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    How to convert a road bike to a gravel bike? Is that even a good idea?

    Robert Ferri
    Robert Ferri
    Sep 11, 2024 9 min
    How to convert a road bike to a gravel bike? Is that even a good idea?

    Can you turn a road bike into a gravel bike? And if that is possible, is that a good idea? Gravel bikes have hit the cycling scene like no other. Who knew we needed a do-it-all bike that could, one minute, be flying down a trail and, another, pushing 20mph plus on a road? They are fantastic to ride and are sought after by many. 

    We often get asked here at buycycle: "How do you convert a road bike to a gravel bike?” In this article, we are going to discuss just that. We will discuss what makes a gravel bike, the components you need, and much more. 

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    How to convert a road bike to a gravel bike? Is that even a good idea?

    Can you turn a road bike into a gravel bike?

    Can you turn a road bike into a gravel bike? Yes, but it has to be the right road bike. A road bike with minimal tire clearance, rim brakes, and many classic parts might struggle. It has to have ample clearance, and disc brakes are a good start. It can be done.

    It’s important to understand that you will struggle to change some things, such as tire clearance, and that you cannot change a rim-brake bike to a disc-brake bike. Understanding the limitations before you start taking a bike apart is good. 

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    Road bike to gravel bike conversion: First, what makes a gravel bike?

    Before explaining how to convert a road bike to a gravel bike it’s important to understand what makes a gravel bike. Here are the defining characteristics of a gravel bike that we must achieve from our road bike.

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    Wider tires for better traction

    Gravel bikes generally come with wider tires compared to road bikes. They are also run at lower pressures and often on wider wheels. You will find gravel bikes ranging from 35c to 52c. 

    Relaxed geometry for enhanced comfort

    Gravel bikes are less aggressive than road bikes when it comes to geometry. They have a much more upright riding position and are designed more with control in mind than anything else. 

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    Want to learn more about sizing and finding your perfect fit?- Bike size chart: What size bike do I need?- Everything about the tire size of your bike- Wheel bike size chart- How to calculate your ideal saddle height?

    Reliable disc brakes for any conditions

    Gravel bikes have disc brakes to ensure that they can stop quickly and will work better in poor conditions. These can be mechanical, using a cable, or hydraulic, using fluid inside the cables. 

    Flared handlebars for extra control

    Another part of a gravel bike is flared bars. These are like typical drop bars on a road bike, but they flare out at the bottom to help control the technical sections of riding.

    Low gearing for easier climbs

    Finally, we have low gearing. Gravel bikes are geared much lower to ensure they can climb steep climbs on looser terrain. Road bikes generally have gearing, which is fairly high compared to gravel bikes. 

    What is a gravel bike? | buycycle blog US
    What exactly is a gravel bike? While looks like a road bike, a gravel bike is its own unique breed - So, what sets it apart?We explain you everything!
    buycycle BlogRobert Ferri

    Converting road bike to gravel: A how-to-guide

    Yes, you can turn your road bike into a gravel bike!

    Now, for the exciting part: let’s discuss how we will convert a road bike to a gravel bike. You will need these for the conversion.

    • Gravel bike tires and inner tubes to match.
    • Flared bars
    • A shorter stem
    • Smaller chainrings and larger cassette
    • Smaller wheels (Optional)

    Step one: gravel bike tires and wheels

    The first step to turning your road bike into a gravel bike is to install those bigger, chunkier tires. First, you must remove the wheels and replace the old tires with new gravel tires. Then, you must change the inner tubes for larger ones to match or go tubeless.

    It’s good to have around 5mm clearance on either side of the chain stays to ensure the tires will work.

    "On disc-brake bikes, you can even reduce the wheel size to 650b, which has a smaller diameter, meaning you can fit a larger tire into it." - Alice Huot @buycycle

    Once in, get a good amount of tire pressure, preferably much lower than you had on the road bike. It’s good to check that everything is nice and tight by the time you finish up.

    Step two: flared bars and short stem

    Next, we will want to remove the handlebars and stem. You can do this by taking the shifters off the front, removing the bar tape, and undoing the stem. Once these are off, put them to one side.

    "We need to insert the new stem with shorter and flared handlebars. The shorter stem pointed upright will relax the geometry and help make the bike more agile. Then, we need to attach the flared bars." - Anja Benson @buycycle

    After all the new bars are in, add the shifters back, hide the cables where you need them, and make sure all the cables and bolts are tight. This will feel much more upright when ridden, but it makes a big difference.

    Step three: Lower gearing

    Then, we have lower gearing. This is vital for gravel bikes and quite an easy conversion for road bikes. You can use a smaller chainring if you have a 1X system on your road bike. On a 2X system with two chain rings at the front, you can go from road chain rings to cyclocross or gravel chain rings. 

    Once this has been done, you could even change the cassette.

    Providing the derailleur will allow it to take a bigger cassette; you could use one with larger cogs, meaning lower ratios. 

    After all this is done, you will need to test the gearing to ensure the chain is the correct length, but if you change the cassette and chainrings, you might as well do the chain simultaneously. 

    The pros and cons of converting a road bike to a gravel bike

    When it comes to converting a road bike to gravel, there are some advantages and disadvantages that you need to consider. Here's what you need to know when converting a road bike to a gravel bike.

    Pros

    • Cost—Converting a road bike you already have to a gravel bike can save you money overall. Once you have bought the required parts, it’s pretty easy to swap everything over, and then you have something close to a gravel bike.
    • Familiarity—If you have converted a bike that you are already used to, then you know exactly what to expect from it being adapted for gravel. 

    Cons

    • Limitations—Converting a road bike to a gravel bike has big limitations. You will never get the tire clearance, the geometry will never be perfect, and it’s not the same experience.
    • Durability—Gravel bikes are less durable than road bikes. They are just not made as strong, and you will always worry that something will break on a trail when you are in a remote place. 
    • Cost - Although we have cost in the pros, it’s also still a con. The components you need to buy to convert over could be extra money that selling the road bike and topping up the funds could buy you a gravel bike.
    • Time—Converting a road bike to a gravel bike takes time. If you love working on bikes and have all the tools, then great, but if you just love riding and have no interest in working on bikes, you either have to pay a bike mechanic or spend time getting your hands dirty with the tools. 

    Should you convert your road bike to a gravel bike?

    Ready for some graveling adventure?

    Most people will tell you it is not worth converting a road to a gravel bike. It requires a lot of time and energy, and it does come with a cost, which doesn’t always give you a great gravel biking experience. 

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    If you love working on bikes, have the right road bike with disc brakes and good clearance, and fancy a project, then go for it. It will be a great learning experience, and you will have much fun doing it. 

    If you have no interest in working on bikes and want to get out on the gravel, you will probably be best selling the road bike and putting the money towards a gravel bike for the whole experience instead of the process to convert a road bike to a gravel bike. You can also read our guide on how to choose a gravel bike.

    How to make a gravel bike faster on the road

    Yes, you can do it the other way around. Before we go, we want to touch on how to make a gravel bike faster on the road. The easiest way to do this is by simply using smaller tires and lighter, thinner wheels. Quite often, cyclists have two sets of wheels for their gravel bikes.

    buycycle has you covered!

    Whatever route you choose to go down converting road bike to gravel bike, buycycle has you covered. If you want to sell your old road bike and buy a gravel bike, we can help you either way. buycycle is one of the biggest online marketplaces for bikes, with over 20,000 more to choose from.

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