You bought a gravel bike and want to get the most out of it? With a little gravel accessory in the right places, you can make your bike even better.
In this blog post, we show you which updates can take the comfort and functionality of your bike to the next level.
GPS Computer for Navigation on Gravel Bike Tours
Graveling starts where the known paths end. But where exactly is that? With a GPS bike computer, that is, a bike navigation system, the navigation in unfamiliar terrain is considerably easier. You can plan a cool gravel tour with Komoot, for example, or download an already planned tour and then easily follow it under the guidance of your bike navigation. With this gravel bike accessory, you can definitely enhance your rides and add more variety to your tours. Even a simple speedometer is a lot of fun, as you can track duration, speed, and distance.
Whether you prefer to use devices from Garmin or Wahoo is purely a matter of taste, we can recommend both manufacturers.
Bike Navigation
Navigation/GPS | Bike Computer | Mounts
Lighting for the Night
Riding the gravel bike through the night has several advantages. These include empty streets and paths, better compatibility with work and family, and an extra dose of mental strength.
However, the whole thing really only makes sense and is fun with a good lighting system. Especially on rough terrain, it can become really dangerous without proper lighting.
- With a hub dynamo and a bike light like the SON Edelux II LED headlight, you not only turn night into day but also don't have to worry about the power supply.
- But even with a battery light, such as the Busch & Müller IXON IQ Speed, you can provide the necessary lighting – it's important to keep an eye on the battery level with battery-powered lamps.
Bike Lighting
Battery Bike Lighting | Bike Lighting with Dynamo
Mudguards against dirt and wetness
Mudguards on a gravel bike may not be considered very sexy, but this practical gravel bike accessory ensures that you and your bike stay clean and dry. A muddy jersey and a dirt-encrusted gravel bike might make for a good Instagram photo, but riding a gravel tour while wet and freezing is only half as fun.
Additionally, mudguards on a gravel bike have the nice side effect that your less muddy bike expects significantly less cleaning effort after a ridden tour.
Which mudguards are suitable for your gravel bike?
There are clip-on mudguards that you can attach and detach in no time. These mudguards are best suited for occasional rainy tours, as you can quickly store them back in the basement. However, if you want to sit on your gravel bike often and for long periods in winter, it's worth investing in more robust accessories – permanently mounted mudguards. Many bikes already have eyelets where you can screw on the fenders to ensure they sit firmly and don't flutter or rattle.
Mudguards for Gravel Bikes
permanently mounted mudguards | clip-on mudguards | Mudguards
Bags for transport
Somewhere you need to store your gear on the go – bicycle bags in different sizes and at different positions on the bike are the perfect solution for this! Not only for big adventures like bikepacking or multi-day tours are bicycle bags the ideal gravel bike accessory, but they are also practical for day tours. Often a handlebar bag is enough for tools and other accessories – and your bike already looks like adventure and freedom.
On the other hand, it is more comfortable not to store energy bars, a rain jacket, and tools in pockets on your body. Especially on longer tours, you sit much more comfortably than with a backpack or fully packed jersey pockets.
> The accessory for the accessory: bicycle bags for gravel bikes
Tools you can store in the gravel bike
Even if you want to travel super minimally with your gravel bike, you should have a multifunctional tool with you. Tools that can be stored directly inside your gravel bike are particularly recommended. can. Helpers like the Granite STASH Multitool disappear into cavities in the frame, in the handlebar ends, or in the fork steerer. Once you have stowed this gravel bike accessory, you will always have the necessary tool with you, and you won't have to waste thoughts or space on it.
Bicycle part or gravel accessory? Tires for more grip!
A much-discussed and important topic in gravel biking is the selection of the right tires. They significantly contribute to the riding feel, agility, and, of course, the feeling of safety – the grip.
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With the right choice of tire, you can not only visually enhance your gravel bike but, above all, unlock better performance. |
Which tires for which gravel bike?
- If you are mainly on the road and on dirt paths, you generally don't need any or only shallow treads. Additionally, your tires don't need to be particularly wide. The MAXXIS Re-Fuse with a width of 32 mm would be a good choice for this and a real upgrade if you previously used knobby tires.
