Road Bike On Gravel Trails

Today s question is from a guy who has been riding an old mountain bike and is now choosing between a cyclocross bike and a hybrid for rail trails and road riding.

Road bike on gravel trails. Gravel bike trends are buzzing in the world of cycling nowadays. Mudguards and racks are mounted on gravel bikes to keep you comfortable and to improve your bike s. I d like to say that it was exactly what i meant to do but the truth is that i didn t look too closely at the map before setting off and then discovered that it was a choice between picking my way carefully along 2 miles of track and a 40 mile round trip by road. The topstone could be anything from an off road bike to a winter road bike but with kingpin rear suspension coupled with the lightweight carbon frame we see it fitting best in the gravel.

It s built like a road bike but with slightly different geometry and components to help you navigate different surfaces. These bikes are tailored for long distance comfort new routes adventure and allow riders to stay away from heavily trafficked roads. A road bike other than the most lightly built can handle a well packed gravel road trail with minimal loose gravel. A road bike won t be able to handle rough terrain the way a cyclo cross or mountain bike would so you ll need to avoid potholes larger rocks and the loosest gravel.

Versatility is the major selling point with any gravel bike. The best gravel bikes are characterized by dropped handlebars disc brakes and wide tires. If you have a gravel or adventure bike you re in luck. Gravel bike gravel bike vs road bike.

Adding a gravel segment or route is easy. Those who live in riding range of gravel roads and manicured off road trails can justify a gravel bike but if you don t have the land access it is pointless. The biggest problem is that the skinny tires will not handle loose gravel well at all. Here is a breakdown on the two different styles of bikes and if it is ultimately worth investing in a gravel bike over a road bike for some.

Ordinary limestone gravel is not particularly hazardous to tires though gravel composed of say crushed volcanic rock might be a problem. Both gravel bikes and road bikes are designed to go fast but they are used on vastly different surfaces. I ve taken my road bike on a gravel fire track through a forest before and survived to tell the experience. Click while holding the ctrl or command key to add a line without snapping to nearby roads or change the draw mode to the setting in the toolbar below.

I ll provide information about cyclocross bikes hybrids touring bikes and all road bikes i e. Click on a point to delete it or click and drag to move it.