Mountain bikers: Do you own a dedicated gravel bike?

Tell us whether you own a dedicated gravel bike or if you don't want/need one.

By Jeff Barber
September 27, 2026 Last Updated: September 27, 2026

26 comments

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A person standing next to a light green gravel bike on a scenic trail, surrounded by greenery. The individual is wearing a light blue shirt, black shorts, and cycling shoes, with one hand resting on the bike's handlebars and the other on the seat post. — File photo: Leah Barber

There’s a lot of overlap between mountain bikes and gravel bikes. Sure, a mountain bike works for riding gravel roads, and plenty of people use them for that purpose. At the same time, gravel bikes are purpose-built for the job and tend to be lighter and faster. With that in mind, we want to know if you own a dedicated gravel bike.

If you don’t own a gravel bike and don’t want one, tell us why: Is it because you never ride gravel, or is it because riding gravel on your mountain bike works just fine? Sound off in the comments!

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26 Comments

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godfathercorvette Virginia // 2025
1 week ago

No drop bars for me. The only time I'm riding a gravel road/path is to get to or from a real trail. Nothing against them, but where I live there's very limited trails so I have to travel to anything decent and I'm headed straight to the good stuff when I'm there.

3 reply

C Rowe New Hampshire // 2024
1 week ago

As an Ibis fanboy, I have both - MTB (Ripley V4) and gravel bike (Hakka).

I was able to pick both up at end of season sales, so having 2 top tier carbon frame bikes hurt the wallet less and I don’t regret either purchase for a second.

Very different applications and I’ve met more people picking up the gravel. And sometimes you just need more speed!

1 reply

CycleKrieg Minnesota // 2017
1 week ago

Here are my thoughts:
Get a good gravel bike as your road/gravel/commute/curly-wirly bar bike. You don't need separate bikes for all of the above as most gravel bikes can fit the above roles adequately, if not perfectly.

If you are going to do the "one bike to rule them all" process, I recommend the B-RAIL Mounting System on MakerWorld to allow you to hot swap cages, racks, boxes, etc.

OhioFatBiker Ohio // 2016
1 week ago

I bought one because my local shop was giving 50% off to veterans on Veterans Day. I felt like it was something that would be cool to have, especially at that price. But I never really rode it, when I am on gravel I enjoy my fat bike just as much and the fat bike is more comfortable. I was going to sell it, but my wife decided she wanted it and she likes riding it. She can almost keep up with me when she is on the gravel bike and I ride my fat bike so that is perfect.

John Swallow 2026
1 week ago

I did have one - but sold it recently. I live in the Lake District UK and find a short travel mountain bike more versatile.

Zack Williams 2018
1 week ago

I don't have a gravel bike because I'd have to drive to ride gravel. If I'm going to drive I'd rather ride trails.

FWIW I do have a road bike for rides from the house.

Muke Colorado // 2021
1 week ago

I have a gravel bike, and I've ridden plenty of gravel roads and mild trails on it, but mostly it's my general transportation & commuter. I guess that means I don't own a dedicated gravel bike. I think if I were deliberately going out for a gravel ride, I'd probably just take my hardtail MTB. I get nervous about damaging my "car" anyway.

bikdav Massachusetts // 2021
1 week ago

I have a gravel bike. Coming from the road bike era of the very late 70s as a middle schooler, I always find drop bar bikes much more comfortable to ride than a mountain bike.

Namdoog Maine // 2025
1 week ago

It sounds like fun but the cost of a new bike and the limited amount of gravel roads in my area makes this a no go for me. Occasionally I'll ride dirt roads on my road bike but it's usually when I'm exploring a new area and the pavement changes over to dirt.
Bike packing with a gravel bike sounds intriguing as my backpacking days are over because of two knee replacements over the last five years. I've never done any bike camping before and there are lots of options for that in the Western mountains of Maine, and also the Whites are Green Mountains of neighboring NH and VT.

Phillip G. 2026
1 week ago

Just as the gravel cycling craze was really taking off, I was on the lookout for a new bike. I live in quite an urban area on the outskirts of a major German city with no real elevation gain in the surrounding area – and I wanted to start my rides from home. It was actually ideal for a gravel bike, but in the end I went for an Orbea Alma, available with a rigid fork (Orbea Spirit). Why? Because gravel was suddenly THE hot thing and this segment here was immediately taken over by the local hipsters – only the real ones in lumberjack shirts. So now I’m back on flat bars, can take any route I want and still fly under the radar of the €150 bibs.

Matthew Conway 2026
1 week ago

No, I have a specialized epic 7.1 (I removed all brain dampers) and it's just as quick as a gravel bike.

