This bed is too hard. This bed is too soft. This bed is just right!

Ah, Goldilocks. I’m personally not a fan.

I’ve shared with my children that she deserves to be eaten by the bears. Breaking into someone’s home, let alone destroying personal property, is illegal, regardless of the forest that you are skipping through.

I digress.

This post is not about our favorite fairly-tale narcissist. It’s about gravel bikes!

The “Goldilocks” analogy is quite accurate. For me, the gravel bike (gravel riding) is the perfect “just right” experience on a bike.

Road bikes are fast, efficient, and exciting, but I don’t love sharing the road with motor vehicles.

Mountain bikes are fun, dynamic, and can go anywhere, but they have their place primarily on the trails.

If only there was a do-it-all bike that was sleek and fast enough to fly on the road yet burly enough to tackle single tracks and get me on those adventurous trails?

Enter the gravel bike

Let me preface the following post with: There are many bikes in the world to suit one’s needs. The gravel bike is certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution, but man, they are pretty darn close.

If you are a dedicated road or mountain biker, don’t offload your trusty steed. If you are looking for the best of both worlds, please read on.

Gravel riding is not a new sport

According to “True Grit – the Origins of Gravel Riding”, written by Steve Thomas, Rough Stuff Fellowship; an organization was founded back in 1955 in Leominster. Members of this fellowship took on all kinds of epic off-road adventures around the UK and worldwide. They could well be considered the pioneers of gravel riding. However, they did it mostly on touring bikes, which was all that was available for off-road riding for many decades, up until the mountain bike came around, that is.

In recent years, the market has shifted, and dedicated gravel bikes have emerged.

What makes a gravel bike a gravel bike?

Tires

Think of tire widths like this: the thinner the tire, the faster yet more susceptible they are to road vibrations. The thicker they are, the more they absorb shock and dampen the ride, yet the less efficient they become at rolling.

Road bike tires are typically between 23mm and 32mm wide. The standard 25mm tire grips well, rolls fast, and is relatively lightweight for efficiency on a road bike.

Mountain bike tires are measured in inches and range from 1.6” to 3” with distinct patterns to suit a variety of trail conditions. Fat bike tires can get up to 5.2” wide!

Gravel bike tires can vary in range between 35mm and 50mm. Here’s the cool thing: you can easily swap out wheels and have a thinner tire, such as a 25mm, for road riding, then pop your 40mm+ tire/wheelset on to tackle the trails. Just be sure that your gearing accommodates your set-up.

Gravel bikes are also typically equipped with tubeless tires

Tubeless tires are exactly what they sound like. Tires without tubes.

Advantages of tubeless tires, according to bikeradar.com

They can be run at a lower pressure without the risk of pinch flats

With no inner tube to trap and sealant in the tire to heal small punctures, a tubeless setup is much less prone to flattening overall, which enables you to reap the benefits of lower tyre pressures.

Without generalizing, the lower tire pressure provides greater comfort and potentially enhanced grip and speed.

Disadvantages of tubeless tires

Sealant can be messy and needs to be renewed periodically, typically every few months, because it gradually dries out. I experienced this firsthand. (the messy part)

Tubeless tires also need to be pumped up more frequently than tubed tires; it’s advisable to check your pressures before every ride.

Form and Function

Frame

Though gravel bikes most resemble their road bike cousins, there are several differences in geometry that serve specific functions.

Road bikes are shorter in length and more compact. The decreased wheel length allows for zippy, responsive steering. This is especially important when drafting and tight maneuvering are needed.

The longer wheel base of a gravel bike provides significant stability when compared to road bike geometries. This longer wheelbase and additional stability found on a gravel frame sacrifice steering response.

Fork

Remember the tire widths discussed above?

The bike must be able to handle a wider tire. The wider spacing in a gravel bike allows for those 32mm and above burlier tires for more adventurous riding.

Drive train “1x or 2x” pronounced “one by” or “two by”

This is a hotly debated topic, and from what I’ve gathered, there is no right answer. I would advise you to check out the article written by Spenser Powlison on theproscloset.com for an in-depth look at the differences between the two drive trains.

I can share my personal experience.

