Gravel bikes and touring bikes are both designed for exploration and adventures. They are made for different types of riders. Touring bikes are ideal for long-distance, fully-loaded trips on mostly paved roads. Gravel bikes, on the other hand, are ideal for adventure riding on rougher gravel and dirt roads while carrying a lighter load. They’re perfect for exploring dirt and gravel roads, gentle mountain bike trails, and bikepacking. In this guide, we will outline the differences between gravel bikes and touring bikes. We’ll also list the pros and cons of riding a gravel bike vs touring bike. We’ll cover frame geometry, gearing, speed, efficiency, and much more.
I got into bicycle touring about 10 years ago. A few years back, I decided to get a gravel bike so I could give bikepacking a try. I’ve toured for thousands of miles on both bikes. In this guide, I’ll share my experience. Hopefully, this guide helps you choose the best touring or adventure bike for your riding style.
What is a Gravel Bike?
A gravel bike is kind of a cross between a road bike, a touring bike, and a mountain bike. Gravel bikes feature drop bars, a rigid frame, and a sporty frame geometry, like road bikes. They also feature wide grippy tires, wide and low gearing, disc brakes, and stable geometry, like a mountain bike. In addition, most gravel bikes also come with mounting points for racks and panniers, like a touring bike. Gravel bikes are sometimes called adventure bikes. The terms are interchangeable.
Gravel bikes are designed for riding a wide range of surfaces. With a gravel bike, you can ride gravel roads, dirt roads, forestry roads, bike paths, pavement, and some gentle single track and mountain bike trails. They are surprisingly capable off-road. Gravel bikes are also fast and efficient while riding on-road.
There is a spectrum of gravel bike designs. Some models are more road-oriented. These bikes are designed to be mostly ridden on smooth gravel and dirt roads as well as pavement. Some gravel bikes are much closer to mountain bikes. These models can handle more technical trails and single track but are less efficient on the road. Some gravel bikes are designed for long-distance bikepacking. These models are very similar to touring bikes.
What is a Touring Bike?
A touring bike is a bike that is designed for multi-day rides with racks and panniers full of gear. Depending on the distance and route of your tour, you may carry a tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear, clothing, as well as multiple days worth of food and water. With a touring bike, you could ride across your country, across a continent, or around the world.
Touring bikes look very similar to road bikes of the past. Most touring bikes feature a steel frame, drop handlebars, a long wheelbase, 700c wheels, wide-range gearing, and bar-end shifters. Touring bikes have wider tires than road bikes. Most touring tires measure 28-40mm.
Touring bikes have plenty of attachment points for luggage and accessories. Traditionally, bicycle tourists carry their luggage in panniers that mount to front and rear racks. The racks bolt directly to the frame and fork. For more capacity, some cyclists add a handlebar bag, top tube bag, saddlebag, and other accessory bags. Touring bikes also include mounting points for multiple water bottles, spare spokes, a pump, etc. Many touring bikes also come with mudguards.
Touring bikes are designed to be comfortable. They feature a more relaxed and upright riding position than road bikes. They also feature a stable geometry with a long wheelbase. This allows you to cruise along comfortably for hours at a time for days on end.
Touring bikes are also designed to be durable, long-lasting, and low maintenance. They feature heavy-duty steel frames and strong 36 spoke wheels. They need to hold up under the stress of heavy loads of gear and abuse from travel.
What is the Difference Between a Gravel Bike and Touring Bike?
Gravel bikes and touring bikes share a similar design. Both usually have drop handlebars, rigid frames, wide-range gearing, and disc brakes. They may share some of the same components. Both types of bikes use a mix of mountain and road components. They are also both designed for long-distance cycling adventures while carrying a load of gear. There are a few key differences between gravel and touring bikes.
One major difference is the tires. Touring tires usually measure 28-40mm wide. Gravel tires usually measure 38-50mm wide and have a more aggressive tread pattern. Gravel bike frames have more clearance to accommodate wider tires than touring bikes.
The gearing is also different. Touring bikes have a wider gear range and more gears than gravel bikes. Most modern touring bikes have a triple chainring groupset with an 8, 9, or 10 speed cassette for a total of 24-30 gears. Most gravel bikes use a 1X or 2X groupset with a 12 speed cassette.
