100 Mile Gravel Road Race - Your Thoughts?

[caleb]

A buddy of mine wants to do a gravel road race in a couple of months, and he wants me to join him.

The distance is 102 miles or so, and I think it's about 60% gravel.

Apparently, lots of people use mountain bikes. I don't own a mountain bike. And, honestly, I can't imagine riding a mountain bike for 100 miles.

If I'm going to do this, my only option is a Trek 520 touring bike. I don't see any reason why this wouldn't work. I've taken miles of gravel on my standard road bike (23c tires, 125psi) without a problem.

I know some of you are really into these sorts of rides. What kind of tires do you use?

Anything else to know?

[itspeedmoore]

Where is this race?

I would run big fatty tubulars, like a Vittoria Pave 24mm. Or a narrow cyclocross tubular. Tubulars won't pinch flat, which is really nice.

[caleb]

Where is this race?

I would run big fatty tubulars, like a Vittoria Pave 24mm. Or a narrow cyclocross tubular. Tubulars won't pinch flat, which is really nice.

It's called the Almanzo 100 (http://www.almanzo100.blogspot.com/), and it runs from Rochester, Minnesota to Mankato, Minnesota.

There's a similar race called the Ragnarok 105 (http://www.ragnarok105.blogspot.com/) (also in southeast Minnesota) but they limit it to 40 people, and it's full.

I think it would be really interesting to see a race like this with a field of 200. A real race dynamic on the gravel would be fun.

I think when you start a field of 40 it quickly becomes a solo sufferfest.

[caleb]

Where is this race?

I would run big fatty tubulars, like a Vittoria Pave 24mm. Or a narrow cyclocross tubular. Tubulars won't pinch flat, which is really nice.

Do you think 24mm would be enough? Should I be thinking about the 27mm version?

[Louis]

Sounds like you need a Terraplane.

[caleb]

Sounds like you need a Terraplane.

Can Kirk deliver in six weeks? :no:

[Polyglot]

The Eroica pro race in Chianti in Italy just took place yesterday under similar conditions. The winner was Cancellara, Balzan second... Apparently the riders were mostly using 23 mm tires, both tubulars and clinchers, with some opting for paris-roubaix type tubulars.

[itspeedmoore]

The 27s would be great but they are hard to find and expensive. I think competitive cyclist has them. 24s are easier to find. You could go with a 28mm semi-slick style cross tire. Vittoria has one I think and so does Tufo, probably others as well. They would rock!


Do you think 24mm would be enough? Should I be thinking about the 27mm version?

[caleb]

The Eroica pro race in Chianti in Italy just took place yesterday under similar conditions. The winner was Cancellara, Balzan second... Apparently the riders were mostly using 23 mm tires, both tubulars and clinchers, with some opting for paris-roubaix type tubulars.

I saw that. Cancellara was on the green Vittoria Paves, but I couldn't tell if they were 24mm or 27.

Italy's gravel roads might be a bit more firm than those in MN in April and May.

[caleb]

The 27s would be great but they are hard to find and expensive. I think competitive cyclist has them. 24s are easier to find. You could go with a 28mm semi-slick style cross tire. Vittoria has one I think and so does Tufo, probably others as well. They would rock!

Something like the Vittoria EVO XN 700x32?

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/glorycycles_1992_29772434

[Ken C]

Road Tires that would work: Rivendell Roly Poly 27mm, Rivendell Jack Brown 33.3mm, Panaracer Pasala 32mm

Others: Ritchey Speedmax 32mm Cross Tires, Michelin Jet Cross 30mm (actually measures a little larger.)

For other recommendations look at Andy Hampsten's bike tour guide page. They lead a tour on the same roads as the Eroica race.

I have a Gunnar Sport that I use for a lot of mixed road riding and I just purchased the Jack Brown Green because they should be fast on the road, but large enough to float on the dirt roads. I am thinking of doing the Big Mick this summar which is on all gravel rails to trails paths and for that I will be using the Ritchey Speedmax or Michelin Jet.

Good Luck

[swoop]

do it.. but wear glasses the whole time.. even if it means a clear lens.

[stevep]

ask somebody that did it last yr.
depends on how soft the ground is i thk.
i bet they use 23s... but i definitely dont know anything about this particular race.

[markie]

Looking at the website, it looks more like a sufferfest/challenge ride than a regular race. In that case if you are not in for all out speed I would chose some cyclocross tyres. The ritchey 32mm speedmax roll really well for me....

The ride is only 4 hours drive away from me. It is pretty tempting. I love that kind of riding.

[stuckey]

I use to ride gravel quite a bit and all I used was panaracer pasala 32 and 28s. The bike I used was a Surly LHT set up in touring trim that I used for everything till I bought a few more bikes. I would also look at Ira Ryans site he is a frame builder from Portland he won the TransIowa gravel race twice which is over 300 miles on gravel. He used a road bike with 28 panaracer pasala tires and told me he loved them.

