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Can a gravel bike really be used as a road bike? I get this question a lot so I decided to go into detail on the pros and cons based on my experience of using gravel bikes as road bikes over the years. The answer is, it depends…
Content
00:00 Intro
1:15 Gravel bikes are slow and heavy?
4:06 Squarespace
5:07 Comfort and grip benefits
5:52 Easier gearing
7:47 Geometry differences
10:13 Dual Purpose Dilemma
10:50 Which is best then?
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Have you ever wondered if a gravel bike can double as you go to a road bike are you itching to explore the possibilities of one bike that rule them all or will a gravel bike be slow heavy and cumbersome and hold you up I get this question all
The time both here on YouTube and over on Instagram so let’s dive into it in a bit more detail and by the end of today’s video you hopefully have a better understanding of how a gravel bike can be used as a robot bike now I’ve used my own specialized Crocs as a
Road bike through the winter for the last few months with some fat slick ties I’ve used many gravel bikes in testing as road bikes over the years as well from doing a 300 km rides on my fair like San to fast pacy lunchtime ride on a canyon Grail and through all the
Testing I found there’s no reason a gravel bike can’t be used as a road bike because it essentially is a road bike right drop hand it’s lightweight relatively narrow ties and a geometry often very close to a road bike and some are nothing more than fat tire road
Bikes in Disguise but there are a few subal differences worth exploring in a bit more detail so let’s dive in are you worried that your gravel bike might lag behind a road bike and hold you up I think this speaks of the big concern that many people have when asking the
Question of whether a gravel bike can be used as a road bike they’re worried it’ll be slow heavy and comtent and I hear where you’re coming from while a stock gravel bike with no changes won’t match the speed of a road race bike a simple tire swap could Bridge a gap
Skinny tires on a grael bike yes it looks a bit strange with a massive Tire clearance but it can give you a bike that’s a good match for any road bike okay so ti8 will definitely leave you in a cloud dust but if you’re not racing
It’s more than quick enough it in my opinion in my testing a gravel bike with a 28 to 30 mil Wide Tire rides very nicely indeed but the beauty of a gravel bike is a tire glance so why limit yourself to a narrow Tire I found where
35 to 40 mil Wide Tire you get ample speed but then loads more comfort and traction which is a bonus on our crappy roads and even where a wide gravel Tire if you choose one of the semi slick options where it’s smooth down the middle like a specialized carfinder for
Example I think you will be surprised how fast such a tire rolls at low speeds from 15 to 20 25 km/ hour there’s not much of a handicap at all and it’s only when you get above 35 km/ hour in my experience do the bigger tires feel
Slower as much from the weight and arrow penalty of the bigger tires versus a narrow tire but talking of speed rener a small but popular tie company in their testing and research they found one of their 44 mm wide tires rolled as fast as
An off the shelf 28 mm Wide Tire due to Supple casings of their wide tires showing that width isn’t the only Factor behind how fast a tire is the construction plays a big part as well granted those wide tires will catch more air the not as Arrow but what difference
The 10 millim really make if you’re choosing a gra bike as a road bike then aerodynamics is probably not your biggest concern but let me know if I’m wrong but leave a comment down below wi tires are definitely heavier though but we’re still talking hundreds of grams so
Not a lot in a grand scheme of things when you take the bike as an overall and then add the heavy lump on top of the bike as well but if you want go faster than that and you want to weight and aerodynamics then probably a gravel bike
As a road bike isn’t the right bike for you and you’re better sticking with a road race bike but it’s outright speed isn’t the main focus for your ride enjoyment than a gravel bike with narrow tires or a nice wide Supple tie it’s just fine while choosing a gravel or
Road bike is tricky because there’s so much Choice choosing a new website is easy Squarespace the all in one platform that makes it super easy and quick to launch a brand new website in 2024 and building a website in Squarespace really couldn’t be any easier there are loads
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Using the link Down Below in the description and if you enjoy it we get 10% of your first purchase using the code on screen right now okay on the video let’s move away from speed and talk about traction and comfort and here’s why I would lean towards a wi
Tire on a gra bike even if I setting a bike up as a road bike big tires provide unparalleled stability and a cushy ride especially on the rough roads most of us have to deal with and also gives you the benefit of leaving a time out behind
And doing some light gravel dirt roads depending on where you live if it’s dry not too rough and Rocky those slick white ties will be just fine on the dirt and dust and if you encounter any cobbles like they have in Belgium and nor France the their wide TI would
Definitely be smoother and faster over that rough P plus the other big benefit of a gravel bike over a road bike in my experience are the low gears which which mean you can more easily conquer climbs Like A Champion even a top end speed takes a slight hit that does mean you
