Gravel Bike for Winter road

[Regular.Cyclist]

Adventure bike, gravel bike, same frame. Those marketing dudes are a funny bunch.

IIRC the term gravel bike wasn’t around when I bought the bike.

it’s certainly gravel capable having been used many times for that purpose.

 

[steveindenmark]

There are so many choices now it fries your brain.

My go to bike normally is my Specialised Roubaix which I have managed to squeeze 32c Panaracer Gravel tyres on.....just.

The bike I am using for winter, if you want to call it that, is my Moustache Friday 28.7 electric bike. I have changed the tyres from 42 to 35c.

If it really get wet and muddy. I have my Giant MTB.

The ideal bike for both winter and summer imo is a gravel bike that will take 35c tyres. Something with loads of gears that rolls along nicely and goes up hills like a mountain goat. It also needs to be able to take panniers front and back. I ride on roads, forests and farm tracks. But nothing technical or too gnarly. If the Roubaix could take 32c with ease, it would be about the ideal bike for me.

 

[Venod]

I have run a couple of Kinesis CX frames as winter bikes, the geometry of these was not as relaxed as a so called gravel bike but would take biggish tyres and came with mudguard eyes.

 

[Jameshow]

I have run a couple of Kinesis CX frames as winter bikes, the geometry of these was not as relaxed as a so called gravel bike but would take biggish tyres and came with mudguard eyes.

Cc bike would be my choice of winter bike , road geometry, light frame but greater tyre clearance.

 

[vickster]

Cc bike would be my choice of winter bike , road geometry, light frame but greater tyre clearance.

What‘s a CC bike?

 

[mikeIow]

There are so many choices now it fries your brain.

My go to bike normally is my Specialised Roubaix which I have managed to squeeze 32c Panaracer Gravel tyres on.....just.

The bike I am using for winter, if you want to call it that, is my Moustache Friday 28.7 electric bike. I have changed the tyres from 42 to 35c.

If it really get wet and muddy. I have my Giant MTB.

The ideal bike for both winter and summer imo is a gravel bike that will take 35c tyres. Something with loads of gears that rolls along nicely and goes up hills like a mountain goat. It also needs to be able to take panniers front and back. I ride on roads, forests and farm tracks. But nothing technical or too gnarly. If the Roubaix could take 32c with ease, it would be about the ideal bike for me.

I have a Specialized ‘hybrid’ which came with 40 (or was it 42?!) tyres. Swapped for 35s - Schwalbe Marathon Plus.
Tyres have been astonishing (touch wood). Coped with both tours in signature (pics in there) plus countless days out without any issues.
Often curious about the term gravel-bike. Marketing such marketing!
Given the amount of off-road I have done on it, aside from those who prefer drop bars, my bike definitely qualifies as suitable for gravel/towpath/tracks 👍

I’m sure you also appreciate hydraulic brakes are brilliant for winter 🤓

 

[cougie uk]

What‘s a CC bike?

Cyclocross.

Watching the racing on GCN last week I noticed all of the Shimano riders had double chainrings? Is this a new innovation for cross ?

 

[Jameshow]

What‘s a CC bike?

CX sorry!

 

[T4tomo]

Cc bike would be my choice of winter bike , road geometry, light frame but greater tyre clearance.

but a true CX bike doesn't have mudguard eyelets, so a bit pants for winter, albeit you can fit clip / strap on ones.

back to the OP

I was just going to pick up a new road bike with disc brakes, but am wondering whether a gravel bike would be a better option? I mean, I’ve never been “off-road”, but might be nice to have an option right? Or, having spent so long on dedicated road bikes will I notice the difference on a standard road ride

Yes it makes perfect sense. You already have a summer road bike so why not get something slightly different, with two sets of tyres (and possibly 2 sets of wheels (but you may be able to swap your other road bikes wheels in and out depending on QR vs TA disc vs rim 11 spd etc etc), a "call it whatever term you like" bike that has mudguard mounts, wider tyre clearance and slightly relaxed geometry is the most versatile thing you can buy.

Even if you don't do much of it, the joys of the occasional traffic free ex railway line / decent surfaced bridleway makes a refreshing change

 

[Red17]

Cyclocross.

Watching the racing on GCN last week I noticed all of the Shimano riders had double chainrings? Is this a new innovation for cross ?

No. Until recently most Shimano CX set ups had double chainrings. Eg my 2016 Specialized Crux

 

[MichaelW2]

A winter bike should have clearance for your widest tyre. Do you ever run studded ice tyres ?
The frame should have threaded eyelets for full length , bolt on mudguards. Fixing with elastic bands, clamps or velcro is a 2nd rate hack.

 

[Jameshow]

but a true CX bike doesn't have mudguard eyelets, so a bit pants for winter, albeit you can fit clip / strap on ones.

back to the OP

Yes it makes perfect sense. You already have a summer road bike so why not get something slightly different, with two sets of tyres (and possibly 2 sets of wheels (but you may be able to swap your other road bikes wheels in and out depending on QR vs TA disc vs rim 11 spd etc etc), a "call it whatever term you like" bike that has mudguard mounts, wider tyre clearance and slightly relaxed geometry is the most versatile thing you can buy.

Even if you don't do much of it, the joys of the occasional traffic free ex railway line / decent surfaced bridleway makes a refreshing change

More recent ones do.

 

[Venod]

but a true CX bike doesn't have mudguard eyelets

Mostly true, but some some manufactures realised the adding mudguard mounts didn't detract from the CX credentials, my two Kinesis frames were pure CX with mudguard mounts.
Whats more annoying (to me) is my favorite bike an OnOne Pickenflick CX, does not have mounts so I have had to be creative to fit some.

 

[matticus]

Mostly true, but some some manufactures realised the adding mudguard mounts didn't detract from the CX credentials, my two Kinesis frames were pure CX with mudguard mounts.

bottle cages are also very useful!!! [My Kinesis has them, I suspect yours do too?] I'm hoping that Pidcock's WC 'cross win with a bottle-cage [and double chainring] might start a new - useful - fad ...

 

[mustang1]

IIRC the term gravel bike wasn’t around when I bought the bike.

it’s certainly gravel capable having been used many times for that purpose.

Yeah you're right. I cannot recall what they were called. I just remember going into the bike shop to drop it for service then i walked out with a new bike.