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Hi, does anyone use a gravel bike as a road bike, and does it work well on road? Thinking about condensing down my bike collection as we need the space in the garage for other things. Will be keeping the full-sus, but potentially getting rid of my hardtail MTB and my road bike to replace with one bike that can do both things, perhaps with two sets of wheels to change over quickly. Anyone do this?
I do, have a spare set of wheels for road use. It’s pretty good though not quite as fast as a full on road bike.
Unless you are actually racing, nobody needs a full on road bike. UK roads are a potholed mess so a gravel bike with decent size tyres (32mm minimum) is a much more practical proposition.
IMHO of course.
Its still really hard to find a bike that excels on both road & offroad, its always a compromise somewhere - unless your roads are really rough, and trails really smooth, or you're just willing to chill and compromise .... some of the latest gravel bikes are getting closer with big tyres but light/ fast frames, the new Cervelo Aspero 5 for instance - or the Spcialized Crux is so light it does a good job of imitating a road bike.
Tyre size doesn't have as big an impact on rolling speed as the rolling resistance of the specific tyre design, with big supple tyres being surprisingly fast, with the latest trends deciding that a 2.1 Thunderburt rips (been saying this for a decade while no-one was listening) - allowing you to bridge the gap somewhat...
(rips= fast... not just putting holes in the casing)
I've been riding my Santa Cruz Stigmata the length of the UK (not finished yet). I put a set of 40mm Pirelli Zeros on it and it feels almost as fast as my Cervelo Cali 5 road bike. Plus it's more comfortable and also better on the descents 😀
I use my Gradient as a winter road bike with mudguards and 32mm GP5000 All Seasons. I have another set of wheels with 43mm SKs on which it wears in the summer. It's a bit slower on the road than my Defy, but there isn't much in it.
I do far more road riding than gravel riding on my gravel bike (Giant Revolt Advanced).
One of the main reasons I bought it was for more comfortable road rides and a more relaxed position.
I haven’t bothered with another pair of wheels, but just up the tyre pressure for road and reduce it for rougher stuff.
(Actually that’s a lie. I have a pair of 650b wheels with 47mm tyres that I have used about half a dozen times in the last 4 years for muddy rides.)
I used my tripster AT as my winter road bike for a good few years. I eventually stopped swapping the wheels over because the different disc/gear spacings was a faff but for just heading out and trucking along it was great.
The limiting factor for me was that I when I started riding more with other people on that bike I couldn't get gearing that worked well both on and off road. That may be something that's less of an issue with your riding goals and a modern groupset but is something to think about.
It's an electric gravel, but yep. The western South Downs lanes have been so neglected over the last eight years since I started going up there, like I expect many other roads around the country, so many are becoming a liability on road tyres especially if you aren't lightweight.
Yes, I commute on one set of wheels and ride gravel on another with different (larger) sprockets and 40c gravel kings. Gearing is not perfect for either, too low for road chain gangs, and too high for steep off-road climbs, but it works. I settled on a 38T NW 1x11 set up. Wheels are identical hubs and rims and I use rim brakes with etap shifting. It’s a titanium cross frame, so road oriented geometry. A Crux would be close if disc brakes and carbon desired.
Got an alloy top stone that gets used mostly on the road . I would like to do more off road on it but if I'm going to the trouble of putting a bike on the car I'll probably choose the mountain bike .
As above I just pump the tyres up a bit , I would like 2 sets of wheels for it at some point but it's fine for me at the moment with the g ones , I don't ride with other people out on the road so if I'm giving up a couple of kph on average it doesn't really bother me .
My riding mate and I both have Diverges. We often do 50 to 60 mile road rides along country lanes on them. (As well as the one or two rides a week over Cannock Chase we do on them)
At no point do we ever feel that they're draggy or sluggish. We're clearly averaging 2 or 3 mph less than on the road bikes and if we were going for longer rides we would probably go for them.
The advantages are several.
Less neck ache, less fear when going down a gritty gravel strewn potholed slope, less stuff in your pockets because if all the storage options, less requirements to wear shoes and shorts that are unsuitable for the conditions and most importantly, the ability to say "does that bridle path cut out the 3 mile section along the A46?".
My lovely Pinarello Prince is looking very dusty at the back of the garage behind all the other bikes that have been ridden at least once this year. We also have to make a special effort to take the full fat ebikes out as unless we make it a proper up and down ride using them to their full capabilities we'd rather be on the gravel bikes.
Yes, mine sometimes performs Audax duties or spring/cobbled duties, mainly because I can fit a 32mm tyre in there but also for the more relaxed position and steel frame (my road bike can actually fit 30mm tyres but even then it sounded like I was breaking it over Edinburgh's relatively tame cobbles 😬).