Touring bikes are also built to be a bit more durable than gravel bikes. They have strong steel frames and 36 spoke wheels that can handle a heavy load. Gravel bikes often have slightly less robust components. As a result, touring bikes tend to weigh a few pounds more than gravel bikes.
The surfaces that both bikes are designed to be ridden on are also different. Touring bikes are designed to be ridden mostly on pavement with the occasional gravel or dirt road. Gravel bikes are designed to be ridden mostly on unpaved roads. They can also handle pavement and some mountain bike terrain.
Some gravel bikes and touring bikes blur the line. There are touring bikes with clearance for 47mm tires on 650B wheels. There are also gravel bikes with mounts for racks and fenders. Sometimes, the only difference between a gravel bike and a touring bike is the marketing.
Gravel Bike Vs Touring Bike
Tires
Gravel bikes and touring bikes use different types of tires. The tires play a major role in ride quality, traction, and handling, on different types of terrain as well as the bike’s efficiency.
Gravel tires are designed for riding on rough unpaved dirt and gravel roads. They are wider and more voluminous than touring tires. Gravel tires usually measure 36-50mm wide. The most common gravel tire widths include 35mm, 38mm, 40mm, 42mm, and 45mm.
Gravel tires also have a more aggressive tread pattern than touring tires. Most gravel-specific tires have a light file or diamond tread pattern. This pattern provides excellent traction on dry unpaved surfaces as well as pavement. Knobby gravel tires are also available for those who want to ride more rugged terrain, such as mountain bike trails.
Gravel tires are run at lower air pressure than touring tires. Most gravel riders run their tires at 20-50 psi depending on the terrain. The lower tire pressure improves traction and comfort.
The wider gravel tires have a larger contact patch with the ground. The lower air pressure allows the tire to deform so more tread touches the ground. This way, the tire creates more friction with the ground, which improves traction.
The wider and softer tires can also deform around obstacles and absorb some bumps and vibrations. This improves comfort while riding on rough surfaces.
If you want to ride in wet or rugged conditions with a gravel bike, you can install wider tires with a more aggressive tread pattern for even more traction. You can even install knobby mountain bike tires on a gravel bike, as long as your frame offers sufficient clearance.
Touring tires are designed to roll efficiently on pavement. They are also designed to handle the occasional unpaved road.
Touring tires are narrower than gravel tires. Touring tires usually measure 28-40mm wide. The most common touring tire widths include 32, 35, and 38mm.
Touring tires also have a less aggressive tread pattern than gravel tires. They are not slick like road tires. They do have a bit of tread. This gives you traction while riding over loose or slippery surfaces.
Touring tires are also run at higher air pressure than gravel tires. Most touring tires are run at 60-85 psi. The firm tires roll efficiently but can make the ride feel harsh.
Touring tires are also designed to be durable and long-lasting. They are made from hard and thick rubber that wears slowly. Many models can last 4000-6000 miles (around 6500-10000 km).
Most touring tires also include some kind of built-in puncture resistance. This is a 3-5mm thick strip of Kevlar or other hard material that is layered inside of the tire. Nails and broken glass have a hard time piercing the hard puncture-resistant layer.
Narrow touring tires with minimal tread run at high pressure have less rolling resistance than gravel tires. This allows you to ride faster and more efficiently on smooth paved roads. Touring tires also have enough traction to handle some unpaved roads and easy trails.
These days, gravel bikes usually come with tubeless tires. Most touring bikes still come with tubes. For bicycle touring, bikepacking, and gravel riding tubeless tires are usually the better choice.
Tubeless tires make flats much less common. Tubeless tires are filled with a sealant that automatically fills small punctures. If you run over a thorn, nail, or piece of broken glass and puncture a tire, you can just keep on riding. You won’t even notice it because the sealant patches up the hole before the air leaks out. Riding tubeless also allows you to run your tires at lower pressure because you don’t have to worry about pinch flats. This increases traction.
The main drawback to tubeless tires is that they are slightly harder to set up and repair than tubed tires. Some riders still prefer tubed tires because they are simple to set up and repair on the side of the road. For more info, check out my guide to tube vs tubeless tires.
