Gravel Bikes: A Scam, A Salvation, or Just Another Bicycle?

The cycling world is a funny place. A place where half the people wear lycra tighter than their wallets and the other half act like they’ve just emerged from a mountain cabin after two weeks of solitary bike repair.

And in this world, there is one hot topic: gravel bikes.

Some people say they’re just a fad. A marketing gimmick. A road bike with commitment issues.

Others call them the Swiss Army knife of cycling. The savior of those who don’t want to choose between tarmac and dirt.

So, what’s the deal? Are gravel bikes a scam, a salvation, or just another way to spend too much money on two wheels?

Let’s break it down.

1. The Haters’ Perspective

There’s an entire subculture of roadies and mountain bikers who scoff at gravel bikes.

You can find them lurking in cycling forums, rolling their eyes harder than a cheap bottom bracket.

Their arguments go like this:

• “It’s just a road bike with wider tires.”
• “It’s just a mountain bike with drop bars.”
• “It’s just a way for bike companies to sell us something we already had.”
• “What the hell even is gravel?”

They have a point. Kind of. Gravel bikes do look suspiciously like old-school mountain bikes from the ‘80s.

And yes, they do cost a fortune for something that was, a few years ago, just called a “bike.”

But cycling has always been about evolution. Just like road bikes eventually embraced disc brakes (after years of screaming “unnecessary!”), gravel bikes are simply the industry’s way of repackaging old ideas in a new, slightly more expensive way.

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2. The Purist’s Dilemma

There are some cyclists who believe bikes should never change. These are the same people who still argue about the rim vs. disc brake debate as if it’s a religious war.

Purists hate gravel bikes for a few reasons:

1. They make road bikes look obsolete. The moment you slap on bigger tires and a wider frame, road bikes start looking like fragile glass sculptures.
2. They challenge the sacred categories. If you can have one bike that does everything, what’s the point of owning five?
3. They make cycling look… easy. And some people hate that.

But here’s the truth: a bike is a bike. And people ride what makes them happy. If a gravel bike means you’re out there riding more, who cares what anyone else thinks?

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3. The Marketing Machine

If they could sell you a bike made out of recycled Starbucks cups and call it “next-gen sustainable gravel tech,” they absolutely would.

Gravel bikes, as a marketing strategy, are brilliant.

• Roadies need something that won’t die on a pothole-ridden street.
• Mountain bikers need something that won’t kill them on a 60-mile ride.
• People with too much money need something to buy.

Enter the gravel bike.

Bike companies market them as the “one bike to rule them all.” Need speed? It’s got drop bars.

Need stability? It’s got wide tires. Need adventure? It’s got a frame that can hold more bottles than a college dorm.

Is this a scam? Well, yes. But also no. Because…

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4. The Freedom Factor

Here’s where gravel bikes actually shine. They aren’t the fastest. They aren’t the strongest. But they’re freeing.

Ever been on a road bike, spotted a dirt trail, and thought, damn, I wish I could ride that?

Well, now you can. Ever been on a mountain bike and hit a long stretch of tarmac and thought, damn, this sucks? Problem solved.

Gravel bikes make the world a little bigger. A little less defined by paved lines and predetermined routes.

And that? That’s worth something.

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5. The N+1 Equation

Cyclists live by a simple equation: N+1, where N is the number of bikes you currently own.

Gravel bikes complicate things. If you already have a road bike and a mountain bike, do you really need a gravel bike?

Here’s a handy table to help:

Situation	Do You Need a Gravel Bike?
You ride mostly on smooth pavement and love speed	No, stick with a road bike
You ride mostly on technical mountain trails	No, get a proper MTB
You ride on terrible roads, occasional dirt, and long distances	Yes, gravel is for you
You love the idea of one bike for everything	Yes, go gravel
You just like buying bikes	Yes, but you knew that already

For many riders, a gravel bike simplifies things. For others, it complicates the eternal excuse to buy yet another bike.

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6. The Verdict

Is the gravel bike a scam? No. Is it a salvation? Maybe. Is it just another bicycle? Absolutely.

Here’s the thing. Bikes have always been about personal preference. If you love your road bike, keep it.

If you love your mountain bike, keep it. If you like the idea of mixing both worlds and exploring new roads (or no roads at all), then a gravel bike might just be the best thing you ever buy.

Here’s another table for perspective:

Type of Cyclist	Opinion on Gravel Bikes
Hardcore Road Cyclist	“Just ride a road bike with 28mm tires, you fool.”
Hardcore Mountain Biker	“Just ride a hardtail, you fool.”
Casual Rider	“Wow, this is comfy and fun.”
Bike Industry	“Give us your money.”
Guy Who Just Wants to Ride	“Who cares, let’s go.”

And that’s the truth. The only real cycling skill you need? Not giving a damn about what anyone else thinks. Ride whatever the hell you want.

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Conclusion

Bikes are bikes. Arguments are arguments.

The gravel bike debate is just another chapter in the long history of people shouting at each other over things that don’t matter.

But you know what does matter? Riding.

So, the next time some roadie in $400 bib shorts or a mountain biker with a full-suspension ego tells you that gravel bikes are a scam, just nod, smile, and keep pedaling.

Because at the end of the day, the best bike is the one that makes you want to ride.