What Difference Between Road Bike And Gravel Bike

With the trends of Gravel bikes, there are more and more gravel models bikes on the market, which have wider tire and more comfort than road bikes.The Gravel Bike combines the advantages of road bikes, mountain bikes to create a lightweight all-round exploration bike that tackles rough terrain as happily as it does on paved surfaces.But many riders often make confusion for the road bikes and gravel bikes.Because the gravel bike has a lot in common with the road bike, and the mainstream of the road bike and the gravel bike have a lot similarity in design.For example, the features of the frames, the disc brake system, the increase of the tire clearance and the more comfortable geometry, so many beginner riders are confused about what is a gravel bike and what is a road bike.Now let’s simply discuss their main difference.

Tyre

Since road bikes are riding on flat paved roads, road bikes usually use smoother tires which can reduce weight and rolling resistance to improve speed.In addition, road bikes usually take narrow tires, and the tire clearance of road bike frames is usually much smaller than that of gravel bikes. Road bikes are usually suitable for tires in the 23-32 mm range, while individual endurance road bikes are compatible with tires up to 38c.

While gravel bikes usually use wider tires, because they need to face more difficult path to provide better passability. This also reduces the speed of gravel trucks on paved roads, so some gravel bike riders will also install a set of road tires for their gravel bikes. That is to say, gravel bikes are compatible with gear tires and can also be installed on road tires, but road bikes may not be able to install gear tires used in gravel vehicles.

Drive System

Gravel bikes usually use a single-disk 1× chainset, and have a larger gear ratio. This single-disk gravel bike looks very similar to a mountain bike, and the shifting is relatively simple. The road bikes basically use a double-disc design.

Gravel bikes frames Geometry

If you stack two bike frames on top of each other, you'll find that their bodies are almost within a few millimeters apart.

Road bikes have shorter wheelbases for agile ride quality and versatile handling and

longer reach and shorter frames and head tubes.Road bikes have lower head tubes, more aerodynamic frame tubes, and less weight.

While gravel bikes pays attention to passability, comfort, functionality, and stability, so gravel bikes have a longer wheelbase and a larger head tube angle for added stability.and also have shorter, more upright reach that can make the rider to obtain a comfortable position, more stable handling, and more relaxed geometry of the frame.

Riding Comfort

Road bikes focus more on rigidity and speed, so this also lost a certain of comfort. Gravel bikes pay more attention to comfort, so the hardness of the frame will be appropriately reduced, and some brand manufacturers will add micro-travel shock absorbers or shock absorbers into the frame.

Weight

As the gravel bike needs to enhance more complex road conditions, the gravel bicycle frame also needs higher strength and more tire clearance, so the weight of the frame also increases. Therefore, the same material frame weight of a gravel bike is usually heavier than that of a road bike.

Accessories

Gravel bikes use the same bikes handle bar settings as road bikes, but the lower bars are mostly angled out on gravel bikes, which helps improve overall handling, but also increases wind resistance.

In terms of braking, road bikes are gradually moving closer to disc brakes, while gravel cars are all disc brakes in order to adapt to various complex roads and cope with various bad and wet environments.

The multi-functional gravel bike will also add additional mounting seats on the top tube, seat tube, down tube, front fork, rear fork, etc. of the frame to meet the installation of accessories such as storage bags, racks, and fenders, making it more convenient for long-distance riding.

In short, On a flat road, the speed of a gravel bike is definitely between a road bike and a mountain bike. If there are often different road conditions and you want to mention the speed, a gravel bike is a good choice. Riding on the big road, pursuing the ultimate speed, maybe the traditional road bike is more suitable for you.If you're only allowed to have one bicycle, then a gravel bike is the way to go, it can take you through the trails, or long distances, or enjoy the beauty of the road. Of course, if the budget is sufficient, it must be both road and gravel bike. Each bicycle has its own usage scenarios, which can bring you different pleasures in different roads or path.