Tire Clearance
Gravel bike frames are designed to fit much wider tires than touring bike frames. Most gravel bikes can accommodate tires that measure up to 45mm wide. More off-road-oriented gravel bikes can accommodate tires that measure up to 60mm wide.
Tire clearance seems to be increasing on newer gravel frames. The wide tire clearance allows you to mount a wide range of tires to your wheels including road slicks, touring tires, gravel-specific tires, or knobby mountain bike tires. This increases versatility.
Touring bikes don’t offer quite as much tire clearance. Most models can accept a maximum tire width of around 38-40mm. Some newer models can accept 45mm tires. Tire clearance is trending up on newer touring bikes. Some newer models have almost as much clearance as a gravel bike.
When choosing wide tires for your bike, it’s important to consider the frame clearance. Ideally, there should be at least 3mm of clearance between the tire and frame. If the tires are too large for your frame, they’ll rub. It’s also easy for debris to get stuck between the tires and frame.
It’s also important to note that the size indicated on the side of the tire isn’t really accurate. A 45mm tire from one company could be a couple of millimeters larger or smaller than the same sized tire from another company. Before buying tires, it’s a good idea to measure your frame clearance and measure the tire to make sure they’ll fit.
Wheels
The wheels on touring bikes and gravel bikes are usually pretty similar. There are a few differences to consider.
Touring bike wheels are designed to carry a heavy load. Touring bikes need strong wheels to support the weight of heavy panniers full of gear. They also need to be durable and reliable so they can put up with the long distances.
Most touring wheels have 36 spokes. To compare, most gravel bike wheels have 32 spokes. The extra spokes on touring wheels help to better distribute the weight of the load across the wheel. This reduces the likelihood of broken spokes. Wheels with more spokes are stronger They can take more of a beating without bending, warping, or cracking. Higher spoke count wheels also tend to stay true longer. The drawback is that the extra spokes add a bit of weight. For more info, check out my guide to 32 vs 36 spoke wheels.
Gravel bikes usually come with slightly wider rims to accommodate wider tires. Most gravel bikes have an internal rim width of 21-26mm. Touring bikes have slightly more narrow rims. The internal rim width is usually 19-23mm.
Most gravel bikes and touring bikes come with 700c wheels. These have an ISO size 622mm. 650B wheels are also becoming common these days. These have an ISO size of 584mm. 650B wheels are 38mm or about 1.5” smaller in diameter than 700c wheels. For more info on these wheel sizes, check out my guide: 700c Vs 650B wheels.
Some gravel bikes come with 29” wheels (also called 29er). These are mountain bike wheels. These wheels have the same diameter as 700c wheels (622mm). The difference is that the rim may be wider to accommodate wider 2.4”+ tires. These bikes are basically a cross between a mountain bike and a traditional gravel bike.
Some touring bikes come with 26” wheels (ISO size 559mm). 26” wheels are popular for bicycle touring because this size is more common in some parts of the developing world. This makes spare parts easier to find. In some remote regions and developing countries, 700c and 650B wheels and tires can be hard to come by. If you’re planning to tour in much of Africa, Central Asia, or Latin America, you may be better off with 26” wheels. Touring bikes with 26” wheels are sometimes referred to as expedition touring bikes because they are designed for long trips through remote areas.
Touring bikes with 26” wheels can also fit wider tires up to around 2”. This improves traction. 26” wheels are also structurally stronger because the rim is smaller in diameter and the spokes are shorter. 26” wheels can handle heavier loads and harder hits without sustaining damage. For more info on this wheel size, check out my guide to 26” Vs 700c wheels.
When choosing your wheel size, it’s a good idea to consider your height and bike frame size. Generally, smaller wheels are preferable for smaller bike frames. They fit the frame geometry better. If you run 700c wheels on a small frame, your toes can also rub the front wheel as you turn. This is known as toe overlap. Taller riders are generally better off with larger-diameter wheels. They may fit the frame geometry better.
One benefit of using smaller wheels is that you can fit wider tires. This is because the stays and fork arms widen as they approach the hubs. A 650B gravel bike may be able to accommodate 50mm tires. The same frame with 700c wheels may only be able to handle 40mm tires. Another major benefit of smaller wheels is that they are structurally stronger. They can handle harder impacts without bending, warping, or breaking spokes.
