Gravel Bike vs Road Bike – Which One Is Better?

Depending on what you want to do, choosing the right type of bike could mean the difference between success or failure.

Whether it’s gravel or a road bike, each model works better on specific terrains due to the quality of their builds.

That’s precisely the topic of discussion today. We’ll be analyzing the gravel bike vs. road bike to better understand how each model works, which will lead us to pick one out of the two more wisely.

After the reviews, we’ll draw comparisons to know when and why to buy them.

Let’s start by talking about the gravel bikes.

Gravel Bike vs Road Bike – Comparison 2020

Last update on 2020-11-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Gravel Bikes

Here’s what you can expect from gravel bikes.

Diversity

Whether you’re young, adult, male or female, there’s a gravel bike for everyone.

The variety in color is a plus, as it appeals to all potential customers looking for a bike to enjoy their rides.

Plus, gravel bikes offer the best components from the highest valued brands.

Versatility

Gravel bikes aren’t the most common pick for casual riding, but they’re capable of doing that as well as more demanding activities.

Their convenience makes them good for entry-level, intermediate, and advanced riders.

Resistant

Due to the quality of their components, gravel bikes tackle a lot of surfaces, be it on or off the road.

Furthermore, the handling, traction, and stopping power offered in wet or dry terrains is also incredible.

Recommended Gravel Bikes to Buy

Now, we’ll review the most effective gravel bikes currently available.

Tommaso Siena Shimano Tourney Gravel Adventure Bike

With an aluminum frame, this bike offers high durability and resistance for more reliable performance.

Besides being a high-quality material, the aluminum does provide a lightweight build, which makes each one of your rides comfortable.

Alongside the SST steel fork included, the drilled frame puts up a remarkable performance for many activities.

Furthermore, the design of the frame itself makes it compatible with a wide variety of racks and fender, giving you room to attach accessories.

The 3×7 Shimano Tourney included, which offers a 30/39/50T Claris crankset and the 12x28T Tourney cassette, works flawlessly.

Such high-quality components not only make the bike versatile to travel over different surfaces but also ideal for casual entry-level riders.

In order to conquer all surfaces, the bike comes with 700x40C tires. These provide stability, traction, and better handling on the roads.

Also, the TC-20D rims included have a rugged design that is capable of withstanding both the pressure and regular use.

For the rider’s safety, the brakes attached are the Avid BB5 disc brakes, which are as effective as they get.

It won’t matter whether you’re going fast or slow, as the stopping power provided is enough to get you between locations safely.

In fact, the power of the brakes far surpasses expectations as it significantly reduces the limits of the bike. For example, over wet surfaces, the brakes proved to be highly efficient.

Finally, the geometry of the bike keeps you sitting in a comfortable position for the duration of each ride.

Despite not being the most responsive bike while shifting gears, this Tommaso Siena model wisely combines comfort, fun, and reliability for all types of riders.

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Tommaso Sterrata Shimano Claris R2000 Gravel Adventure Bike

One of the main concerns while riding is whether or not the bike puts up well against vibrations.

In this case, we have a gravel bike that is capable of doing that, as both the aluminum frame and carbon fiber fork keep the vibrations pretty low by offering improved dampening.

Other than being comfortable, the bike’s power is undeniable. It comes with the 3×8 Shimano Claris groupset, offering a 30/39/50T crankset and the 12x25T Claris cassette.

All of these components create a highly capable bike to satisfy the casual rider.

Following a trend seen in many Tommaso bikes, this one shares the TC-30D rims.

While riding, the rims are flexible as well as resistant, ensuring a certain level of flexibility to ride efficiently over different terrains. The rims work well with the 700x40c tires to conquer the roads.

While all of those are great qualities of the bike, what convinces a ton of potential customers to go for this bike is the perfect geometry.

As you’re riding, the frame’s design and the handlebar, much like the pedals, keep your body in an upright position for optimal comfort.

