IcySwan1 

I have nice Roll Elite with 650b tires and a nice Trek Domane. Fast gravel bikes seem pretty neat, but do most folks just use their hybrid bikes for gravel trips or buy a specific gravel bike? The dedicated gravel bikes are attractive, but absent some sort of race or fitness goal, the hybrid seems to tick most of the boxes.

Mike

freeranger

A good friend rides his FX 3 hybrid on rail-trails all over the U.S. And many more hybrids are used by people he rides with. Just want a hybrid that will accept tires that aren't too thin, and how wide depends on the gravel you're riding, whether "chunky" or smoother, like crushed limestone.

Slowkevin

I converted my Crosstrail disc to gravel with a rigid steel fork and going 1x and gravel tires. Dropped weight from 32lbs to 23lbs (was 22.4 before I installed a redshift stem). Before I got the steel fork the bike was a slug in climbing and turning.

leob1

I put CX tire on my Trek FX7.5, handles the 'gravel' just fine. Plus I like riding it.
IMHO the 'gravel bike' was a brilliant marketing ploy.

Chinghis

1993 StumpJumper. Rigid fork, 1.5" slicks. Used to be called a Mountain Bike, now it's a hybrid. I just ride it wherever I want - gravel, road, buffed single-track.

Chuckles1

My gravel bike is my favorite between road, gravel, and hybrid. I got a flat-bar hybrid this year with long wheel base, 700c tires, 180mm hydro discs, and put a geared rear hub drive kit on it. It does well enough on the gravel roads I need to ride to get to paved roads.

Gravel bike with drop bars, disc brakes, 46/30 F and 11-34 R is a versatile, comfortable bike. Drop bars and gravel geometry beat a flat-bar hybrid overall IMHO. Hybrid has its place, but getting low on drop bar bike gives much more secure handling on loose gravel/sand; and the drops give you better stability and power when standing to crank up hills.

Long wheelbase hybrid is good at high speed on pavement and for casual rides when you dont want to go far. But as someone who had just one bike for 26 years, you can make most any bike work for your situation.

Slowkevin

I modified my heavy 2016 Crosstrail disc to current gravel standards (32lbs to 23lbs) with XT brakes and redshift stem and WTB resolutes. Much better and faster than the original hybrid setup

bOsscO

At this point I'd ride the bike you have (run what ya' brung) on gravel and if you feel limited or that it's not handling/performing then look at a dedicated gravel bike.

Brambo

Every bike can be used as a gravel bike. Just depends on what tires you run. I would rather have a flat bar for the increased control over drop bars. But drop bars look cooler in many's eyes. One can easily mount barends for more flexibility on hand positions.

nomadmax 

They're all gravel bikes when you're on a gravel road or trail. I know that sounds like a trite answer and it's not meant to be. The condition of the gravel road/trail and your skills will dictate if what you have is sufficient. I ride gravel on a road bike with endurance geometry and 28mm tires. Go out and have have some fun and find out, don't get caught up what you're "supposed" to have.

3speedslow

This +1.

Ive been guilty of converting many of my bikes to the terrain it’s traveled over. Works for me!

maddmaxx 

I'm 75 and I built my last bike as sort of an everything hybrid. I started with the frame that would fit me in a slightly more upright position than my road bike. Then I moved a road groupset over the the frame. It's flat bar with flatbar road brifters and disc brakes. 32mm tires seem to be a comfortable compromise for most gravel, trails and road situations.

Is it a hybrid, a gravel bike, a flatbar road bike, and exercise bike? It's all of those things.

MrChrome

- swapped out the cockpit on my FX4 from aluminum to carbon, same for the seatpost.........changed the wheelset from Bontrager (2200 grams) to a DT Swiss wheelset (1550 grams) and a set of Vittoria Terreno Zero gravel tires, then changed the brakes from Shimano Alivio hydraulic to SLX (big difference)...........now it's pretty awesome and I've ridden a number of gravel roads and light singletrack.............