Frame Material
Touring bike frames are almost always made from steel. Aluminum touring frames are also common. Titanium touring frames are available but they are much less common.
Gravel frames are available in a number of different materials including steel, carbon fiber, aluminum, and titanium. For bikepacking, steel frames are the most common. For general gravel riding aluminum and carbon fiber frames are common. In this section, I’ll outline a few benefits and drawbacks of each frame material.
Steel frames are incredibly durable and long-lasting. Steel can take a beating and keep going for decades. A steel frame can be scratched or dented and still maintain structural integrity. It can handle hard sudden impacts without cracking. Steel frames can also handle heavy loads. They can also be equipped with lots of mounting points for racks and accessories. Steel is a tough and forgiving material. Steel also doesn’t fatigue like some other frame materials. This is because it has a fatigue limit. A steel frame can withstand stress below its fatigue limit an almost infinite number of times without failing.
For bicycle touring and bikepacking, a major benefit of steel frames is that they are easy to repair. If your frame cracks, pretty much any welder can fix it. Steel also offers a comfortable ride quality that many cyclists enjoy. The material offers some flex, allowing the frame to absorb some vibrations. All of this makes steel frames ideal for touring bikes and gravel bikes.
One major drawback of steel is that it can rust. Steel is also the heaviest bike frame material. The extra weight reduces efficiency.
Aluminum is probably the second most common frame material for touring bikes and gravel bikes. Aluminum frames are lightweight and stiff. They offer excellent efficiency and performance. Aluminum frames are also generally the most affordable. In addition, they don’t corrode.
The main drawback is that the ride quality can feel a bit harsh due to the rigidity of the frame. Bumps and vibrations can transmit through the frame into your body. Aluminum frames can also fatigue because aluminum doesn’t have a fatigue limit. They don’t last as long as other frame materials. Aluminum is also difficult to repair if it cracks. This can be an issue if you’re touring in a remote region. Aluminum is a great frame material for gravel bikes but not ideal for touring bikes. For more info, check out my guide to steel vs aluminum frames.
Carbon fiber frames are common on higher-end gravel bikes. Carbon fiber frames are lighter than aluminum. They also offer excellent performance due to their rigidity. One major benefit of carbon fiber is its customizability. The material can be optimized for handling, comfort, efficiency, aerodynamics, and more. Manufacturers can make the frame laterally stiff so it rides efficiently and vertically compliant so rides comfortably. Carbon fiber does an excellent job of absorbing vibrations. This makes it an excellent frame material choice for gravel bikes.
Touring bikes never use carbon fiber frames for durability reasons. Carbon fiber is a brittle material. It can crack during an impact. It also can’t handle the weight of heavy racks and panniers. Most carbon frames don’t have any attachment points. It doesn’t hold up well under the abuses of bicycle touring. For more info, check out my guide to carbon fiber vs titanium frames.
If you’re looking for a premium or custom-made gravel or touring bike, you might consider a titanium frame. Titanium frames are durable, long-lasting, and comfortable, like steel. They also offer excellent ride characteristics, like carbon.
The main drawback is that they are very expensive. They are also harder to repair if they break. For more info, check out my guide: Titanium Vs Steel Bike Frames.
Frame Geometry
The frame geometry plays a big role in the stability, handling, comfort, and maneuverability of the bike. A few important frame measurements to consider include the length of the wheelbase, the length of the chainstays, the angle of the head tube and fork, the height of the bottom bracket, and the reach. Generally, gravel bike and touring bike frame geometry is pretty similar. Both bikes are designed to be stable and comfortable. There are a few differences.
Touring bikes offer a relaxed geometry. They are optimized for stability. This geometry allows you to cruise along in a straight line without constantly having to correct your steering. The steering is not twitchy. Touring bikes also feel balanced. This is important when you’re carrying a heavy load.
Touring bikes usually have a long wheelbase and long chainstays. This wheelbase is the distance between the two axles. The chainstays are the tubes that run from the bottom bracket to the rear dropout.
Having a long wheelbase and long chainstays improves stability. The long wheelbase and chainstays also make the bike easier to balance. The long chainstays also reduce the likelihood of your foot striking your rear panniers as you pedal by moving them further away from your feet.
