Touring Bikes: The Forgotten Gravel Bikes of the 90s

You know what’s funny? Everyone’s out here talking about “gravel bikes” like they’re some revolutionary new thing, but the truth is, they’ve been around for decades—just with a different name.

Back in the 90s, we didn’t have all this fancy marketing to brainwash us.

We had touring bikes, the real deal.

Strong, sturdy, made for long rides on rough roads—basically, the “OG gravel bikes,” and yet, here we are in 2025 pretending like this is some new trend. It’s hilarious, really.

The True Grit of Touring Bikes

Touring bikes were built for the roads less traveled. You didn’t need an expensive “gravel bike” to hit the dirt roads or tackle gravel paths.

Those old-school touring bikes with their high-quality steel frames, cantilever brakes, and thick tires were already doing it all.

The only thing you had to worry about was finding the nearest diner to grab some greasy fries.

They were the OG gravel bikes, only no one had to slap the word “gravel” on them to get people excited.

Geometry That Screams Comfort

Forget about those twitchy road bikes. Touring bikes had geometry designed for comfort and endurance.

They weren’t built to break speed records—they were built to make you feel like a king while cruising through hell and back.

Long wheelbases, relaxed angles, and stable handling—these bikes were made to carry loads and still let you feel like the road was your personal playground.

Gravel bikes? They don’t have nothing on these workhorses when it comes to long-haul comfort.

Strong as Hell, Built to Last

A touring bike could take a beating. We’re talking strong steel frames that laughed in the face of potholes.

Gravel bikes these days are all about that lightweight carbon and aluminum, but those old touring bikes were tougher than your uncle who still drinks a beer a day and smokes like a chimney. These frames were built to last.

The Tire Clearance Debate

Here’s where it gets interesting. Touring bikes weren’t exactly known for their tire clearance, but they still offered a fair amount of room.

You could squeeze in some decent-width tires, enough to handle gravel and dirt paths.

Meanwhile, today’s gravel bikes are claiming to be the champions of wide tires—really, they just copied what was done 30 years ago and made it sound like a new discovery.

And don’t get me started on those old 90s mountain bikes—some of those had better clearance than modern gravel bikes ever will.

The Gear Ratios That Put Others to Shame

Gravel bikes today love their single-speed setups and fancy 1x drivetrains. But there’s a reason people still worship the 3×9 or 3×10 setups on old touring bikes.

Those triple cranks were a marvel—gear ratios for days. You could climb a mountain in the morning and coast down the other side without breaking a sweat.

Gravel bikes? You’ll be grinding gears, swearing, and hoping your knees survive the day.

Racks and Fenders, Baby

Touring bikes were built for the long haul, literally.

Rack mounts, fender mounts—everything was ready for a cross-country tour. You didn’t need to go hunting for specialty attachments.

Those bikes were made to carry everything you needed.

Meanwhile, gravel bikes might have a few mounting points, but let’s face it, their focus is more on speed and less on practicality.

Sure, they’re great for one-day races, but when it comes to touring or carrying your life’s belongings for a few weeks, give me a 90s touring bike any day.

The Cool Factor

Let’s talk about the looks for a second. Those old 90s touring bikes had a certain charm to them—sleek steel frames with a bit of rust and patina.

You didn’t need bright neon logos and flashy color schemes to get attention. The cool factor of an old touring bike came from the history behind it and the places it had taken you.

Gravel bikes, on the other hand, are still figuring out what they want to be when they grow up.

The Shift in Trends

Touring bikes dominated the 80s and 90s. But somewhere along the way, cycling got obsessed with road racing, and touring took a back seat.

Then, the bike industry realized there was money to be made in gravel, and suddenly everyone started calling bikes with drop bars and bigger tires “gravel bikes.”

It’s a rebranding. It’s a bit like calling your old, beat-up Honda Civic a “performance car” just because you slapped a new spoiler on it. Same thing, different name.

The Resurrection of Touring Bikes

Now, here’s the kicker. People are rediscovering those old touring bikes, slapping modern components on them, and calling them gravel bikes.

And honestly? They’re nailing it. When you build up a 90s Nashbar frame with 48mm tires and a disc brake fork, you’ve got yourself a gravel bike that’ll put any carbon-fiber monster to shame.

You’re taking a bike that’s got history, durability, and real-world use—and turning it into something that outperforms what the industry is selling today.

A true comeback story.

Summary Table

Point	Touring Bikes	Gravel Bikes
Geometry	Comfortable, endurance-focused	Quick and snappy but less stable
Frame Strength	Steel, built to last, tough as hell	Lightweight but less durable
Tire Clearance	Decent width for gravel paths	Designed for wider tires but inconsistent
Gear Ratios	3x setups for flexibility and endurance	1x setups for simplicity and speed
Racks/Fenders	Made for long-haul travel, fully equipped	Minimal, less practical
Cool Factor	Patina and history, rugged beauty	Sleek and fast, trying too hard
Long-Term Use	Ready for tours, multi-day adventures	More of a one-day race bike
Historical Value	Rooted in tradition and adventure	A modern twist on older designs
Versatility	Perfect for everything—touring, commuting, gravel	Focused more on gravel racing

Conclusion

Look, we’ve all fallen for the hype.

The bike industry is good at that. They take something old, slap a shiny new label on it, and call it revolutionary. But those 90s touring bikes?

They’ve always been the gravel bikes we need—no frills, just the guts to take you anywhere.

Modern gravel bikes are a great marketing gimmick, but they don’t have the soul that old steel frame holds.

So, if you’re out there chasing the latest “gravel bike,” maybe take a step back and find one of those forgotten gems from the 90s.

They’re still out there, quietly waiting to show you what a real gravel bike feels like.