Tad 604 2026
1 week ago

No. I have a 14 year old trek marlin 5 that I use to ride anything that my tail bike feels like overkill for.

Richard Winans 2026
1 week ago

All riding genres covered with two bikes:
1) I converted my vintage Mandaric steel cyclocross bike from the early '90's into a gravel-tourer. It's now outfitted with a Shimano 1x11 drivetrain, Redshift's Top Shelf drop bar, their Cruise Control grip kit, and their suspension stem and seatpost, plus a Topeak trunk rack and a variety of different bags for longer rides. The only drawback is the widest tires it will accomodate are 35c - but for 'light' gravel and paved metro path riding it's great.
2) For rougher gravel and singletrack riding, I ride my hardtail e-adventure bike with a Shimano 1x12 drivetrain, RockShox suspension fork, Redshift suspension seatpost, Surly Terminal swept back handlebar, and 2.0 tires.

0 reply

Orcaphil California // 2023
1 week ago

Does an older XC hardtail flat bar 120mm fork with gravel tires and a dropper post count?

Tad Reid 2026
1 week ago

Keep in mind, the term "gravel bike" is just a concept created by marketing people to boost sales. Guess what, it worked!

John Drogan 2026
1 week ago

I bought one to ride to work as a) the roads were too rough for my road bike and b) I could mix up my route and go off road for a bit more fun.
I have an e-MTB too which I ride where it’s just too rough/ technical for the gravel bike which is just a great all-rounder. Fast enough on the road and quick off it too.

Busted Forks 2026
1 week ago

I use a HT as a road bike when I need to put down some extended training miles. I don't see the need for a gravel bike and never got the appeal of them.

ZipHead South Carolina // 2015
1 week ago

No gravel roads within 50 miles, so nope.

Remember hybrids back in the 90s? They were basically cheap mountain bikes with 700c wheels. I thought about getting a gravel bike but they don't really meet my needs so I built a hybrid using good stuff. The frame is an old S Works that I converted to run 700c wheels with 44mm knobbys. I gave it a 3x9 XTR drivetrain with a %670 range. I'm using flat bars with stubby bar ends for an extra hand position. To keep it all comfortable, it's got a soft-ride stem and a thudbuster seat post. It rolls fast down the road, handles moderately gnarly singleltrack and I can ride up the steepest hills. Why would I want a gravel bike?

Kenny K Arizona // 2024
1 week ago

State All Roads dropped bars - Unpaved canal next to my house so it gets ridden daily, use it for bikepacking, gravel races (always last, I'm old). Pretty fun ride.

mtssea North Carolina // 2021
1 week ago

Tested a gravel bike recently to see what the buzz was about, with the result being feeling hunched, neck lurched, and both dust-blasted & narrowly missed by cars driving way too fast on loose gravel. All I got, aside from being mostly frightened, was a road-biking-on-pebbles vibe. My trail bike is perfectly fine for gravel sections, but also - I don't seek gravel except to get to trails so I'm not understanding the idea of ride roads at all or much vs. dirt / in the woods / quiet without the cars and dust. No hate on it whatsoever - just ain't for me vs. basically sitting upright (esp w/ high-rise bars) or ciphering a cool trail climb then descending on dirt... different thrills out there for everyone for sure.

Ihappydirt Wisconsin // 2018
1 week ago

By us the scary riding is pavement. People on the gravel roads are the people that live on that road or UTVers. Mostly polite other than getting dusted once in a while.

mike roberts 2026
1 week ago

Velominati rule applies n+1=
I use a fully rigid MTB built before gravel bike identity created for commute on 50/50 road smoothish off road trail round trip 40 miles.
Tbh my trail full suspension locking out suspension probably be quicker but I don't want to wear out the tyres.

landonarkens Wisconsin // 2019
1 week ago

We have beautiful paved roads in southwest WI, so my drop bar bike is a road bike.

You didn't have a category for: I have 3. The first was a cross bike for cheap, then upgraded to a Giant. It's great but a 2-by and mud played havoc during races. So I got a Revel Rover and it's awesome. I live in Nern Wisco, and can hit 100+ miles of gravel (mostly Red Gold, red granite) within 2 miles from my house. We also bikepack in the national forests with our dedicated gravel bikes.

canterburynh New Hampshire // 2018
1 week ago

yup started in 2020, with 20 miles right out the front door of dirt it is a quick dirt fix vs driving to the trailhead..but I really enjoy under biking it on unmaintained dirt roads. Added a full squish monster gravel this year, now I can mix in everything on one ride

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