Get up climbs easier and more Comfort rather than straining due to high gears on a race bike that probably too big for most of us now take my specialized cruxs for example I have a 42 tooth chain ring and a 1044 cassette on the back and in
My top gear I can easily hit 70 to 80 km per hour and that is pretty damn quick I re I mean how much faster do you really want to go if you’re riding a road bike like that yes if you’re racing it might hold you back but we not talking about a
Bike for racing for riding at regular speeds now what’s a regular speed well for me the roads I ride on and my fitness level it’s anywhere from 25 to 35 km per hour with an average speed down to 25 due the hills I ride on and I
Like to really test myself on climbs and having that low gear year especially that big cassette with 44 on the back enables me and allows me to tackle the climbs and actually enjoy the climbs where I live and not be overgeared on every climb due to the race Focus gears
On most road race and endurance bikes so if you’re riding on your own or we’re a small group and not trying to set any PBS then the gearing and tires are just fine if you are trying to keep up with a fast moving group or Chain Gang they you
Might find the limitations and if that is the case then a gravel bike as a road bike probably isn’t the right choice for you unless you go for a 2X Road gearing setup on a grow bike but if you’re doing that you may as well ride a road bike
Rather than try and modify a grow bike into a road bike with narrow ties and Road gearing there are some key differences in the geometry of a grow bike versus a road bike or the measurements and angles that determine how the bike handles and how you fit on
It in terms of stack and reach and head angle and wheelbase and so on but it does vary from Brand to Brand there’s no real easily defined blueprint for how a grav bike should be different to a road bike an endurance bike and an adventure bike they are all different some gravel
Bikes are very close to an endurance road bike like a specialized ruet and a specialized diverge for example and some grav bikes uh much closer to a mountain bike than a road bike so really worth diving into the details of the geometry of any grow bike you are looking to buy
And see how close it is or isn’t to a road bik you might already own or might be considering alongside that new bike and my favorite website for doing this is geometry Geeks I’ll put a link down below you tap in different bikes different sizes and it will give you a
Comparison of how they differ terms of length and angles and so on a really useful websites but helping you have a better understanding of the key differences between Different Bikes because some road bikes like the specialized ruet endurance bike are very close to a gravel bike and add choice or
Confusion to the question of which is the right bike so Ru with a 40 mil wide gravel TI as I found might be enough for the riding aspiration you have especially if it’s smooth dirt dry gravel the bike could be just fine but for my experience and the riding I do
That tie clearance is a bit limiting so I want a gravel bike with much bigger tie clearance to fit around a tie so if I’m riding through muddy Lanes the mud clear through a tie and the frea and not get stuck and hold me up and we are
Increasingly seeing more Rob bites with bigger tire especially in the endurance category the aforementioned rube also giant Defi and abs having bigger tire clearance than ever which does make the question of choosing a gravel bike over a road bike even trickier because now you can choose a road bike and run it as
A road bike or as a light gravel bike but if you if you’re trying to do actual gravel and actual road then I think choosing a gravel bike with a bigger tire clearance and a geometry differences and then modify it to a road makes more sense than taking a road bike
And trying to modify it to gravel so if you really want just one bike then a gravel bike can function just fine as a gravel bike as it designed for but if you have a luxury of two bikes I personally still rather have a road bike
And a gravel bike one set up primarily for Road riding and one for off-road riding and ride them in a way they’re both designed for but if my situation would different I’ll certainly choose a gravel bike over a road bike and get an extra set of wheels and tires I’d be
Very happy indeed I want it feel like I’m compromised or held back by riding that gravel bike as a road bike so in summary gravel bike or road bike well it’s definitely a personal choice if you crave The Best of Both Worlds I think a gravel bike with an extra set of wheels
And ties might just be ticket to cycling Bliss but remember it’s not just about the bike it’s about the ride so whatever you choose make sure you enjoy riding and just ride bikes anyway hopefully this video been useful and interesting and if you want to see a video of the
Best grav bikes currently on the market and do watch a video right up here but that’s all for today thank you so much for watching I’ll see you again very soon
25 Comments
The only time I ride my tarmac specific bike anymore is on the mag trainer only these days, when I want to brutalize myself speed wise it's the CX bike on a demanding course, I don't even bother with anything mountain bike type anymore, the rest of the time it's my high-end gravel e-bike without the crippling EU e-bike speed restrictions in place.