Nonetheless, before going for this bike, there are a few things you should know. For starters, the disc brake calipers can be a little bit tricky to adjust sometimes, which is not ideal.

Luckily, although it’s a tad difficult, getting the brake calipers adjusted is not impossible.

It may take some patience from the rider’s side, but successfully making every adjustment needed pays off as soon as you hit the roads. The bike is as effective as it is comfortable once you start pedaling.

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Schwinn Sporterra Adventure Adult Gravel Bike

Although bikes aren’t all about the speed, it’s always nice to know we have the option to increase its potential.

This one features 14-speeds Shimano gear, including the Shimano shifter, which delivers an excellent performance.

Besides being powerful, the bike is highly efficient at giving riders total control of its components.

The brake lever combo works well with the Shimano rear derailleur to guarantee quick shifting.

On the roads, you’d be able to react accordingly to every situation that may come along the way.

The bike also features effective safety measures that’ll keep up with its powerful gear.

For example, the alloy mechanical disc brakes are responsive, providing riders with the stopping power needed as soon as they need it.

Adding to the bike’s excellence, the manufacturer went with the 700x38C tires that are versatile and convenient.

Irrespective of the integrity of the road, these tires ensure remarkable traction for improved stability. You’d be able to hit both on-road and off-road surfaces without issues.

Over particularly tricky terrains, the bike manages to endure the conditions, thanks to its reliable frame and the rigid fork included.

Other than keeping the vibrations low, these parts adapt to the environmental conditions to inflict less damage to both the bike and the riders.

When compared to other bikes, the Schwinn models often get the worst treatment.

People refer to the frustrating assembly of its bikes as one of Schwinn’s biggest disappointments.

However, if you get past that issue, this bike does offer a ton of benefits most riders shouldn’t dismiss.

For the price, there aren’t many other better options out there. Besides, you can always upgrade to a better choice if you want to in the future.

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Road Bikes

What do road bikes have to offer? Before the reviews, here are a few things you should know about them.

User-Friendly

The overall design of the road bikes is very user-friendly, guaranteeing newcomers don’t get lost in excessive gear.

Because of that, everyone would be able to enjoy them without worrying too much about specifications.

Reliable

When you don’t know what type of bike to get, the road bike is often the most reliable choice out of all.

While the bikes may not be as capable as other types of bikes, they’d still put up a satisfying performance to get you to your destination safely.

Variety

With multiple sizes, colors, models, and builds available, the road bikes offer a wide array of options for customers to buy.

Undoubtedly, you’d be able to find one that matches your demands.

Recommended Road Bike to Buy

The road bikes sound great, don’t they? We’ve selected a few picks to help you as you search for one of these types of bikes.

Royce Union RMY 700c Mens 21-Speed 17” Bike

Although this bike may look simple, the thought put behind its creation makes it stand out above the rest.

For starters, the assembly process is a breeze, thanks to the visual instructions. Once assembled, the bike feels lightweight, mostly due to the aluminum frame.

Said aluminum frame, more than being comfortable, is also highly resistant. Even under rain, the handling of the bike feels pleasant.

Plus, there’s almost zero chance the materials rust. Adding to the aesthetics, the red color of this road bike looks good and endures the test of time.

While this bike is a 17-inch, other 19- and 21-inch frames are also available if needed.

This one bike improves the quality of each ride through a combination of efficiency and comfort.

For the latter, the road bike has a dual-springs, padded saddle that feels comfortable.

Additionally, the Kraton grips, as well as the pedals, give you quick responses to react quickly on the roads.

Lastly, the 700C tires enhance the rolling momentum, leading to less resistance for improved riding.

However, you’d have to put some work into the tires, as they don’t come aligned.

You’ll notice it as soon as you start adjusting the brakes, which is difficult due to the tires issue.

Fortunately, the good news is that getting the tires aligned shouldn’t take much time.

If needed, get professionals assistance to get the job done as quickly as possible.

Once you do, the bike will be ready to start proving why it’s one of the best investments riders could make.

