For the reason that daybreak of the game, gravel has been synonymous with phrases like “innovation,” “grit,” and “spirit.” Races have change into longer, routes have change into more difficult, and athletes have change into extra experimental. Whereas highway racing obsesses over marginal good points, gravel racers consider one thing loopy, an thought so outside-the-box that it simply would possibly work.
Do you bear in mind the primary time a professional gravel racer put MTB tyres on their gravel bike? All of us thought it was ludicrous. But, only some years later, this has change into the norm at races like Huge Sugar Gravel. This begs the query: what’s coming subsequent? What loopy thought in 2025 will change into the norm in 2027?
1. Gravel Aero Goes Mainstream—Particularly on the Pointy Finish
In case you are a gravel racer, you could have probably thought of a thousand alternative ways to make your setup quicker. Whether or not that’s an built-in cockpit or a wind tunnel-tested place, you’ve probably had the thought. Regardless of the arduous 200-300km race distances, gravel has shifted in direction of race-optimised setups that embrace deep rim carbon wheels, aero frames, and skin-tight aero fits. What’s coming subsequent might be an enlargement on the aero precedence, small however decisive refinements and a better have a look at the main points.
Look ahead to:
2. Tyre Width Stabilizes (Or Decreases)
2025 was the 12 months of tyre enlargement, however we could have already reached the height of the curve. As programs grew extra technical, situations more difficult, and flat tyres extra consequential, gravel riders opted for bigger and bigger tyres. In lots of races, resembling Unbound Gravel and Huge Sugar, a big variety of professionals mounted 2.2” MTB tyres onto their gravel racing setup.
Bigger tyres sometimes present extra grip and puncture safety, however gravel tyre tech is enhancing quickly. It gained’t be lengthy earlier than 45-50mm gravel tyres are, as soon as once more, quicker than MTB tyres, even on technical terrain. After all, there’ll nonetheless be excessive circumstances the place MTB tyres are quicker, however these might be few and much between. And it’s not simply tyre tech that’s evolving at a speedy fee…
3. You Will See Suspension Forks All over the place
Like MTB tyres on gravel bikes, suspension forks was once for ‘excessive circumstances solely.’ However that’s altering at a speedy fee, and now you could find suspension forks on the beginning line of any gravel race. Even the professionals are utilizing them, and which means they’re quick. Whereas they may add a tiny little bit of weight, they will additionally enhance aerodynamics when paired with the suitable body and tyre width.
Suspension forks, such because the RockShox Rudy and Lauf Grit, can enhance traction and luxury throughout a variety of terrain. You would possibly need to go inflexible for the quickest, smoothest gravel races, however most gravel routes embrace some mixture of singletrack, washboard descents and wooded tech sections. When you think about the improved aerodynamics of a suspension fork setup, it turns into the go-to choice for many gravel occasions.
4. Suspension Seatposts Develop into Acceptable (and Quick)
Talking of suspension, the fork isn’t the one space you possibly can add the bump-numbing stuff to a gravel bike. Suspension seatposts have been round for years, first incomes the highlight at Paris-Roubaix. The bumpy cobblestones begged for an innovation that improved consolation on tough terrain, and thus, suspension seatposts have been born. Whereas these flexible and versatile seatposts aren’t for everybody, they might change into more and more well-liked on highway and gravel bikes.
Hold a watch out for:
- 20-40 mm seatposts with new suspension designs
- Adjustable “race mode” stiffness settings
- Gravel frames designed round flex posts
5. Tyre Inserts Develop into Commonplace Tools
As gravel tyres change into lighter and quicker, they will additionally change into much less flat-resistant. It’s a basic unfavorable correlation: the quicker and lighter your setup, the extra fragile it turns into. Gravel biking is just not the place for fragility. In reality, most mavens would in all probability go for a heavier and extra sturdy setup if it lower their puncture threat in half.
Whereas tyre tech is enhancing at a speedy fee, it isn’t sufficient to remove the possibilities of a flat. Thus, many professionals have run tyre inserts to extend safety. Inserts have a nasty rap of being heavy and sluggish. However because the tech improves, they might change into a gravel rider’s finest pal.
By 2027, anticipate most gravel setups to incorporate:
- Featherweight tyre inserts
- Inserts enabling decrease tyre pressures that enhance consolation and pace
- Manufacturers providing tyre+insert programs
- Inserts that add lateral stability for cornering
6. The Rise of “Good” Gravel Computer systems
Maybe this one is a little bit of a stretch, a bonus level, and one thing that I’d personally like to see in gravel. All of us love tech, and all of us love gravel. To actually mix the 2, we need to see as a lot information as doable in actual time. How cool would it not be should you may see real-time floor situations, rolling resistance and traction ranges in your bike pc?
Think about coming right into a nook, and your bike pc is telling you to what pace you’ll want to decelerate to make the nook with out dropping traction. It’s a bit Black Mirror-esque, like piloting a self-driving automobile, nevertheless it may be the way forward for gravel.
These are some far-fetched concepts, however it will even be good to have a motorcycle pc that gives safer turn-by-turn cues and auto-rerouting that truly avoids unrideable terrain. Have you ever ever been rerouted onto a 65mph freeway in Arkansas? As a result of I’ve.
Ultimate Ideas
Gravel is essentially the most quickly evolving section of biking. It’s half innovation lab, half wild west, and half escape from conventional highway tradition. Whereas the spirit of gravel could also be lifeless, there is no such thing as a signal that the game is slowing down. Races are promoting out quicker than ever, and there are 1,000,000 new gravel merchandise yearly. We’ll preserve an in depth eye on which of them are advertising makes an attempt and that are right here to remain.
The actual fact of the matter is, gravel isn’t going anyplace. When there are this many gifted individuals in a single area, innovation thrives, and loopy concepts flip into time-tested actions.
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