The Sport Conrad Gravelbike Guide

THE BIRTH OF GRAVEL BIKES

Unpaved roads are almost impossible to conquer with a normal racing bike. That's why 10 years ago cycling fans from the USA came up with the idea of racing on unpaved roads in the future. The so-called "Gravel Grinder" races were born. Since such gravel roads could hardly be conquered with a racing bike, an alternative had to be found. The alternative was cross racing bikes, as used in cyclocross ("cross country racing"). Now you mix in some comfort to ride long distances comfortably and the Gravel Bike is born.

VERSATILITY

A gravel bike offers a much more relaxed riding position than a cyclocross. The upright riding position resembles, thanks to the higher head tube and shorter top tube, is more like riding a marathon marathon road bike. Due to wider tires, however, a gravel bike offers better better damping than a road bike. The tires can range from 30 to 47 millimeters and a long wheelbase results in stable straight running. directional stability.
Gravel bikes are very versatile and offer you all kinds of possibilities. Semi slicks (tires with tread on the outside) allow you to master a wide variety of surfaces without any problems. This makes the Gravel Bike a faithful companion in the city. In addition, gravel bikes usually offer the possibility of attaching mudguards, which is again interesting for commuters.

THE WEIGHT ISSUE

Gravel bikes are significantly heavier than cyclocross bikes or road bikes. So if the competition idea is in the foreground, it is better to fall back on a cyclocross - Compared to a trekking bike, the gravel bike is also a lightweight.

AREAS OF APPLICATION OF THE GRAVEL BIKE

Whether spontaneous or planned down to the smallest detail - with your Gravel Bike you can easily start your adventure for one or several days. Gravel bikes are the alternative for all cycling fans who like to ride on asphalt and off-road. A gravel bike makes it possible to cover long distances or ride trails outside of paved roads.

Commuter bike - Many employees now use a gravel bike to get to the office. And why not? You get a bit of exercise, save money on gas, and thanks to the gravel bike you can easily vary between tarred roads and off-road routes.

Bikepacking - Traveling by bicycle becomes ever more popular. Decelerated and also reduced to the essentials, because bikepackers can take care of themselves, the call of freedom on the trail. What you need for bikepacking is nothing more than a small selection of equipment and your personal luggage. Attach your bags and go! If not now, when?

Gravel Racer - Bike racing has been around for a very very long time, but the racing scene in gravel sports is still very young and for a gravel race you probably have to ride a little further, but thanks to the growing popularity of the bikes, competitions are also becoming more frequent. If you buy a gravel bike with the ulterior motive of competition, your bike should really be very well matched to you. Here a personal consultation is quite reasonable.

Winter bike - Many road cyclists switch to a gravel bike in the winter. You wonder why? This question is quickly answered if you have ever been on the road bike on frozen roads. Here, the wide tires of the gravel bike are definitely an advantage.