Romance and Reality on Gravel Roads: A Gravel Riding Adventure in Taiwan’s Mountains

The first time I heard the term “Gravel Bike,” my reaction was: “Isn’t that just a road bike with fat tires? Why does it need its own category?”

It wasn’t until I’d been riding a Gravel bike for a year that I understood this bike didn’t just open up a new way of riding—it opened up an entire world I never knew existed. Those forest roads hidden in Taiwan’s mid-elevation mountains, abandoned industrial roads, ancient trails paved with gravel—places road bikes can’t reach and mountain bikes find too easy. These are exactly Gravel Bike heaven.

Getting Hooked: One Bike Changes Everything

It all started two years ago. I spotted a Gravel Bike on display at a bike shop. It looked like a road bike, but the tires were noticeably wider, and the frame had plenty of mounting points for racks and bottle cages. The shop manager saw my curiosity and asked if I wanted to take it for a test ride.

“How long have you been riding road bikes?” he asked.

“Five years.”

“Then you must be pretty bored by now, right? Always the same routes.”

He hit the nail on the head. I had indeed started to feel that Taiwan’s road bike routes were all the same—Fengguizui, Yangmingshan, the North Coast, the West Coast. Beautiful scenery, but lacking that sense of adventure and excitement.

After one test loop, I ordered the bike. An entry-level Gravel Bike with an aluminum frame, equipped with a GRX groupset and 40C gravel tires. It cost nearly half as much as my road bike, but the joy it brought me far exceeded my expectations.

First Gravel Experience: The Forest Road in Wulai

On the first weekend after getting the bike, I rode to Wulai. Not via the usual road to the waterfall, but turning onto an industrial road leading into the mountains.

The moment I transitioned from asphalt to gravel, the feeling was completely different. Tires crunching over gravel, a slight vibration through the frame, a rough feedback coming through the handlebars. The complete opposite of a road bike’s smoothness, yet strangely exhilarating.

That forest road was about ten kilometers long. The gradient wasn’t steep, but the surface conditions were varied—packed gravel sections, soft dirt sections, and sections with ruts carved out by rainwater. I had to constantly adjust my center of gravity, pick my line, and control my speed. My brain was working several times harder than when riding a road bike, but precisely because of that, there was no room left to think about work or life’s worries.

At the end of the forest road was a small viewing platform overlooking the entire Wulai river valley. There was no one else around—just the sounds of insects, birds, and the stream below. I sat on a rock, ate an energy bar, and felt like I’d discovered a secret base.

Exploring Taiwan’s Gravel Routes

Over the following year, I began systematically exploring routes in Taiwan suitable for Gravel Bikes. Here are a few of my top recommendations:

Northern Taiwan

Pingxi to Shuangxi Industrial Road: Turn off near Pingxi Old Street onto the mountain industrial road, winding up along a tributary of the upper Keelung River. The surface is mostly gravel with occasional concrete sections. Along the way, you’ll pass several abandoned mining sites, full of historical atmosphere. The total distance is about 25 kilometers with roughly 500 meters of climbing.

Around Yangmingshan’s Water Pipeline Trail: Yangmingshan National Park has some unpaved maintenance roads wide enough for Gravel Bikes. However, be aware of the park’s regulations regarding bicycles—some trails are off-limits to riding.

Central Taiwan

Aowanda Access Road: The industrial road entering Aowanda from the Wushe direction has a long gravel section. Riding here during the autumn maple season is breathtakingly beautiful. The road conditions are more primitive, so I’d recommend it for experienced riders. The total distance is about 20 kilometers with roughly 700 meters of climbing.

Forest Roads Around the Wujie Tribe: Near the Wujie tribe in Ren’ai Township, Nantou, there are several industrial roads leading to tea plantations and high-mountain vegetable farms. The gravel surfaces are in good condition and the scenery is spectacular. However, public transport is inconvenient, so I’d suggest driving there with your bike.

Southern Taiwan

Alishan Tea Plantation Trails: Along the Alishan Highway (Provincial Highway 18), there are many small roads leading to tea plantations, with surfaces ranging from gravel to laterite. Riding through misty, cloud-wrapped tea plantations feels almost dreamlike.

Eastern Taiwan

Ruisui to Wuhe Terrace Industrial Roads: In the direction from Ruisui, Hualien, toward the Wuhe Terrace, there are gravel roads cutting through coffee and tea plantations. The terrain is gently rolling and the road conditions are good—suitable for Gravel beginners.

