Gallery: gravel bikes and gear from Sea Otter 2017

Suspension, dropper seatposts and new tires for roads less traveled

WTB has a new 650x47 tire called the Byway. This new tread has an intermediate diamond tread with low-profile side knobs to make it better suited to gravel than the smoother Horizon model

Josh Patterson / Immediate Media

Josh Patterson

Published: April 27, 2017 at 10:00 am

Each year there seems to be one trend that stands out at Sea Otter — fat bikes, plus bikes, enduro. Every new niche has had its day in the sun. This year, the gravel bike took centre stage.

This expanding genre is full of interesting innovations, some that may stick around and others that might not stand the test of time. Here’s a look at some of the gravel highlights from this year’s show.

Contributor

Josh Patterson is a BikeRadar contributor and former technical editor. He has spent most of his career working in the cycling industry as an athlete, mechanic and journalist. He holds a master's degree in journalism and has more than 20 years of experience as a cyclist and 12 years of experience riding and writing for BikeRadar, Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Dirt Rag, RoadBikeReview and Outside Magazine. A native of the Flint Hills of Kansas, Josh was a pioneer in the gravel cycling movement, having raced the first Unbound 200 and many other gravel events around the globe. He considers himself a cycling generalist and enjoys road, gravel and mountain biking in equal measure. When not traveling for work, he can be found exploring the singletrack and lonely gravel roads that surround his home in Fort Collins, Colorado. In addition to his love of cycling, Josh is an enthusiastic supporter of brunch, voting rights and the right to repair movement.