Cycling UK Forum

Hi all, I’m a novice after a bit of advice please.

I have a 2018 Giant Contend 2 and am wondering if this entry level road bike could be converted to an entry level gravel bike. My research so far seems to suggest its possible but how? I could do with some specific advice such as simply swapping the wheels and tyres and what would be compatible.

Has anybody else done this?
Thanks

Has it rim brakes and 25mm tyres?
Very little chance if so
Or disc brakes?

It's got caliper rim brakes, it's simply not worth trying.
You might squeeze a slightly wider tyre in there but a bike of that era won't have anything like the clearances to make a proper go of it.

That said, it depends what you're planning on doing on it. Bimbling up and down a hardpacked gravel trail (like an old railway line), it'll be fine unless it's properly muddy/wet.

Trying to do a proper gravel ride like Dirty Reiver...well that'll be a very quick way to break yourself and the bike!

Convert an old MTB.
Here's mine.

Thanks for your replies. Yes it has rim brakes and 25mm tyres.

I am mainly thinking of using on old railway line so well made gravel track as well as still using on the road. I’m just getting back into cycling and fed up of getting punctures from pot holes etc so just after something more robust.

Is there such a thing as budget gravel wheels to take slightly thicker tyres and work with rim brakes?

The limiting factor is probably the clearance for the tyres at the fork and the frame. Also the brakes will only take tyres up to a certain size. Trial and error is the only way to be sure. 700x28s might fit. Does there look to be clearance to spare all round the 25s that are fitted?

700x28s would probably fit your existing rims and be noticeably better on poor surfaces than 25s.

Ianw3401 wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 8:18pm Is there such a thing as budget gravel wheels to take slightly thicker tyres and work with rim brakes?

Any road wheels will be strong enough for basic gravel trail stuff like Sustrans paths.
Literally the only thing that you'll be able to do on that bike is fit some slightly fatter, but still "road" (ie slick) tyres. It doesn't have the clearance for knobbly tyres and you won't need them on an average railway path anyway.

Try something like these:
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/parts/ty ... c_EALw_wcB

rareposter wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 8:40pm

Ianw3401 wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 8:18pm Is there such a thing as budget gravel wheels to take slightly thicker tyres and work with rim brakes?

Any road wheels will be strong enough for basic gravel trail stuff like Sustrans paths.
Literally the only thing that you'll be able to do on that bike is fit some slightly fatter, but still "road" (ie slick) tyres. It doesn't have the clearance for knobbly tyres and you won't need them on an average railway path anyway.

Try something like these:
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/parts/ty ... c_EALw_wcB

Yes. Although my Spec Roubaix frame/forks does take 32mm tyres (without guards!), which is a substantial improvement in terms of surface-eating ability (even with slicks). Certainly nice on rail-trail stuff, and lots of people would say that is enough for (dry!) bridleway-bashing, if you choose your routes.

Above 32mm? Yeah, you need cantis or discs.

You can get away with quite narrow tyres off road, if you are careful and not too big a rider. I’m 75 kg and have ridden my converted touring bike with 30mm tyres on some challenging terrain without damaging tho bike or me.
We are in the Yorkshire Dales at present. I gambled that of all my bikes the above mentioned would cope with the routes (actually, I chose it cos it was light enough to get in the car without paggering me back ). Here’s a photo from the ridge above Scar House reservoir. I rode the whole 12 mile circuit including this rocky descent. Plenty of excitement, no drama.

From the first moment I had my Salsa Vaya tourer I rode it on what passes for gravel tracks in tbe Chilterns. Its shod with 700x37 Panaracer Paselas for touring, quite light tyres. For more serious gravel Schwalbe Land Cruisers are the business. However, personally I would prefer a decent MTB.

Al

IMO, there is a difference between what you can do off-road with fairly narrow tyres, and what it is comfortable to do, the natural tendency (my natural tendency at least) being to ride to the limit of bumpy and uncomfortable on whatever tyres you’re using.

For a very long time I used 32mm touring/utility tyres, then moved up to c37mm touring/utility tyres, and have now up moved again to 40mm tubeless tyres designed specifically for off-road. Each move has been prompted by rattling myself to bits and wheel-spinning to a halt on steep slopes on the tyres I was using, and each has allowed me to go either slightly quicker on the same bumpiness, or the same (slow) speed on the next degree of bumpiness up.

Would I move up in size again, maybe to 45mm, which is the maximum my bike will accept? Probably not, because once you get to the sort of size I’m at now the drag penalty on hard paved sections begins to be noticeable, especially I find when hill-climbing on roads.

In short, I reckon you can ride off-road on any tyres, but “how far” off road increases with tyre width and tread type. On 28mm slicks, the degree of off-roadness that you can tackle without acute discomfort and/or coming adrift rather frequently will be quite limited.

Ianw3401 wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 8:18pm Thanks for your replies. Yes it has rim brakes and 25mm tyres.

I am mainly thinking of using on old railway line so well made gravel track as well as still using on the road. I’m just getting back into cycling and fed up of getting punctures from pot holes etc so just after something more robust.

Is there such a thing as budget gravel wheels to take slightly thicker tyres and work with rim brakes?

Gravel tyres are not necessarily more puncture resistant. For that you need tyres designed to be puncture resistant eg Shwalbe Marathons. Those you can run on your road bike - I use 25mm ones on my commuter.

Depending on what you mean by "well made gravel" a road bike may be perfectly fine as-is.

Some 25mm tyres in a race.

Ianw3401 wrote: ↑23 May 2023, 8:18pm Thanks for your replies. Yes it has rim brakes and 25mm tyres.

I am mainly thinking of using on old railway line so well made gravel track as well as still using on the road. I’m just getting back into cycling and fed up of getting punctures from pot holes etc so just after something more robust.

Is there such a thing as budget gravel wheels to take slightly thicker tyres and work with rim brakes?

If you're getting punctures from potholes then your tyres may be under inflated - 25mm should have about 6 or 7 bar, IMHO

All you can do is bung in the biggest tyres possible and try it. Comfort is subjective as is "gravel"