I run 2x 48/31 and 11-34. I've run out of gears without trying particularly hard in the past (a gradual downhill with a tailwind) which isn't the end of the world but I wouldn't want any fewer or any less range.
It's clearly not the same ride as my road bike which in comparison sometimes feels like it's accelerating under its own steam, I guess the main difference between the two is that the road bike encourages and rewards hard efforts, the gravel bike less so.
Unless you are actually racing, nobody needs a full on road bike
Unless you are actually racing, nobody needs a full on gravel bike
In reality pick the bike you want rather than what is on trend.
Road bikes can take just as much hammer as a gravel bike. You could get a road bike with reasonable clearance and buy a 2nd set of wheels
Personally I dont ride enough pure gravel to justify a gravel bike and my road bike is fine on shitty Shropshire and Wales lanes
If I’m off road I prefer to be properly off road on an MTB
Getting rid of 2 bikes that are perfect at what they do and buying one that's compromised for everything. Hmm. I don't get the gravel bike thing at all, I've never seen anyone happy riding one off road. The marketeers do make them look very appealing though I'll give you that.
Can you store your existing bikes better/more efficiently?
My fairlight secan is used for both, having a 650b 2.1" set and a 700c with 32mm.
If you do, get the same hubs and discs. It makes swapping a 1 minute job.
I now do far more road miles and am enjoying road riding far more than before. I was a little hesitant my grx 1x groupset would be ok but actually fine for me.
Yeah, lots of people use a gravel bike for road rides, having a second set of wheels helps a lot though. I bought an all-road bike earlier in the year with the intention of using it mostly for road but some light gravel to (it has 40mm tyre clearance) but decided it was too nice to take off-road so bought a gravel bike a few weeks ago to use for that but also as a winter road bike with a second set of wheels running 35mm slicks (that's how I justified the purchase to myself anyway...). Turns out gravel is more fun than I thought it would be so hopefully it should get a decent amount of use.
The only real compromise is if it's a 1x drive train, which can be a bit limiting (although SRAMs 13sp XPLR stuff helps), depends where you live though. Other than that, if you are using it mostly on road, I'd opt for one with more road bike like geometry rather than the newer trend which are more MTB hardtail geometry, just feels a bit more lively and engaging on road rides then.
Hmm. I don't get the gravel bike thing at all, I've never seen anyone happy riding one off road
I didn't either really, riding 'gravel' seemed like either a boring MTB ride or an uncomfortable road ride but it's definitely fun. Whether its just a local off-road bimble (sure that's just as fun if using a hardtail MTB) or riding a mix of road and off-road (UK gravel/non-gnarly off-road is a bit sparse in some areas so riding on road to get to it is pretty common, that's not as enjoyable on an MTB. There's lot of gravel events out there now to, would much prefer doing those than a typical UK non-closed-road sportive.
I don't think I'd enjoy doing gnarlier stuff on a gravel bike though, there's a point where it's just survival rather than fun - being on an FS MTB greatly extends the 'fun' window in that regard. I don't think anyone's swapping FS MTBs for gravel bikes and seeing them as direct replacements though.
Yes, I have two sets of wheels and I can't say that I notice any real downside. It's not an aggressive gravel bike so it works as a more comfortable road bike and still has a front mech and no dropper.
Unless you are actually racing, nobody needs a full on road bike.
Nobody "needs" any sort of bike over another, any bike can be ridden around on. But if I like riding road bikes then I would rather have one than a gravel bike for riding on the road as they are simply more fun to ride (faster, handle better etc,.) and as I ride for fun why not ride the bike that is most fun.
If you find it as much or more fun riding on a gravel bike then great, not everyone does though so silly blanket statements about road bikes are silly.
Yep, have done for years.
No need for a second set of wheels (for me anyway), I've always used fairly low profile / fast rolling gravel tyres so although it's a bit slower than a pure road bike, it's more capable in terms of terrain.
A modern "racing" gravel bike is actually not that much slower than a road bike anyway.
Mudguards for winter riding gives a very effective "winter road bike" too.
My Nukeproof digger is my road bike. Ive put 35mm gravel king ss tyres on but apart from that it's as bought. I've done a few 100 mile rides on it, including ride to the sun, and it's got me into road riding. I've never ridden a proper road bike, so don't really have anything to compare it with, but I feel that it's a bit stretched out for my size - after 50 miles I start to hurt a bit, hands and neck. Contemplating replacing it with an "endurance" road bike, bit more upright, 2x, slightly lighter, etc etc.... maybe even move away from flat pedals! I think a bike fit first though.
I don't get the gravel bike thing at all, I've never seen anyone happy riding one off road.
