Gravel Bike Riding

The gravel bike harnesses the advantage of a both a road bike and a mountain bike to allow you to easily switch between asphalt and gravel surfaces.

A gravel bike is more robust than a road bike and has wider tires for greater traction and safety. It also has a more upright riding position to increase comfort, and often features a longer wheelbase, which improves stability.

Compared to a mountain bike, the gravel bike is lighter, faster, and more agile on the road, but still robust enough to ride on unpaved terrain. While not suited to full MTB trails, the narrower tires and stiffer suspension make the gravel bike significantly speedier and more efficient on asphalt roads.

The decision you make on whether a gravel bike is the right choice for you should be based on the type of riding you prefer or more often do.

The Gravel bike is best suited for cyclists who like to ride off the beaten track, but who also want to be fast on the road. It offers significant advantages and flexibility when tackling long-distance rides and bikepacking. 

On the flip side, it doesn’t match the speed and efficiency of a road bike on asphalt and lacks the stability needed for rough trails compared to a mountain bike. Tackling technical MTB trails is definitely off the table.

In short, a gravel bike is an excellent choice for day trips that combine road sections, classic cycle paths, and dirt roads, especially when covering long distances.

When it comes to finding and planning routes, the versatility of gravel biking allows for much more creativity, and the conditions suited to these bikes can be found all around the world.

The Outdooractive Route Finder is a great place to start looking for your next gravel bike route. It also offers various filter options that let you narrow down search results to meet your requirements and skills. 

Our Travel Guide also hosts information on gravel bike routes all over the world. Simply enter the region of your choice in the search field.

Due to the different types of trails you can ride on a gravel bike, you might like to also plot your own route using the Outdooractive Route Planner. Just remember as a general rule of thumb that the more sections you ride on gravel and dirt roads rather than on asphalt, the slower you will travel and the more strenuous these sections will be. This is something that should not be underestimated, especially on long bikepacking trips.

• Interactive maps: The Outdooractive map provides you with all the information you need for your gravel ride including terrain, trails, way types, and elevations. In addition, with a Pro or Pro+ subscription, you can save all routes offline and then access them anywhere, any time. 
• Navigation and tracking: Find your perfect gravel route and use the app for navigation. You can also record tracks, and plan and publish your own routes to help inspire others.
• Skyline: Our augmented reality technology lets you explore your surroundings even more. Identify neighboring peaks, lakes, towns within a 30 km radius simply by pointing your smartphone at the horizon. 
• BuddyBeacon: Your safety is paramount. Share your location with friends and family in real time so that you can quickly be found in an emergency.
• 3D previews: Get a contextual perspective of the route and its surroundings with our 3D animated preview that uses map-based data and satellite images.  Great for gravel bikers who are looking to journey long distances!
• 3D videos: At the end of your adventure, you can create a unique video using our 3D mapping technology and your photos. Relive your adventure over again and share it with your friends.