Touring bikes also have a slack head tube angle and high trail. The head angle is the angle that the fork sits at relative to the head tube. Trail is the horizontal distance that the tire contact point sits from the steering axis. The slack head tube angle and long trail help to increase the stability of touring bikes while carrying a load on the front.
The bottom bracket height of touring bikes is also low. The bottom bracket height is the distance from the center of the bottom bracket to the ground. This lowers the rider’s center of gravity. It also reduces the distance from the saddle to the ground. The lower bottom bracket also helps to improve stability and balance.
Touring bikes also have a somewhat short reach that is usually combined with a riser stem. Reach is the horizontal distance from the center of the bottom bracket to the center of the head tube. The riser stem raises the handlebars up a couple of inches. This geometry gives the bike an upright and comfortable ride position that allows you to spend hours in the saddle. Of course, the handlebars also play a big role in the ride position. More on that later.
Gravel bike geometry is fairly similar. Gravel bikes are designed to be a bit more maneuverable than touring bikes. This helps you avoid obstacles while riding off-road. At the same time, gravel bikes are also optimized for stability and comfort. They are designed for endurance riding.
Gravel bikes have long chainstays, a slack head tube angle, a low bottom bracket height, and a shortish reach, like touring bikes. This helps to keep the bike stable and balanced. Stability is important for gravel riding.
On some gravel frames, the seat stays and chainstays are designed to have some flex. This can help reduce shocks and vibrations while riding on rough gravel roads. Most gravel bikes don’t have suspension. The frame is rigid. There are exceptions. Some gravel bikes come with a suspension fork.
The wheelbase on a gravel bike is typically shorter than a touring bike. This helps to improve maneuverability. The head tube angle of gravel bikes is also steeper than touring bikes. The trail is longer. This also helps to improve maneuverability. You can turn a little more quickly with a gravel bike.
Gravel bike frames also offer more tire clearance than touring frames. This allows you to mount wider tires. Most gravel bikes can accommodate tires that measure 38-50mm wide. Most touring bikes can only accommodate tires that measure 35-40mm wide.
Bike frames are also optimized for a particular wheel size. Installing a different sized wheel can affect the geometry, which affects the ride characteristics. For example, installing smaller wheels lowers the bottom bracket. For average and larger sized frames, 700c wheels are ideal for both touring and gravel bikes. This is the standard wheel size. For smaller frames, 650B wheels may fit better. If your wheels are too large, you could experience toe overlap. This is when your toes rub the front tire when you turn.
Gearing
Gravel bikes and touring bike use slightly different gearing. Touring bikes are designed to be ridden long distances on a range of grades with a heavy load.
Touring bikes usually have a wider gear range than gravel bikes. They have a lower low gear and a higher high gear. In other words, the difference between the lowest and highest gear is greater. The gear range is usually over 500%. This allows you to ride all types of terrain including steep climbs and fast descents.
The gearing on touring bikes also tends to be lower than gravel bikes. This allows you to climb steep hills while carrying a heavy load of gear. The lowest gear on a touring bike usually has a gear ratio lower than 1:1.
In addition, touring bikes have more gears than gravel bikes. Most modern touring bikes come with a triple chainset. A 3×10 drivetrain gives the bike a total of 30 gears. Some modern touring bikes come with a double chainset instead. These usually have 20 gears (2×10). These offer the same gear range with fewer gears. Having more gears allows you to spend more time riding in the optimal gear. You can always find the perfect gear for the conditions.
Touring bikes usually have smaller steps between gears than gravel bikes. In other words, the percentage change from one gear to the next is smaller. The gear steps are determined by the number of teeth on the cogs.
A touring bike with 3X gearing will have smaller steps between gears than a gravel bike with 1X gearing. A touring bike might have a 12% change between gears while a gravel bike might have a 15% change between gears.
Tighter gearing is preferable for riding at higher speeds on roads because it makes it easier to maintain your cadence while shifting through the gear range. Your cadence doesn’t slow down as much when you upshift. You spend more time in your optimal cadence. This increases efficiency.
Gravel bikes are designed to be ridden mostly on flat unpaved roads at higher speeds. They are not designed for climbing steep grades or carrying heavy loads.
Like touring bikes, gravel bikes also have wide-range gearing. Just not as wide. Gravel bike gearing also tends to be higher than touring bike gearing. Usually, the lowest gear is around 1:1.
