Anyone got a Gravel bike?

[penfold]

I have a cheap road bike and over the last few years I've been out and about and enjoy it. However, there are some roads which are probably best described as needing some repair. I also ride off into the hills and while the roads are nice, sometimes I see some paths which I would like to ride on but these generally cover fields and find myself staying on the road. So lately I have been thinking about going a little "off road" as there are some nice paths which are definitely not suitable for a road bike but are more like a dodgy footpath (some stones, gravel etc). I was originally thinking of getting a mountain bike so I would have a road bike and mountain bike, but I know that most of my time I will be spending on the road and even those times where I do go "off road" are likely to be only part of my ride. So I started looking at gravel bikes and these seem to be something that would suit the type of riding I would be doing. But part of me thinks that having something that can do both, will just end up with a bike which is not as good as having 2 dedicated bikes. But the realist in me says that I'm too old to be doing true mountain biking and will definitely not be coming down any mountain trails;)

 

Anyone have any experiences with gravel bikes?

[maark]

I have a cheap road bike and over the last few years I've been out and about and enjoy it. However, there are some roads which are probably best described as needing some repair. I also ride off into the hills and while the roads are nice, sometimes I see some paths which I would like to ride on but these generally cover fields and find myself staying on the road. So lately I have been thinking about going a little "off road" as there are some nice paths which are definitely not suitable for a road bike but are more like a dodgy footpath (some stones, gravel etc). I was originally thinking of getting a mountain bike so I would have a road bike and mountain bike, but I know that most of my time I will be spending on the road and even those times where I do go "off road" are likely to be only part of my ride. So I started looking at gravel bikes and these seem to be something that would suit the type of riding I would be doing. But part of me thinks that having something that can do both, will just end up with a bike which is not as good as having 2 dedicated bikes. But the realist in me says that I'm too old to be doing true mountain biking and will definitely not be coming down any mountain trails;)

 

Anyone have any experiences with gravel bikes?

 

I've got a mountain bike but changed knobbly tires for smoother ones. Easier on road but still ok on gravel/towpaths.

[TechMonkey]

Interesting I've been thinking the same, my other half likes to road bike but I grew up being a mountain biker (nothing extreme just off road) and want to have the ability to do that still. Same as you, see a path and follow it (regs permitting obviously).

Though I have now found out that there are hybrid bikes, as well as gravel bikes, so well and truly confused!!

[Rob_D]

My dad had a Specialized gravel bike a few years ago. It was great for prepared tracks like the downs link and not bad on rougher stuff (about what you'd expect from a non-suspension bike - getting fat tires can help a lot), but the more road-bike-esque riding position made it surprisingly bad at riding out potholes or really rutted paths.

 

If you want more options , city-bikes aren't bad for the occasional hard-top track, and the more upright (mountain-bike like) riding position can make the rougher stuff easier.

I think Hybrids are city bikes with front suspension - or you can just get city bikes with suspension as well.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Rob_D

[Vegas]

I bought a Giant gravel bike last year for similar reasons, lots of off road to be had round here (Cotswolds) but still goes well when you need the roads to get to the next track. I was out after work last night on some really rough stuff and it copes really well, its actually quite comfy. I absolutely love it, great fun.

[penfold]

Also just to add, I've never had any suspension on my bikes. I have ridden one a long time ago but didn't like it as it felt too springy, somehow I guess things have improved since that was when I was a child

[Ditto]

If your off-road is generally reasonable surface and you wish to retain a decent pace, a gravel bike is probably a good bet, especially if your current road bike has drop handle bars. If you are used to straight handle bars, a hybrid may feel like an easier transition.

 

Personally I have elderly but still robust Specialized mountain bike and stay off-road a lot. In truth, the current road conditions need a mountain bike too! I have done extended road tours a long time ago, but as another poster suggested, I have hybrid or road tyres to go on the MTB rims. You can get fully road wheels for a MTB, but look silly in my opinion! Tyre pressure and ground conditions come in to play here, so if it's dry, pump 'em up hard!

[Dos_Box]

Also just to add, I've never had any suspension on my bikes. I have ridden one a long time ago but didn't like it as it felt too springy, somehow I guess things have improved since that was when I was a child

 

I cycle quite a bit and have never got on with front suspension. You seem to lose power in certain situations.

[dmj]

I cycle quite a bit and have never got on with front suspension. You seem to lose power in certain situations.

