Exploring the World of Gravel Riding in the UAE
Have you ever been cycling along Al Qudra or around Nad Al Sheba and noticed those intriguing bikes with thin, knobby tires resembling mountain bikes, yet equipped with an unusually wide drop bar akin to a road bike? If so, you've encountered the growing trend of gravel riding making its mark in the UAE.
What is a Gravel Bike?
These bicycles are a blend between road bikes and mountain bikes, combining the speed and efficiency of both worlds. These bikes are designed for navigating unpaved surfaces, including gravel roads, dirt trails, and forest tracks.
Getting Started with Gravel Riding
These bikes are tailored to handle the diverse terrains characteristic of gravel roads. With wider tires than road bikes, they offer increased traction and control on loose surfaces. Moreover, these bikes possess a more relaxed geometry, making longer rides more comfortable and a lot more adventurous.
Riding Techniques
While riding, maintain awareness of your body positioning and how you manipulate your weight to control the bike. Be prepared to reduce speed or dismount when confronted with particularly technical stretches of road or loose terrain.
Ideal Riding Locations
The UAE is a great place for gravel riding. With its varied terrain, including desert dunes, mountains, and coastline, there are plenty of opportunities to explore. Mushrif Park emerges as the perfect setting to embrace such riding. Escape the urban environment and immerse yourself in nature, with a variety of single tracks offering different distances and skill levels.
Our Top Three Recommended Gravel Bikes to Consider:
1. Scott Speedster Gravel 50
The perfect bike to get started on the alloy bike features a comfortable geometry for all-day rides, room for big tires and fully internal cable routing.
2. Cervelo Aspero Apex 1 Gravel Bike
Engineered to take down finish lines, KOMs, PRs, and FKTs. A bike without limits.
3. Vielo CHPT3 V+1 Campagnolo Ekar
This one is for the collectors. The bike has a unique paint color and no two bikes are the same. The brand collaborated with David Millar's CHPT3 clothing brand and made 50 unique, limited edition bikes.
Discover a new perspective on the Gulf region through gravel riding.