Gravel Bike Upgrades You Might Consider
As the discipline of gravel cycling has exploded, so has the range of bikes on offer and of course the amount of upgrades that you can buy for said gravel bikes. However, what are the best value gravel bike upgrades? We explain what our favourite best value gravel bike upgrades are and why you should pay attention to these things before anything else.
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00:00 Perhaps you've just bought your first gravel bike, or maybe you've been a drop bar knobbly
00:04 tyre convert for a while.
00:06 Either way, I think we can all agree that if you're not out riding on the trails,
00:10 then thinking about how you can improve your ride is the next best thing.
00:14 Now, unless you're one of those very lucky people that's got thousands to spend on
00:18 their bikes, then you, like the rest of us, will be after the upgrades that deliver the
00:23 biggest bang for your buck.
00:25 Although in the title we did say 5 best upgrades, it's more 5 best upgrade areas.
00:30 So without further ado, let's jump in.
00:37 Tyres are something we would recommend as being one of the best value upgrades for road
00:41 bikes too.
00:42 But for gravel, your choice of rubber takes on a whole new level of importance beyond
00:46 just rolling resistance, puncture protection and weight.
00:49 Having the right set will completely change your ride.
00:53 First off, there's the tread pattern.
00:55 Are you going to be riding mainly hardpack gravel roads, or are your trails more loose
00:59 and muddy?
01:00 In the first case, you'd want to go with a semi-slick casing with more prominent shoulder
01:04 knobs for grip in the corners.
01:07 In the second, you'd be needing something more aggressive, with the height and spacing
01:11 between the knobs getting taller and wider.
01:14 And then there's the width.
01:16 Depending on the impacts you expect and the comfort you want, you might be best suited
01:20 with anything from a 35mm all the way up to a 54mm.
01:24 Then there's the difference between price points.
01:27 More expensive tyres can be lighter and use more advanced compounds.
01:30 Now, this is particularly important if you ride where there are wet, slabby rocks, as
01:35 it's not the knobs that provide the grip, as there's nothing for them to dig into,
01:39 it's actually the compound of the rubber.
01:42 Clearly, there's a lot of things to consider when buying tyres.
01:45 I think my key piece of advice is to really learn the terrain you're riding on, and then
01:50 buy the tyre that is best suited to your surroundings.
01:53 Because buying too early, and maybe not spending quite enough, could mean that you miss the
01:58 mark entirely.
02:05 Handlebars are the headline component here, but really, this is about making sure that
02:09 your contact points are as comfortable as they possibly can be.
02:14 Now, whether your riding is about laid-back exploring, or ultra-distance epics, or just
02:19 blasting around as fast as you can, you'll enjoy it more and perform better with a bike
02:24 that fits you properly.
02:26 The cheaper and simpler options, which are arguably the highest value, include your stem
02:31 and your bar tape.
02:32 Now, bar tape is a pretty obvious one.
02:35 Tackier and more cushioned options deliver better grip for control, as well as greater
02:39 comfort, so it's a win-win.
02:41 The stem relates to your bike fit, and it's about finding the balance between not being
02:45 super stretched out, but also not being too cramped up.
02:48 Now, you can get models with different angles as well, to help you further adjust the height
02:53 of your handlebars too.
02:55 We do have content surrounding how to get your bike set up, so it's worth watching
02:58 that first.
02:59 But, once you do know what you're after, a stem that sorts your bike fit is arguably
03:04 one of the best value upgrades that you can make.
03:07 Coming back to the handlebars themselves, there are so many different options, which
03:10 is great, because it means that you'll likely find something that works for you.
03:15 But it's also a bit of a pain, because it means a fair bit of looking.
03:18 There's the width to consider, there's the flare, and there's also the drop.
03:22 Now, in terms of value, the aspects that relate to the fit are definitely the most important.
03:27 In most cases, you will also have the option to look at carbon versions as well.
03:32 However, this does reduce the cost-effectiveness of the upgrade.
03:40 On to the brakes, and this is one for the budget gravel bikes, which have mechanical
03:44 disc brakes fitted, rather than hydraulics.
03:47 Now, it is true that hydraulic disc brakes do offer better modulation compared to their
03:52 mechanical counterparts, but it's also true that mechanical disc brakes can be unfairly
03:57 abused, because in being specced on cheaper models, other spec choices are made that do
04:02 then hamper their performance.
04:05 Essentially, mechanical disc brakes can have the potential to be much better than their
04:10 stock setup.
04:12 Most important is actually upgrading the outer cable housing.
04:16 Cheaper housing compresses when you squeeze the brake lever, which leads to a spongy-feeling
04:20 brake.
04:21 However, more expensive housing gives a much more direct braking feel, and this helps with
04:26 modulation and also means that much more of the power is going to the brake, rather than
04:31 being wasted in the housing.
04:34 £40 or $50 may feel like a lot of money to spend on brake cables, but considering what
04:40 an effect it has, it's one of the best value upgrades you can make.
04:45 The same goes for your brake pads.
04:47 You don't need to go for a ludicrously expensive set with cooling fins and all the rest.
04:51 It's about the compound of the pad, and that's what matters.
04:54 And really, it won't take too much to make a big step up from the budget pads that were
04:59 probably fitted at stock.
05:05 Not specifically an upgrade for your bike per se, but it's something you'll use out
05:08 on the trail, so we think it's fair game.
05:12 There's two common mistakes to make.
05:14 First one is going for a multi-tool that packs on a whole raft of features, but in such a
05:19 small and intricate way that it's a massive pain to actually use.
05:22 Now, perhaps that's fine as a safety net on short rides, but for anything more, and it
05:27 gets frustrating really quickly.
05:30 The other mistake to make is actually going for a tool with too few features, which can
05:34 actually leave you caught short when you're out on the trails.
05:38 The bits we look for are a complete set of Allen keys from 2mm all the way up to 8mm.
05:43 At least a T25 Torx head, a flat head, and a Phillips screwdriver.
05:48 A chain tool, and a valve core tool, and a spoke tool are nice extras to have.
05:53 Now, in terms of things that we'd actually bring with us, a quick link and tubeless plugs
05:57 are an absolute must.
05:59 But we also like to bring tyre levers, a good old-fashioned inner tube, and of course, a
06:03 pump.
06:06 Finally, in a similar vein to the multi-tool, this isn't specifically an upgrade for your
06:13 gravel bike, but it's one that can transform your gravel riding, so we think it's a worthwhile
06:18 inclusion.
06:19 Although there's a lot to be said about developing a mental map of your local trails, a head
06:23 unit with mapping can help you explore further afield in the confidence that you're not going
06:28 to get lost.
06:29 Getting to explore new areas is a huge part of the fun of gravel riding, and easy mapping
06:35 really helps with that.
06:37 Of course, this doesn't have to be done with a bespoke cycling computer.
06:41 There are plenty of mapping applications on your phone that will do an excellent job.
06:45 Plus, depending on what you already own, the setup might not have to cost much at all.
06:50 The key things that you'll need are, of course, your phone, a robust mount, a battery pack
06:54 for charging your phone, and of course, some form of handlebar bag to carry that battery
07:00 pack.
07:01 I think whichever way you look at it, when you start to use mapping, you'll wonder how
07:04 you ever rode before.
07:07 So those are our tips for the best value upgrades that you can make to your gravel bike.
07:11 If you've got some which you think we missed, then drop them down in the comments below.
07:15 If you enjoyed the video, drop a like, subscribe to the channel for more content, and I'll
07:19 see you again very soon.
07:20 Thanks for watching.
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