[avalonracing]

A few years ago at the Poolsville RR in MD a buddy of mind had a front tooth chipped off (almost in half) by a piece of gravel that was kicked up on the gravel section. He wasn't actually smiling, he was just riding with his mouth part way open.

[fixednwinter]

You could live with 23mm, but 28 to 33.3mm would be better, especially if most others are on fat MTB's anyway. You'll still have a rolling advantage, even with a fat 33.3mm tire.

I'm running 28mm tires, the Vittoria Randonneur's, with a lower max pressure (85psi) and thicker casing than what I'd run in the summer. They're great on winter roads and gravel. I have a training route which is primarily flat gravel in snow, slush and rain and they hold and grip well.

For agressive riding, you'd probably be better off with some of the earlier suggestions in this thread, as well as the Continental 4Season in a 28mm for gravel. It has a more supple casing and goes up over 100psi for its max. Much less sluggish than my Vittoria Randonneur tires.

[giordana93]

might not be an issue, but don't forget the potential for gravel chipping up the frame--a good reason to do it on a mtb (i.e. frame you expect to get chipped up). depends on the gravel and luck of course, just something to keep in mind..

[Jack Brunk]

Sounds like a perfect ride for my Serotta Softtail mountain bike. I might have to go to Minn for a weekend.

[Velocolour]

As far as I am concerned good quality 23's maybe with some kevlar are all you need. I have spent a lot of time on coarse gravel country roads and logging roads and have never had a problem.

[William]

Gravel on 23's???? You're folks are nuts!!! :)


Club Roost Cross Terra tires....if you can find them. :cool:





William

[blharrell]

For other recommendations look at Andy Hampsten's bike tour guide page. They lead a tour on the same roads as the Eroica race.
Good Luck

I did the ride with Andy in 2006 and IIRC, he recommended 25s and rode same. I rode Roly Polys, switched over the the 24 Pave CGs and wouldn't go back. Those tires are great for Eroica style gravel though you might want something bigger if the gravel is large. Tubular 24s might get ya where you're going. And the Paves are much better on the road.

Brent

[davids]

Gravel on 23's???? You're folks are nuts!!! :) I'll ride 4-5 miles on gravel roads on 23s. But I'm always really, really happy when I get back on pavement.

Is 100 miles of that kind of suffering fun? :confused:

[frogpirate]

Is 100 miles of that kind of suffering fun? :confused:

Yes, for some value of "fun". :-)

A few years ago there was a race near Bend, OR called the '"Skull Hollow Robaix". IIRC, it was 'only' about 67 miles, about 3/8 gravel (fine sharp gravel mostly), 3/8 paved (chipseal for the most part) and the balance really poor Forest Service "Road" with up to 4 or 5" sharp rocks and a killer climb. I rode my single speed Cyclo-Cross bike (Iro Rob Roy) with 25c Specialiazed Robaix tires. Zero flats, and I rode every thing EXCEPT the one killer climb, where I had to walk about 1 mile. I was seriously under-geared for most of the ride (38-16 IIRC) and killed myself trying to draft on the paved sections. Anyway, the tires were fine and I would use them again.

Ken

PS, my son won our class (Cat3). He and another fellow took of and worked together untill the other guy flated, and Sam kept going. He almost got caught at the end but was able to sprint the last hill. I finished..... not last. ;-) Sam rode his 'cross bike with 'cross tires (I don't remember what kind). I keep wishing they would do that race again, it really was fun!

[3chordwonder]

I regularly ride gravel track on a cross bike with the Michelin Jets mentioned earlier (not the mud version though - the 'packed earth/gravel' version). More traction than a 25mm road tyre and in many places that means faster. Plus for a long distance it doesn't hurt that they don't weigh a ton and feel very comfortable as well as fast.

[vaxn8r]

Last spring I trashed a new 25c Michilin PR 2 (which is like everyone else's 28c) on a gravel road. Huge 1 inch side wall/tread cut. I think it was a fluke. My point...I don't know... just saying.

[caleb]

Last spring I trashed a new 25c Michilin PR 2 (which is like everyone else's 28c) on a gravel road. Huge 1 inch side wall/tread cut. I think it was a fluke. My point...I don't know... just saying.

Bring spares? (I don't think there's a sag wagon.)

[ericspin]

I regularly ride gravel track on a cross bike with the Michelin Jets mentioned earlier (not the mud version though - the 'packed earth/gravel' version). More traction than a 25mm road tyre and in many places that means faster. Plus for a long distance it doesn't hurt that they don't weigh a ton and feel very comfortable as well as fast.

+1 I use the Jets on my IF PlanetX and have always loved 'em. Hook up on mulitiple surfaces and feel nice and soft. Have ridden them on the road as well with little penalty.