Can You Use A Gravel Bike As A Road Bike? 

For short racing, agreed, gravel bike won't really cut it at the top end, but endurance riding, it's relaxed geometry, wider tires, make it perfect for comfort and long days in the saddle. 2 sets of wheels, I reckon the perfect solution!

The short answer is "YES". The long answer is "Yes but slower"

I actually just did this on my gravel bike (spare set of wheels with road tires, same cassette, etc.) and it works like a charm. I keep the gravel tires for more planned out/longer gravel rides and I use the road tires for group rides, daily/weekly rides around town, etc. Paired with a 42 chainring up front on a 2x (or hopefully a 44T 1x soon), the top-end speed is actually pretty similar to road bikes I've owned. The benefit is the geometry on most gravel bikes will allow you get that top-end while also adding bigger cassettes (with adapters) for hills. You get the best of both worlds and the added "comfort" of a chunkier bike. You had a previous video that inspired me to do this so definitely thanks for the inspiration!

Enjoyed this. I’ve started changing my view on gravel bikes being only for gravel, in reality they are an everything bike. More amusingly the roads around Bristol are so bad currently that fatter tyres make a lot of sense. I’ve considered using road tyres on my gravel or CX bike for winter road miles, might actually get round to it this year.

Coming from MTB I bought a Gravel bike as it gave me the chance of fatter tyres and relaxed geometry I was used to the feel of this type of frame and it’s a heavier stronger frame for a tall chap like me. I’m getting old and the relaxed geometry makes the rides so much more comfortable for me. I have a spare set of wheels with road tyres and one with off road tyres. It’s good to see the Haytor to BT road repaired and hopefully it will stay in good nick longer for swooping descents. I think the state of the roads in UK almost demands a gravel bike due to numerous potholes and debris found on them.

I installed goodyear vector 4 tires on my wife’s gravel bike. The geometry is more like an endurance bike. Very versatile and comfy.

I share your videos with friends of mine in a nearby nursing home that are former Air Force mates of mine from the 70's. They laugh their butts off and totally love your work. Best medicine yet! As do I. Thanks from the lovely bunch over the pond.

Thanks Dave!! So happy to see that these tyres were switched under Munchkin's direct supervision. My Crossbike came with a set of top-end wheels and tyres and yeah, I quite agree with you per 0ne-bike-to-rule-them-all.

There are tires such as Schwalbe G-One RS which will work great on and off road.

Back n the 90’s we did London to Brighton a few times . I put city slickers on my Kona mountain bike with a triple front ring . Was amazing . Obviously not as fast as some but way quicker than other mountain bikes doing the ride . Nowadays my cross/gravel bike has become the bike to ride 90% of the time because I’m not restricted to one route . It’s great on the road and if I didn’t want the all out speed of a road bike I would just have my crocket. 1 bike does all kinda thing

I love riding my gravel bike on the road it's just really bloody comfortable.

I don't have a specific gravel bike ,what I have instead is a cyclocross ,a Giant TCX to be specific ,with some gravel tweaks like flared bares etc,got a 50-36 ,11-36 gearing ,but the geometry is more aggressive but not as aggressive as a road bike ,you still have the clearance up to 700 X 45c ,it really is versatile,it could do all 3 no problem and be as close as you can get to a road bike ,just a shame cyclocross bikes are dying out and gravel is in so you can make it ridable for the road but in my opinion the cyclocross hits that middle nicely between the 2

I started on a Gravel bike and bought a second wheel set to enjoy long road rides. However, I built a road race bike now and it feels SOOO different and more aggressive on the road. Did I go long and fast on the gravel bike - yes. But the roadbike buzz just feels different. But I love to do long tours on the gravelbike with road wheels!

i do..>Ribble CGR SL running with 650b wheels and offroad tyres in gravel mode ...Lun Hypers with GP5K's in road mode...best of both worlds...dropped to s smaller cassette as well.....10-28 vs a 10-33...im also running 2x SRAM Force so again its pretty much a road bike without the geo but Id never want a totally race focussed bike and would be happier with an endurance bike..plus with road tyres its only 8.1KG

Generally agree Dave, love all my bikes,the out and out speed of a road bike is addictive, but as I mostly come from MTB the gravel bike is my slippers! Good vid mate

I run MTB cassettes (10-46 or 11/46) with 650B and 50mm XC tyres (dry or wet depending of weather). For road/cyclocross, I run 700c with 33 or 35 tyres but I use the e13 cassette 9-42 to get extra gearinch. And I think I will need lots of speed, I spend 20min swapping the chainring with 4T extra... Basically, going from mullet/XC Gravel to Roady gravel takes as much time as cleaning the bike after a muddy ride...

Salsa WarRoad ❤

I have a gravel bike with 2x setup, and 2 sets of wheels!... i have no issues keeping up with a group ride or doing long road events... but when i want to explore... quick swap and im away!... I do prefer the comfort of the gravel wheels though, UK roads are pretty pants these days.

Me and my mate have been having this conversation. I have both at the moment but faster on my gravel bike on the road. We integrate small bits of gravel riding in our road rides instead. Both ordered Ribble CGR SL Hero’s and I plan on using it for 6 months and see if it’s worth getting some spare wheels for road tyres.

2 pairs of wheels, one with a smaller close ratio cassette and road tyres, added to the gravel setup. 90% of the time it will be fine on the road.

