A gravel bike loaded with upgrades. Photo: John Watson
So you’ve been having a blast riding your gravel bike. But maybe you’re starting to wonder, “Can it get any better than this?” It sounds like you're itching to add some upgrades! Modifying and personalizing your gravel bike is extremely fun and satisfying. The 10 gravel bike and gear upgrades I’ve picked out here are the things that have made the biggest difference in my own ride. You probably don’t need all 10, but adding a couple that suit your terrain or needs will improve your gravel experience.
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1. Tacky handlebar tape
Photo: John Watson
Let’s start off with something simple and affordable. Handlebar tape isn’t the most glamorous component, but it's a key touchpoint that effects your comfort and control, especially when riding gravel. Many bikes come from the factory with budget-friendly tape that might not provide enough cushioning or might feel slippery (either due to sweat or wet weather).
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For years, my favorite bar tape has been Lizard Skins DSP 2.5mm tape. It’s super tacky, which feels great when riding technical terrain or when wet. If you need more comfort, there’s a thicker 3.2mm version. But if you need maximum vibration and impact absorption, the most comfortable tape I’ve ever touched is actually Wolf Tooth Supple bar tape.
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2. High-performance gravel tires
Photo: Rene Herse
If you’re looking for the biggest bang for your buck upgrade, the answer is new tires. Looking for more comfort, grip, and flat protection? Or maybe you’d prefer less weight and rolling resistance. Whatever performance attributes you want, your tires are the place to start.
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For gravel racing, I want a super fast-rolling tire to give me every advantage possible when I toe the start line. If I were exploring gnarlier roads and trails, then I’d likely opt for a burlier tire with more aggressive knobs and more puncture protection.
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There are many ways to optimize your tires for your terrain or goals. To learn more about how to choose the right gravel tires check out our Gravel Tire Buying Guide.
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3. Gravel tire inserts
Tire inserts are essentially a ring of foam inserted into a tubeless tire. They protect your rims and tires from harsh impacts and prevent pinch flats. Inserts also allow you to run lower tire pressures for more traction and comfort and they provide extra damping in rough terrain. They do add a bit of weight and can make tire installation a bit tougher, so they’re not for everyone. But riders tackling tough events like Unbound Gravel or who are regularly riding chunky gravel rely on tire inserts to prevent flats and increase comfort.
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CushCore is the top tire insert brand. I used its Gravel.CX inserts at Unbound Gravel and was very pleased with their performance. While there are lighter options on the market, nothing else comes close to the amount of protection CushCore’s dense closed-cell foam provides.
4. Carbon gravel wheels
Photo: John Watson
Since we’ve covered tires and inserts, let’s add the final piece of the wheel and tire upgrade puzzle: carbon wheels. If you’re running entry- to mid-level alloy wheels, then upgrading to carbon wheels can make your bike feel like a superbike. Because wheels are rotating weight, making them lighter and stiffer will improve your acceleration and climbing speed.
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Carbon wheels can be a pricey upgrade, and they're the most expensive item on this list. These days though, there are great mid-range options like the ENVE AG25 and Industry Nine 1/1 Ultralight that are impressively lightweight and super compliant while staying well under the $2,000 mark.
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5. Suspension stems and seatposts
Photo: Cane Creek
If you want to improve comfort for your hands, wrists, sit bones, and back, then a suspension stem and/or seatpost might be the answer. Cane Creek’s eeSilk stem and eeSilk+ seatpost are the benchmarks in this category. They use lightweight elastomers to absorb vibration and bumps to keep your body feeling fresh on rough gravel and long rides.
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The eeSilk Stem provides 20mm of travel and comes with multiple elastomers to adjust compliance. There is also a lever that allows you to tune the compliance between softer and firmer settings on the fly.
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The eeSilk+ seatpost provides 35mm of travel and comes in an aluminum and carbon version. I recently tested the eeSilk+ Carbon over 1,000 rough gravel miles and I think it’s one of the best components I’ve added to my bike.
6. Gravel suspension fork
Photo: SRAM
If you’re looking to maximize performance, comfort, and traction on gnarly gravel or singletrack trails, then you might need a gravel suspension fork. Suspension forks will soak up harsh impacts and keep your front tire in contact with the ground so you can let go of the brakes and shred.
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There are only a few gravel-specific suspension forks on the market right now, but the RockShox Rudy Ultimate is my current favorite for tackling the toughest terrain. It uses the lightweight Charger Raceday damper found on RockShox’s SID Ultimate XC race fork, it can clear a 50mm wide tire, and it comes in 30mm and 40mm travel options.
7. Dropper seatpost
Photo: TransX
If you need more cornering confidence or plan to hit more singletrack trails, a dropper seatpost will allow you to instantly lower your saddle, giving you more control and confidence on loose or technical descents. It will add a bit of extra weight, but it will let you descend faster, stay safer, and have more fun.
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If you want a gravel-specific dropper post, I like ENVE’s G-Series post. It’s super lightweight and it provides 40mm of travel, which is enough to get the saddle out of the way when things get wild. Otherwise, a standard mountain bike dropper will work for any gravel bike with a round seatpost and the necessary cable routing. Or, if your bike lacks dropper cable routing, RockShox’s Reverb AXS (MTB) and Reverb AXS XPLR (gravel) droppers give you a wireless electronic option.
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8. Gravel hydration pack
Photo: Lifetime
Most gravel bikes can only carry 2-3 bottles, which might not be enough if you're planning an epic day in the saddle. That’s where a hydration pack comes in. A lightweight and compact hydration pack will allow you to carry a couple of extra liters, so you can go farther or skip stops in your next endurance race. Plus, the bladder and hose make it much easier to drink when things get rough and you need to hang onto the bars.
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My current go-to pack is the Camelbak Chase. It carries 1.5 liters of water in a vest-style pack that is super breathable, comfortable, and lightweight. It also has plenty of extra pockets for snacks, spares, and tools.
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9. Cargo bibs
Cargo bibs started taking off a few years ago and I’m surprised no one thought to invent them earlier. They’re just so handy. Adding storage pockets to the legs of your bib shorts gives you a convenient and easy-to-reach place for carrying extra snacks, spares, or whatever on your biggest gravel adventures.
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Many apparel brands now offer some form of cargo bib, so you have plenty of options. I’ve been loving POC’s Rove Cargo VPDS bibs which have big pockets and POC’s Vital VPDS chamois which uses silicone inserts for extra vibration absorption.
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10. Gravel bike bags
Once you start riding farther or tackling changing weather, you might find you need to carry more supplies and extra layers. The most convenient way to do this is to use a handlebar, top tube, or frame bag. These nifty little bags give you extra on-bike storage that’s within reach while riding.
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Racers tend to like smaller and sleeker top tube bags, but for everything else, I like a good, medium-volume handlebar bag like the Swift Bandito. These split the difference in carrying capacity between top tube and frame bags and they just look cool.
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