Need to know

Just what should you look for in a more wallet-friendly gravel bike in 2024? We bring you up to speed…

The gravel sector is extremely diverse these days, encompassing a huge range of terrain and events, from epic transcontinental endeavours to fast races on wide-open plains and the tricky natural terrain that was the domain of mountain bikes. And so the design and technology has rushed to keep up. The high end is littered with everything from full-suspension bikes to lightweight carbon racers that wouldn’t look out of place in the professional peloton. At the more affordable end, you’ll often see steel frames (which have a classic feel and tend to be favoured by bikepackers) through to aluminium (often the most affordable option) and even some carbon (it’s light and balances stiffness and compliance).

01 Styles

Style-wise there are endurance-road-bikeinspired creations through to those with mountain bike-inspired geometry. Bikes that feel more familiarly road-bike-like are great options for those riding a mix of tarmac and terra, and could also make a superb longer-distance commuter bike as they often have frame mounts and mudguard provision. More mountain-bike-like designs will inspire confidence on trickier terrain thanks to the stability of their handling.

02 Wheels and tyres

Tyres are often substantially larger and knobblier than on road bikes, with tyre widths from 30mm to 48mm. As well as 700c wheels, you may see smaller-diameter 650b wheels used with higher-volume tyres. Many of the best gravel bike tyres have a fast-rolling centre tread with knurling or side knobs to improve cornering on mixed surfaces. Tubeless tyres are also commonly found on gravel bikes because the tubeless sealant can help prevent punctures.

03 Geometry

Gravel geometry favours stability and comfort. The best gravel bikes have a longer wheelbase than most road bikes thanks to longer chainstays and slacker head-tube angles. Head-tubes are generally taller as well, for a more relaxed riding position. Features such as slender chainstays or a skinny seatpost are designed to flex in order to absorb road chatter.

04 Handlebars

Gravel bikes typically have a shorter stem and wider handlebars than road-going drop-bar bikes for better manouevrability. The handlebars usually have a flare to them, where they widen out from the tops to the drops for more control. This means they can fit bar bags more easily too.

05 Gears

Sub-compact cranksets and a wide-range cassette give a spread of gearing that’s fast on the road, while still having a low enough bottom gear for off-road climbing. Double cranksets with 48/32t chainrings are common, but many gravel bikes come with 1x gearing and super-wide cassettes, keeping the drivetrain simple by removing the front derailleur.

● Warren was a very early adopter of gravel, having the pleasure of living within spitting distance of Salisbury Plain with some of the best and most varied gravel and off-road terrain to be found in the south of the UK.