00:00Perhaps you've just bought your first gravel bike, or maybe you've been a drop bar knobbly
00:04tyre convert for a while. Either way, I think we can all agree that if you're not out riding on
00:09the trails, then thinking about how you can improve your ride is the next best thing.
00:14Now, unless you're one of those very lucky people that's got thousands to spend on their bikes,
00:19then you, like the rest of us, will be after the upgrades that deliver the biggest bang for your
00:24buck. Although in the title we did say five best upgrades, it's more five best upgrade areas. So
00:30without further ado, let's jump in. Tyres are something we would recommend as being one of the
00:39best value upgrades for road bikes too. But for gravel, your choice of rubber takes on a whole
00:44new level of importance beyond just rolling resistance, puncture protection, and weight.
00:49Having the right set will completely change your ride. First off, there's the tread pattern. Are
00:55you going to be riding mainly hardpack gravel roads, or are your trails more loose and muddy? In the
01:01first case, you'd want to go with a semi-slit casing with more prominent shoulder knobs for grip in the
01:06corners. In the second, you'd be needing something more aggressive with the height and spacing between
01:12the knobs getting taller and wider. And then there's the width. Depending on the impacts you expect and
01:18the comfort you want, you might be best suited with anything from a 35mm all the way up to a
01:2354mm.
01:24Then there's the difference between price points. More expensive tyres can be lighter and use more
01:30advanced compounds. Now, this is particularly important if you ride where there are wet slabby
01:34rocks, as it's not the knobs that provide the grip, as there's nothing for them to dig into. It's
01:40actually the compound of the rubber. Clearly, there's a lot of things to consider when buying tyres. I
01:47really learn the terrain you're riding on and then buy the tyre that is best suited to your surroundings,
01:53because buying too early and maybe not spending quite enough could mean that you miss the mark entirely.
02:05Handlebars are the headline component here, but really, this is about making sure that your contact
02:10points are as comfortable as they possibly can be. Now, whether you're riding is about laid back,
02:16exploring or ultra distance epics or just blasting around as fast as you can, you'll enjoy it more
02:22and perform better with a bike that fits you properly. The cheaper and simpler options, which
02:29are arguably the highest value, include your stem and your bar tape. Now, bar tape is a pretty obvious
02:34one. Tackier and more cushioned options deliver better grip for control as well as greater comfort,
02:40so it's a win-win. The stem relates to your bike fit and it's about finding the balance between not
02:45being super stretched out, but also not being too cramped up. Now, you can get models with different
02:50angles as well to help you further adjust the height of your handlebars too. We do have content
02:56surrounding how to get your bike set up, so it's worth watching that first, but once you do know what
03:01you're after, a stem that sorts your bike fit is arguably one of the best value upgrades that you can
03:06make. Coming back to the handlebars themselves, there are so many different options, which is great,
03:11because it means that you will likely find something that works for you, but it's also a bit of a
03:16pain
03:16because it means a fair bit of looking. There's the width to consider, there's the flare, and there's
03:21also the drop. Now, in terms of value, the aspects that relate to the fit are definitely the most
03:26important, and in most cases you will also have the option to look at carbon versions as well. However,
03:32this does reduce the cost effectiveness of the upgrade. On to the brakes, and this is one for
03:42the budget gravel bikes, which have mechanical disc brakes fitted rather than hydraulics. Now,
03:48it is true that hydraulic disc brakes do offer better modulation compared to their mechanical
03:52counterparts, but it's also true that mechanical disc brakes can be unfairly abused, because in being
03:59specced on cheaper models, other spec choices are made that do then hamper their performance.
04:05Essentially, mechanical disc brakes can have the potential to be much better than their stock setup.
04:11Most important is actually upgrading the outer cable housing. Cheaper housing compresses when you
04:18squeeze the brake lever, which leads to a spongy feeling brake. However, more expensive housing gives a
04:23much more direct braking feel, and this helps with modulation and also means that much more of the
04:29power is going to the brake rather than being wasted in the housing. £40 or $50 may feel like a
04:37lot of
04:37money to spend on brake cables, but considering what an effect it has, it's one of the best value upgrades
04:44you can make. The same goes for your brake pads. You don't need to go for a ludicrously expensive set
04:50with cooling fins and all the rest. It's about the compound of the pad, and that's what matters.
04:54And really, it won't take too much to make a big step up from the budget pads that were probably
04:59fitted at stock. Not specifically an upgrade for your bike per se, but it's something you'll use
05:08out on the trails, so we think it's fair game. There's two common mistakes to make. First one is
05:15going through a multi-tool that packs on a whole raft of features, but in such a small and intricate
05:20way that it's a massive pain to actually use. Now, perhaps that's fine as a safety net on short rides,
05:26but for anything more, and it gets frustrating really quickly. The other mistake to make is
05:31actually going for a tool with too few features, which can actually leave you caught short when
05:36you're out on the trails. The bits we look for are a complete set of Allen keys from 2mm all
05:42the way up to
05:428mm. At least a T25 Torx head, a flat head and a Phillips screwdriver. A chain tool and a valve
05:50core
05:50tool and a spoke tool are nice extras to have. Now, in terms of things that we'd actually bring with
05:55us,
05:56a quick link and tubeless plugs are an absolute must, but we also like to bring tire levers,
06:01a good old-fashioned inner tube, and of course, a pump. Finally, in a similar vein to the multi-tool,
06:11this isn't specifically an upgrade for your gravel bike, but it's one that can transform your gravel
06:16riding, so we think it's a worthwhile inclusion. Although there's a lot to be said about developing
06:21a mental map of your local trails, a head unit with mapping can help you explore further a field
06:26in the confidence that you're not going to get lost. Getting to explore new areas is a huge part
06:32of the fun of gravel riding, and easy mapping really helps with that. Of course, this doesn't
06:38have to be done with a bespoke cycling computer. There are plenty of mapping applications on your
06:43phone that will do an excellent job. Plus, depending on what you already own, the setup might not have
06:49to cost much at all. The key things that you'll need are, of course, your phone, a robust mount,
06:53a battery pack for charging your phone, and of course, some form of handlebar bag
06:58to carry that battery pack. I think whichever way you look at it, when you start to use mapping,
07:04you'll wonder how you ever rode before. So those are our tips for the best value upgrades that you
07:10can make to your gravel bike. If you've got some which you think we missed, then drop them down in
07:14the comments below. If you enjoyed the video, drop a like, subscribe to the channel for more content,
07:18and I'll see you again very soon.
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