Gravel Biking: A Cycling Revolution

Gravel biking, gravel grinding or a gravel bash, is one of the fastest growing disciplines in world cycling. It fills the niche between road cycling and mountain biking, offering a versatile riding experience. This flexibility to explore varied terrain also helps keep rides interesting and engaging.

Gravel bikes are designed to handle a variety of trail surfaces giving gravelleurs the freedom to traverse unsealed dirt roads, forest trails, 4WD farm tracks, and even some single-track trails. This diversity allows cyclists to explore some spectacular off-the-beaten-track environments. In the Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island, the well-developed bike infrastructure which supports a 500km network of Great Rides, complements opportunities for gravel biking perfectly with quiet backcountry roads providing access to unique rural and wilderness landscapes.

Compared to road bikes which are typically limited to smooth roads, gravel bikes are designed to handle a mix of surfaces. As well as being more versatile than road bikes, they often come with mounting points for racks, bags, and extra water bottles, making them better suited for bikepacking and long-distance touring.

Gravel bikes typically feature wider tyres than a road bike for increased traction, a more relaxed geometry with drop handlebars for comfort over long distances, disc brakes and more robust components to handle rougher conditions. Some even integrate a degree of suspension in the front fork or seat post, and of course there are e-bike options available.

Mountain bikes which excel in technical off-road conditions, are less efficient on paved surfaces due to their heavier weight, knobbly tyres, and suspension. Gravel bikes strike a balance, allowing for efficient riding on both gravel and pavement. Gravel bikes are generally faster and more efficient on mixed terrain compared to mountain bikes, as they have lighter frames and less aggressive tyre treads, making them more suitable for longer distances on mixed trail surfaces.

But, it’s the thousands of kilometres of gravel roads which crisscross the Otago landscape that are the main drawcard for gravel bikers. These roads provide countless opportunities for gravel biking, from day trips to overnight credit card rides or multi-day bikepacking adventures. Dozens of gravel routes are well documented, and rides are easily accessible from hubs across the region such as Alexandra, Cromwell, Lawrence, Dunedin and Queenstown. These hubs have evolved to service the Great Rides with bike shops, shuttles and bike transport, hospitality and bike-friendly accommodation and offering an established infrastructure which can be utlilised by gravel bikers too.

One of the joys of a gravel bash is exploring and finding new roads or routes. There’s a degree of romanticism and nostalgia associated with poring over a paper map, but modern mapping tools such as Google Maps and Google Earth have made trip planning and navigation so much easier than the days of a map and compass. Smart phone apps like Trail Forks or Ride with GPS are also loaded with routes and ride guides. In Otago, the NZ Topo Maps are an essential trip planning resource and are available online or as an app (NZ Topo50) which works offline and includes GPS tracking – very useful for the geographically-challenged amongst us!

However, remember that no mapping resource is ever 100% accurate. Nothing, not even paper maps are entirely up to date with current road conditions. And a word to the wise; bear in mind that what might look like an insignificant feature when route planning at home can invariably be very different in reality – hills can be steeper and trail conditions can vary based on weather and season potentially adding significant time and effort to your ride.

With Otago being a largely rural area, crossing private land or using private farm roads is also a consideration and it’s important not to trespass. Public access across farmland is often seasonal with some tracks closed during lambing or in winter. Often roads or tracks marked on a map may turn out to be private, so have a plan B or seek landowner permission in advance. Always leave farm gates as you found them.