A common question we get from interested bike shopper’s is, “so what’s the appeal of gravel bike riding?” For those of you asking the same question, think of a gravel bike as the sleekness of road bike with the ruggedness of a mountain bike sprinkled in.
Your typical gravel bike features a lightweight frame with relaxed geometry, drop handlebars for comfort, disc brakes for better stopping power, wider, knobby tires for traction, and multiple mounting points for accessories like bags and racks for longer trips. Gravel bikes offer an ideal blend of speed, durability, and comfort–ideal for adventure, fitness, or commutes across a variety of terrain.
So now that you understand what a gravel bike is, the next logical question is, “But why are people doing it?” For one, gravel biking has less cars to contend with. Gravel roads tend to have a lot less traffic and, in some cases, vehicles aren’t allowed to drive on them. That means there’s a much lower likelihood of an accident caused by a driver. And if there is traffic, it’s typically light and traveling at a much slower speed than on paved roads.
If you prefer the road or other smooth pavement like a city bike path, then a gravel bike is good option for that too. Since a gravel bike doesn’t have the suspension usually found on mountain bikes it makes it easier to jump on a paved bike path or a quick trip to the store. Keep in mind that for this use, it helps to inflate the tires a bit more. For traditional use on rougher gravel roads or light singletrack trails, we recommend taking out some air to make it a smoother ride.
Now you might ask, “why are they telling me all this? Are they trying to sell me a gravel bike?” Well, of course we are, gravel bikes are awesome! The Mongoose Guide or Guide Sport are the perfect options to start gravel biking, and best of all, they won’t break the bank.
Gravel riding to me is a mix between adventure, challenge and discipline. There is nothing I enjoy more than finding the road less taken.
Matty Cranmer
Mongoose’s all-around athlete, Matty Cranmer, took a stock Mongoose Guide Sport on a solo 100-mile ride recently, and we asked him a few questions about his experience:
How did your gravel bike perform on your 100-miler?
“That day, the Guide was a monster truck. I didn’t know what I would face in these 100 miles, but I knew this bike would roll right through it. This bike loves adventure just as much as I do.”
Were you worried at all about taking a brand new, stock bike that far?
“Absolutely, I haven’t ridden the bike before I set off on this voyage. If I for some reason didn’t fit properly or a part wasn’t optimal for me, it didn’t matter, I wouldn’t know until I had probably 80 more miles left, ha-ha.”
When did you know the bike would be just fine on the journey?
“Once I got through the big water crossing on the worst dirt road ever at about mile 15, I knew nothing could get worse and the bike was still comfortable at that point”
What would be an easy upgrade to make to the Guide?
“The first upgrade I would make is taking advantage of the tubeless ready wheels and converting it to tubeless. Then you’re really ready for wherever the pavement ends!”
Why does gravel cycling appeal to you?
“Gravel riding to me is a mix between adventure, challenge and discipline. There is nothing I enjoy more than finding the road less taken, not knowing where it ends and encouraging myself to keep going no matter what. There will be a story to tell every single time.”
What’s the next adventure you are taking your Guide on?
“My next adventure is setting off to race 100 miles of gravel roads with 7500ft of rolling hills through Georgia. New place, new challenge, same rad bike!”
And there you have it! You don’t have to ride 100 miles like Matty to enjoy gravel riding, but if you are up for the challenge, we have the bike to GUIDE you along in your journey.
