Best places for gravel bike riding in the US and UK

Best bikepacking bags
(Image credit: Roo Fowler)

In a little under 10 years gravel riding has gone from something of a niche to full-blown phenomenon.Sure, it's not new - riders have been venturing off-road on drop bar bikes for decades. But now the equipment has finally caught up and is keeping pace with our demands and our imagination.

As cyclists we find ourselves in an exciting place, reaching a confluence where mountain bikers and roadies meet and are then free and uninhibited to decide which tributary to explore.

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

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Freelance writer

Luke Friend has worked as a writer, editor and copywriter for twenty five years. Across books, magazines and websites, he's covered a broad range of topics for a range of clients including Major League Baseball, the National Trust and the NHS. He has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and is a qualified bicycle mechanic. He has been a cycling enthusiast from an early age, partly due to watching the Tour de France on TV. He's a keen follower of bike racing to this day as well as a regular road and gravel rider.