8 Tips to Switch From a Road Bike to a Gravel Bike

Are you transitioning from road to gravel biking? Maybe adventure is calling your name. And you want to give up the city streets to explore more rough and tough terrain. So you can get more exercise, pick up new skills, and just get better on two wheels. It can be very exciting but also very intimidating. Especially if you’ve never ridden gravel. Heed these tips for an easy switch.

1. Familiarize Yourself With Your New Bike

Gravel and road bikes differ in frame construction, tire clearance, gearing options, geometry specs, and more. Get used to your new ride to understand how it works. Take it on a few easy rides to get used to it before conquering longer and more extreme trails.

2. Practice Your Riding Position

You’ll be riding on much more challenging terrain. Practice how you want to sit on your bike for proper handling and control. This is needed for traveling on bumpy and uneven paths and loose gravel.

3. Get Comfortable With the Trails

Gravel trails are much different than paved roads. More rough and intense with plenty of rocks and obstacles. Also steep climbs and even bigger drops. Again, start off easy and work your way up to the more challenging rides.

4. Get Used to the Brakes

You might be switching from rim brakes to disc brakes. They require less hand force to work. So you’ll have to get used to not having to squeeze the levers as much. Then you can fully enjoy the smooth and quick braking power.

5. Understand the Gear Options

There are even more gears for changing trail conditions. Low numbers are for climbs, technical sections, and headwinds. High numbers are for sprinting, accelerating, descending, and tailwinds.

6. Practice Mounting and Dismounting

Tricky sections require mounting and dismounting the bike. That means getting on and off of it frequently. It’s an incredibly helpful skill to have and use in many situations.

7. Enjoy the Added Stability

Generally, gravel models have more relaxed geometry. You’ll love it so much and won’t want to go back.

8. Explore New Routes

You’ve opened up a whole new world of adventure. There are tons of routes to take all across the country. Take advantage of them!

Buy Your First Gravel Bike in Scottsdale

Airpark Bike Co is the #1 gravel bike dealer in Arizona. We have models from Diamondback, Santa Cruz, Juliana, Rocky Mountain, and more. All at the best prices. Let us help you find the build of your dreams! Don’t forget replacement parts and riding gear. We sell that, too! Your gravel journey starts with us.