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Yeah the name is American as they actually have gravel roads out there longer than a couple of miles.
Gravel, monstercross, adventure, atb, byway basher, road bike for actual UK roads... Whatever you call them they all do roughly the same job.
I've found that riding on the hoods off-road is somewhat worrying but as soon as you use the drops things improve dramatically.
As noted by myself and others on this thread, a lot of "gravel" bikes are basically road bikes with room for wider or larger volume tyres. The one I demoed also had standard road drop bars. Something more gravel oriented will have flared drops, like the Salsa Woodchipper and Cowchipper bars. As well as being flared the "drop" is shallower and the bars are wider. Looking at @epicyclo's mate, his bars seem to have some flare to them.
That extra width gives the bars a bit more flex when held in the drops which is probably why I find the handling better, just takes that twitchiness away and also helps soak up the micro bumps. Conversely, on-road that compliance will also use up a bit of energy as it counteracts your body's movements.
@root-n-5th - you aren't alone in preferring an upright position. A slammed stem is fine for a quick blast round a trail centre but as soon as you are out for longer periods then it's a disadvantage. Look at shots of bikes used for races like the Tour Divide and they'll all have the bars set high along with the bars themselves being a right cornucopia of styles and tri-bars cobbled together with this, that and the other.
Seems I’m in a minority about wanting an upright position.
I'm with you. Nice and comfy on the hoods, and still able to get right back off the back of the bike when down on the drops (where the brakes are) for steep descents. Makes perfect sense, exactly what I've got on my Drove, which I love. Couldn't go downhill properly on the Sutra LTD that I had, which is one of the reasons I didn't keep it.
edit, then again, mine's more of a mountainbike-with-drop-bars than a gravel bike, which is probably why I still want something more gravelly.
Yeah the name is American as they actually have gravel roads out there longer than a couple of miles.
Where I live there are a lot of fire roads, old railways routes etc,. that are all hard packed gravel (some with a bit of loose gravel on top) and are all easily rideable on 28c tyres. In fact I don't find the fire roads any less comfortable to ride on than the tarmac roads (which are pretty rough)
Whereas the surface eddiebaby shows in his photo looks like it would be pretty uncomfortable to ride on but then I would not class that as gravel.
but in Britain we pretty much have tarmac, mud and cow poo, proper steep off-road or canal paths. ‘Canal path bikes’ doesn’t really evoke the same Wild West spirit of adventure though.
Really? Here in South Wales we have miles and miles and miles of hilly and mountain access tracks, that can vary from being mudfests to rocky nightmares. I can ride from here in Swansea to Brecon over 40 miles of tracks on trails that are closer to what you think of as American than to anything in the south-east, for instance. It's certainly not muddy tracks around field-edges around here.
Yep, if you look you will find. OS Mapping and a bit of trial and error has definitely opened up the road less travelled. Without doubt more my sort of thing than endlessly riding around the same old forest loops. Just about to head out to test some green dashes on the map. Could be awesome, could be awful. All part of the fun.
but in Britain
There's a mythical place called Scotland that you should check out...
Sorry to flag the elephant in the room, but isn’t ‘gravel bike’ just a bit of American puff advertising? Yeah
A bit like 'mountain bike' then.
(a) folk rode bikes off-road before they were called mountain bikes
(b) in the UK, mountain is defined as being over 600m. I'll guarantee very few MTBs in the UK ever get that high, or even ride around in terrain that is that high.
TBH the name doesn't really matter, its just good that we've finally broken the link with CX bikes that previously existed. They're generally a different thing and it was leading folk down the wrong path.
but in Britain
The moors and dales round here are littered with 'gravel' roads.
Ooh, I found some new ways home last night on my Tripster ATR(G) (Adventure Race Travel (Gravel)).
Turned off the road onto a footpath, through the woods and there's some right proper gravel tracks built the other side of the new housing estates. So blissful with no traffic. Never would've discovered this on a road bike.. and I wouldn't commute on an MTB, cos it's always gonna be road all the way in.
I'd put a video up, but haven't got time to edit it. And it'd be proper boring really 🙂
So, that's Wales, Scotland and northern England that have plenty of suitable tracks, and I'm sure there must be one or two further south. They must be hard to see from the car on the way to the trail centre. 😀
I was pretty sceptical until I bought a ‘general purpose’ drop bar bike a couple of years ago (Cotic Escapade). I hadn’t ridden a drop bar touring/audax type bike for at least 25 years and had forgotten how much quicker they are on mild off road tracks and quiet lanes. My OH has a nice lightish steel hardtail with XC wheels and tyres, and on longer easy off road stuff, my drop bar bike is the first time I’ve arrived at destinations before her!
