In simple terms, gravel biking or cycling refers to riding on unpaved roads. Much like mountain biking, this cycling style also allows people to ride on diverse terrains, right from chunky gravel and wide-open dirt roads to smooth trails. As Steven Rindner says, gravel biking is also similar to road biking as it allows the riders to swiftly move without facing troubles on a too challenging terrain.
Steven Rindner provides a general insight into gravel biking
Even though the term “gravel cycling” has been around for the last decade or so, people essentially have been riding off-pavement ever since bicycles were invented. The Paris-Roubaix, for instance, is an iconic race that originated in 1896, in which riders covered more than 150 miles on cobblestone and gravel routes. This tradition continues even today.
The popularity of gravel biking has substantially surged over the years. The growth in its popularity is especially evident with the increase in the sales of gravel bikes. This trend is also exemplified by events like Unbound, which is a prominent gravel race held in Emporia, Kansas. The participants of this race went up from 2,600 in 2021 to 4,000 in 2022.
Both new riders and experienced cyclists are getting attracted to gravel biking, as this discipline is quite a great cycling style for the masses. It is adventurous enough, gets riders off the road with cars, and riding on dirt is enjoyable for many. Gravel biking also allows riders to be flexible. They can choose to ride on pavements, dirt roads or trails, depending on their preference and mood.
Gravel biking is more accessible than mountain biking, while being more welcoming than road cycling. There is no dearth of places to try out this activity in the United States. After all, the country has about two million miles of unpaved roads in the country, ranging from logging routes in the Rocky Mountains to rural farm roads in the Midwest.
Gravel bikes are somewhat “jack-of-all-trades” bikes. They have compact and lightweight frame shapes like road bikes for speed. However, they also have low gearing of mountain bikes making it easy for the riders to climb steeper hills. The majority of these bikes are equipped with drop bars. Drop bars are a type of handlebars that curve downward, providing multiple hand positions for long rides. They are fully rigid and do not have soft mountain bike suspension, which makes them pretty fast. The frames of gravel bikes allow for wider tires, even though they are though not as large as mountain bike tires. The diverse features of gravel bikes help riders to move efficiently and easily handle rugged terrain over long distances.
As Steven Rindner mentions, while gravel bikes are certainly advantageous, one does not necessarily need them to try out gravel biking. One can simply opt for any bicycle that allows them to efficiently ride on a dirt road. However, it is important to remember that the thick tires and squishy suspension of mountain bikes can slow the riders down, as their legs may pain from fighting against the beefy and sluggish tires. If one doesn’t have the right bike for gravel cycling at home, they can always rent out a gravel bike.
