What Are Gravel Bikes?

They are taking an increasingly important share of bicycle sales in Europe, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic. With their wide tires and small gear ratios, gravel bikes intrigue as much as they attract, because they meet new consumer expectations.

By Isidore Aramis – Photos: depositphotos.com

Gravel bikes, also known as gravel grinders, are an evolution of traditional road bikes and mountain bikes. They were designed to allow cyclists to ride on different types of terrain, such as gravel roads, unpaved roads, and light trails.

Gravel bikes began to gain popularity in the 2000s in North America, when riders began looking for ways to ride on more varied terrain than traditional paved roads. The first gravel bikes were often classic road bikes equipped with wider tires for better grip on unpaved surfaces. However, over time, bicycle manufacturers began to design bikes specifically for gravel, with more robust frames and forks for better impact resistance and even wider tires for better stability and grip on varied terrain.

Today, gravel bikes are popular with cyclists looking to explore country lanes, unpaved roads, and light trails, while maintaining the speed and efficiency of a traditional road bike. They are also used for gravel races, which have become increasingly popular in recent years.

In summary, gravel bikes are the result of the evolution of cyclists’ needs to explore new terrains. They have become a category of their own thanks to the innovation of bicycle manufacturers, who have designed bikes specifically for unpaved terrain.

The difference with cyclocross bikes

The main difference between a cyclocross bike and a gravel bike concerns tire width. Cyclocross is an activity that takes place primarily in competition and on a circuit. Tire size is regulated, and the width must not exceed 33 mm. In gravel, there is no limit, and bikes can be equipped with tires of 35, 40, or even 50 mm width, depending on wheel size and frame clearance possibilities.

Between the two types of bikes, there is also a difference in gear ratios. In cyclocross and on a circuit, the hills to climb are often very short and punchy, and they are tackled with momentum, or on foot if the speed is not sufficient to handle a classic minimum gear ratio of 36/28 or 36/30, for example. In gravel, on longer and more varied courses, it may be necessary to stay in the saddle for a long time. For this reason, the minimum gear ratios are much smaller, up to 32 teeth for the small chainring and 34 or 36 teeth for the largest cog, for example, or even 40 teeth for the chainring up to 44 teeth on the freehub in the case of a single chainring setup.

Even if it is marginal, there is also a difference in geometry, since riders will look for more stability with a gravel bike, and rather agility with a cyclocross bike. What you need to remember is that it is always possible to do gravel riding with a cyclocross bike, even if it is not perfectly suited, whereas it is forbidden to compete in cyclocross with a gravel bike.

A category with many faces

The gravel category is not yet fully defined, as there are multiple ways to view and practice the discipline. From short, intense rides across roads and trails to ultra-distance or bike touring with luggage (bikepacking), including UCI competitions and the world championship created in 2022, you will surely find the gravel practice that suits you.

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