The Cotic was a bit too stretched out for me, so I sold it and bought a cheap ex demo Sonder Camino. The latter is a lot more upright, and the frame has a slightly more relaxed flexy feel to it. I’ve stuck some Ritchey flared handlebars on and some old 650b mountain bike wheels with 42c tyres, and have been pleasantly surprised at the sort of trails I can get down.
To emphasise the difference between ‘gravel’ type bikes and hardtail MTBs, I recently went on an easy going group ride in the White Peak. The ride was mainly on old rail trails, lanes and bits of mild off road singletrack. It was about 46 miles FWIR. The hardtail group were on a mix of 650b, b+ and 29 - all fast rolling XC type treaded tyres - drop bar bikes had CX type tyres on. Bit of a headwind on the return leg, and the end of the ride, the guys on the hardtails were really suffering - as I would normally be on my MTB! There were some proper fit people in the group, but I don’t think they were used to doing so much seated peddling.
I think the big difference for me with the gravel bikes is in the reduced wind resistance, even when on the tops of the bars - there’s also the variety of hand positions, which also allow you to shift weight off your shoulders and a**e a bit. The advantage of the gravel bike over a road bike is the ability to dodge off road onto even quite ‘interesting’ terrain.
So, that’s Wales, Scotland and northern England that have plenty of suitable tracks, and I’m sure there must be one or two further south.
Loads dayn 'ere near the coast.
There's lots in Kent too if you look hard enough, there just tends to be a bit more tarmac between the byways and bridleways.
lots of particulate-stone-surfaced ex-railway and waggonway tracks where I live. Miles of forest and moorland tracks not far away. Even my 9 mile commute today included 4 miles of purest gravelling.
So, that’s Wales, Scotland and northern England that have plenty of suitable tracks, and I’m sure there must be one or two further south.
The New Forest has loads of gravel routes
In my part of South Wales there are indeed plenty of 'tracks' but they are all quite rocky so if you want to go at any reasonable speed you need big rubber. Certainly more than 32c.
I think the big difference for me with the gravel bikes is in the reduced wind resistance
For me it's riding position and geometry. It's perfectly possible to build something in between a gravel bike and an MTB if you want more rubber, flat bars but still a good riding position for covering distance.
Took the Charge Plug round my local loop last night, considering the number of times I've done it on an MTB of various sorts there were a surprisingly large number of PB's (and I really wasn't trying, just out to stretch my legs).
In my part of South Wales there are indeed plenty of ‘tracks’ but they are all quite rocky so if you want to go at any reasonable speed you need big rubber. Certainly more than 32c.
That's why I love my Vagabond.
Coincidentally it does help the industry shift more kit.
Coincidentally it does help the industry shift more kit.
It does indeed.
Imagine if they had stuck with ATB 🙂
I’m off work so I’m having a relaxed days cycling. I’m in Milton Keynes, I’ve done about 60km, and I’ve barely touched any tarmac. I’ve been on canal paths, grass, mud, gravel, broken concrete, and indeterminate dirt. I’ve been through dry woods and wet ditches, over a bmx track and up and down a couple of gritty inclines. I’m about to head home, and as I’m a bit late I’ll be taking a direct route on a cycle path
I’m riding an Arkose with 38mm tyres, and it’s been just about perfect for the mix - a hardtail would have been a bit too heavy and slow on the smooth bits, a road bike would have very warped rims by now.
Tomorrow I’ll be commuting on it along mixed surfaces, and it will be good for that as well.
No so subtle stealth add alert - If anyone is after a Kinesis Tripster AT I have one for sale £800, tried posting it in the classifieds but the photos wont upload so given up!
The New Forest has loads of gravel routes
Yep and having lived in New Forest for last 20 years I have probably ridden on most of them. That seems to be the thing whenever a gravel bike thread pops up, some people think they are not useful in the UK but that is simply because they don't have any gravel roads in their location so assume nobody else does.
I don't live anywhere near a trail centre so unfortunately never go to them but I don't question the need for bikes that are good for trail centres.