<Waves 🖐️ > One of the biggest revelations when getting a gravel bike, was how they transform "dull" bits of trail. "Dull" as in a bit boring on a full sus or even hardtail mtb, but huge fun on a gravel bike. I have some real grin inducing moments riding my Camino on bits of singletrack that would have been instantly forgettable on one of my mtbs.
I ride my gravel bike on the road all the time. My road riding is mostly on very poor, potholed, grass up the middle country lanes though. I've never been a roadie so I don't know what I'm "missing". I ride on my own or with mates and family who also have gravel bikes so I'm never too bothered about all out speed. I have briefly tried a few road bikes and even endurance bikes felt a little too head down, arse up for my 61 y/o body. The gravel bike is comfortable, great for carrying stuff and huge fun. The option to explore bridleways and bits of singletrack on a whim when on a road ride is also brilliant too. I never got gravel bikes until I got one. I'm a full on cult member now though!
Cotic escapade here. Two sets of wheels, one with slicks and the other gravel tyres, set up 2x11. It's a few km/h quicker with the slicks. For my usage I don't see the point in having either a aero road bike or more extreme gravel bike.
The gravel bike is comfortable, great for carrying stuff and huge fun. The option to explore bridleways and bits of singletrack on a whim when on a road ride is also brilliant too.
100% this!
The options it opens up when out on a "road ride", just that ability to take any road you want no matter how potholed is really refreshing. It's just a kind of go-anywhere, do-anything bike which in these days of being told you need this bike for X, that bike for Y is a breath of fresh air.
I don't get the gravel bike thing at all, I've never seen anyone happy riding one off road
Err, we've not met then. All bikes are good. And round by me there's some great roads, great gravel and great MTB trails. My 'do it all' bike really makes some fairly 'boring on an MtB' trails interesting/fun/challenging, and now and again it's great to be on an inappropriate bike... Being able to mix all these trails and rides up is fabulous.
Yes, I use my singlespeed Cotic Escapade as a road bike all the time. Gives me the option to explore any paths and tracks I come across whilst out and about, and being ss doesn't take too much looking after.
I rode my Scott CR1 Team for the first time in ages the other day, old but top spec back in the day, two by ten speed dura-ace etc. it wasn't actually that much faster, and I'd forgotten just how terrible rim brakes are.
The only thing I really miss on the SS is the ability to slipstream tractors and things due to lack of top speed but that's due to being as, rather than to being a gravel bike
I don't get the gravel bike thing at all, I've never seen anyone happy riding one off road
Err, we've not met then. All bikes are good. And round by me there's some great roads, great gravel and great MTB trails. My 'do it all' bike really makes some fairly 'boring on an MtB' trails interesting/fun/challenging, and now and again it's great to be on an inappropriate bike... Being able to mix all these trails and rides up is fabulous.
Confused as to how that quote is attributed to me?? For the record, I have a perma grin when riding my gravel bike off road!
As everybody else has said, two sets of wheels is generally a good compromise. My road bike needs updating, nice R5, if for no other reason than as I'm getting a bit older I'm struggling with the position in the drops.
For how much actual road riding I've done over the past few years, there's no way I can justify another nice road bike, so I'm going to get some Reserve wheels, closer ratio cassette and 32c tyres and stick them on my Revolt. I've borrowed some, and the only place it feels slower on the road is out of the saddle on a steepish climb, where I prefer the longer/lower length of a rod bike. It'll do for me.
My road bike is on my indoor trainer which makes me go faster in the virtual world 😉.
My gravel bike is ridden outdoors in the uncompromising real world. The real world is sub optimal so I ride the gravel bike which performs above average in all categories that I ride 🤔.
I sold my road bike this year as I just prefer riding my gravel bike, I have always run my gravel bike 2X though which helps a lot with the gearing, I've now got 48/32 chain rings on there and I use a 11/36 cassette on my gravel wheels and 11/27 on the road wheels. I have also bought an inexpensive third set of wheels to use in winter so that I don't have to trash a nicer set of carbon wheels that I bought for summer road riding.
I love my Ti Camino. Its my most ridden bike. But i live where there are lots of battered country lanes and forestry fire road type trails. Plus im way more interested in comfort over distance than speed so the slower aspects of 45c tyres and 1x drive chain don't really bother me.
Yes.
I originally bought my gravel bike for commuting to work and back on the shitty potholed roads here in Aberdeen, which I did for a year or so before Covid.
Never fancied a proper road bike but I absolutely love the gravel bike and use it much more than my MTB despite now working from home.
I do still prefer mountain biking, but it's easier to grab the gravel bike and ride somewhere cool that would otherwise be a bit boring/tame on the MTB, as others have said. It can be quite fun being totally underbiked at times too.
