Endurance Bikes vs All-Road Bikes vs Gravel Bikes

Today's drop-bar bikes come in a bewildering array of different options, including Endurance bikes, All-road bikes, and Gravel bikes. But which should you choose and why? We explore the key differences between endurance bikes vs all-road bikes vs gravel bikes and how to select the best one for you.

Endurance bikes look like ordinary road racing bikes but with one key difference – geometry! A slightly taller front end results in a riding position that’s more upright and relaxed, meaning more ride comfort for those longer days in the saddle. For all-day performance with comfort, it’s got to be ‘endurance’.

Designed for smooth tarmac, endurance bikes are lightweight, stiff and efficient. The built-in stiffness ensures that more of the power generated through the pedals is laid down to the road with little wasted effort. The tube shapes also mimic those of a race bike and are aero-optimised to counter the speed-limiting effects of wind resistance.

Visually, there is little to tell an All-road bike apart from its Endurance counterpart. Versatility is the main difference. An All-road bike also benefits from an 'endurance' geometry yet provides more stability on paved roads, dirt and gravel by virtue of having a more upright riding position. Similarly, like an Endurance bike, the All-road bike is lightweight and super-stiff where it counts, most notably in the bottom bracket and headtube areas. Thus, the frame's ability to lay down the power more efficiently while providing light and responsive steering control is improved, ensuring a nimble ride which is ideal for navigating tight, twisty roads and trails.

Tyres (as wide as 38 mm) provide extra shock absorption for more ride comfort. Tubeless tyre systems magnify this advantage by maximising traction, rolling resistance, and grip while vastly reducing the risk of punctures.

Gravel bikes essentially upgrade the multi-terrain features of an All-road bike that rides effortlessly where the pavement transitions into rough and rutted roads. They boast a long and low riding positon that remains supremely stable under load and when riding the most demanding terrain.

The advantages to this are twofold: first, it's more comfortable during longer rides. Nobody enjoys suffering towards the end of an epic and thoroughly enjoyable ride. Second, the gravel-optimised geometry provides better weight distribution, placing rider weight over the back wheel, which is more advantageous on tight, twisty and technical routes.

The Ribble Gravel range includes our most comprehensive selection of luggage mounts, allowing for an impressive cargo capacity. Whether you're embarking on a long bikepacking expedition, enjoying a weekend gravel getaway, or taking a leisurely day trip, these gravel bikes are designed to handle the challenges of carrying cargo over vast distances and the roughest terrain imaginable.

A wider tyre also ‘squats’ lower on the wheel rim, improving aerodynamic efficiency. Ribble's range of endurance road bikes equipped with disc brakes offer clearance for tyres up to 32 mm in width. Compare this with the 38 mm of our All-road bikes or 45/47 mm of the Gravel bikes and the extra tyre clearance is crucial to enhancing comfort and performance when riding off the beaten track.

The extra inner rim width of 'gravel/all-road' wheels enables large-volume tyres to be fitted, which stand straighter in the rim bed to enhance the tyre feel when cornering. It also allows these tyres to be run at much lower pressures, improving traction, grip, and comfort on the roughest terrain. Then there's the additional compatibility with tubeless tyre systems and the ability to switch out 700c wheels for off-road optimised 650b versions to suit any given terrain.

Gravel bikes, along with All-road bikes to a lesser extent, are designed to enhance luggage-carrying capabilities. To facilitate this, they come equipped with pannier rack mounts at the rear. In the case of Ribble's Gravel bike range, the forks are also drilled to accommodate 'carryall' mounts. These mounts serve as anchor points for various cages, allowing you to store items such as sleeping bags, ground mats, flasks, and more. This ensures that these bikes provide the extra luggage capacity needed for long journeys, making them suitable for those who want to circumnavigate the globe (if that's your kind of thing).

Ribble's Gravel range has ample mounts to carry vast amounts of luggage, as clearly evidenced by Lawrence Carpenter's fully loaded Gravel SL during his Moroccan Atlas Mountain odyssey.

Whereas All-road bikes may typically feature a choice of double or single ring drivetrains. Our latest Allroad range feature a double chainset paired with a wide range cassette that provides the highest level of assistance possible without significantly affecting the bikes on-road performance.

Gravel bikes are almost exclusively equipped with 1x groupsets, as this system is more straightforward, easier to maintain, and better at shedding mud when riding off-piste. The only perceived disadvantage of the 1x system is that the gaps between individual gear shifts are larger. This means that the steps between one gear and the next grow progressively wider as the chain moves up the sprockets on the rear wheel. Ideally, you want to minimise the gaps between gears to avoid disrupting your pedalling rhythm (cadence). These gaps prove less of a problem when riding off-road but are far less efficient on the road, especially when the need to shift up or down a handful of gears simultaneously is less pronounced.

Choosing the right gears for the terrain could be the difference between soaring up a climb or grinding it out.

For more information read our Ultimate Gearing Guide.

While modern road disc bikes are not specifically designed for gravel riding, their tyre clearance allows them to navigate smoother gravel paths. However, being limited to 32 mm tyres can make them somewhat inadequate for more challenging rides. The newest generation of Allroad bikes, which come equipped with slick road tyres, can keep pace on the fastest road rides. Additionally, their enhanced frame clearance accommodates wider, multi-surface tyres, making them a better choice for mixed surface adventures. With the distinctions between these bike types becoming increasingly blurred, selecting the right bike can be challenging.

In summary, if your primary goal is road riding, you should focus on an Endurance or Allroad bike. However, if you prefer off-road exploration, the extra tyre clearance and lower gear ratios of Allroad and Gravel bikes will serve you better.

To make an informed decision, consider the type of terrain you realistically expect to encounter. If you plan to ride a mix of roads with occasional off-road detours, an Allroad bike is ideal. On the other hand, if your routes are predominantly off-road, with only short stretches of tarmac connecting gravel trails, a gravel bike would be the best option, especially if you need to carry additional luggage.

Need more information on All-Road Bikes?

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