Adventure bikes and gravel bikes certainly are not too different from each other, and sometimes, they are just two different names for the same machine. These differences are due to the variations between the types of riding in the US and the U.K. In the US, the roads traveled upon by these bikes are called the long open gravel roads, while the ones in the U.K are called the bridleways and canal paths.
Must Read: Gravel Bikes Under 1,500
These bikes are somewhere between cyclocross bikes and endurance bikes; and these bikes are more nimble on the road as when compared to their peers, the mud-ready cyclocross bikes, but the gravel bikes are more capable of navigating rough terrains than the endurance bikes can.
The gravel bikes are perfect for multi-terrain adventures: they go through bridleways, farm tracks, and, surely, gravel. These bikes have the ability to handle advanced off-road riding and, when they are in the possession of the right rider, mountain bike trails. These gravel bikes generally have a lower bottom than when they are compared to the cyclocross bikes, giving you a more road-like feel to it, making them seem less for the roots and rocky terrains.
Both the gravel and adventure bikes have water bottle cages, pannier racks mounts, and mudguard eyelets that are hard to find, or maybe not find at all, on a full-on cyclocross bike.
What Makes the Gravel Bike More Appealing?
You probably, while riding on your road bike, have noticed bridle paths, farm tracks, and an appealing track that you pass by, only to leave yourself wondering where those paths lead, but you never are able to take them, not wanting to leave the track you are on because you do not know if your bike can handle the terrain. Well, if you want to find out where those paths lead to, then you may need to get yourself a gravel or adventure bike, as these are the ones that are capable of taking you through those rough roads.
The Gravel and adventure bikes are designed to combine the power of on-road and off-road capabilities, and so, their designs overlap with the cyclocross bikes, also taking some designs from mountain bikes. And with these bikes, you should expect disc braking and clearance for wider tires. The gravel bikes are made to tackle untarmacked roads that you will find in the US and some European countries, with wide tires for clearance, which can be up to 40 mm across.