Thread: Today I (v2):
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Old 05-07-19 | 01:35 PM
  #24277  
TimothyH
- Soli Deo Gloria -
 
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 14,779
Likes: 743
From: Northwest Georgia

Bikes: 2018 Rodriguez Custom Fixed Gear, 2017 Niner RLT 9 RDO, 2015 Bianchi Pista, 2002 Fuji Robaix

Originally Posted by TMonk
Yesterday I did the Canyon "Belgian Waffle Ride" and I'm still trying to eat my way out of it today. I was riding it as a "team" with a few lower (racing) cat. teammates and just having fun. It features 40 miles of dirt/gravel/single track, some of which is MTB worthy (Lake Hodges). Doing it on 25 c tires on a rim brake road bike was not the best choice, but with 100 miles of road a full on gravel bike is a bit slow. Interesting mix of setups out there, really unique ride.

I had two rear flats within ~10 mi of eachother near the end which kinda pissed me off, but you can kinda expect to "burp" a tubeless road tire when you're constantly slamming it on rocks. The endless dirt lake hodges section really took it out of me.

After that (~100 miles in) I was so far back (about halfway down the starters) that I just hammered the remaining miles and just caught and passed tons of people which was kind of exciting I guess. I wasn't really hurting until the top of double peak (final steep climb) but at that point you're pretty much done.

Unique event! Honestly it made me want a more modern disc brake road bike so that I could run 28s or even 30s for it next year. Total blast!




Summary
Total time: 9:10:13
Duration: 8:25:25 (92%)
Moving time: 8:17:38 (90%)
Distance: 131.8mi
Climbing: 10262ft
RPE: -
A decent gravel bike isn't going to be that much slower.

You might be surprised how well a good carbon frame with light wheels and supple tires actually rides.

My gravel bike with 38 mm tires can do 20 MPH on the flats all day long. I recently hit 51 MPH on paved descent. I was really surprised the first few rides after I built it.


-Tim-
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