Which is the ideal bike for a gravel tour?

What should I look for on gravel bike before committing to an off road event or cycling related holiday?

Winter might not be the nicest time of the year to be outside on the bike, but it can be a good period to plan your next cycling adventure. Here at Asimismo we are specialized in guided bike tours, operating in Tuscany, which -if you ask for quality and opportunities when it comes to gravel- is the best region in Europe. 

Often, when meeting a new client and taking him through breathtaking gravel roads, the question that arises is:

Which is the ideal bike to ride gravel?

The answer isn’t an easy one at all. It certainly deserves some thought and to know what to really look into before buying your dream gravel bike or renting one. 

So here’s my advice.

The market in these last years has evolved quite significantly. If we just look at what was available in 2017, you would have only been able to find some endurance bikes, cyclocross or the classic mtb. Nowadays, the situation has changed and there is a lot more variety. 

From 2019 on, there’s been a few brands introducing new models of bikes. Wider space on the seat and chain stay of frames, and new forks models, that allowed to fit up to 40mm tyres. A drastic change, considering that until that time, the equivalent version of a gravel bike was a cyclocross, that would have allowed wheels with a 700 x 33-35 mm maximum.

In the last 2 or 3 years, we saw a real boom in the gravel scene. Gravel races are now part of the pro’s calendar as well, and many other gravel-related events are taking place all over the world. In anticipation and response to that, many brands decided to really focus their research on launching additional new gravel models.

With a strong push from the marketing departments, we have also started seeing on the market the launch of Aero gravel bikes, with frames that have a more accentuated racing geometry, frames that sometimes also have an integrated suspension to improve the shock absorption.

If budget is not an issue for you, then these are the nicest bikes available that I suggest having a look:

Specialized Diverge STR Pro

Ridley Kanzo Fast

BMC Kaius 01 ONE

Canyon Grail CFR

In all of the bikes mentioned above, aerodynamics and ergonomy have been taken into consideration during the design process. So expect to find shaped carbon F-Tubing, integrated carbon stem-handlebar, high profile carbon wheels and often -also- a pocket on the frame to allow tools in it without affecting the overall look of the bike.

If you prefer instead something more sophisticated or unique, you can then have a look at many independent brands making Steel or Titanium frames. You will find heavier bikes, (usually the difference with a carbon frame is around 500g) but the response in descends and the attention to details during the designing process are taken to another level. In these bikes the realization of the frame is really a craftsman process and prices usually reflect that value.

Between all the brands available we suggest checking:

Jaegher, J.Guillem, Van Nicholas, Passoni, Mason, Reilly, Curve for Titanium frames;

While brands such as Repete (the ones I have are from them), Legor, Belle, Daccordi, Stelbel, Field, Surly and Mosaic are the most iconic steel frame builders out there.

If instead, you are on a budget, there are also some other options available. The type of bike you buy will not decrease the value of the enjoyment of your ride. So, if you are wondering if you need a sophisticated bike to come enjoy a gravel tour in Tuscany, the answer is definitely not.

Here in Italy, we have an old saying between us cyclists that goes:

“at the end, the only thing that will matter are your legs”. 

It won’t be me convincing you that riding an average bike will be more satisfying and fun than one with a handmade frame and that ticks all the boxes, but… for sure, you don’t need to buy the full spec model to enjoy a long day on the saddle.

The ones I will summarize underneath are for sure the things to take in account when buying a gravel bike, no matter your budget.

-        Carbon frames are lighter but steel frames handles are a lot better. The response on descents with steel bikes is preferable than with a carbon bike, unless you are racing (in that case, of course, half a kilo more will make a difference). Another positive aspect of choosing steel or aluminum over carbon is that you won’t have to worry about crashing the bike or falling, as a little dent on the bike won’t affect its safety.

-        Matt paint instead of polished paint whether it's possible. You will soon realize how much dust mixed with the abrasive effects from carrying bags can ruin the paint of your bike. A great solution for that comes from brands such as Effetto Mariposa that are selling transparent protective films to be applied over the entire frame in order to protect it from any chipping or scratches. Every bike shop will be able to apply that for you. You can think of putting it only in correspondences of where bags straps are or even all over the frame and on the chain stay. I would personally advise this option to all of you that are keen on reselling the bike after some time.

 -        Eyelets & rivnuts. Having those on your fork will allow you to attach accessories such as racks, fenders, or water bottle cages. These rivets provide a secure and reliable mounting point, ensuring that the gear is firmly attached and stable during off-road or long-distance rides. The ability to carry extra necessities or tools on the bike enhances the bikepacking experience, making it convenient and efficient for riders.

