Things to know before buying a gravel bike

Things to know before buying a gravel bike

Source: YouTube - Everything’s Been Done - What I Wish I Knew Before I Bought a Gravel Bike

You ever buy something thinking it was perfect only to realize later you had no idea what you were doing? Well, that was me with my first gravel bike. I thought I was getting the Ultimate Adventure machine. But it turns out I was wrong. But what if you could skip the mistakes and go straight to the good part? Imagine knowing exactly what to look for before dropping all that cash on the wrong gravel bike. And after years of Adventure cycling - riding everything from Cross Bikes to all types of modern gravel bikes, I figured out what actually matters. Some of it’s common knowledge and some of it goes against what brands want you to believe. So let’s break it down. Here’s what I wish I knew before I bought my first gravel bike.

All right. I’ll admit it. I got my first gravel bike before gravel was actually a thing. It was actually a crossbike. And while it kind of worked, it quickly became evident where it was lacking. It was tight, tall, and could barely fit 33 mm tires, which by today’s standards, this is considered very small, especially for off-road bikes. In fact, this starts blending into the category that I call Allroad bikes, which are essentially road bikes that you occasionally take off-road. Here’s the thing.

Tire clearance is everything. The more clearance you get, the more options you have.

Big tires, little tires, fenders, you could set it up for a fast type of a road day, or for a back country ramble mission. So you’re allowed flexibility based on the ride. This one would have been helpful 15 years ago. It would have saved me a lot of headache. If you get a bike with smaller clearance, you’re essentially limiting the potential capability of that bike.

And for reference, if I was looking for bikes right now, I would look at things that could clear up to a 2 in or 50 mm tire.

I’ve wasted a lot of time scouring geometry charts. Stack reach, head Tube angle. I thought this was the secret to finding the perfect bike. And I honestly didn’t know what the hell I was actually looking at. But after riding dozens of different gravel bikes, there’s a few things I’ve learned. I’ve found that

geometry doesn’t matter quite as much as I’d thought.

And there’s a few reasons why. Our bodies have a tremendous ability to adapt to physical situations and sometimes that’s to a fault. For example we could be riding the wrong Fit bike for a very long time. But there is a way to make sure that doesn’t happen. That’s to

get a proper bike fit.

This can guide which size to get and how to dial in in the bike after you have it. Plus playing with different tire sizes and pressure will have a dramatic effect on how the bike handles and performs in different terrain.

Big tires low pressure makes a bike more stable in rougher terrain. Small Tire high pressure will amplify handling on smooth surface and give the illusion of faster speeds.

So instead of overanalyzing Geo charts focus on Tire clearance and consider getting a bike fit.

Steel, carbon, aluminum, titanium. I used to think material was everything. And over the last 25 years, I’ve ridden pretty much every material out there. But here’s the thing.

There’s one thing that has an even bigger impact over the handling and control of your bike. We’re talking about tires. Larger tires with lower pressure are going to have a more dramatic effect over the handling compliance and feel of your bike for the dollar than any frame material ever will. Especially if you’re on a budget don’t stress about the perfect frame material. Put that effort into getting a good set of wheels and experimenting with some tires.

People love throwing money at fancy upgrades. And don’t get me wrong I’m a sucker for some nice shiny bike parts. But nothing, I mean nothing, will improve your ride experience more than getting a bike fit. As unromantic as they are, they do have a big impact. It’ll make you more comfortable, more efficient, and less prone to injury, which you can use on other builds. And once the fit is dialed in, there is one upgrade that can actually make up for a lower quality frame. And that is to invest in some upgraded Wheels. While they can be expensive and somewhat unglamorous, upgraded Wheels can have a massive impact on your bike. They increase acceleration, handling, and is the single greatest way to level up any build. I’m telling you. Alloy frame with some high-end Wheels is going to feel comparable to a full high-end carbon build for a fraction of the cost.

If I could do it all over again I’d invest in fit first, wheel second, and everything else last.

Another thing that I learned the hard way. Less is more. Like many people I started with a two-by drive train, logically thinking more was more. But after years of adventure riding I finally come around to understand what mountain bikers have figured out long ago. If you ramble, you wont bite. Sure. Two-by offers smoother transitions between the gears. But if you’re riding the rough stuff one by is simply just easier to wrap your head around.

This is how you can tell if a bike brand is using bandwagon marketing or gravel washing.

If a bike has a max Tire clearance of 38 mm that’s not a gravel bike.

That’s an endurance or Allroad bike with some lazy marketing.

Any self-respecting gravel bike is going to have a minimum Max clearance of 45 mm.

And if you’re riding any amount of rugged terrain, or would actually like to run fenders, I suggest looking for a clearance at a minimum of 50 mm, which unfortunately is exactly why I rarely run my titanium stinner. Minimal clearance and no mounts for fenders means I just don’t ride it as much as I would like to. Now if I was just starting out, here’s what I’d tell myself.

Focus on Max Tire clearance more than Geometry. Frame material is overrated. Focus on wheels. Don’t overthink the drivetrain. One-by is simple and reliable. And get a proper bike fit before upgrading anything else. Or even before you get the bike. And the best part. None of these choices are permanent you can upgrade tweak and adjust to your preference over time.

Gravel bikes are about adapting to constantly changing conditions. And that’s what makes them so wonderful. So if you’re thinking of getting a gravel bike, or upgrading the one you have, these should help.