Gravel Ratgeber | ROSE Magazin (2023)

FAQs

What is a good weight for a gravel bike? ›

Gravel bikes will weigh between 8.10kg and 10.55kg on average. They weigh more than road bikes as they need to be a little more robust. Some components have to stand up to more rigorous riding. Wheels and tyres tend to be heavier than road bikes.

A road bike's average speed can be around 25-30 km/h (15-18 mph) on pavement, and a gravel bike's average speed can be around 20-25 km/h (12-15 mph). With wider tires on gravel bikes, they offer better efficiency in off-road conditions compared to road bikes.

A gravel bike is a drop-bar bike designed to let you ride over many different surfaces. The drop handlebar and sporty geometry means you can make good progress on the road –but, with wider tyres, lower gearing and stable handling, you can also head off-road with confidence.

Road bikes place a rider in a low aerodynamic, sporty position. On the contrary, gravel bikes have a longer wheelbase and a taller headtube that lets the rider sit more upright and relaxed. This position helps increase stability and handling on surfaces that are less predictable.

18-20 Mph would be considered a good average speed over a long distance on a gravel bike. Typically gravel cycling has two challenges, one is the difficulty of drafting relative to road cycling, and two is the increased rolling resistance due to the terrain and tires. So going 18-20 miles per hour is excellent.

Cornering feel: The rotational inertia of wider (and usually heavier) tires makes many gravel bikes feel sluggish compared to a good racing bike, especially when climbing or sprinting out of the saddle.

Gravel riding is simply harder: It takes more effort to turn over the pedals when you're on a loose surface. Gravel riding is a built-in strength workout, plus you are using all kinds of stabilizer muscles that might not ordinarily engage when riding on smooth pavement.

Gravel riding is harder because it uses more muscles than typical road riding, including those of your upper body, which mostly just go along for the ride when on pavement.

Many riders, especially those who are new to cycling, have a misconception that road bikes should ony be ridden on pavement. But the truth is, road bikes can be safely ridden on all kinds of road surfaces, including cobblestone, dirt, and gravel.

Can a gravel bike be as fast as a road bike? ›

Gravel bikes are considered to be neither extremely fast nor too slow, and they are built to be that way. They are fast enough to travel quickly across a range of terrain, but they are not built for out and out speed like road-bikes.

Road bikes are slightly faster than gravel bikes over the majority of surfaces. On flat roads, road bikes will be be around 5% faster than gravel bikes, and they are between 9% and 12% faster on going up hills.

Key Points. Riding gravel is harder than spinning on smooth pavement, but with good technique, it gets a whole lot easier. If you remember nothing else: Relax and stay loose!

For all-round gravel riding, we'd suggest an 11-speed two chainring set-up with a 48/31 crankset and an 11-34 cassette, while a single ring 40t chainset with an 11-42 cassette gives a low ratio below 1:1, but doesn't give you the same top end gearing.

That's why a gravel bike is more aero (in terms of frame and rider position), allowing you to ride big days, across varying terrain, with low aerodynamic energy losses. Mountain bikes are less aerodynamic, and the rider position is biased toward descending technical terrain.

Gravel bikes are not known for having the best features to tackle tough descents. They are designed rather to go on dirt tracks without much difficulty. Even so, I think it is important to give you some tips so that you can better go downhill with Gravel Bikes.

Speed. A gravel bike will be faster on paved surfaces and gravel roads than a mountain bike. But, on the other hand, a mountain bike will sail downhill quicker when it comes to steep descents and rough trails. The speed advantage from a gravel bike comes from two things: It's gearing, and the rider posture.

Gravel bike stems typically sit somewhere between the two. Stem length is one of a number of factors, along with head tube angle and fork rake, that affects a bike's handling. Generally speaking, a shorter stem will result in faster handling, while a longer stem will result in slower, more predictable handling.

If your wheel set is going to be used for both road and gravel, select a road rim and tire sizes 25mm-50mm. This means an internal rim width of at least 20mm. Ideally, for a 40mm tire intended for gravel roads select a 21-24mm internal rim width.

The best gravel bike tires typically range between 35mm and 50mm, and can encroach into mountain bike territory too, where tires are measured in inches rather than millimeters.

Why do gravel bikes drop bars? ›

Drop Bars vs Flat Bars for Gravel Bikes

Drop bars offer a wider range of hand positions and a more aerodynamic riding position, which are beneficial for riding long distances and/or at higher speeds. The multiple hand positions also help to reduce hand and wrist fatigue over long rides.

Riders usually pump gravel bike tires to 40 PSI or less. The slightly lower air pressure allows the tires to deform as they ride over trail surfaces, providing more grip, particularly in tight corners and steep uphill sections. Most modern gravel bikes come with tubeless options.

“It's adventurous, gets you off the road with cars, and people really like riding on dirt.” Best of all, it allows riders to be flexible, riding on pavement, dirt roads and even some trails, which riders call singletrack.

