Gravel Bike as a Road Bike? YES YOU CAN!

Can you use a gravel bike as a road bike? Yes, yes, and yes. After riding the Specialized Crux, Enve MOG, Open UPPER, Cervelo Aspero, Allied Echo, BlackHeart Bike Co Gravel AL and Colnago C68 Gravel, I believe that any "fast" gravel bike can also be ridden as a road bike, within certain expectations.

If I were buying a new gravel bike today, it would be tough to decide 1x vs. 2x, but I'd ultimately go with 1x SRAM XPLR... maybe I was wrong about 2x all along!

Gear I’m Riding and Into (updated 2/2024) ↓↓↓
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Instagram: @outdoorbros_

[outdoorbros_]

What’s your suggestion for riding a gravel bike on road? 👇🏻

[jamiefarrell]

Crux is the perfect quiver killer…I run mine set up with a mullet drivetrain - road and gravel - and the only thing that slows it down is me

[carlgoetzinger]

I appreciate the entire message in this video. Return the simplicity of "going for a bike ride". I'm not the fastest, nor am I looking to be. Versatility in a bike is the name of the game. Also, I absolutely love how you've got your crux set up, I don't think I'd do the 2x chainring any justice but it does look like the complete machine!

[markreams]

I have a Sage Titanium Barlow with GRX one by. Love not having a front derailleur! Unless your racing or doing a steady diet of fast group rides, the one by is more than adequate. I run a 38 (Wolf Tooth) front with a 11x42 rear. Being able to climb anything is more important to me than top end speed. I’m spun out at about 28 mph. Fast enough for me. After all I’m 70 years old. Priorities change as you age.😂 I do have a set of road wheels with 28mm Conti 5000’s for when I’m feeling the need for speed! I generally run 35mm Pirelli Cinturado gravel H tires on my gravel wheels which I ride most of the time. The handling is fine especially on fast downhills. I don’t race criteriums or anything else for that matter so a twitchy handling bike is not needed! So yes, one bike for all surfaces is more than doable for most recreational riders. I also have a nice set of Tailfin bags that I slap on this bike for multi day trips. It’s a truly multipurpose bike.

[sventice]

I run road tires (GP 5000) on my gravel bike the vast majority of the time, and it honestly feels exactly like an endurance road bike. (The difference between the Trek Domane and Trek Checkpoint frames are so minor that I briefly suspected that they were using the same frame design for both bikes.) If you're not totally obsessed with speed, a somewhat sporty gravel bike fitted with road tires will work for most road riding situations just fine.

[aaronedgeart]

Coming from fast/light road, adding a cx rig, adding a gravel rig, and now all three types of bikes as tools... I've done just this: since I'm not racing these days, my solution is a MOG or Crux with two wheelsets. This (might be) "the way". Thanx for another awesome video.

[steveindorset]

Great video mate. I was considering a new road bike and now due to all the videos like this one I think I’m just going to go for a Gravel bike.

Blessings from England. 🙏🏻😎👍🏻

[waltchui]

Due to distance from home to the trials, I kept my gravel bike (previous gen Diverge) as a 2x with a 48/32 in the front and 11-40 in the rear. Great climbing ratio together with top end gearing. 40 Terra Trail front / 40 Terra Speed rear. Hangs fine on B group road rides

[luisromero]

For my 2021 Diverge GRX 2x 11-36. Road wheels 303s with 700x34 Corsa pros control and don't get dropped. Gravel rides Roval C38 70x42 Pathfinder pros. Swap wheels depending on the route... That's my winter ride setup. Supersix Evo comes off the trainer once temps stay warm.

[dirkkleinschrot]

The Crux you built is such a beauty and an inspiration... Love the Crux.

[ColinKlupiec]

Got a Canyon Grizl with Apex AXS 1x to go riding with my son who is a mountainbiker. I can roll the single tracks and still cruise on-road at a good pace. Kept the road bike for ‘road only’ rides. Happy days.

