New e-book · Gravel Ready
Stop researching. Start riding gravel.
Gravel Ready is a 101-page beginner’s guide to gravel cycling. Plain answers on bikes, tires, flats and routes, with 9 printable tools and a 30-day plan.
$29Launch price. Goes to $34 after launch.
Launching soon. Leave your email and we’ll tell you the day it’s out, at the $29 launch price.
Sound familiar?
Every article assumes you already know the words: groupsets, tire clearance, tubeless-ready, hookless rims, GPX. One says run high pressure, the next says low. Meanwhile the real worries stay unanswered:
- What if I buy the wrong bike?
- What if I get a flat and can’t fix it?
- What if I get lost or run out of daylight?
Gravel Ready answers those in order, with a sensible default for every decision, so you don’t need to become an expert before your first ride.
What you’ll be able to do
- Buy the right bike once. A decision tree and checklist show what matters (fit, tire clearance, brakes, gearing) and what to ignore.
- Set your tires up properly. A starting-pressure table, a way to adjust it, and a plain guide to tubeless or inner tubes.
- Fix a flat with confidence. Step-by-step repairs, the common mistakes, and a clear “is it safe to continue?” table.
- Plan rides that suit you. A route worksheet, packing checklists and turnaround rules.
- Get going in 30 days. A four-week plan that builds riding, repair and navigation skills together.
What’s inside
Part I
Understanding gravel cycling
What gravel riding is, what surfaces to expect, whether your current bike will do, and a decision tree for buying one.
- 1What Is Gravel Cycling?
- 2Your First Gravel Bike
- 3Understanding Your Bike
Part II
Tires, comfort and equipment
Tire width and tread, a starting-pressure table by system weight and tire width, tubeless or inner tubes, what to wear, and what to buy first and what to skip.
- 4Tires, Tread, Grip, and Pressure
- 5Tubeless vs. Inner Tubes
- 6Clothing and Riding Comfort
- 7Essential Gear: What to Buy and What to Skip
Part III
Planning and preparing
Finding and judging a route, navigating with a phone or bike computer, three packing checklists, and simple food and water guidance.
- 8Planning Your First Gravel Route
- 9GPS, Cycling Computers, and Navigation
- 10Preparing for a Ride
- 11Food, Water, Energy, and Pacing
Part IV
Skills and fixing things yourself
Riding loose surfaces with control, ten roadside repairs step by step, a “safe to continue?” table, and simple maintenance.
- 12Riding Gravel with Confidence
- 13Roadside Repairs Every Beginner Should Know
- 14Safety, Weather, and Unexpected Problems
- 15Maintenance Without Becoming a Mechanic
Part V
Becoming a confident rider
A four-week first-month plan (with a version for one or two rides a week), the road to longer rides and optional bikepacking, and your personal setup sheet.
- 16Your First 30 Days of Gravel Cycling
- 17From Local Rides to Gravel Adventures
- 18Your Personal Gravel Setup
The printable toolkit
9 one-page tools, in the book and as a separate PDF you can print or keep on your phone:
- Master equipment checklist
- Pre-ride checklist
- Post-ride checklist
- Roadside repair quick reference
- Tire selection and pressure guide
- Tubeless vs. inner tube decision guide
- Route-planning worksheet
- Maintenance schedule
- 30-day progress tracker
A look inside
Who it’s for
- Adults curious about gravel with little or no technical cycling knowledge
- Riders of hybrid, mountain or road bikes who want to explore unpaved roads
- Anyone about to buy a first gravel bike who wants to spend wisely
- People who want to ride alone without worrying about every possible problem
Who it’s not for
- Experienced gravel riders or mechanics after advanced technique
- Racers looking for a training plan
- Anyone wanting product reviews or a “best bike” ranking. The book teaches you how to decide; it doesn’t pick winners.
Formats and price
- 101 designed pages, US Letter. For reading on a screen or printing.
- EPUB
- For e-readers and reading apps.
- Printable toolkit
- A separate 9-page PDF with the one-page tools.
- Price
- $29 at launch, then $34. One payment, all three files.
- Refunds
- Email [email protected] within 14 days for a full refund.
Questions
I’ve only ever ridden casually. Is this too advanced?
No. It is written for complete beginners and explains every term the first time it appears.
Do I need to buy a gravel bike first?
Not necessarily. Chapters 1 and 2 help you work out whether the bike you have is good enough for a first month. If you are buying new, the book explains why to look for at least 50 mm of tire clearance.
Does it recommend brands or models?
No. Prices and models change quickly, and the right choice depends on your size, budget and terrain. The book shows you how to choose and what to check.
Will it tell me exactly what tire pressure to run?
It gives starting points by system weight (you, the bike and your gear) and tire width, plus a simple way to fine-tune. Always stay within the limits printed on your tires and rims.
Does it cover tubeless?
Yes. Chapter 5 covers how tubeless works, its limits, sealant upkeep and what to do when sealant fails. It is also clear that inner tubes are a perfectly good place to start.
Will I be able to fix a flat after reading it?
The steps are in Chapter 13, with a one-page quick reference. Like any practical skill, practise at home first. The book says so more than once.
Is it only for riders in the US?
No. It is written in US English with metric units first. Rules, access and emergency numbers are covered in general terms, because local rules always apply.
Can I print the checklists?
Yes. The 9 tools are one page each and come as a separate printable PDF, sized to print at 100% on Letter or A4.
What do I get, and how?
A designed PDF for reading or printing, an EPUB for e-readers and reading apps, and the printable toolkit PDF. Once it’s on sale, you’ll get the download links on screen and by email right after you pay.
What if it isn’t for me?
Email [email protected] within 14 days of buying for a full refund.
Does it cover bikepacking or racing?
Only as an optional next step (Chapter 17). The focus is getting comfortable on day rides.
An honest note
This is a beginner handbook. It gives general guidance and starting points: tire pressures, sealant amounts and ride times depend on your equipment, so the book shows you how to adjust them and tells you to follow your manufacturers’ limits. It won’t make you an expert. It will help you get out the door prepared.
Every fact in it can probably be found for free somewhere. What you pay for is having it organised, in order, checked against cited sources, and turned into tools you can use.
Ready for your first gravel ride?
$29Launch price. Goes to $34 after launch.
Launching soon. Leave your email and we’ll tell you the day it’s out, at the $29 launch price.
Sources and notes
Author and edition. Written and published by Pedal Brief (pedalbrief.com), Edition 1.1, November 2026. No reviews or testimonials are shown because the book has none yet.
Page count. 101 pages is the designed PDF, cover to references. The EPUB reflows, so its page count depends on your device.
Launch price. $29 is the launch price. It goes up to $34 after the launch. It has not been sold at $34 before, so $29 is not shown as a discount.
Starting points, not guarantees. The book gives general guidance only. It is not a substitute for manufacturer instructions, professional servicing or medical advice. Cycling carries a risk of injury.
Printing. The toolkit pages are US Letter size and are meant to be printed at 100% on Letter or A4.