These bikes are designed for a healthy mix of tarmac, gravel, forest roads and dirt paths – less so for rough terrain or single-track.

Some gravel bikes are actually decent enough to use as mountain bikes. But it is important to remember that not all gravel bikes are able. The majority of gravel bikes available on the market come with 45 to 50c tires and are not entirely capable enough for shredding your local mountain bike trails.

Gravel bikes are fast, nearly as quick as a standard road bike. They are certainly quicker on the road than most mountain bikes and many hybrids. That means you can get to work, and home, in the shortest time possible. But what makes gravel bikes so good for commuting is that they are extremely versatile.

They have slightly thicker and much grippier tyres than a road bike, so can be ridden on any surface, from stone to grass or dirt.

There is no limit on how many miles you can bike on a given day. It depends on how to fit you are, what your workout routine is, and how far you ride. For beginners, 10 miles per day is OK. Forty-five miles is a reasonable limit if you're an experienced cyclist who can bike 25-30 miles per day.

Gravel bikes are also good for bike touring because they tend to be a bit lighter than a dedicated touring bike. Gravel bikes are made of casual riding or racing, but also built to withstand rougher terrain. As a result they are heavier than a comparable road bike, but lighter than a touring bike or mountain bike.

To answer the question of whether you need a gravel bike, you have to ask yourself where you'd be riding it as the terrain is the deciding factor, but for fine, well-graded gravel, you can get away with riding a road bike.

Are gravel bikes heavy? ›

How Heavy Are Gravel Bikes? The exact weight will depend on which gravel bike you choose but the average gravel bike weighs in at just over 11kg, that's approximately 2kg heavier than the average road bike.

With narrower and slicker tires, road bikes are much faster on Tarmac than gravel bikes but they are also limited in the terrain they can tackle.

A gravel bike is slower although there is not much difference in the weight of the frame. The main issue is the width of the tyres, larger gravel bike tires create more resistance and slow the bike, compared to a road bike. But, the effect is minimal and you can always fit road wheels…

The standard bike weight for a road bike is 18 pounds. Mountain bikes are 29 pounds, while beach cruisers can weigh up to 40 pounds. A typical road bike should not weigh more than 18 pounds, pedals and cages included.

An average entry- to mid-level road bike will weigh around 20-25 pounds (9.1-11.3 kg).

The average weight of a typical road bike is about 8kg (or 18 pounds). This includes the pedals and cages. Although, the weight may slightly or significantly vary, depending on the frame size, frame material used, and other components.

A gravel bike is often a little bit heavier than a road bike, because it's built to be sturdier. So you might feel the difference riding with friends on the uphills, but it shouldn't be a huge deal.

(A heavier bike won't make up the entire difference, especially if the downhill requires breaking, but it will accelerate slightly faster than a lighter one.) A much more efficient—and economical—way to lighten your load is to shed body weight, says Gourley, not bike weight.

Road bikes are slightly faster than gravel bikes over the majority of surfaces. On flat roads, road bikes will be be around 5% faster than gravel bikes, and they are between 9% and 12% faster on going up hills.

Bicycles do have weight limits. But with so many different types, geometry, materials and parts used, it's impossible to standardise. Generally however, most bikes will have a weight limit of between 275 lbs and 300 lbs.

Can a 300lb person ride a bike? ›

Biking is a great way for a 300-lb woman to get some exercise, but it's important to choose the right bike. A heavy-duty bike with a wide seat and sturdy frame are ideal. You'll also want to make sure the bike has features that make it easy to ride, like an adjustable seat and handlebars.

Can A 400 Lbs Man Ride A Bike? Yes, a 400 Lbs man can ride a bike. In fact, there are many overweight people who enjoy biking as a form of exercise. However, it is important to choose the right bike for your weight and size.

Heavier wheels require more energy to overcome this inertia. Many riders, even novices, can feel the difference when riding lighter wheels. They make a bike feel snappier and easier to accelerate.

But, most weight conscious people aren't bringing their bikes down to 15 pounds because down at that weight, the handling gets very sketchy. 17 - 17.5 pounds is the normal range. The real discussion is about 1.5 to 2 pounds. The performance advantage of a lighter bike is greatest when the hill is steepest.

However, most bicycles have a weight limit of 275 to 300 pounds in general. But there is good news if your weight is more than 550 lbs Zize Bikes have bicycles that can bear a load of up to 550 lbs.

These bikes can be harder to maneuver in traffic because of their weight, especially at slow speeds. However, with practice and experience, you can make the ride on a heavy bike pretty smooth.

Many riders struggle with how to ride a heavy motorcycle, especially at slow speeds and in tight turns. This is complicated even more if they are not an experienced rider. While my recommendation is to always start with a manageable motorcycle in its size, weight, and power.