what is a gravel bike?

You might have heard about Gravel Bikes. People seem to be pretty excited about them… but what exactly IS a gravel bike?

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At Bikes for Good we are Hobart’s only dealers for the award winning Genesis (from Britain) steel gravel bikes, and we’re Tasmania’s only Felt Pro dealer, stocking the race-winning Felt range. Drop in, take a look and go for a test ride!

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So... Imagine you wanted to go camping, but on your bike (they call it ‘bikepacking’). Your route takes you down rough fire roads and trails. A normal touring bike probably won’t cut the mustard, because the tyres are too skinny. A mountain bike could do the job, but with the long distances, it’s nice to have drop bars to change your hand position from time to time; and suspension adds a lot of weight for those step climbs.

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Gravel bikes fill this void nicely… they have easygoing, comfortable riding positions for long rides, stable geometry for loose surfaces, clearance for big tyres, and lots of mounting points for racks and bags.

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Or maybe, you want a bike that’s fast, like a racing bike, but able to go on rough fire roads and dirt without fear of punctures or shaking your fillings out from the high-pressure road tyres!

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Easy - gravel bikes can fill this need too. Gravel bikes are capable mile-munchers, and will roll over smooth or hard-packed surfaces faster than a dedicated mountain bike and more safely than a roadie designed for tarmac.

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Gravel bikes are super-versatile….

• Stick on some narrower, faster tyres, and you have a capable road bike - great for endurance training for your favourite sport or getting to work or school.
• Go with slightly wider tyres and you have an amazing, fast commuting bike which will soak up road bumps and jump kerbs with ease.
• Stick on some knobby tyres and bags, and go bikepacking for the long weekend.

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Come and see us and try a gravel bike for size!

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