-        Tyre’s choice. There are plenty of brands producing gravel tyres nowadays. Different treads, different width and also different types of puncture protection. To me, the Pirelli Cinturato M is the best compromise between all the ones I’ve tried, great on the dry but also when it is a bit wet and moist.  If you are -instead- always riding on dry compact gravel with a lot of paved segments, I feel like suggesting the Vittoria Terreno Dry. In any case, choosing tires with a bit of a knob on the side bead always improves the grip on the off-road. In terms of softness and performance, the half American half Japanese brand Ultradynamico produces some really nice products. Their Rose and Cava models are probably the fastest ones I’ve ever tried but at a quite expensive price. If you are more interested in comfort, then you should look at 45-47 mm tyres. In the case you are looking for tires that won’t feel slow, you should stay on 38-40mm in width. All the gravel trails we offer throughout our gravel tours here in Tuscany are doable with 38 mm tyres.

 -        Still in relation to tyres, is the choice of the rim. Checking the width of it is important for understanding if the real width of the new tire will be the one stated or a different measure. Usually rims from recent production are wider than older models, so once you install the tyre their width will be bigger than the nominal dimension.

 -        If you are assembling your gravel bike from scratch, please remember to buy a set of wheels that are tubeless compatible. That means that the tape used inside cannot be a cloth one but needs to be a specific one, mounted in such a way that you won’t have any possible leakage of sealant from the holes of each spoke. The liquid you will have inside the wheel will seal any holes in case of puncture without the necessity of running an inner tube. With the technology available these, I’d say going tubeless on a gravel bike is the wisest option. That is by far the best solution available. It will make your bike faster, lighter and more comfortable. In this way you will be able to ride at very low pressures, with a better handling and grip on the off road.

 - Flared drop bars. This type of handlebars on gravel bikes are becoming increasingly popular due to their ergonomic design that provides better control and stability on rough terrains. You can find on the market models ranging from 5 to 25° angle, depending on your need. Riding with wide flared bars also makes it easier for placing  a sleeping bag in-between in case you do bikepacking, providing a convenient and easily accessible storage solution. The wider flare allows a wider hand placement, giving riders more control while descending and navigating challenging off-road trails. This design also offers a more comfortable hand position for longer rides, reducing fatigue and improving the overall riding experience on gravel roads. The downside of opting for wide flared handlebars is present if you decide to use your gravel bike to commute. In this specific scenario, you might find it more difficult to “surf” through the traffic. If you don’t know which would be the ideal handlebar for you and you want to compare a specific model to something you already have, I suggest visiting Whatbars.com. There, you will be able to see the specifics and photos of bars from different angles, overlaying more than one model together in order  to analyze which option suits you best. 

To wrap it up: the right bike for everyone does not exist. When we think of buying a new bike we should take into consideration -mainly- what our budget is and what's the use we are going to make of that bike. Based on that, we’ll be able to look into other aspects such as which frame material to choose, and the type of tire clearance we’ll need on our frame. Buying a brand new bike can be very satisfying but taking a look into the second hand market -and all the variety of pre-assembled models already available in there-, is still a very valid option and something I encourage you to do. Buycycle.com, for instance, is a great website where you can find any sort of used bike, at any price: it works as a directory where you can easily refine your search and you will be able to choose between thousands of bikes.

In this article I haven’t talked about groupsets, and that is not because it isn't an important part or I wanted to avoid getting into details about them, but only because either Shimano or Sram (the 2 most common brands available pretty much everywhere in the world) are equally good. 

I believe that everyone has his own preference in terms of gear shifting methods; some of you may even prefer Campagnolo. This Italian brand came out in 2020 with Ekar, a groupset specifically thought for gravel. I would not recommend choosing that if you will be traveling a lot with your bike outside of Europe or the US, where bike mechanics are only trained to work on Shimano components.

For those still interested in cyclo tourism and adventurous trips, I wouldn’t probably advise going for electronic gear shifting. The necessity of charging the battery every now and then might become a limitation during a bikepacking trip or in journeys where the bikes will remain outside your tent overnight at low temps.

Last thing worth mentioning is that if you are looking to buy a new bike, the best moment during the year would be around  January – February.  During this period, all the major brands and distributors offer previous year models on sale, while waiting to add on the new ones, so usually there are big discounts on prices, often up to 40%. 

And though buying online can be very convenient, I advise you to pop to the physical shop, even if they don’t have the specific model you are looking for. Doing so, you could at least try it and check if the geometries are OK for your body, whilst talking to someone that knows about the subject for any suggestions. 

I really hope this article was useful for you to clear up any doubts regarding how to choose a gravel bike. Just write me a line in case you have any further questions. I hope to see you here in Tuscany with us on a tour soon. You might even be able to bring your new bike and get some fantastic photographs of it in the most incredible gravel scenarios Tuscany has to offer.