I'm considering selling my road bike and just using my CX bike on road. I've got the spare wheels, the only minor issue is that both sets have 11-32 cassettes and so it only has a 34 chainring. I guess it should really change the gearing to something a bit more like your gravel setup, but that probably means a new mech (and shifter as well as it's currently on 10 speed). Changing all that would give me a super light, super responsive road bike, but it would still have cantis. Might as well just stick with the 2 bikes for now.

I run 3 sets of wheels on my gravel bike-winter gravel with 43mm knobbly tyres, summer gravel with 45mm fast smooth(ish) gravel tyres, and 32mm road tyres as I use it as a winter road bike. I have a summer road bike with 2 x 11 gearing for summer road riding. Works for me.

My next bike will be an endurance road bike. Little more relaxed geometry and some models can fit 38 or 40 mm tires, which is plenty for the amount of gravel I do.

Those are some great looking tires. Cheers!

I use a gravel bike for road, but you need two sets of wheels (1 for road tyres - the other for the gravel tyres) and two cassettes, with the derailleur and chain set up for the larger cassette. Will probably acquire a spare seatpost for swapping saddles next....

I have two gravel bikes. Both 2x, both with schwalbe g one speed tyres (35mm on one and 38mm on the other) Best of both worlds. I don't do anything other than light gravel roads but the lanes here are kinda gravel roads anyway 😂.

Put 32 continental tyres on my carbon wheels (44s) and used them with my Pinarello Grevil. Fast!

GREAT TUTORIAL. THANKS

Ha! This is exactly why I bought a gravel bike. : ) Thanks Dave!

Excellent, thank you! liked and subscribed!

I tried making my gravel bike more aggressive with narrower handlebars and slicks but at the end of the day the gravel frame is just stronger and heavier so it's just such a compromise and well yeah what about the gearing with different cassettes on the chain/cranks so in group rides it just not enough

Compared to wheels tires are NOT expensive. Also.. depending on how the gravel you're riding looks like you could get away with some in between tires ... at least that's what I'm hoping since I did just that on my roadbike to turn it into a gravel bike (38c tire barely fits, but it's a relatively smooth tire so not much of a mud buildup ... I hope)

Gravel bike is the one bike to rule them all!! 🤘🏼

Ditch that one-by and get a proper setup .....two-by gravel bike with a spare set of wheels optimised for the road. Sorted ☺

If you’re going down hill with a gravel bike that’s heavier with road bike tires that give lesser resistance than yes it’s going to be faster. Due to the weight of the bike the gravity will pull you down faster than the road bike. Going on a flat surface or uphill is a disadvantage for a gravel bike because it’s heavier. But I doubt it’s as big of a disadvantage as people would think since both bikes now have the same type of tires. Bulky tires that cover more of the road causes so much more resistance that it slows down a bike by a large margin. It’s the main reason why Gravel bikes are so slow and stable compared to a typical road bike.

The bar tape is insane! Mind sharing the brand?

I have a 2x11 gear set on my gravel bike so might be a bit better as a half roadie

Absolutely yes! People convert road bikes to gravel so im converting my gravel bike for road! Comfort & style!

1:10 looks like there was a pretty big sealant animal built up in that tyre.

U like ur marin looking at the marin rift use it for road and gravel they good bikes get back with me

I got that same Marin. I dig it.

Could you use a gravel frame with a road groupset, wheel set, tyres and general set up as a road bike?

One step closer with a classified rear hub 👍🏼

This flared bars will hook up easier with another rider when shoulder to shoulder, particularly attack in a group ride attack to the next sign. Gravel v endurance road, not crit bike, and particularly not an early 2000s road bike.

I have 48/32 chainring at GRX 11-34. It's not perfect for the road but quite close. Cannot go faster than 55 kph. It is getting quite close, to an endurance road bike

Those new tires will get you killed in NYC streets. Plenty of gravel, 4-5" deep potholes. Need to keep the original gravel or all terrain type at least 40mm.

Noob Question: I am an average rider. I need very low gears on steep hills but I only need to be able to paddle in the flats up to 35 km/h....Can I get away with a 1x12 setup or do I need 2x in order to cover my gearing needs?

Nice!

Thanks Dave...how about the other way around , a Roadie on gravel ??

How well do fat slick tires work on gravel?

Yes you can. You’re welcome.

My hybrid bike does everything one of the best bikes around..

What’s the narrowest tire width I can put on my 650b wheels?

I thought that was the whole point of a " gravel" bike it can be a roadie when it is not trying to be a mountain bike.

Changing tyres is a pain in the hoop though. Just saying.

🤔

Dave that section doesn't look like tarmac secondly why would a person want to turn a gravel bike into a road bike it defeats the purpose. Thirdly I think they ( the bike industry) need to just call a road bike a racing bike ( duh) Lastly every bike is a road bike. It just depends on the TYPE of road 😊( off road/ mountain bike tarmac/ racing bike dirt road / gravel For me rock road means ice cream😅😂 Enough waffling from me cheers

I can even use a mountain bike as a road bike ^_^

I'd just get a cab

What about road tyres on my ebike ?🤔😁

Gravel bikes in my part of the world (E.Anglia) are pretty much pointless, I use it as a winter bike that's all

Cat!!

I ride gravel bike as a road bike...mostly pavement road

gravel bike with road tires looks like sh*t....better to get road bike and just in case instal 35mm Pirelli Gravel tires ...than enjoy road+ bike ....good luck for all

You should have done a fade in and "No". Then fade out, fade back in ... "well, actually ..."

It would be sick to see you do a hill bombing compilation video of both street and dirt of all the steepest hills to descent down in your town along with your speed output from your bike computer to see how fast your going just saying!

So did you go for 28mm or 32mm in the end? Thanks