For me, what ended up being called a 'gravel bike' was just a tough road bike with discs that was also a CX bike for taking shortcuts and byways on. A winter bike for rough lanes and a bit of muddy Paris-Roubaix style fun to add some variety to rides and change the routes I rode. I still don't see gravel bikes as actual off-road bikes, they're just a less race-derived take on road bikes. Rough lanes, good byways, same thing at times.
If you're on road more than 50% of the time during a ride and the trails are not technical or very steep, they're great. The bike I use most for this kind of thing has spent whole winters as a road bike and done 300-600k audaxes so to me that makes it a competent road bike. I think most of the lighter weight gravel bikes with double chainsets work well there.
I use my Planet X Tempest as a road bike in the winter. Put some Hunt wheels on and 32c slicks and off it goes. Much easier to clean a 1X setup and a Ti frame from all the road debris.
Gears are the bit that make the most difference once you’ve put some narrow tyres on. I struggle to keep up with my friends on road bikes with my 1x gravel bike. It’s easy to wander along at 20mph on the flat on a road bike, not so with a gravel bike. I think the whole 1x thing is oversold apart from mtbs.
Ultimately it probably doesn't really matter unless you are racing or chasing Strava times or something. I always ride from the door so have ridden a set of varying sized loops for 25 years. Speed is much of a muchness and I can see larger differences in speed from how I am feeling on the day vs what bike I was riding. I currently have a 1980s road bike, a 6kg track bike and a gravel bike.
The 6kg track bike feels the best when riding on the road (more responsive, better uphill and so on) and for some reason it can fit 30c tyres so is actually comfortable. However it is also slower than old road bike (hamstrung by having a single gear).
If I had to keep one bike (which I will be as the other two are up for sale) it is the gravel bike as I also enjoy riding it even though it is the slowest on road.
My road bike is on my indoor trainer which makes me go faster in the virtual world
My gravel bike is on my turbo. Well to be fair it's not by modern standards a gravel bike it's an early Croix de Fer which is over geared and under tyred. I got it for half it's original cost after someone else found it wasn't for them after a hundred miles and put on the classifieds here. I ended up just using it on the road but then got into that more and joined a club and bought a Defy which was much better for road riding.
I've just ordered a Secan though as I still want what I'd hoped the CdF was going to be, a bike to take me back to to 1985 and riding from home over the South Downs to get to nicer quieter roads and tracks on my Coventry Eagle. Fortunately I won't have to be doing that this time with a 42/28 lowest gear!
I don't get the gravel bike thing at all, I've never seen anyone happy riding one off road
Err, we've not met then. All bikes are good. And round by me there's some great roads, great gravel and great MTB trails. My 'do it all' bike really makes some fairly 'boring on an MtB' trails interesting/fun/challenging, and now and again it's great to be on an inappropriate bike... Being able to mix all these trails and rides up is fabulous.
Confused as to how that quote is attributed to me?? For the record, I have a perma grin when riding my gravel bike off road!
I'm confused too! Sorry! 🤷
I've been riding a Tripster ATR on and off road for years ("I'm tired...boss...").
2 sets of wheels, and it feels fantastic in both guises.
Running a 42t front chainril, and 12 speed Sram Xplor rear. Manages road and gravel just fine.
Super comfy too.
Best thing i did on road was get some vittoria corsa next 34c road tyres - absolutely transformed the ride.
DrP
Road bikes can take just as much hammer as a gravel bike
Stuff and nonsense. Ridiculous thing to say....
I prefer my 'gravel' bike over my road bike on the road simply because of the comfort. I'm about 1-2 mph slower overall.
Gravel riding or as we call it in Shropshire road riding.
As above really . I sold “fast road” wheels for my gravel bike as I never used them.
Love riding my Stigmata on road. Ok it may be fractionally slower than a full-on road bike but it's so smooth and comfortable to ride, and the fact that it eats up potholes and kerbs is a bonus. The fat tyres are reasonably light and feel super supple and smooth, I'm not sure they are even that slow.
I do, have a spare set of wheels for road use. It’s pretty good though not quite as fast as a full on road bike.
I did the same for a while - 28mm GP5000 on one set, and 38mm G-One on the other.
Quite a difference in speed between the two, even on mixed road/gravel routes. IIRC, the difference between the two was at least 1 hour over a 75 mile mixed ride.
Now I just run the one set of 40mm Terra Speeds all the time. If I'm going for a ride, I'm going for a ride.
Thanks all and some great feedback. Will take some time to delve through it all, but assume that a 1 x 12 setup would work for both? Like the idea of ditching the front mech. Roads round here are pants too so another reason why I don't road bike all that much these days, and my hopes of staying with a chain gang are long gone.