Road Bike Converted To Gravel Bike

With the recent flood of 650b gravel adventure bikes coming to market and 47 50mm road plus tires surging in popularity you might be interested in purchasing a new 650b rig or converting the 700c bike you already have.

Road bike converted to gravel bike.

Yes many road bikes from the 60s 70s and 80s can make fine gravel bikes even if we joke that gravel cycling wasn t invented at the time although many of us enjoy venturing off pavement on our modern road bikes manufacturers built bikes during the 60s through 80s for roads from that era when dirt and gravel roads were certainly more prevalent and the tight tolerances and. The fact that we have seen pro riders choosing to use road bikes converted for gravel shows just how capable a road bike with a few upgrades can be both sandy floren s gravel lite trek emonda and. Riders convert mountain bikes because it s their only bike or to try their first granfondo road group ride gravel grinder or simply to commute. A gravel bike is often a little bit heavier than a road bike because it s built to be sturdier.

A key difference with gravel bikes is a geometry that is usually taller and slacker to give more stability on loose gravel so endurance bikes are ideal road bikes to be converted to gravel bikes as the geometry is better suited for riding off road. What is a gravel bike and why do i need one. Gravel bikes are typically designed to tackle obstacles such as gravels rocks pebbles and dirt. And that can mean a lot of fun and a fresh look at where and how you ride a gravel bike can raise a smile in so many ways there are lots of.

Otherwise you might just be trying to wade through all the marketing jargon to see if 650b is a good fit for you. So you might feel the difference riding with friends on the uphills but it shouldn t be a huge deal. Most road bikes can be converted to gravel bikes but some make better candidates than others. Gravel bikes need tougher shock absorbers than mountain bikes.

There s an entire category of bike called the all road bike which overlaps with gravel bike and road bike at the same time. In truth they sit somewhere between the two. To make your mountain bike better for riding on the road you need to reduce the factors that make your bike suitable off road.