The New Forest has loads of gravel routes
Yes indeed, Rich who used to be on the forum, but is now usually in bed when we're discussing, arranged a big New Forest gravel ride for his farewell to Blighty. It was perfecto for our gravel bikes. Man, this was a few years ago now, so we must've been well ahead of the times. 😀
We even have them in Northern Ireland
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So apart from Wales, Scotland and northern England, the New Forset, Kent, Milton Keynes, 'down by the coast' & Northern Ireland. Is there anywhere in Britain where you can ride on gravel roads?
Dammit, chaps and chapettes ; you are, of course, all right.
(Note to self: remember to use an ‘ironic’ emoji next time i’m being needlessly facetious.😣)
So apart from Wales, Scotland and northern England, the New Forset, Kent, Milton Keynes, ‘down by the coast’ & Northern Ireland. Is there anywhere in Britain where you can ride on gravel roads?
Does all this explain why I saw a guy with roadie bars and smooth hybrid tyres on one of my trails lately? Good luck with that when it gets muddy. Sure there's gravely tracks hither and thither but being England, sooner or later you're going to be on something green brown wet and slippery.
I've only just recovered from the shock of seeing some gibbon on a bike with 10 inch wide tyres. This has to stop. 3 rings up front, 9 at the back, and rolling on 26ers. Ain't going to be any spare parts left for us normal folk if bike loons keep chasing the latest fashion 😁
Is there anywhere in Britain where you can ride on gravel roads?
Genuine lolz here! 😂
Does all this explain why I saw a guy with roadie bars and smooth hybrid tyres on one of my trails lately? Good luck with that when it gets muddy.
But it’s not muddy now, is it? It will take him twenty minutes to put suitable tyres on when it does get muddy.
Driving to Netherlands over half-term. I have a brother in law who is a (very fast) xc'er and a roadie mate...I can only take 1 bike as everyone in the family is taking a bike.
I will be riding a 75km off-road sportif and a couple of long road rides. Plus riding with my family on mixed surfaces as they all have hybrids and probably a couple of off-road rides on my own.
I have a fatbike..tempted but no. A road bike, so no again. A xc hard tail with 140 travel and low gearing where I would quickly spin out on the road...and an Arkose.
Ticks all the boxes.
Ticks all the boxes.
According to several posts in this thread, you need a 29er. 😂
Well that's what my BiL has. Every mtber in Holland has a short travel carbon 29er.
But whilst that's great over there it's not so great for the majority of riding I do over here. And I might stand a chance of keeping up with my roadie mate with my Arkose!
Off topic, but I used to visit Nederland quite a lot.
When I first went over I just had to buy a copy of their mtb magazine as I couldn’t quite believe they had, or even needed them there. It was proper xc- carbon, dura ace kit, drilling chainrings, etc. Some of the weights the bikes were was just ridiculous - way lighter than my road bike. Not sure how strong they were though
I will be riding at Amerongen which is a 40k circuit in terrain much like swinley crossed with bedgebury. it's not got a huge amount of gradient but it has been designed by people who know what they are doing.
Don't forget that firstly the Dutch love their mtb and second it's not far to Germany and some proper hills.
They are also proper fit but also love a party afterwards...can you tell I love riding there!
I quite fancy taking my space chicken to Bedgebury. There's a couple of rock sections which might end up in an over the bars moment if the front wheel gets stuck, but 99% of it is ridable on a gravel bike I think. I've done the red route (not inc. cake run) in 50 minutes on the MTB, something to aim for 😀
Does all this explain why I saw a guy with roadie bars and smooth hybrid tyres on one of my trails lately? Good luck with that when it gets muddy.
I'll get my other bike out.
I did 45 mins on a fatbike..what kept you?🤣
I did 45 mins on a fatbike..what kept you?🤣
(lack of) fitness 🙁
Not helped by not really wanting to go riding locally on the big heavy FS bike, and therefore not getting the miles in, the gravel bike has changed that (for now at least) as it's a pleasure to get out for an hour or 2 fron my front door.
Tbh I reckon you will fly round bedgebury on the SC. I'd be amazed if you don't knock 6-7 mins off. Part of it is mental. If you know you are riding a fast piece of machinery it tends to have an effect on how much effort you put in.
Crikey. This took off.
So which gravel bike am I buying then?! 😉
Singular Swift, obviously.
[i]So which gravel bike am I buying then?![/i]
The Tripster AT what someone said was for sale?