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Tommaso Imola Endurance Aluminum Road Bik

If there’s a good example of Tommaso’s high-quality bikes, then it’d easily be this one.

It combines all the parts and components efficiently, delivering balanced rides for casual and less experienced riders. For the price, there’s hardly any other better choice.

Everything about the build excels in quality. The shifters, derailleurs, crank, and brakes all belong to the Claris Series, working well together to give each rider fun and comfort.

Furthermore, the bike assembles perfectly, keeping the cables below the bar for a better look.

As expected from this brand, the bike features a compact frame with convenient geometry design for more comfort.

Whether you ride short or long distances, going between distances won’t stress or create discomfort on your body.

The front suspension fork also proves its worth. Apart from lowering vibrations levels, it puts up well over tough surfaces to maintain the rider’s control over the bike.

Combined with the slight-rise handlebar, you’d have perfect handling as you travel the roads.

To bring all of these parts together, the bike has alloy linear-pull brakes and a complete Shimano drivetrain.

These components bring the stopping power you may need while giving you quick shifting gear to keep risks of accidents low.

While the saddle proves to be durable and resistant, its quality isn’t the best in terms of comfort.

Most likely, you’d have to go for a replacement as soon as you try it for the first time.

Other than that, there are no further issues that’d keep you from enjoying the benefits of this bike.

Schwinn Vantage Mens/Womens Hybrid Road Bike

With multiple sizes, colors, and models available, there truly is one of these Schwinn bikes for everyone.

In this case, we have a model designed for the intermediate and entry-level riders.

It manages to provide outstanding performance through high speeds and responsiveness.

Undoubtedly, the Shimano Sora 18-Speed drivetrain is one of the best features seen on this bike.

This equipment offers a wide range of shifting as well as gears, which pleasantly translates to better reaction times on the road. Also, such a highly capable shifting gear works on most terrains.

For the lower side, the bike comes with Continental Sport Contact II 35C tires and the Alex DP21 alloy rims.

The tires are incredible, providing traction and stability accordingly to each type of terrain. Another highlighted feature is the safety breaker included for more safety.

Other remarkable characteristics of the bike are the handlebar, the carbon sport fork, and the disc mounts.

Alongside the alloy steerer, all of those parts improve the smoothness of your rides. For safety, the TRP Spyre C mechanical brakes put the bike to a stop in all conditions.

As we can see, there are many reasons to appreciate this bike for what it is. When compared to others, though, you may notice some flaws.

Most importantly, the lack of a tapered head tube and thru-axles is a disadvantage hard to ignore.

Of course, if you’re not looking for a high-end bike, then this one will be able to meet most of your expectations. It does have a few flaws, but by no means it’s a bad bike.

Gravel Bike or Road Bike?

After reviewing the bikes, we have to ask ourselves, what are the differences between the two? Let’s talk about that.

Performance

The nature of gravel bikes is to handle a wider variety of terrains, particularly off-road trails that would take a toll on fragile bikes.

Because of that, the gravel bikes have significant changes when compared to road bikes, such as a heavier weight caused by the reinforced materials.

Fortunately, the additional weight, although a disadvantage in itself, serves a purpose as well.

It helps with more stability, which is essential during the most demanding activities.

Road bikes, on the other hand, are more suitable for on-route rides. While they could do well off the road, people pick them due to their comfort on the road.

Tires

Perhaps the biggest differences are the wheels and tires since you’d be able to tell them apart quickly.

The tread pattern is more noticeable on gravel bikes than road bikes. Realistically, the tread on-road tires won’t add much in the way of grip, which is why road bike tires are often smoother.

As for the gravel bike tires, you’ll see that they feature treads and knobs capable of digging into off-road terrains.

Since the range of tread patterns available is pretty high, choosing the tires ultimately depends on weather and the type of terrain.

Conclusion

That concludes our gravel bike vs. road bike debate! Remember, knowing the type of activity you want to do highly influences the type of bike you’d need.

Consider both options, outline your riding style, and then pick one wisely.