Gravel Ride Grading System: Green to Black, Explained
Every gravel ride or event worth doing tells you what you are in for before you turn a pedal. That is what grading is for. It sorts rides by distance, terrain and pace, not vibes, so you can pick something that matches your fitness and experience rather than guessing.
We use four grades: Green, Blue, Red and Black. They run from gentle, traffic-free rides suitable for almost any bike, through to long, fast, technical days for strong off-road riders. Below is what each grade actually means, in plain terms, plus a quick way to work out where you sit.
Green — Easy
20–30km
A gentle ride at an easy pace. Few or no hills, on well-maintained gravel paths, bike lanes and shared-use paths. Suitable for riders who can pedal for about an hour without stopping.
Bikes: hybrids, folding bikes, MTB, gravel, road bikes, ebikes — anything goes.
Our Boundary Rides series is a good example at this grade — ten railway-to-railway routes tracing the edge of London.
Blue — Moderate
30–50km
A faster ride for riders who cycle fairly often and can ride comfortably for a couple of hours. Some hills and descents on gravel paths and bridleways. Best for riders with a bit of off-road experience already.
Bikes: MTB, gravel, cyclocross, off-road ebikes.
Red — Challenging
50–90km
A longer day out for competent off-road riders, roughly club-ride level. Bridleways and gravel paths with steeper climbs, descents, roots and other features to handle.
Bikes: MTB, gravel, cyclocross, off-road ebikes.
Black — Expert
90km+
Built for strong experienced riders who can handle fast off-road riding for hours at a stretch, on technical terrain with no easy lines out.
Bikes: MTB, gravel, cyclocross. Off-road ebike battery range typically cannot sustain this distance and pace in one charge, so ebikes are not recommended at this grade.
One grading system. Routes, events, all of it.
Which grade is right for you?
Not sure where you fit? Use these as a rough guide:
- If you can ride for an hour without stopping, on any surface — you are Green.
- If you have ridden off-road before and can manage two hours in the saddle — you are Blue.
- If you ride regularly, handle bridleways comfortably, and can do a long day on technical terrain — you are Red.
- If you are riding fast off-road for several hours at a time and know your way around a technical descent — you are Black.
Grades are a guide, not a guarantee. Weather, fatigue and an off day can make any grade feel a step harder than expected.
Gravel Ride Grading: Common Questions
What does the green, blue, red and black grading mean for gravel rides?
It is a difficulty scale, not a quality scale. Green is the easiest, suited to almost any bike and fitness level. Black is the hardest, aimed at strong, experienced off-road riders covering long distances at pace. Blue and Red sit in between, increasing in distance, terrain difficulty and required experience.
What bike do I need for a gravel ride?
It depends on the grade. Green rides suit hybrids, road bikes, folding bikes and ebikes. Blue and Red rides need a bike built for off-road use, such as an MTB, gravel or cyclocross bike, because of the terrain. Black rides need the same bike types, ridden by someone with the fitness and skill to keep pace over long distances.
Can I ride a gravel event on an ebike?
Yes, for Green, Blue and Red graded rides. Off-road capable ebikes handle the terrain and distances involved without issue. Black is the exception. The distance and sustained pace push past what most ebike batteries can reliably manage off-road in one charge, so ebikes are not recommended at this grade.
How fit do I need to be for a gravel ride?
Green needs roughly an hour of riding without stopping, on any surface. Blue needs about two hours of comfortable riding with some off-road experience. Red is a long day on technical terrain, suited to regular riders at club level. Black is several hours of fast off-road riding back to back, for strong, experienced riders only.
What is the difference between a gravel ride grade and a mountain bike trail grade?
They use the same colours but measure different things. MTB trail grades focus on technical features like jumps, drops and singletrack. Gravel ride grades focus on distance, overall terrain and pace across a whole route, since most gravel riding happens on paths, bridleways and gravel roads rather than purpose-built technical trails.
I am new to gravel riding. Which grade should I start with?
Start at Green if you have not ridden off-road before, regardless of your road cycling fitness. Off-road riding uses different skills and different muscles. Move up to Blue once you are comfortable handling loose surfaces and uneven ground.
One grading system. Routes, events, all of it.