5 good reasons to ride gravel in 2025!

Gravel riding is enticing more and more cyclists from both the road and mountain bike worlds, united in their desire to get off the beaten track and find adventure. Thanks to gravel bikes’ versatility you can pretty much ride wherever you like, be it on the trails, on the road, or both. A gravel bike combines the robustness of a mountain bike with the responsiveness of a road bike - a winning combo!

We had a hard time whittling down our list of reasons to ride gravel to just 5… as we are totally addicted to this unique way of cycling… Read on to see if you agree or if we convince you to give it a go!

1. The Call of Adventure

Ride wherever you like

Every ride becomes an adventure on a gravel bike, if you’d like it to be! A gravel bike is as happy eating up the kms on the tarmac as it is exploring the trail less travelled… where you can get away from it all in nature. You won’t be limited to one type of riding or the same old routes, instead you’ll have the freedom to see what you fancy on each and every ride. Smooth gravel tracks, technical trails or rolling roads, you can do it all.

In 2025, the need to get away from the constant barrage of emails, messages and social media is more important than ever. A gravel bike is your new best friend, as ideal for micro adventures as it is for longer trips, for “slow travel” and encouraging you to stop a minute or two and take it all in.

Gravel bikes are solid, reliable and most importantly comfortable. They usually have plenty of attachment points for adding panniers and carrying kit, and are best set up with tubeless tyres for maximum comfort and puncture protection. You can add a GPS bike computer for easy navigation from routes you’ve planned with the help of a specific route planning app.

2. Accessible and inclusive

A sport for all

With gravel there’s something for everyone! Where you are just starting to ride or ride plenty of kms already, the trails are for everyone and there will be a bike model for you.Electric gravel bikes have helped take this even further, adding a little helping hand on the climbs and for longer if they’d like.

The boost the E-bike can bring enables groups of cyclists of different levels to ride together in harmony, especially with the less competitive ethos of gravel riding in general. It’s more about getting out in nature, exploring and spending time together and less of split and segment times.If you’re gravel curious we put together a handy guide for you, so you can get started with confidence!

3. A unique ride feel

Add more FUN to your ride!

Riding gravel takes you over almost infinitely different surfaces, so your bike handling skills will adapt and improve as you go. A pure style of riding, you can challenge yourself by taking more technical trails as well as allowing a little recovery on some tarmac in between.

In terms of trails you can ride it all depends how rocky or muddy you want to get!… but what’s for sure is that with just a few rides, and the odd piece of advice, you’ll be perfectly happy riding over all sorts of terrain, gaining confidence and feeling the flow.

Gravel bikes generally all handle very well, thanks to their lightness and more relaxed geometry. There’s a sometimes overwhelming choice of options and personalisations when choosing a bike, and it’s important to get this right! Our How to Choose a Gravel Bike Guide is here to help you.

4. The Gravel Ethos

Freedom and community

Aside from the obvious on-road off-road choice to make, and the myriad of off-road options that you’ll find, another key difference with gravel is the fun and friendly ethos… Getting out there on the trails gives instant space and makes for instant connections, both physically and mentally. Life becomes simpler, far from the noise, busy-ness and pollution of the built environment.

As gravel grows in popularity so grows the community. Sharing a ride or adventure with friends, or other like minded cyclists, adds extra feel good factor to each and every outing.

Here at GravelUp we offer gravel bike trips with small groups of similar levels. Most importantly we gather like-minded adventurers together, all in search of fun on the bike and exploring new places on an adventure shared.

There’s a growing list of gravel events for you to get involved in too, where you can meet other riders and explore the best trails an area has to offer.

5. Time for a new challenge?

A sense of satisfaction

Getting involved in gravel is also the chance to challenge yourself, be it to try something new or to improve your fitness or bike skills… or all of the above! One thing’s for sure, you’ll surprise yourself with what you are capable of. With gravel’s addictive blend of fitness, bike skills, navigation and planning there’s somewhere for everyone to shine. Whether it’s a more technical ride, a weekend overnighter or a longer trip in total autonomy, it’s for you to choose!

Its incredibly rewarding to set yourself a challenge, work towards and achieve it, plus some more… that sense of satisfaction is addictive, so what are you waiting for? Get dreaming up your next adventure!

Would you like to join a small exclusive group trip ?

Then you’re in the right place as here at GravelUp we have the answer -10 destinations across Europe for you to explore, in some of the most beautiful mountain ranges around.

From 2 - 5 day trips, from total newbie to gravel convert, day rides from Basecamp or point to point adventures, there’s something for everyone. What is guaranteed is that getting off the beaten track is the ultimate way to explore somewhere new, and the accompanying sense of adventure will have you wanting more!

Norway, Andalusia, Mt Ventoux, The Vosges… Where will you go first?!