Mountain Bike For Gravel Riding
Gravel bikes are sort of like the mullet of the cycling world business on top party on the bottom.
Mountain bike for gravel riding. It s designed specifically for that environment and to be a. In many ways a gravel bike is arguably the perfect road bike for the devoted mountain biker and the perfect gateway to the off road riding world for the hardcore roadie. Gravel riding began in the us where long remote stretches of fire road bridged the gap between the worlds of road mountain biking and cyclocross. In terms of design a gravel bike is similar to a road bike or a cycle cross bike.
Full suspension bikes can be used as well but could add weight and price and would need to offer the ability to lock out the rear suspension to avoid energy loss in flat areas. Bike selection a hardtail 29er is going to be the closest to a gravel bike while also offering the benefits of a true mountain bike. The shape is tall and has a slick design. Most have drop bars and the comfortable geometry of an endurance road bike with burlier tires that are closer in width to what you d see on a mountain bike.
Let s talk about the major differences between gravel bikes and mountain bikes so that you can understand which one is the best option for you geometry. Shhh don t tell the wives you can ride gravel on a xc rigid hardtail. It s unsurprising that the kit used for gravel riding is heavily influenced by both. Their team took body geometry and mountain biking theory to address pain points and discomfort they have experienced while riding gravel bikes.
With gravel bikes filling the void between road riding and mountain biking so must gravel bike clothing. Wider tires give you a more comfortable ride and more traction on loose terrain. This starts with a wider bar with generous flare adding control and stability to your gravel bike setup. Nick craig is a former british cyclocross champion who was riding gravel decades before the bike industry got around to inventing it 16 3 miles 26 2km get the route peak district.
Differences between a gravel bike and mountain bike. The best gravel bike shoes are an amalgamation of road cycling shoes and mountain bike shoes cherrypicking key features from each to create the perfect mix of weight stiffness durability and grip.