Gravel Bike Tours
What is a gravel ride?
Gravel riding is an adventurous type of cycling! Combining a bit of road riding and a bit of mountain biking, a gravel route is mostly on unpaved roads, trails, paths and everything in between.
Want to add an element of thrill to your cycling experience? Try out a gravel ride! The captivating scenery along the way makes gravel grinding one of the best cycling adventures around.
If you happen to be passing through the Ohiopyle area, check out our library of amazing Ohiopyle gravel routes that our staff has compiled. Less than 1 hour from Pittsburgh is a lifetime of gravel rides.
Join Us on a Fully Supported Gravel Tour!
Colorado
Bike through stunning beauty on our Trinidad Colorado gravel tour and take in the majestic mountains, beautiful vistas and wildlife.
New York
Our New York Backroads & Brews gravel tour is an approachable, multi-surface ride based near New York’s largest Finger Lake, Seneca Lake. The routes follow a mix of back roads and gravel roads near the Finger Lakes National Forest. We’ll spend all three nights at the Lodge at Grist Iron Brewing Co.
West Virginia
Take five days to explore the best of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia! On this gravel tour of the Mountain State, we’ll ride and hike to some of the most scenic vistas the Appalachian Mountains have to offer.
Our central location is Davis, West Virginia, the highest town in the state and a hub of world-class outdoor recreation opportunities, with outstanding access to pristine and wild public lands. Davis is also becoming home to a thriving scene of local businesses, artisans, eateries, and breweries. You’re sure to find something amazing around every turn of this fantastic gravel tour in the mountains.
Gravel Tour Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of bike do I need for a gravel tour?
The ideal bike for this kind of riding is a gravel bike. Most bikes made for gravel riding are designed to be fast and comfortable on unpaved surfaces. They have drop handlebars, disc brakes and clearance for wide, knobby tires. Gravel bikes are similar to cyclocross bikes, but they have a more relaxed riding position for long days in the saddle. (On these tours, we offer the Kona Rove as a rental.)
That being said, you can definitely enjoy a gravel ride on a cyclocross bike or a cross-country mountain bike with fast-rolling, lightweight tires. The most important thing is that you have advanced bike handling skills and experience climbing, cornering and descending on loose surfaces.
This isn’t rail trail riding — for the right rider, is both more challenging and more fun!
Can I bring an e-bike on a gravel tour?
Due to safety concerns, we cannot accommodate e-bikes on our gravel tours.
Will there be cars?
Yes, but very few. Our gravel routes include some necessary riding on quiet paved roads to get from place to place. The actual gravel roads may have a few cars, but they will be going much slower than vehicles on main roads. This makes the riding significantly quieter and more enjoyable than riding on pavement.
Are trails like the Katy Trail and the C&O considered gravel?
No — although the surfaces are similar, a gravel ride is very different from a straight, flat rail trail. On a gravel ride, you’ll have to turn, climb and descend on rough or loose surfaces. That’s the fun part!
