Should You Buy a Gravel Bike?
With gravel riding’s surge in popularity, you might be wondering if you truly need a dedicated gravel bike. While it’s easy to dismiss them as a marketing ploy, they offer genuine benefits. A gravel bike’s slacker geometry, wider tire clearance, and often, a more robust frame, are specifically designed for comfort and control on unpaved surfaces. It’s not about replacing your road or mountain bike but complementing them. If your rides frequently involve mixed terrain, or if you are like an increasing number of cyclists nervous on the open roads these days, a gravel bike and gravel routes will provide a more enjoyable and safer experience
If you’re chasing adventure, flexibility, and comfort on both paved roads and rugged trails, a gravel bike could be the ultimate “one‑bike‑to‑rule‑them‑all.” With its relaxed riding position, wider tyres, and ability to mount all the gear, it suits everything from commuting and light touring to weekend exploration.
Gravel vs Road Bike: What’s the Difference?
- Tyres & Wheels: Gravel bikes ride on much wider tyres (typically 35–50 mm) offering more grip and comfort on loose surfaces; road bikes stick to skinny 23–28 mm slicks optimized for speed.
- Geometry & Comfort: Gravel frames favor stability with slacker angles and longer wheelbases for chill, long rides over bumpy paths. Road bikes take a more aggressive design focused on aerodynamics and responsiveness on smooth tarmac.
- Gearing: Gravel setups often offer lower gear ratios—sometimes in a simple 1× format—with bigger jumps between gears to tackle steep or variable terrain. Road bikes tend to use 2× drivetrains with closer gear steps for maintaining cadence at speed.
- Brakes & Mounts: Gravel bikes nearly always come with powerful disc brakes and plenty of mounting points for rack, guards, or bags—perfect for bikepacking. Road bikes often have fewer mounting options and historically used rim brakes (though modern models now gravitate toward discs).
- Versatility vs Specialization: Gravel models are jack-of-all-trades—great for mixed terrain—but if you’re racing or focused solely on tarmac, a dedicated road bike will still offer better performance.
How Many Gravel Trails Are in Ireland?
There’s no formal count of gravel trails across Ireland, but the number is growing as acessability improves. Ireland boasts over 100,000 km of quiet, winding boreens and country roads, many of which feel like gravel trails themselves. We also have a number of mountain and forest trails and while they are widely used, doing so was until recently technically illegal according to Caoilte. A recent understanding was reached between cycling Ireland and Caoilte, time will tell how that works out.
In the meantime there is an increasing number of Greenways, mostly off‑road routes often blending tarmac and gravel , as is the case on the Westport Greenway. Combining those boreens with forestry tracks would yield a rich network for gravel riding, if only there was a bit more joined up thinking.
Is Gravel Cycling Getting More Popular?
Absolutely. Gravel riding is booming:
- Strava data shows a 55 % year-on-year rise in cyclists logging gravel rides.
- Globally, the gravel bike market is surging and sales have soared, with some markets seeing over 100 % growth in recent years.
- High-profile cycling events like Unbound Gravel, the UCI Gravel World Series, and Gravel World Championships have cemented gravel’s prominence.
- Interviews with gravel pioneers reflect serious professionalization—from grassroots adventures to organized pro racing. This trend is shaping up to be more than a fad—it’s morphing into a full-fledged discipline in its own right. Irelands Nicolas Roche now competes professionally on the gravel racing scene, cycling for his own NR GRVL team
If your cycling isn’t restricted to smooth pavement and you dream of escaping traffic to explore scenic nooks, a gravel bike could be an excellent fit. Ireland’s untapped network of boreens and scenic rail‑trail riding make it a paradise for gravel adventures. Plus, the gravel world is only getting bigger, bringing more events, more bike options and more friendly communities to join.
So, should you buy one? If adventure, comfort, and versatility are your goals and you can afford it in these difficult days, then absolutely.
There is after all no feeling quite comparable new bike day!