 

Suspensions great for downhill, it's just all that effort going into compressing the springs seems such a waste when you need to get somewhere.

[flyinghaggis]

I was originally thinking of getting a mountain bike so I would have a road bike and mountain bike. But part of me thinks that having something that can do both, will just end up with a bike which is not as good as having 2 dedicated bikes.

 

TBH I'd just go with your original plan of getting a mountain bike and keep the road bike providing space for two bikes isn't a critical issue. Those gravel bikes seem pretty expensive anyway compared to mountain bikes so it's probably going to be the cheaper option.

 

 

Also, most cyclists generally concur that :-

 

"The correct number of bikes to own is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned."

 

 

Joking aside though I think you're right with your assumption that you'll just end up with a bike that isn't as good as either. Slower on the road than a road bike and not as capable/comfortable off road as a mountain bike. Far better to have a mountain bike for when you want to go off road to check out forest trails or gravel paths and a road bike for speed/distance on tarmac roads IMO.

Edited June 2, 2023 by flyinghaggis

[stevejp]

 

"The correct number of bikes to own is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned."[/i]

 

 

You are @mikeprice and I claim my £5 (this rule also applies to sheds…)

[Vegas]

TBH I'd just go with your original plan of getting a mountain bike and keep the road bike providing space for two bikes isn't a critical issue. Those gravel bikes seem pretty expensive anyway compared to mountain bikes so it's probably going to be the cheaper option.

 

 

Also, most cyclists generally concur that :-

 

"The correct number of bikes to own is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned."

 

 

Completely agree but unfortunately my Wife doesn't!

[mikeprice]

Contrary to teh above post Ihave only just found this thread

 

on my ebike - have I mentioned that I have an ebike

well I do

actually I have 2 - well Mrs mikeprice has one and I have one but as she has never ridden it I think of it as mine

any I have 2 ebikes before that - at different times

 

anyway - what was the point??

 

Oh yes gravel bikes

 

In my opinion they have their place - serious gravel

but they are marketed as if they are a requirement for anything that is rougher than pristine tarmac - so smooth that Rocket Ronnie wouldn;t complain about potting a tricky blue into a corner pocket on it - and the sort of mountain track that normally has a goat photographed on it

 

in reality they are great for really rough tracks - especially ones with rough gravel surface - where you don't need the extremes of the mountain bike knobbles

BUT most of the tracks that people use are not so rough that any half decent hybrid will cope perfectly well with them

 

On my ebike (did I mention that I have an ebike???) I have fairly smooth tyre and it copes with the normal tow paths and tracks around here with no problem

OK - there are some bits of especially muddy bits that I avoid in winter and otehr bits that get "interesting" in the wet due to lack of grip - and those bits would be better on more knobbly tyres

but I could easily swop the tyres over if I wanted or even go mad and have 2 sets of wheels with different tyres on each set

 

If I was going to be using more serious paths up and down rocky slopes then I would go full MTB ratehr than gravel

 

but them I am and old fat bald bloke and tend to come down rough tracks slowly rather than using techniques raleted to the verb "hurtle" and "zoom" and "crash"

 

and the thing about knobbly tyres - whether gravel type or MTB type - is that their rolling resistance is terrible on roads compared to smoother tyres so it takes less energy to get to the tracks

 

(other options are available - such as driving which uses even less energy unless you count the car!!!)

 

anyway - in my opinion - gravel bikes have their place and it isn;t in my shed

but they are a marketing dream

 

like "cloud"

and probably "AI"

 

BTW - did I mention that I have an ebike??

[penfold]

@mikeprice - you actually just called another thing that is in the back of my head. I would like to go out with my wife but she doesn't bike or more accurately she bikes short distance and on the flat. So we started discussing an electronic bike for her and then she can come with me. But I can't afford a new bike AND an electric bike So now I need to not only consider where I will go, but where maybe she would also like to go:doh:

[Dos_Box]

I have a Falcon California, it's a hybrid bike and 20 years old now!

We gave it a complete upgrade a few years back and swapped out everything apart from the frame (very lightweight and strong). My usual cycling routes contain canal paths, rough stoney paths and roads, all of which it handles wonderfully, even with the 20mm tyres, although I may be getting slightly wider ones soon.

Gravel bikes just seem to try and fill a gap that isn't there. You can simply upgrade your wheels/tyres if a bit of rough terrain is an issue.

I'd just go for a hybrid bike and not pay the premium for something that is neither one thing or another.