I use the specialized pathfinder tyres on my gravel e-bike – for tarmac only rides it's higher pressures used than mixed surface rides and yes you have to be a A-grade level club rider on a pure road racing bike too even keep up with me when I'm in the go fast mode on tarmac rides on my gravel e-bike, the rest of the time it just ride too actually enjoy not race on mixed surfaces routes, tarmac routes only are so boring!.
Before any of you go but your riding a e-bike and your not doing any real work out at all , think again! Try doing a interval training session only on a mixed grade gravel route of an hour interval at a maintained 40kph avg speed and not even at maximum assist from the e-bike, it hurts! Tarmac only specific bikes really suck at been on gravel at speeds above 30kph where's gravel bikes can do both tarmac & gravel with a ease that makes buying tarmac only bikes a waste of time & money.
The question should be : can a tarmac specific bike be as safely fast as a gravel specific bike can be on gravel?
Wheels, tyres possible to change but to be faster on gravel also geometry must be corrected to lower position to more aero so handlebar more narrow and lower seat correction and clothes. To much things to do money to spend so maybe t is better be slower and have more comfort? Somebody has his own needs and set bike in optimal way for himself.
Gravel bikes are fine on the road if you have the right tires. That said, I have noticed my gravel bike is slower on the road largely because of the wider bars that favor better leverage and control but also result in substantial aero losses.
Seems which you ride more. I ride 90% road and 10% gravel. I have to make an effort to find gravel trails where I live. Not so for road obviously. So for me it’s more can I make my road bike a gravel bike and the answer is yes. I ride fatter more aggressive tires on my endurance bike.
Depends what ride you're doing. You're gonna get dropped if you're on a gravel bike in a pacey ride with people all on road bikes.
Hi David, thanks for this informative video…I’m currently doubting between road or gravel…regarding the easier gearing…would a Classified Powershift help to keep up with a group or is the ratio too small to have benefit when choosing a gravel with road wheels?
For general purposes gravel wins.
BUT there's no better feeling than a nimble and lightning fast accelerating roadie that gets top marks in performance..
I honestly don't get why anyone not riding on flat terrain would be interested on a 1x gravel bike. At home I have 18-24 degree hills in any direction. And then I find some flats and you guessed it … uphills turn into downhills and viceversa. On the mtb I run 30 f 10-51 r and gravel and paved roads get boring with a 30-10 combo. Anyways, only reason why I complain is because 2x gravel bikes are nearly as rare as 2x mtbs 12-15 years ago.
I have a road bike and a gravel bike with road wheels. The road bike is noticeably faster but it's a non issue for me. The gravel bike is definitely more versatile.
I had a roubaix with skinny tires that I would ride on the road and group rides and a Diverge with 40’s on it for solo rides and gravel races. I never wanted to ride the Diverge on group rides so I wouldn’t get dropped. One day I let a friend use the road bike and I went on the gravel bike to the same group ride, I pumped my gravel tires up just a tinny bit more and I didn’t feel any difference keeping up with the group. Needless to say I sold the road bike and now I use my gravel bike for everything and I never put skinny tires on it and ride on the same group rides. The regular people that rides the group ride already know me, but new people that come to it always ask me why im riding a gravel bike and how hard is to keep up. My answer is always the same, I feel no difference in performance, but is definitely more comfortable than the road bikes.
Mine speeds along nicely on roads. Might be slightly slower than a dedicated road bike, but it's a machine to take you off road as well. So swings and roundabouts. Maybe people shouldn;t be so weirdly obsessed with KOMs etc and just enjoy riding these things.
