Buying a gravel bike: Gravel trends and the best tips

The gravel bike is one of the most successful bike trends of recent years. The young genre is obviously hitting a nerve with many cyclists who want to be sporty on the road, but don't want to limit themselves to paved roads or rough terrain, i.e. a racing bike or a mountain bike. More and more manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon and presenting new variations and innovations to set themselves apart from the growing competition. But which developments are really decisive for road cyclists? We have analysed the seven top trends in current gravel bikes:

We have tested these 5 gravel bikes

• Cannondale Topstone Carbon Ultegra RX - 3799 Euro
• Cervélo ASpero Apex - 12,999 euros
• Liteville 4-One MK1 -16,640 euros
• Open Wi.De - 3200 Euro (frame set)
• Salsa Warroad Ultegra 700 - 4999 Euro

The gravel bike trends 2020

1st tyre width

"With 650B mountain bike tyres up to 2.4 inches wide, rough single trails, slippery roots or loose stones are no challenge." This is what the manufacturer Open promises for the Wi.De with extreme tyres (picture below). The idea: the smaller wheels create space in the frame for tyres that are more than 42 millimetres wide and can therefore be significantly more voluminous - and tyre volume is the key to more comfort and traction on loose and soft ground. If different sized wheels fit into one frame, many scenarios can be covered with one bike. Cannondale, Cervélo and Salsa have also designed their new gravel bikes so that smaller wheels with thicker tyres can be fitted instead of 28-inch rims. 3T and Rondo have been offering this option on their bikes for some time now.

What are the benefits of wide tyres on a gravel bike?

The greater freedom in the choice of tyres actually makes the gravel bike more versatile, as the tyres largely determine the surface on which the bike feels comfortable. If you can also fit mountain bike tyres to your road bike, you may no longer need an additional mountain bike to explore rougher trails, but simply a second set of wheels. With a double crank, tyres up to 2.1 inches wide are possible, which corresponds to a good 53 millimetres and results in a completely different riding experience compared to the 28-inch tyres.

For whom?

For riders who are looking for a gravel bike for many occasions and who like to ride more on unpaved terrain, at least occasionally.

2. suspension on the gravel bike

Manufacturers such as Cannondale (pictured below) and Trek connect frame tubes so that they can flex better; others integrate elastomer dampers in the rear triangle (e.g. BMC Urs LT) or simply use particularly compliant seat posts and seat stays. Simple, minimalist suspension concepts are Marathon road bikes has long been a trend, and many manufacturers also see potential for gravel bikes. The aim: more flex on the saddle should increase comfort and offer better control of the bike off-road.

What are the benefits of suspension on a gravel bike?

The minimalist suspensions are a far cry from the kind of suspension we know from mountain bikes. There is a lack of suspension travel and damping to soften rough impacts. This is why they are particularly effective when riding on the road - perhaps even with narrower tyres and higher tyre pressure - and the bumps are small but high-frequency. Wide off-road tyres with correspondingly low tyre pressure usually overshadow the comfort impression of the suspension. Nevertheless, the systems are robust, relatively light and have hardly any disadvantages. However, additional bearings (Trek, Cannondale) can be possible weak points.

For whom?

If the gravel bike serves as an all-purpose vehicle and longer tours on the road are also planned, the simple suspension systems can be useful. If you are looking for a bike that is as simple as possible, where not much can break and you mainly ride off-road with wide tyres (40 millimetres and more), you can do without systems with additional mechanics.

3. changeable steering geometry on gravel bikes

Some manufacturers integrate adjustment mechanisms into the forks of their gravel bikes to change the mounting position of the front wheel. This is intended to adjust the steering behaviour of tyres of different sizes or to adapt to individual preferences. Background: Normally, the steering behaviour is closely matched to the tyre diameter of a wheel. With greatly varying rolling circumferences - on gravel bikes, 28 to 42 millimetre wide tyres (on 28-inch wheels) can turn - the handling of a bike also changes noticeably: with larger tyres, the bike runs better in a straight line, with smaller tyres it appears more agile. The different mounting positions of the front wheel are intended to compensate for this effect. In addition to the Cervélo Aspero (pictured below), the Rondo Ruut and the GT Grade offer a similar feature.

What are the benefits of different mounting positions on the gravel bike fork?

The steering behaviour shapes the character of a gravel bike, and shifting the front wheel axle changes it significantly - at least if it is possible within a range of ten millimetres, as on Cervélo's Aspero. It's not a question of good or bad, but rather whether a bike is agile and manoeuvrable or whether it runs straight ahead in an emphatically calm manner - so it's more a question of personal taste. Some testers found the Cervélo with a shorter wheelbase and smoother steering behaviour more pleasant, others appreciated the agility with the front wheel offset forwards - with identical tyres. The option is therefore not only interesting (but above all) when different sized wheels or tyres are to be ridden. It is a useful feature for adapting the character to the intended use, conditions and personal preferences - especially when it is so simple: the conversion only takes a minute and only requires a small hexagon socket as a tool.