[CTIDTech]

I looked at gravel bikes....then electric bikes.....then gave up! It could will end up in my shed before going either on ebay or equivalent or to the tip as a rust bucket (as all my other failed biking attempts have done!) I live in a very hilly part of the world and it is these that kill me!

 

In the end I said get fit, lose weight and then aim for a bike, in that order! - I'm on phase one!

[ThatBoringBloke]

I have a hybrid, a road and a Mountain bike. Two of them are in long term storage. the oldest, cheapest and most fun one gets the most use, including commutes into work. Its a hybrid. It handles just about every surface I can throw at it just fine and cost less than £350 10 years ago. Halfords still sell it.

[flyinghaggis]

I have a hybrid, a road and a Mountain bike.

 

I have the same selection in my garage but I tend to always grab my mountain bike when I'm out for a cycle at a weekend just for the ability to venture offroad down any forest trails.

 

Even commuting to work I usually take my mountain bike just because it's so much smoother and more comfortable over rutted, pothole ridden city streets. Not noticeably slower over a 30 minute commute by the time you factor in traffic lights and congestion either.

 

I occassionally use my hybrid when going into town as it's an older cheaper bike so happy to leave it lying about without (too much) fear of it being slolen. I should probably sell my road bike as it's been sat in my shed for the past 3 years!

Edited June 6, 2023 by flyinghaggis

[Ditto]

Another good reason to stick with a mountain bike - Lycra! MTB - go baggy, you are still cool. Hybrid, a little flexibility. Roadies - gees, MAMILS is the danger. Endless lean 6 footer lean mid 20 and fit 30 year olds. Most with attitude and from the city or nearby and manners absent - I find the off roaders always helpful and easy to chat too.

[penfold]

Another good reason to stick with a mountain bike - Lycra! MTB - go baggy, you are still cool. Hybrid, a little flexibility. Roadies - gees, MAMILS is the danger. Endless lean 6 footer lean mid 20 and fit 30 year olds. Most with attitude and from the city or nearby and manners absent - I find the off roaders always helpful and easy to chat too.

Thankfully I don't have that issue. I live in a small village and actually when I had a flat on my road bike the first person slowed and asked if I needed any help and yup, he was on a road bike. To be honest, round here I always find other cyclists very polite. Maybe it's because I am cycling out near mountains and never go into cities on my bike. Most people I see out are getting into the outdoors and seem to appreciate being away from it all.

 

Actually I went for a run yesterday and realised where I was running is exactly the type of roads I would most likely be biking on when I go off road - these are forest and gravel roads. As these don't seem very extreme, a mountain bike seems like a little overkill. I think my reasoning on a gravel bike was that I know I will mostly be going on road, but would still like to cut across some roads which are linked by these forest/gravel roads. This would mean I can spend most of my time on the road but still be able to have options for some different routes and shortcuts. But now people have been talking about hybrid bikes I am even more confused to what I should get

[jmak]

I worked in a bike shop for years and I get confused by all this new fangled stuff.

 

Everyone came in asking for a mountain bike and we often tried and failed to persuade people to buy a hybrid instead as it would be more appropriate for 99% of what they did. If you're on the road or a semi-surfaced (tow path, gravel tracks) the hybrid will be more efficient and plenty robust enough.

 

The modern gravel bikes look at least as robust and will be faster on the road than a hybrid - however my personal recommendation would be that if you think you'll be on bumpy tracks, the drop handlebars will offer significantly less control. They're not made for turning sharply and the position makes it a bit harder to shift your weight around.

 

Modern "hard tail" mountain bikes have gone back to larger wheels - I've got a classic 26" wheeled bike which is what all the mountain bikes used to be. That makes them much more manoeuvrable and they're stronger, but the modern way of riding seems to be just plough straight on through all the rough stuff and rely on momentum and the stability of the larger wheels and the fact that modern factory built wheels have improved so don't bend at the first sight of a pothole.

 

Our speciality was custom built touring bikes which were deeply unfashionable at the time - but were remarkably similar to what they're now marketing as gravel bikes. A road bike with more relaxed angles, upgraded brakes, mountain bike components, chunkier wheels. We had loyal customers who took them all over the world.

 

I'm probably biased, but I'd strongly recommend finding a decent local bike shop who'll let you try a few.

 

Hybrid is the boring choice, but realistically it'll work for almost anything you want to do and they tend to be less expensive.

 

(That turned into a bit of an essay and I could go on much longer!)

