Converting a road bike to a gravel bike
Discussion
Is it rim or disc brake?
For a decent gravel bike you’ll need at least 32mm tyres, preferably more, in order to soak up the bumps. Rim brakes don’t offer much clearance and the frame design may also limit you.
Today I’ve tried to do just that on my wife’s Roubaix but it’s on rim brakes and going from the stock 25 tyre to a 30 wouldn’t work as it was rubbing the frame bit of the brake mount.
For a decent gravel bike you’ll need at least 32mm tyres, preferably more, in order to soak up the bumps. Rim brakes don’t offer much clearance and the frame design may also limit you.
Today I’ve tried to do just that on my wife’s Roubaix but it’s on rim brakes and going from the stock 25 tyre to a 30 wouldn’t work as it was rubbing the frame bit of the brake mount.
might be just me but I ride all sorts of trail on my Carbon road bike, ok, the road tyres arent ideal but its amazing what it shrugs off.
I think people think road bikes are super delicate, they arent if you exercise a little sympathy.
Was out the other day and happened on a father and son on MTB's on some pretty rutted trails, the look on their faces as I went past was priceless.
I think people think road bikes are super delicate, they arent if you exercise a little sympathy.
Was out the other day and happened on a father and son on MTB's on some pretty rutted trails, the look on their faces as I went past was priceless.
Can't think of any fundamental construction related reason why not but suspect geometery and clearances will work against it functioning at all capably.
I use a purpose designed cyclo cross bike with narrower than specced 28mm tyres as it's mostly rough old but still paved backroads I use it on... it's really not good off road on those and needs 32mm minimum, better still 35 to properly absorb the shocks. And that's with more relaxed angles than I imagine your road frame will have.
But hey , have a go and hopefully it will do the job. I remember bombing around the local woods on old 10 speeds with cow horn bars, and they dealt with it just fine
I use a purpose designed cyclo cross bike with narrower than specced 28mm tyres as it's mostly rough old but still paved backroads I use it on... it's really not good off road on those and needs 32mm minimum, better still 35 to properly absorb the shocks. And that's with more relaxed angles than I imagine your road frame will have.
But hey , have a go and hopefully it will do the job. I remember bombing around the local woods on old 10 speeds with cow horn bars, and they dealt with it just fine
J4CKO said:
might be just me but I ride all sorts of trail on my Carbon road bike, ok, the road tyres arent ideal but its amazing what it shrugs off.
I think people think road bikes are super delicate, they arent if you exercise a little sympathy.
Was out the other day and happened on a father and son on MTB's on some pretty rutted trails, the look on their faces as I went past was priceless.
Same here. Trek Emonda, 700 x 25c Continental GP 4 Seasons tyres. Just get on it and ride.Take advantage of the 4-point fully independent suspension that nature supplied you with, and pick the smoothest lines you can. Occasionally you'll smack a pebble, or slash a sidewall on a flint, and you'll swear never to ride it off road again. Then you'll spot a sweet gravel trail, and off you go grinning like an absolute loon again.I think people think road bikes are super delicate, they arent if you exercise a little sympathy.
Was out the other day and happened on a father and son on MTB's on some pretty rutted trails, the look on their faces as I went past was priceless.
But yes, converting a road bike to a gravel bike can be done, but brake and frame clearances will limit the size of the tyres you can fit in the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1CCH0LrVlo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHXYN1JH8Oc
Other guides available on Youtube, etc, too...
Pretty much what I did with my old Raleigh R:400 - fitted flat bars and MTB pedals.
I went with 23mm Schwalbe Etape tyres which were fine until they started to perish after only 2 years!
The only thing I miss from the MTB is lack of bite due to the 105 rim brakes. Oh, and the big chain rings and small cassette take a bit of getting used to!
I went with 23mm Schwalbe Etape tyres which were fine until they started to perish after only 2 years!
The only thing I miss from the MTB is lack of bite due to the 105 rim brakes. Oh, and the big chain rings and small cassette take a bit of getting used to!
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