My road bike is a traditional 2x setup with mechanical shifting. My gravel bike is a 1x setup with electronic shifting.

The “1x” on my gravel bike is one big chainring with a broad spectrum of gears to utilize. The “2x” on my road bike offers an additional chainring that provides an even wider spectrum of gears to utilize.

My road bike will have lighter gears for extreme climbing and heavier gears for extreme downhill or speed.

The problem is, in 17 years of owning my road bike, I have never truly utilized the gears found on the furthest side of either spectrum.

This is why, for me, I love the “1x” setup. I find that I can access the gears I utilize most without having to change an entire chainring to get there. Less parts = less weight and greater efficiency.

Did I mention “electric shifting”?

Why yes, I did. My gravel bike is the first bike that I’ve had with electronic shifting. My bike has SRAM Rival eTap AXS components that allow me to shift the bike into a different gear with a gentle push of a button. It works off of battery power, versus a cable system, which is required for mechanical shifting.

It was a bit of a splurge, but well worth it.

Evolution

Gravel bikes continue to evolve into different breeds. Racing or cyclocross bikes are more aggressive in their geometry and typically max out at 42mm tire widths.

Bikepacking or adventure-specific gravel bikes have a significantly larger fork and less aggressive geometry, making them suited for long-distance hauls.

You’ll find several different accessory attachment points on gravel bike frames. These attachment points allow for bike packing accessories such as paniers, packs, and hydration.

As the popularity of gravel riding grows, this gear segment will continue to evolve to meet new demands and trends.

How to buy your first gravel bike

Well, you started in a great spot with this blog. I’d suggest hitting some of the many links below for additional information because cycling (regardless of the discipline) can be a deep dive.

Bicycles are a personal thing. What I mean by this is that N does not equal 1. Every body is different. Bikes will fit, feel, and perform differently for everyone. Regardless of which bike you ultimately purchase, invest in a proper bike fitting.

In the search for my first gravel bike, I went into several local bike shops. I spoke with the experts and asked their opinions.

I wasn’t simply looking for brand or component suggestions, but opinions on our local terrain. Here are some great questions to initiate constructive conversations:

How much tire width is necessary for our local trails?

Is there a law of diminishing returns on components? Meaning, based upon my price range, what components will offer me the greatest value for the type of rider that I am? A weekend warrior will have much different demands than that of a pro cyclist

Based upon the type of riding that I plan, should I be looking at an endurance-oriented or aggressive frame? Be honest with yourself. Is this a 50/50 road-to-trail bike? Are you a true off-the-grid rider?

Like with anything, the more people you meet, the more information you will gather.

I was incredibly lucky that my brother-in-law is a true gear-head and passionate cyclist. He and I had several chats about bikes, riding style, components and so on. His suggestions along with the local shops helped guide me to a decision on a ride that I’m absolutely loving. Thanks Omir!

I hope you found this post dirty and liberating. I’m referring of course to the two things that one can expect from a proper gravel ride. Get out, enjoy the gift of moving your body in the great outdoors and be sure to leave the trail cleaner than you found it.

Your bike on the other hand…that’s another story!

https://off.road.cc/content/feature/true-grit-the-origins-of-gravel-riding-9721

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/routes-and-rides/what-is-gravel-riding

https://www.sweetpetes.com/articles/bike-tire-sizes-guide-pg564.htm

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/products/what-is-the-best-tire-size-and-tread-pattern-for-gravel-bikes

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/what-is-a-gravel-bike

https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/tubeless

https://off.road.cc/content/feature/gravel-bike-geometry-everything-you-need-to-know-10541

https://bikerumor.com/2019-gravel-bike-standards-guide-all-you-need-to-know-to-buy-a-new-bike/

https://www.rodbikes.com/articles/phinney-fork/rake-trail-gravel-bikes.html

https://www.theproscloset.com/blogs/news/gravel-drivetrains-1x-or-2x-chainrings

https://www.sram.com/en/sram/road/series/rival-etap-axs

https://www.canyon.com/en-us/gravel-bikes/performance/grail-generation-2/cf-sl/grail-cf-sl-7-axs/3576.html?dwvar_3576_pv_rahmenfarbe=R119_P01