[penfold]

I worked in a bike shop for years and I get confused by all this new fangled stuff.

 

Everyone came in asking for a mountain bike and we often tried and failed to persuade people to buy a hybrid instead as it would be more appropriate for 99% of what they did. If you're on the road or a semi-surfaced (tow path, gravel tracks) the hybrid will be more efficient and plenty robust enough.

 

The modern gravel bikes look at least as robust and will be faster on the road than a hybrid - however my personal recommendation would be that if you think you'll be on bumpy tracks, the drop handlebars will offer significantly less control. They're not made for turning sharply and the position makes it a bit harder to shift your weight around.

 

Modern "hard tail" mountain bikes have gone back to larger wheels - I've got a classic 26" wheeled bike which is what all the mountain bikes used to be. That makes them much more manoeuvrable and they're stronger, but the modern way of riding seems to be just plough straight on through all the rough stuff and rely on momentum and the stability of the larger wheels and the fact that modern factory built wheels have improved so don't bend at the first sight of a pothole.

 

Our speciality was custom built touring bikes which were deeply unfashionable at the time - but were remarkably similar to what they're now marketing as gravel bikes. A road bike with more relaxed angles, upgraded brakes, mountain bike components, chunkier wheels. We had loyal customers who took them all over the world.

 

I'm probably biased, but I'd strongly recommend finding a decent local bike shop who'll let you try a few.

 

Hybrid is the boring choice, but realistically it'll work for almost anything you want to do and they tend to be less expensive.

 

(That turned into a bit of an essay and I could go on much longer!)

 

I am tempted to try a few, but the other thing I have is some vouchers that I can use to buy a bike online. This is why I started looking at bikes a little more expensive than I normally would have. So I may need to try some to get a feel and then get something similar online. I was told to get a mountain bike by a friend. Except of course he does do mountain trail riding on trails which is more than what I would be doing. I even think that most of his time is not spent on mountain trails. Also like you say that drop handlebars was a concern for me for off road, but I am used to this from my road bike. Plus the realist in me doesn't see me going on very bumps roads anymore. I'm far too close to 50 to be trying that:D

 

Just to add, I started to look at other bikes now but this is showing I need to do even more research

[Dos_Box]

I am tempted to try a few, but the other thing I have is some vouchers that I can use to buy a bike online. This is why I started looking at bikes a little more expensive than I normally would have. So I may need to try some to get a feel and then get something similar online. I was told to get a mountain bike by a friend. Except of course he does do mountain trail riding on trails which is more than what I would be doing. I even think that most of his time is not spent on mountain trails. Also like you say that drop handlebars was a concern for me for off road, but I am used to this from my road bike. Plus the realist in me doesn't see me going on very bumps roads anymore. I'm far too close to 50 to be trying that:D

 

Just to add, I started to look at other bikes now but this is showing I need to do even more research

 

A problem with mountain bikes, especially for commuting, is the low gear ratios. You will find yourself pedlling twice as much for far less speed than, say, a hybrid.

[mikeprice]

A problem with mountain bikes, especially for commuting, is the low gear ratios. You will find yourself pedlling twice as much for far less speed than, say, a hybrid.

 

gear ratios are easy to change though

 

just put a different chain ring on

[flyinghaggis]

Modern "hard tail" mountain bikes have gone back to larger wheels - I've got a classic 26" wheeled bike which is what all the mountain bikes used to be. That makes them much more manoeuvrable and they're stronger, but the modern way of riding seems to be just plough straight on through all the rough stuff and rely on momentum and the stability of the larger wheels and the fact that modern factory built wheels have improved so don't bend at the first sight of a pothole.

 

Ironically the bigger 29" wheels are why I'm such a fan of newer mountain bikes! The carry momentum way better and a far more stable at speed than the old 26" ones. Much better off road as they roll easily over roots and ruts plus more stable at speed.

 

I joked about the n+1 bike thing but I personally don't feel you can get anything more versatile than a modern 29" hardtail mountain bike. Great off road and plenty quick enough on road if you fit semi-slick tyres. Plus most come with mounts for a rack/mudguards so fine for commuting duties if required. Lots of nice tech/featues in them these days as well like hydraulic disc brakes, air suspension and single chainring gearing.

 

I appreciate everyone has different preferences/priorities for what they're looking for in a bike so what works for me may not suit others! Main thing is to get out and enjoy the summer weather whatever type of bike you have!

Edited June 12, 2023 by flyinghaggis