What is a gravel bike?
Gravel bikes are drop-bar bikes that are designed for off-road usage, such as on gravel, tracks, or paths, making them more versatile than your average road bike. They typically feature thick tyres which make transitioning between different surfaces more comfortable for riders.
These days, both ‘adventure’ and ‘gravel’ bike terms are often used interchangeably, with both of these bike types serving the exact same purpose. Some people think there are a couple of subtle differences, with gravel bikes originally being built more for off-road racing, whereas adventure bikes have always been known as durable, reliable off-road solutions for a wider range of consumers and are compared more to road bikes.
Gravel bikes originated from the US, where gravel-based surfaces are much more commonplace than you’ll find here in the UK, but typically you’ll find gravel and adventure bike product ranges merged into one these days and both types unlock the same opportunities for you as a cyclist.
Adventure and gravel bikes are perfect for use on gravel, tracks, paths, and any other type of off-road surface you can imagine. Now, let’s take a look at some of the design philosophies that make these bikes popular.
Gravel and adventure bike design
Comfort based geometry
Most gravel and adventure bikes prioritise rider comfort over outright speed. A tall headtube combined with a slack head angle, helps riders adopt an upright position, something you’ll appreciate when riding long distances on and off-road.
Long wheelbase
Continuing the frame design thread, gravel and adventure bikes tend to have a long wheelbase. A bicycle’s wheelbase is the measurement between its front and rear axle and increasing this distance helps spread rider weight, increasing stability. When braking, rolling over obstacles or dealing with changes in gradient, a long wheelbase also helps keep things on the right side of the fun line!
Low bottom bracket
A low bottom bracket (BB) is another common gravel bike feature designed to increase the stability of a gravel bike. A lower BB means the rider sits lower on the bike, reducing their centre of gravity and subsequently helping the bike feel more planted.
Generous tyre clearance
Large tyre clearance is yet another concession made by gravel bike designers, increasing comfort and stability. Most models come shod with 32mm tyres but with room for much, much wider rubber. Extremely wide tyres are sometimes referred to as “monstercross” when they are similar in width to mountain bike tyres.
Disc brakes
Drawn by disc brakes increased stopping power, easier modulation and reduced maintenance it’s no surprise to see bike brands use them on gravel bikes. Using disc brakes also frees designers from the shackles of calliper brakes – namely their impact on tyre clearance. Design a bike around disc brakes and it becomes easier for the frame and fork to accommodate wider tyres.