GRAVEL BIKES ARE CHANGING. FINALLY.

I'VE PREVIOUSLY ARGUED that there are too many gravel bikes with little distinction among them.

- by Matt Phillips | illustration by Michael Byers

Have you ever wondered why so many are out there? I believe I know the answer. I've ridden on roads in several countries around the world. A paved road is a paved road. I can take my road bike anywhere, and I'm confident I'll have the right gear for the ride.

The same can't be said for gravel roads. Their roughness and composition vary hugely. The champagne gravel of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for example, is much different from the punishing rocks on the roads around Emporia, Kansas, that make up the Unbound Gravel race route.

But even saying gravel is different by region or geographic zone isn't adequate: Gravel is so variable that nearly every gravel road is unique, and they often change by the mile. My local gravel roads in Durango, Colorado, are so diverse that on some a 30mm tire is sufficient, while on others a 45mm tire is preferable.

This is why, when you enter any bike shop in any location and ask to see a road bike, the salesperson will likely guide you to the same equipment. But if you ask to see a gravel bike, the salesperson is likely to respond: “What kind?”

In this way, gravel bikes are like mountain bikes. It's not a monolithic category; many brands have numerous gravel bike families in their portfolio. Specialized, for example, has three families: Crux, Diverge, and Diverge STR. And when each brand has several gravel bike families, the result is a lot of gravel bikes.

The problem lies in how brands have created various gravel bike categories that ultimately aren't very Different. Much of the supposed differentiation among gravel bikes is superficial.