I took the gravel bike as a road bike as no pure road bike had enough stack height to deal withback issues and to have short enough reach. The solution: keep the gravel wheels and tires and fit a second set of carbon road wheels with 28mm Conti 5000 tyres as tubeless. Works a treat.
So what's different about a gravel bike? Maybe it takes a little longer to get it up to speed.
David, I agree Gravel bikes are the best. I only use gravel tires for our roads in Ontario, Canada. If I were to do a road event I would get some road tires as wide as possible
You guys keep talking about comfort, endurance geometries which is a topic I’m very interested in. I have purchased late last year my very 1st endurance road bike, and after months of careful consideration, I opted for a lesser known brand that had an unbeatable price/quality ratio – the Czech brand Superior.
Could you guys, one of these days, provide an overview of the options available outside the typical big seven brands (Giant, Cannondale, Trek, Pinarello, Scott, Canyon, Specialized)??
That would be awesome!
I have a Merida silex 4000 and an Emonda AlR 5. I have put 32c tyres on my Merida and have 28c on my Emonda AlR. In terms of speed and acceleration I don’t see any major difference in stats but in terms of feel I do think the Emonda is far more zippy. My way of utilising both my bikes is doing speedy workouts, intervals on my Emonda while doing long endurance rides on my Merida only because it’s super comfortable, had an upright positioning ideal for long rides and at the same time is zippy enough to not miss the speed quotient. also, an added advantage is the fact that it’s carbon making the ride even more fun!
But speaking of the future – I am convinced that gravel is the way forward for masses if racing is not an intent. Silex as you have mentioned in your reviews is an MTB inspired geometry and so it’s more of a CX/touring category. Have decided if I plan to upgrade my gravel, my next bike would be a performance oriented gravel only because it offers the flexibility to go from 28c to 40-50c. One bike to rule them all…😊
the majority of people who think that a gravel bike is going to be significantly slower on the road than a road bike are dumb and spending $10k on a carbon road bike is still going to have them running slower than me on my steel cyclocross. lol see ya!
My gravel bike (Sage Titanium Barlow) is both road and gravel. I just change the wheels for fast rides.
Just need semi slick tires and my gravel bike is just as fast as my road bike.
The issue is that these days cycling is way way way over inflated. The fact that a frame with good components cost as much as a highly engineered enduro dirtbike is insane. Most of us scoff at one expensive ride let alone 3 or 4. Of course it’s also exactly why the bike messenger counterculture exist…. Some of the fastest guys I know ride steel track bikes😂. Even yesterday I checked out a specialized crux which with tax was sitting at almost 4K USD and they told me it was a great entry level bike. Entry level. I’d love to see the vacation homes of corporate cycling America.
I have a steel gravel bike from Temple and an extra set of carbon roadie wheels for it. Love the simplicity of having just one bike!
Absolutely loved this breakdown, David! Your insights into using gravel bikes on the road are incredibly helpful for those of us pondering the versatility of these machines. It's refreshing to see someone address the common misconceptions and dive into the real-world advantages and drawbacks. Your thorough examination of the comfort, gearing, and geometry differences truly clarifies the dual-purpose dilemma. Keep up the fantastic work, and I'm looking forward to more informative content like this! 🚴♂💨
short answer: YES. will slow you down
I got a Cervelo Aspero 5 that I use as my road and gravel bike. I pop on 45mm wheels with 30c tires for the road and 32mm wheels with 43c tires for off-road. I've found that I can go the same speeds I go on my proper road bikes. It's heavier and a tad less responsive to accelerate, but overall I can ride just as fast. Though, I went this route because I didn't care about going fast or having the lightest, most aero bike out there anymore. I just wanted a bike that would do it all for me and it does the trick. It doesn't matter that I get to the cafe 2 minutes faster and I gained more room in the garage by getting rid of some bikes.
This topic seems to come up so often- I find the biggest factor (after tyre size) is the geometry charts. Longer wheelbases and slacker head angles on gravel bikes can be great for off roading, keeping the bike stable but imo can make the bike feel boring and sluggish on the road.. what bike you should get really depends on how much time you actually spend on/off road and then choose accordingly looking at geometry charts.