- However, if you are primarily off-road, on trails, forest paths, and gravel roads , then wider knobby tires provide a lot of grip and comfort. This applies, for example, to the Raddler from WTB with a tire width of 44 mm.
- For bad weather and winter, winter tires or all-weather tires are sensible accessories that prevent you from skidding off the road on slippery surfaces.
It is important to note that your rolling resistance increases the wider and more knobby your tires become. But not only that, the weight also increases! The narrower and smoother your tire is, the better you glide over the road. The selection is huge, because on many gravel bikes, you can mount not only gravel tires but also city bike tires, road bike tires or even narrow off-road tires and it's always worth considering this accessory to find the optimal tire for your purpose.
Handlebars & Handlebar Tape for More Comfort
Since things can get rough with the gravel bike, it's important that you don't lose control. A suitable drop bar and the right handlebar tape can help you with that.
The longer your tours are, the more meticulous you should be in selecting bicycle parts and accessories that influence your seating position – especially a suitable handlebar. A good approach is to choose a slightly wider, comfortable handlebar with flare (flared ends) to use. One of our favorites among gravel handlebars is the SPANK Flare 25 Vibrocore. It is available in different widths to suit different shoulder widths. Additionally, it features a Spank "Vibrocore" – a filling that minimizes shocks and vibrations, relieving your hands and arms and bringing more calm to your upper body.
The handlebar tape of a gravel bike should primarily be non-slip and decently thick. Non-slip, because you don't want to slip off the handlebars, even in wet conditions. Slightly thicker handlebar tape dampens vibrations and allows your hands to grip calmly and loosely. Products like Supacaz Super Sticky Kush have proven themselves with their silicone surface and a thickness of 3 mm.
Accessories for a comfortable gravel cockpit
Gravel Handlebars | Handlebar Tape | Stems
Tubeless tires for fewer punctures while gravel riding
Modern gravel bikes benefit from the influences of the mountain bike world. Disc brakes, dropper posts, and of course the wide, treaded tires are good examples of bike accessories that are popular in both worlds. Tubeless tire systems are also among them. There are many gravel riders who swear by their tubeless system, and it is really worth trying tubeless.
With the right gravel bike accessories, converting to a tubeless tire system is easy and done in no time. Besides a tubeless-compatible rim, you need some basic equipment like the appropriate tubeless-ready tires, sealant, and tubeless valves.
The big advantage of a tubeless tire is the reduced susceptibility to punctures – truly invaluable on long gravel routes! Small thorns or shards can pierce the tire, but since there is no vulnerable tube inside, you can usually just keep riding. The sealant in the tire fills the small hole and seals it immediately, often you won't even notice the small punctures!
Convert to Tubeless Tires
Tubeless Tires | Tubeless Accessories
A telescopic seatpost - MTB accessory goes gravel
A telescopic seatpost is a really worthwhile gravel bike add-on. With it, you have the option to retract and extend your saddle at the push of a button. This provides more freedom of movement between your legs during descent and allows you a controlled ride when the trail demands everything from you. If it goes steeply uphill again afterwards, you can infinitely extend the saddle height at the push of a button and return it to its original position. Dropper posts have long been a fixture in the mountain bike sector, and in recent years they have also become increasingly popular as gravel bike accessories.
Light wheels for a lighter gravel bike
Our last point on the pimp-your-gravel-bike list is also one of the most important tips around gravel bike accessories. The right wheels not only provide a lot of function and riding comfort on your bike, but also contribute significantly to the weight.
Especially in affordable gravel bikes, wheels are often skimped on. Heavy rims and hubs are used, which cause the overall weight to skyrocket. This also increases the rotating mass, which affects riding comfort and joy.
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We therefore recommend installing high-quality and lightweight gravel wheels. |
Accessories for the gravel bike - our conclusion
There is plenty of gravel bike accessories to upgrade your gravel bike. Some of it is quick and easy to install, while others require a little more planning and know-how. The costs of accessory updates also vary greatly - while for example, handlebar tape only costs a few euros, wheels can quickly break the 1,000€ barrier.
Whatever gravel bike updates you choose, they all have their justification and will definitely make your next ride a little bit better.
Gravel Bikes in the BMO Online Shop
view all gravel bikes now | Gravel bikes for women | Gravel bikes for men
