Off Road

Why get a gravel bike?

It’s about freedom – the freedom to go wherever you like on one bike. Gravel bikes are lightweight and fast enough to munch miles of tarmac, and tough enough so that if you spot a tasty trail you can simply turn off, head off into the woods and satisfy your off-road, gravel appetite. And in case you want to stay out for a few days, gravel bikes have provision for mudguards and racks with multiple mounts so that you can load up for a full-blown adventure.

Traditionally, it was either a road bike or mountain bike and never the twain did meet. But if you’re looking for one truly versatile bike to rule them all, this is the best bike for the job.

What’s the difference between a gravel bike and a cyclo-cross bike?

A cyclo-cross bike will be fast on actual gravel but just as you wouldn’t try to hang saddlebags off a thoroughbred racehorse, gravel bikes are better placed to handle the donkey work and rugged terrain of a bike-packing adventure. Whereas cyclo-cross bikes are built for an hour-long lap of eyeballs-out racing in the mud, gravel bikes are designed for hours, or even days, in the great outdoors.

Which gravel bike is best for me?

There are a few things to factor in here. Although gravel riding originated in the American Midwest, with its endless miles of unmade roads, here in the UK ‘gravel’ is almost a misnomer because our landscape is slightly different and can vary dramatically depending on the region.

For more rugged terrain, larger-volume tyres are best. A 700c wheel with a 2.2 inch tyre will roll over the bumps, increase traction and take the bigger hits. Roughly equivalent in diameter to a 700c wheel with a 40mm tyre, it won’t change either the geometry or handling. Also consider the ratio of road to off-road riding you plan on doing. If you want to keep up with the club run with only the occasional excursion away from the tarmac, narrower less knobbly tyres on 700c rims will be faster. There’s also the gearing: for tackling epic climbs with luggage – especially off-road – you’ll need a low, low gear. For flatter riding you don’t need higher gear ratios. Typically, gravel bikes will have a single front chainset with a 40- or 42-tooth chainring, then spreads starting from 11 to 42 teeth on the rear cassette. Double chainring options are also available but less common since Shimano launched its GRX range of groupsets.

Gravel bikes at Pearson

The Pearson Around The Outside is a titanium gravel bike that will supply a lifetime of buttery-smooth, multi-terrain riding. We spec it with Shimano GRX Di2 electronic or mechanical gears and hydraulic disc brakes but, as with our other gravel bikes, will build it to the customer’s specification.

Or there’s the super-light, carbon-fibre On And On. Like the round The Outside it can take 700c or 650b wheels, is available as a custom build in two colourways, and with mechanical or electronic gearing. The aluminium All Mod Cons offers all the versatility of the carbon and titanium gravel bikes at an excellent price. We build each Pearson gravel bike for the customer from the frame up. We will always check with the customer that they have chosen the correct frame size, and then confirm the best fit before we build. This can happen before or after purchase. We offer free shipping on all our bikes in the UK.