Gravel Bike i.s.o Road Bike?

[Johan1983]

Is it worth Buying a Gravel Bike i.s.o a Road Bike?

[NotSoBigBen]

At the risk of raising the shackles of the hub experts, it's only worth it if you intend riding on and off road. On road only get the right tool for the job and buy a road bike!

[saggy]

I sold my road bike and got a gravel bike.

But then I also bought a nice set of road wheels, Im pretty sure this set up is as fast as my old road bike ..... and way comfier.

I do enjoy going away on weekends and riding gravel though ..... as some one else said no use getting a gravel bike unless you going to go ride gravel!!

[MongooseMan]

9 minutes ago, saggy said:

I sold my road bike and got a gravel bike.

But then I also bought a nice set of road wheels, Im pretty sure this set up is as fast as my old road bike ..... and way comfier.

I do enjoy going away on weekends and riding gravel though ..... as some one else said no use getting a gravel bike unless you going to go ride gravel!!

This is my current plan.

Current goal is a Trek Checkpoint SL5, and then some nice carbon road wheels down the line.

[wattnow]

Gravel bikes are awesome. A real do anything go anywhere bike (within reason). That being said it will never replace the road bike but it certainly deserves a place in the garage.

My gravel bike is roughly 10% slower than the road bike which isnt really all that much if you going for ride with mates/club.... wouldnt do any road races on it though because it is slower.

Gravel bikes biggest advantage must be said is that our pot hole filled roads can do some serious damage to your fancy deep section road carbon rims so riding it on the road you have slighly less to worry about. Lower tyre pressure and tubeless setup also make for a much more comfortable ride on the road.

[Jono]

25 minutes ago, wattnow said:

Gravel bikes are awesome. A real do anything go anywhere bike (within reason). That being said it will never replace the road bike but it certainly deserves a place in the garage.

My gravel bike is roughly 10% slower than the road bike which isnt really all that much if you going for ride with mates/club.... wouldnt do any road races on it though because it is slower.

Gravel bikes biggest advantage must be said is that our pot hole filled roads can do some serious damage to your fancy deep section road carbon rims so riding it on the road you have slighly less to worry about. Lower tyre pressure and tubeless setup also make for a much more comfortable ride on the road.

Is it 10% slower with road tyres or gravel?

[wattnow]

With Gravel Tyres. 38c Panaracer Gravel King SK if memory serves.

[Schnavel]

I have always said, if I wasn't racing on the road bike, I would have already sold it and bought a set of road wheels for my gravel bike.

Due to the conditions of the road, a large amount of my road riding is done on my gravel bike with gravel tyres - makes it much more comfortable, and you have less concern for potholes etc.

[eala]

I ride a Spez roubiax that is supposed to be a road bike ,but i use it as a road and gravel bike .Comfortable and i no more have worries of going of the tar and cutting across a gravel section to join up again on another tar section .I use 32mm panaracer tires on it and it is certainly a more comfortable ride than my proper BMC road bike . I would certainly consider getting a proper gravel bike like a Spez Diverge .

[betaboy]

The future is gravel… 😉

[splat]

4 hours ago, Johan1983 said:

Is it worth Buying a Gravel Bike i.s.o a Road Bike?

It depends on what sort of riding you do, and with whom. And also depends on where you live and where ride.

If you could only have one bike and weren't at the pointy end of races, then that would be the way to go.

2 sets of wheels would close the gap.
So would a 2x11 setup (unless you could get a big chainring to go with a wide range cassette)

[mikkelz]

Just get a mountain bike. 😜

[MORNE]

4 hours ago, mikkelz said:

Just get a mountain bike. 😜

Wrong. Get a road bike, a gravelbike AND a mountain bike😅. And even then you’ll want more kinds of bikes haha. 

this is me.

And to be honest, every time i feel sorry for the road bike and think about giving it some time out of the garage off the rollers in the sun….I get on my gravel bike and realise that THIS is where id rather sit for 4h rides. It is just so much more comfortable.

And they aren't slow unless you are racing in the elite groups imo. Dont listen to weekend warriors racing for table scraps. You can hurt some egos on a gravel bike for sure.

Mtb should be like having a dirt bike…just a stupid toy for having fun on, jumping badly, falling awkwardly and generally doing dumb things on…so dont get an xc bike, get something silly instead. 
 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by MORNE

[mecheng89]

7 hours ago, MongooseMan said:

This is my current plan.

Current goal is a Trek Checkpoint SL5, and then some nice carbon road wheels down the line.

If it means anything, this was Bicycling's Bike of the Year, so if you get this one I believe you should be satisfied. 

[Tomik]

I've got the Trek Checkpoint SL6 with 12sp Sram AXS. Awesome versatile bike which I use for gravel races and bike packing trips. Had to use it as a road bike for 7 weeks while waiting for a new BMC frame. With road wheels and tires on, the only disadvantage was the 1x gearing. I mostly kept up with my group but they got away on the downhill from Llandudno to Camps Bay as I topped out around 55kph with a 42-10. The gaps/jumps between gears was manageable but not ideal if you like spinning as you sometimes find yourself needing an in between gear. 

The frame is very similar to a road bike, just more comfy and slightly more upright. The wider bars didn't help the aero effect either but I'm not very aero myself. 

[Matthys Beukes 87]

Just get a cheap vintage steel bike and ride wherever, whenever and however you like!  

Just kidding, get what suits your style and area best BUT also get the cheap steel bike... there's something incredibly liberating about having tons of fun on a bike that doesn't really cost anything...