For whom?

For all those who want to be as flexible as possible with their gravel bike. Depending on the tyres, load and surface, the riding behaviour can be tailored to your own preferences.

4. flat steering angle for gravel bikes

Canyon has done it with the Grail Liteville, Salsa and BMC are pursuing similar approaches: The steering geometry of gravel bikes is relatively different from the usual dimensions of road bikes or cyclocross bikes. The steering angle is comparatively slack at around 70 degrees, which extends the wheelbase and gives the bike agile steering behaviour with smooth directional stability. So that the steering doesn't feel sluggish, a short stem equalises the leverage ratio somewhat, which is why the entire frame has to be designed longer so that the riding position is still correct. On a larger scale, the trick of Enduro mountain bikes The changes to the gravel bike, on the other hand, are more limited.

What are the benefits of a slack head angle on a gravel bike?

Gravel bikes designed in this way feel a little more stable than classic cross bikes, for example, especially when the going gets rough and there are lots of small obstacles in the way. On narrow, technical courses, they lack a bit of manoeuvrability, but this should hardly bother novice off-road riders in particular. Anyone coming from a road bike might find the handling a little boring, but beginners often feel a little more confident on loose surfaces. A positive side effect: because the front wheel moves forwards, the distance from the tyre to the tip of the foot increases when the pedal is at the front.

For whom?

Those who are unsure on loose surfaces will benefit from the geometry design with a slacker steering angle. Riders who come from a mountain bike background are likely to feel more at home on gravel bikes with this geometry. Those who appreciate the direct steering feel of a road bike, even off-road, will prefer the classic geometry.

5. additional fastening eyelets

The gravel bike and the trend towards bikepacking, i.e. Cycling holidays with luggage, are closely interwoven. Many manufacturers deliberately position the gravel bike as a bike for travelling and long distances and make it easier to fit all kinds of luggage and accessories. Threads for mudguards, for example, are standard with a few exceptions. Additional threads have also become established on the underside of the down tube, where a third bottle cage or a tool box can be screwed on; this option is offered by Salsa, Open, Cannondale and Cervélo, among others. Threads on the top tube are also common and are intended for a small bag. It is rather rare to find additional threads on the fork for additional bottle cages or small pannier racks, as is the case with Cannondale and Salsa.

What is the point of having so many eyelets on the frame and fork?

Screws are more secure than straps; the positions under the bottom bracket (for spare parts and tools) and on the top tube (for food and small items) are particularly useful because they are easily accessible when needed and hardly interfere with riding. Whether you need more mounting options is up to you to decide.

For whom?

For all those who go on gravel bike tours and multi-day tours with luggage or are tired of stuffing jersey bags to bursting point on a bike tour.

6. flare handlebars on the gravel bike

The logic behind this is that wider handlebars enable better control. The racing bars at the ends of the handlebars are designed to offer an advantage when the rider has to constantly compensate for steering torques that occur when quickly riding over stones, roots or holes with the gravel bike in the lower handlebar position. On the brake levers, you ride in a typical road bike position. This flare angle can take various forms: The test bikes from Cannondale and Cervélo (pictured below) have flare handlebars with moderate angles of around 15 degrees, but there are also models with 30 degrees and more.

What are the benefits of flare handlebars on a gravel bike?

Most test riders found the moderately flared handlebars appealing. But not because of the better control, because you can't really feel any of that with the few centimetres difference. However, the flare handlebars offer more freedom of movement: in the lower handlebar position, you no longer bump into the upper handlebar with your forearms, which is an advantage when riding dynamically off-road. What's more, the slanted gear levers are less likely to collide with a luggage roll on the handlebars. In our experience, however, the flare handlebar trend on gravel bikes has ergonomic limits. With a flare of more than 20 degrees, the shift/brake levers are positioned at such an angle that the hands no longer rest firmly on the grip rubbers and the wrists bend unnaturally; operating the shift and brake levers also becomes unergonomic.

For whom?

For anyone who can use the extra space, especially for fans of handlebar bags and wheels. They don't make life any easier for gravel bike beginners.

7. retractable seat posts on gravel bikes

Dropper posts offer the option of lowering the saddle for technically difficult descents, giving you more freedom of movement on the bike. Some suppliers suspect that this could also be useful for gravel bikes: Liteville gives the 4-One the elaborate Eightpins post (pictured below), the Cannondale Topstone and the Salsa Warroad are prepared for a conventional, retractable seat post including remote control.

What are the benefits of dropper seat posts on a gravel bike?

In our experience, the effect on gravel bikes is minimal because they are not designed for difficult terrain: they lack efficient suspension, the tyres are too narrow and the riding position is too top-heavy to take on really rough trails at speed. The retractable seat post doesn't make you much faster, and most of the systems are also technically vulnerable.

For whom?

It can take the fear out of beginners if they have a rollover feeling on steep descents. Apart from that, however, the technology can hardly show off its advantages on a gravel bike.