A new term is doing the rounds in the road bike world. We are talking about gravel bikes, sometimes also adventure road bikes. But no matter what label you put on it, it all means roughly the same thing. We are talking about road bikes which, thanks to wider tyres and special frame geometries, should feel equally at home on asphalt and unpaved roads.
In the USA, sales of these all-rounders are reportedly going through the roof. It is there, in the Midwest to be precise, that gravel bikes have their roots. Around ten years ago, the first bike marathons took place, known as gravel grinders, which are not held on tarmac highways but on the gravel roads that are widespread there. The initial insider gatherings soon turned into major events such as the Dirty Kanza 200 in the state of Kansas. More than 1,500 riders competed in the 200-mile dusty race last July.
In the beginning, most of the participants rode normal cross racing bikes. Gradually, however, a separate genre emerged that is clearly distinct from the typical crosser, which is designed for fast, technical circuits. The riding position on many gravel bikes is similar to that on marathon racers. The head tube is relatively long so that the handlebars are higher and the top tube is rather short. This results in a relaxed, more upright riding position. Long wheelbases promote straight-line stability and make it easier to fit wide tyres, mudguards or pannier racks. This brings gravel bikes closer to touring bikes and randonneur models.
Another feature of gravel bikes are disc brakes, often in combination with thru axles. This gives them a modern look and the image of technical pioneers.
Initially, it was mainly smaller brands that were involved in the topic, but by 2013 at the latest, the first major companies were jumping on the bandwagon. Models such as Anyroad and Revolt from Giant (TOUR-Test 1/2014) or the Inflite AL from Canyon (TOUR 12/2013 and 11/2014) basically have all the characteristics of gravel bikes. It is already foreseeable that the range for 2016 will grow considerably. In addition to Cannondale and Scott, suppliers such as Bulls and Votec have also announced gravel bikes.
Gravel-Country Germany?
It remains to be seen whether this young genre will make the leap from cool trend bike to established bike type in this country too. Sceptics argue that Germany lacks suitable routes for the bikes. Unlike in many rural regions of the USA, side roads and farm tracks are mostly tarmac here and therefore also suitable for road racers. However, this objection does not seem particularly valid. In principle, every field and forest path is ideal gravel bike terrain. And there really are more than enough of them in Germany.
Specialist retailers, who play a not insignificant role in the success of the idea, are still divided. Not all retailers are enthusiastic about opening up another niche in their shop and stocking it with bikes. Martin Klein from Cycle Klein in Hagen, Westphalia, does not want to offer gravel bikes, at least for the time being. "As long as the specialised media don't report on it, no customer will come into the shop and ask for a gravel bike," he says. Dan Miessen, Managing Director of Laufrad Hannover, takes a slightly different view. "We've sold a lot of cross bikes in recent years. But we know that very few users use them to jump over tree trunks. They are more likely to retrofit mudguards. Gravel bikes are much better suited for this. And even if someone wants to take part in a hobby cross race, what's wrong with doing it on a gravel bike?"
To check whether the bikes fulfil their promise of versatility, we asked ten companies to send their gravel bikes for testing. However, due to the advanced season and upcoming model changes, only four were able to deliver bikes. Two of them, Norco and Specialized, sent 2015 models, which will also be available in 2016 with minor changes.
The complete test results of these bikes can be found below as a PDF download:
- Crema Cycles Gravel
- GT Grade Carbon Ultegra
- Norco Search Carbon Ultegra
- Specialised diverge Expert Carbon
In terms of evaluating the bikes, we decided to apply the standard we are used to for cross bikes; this emphasises the braking function, which is important for off-road riding, but leaves the tyres out of the equation because there are no tyres that work equally well on asphalt and natural surfaces. Which rubber is the best in each individual case always depends on where you are riding. Other aspects that bring gravel bikes closer to crossers than road bikes are wheelbases of more than one metre and space for tyres at least 35 millimetres wide.
If you ask manufacturers who should buy gravel bikes, there are usually two groups mentioned. In addition to sporty cyclists who want to escape the sometimes narrow conventions of the road bike scene, beginners and those switching from mountain bikes are also mentioned time and again. The versatility of the bikes, their high level of comfort and the modern technology with powerful disc brakes should particularly appeal to buyers who are considering a road bike in principle, but are not sure whether it will be enough for them and whether they will enjoy cycling on paved roads in the long term.
And what do the target groups so courted have to say? Henri Lesewitz, editor of our sister magazine BIKE, is at home in many saddles - sometimes as an extreme mountain biker, as a racing cyclist, but also with his crosser in the forests around Munich. After an extensive test ride, he couldn't really find the niche he was looking for. However, Jürgen Buchholz, a 49-year-old teacher from Bottrop, quickly succumbed to the appeal of the new concept and summarised: "I could imagine buying one of these bikes." Buchholz otherwise regularly rides a trekking bike and occasionally gets on his 25-year-old steel racer. He follows trends in the cycling world only marginally.
Gliding through the terrain on smooth rubber?
During the test rides, it quickly became clear that the large-series models from GT, Norco and Specialized are very similar in their basic concepts: You sit relaxed like on a marathon racer à la Specialized Roubaix. Weighing close to nine kilos, they are less agile than road or lightweight cross racers. They run stoically in a straight line, ride smoothly and have a pleasant suspension, also and above all thanks to the tyres: The GT and the Specialized roll on relatively voluminous, well-damping, treadless road tyres. Nevertheless, the bikes can also cope with gravel passages and forest paths without slipping significantly. Only on deeper or wet surfaces do tyres with a higher profile, such as those on the Crema and Norco, clearly show their advantages.
The Schotter model from Crema is a special case in our test quartet. A one-off with a beautifully crafted steel frame and high-end equipment, it is not only in a different league in terms of price; the Crema also goes its own way in terms of geometry. With less high handlebars and a relatively short wheelbase, it looks more like a crosser. The bike becomes a gravel bike thanks to equipment details such as the front carbon mudguard, which is perfectly matched to the fork. Die-hard cross racers usually have little use for such a detail. What, please, should a mudguard be on a sports bike? But because the bike is labelled as a gravel bike, this objection falls flat. The term allows manufacturers new freedom in how they design their models. Whether as an everyday bike similar to a racing bike or training equipment for the winter, a lightweight touring bike or a fun machine for easy terrain: the advantages of gravel bikes lie in their versatility. This may not necessarily sound like a trend sport, but it is definitely an enrichment of the range.
Downloads:
download