[keepingtherubberdown]

I run a Giant Revolt AP Frameset. I built from scratch. I have road wheels AR46 Black with 32mm GP5000. Then I have 2 sets of gravel wheels. Reserve 32 with Thunder Burts 2.1 and Reserve 34/37 with 45 Slicks. 44F, 9-50 e-Thirteen rear on all of the wheel. This bike is on rails on the road and super responsive. Geo is more road with slacker seat tube. Bike is stiff in bottom bracket and wheel. I have ridden many, many bikes. And this is bar far my favorite outside of my 2014 Boone 9 Canti version. And, lastly I have used bikepacking and everywhere in between. Top notch bike. Only thing I dislike is the entire seat post mount set up.

[Sbglobal]

BMC Kaius, 2x, 2 wheel sets. Geo is almost identical to the Teammachine SLR 01…their pro tour race bike.

[CEB_]

I love the “one bike to rule them all” concept, but being honest you must be a hell of a beast to not be dropped on a road group ride with gravel tyres…

So I ended up with the two wheelset solution, it’s not that much of a pain to swap wheels before ride depending on route and group teammates….

Keep the nice vids!

[jwfriar]

Honestly - super fair assessment.

You are right, gravel bikes aren't road bikes. They can imitate, but not duplicate. I've gotten to ride several (Diverge and Aspero) and they just aren't exactly the same. Not as Aero, not as stiff, the handling as mentioned.

I think you just have to be honest with who you are. If you wanna go as fast as possible and enjoy that thrill, you need a road bike. If you enjoy being off the beaten path and are willing accept a few limitations on the road, get the gravel bike.

I also live in Seattle, in the city. I don't like driving to my destination, so to get to any gravel, I have to ride 25 miles of road anyway. This was mentioned, but for me, that's a killer. I don't wanna ride a subpar bike for the road all that way slower and feel like my efforts aren't being rewarded.

[jancoetzer]

I just completed a two-day race of 100 mi per day on my Canyon Grail Gravel bike. I swapped out the gravel tires for 32mm road tires and nothing else. My Grail came out with a 2-by GRX setup. I had no issues staying in the pack, and even improved my 100 mile PR on the second day.
I do not need a road-specific buke for the riding I do.

[fredpomi]

Ican X-Gravel with 2 wheelsets and 4 tyre options (GP5000 32 for road only, Maxxis Re-fuse 40 for commute or "discovery", Maxxis Rambler 50 for light gravel and 50 + Tannus Armour for the more hardcore stuff.
1x 42 or 38 set-up with manual change to a 34 ring (that's very geeky but I hate front derailleurs 😉)
11-34 road
11-36 commute/explore
11-42 gravel
I have had only one drop bar bike for about 7 years now and the main limitations for me are:
- gearing in fast descents (42x11 is too small)
- gaps between gears (even with a 11-34)
- no tubeless option for gravel wheelset as I often swap tyres
- weight?
As cycling is only one of my physical activities, this is a dream set-up from a $$, maintenance, storage and discovery perspective.

[BoxCarBoy]

While it’s true that a gravel bike with road tires feels completely different from a real road bike, it’s really only the feel of the ride that differs. For all but the most extreme rides in terms of speed or elevation, I am literally no slower on the gravel bike on the same road routes according to Strava. And even when it’s slower, it’s only by the most marginal of time differences that would only matter in a race.

[stevevarga]

I agree with your opinion re only use a race/fast gravel bike. I have an Aspero with 2 wheel sets, one with road tires and cog set and one with much larger gravel tires and gearing. It works great. With the road tires and gears, it honestly feels just like a proper road bike. I really don’t feel any compromise.

[honestreviewer]

I got a Cervelo R5CX and use it for gravel and road. I like it more than the Aspero because it has more road-like geometry. It's fast as hell, and very comfortable.