daviddavieboy

Correct me if I am wrong but this has been going on for over 100 years. The first Paris-Roubaix race happened in 1896 and most of the early history of cycle racing happened on unpaved roads. But that isn't anything you don't know.

I am not sure mine is a gravel bike but it works well off road. I bought it because I do a lot of exploring when visiting unfamiliar areas got tired of turning around when the pavement ended. I did a metric century on gracel last week with a group and it was a blast.

indyfabz

Skalkaho Pass in Montana. 7,250'. I nearly froze on the way down because I didn't have proper rain gear.

PutnamMike

Giant calls theres AnyRoads

Keiffith

Here's my take as to why my first proper new road bike will be a 650b 'gravel'

For me, drops are the most comfy bar arrangement, giving multiple positions for different riding situations .

A slack, touring geometry is more conducive for long rides and commuting comfortably

Large, 650b wheels with the supple tires add suspension at its best point, at the riding surface.
A skinnier, 700c wheel and tire set can easily be swapped out if you want more road readiness, but frames only designed for skinnies don't give any real pros that make a significant impact.

Millennials need a do all bike, since they know that getting a solid bike costs a good chunk of change. But can't afford a multi bike stable that's all high end. So spend the most on the bike most suitable for multiple disciplines.
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hillyman

Traveling through Missouri and found a place to get the bike out. I am riding on the Katy Trail rails to trails and you can really roll well on this surface. Unless you hit one of these tire groove pits. Mercy too many along here.

Maelochs

Makes sense to me ... i didn't now you "millennial" folks had good ideas. Maybe you are the exception.

Hiro11

There was a podcast Tom was on recently where he talked about his past riding fire roads on road bikes in the 70s in California. It was part of training for some of the elite riders of the time. They called them "Jobst" rides after Jobst Brandt, a guy he used to ride with all the time and now a somewhat legendary figure in certain circles. Ritchey and a bunch on US national team members would go all day on backwoods dirt roads on very slightly modified road bikes and that Jobst would kick everyone's ass. Sounds like good times.

Keiffith

Most millennials are well into adulthood now. I'm 27, and sit roughly in the center. Teens of today are not millennials, and have a serious differentiating factor. They didn't go thru childhood seeing the world around them rapidly change from the old analog, to the modern digital internet.

So I wouldn't consider myself an exception.


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indyfabz

Last month in Vermont.

indyfabz

Sometimes unpaved roads are the best alternative. Heading to Glacier National Park from Columbia Falls you can take either Blankenship Rd. or U.S. 2. The latter has a lot of traffic (including truck and RV traffic) and a section with no shoulder just west of Hungry Horse. The former, not so much. And the scenery is much nicer.

indyfabz

And you won't get these views if you opt for U.S. 93 south of Hamilton, MT instead of Old Darby Rd.

JonathanGennick 

I have two very similar frames, one with 700c x 38 mm tires and the other with 650b x 47 mm tires. Both work on our local fire roads, but I do favor the wider tires for rides that are predominantly on gravel. (When a lot of pavement is in the plan, I might grab the 38 mm bike instead). The wider tires provide just the right amount of comfort and stability on the fire roads that I ride without the weight and energy-sucking from a suspension fork.

Keiffith

​Pavement in my city is terribly rough, unless your like most cyclists here and live in the posh suburbs.

Which is why 7/10 bikes I pass in the city are Walmart MTB's.

indyfabz

Taking unpaved King's Pass in Idaho instead of sticking to paved roads shaved 5.3 miles off what was already a hard day while adding only 275' of climbing. 3 miles up and 3 miles down.

JonathanGennick 

It's rough where I live too. It was actually a rough stretch of local pavement that inspired me to try the 650b tires in the first place.

That looks amazing. The photos in this thread are almost better than the discussion

Metieval

City pavement is worse than single track.
suburb riding is crazy, the snooty people trying to run you over is bizarre!

I really do hate the city, and I also hate the suburbs.

So If I ever had a gripe about the gravel riding taking off, it is seeing a flux of city people flocking to what used to be nice and quiet.

Keiffith

That's what is inspiring me to get 650b. I love riding but my back Doesn't like the bumps.

My city hasn't seen growth since the 60's, so the housing and low density reflects that. If i stay off the main arteries i like it, but usually those roads are in a rougher state since they have only been repaving main roads for the past 2 decades
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Metieval

a 65x47 seems to be your calling then. 650b slicks + a 35 degree sweep handle bar = Plush!!!!

gravel can just be graded smooth. The problem with city streets is they bury all the water sewer etc under the pavement. then they dig it up, do repairs, and then some 'no care worker' does a shoddy patch job. add no growth, and now you compound the problem.

regardless the return to larger tires on bicycles is a good thing. in my opinion.

Keiffith

I like my drops, I just feel my spine tingle when the bumps come thru.

I'm thinking gravel kings by panaracer in 42c.

bruce19

+1

bruce19

I am pretty much a roadie. When I hit the rail/trails it's on this......

indyfabz

Thanks. The road pitched up to around 9% for a bit, but there was no traffic so I could "deliver the paper" to cut down on the severity.

I have been incorporating more gravel into my tours. One usually gets less traffic and nicer scenery. Sometimes that happens accidentally, like last month heading south through Vermont.

But it's not always pretty. If you want to ride west from Butte, MT to Anaconda you have to ride dirt or spend some miles on I-90. Done it a couple of times. The last time I forgot about a spot that looks benign but is actually quite messy if there has been a lot of rain recently. Rolled through it instead of walking around the spot on on the grass and sunk into the mud abut 3". Had to power wash my bike and shoes when I reached town.

indyfabz

Three more from my first time riding Melrose Bench.

TimothyH

All, there is a gravel ride pics thread in the CXGB forum.

Gravel Ride Pics

Your photo's would be very warmly welcomed in that thread.


-Tim-

Caliper

I agree, smooth black top is great. It's fast and fun and the bike just glides. I grew up in No. Va. where everything is paved and my summers were filled with endless winding neighborhood roads through suburbia on a road bike.

Now in Mi, I just don't live in a place where there is all that much pavement to ride. At least not without taking your life in your hands. Or driving to a trail. After dabbling in mountain biking, I found gravel road biking and love it. I again have endless miles of roads with few to no cars on them. The scenery is far better as well. It's not as fast, but that just builds my legs. I do work near a state park that has some very nice blacktop for biking and will take my road bike down to get pavement, but the routes are limited and that gets old after a while. There's nothing else like heading out from your driveway on a bike and halfway through the ride, deciding to go right instead of left in search of a road you've not been down before.

To me, what gravel biking represents on the consumer side is all the places in this country where road biking has been pretty inaccessible finding the joys of road riding. It's road biking, just on the roads that we have.