Gravel bikes also have fewer gears than touring bikes. Most gravel bikes come with a 1x or 2x groupset (1 or 2 chainrings). They have 12-22 gears. Touring bikes usually have 24-30 gears.
For an example of common a gearing setup, an average touring bike may come with a 26/36/46 triple chainset with an 11-36t 9 or 10 speed 11-36t cassette. To compare, a gravel bike may come with a single 42t chainring and a 10-42t or 10-52t 12 speed cassette.
In this example, the highest gear on the touring bike is 46t-11t. This gives you a gear ratio of 4.18 (46/11=4.18). The highest gear ratio on the gravel bike is 42t-11t. This gives you a gear ratio of 3.82 (42/11=3.82). In this case, the touring bike has a higher high gear. This allows you to cruise at higher speeds and reach a higher top speed.
The lowest gear ratio on the touring bike is 26t-36t. This gives you a gear ratio of 0.72. The lowest gear ratio on the gravel bike is 42t-42t. This gives you a gear ratio of 1. In this case, the touring bike has a lower low gear. This allows you to climb steeper hills with a heavy load. Some gravel bikes don’t have low enough gearing for steep climbs.
The gear ratio represents the number of times that the rear wheel turns for each revolution of the cranks. For example, a gear ratio of 1 means that for every rotation of the cranks, the rear wheel makes 1 full revolution.
Both gravel bikes and touring bikes often use a mix of road and mountain bike components. Oftentimes, the rear derailleur and cassette are mountain bike components. The crankest and shifters are often road bike components. Sometimes touring bikes use a full road groupset. Sometimes gravel bikes use a full mountain bike groupset. Sram and Shimano also offer groupsets that are specifically designed for gravel riding.
Drivetrain Components
Probably the biggest difference between gravel and touring bike groupsets is the number of chainrings. Most gravel bikes are 1X or 2X. Most touring bikes are 2X or 3X.
1X gearing eliminates the front derailleur and shifter. This simplifies your shifting. You only have one shifter to think about. You just shift up or down. There are also fewer parts to maintain. There are several drawbacks. The steps between gears are larger. There are fewer gear gears. They are also less efficient because the chain runs at an angle in some gears and creates additional friction.
2X and 3X gearing gives you more gears and a wider gear range and more gears. There are also smaller steps between gears. These drivetrains are also more efficient because the chain line stays straighter.
These days, all of the major bicycle drivetrain manufacturers offer gravel-specific groupsets. Shimano’s gravel range is called GRX. Sram’s gravel range is called XPLR. Campagnolo’s gravel range is the Ekar. Many gravel bikes come with one of these gravel-specific groupsets. Sometimes some mountain bike components are mixed in as well.
Most touring bikes use a mix of road and mountain bike drivetrain components. For example, the crankset, rear derailleur, and cassette may be mountain bike components. Shimano Alivio is a common choice for these components. The front derailleur and shifters may be road bike components. Shimano Sora is a common choice for these components.
Touring bike drivetrains are optimized for durability and longevity. Most models come with mid-range components that are tried and true. Having the newest or lightest weight drivetrain isn’t important.
Touring bikes also usually have more universal drivetrain components that use older designs. This improves parts availability while traveling through remote regions and developing countries. For example, most modern touring bikes use 9 or 10 speed components. These are more common than 11 and 12 speed components. If your 9 speed cassette wears out while you’re touring through a rural town, there is a good chance you can find a replacement at the nearest bike shop.
If you’re not happy with your bike’s gearing, you can easily customize it to better suit your needs. A range of chainring and cassette options are available for every groupset. If you want to lower your gearing, you can install a cassette with a larger cog or a smaller chainring. If you want higher gearing, you can install a cassette with a smaller cog or a larger chainring.
Oftentimes you can mix and match gravel and mountain bike components. For example, Sram allows you to install a 10-50t wide range mountain bike cassette on their gravel groupset. This setup is called a ‘mullet.’ The extra low gear may be useful if you need to climb steep hills, ride technical terrain, or if you plan to load your gravel bike up with heavy bikepacking bags.
Some gravel bikes and touring bikes use internal gear hubs instead of derailleurs. These offer a number of benefits including reducing drivetrain maintenance. Some models also come with bel