

 

A gravel bike is essentially a drop-bar bike that has been designed to be as capable on the road as it is off-road.

 

Long distance comfort is the aim of most gravel bikes, encouraging a style of riding that is more endurance and exploration than flat out speed.

 

They feature powerful disc brakes, frame clearance for large off-road style tyres and have geometry that gives the rider a more upright position to help with stability on rough terrain.

 

What is a Gravel Bike used for?

The benefit of gravel riding is that you have the option of riding on a variety of surfaces, opening up your cycling route and allowing you to explore more.

 

The relaxed geometry featured on gravel bikes promotes extra comfort over long rides as well as being more solid when it comes to technical terrain.

 

Although gravel bikes may look similar to road bikes and perform extremely well when riding on the road you can venture off onto dirt and gravel tracks whenever you like, giving these bikes the title of the do-it-all adventure bike.

Flared Drop Bars

Bars that flare out to the drops are a popular feature on gravel bikes.

These flared drop bars provide extra leverage when traveling at speed on uneven ground. 

The drop bars on Gravel bikes are also quite shallow when compared to those seen on road bikes. This compact setup keeps everything close by so you can concentrate on controlling the bike in a more upright position.

Geometry

At first glance, a gravel bike's frame and fork may look just like a road bike's. The difference is they are carefully designed with off-road stability at the core.
Areas where you will be able to see these design differences are in the slacker angles of the frame and fork, making the bike longer.
This slacker geometry also naturally encourages a more upright position on the bike, which is good for long days in the saddle and off-road exploration.

Tyres

Tyre volume and tread are key indicators when identifying a gravel bike.

You can easily distinguish between road and gravel bikes by their tyres.

Gravel bikes have wide chunky tyres (up to 40mm) and feature a grippy tread pattern. The size lets you run lower pressures and this helps cushion the ride when things get bumpy as well as aiding with traction and control.

 

Gravel tyres can range from the more dirt-focussed, off-road kind, featuring aggressive tread patterns and large lugs, to more smoother tyres with minimal tread that look more like fat road tyres.

A popular choice is the middle ground tyre combining a low-profile centreline, for speed on the road, with traction boosting outer knobs, for when things get rowdy.

Disc Brakes

Disc brakes are seen on most road bikes nowadays so its not surprising to see them on all grave bikes where powerful brake control is a must. Disc brakes offer dependable and powerful stopping. They perform in a wide range of weather and terrain conditions and their format how they are mounted to the bike, provides space for the wider tyres.

Gravel Bike VS Road Bike

Although the terrain you might be riding on a gravel bike could be described as aggressive, the geometry of a gravel bike when compared to a road bike is much less aggressive. What this means is, unlike the tight, disciplined angles seen on road bikes to promote a tucked down, aerodynamic position, a gravel bike's upright and relaxed positioning gives improved stability and off-road control as well as being more comfortable.

As mentioned before, gravel bikes feature much more tyre clearance than road bikes, capable of housing wide tyres with extra grippy tread, opposed to the super thin and slick tyres on road bikes.
This said a good gravel bike won't feel that much different when on tarmac but as we've covered already, getting off-road is when gravel bikes truly shine!

So there you have it, Gravel bikes combine the best features and functionality of both road and mountain bikes into the form of incredibly versatile and well equipped do-it-all adventure machines.
These are probably the most versatile bikes you can buy and they are capable of tackling any towpath, track, trail or tour route that you can think of. 

There's an adventure waiting for you every time you throw a leg over a gravel bike.