The Technical Challenges of Gravel Riding

Gravel riding differs greatly from road cycling in terms of technique. Here are a few key skills I’ve learned over the past year:

1. Center of Gravity Control

Gravel surfaces offer far less traction than asphalt, especially on loose gravel and slippery mud. When riding on such surfaces, controlling your center of gravity is crucial:

• Climbing: Shift your weight slightly forward to prevent the rear wheel from slipping and spinning. But don’t lean too far forward, or the front wheel will lose directional control
• Descending: Move your weight back, lift your hips slightly off the saddle, and use your arms and legs as shock absorbers. Don’t grip the handlebars tightly—give the bike some freedom to absorb road vibrations
• Cornering: Unlike road bikes where you can lean the bike over at steep angles, on gravel you should keep the bike as upright as possible and use body lean to change direction

2. Line Choice

On gravel, your eyes should be looking farther ahead and scanning a wider area than on a road bike. Observe the road conditions five to ten meters ahead and choose the most stable line:

• Packed gravel in tire ruts (wheel tracks) is usually the most stable line
• Avoid loose gravel piles and soft mud at the road edges
• When encountering puddles, if you’re unsure of the depth, it’s better to go around them

3. Brake Control

Braking hard on gravel is almost equivalent to crashing. The principles of braking are:

• Brake early—don’t wait until you’re right at the corner to slow down
• Use both front and rear brakes simultaneously, at a ratio of about 40/60 (less front, more rear)—the opposite of road biking
• If the rear wheel starts to slide, immediately release the brakes to let the tires regain traction

4. Tire Pressure Settings

Gravel riding uses much lower tire pressure than road biking. My rule of thumb:

Surface Type	Recommended Pressure (40C Tires)
Packed Gravel	40-45 PSI
Loose Gravel	35-40 PSI
Dirt Surface	30-35 PSI
Mixed Surface	38-42 PSI

If the pressure is too high, the tires will bounce over gravel and lose traction; if it’s too low, you risk snakebite punctures (unless you’re running tubeless).

Crash Lessons: The Best Teacher

In one year of riding Gravel, I crashed three times.

The first time was on a descending gravel section. The rear wheel hit an unstable large rock, slid out instantly, and I went down with the bike into the grass by the roadside. Fortunately, it was grass and not a pile of rocks—I only ended up with scraped elbows and knees. Lesson learned: descending too fast.

The second time was on a muddy surface. The front wheel sank into a soft mud pit hidden beneath the water’s surface, the bike stopped abruptly, and I flew over the handlebars. I landed on my shoulder and was in pain for two weeks. Lesson learned: don’t ride into puddles you can’t see the bottom of.

The third time was cornering with too much lean angle. The front wheel slid out on loose gravel. My reflexes were quick enough that I caught myself with my hands—only my palms were scraped. Lesson learned: gravel isn’t pavement; you can’t lean into corners.

The total cost of those three crashes: some scrapes and bruises, one pair of ruined cycling shorts, and a scratched lens on a pair of sunglasses. But the experience gained was priceless. Now when I ride gravel, my body automatically makes the right reactions—and those reactions were all earned through crashing.

The Future of Gravel in Taiwan

Taiwan is actually perfectly suited for Gravel Riding. We have an abundance of mid-elevation forest roads, industrial roads, and ancient trails, with surface conditions that fall right within a Gravel Bike’s capabilities. Add to that the fact that Taiwan’s mountain scenery is world-class to begin with—it’s just that most people have only ever seen it from the road.

In recent years, Taiwan’s Gravel community has been growing rapidly. Several major bike shops and teams have started organizing Gravel riding events, and some people are maintaining route databases. I’m in a Gravel Facebook group myself, and every day someone shares newly discovered routes and riding experiences.

If you’re a road cyclist who’s tired of your existing routes, I strongly recommend giving Gravel a try. You don’t need to buy a dedicated bike right away—borrow a friend’s or rent one for a test ride. The moment you first ride onto gravel, the first time you venture into a valley you’ve never been to, the first time you see a view on a forest road where you’re the only one around that leaves you speechless—you’ll understand.

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Beginner’s advice for Gravel Bikes: An aluminum frame is perfectly fine; you don’t need to go carbon from the start. Tire width should be at least 38C; 40C is the most versatile size. Disc brakes are a must. A budget of NT$60,000–80,000 will get you a very capable entry-level Gravel Bike.

Related Reading

• Gravel Bike Off-Road Riding: The Rise of Gravel Roads and Taiwan Routes
• Taiwan Gravel Route Recommendations: Riding Adventures Off the Pavement
• The Rise of Gravel Bikes: How Off-Road Riding Is Changing Road Bike Culture
• Gravel Bike Beginner’s Guide: The Perfect Balance Between Road Bikes and Mountain Bikes