Niloc

Bingo again!

Ghost Ryder

Up here we call them trails or what the call MUP's...
Dirt covered with gravel, we don't drive on them very often other than if you're visiting a farm.
Road @ their worst are asphalt/chipseal.
I've taken one of my Allez with skinny little 23mm on dirt paths/trail, its not fun(on the body), but I used to MTB so some of those skill transfer over nicely. Do I consider this GGing?
Not in my eyes.

During most CX races, theres a small part of the track thats paved...
Is it a road race?

Niloc

G.R. I'd say cyclocross racing is closer to cross country mountain biking than anything else. More off-road than road. Flattish singletrack, mud, and grass seem to predominate. Lots of twisties. Hence the high bottom bracket, fairly low gearing, knobby tires, and canti brakes. How a good mountain bike from the late 80s was equipped, but on more of a road frame. I just took my CX bike out with my kids mountain biking at a park and it was a blast - they're only able to ride the milder "green circle" type trails and my cross bike was perfect for that. I wouldn't have dreamt of taking my road bike in there because... it wasn't road riding!

Road racing or even touring has drafting, pacelines, pelotons, team strategy etc, none of which apply to cyclocross.

LesterOfPuppets

I'll never forget driving from Whistler to Penticton in 1993 we would up on 9 miles of gravel that was considered a highway.

Ghost Ryder

I was joking with the last statment in my post.

Ghost Ryder

You're right, it was not quiet developed back then.
Lots of fire roads, the newer Sea to Sky HWY & Cohcahalla HWY have come a long way since then.
Most of the recent upgrade were done for our Olympics in 2010.

Again I was mostly joking in that post.



My reason for saying this thread belongs here is that the OP asked about suitable tires for GG.
Many here would have great suggestions, & I'm pretty sure I've seen a few threads asking the same thing.

justin1138

road riding can definitely equal gravel riding, at least in portland right now...

jsigone

schwalbe sammy slick 35c work for the mixed paved/dirt riding I do (socal doesn't have much gravel that isn't private, more sand n rocks then anything...it is a desert)


up up and away....err more ups by jsig1, on Flickr


Singletracks to end Rapha Festive500 challenge by jsig1, on Flickr


crossin Hodges by jsig1, on Flickr

Ghost Ryder

Nice pics!
I'd say the conditions I ride are more like that too.
Not sure if I could call it GG, but it mos def not CX.
I just classify it as off road riding.

jsigone

Thanks to the Rapha Gents Race few months ago, I got hooked on offoading my roadie, buying the disc CX makes this purpose style rides more enjoyable and doesn't beat up my supersix. & Both faster then my 29er on pavement. The Rapha race had an offroading 33mile/6ft vertical grain section in the century. I did it on 25c tubeless tires, my team was on 25c hardshell gatorskins. It was a epic day in the hills outside of downtown LA. On that section was everything from softball size rocks to high(er) speed hard pack leading into deep sand. The East coast and Oregon guys were hit the hardest as they were used to gravel...not desert sand


G0102351e by jsig1, on Flickr


G0242434e by jsig1, on Flickr

LesterOfPuppets

Killer pics, jsigone!

pdxtex

^^hey nice pics. but is that a road, or a...well what else is it? OP here. hey 3 pages long on a contentious topic, rocks (the mineral kind, not acdc kind)!! and moved to dusty, cross type pastures. but hey, we can all get along. im glad there is love for dusty roads regardless of vehicle used. keep it up!

Ghost Ryder

That looks like a great time!
I've relegated my commuter/CXer with disc to GGing too.
Its better than messing with my Pit bike, or Race rig to go GGing.

jsigone

Yah 3 pages in of bs from the 41then get moved here so I threw in some pics to change the pace of this thread

pdxtex

ok, so can we take a VOTE on the all around best type of tires to use for riding on a normal dirt road with potholes and rocks in dry conditions? im inclined to believe very wide, commuter oriented tires with a smoother center tread and slight knobbies may be the best. ive been using actual lightweight cross tires but one wrong turn and id probably cut the sidewall....vote!!

BluesDawg

I have had good results with Conti Contact 37mm tires on my Salsa Casseroll, Clement MSO 40s on my Crux and Specialized Renegade 1.8s on my Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross. The Contacts are best if there are many miles of pavement while the MSOs and Renegades handle sand and mud better.

Barrettscv 

More roadies in many parts of the country are adding a Cyclocross bike (or some drop-bar bike that has room for larger tires) for gravel and winter riding. Why? On-road, the bike can be equipped with fenders for wet weather and can hold larger tires for soft or soggy surfaces.

Often, the appeal for this style of cycling goes beyond the alternative status to become a preferred form of riding. The ability to ride in places that are remote, where vehicles are scarce, and where a bike handling and maintenance skills matter.

A narrow definition of "Gravel Grinder" is a organized or independent planned ride that is primarily on a gravel road. These rides might include some pavement or trails, but most of the ride is double track and not at all technical. Cyclocross and Touring bikes are popular. Salsa has just introduced a "Gravel Grinder" bike model, see: https://www.bikeradar.com/us/mtb/gear...ce-bike-37582/

A popular site that provides a list of Gravel Grinder events is: https://gravelgrindernews.com/?post_type=tribe_events

Here are some threads that follow the Gravel theme;

C&V: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=Gravel ; https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=Gravel ; https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...highlight=Cino

Cyclocross Forum: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...Gravel-Grinder ; https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...bottom-bracket ; https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ders-out-there

Endurance: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...gravel-century ; https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=Gravel

To add the retro aesthetic philosophy while enjoying the the go-anywhere freedom of a slightly wider tire, I added this Italian recently.















This is my 2012 Pedal Force CX2 with 700x32 Vittoria Hyper tires and a 30 speed drivetain;



This is the 2010 Origin 8 CX700. I'll use 700x50 Schwalbe Supreme, 700x47 Schwalbe Smart Sam, 700x35 Schwalbe Winters and other tires. 27 speed Deore drivetrain with a 48, 36 & 22 chainring set.



And my 2008ish Soma Double Cross with 700x40 Vittoria Hyper tires and a 30 speed drivetain.

LesterOfPuppets

WTB All Terrain 32s are nice for cheep bastages like me.

Pendergast

The Hybrid forum seems like it would be a good place for gravel/dirt road riding threads to me. Maybe change the forum title to Hybrid/Gravel Bikes?

Myosmith

I respectfully disagree, the Hybrid forum is a no better fit than the Cyclocross forum. Gravel grinding is what would happen if Long Distance Competition/Endurance Cycling and Cyclocross had a kid. Elements of both combined into a cycling sport that is at the same time very new, evolving and as old as cycling itself. I reiterate, it deserves its own sub-forum.

Pendergast

You're probably right. It does deserve its own sub-forum. I wasn't giving enough consideration to the competition aspect of gravel riding. Racing doesn't really seem like a good fit for the hybrid forum.

Ghost Ryder

+1!
Well said!

cs1

I really like your bike. Almost makes me want to ditch steel.

shelbyfv

Why not rename this sub forum "Cyclocross/Gravel" since actual cyclocross racing has been moved elsewhere?

Barrettscv 

This suggestion has the most merit.