Complete Guide to Gravel Bikes: Exploring Taiwan’s Endless Off-Road Possibilities

The gravel bike has become one of the hottest categories in cycling in recent years. It’s not a pure road bike, and it’s not a mountain bike — it’s the perfect fusion of both. For riders in Taiwan, the gravel bike opens up an entirely new world of riding: the mysterious zones between paved roads and mountain trails, places a normal road bike can’t reach and a mountain bike would be overkill for.

What Is a Gravel Bike?

Design Definition

A gravel bike is designed to be an all-rounder capable of handling a wide range of road conditions:

Feature	Description
Tire size	700x35-45c (wider than road, narrower than MTB)
Frame geometry	Between road and mountain bikes (more stable than road)
Drivetrain	1x (single chainring) or 2x
Handlebar	Drop bar (road-style) or flared bar (wider angle)
Mounting points	Multiple rack/bag mounts (built for touring)

Gravel Bike vs Road Bike vs Mountain Bike

Comparison	Road Bike	Gravel Bike	Mountain Bike
Speed (pavement)	★★★★★	★★★★	★★★
Off-road capability	★	★★★	★★★★★
Comfort	★★★	★★★★	★★★★
Load carrying (touring)	★★	★★★★★	★★★★
All-terrain adaptability	★★	★★★★	★★★★★

Core Gravel Bike Technology

The Critical Role of Tires

The biggest performance differentiator on a gravel bike comes from its tires:

Tire width	Suitable conditions	Characteristics
35-38mm	Mostly pavement, occasional gravel	High efficiency, limited off-road capability
40-42mm	Works on both pavement and gravel roads	The most versatile choice
45-50mm	Mostly gravel/dirt roads	Strong off-road capability, reduced road efficiency

Tubeless systems are practically standard on gravel bikes today:

• Lower tire pressure (35-55 psi) without pinch flats
• Better traction on loose surfaces
• Sealant automatically seals small punctures

Differences in Geometry

Gravel bike geometry is designed to be more comfortable and stable than a road bike’s:

Geometry feature	Road Bike	Gravel Bike
Top tube length	Shorter	Slightly longer
Head tube angle	Steeper (70-72°)	Slacker (68-70°)
Fork rake	Smaller	Larger (more stable)
BB height	Lower	Slightly higher (more ground clearance)
Wheelbase	Shorter	Longer (more stable)

Choosing a Drivetrain

The 1x vs 2x debate:

System	Pros	Cons	Best for
1x (single chainring)	Simple, lightweight, no chain drop	Needs a wide-range cassette	Rolling/varied terrain
2x (double chainring)	Wider gear range	Front derailleur adds weight and complexity	Fast flats + climbing combined

Recommendations for riding Taiwan’s mountains:

• Mostly climbing: 1x with a 40T or 38T chainring paired with a 10-51T or 11-42T cassette
• Mixed flats and climbing: 2x with 46-30 or 48-32 chainrings

Recommended Gravel Routes in Taiwan

Taiwan’s abundant forest roads, mountain roads, and farm roads are ideal for gravel exploration:

Northern Taiwan

Wulai Forest Road Network (New Taipei City)

• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Conditions: Pavement transitioning to gravel forest roads
• Suggested starting point: Wulai Old Street
• Highlights: Mountain roads around waterfalls and hot springs

Jinshan–Shimen Farm Roads (New Taipei’s North Coast)

• Difficulty: Beginner
• Conditions: Farm roads, low-traffic roads
• Highlights: North Coast scenery, farmland views

Beiyi Highway Side Route Exploration

• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Conditions: Partly paved, partly gravel
• Highlights: Quiet mountain roads away from the main highway

Central Taiwan

Guguan to Deji Forest Road Exploration (Taichung)

• Difficulty: Advanced
• Conditions: Mixed pavement and gravel
• Highlights: Scenery along the Dajia River, Lishan agricultural area

Nantou Jiji Branch Line and Farm Roads

• Difficulty: Beginner to intermediate
• Conditions: Converted former railway bike path plus surrounding farm roads
• Highlights: Jiji Green Tunnel, rural scenery

Southern Taiwan

Meinong Agricultural Area (Kaohsiung)

• Difficulty: Beginner
• Conditions: Flat farm roads, occasional gravel
• Highlights: Some of Taiwan’s most beautiful flatland farm scenery, tobacco fields

Hengchun Peninsula Backroad Exploration (Pingtung)

• Difficulty: Beginner to intermediate
• Conditions: Remote backroads, areas near the beach
• Highlights: Lesser-known trails around Kenting

Eastern Taiwan

Coastal Mountain Range Farm Roads (Hualien, Taitung)

• Difficulty: Advanced
• Conditions: Mountain farm roads, some steep sections
• Highlights: Stunning views overlooking the Pacific Ocean

Gravel Bike Buying Guide

Budget Recommendations

Budget (NT$)	Recommendation	Representative models
$20,000-40,000	Entry-level gravel bike, mostly aluminum frames	Giant Revolt 2, Trek Checkpoint ALR
$40,000-80,000	Mid-range carbon, full features	Specialized Diverge Comp, Cervelo Aspero
$80,000-150,000	High-end carbon, premium groupsets	Cannondale Topstone Carbon, Orbea Terra
$150,000+	Top-tier all-rounder	Specialized Diverge STR, 3T Exploro Race

Key Considerations

1. Primary use case

• 70% road / 30% gravel: choose a gravel bike with more road-like geometry
• 50/50 mixed: choose a standard gravel geometry
• 30% road / 70% gravel: choose a gravel bike closer to a hardtail MTB

2. Tire clearance
Maximum supported tire width varies by frame:

• Entry-level gravel bikes: typically up to 42-45mm
• Advanced gravel bikes: up to 47-50mm
• Some designs: support 650b wheels (wider 2.1" tires)

3. Mounting points
If you plan to do bikepacking, check the frame has:

• Fork rack mounts (3-pack mounts ideal)
• Down tube mounts (for bottle cages or bags)
• Top tube bag mounts
• Rear rack mounts

Key Gravel Riding Techniques

Adjustments When Coming From a Road Bike

Technique adjustment	Description
Lower tire pressure	30-40% lower than road (typically 35-55 psi)
Loosen your grip	Gravel surfaces need your arms to absorb shock — don’t grip tightly
Lower your center of gravity	Gravel riding needs more stability than road riding
Learn to “drift”	Some tire slip on loose surfaces is normal — don’t overreact

Climbing Technique

Climbing on gravel differs from climbing on the road:

• Move your weight forward on the saddle: on loose surfaces, shifting weight forward increases front-wheel traction
• Keep power delivery smooth: sudden hard pedal strokes can spin out the rear wheel
• Maintain a lower cadence (70-80rpm), which is more stable than a high cadence

Taiwan’s Gravel Cycling Community

Taiwan’s gravel cycling community is growing quickly:

• Gravel Taiwan (Facebook group): Taiwan’s largest gravel cycling community
• Various counties and cities regularly host gravel riding events
• Taiwan Gravel Route Database (a large number of Taiwan riders’ routes are uploaded on Komoot)

Conclusion

The gravel bike represents a philosophical shift in cycling: from the pursuit of speed to the pursuit of exploration. It lets you ride that dirt trail you’ve always wondered about but never taken, and discover that there’s another Taiwan waiting beyond the end of the pavement.

If you already own a road bike and have started wondering where that dirt path beside the road leads — maybe it’s time to consider a gravel bike.

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