Gravel is as old as cycling! —Rene Herse content

[RWL2222]

There’s a beautifully written article with loads of storytelling pics over on rene herse—tying together the history of riding bikes on dirt roads, including a key insight (to me, anyhoo) on the marketing imperative of flat bars in the ‘80s (when I bought my first mtb). Gravel Hall of Fame, anyone?

https://www.renehersecycles.com/grav...ld-as-cycling/

[rustychisel]

You're right. Beautifully written with a very big side serving of 'I told you so.'

"At the time, we felt we were rediscovering something beautiful rather than inventing something new."

[spoonrobot]

[shoota]

And not one mention of Salsa. Whatever. I still want a full steel “gravel” bike and no helmet. YOLO

[RWL2222]

Originally Posted by spoonrobot

Well OK but the context I think is more in regard to the recently announced Gravel Hall of Fame https://cyclingtips.com/2022/01/does...-hall-of-fame/ which does not strike me as exactly akin to the mountain bike hall of fame
https://mmbhof.org

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by spoonrobot

Maybe it's just a cycling activity and not a GD conspiracy.

[rustychisel]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Maybe it's just a cycling activity and not a GD conspiracy.

Then as an unbeliever might I respectfully suggest some on here do not treat it as a Revelation. (capitalisation intended)

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by rustychisel

then as an unbeliever might i respectfully suggest some on here do not treat it as a revelation. (capitalisation intended)

poy…

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by rustychisel

Then as an unbeliever might I respectfully suggest some on here do not treat it as a Revelation. (capitalisation intended)

If only everything was silver and made by Italians...

[dustyrider]

I couldn’t read past the first line…gravel seems like a marketing term developed to sell more bikes and a hall of fame seems like a way to legitimize what essentially amounts to a money grab to convince people they need a new or different bike because of a “label” that has been attached to a type of riding everyone already does. I ride 25c tires without disc brakes on gravel all the time…maybe if I were fully invested in a brand that manufacturers and sells product for that type of riding, I would care about that hall of fame too!

[RWL2222]

Originally Posted by dustyrider

I couldn’t read past the first line…gravel seems like a marketing term developed to sell more bikes and a hall of fame seems like a way to legitimize what essentially amounts to a money grab to convince people they need a new or different bike because of a “label” that has been attached to a type of riding everyone already does. I ride 25c tires without disc brakes on gravel all the time…maybe if I were fully invested in a brand that manufacturers and sells product for that type of riding, I would care about that hall of fame too!

Thats the point of the article pretty much. Too bad my framing of it threw you off.

[fiamme red]

Some photos were just posted on the CR in memory of the late Peter Johnson. Here he is riding with Jobst Brandt in 1987.

[shoota]

Originally Posted by dustyrider

I ride 25c tires without disc brakes on gravel all the time…

So help me understand what the point of this comment is? I see people say varying iterations of it all the time and I simply don't understand what the point is.

[kppolich]

Originally Posted by shoota

So help me understand what the point of this comment is? I see people say varying iterations of it all the time and I simply don't understand what the point is.

The point is:
You don't need a special bike to ride gravel.
You don't need special shoes or 40mm tires to ride gravel.
You don't need to pay $450 race entry fees to race gravel.

Any bike is a gravel bike if you'll set it free.

[shoota]

Originally Posted by kppolich

The point is:
You don't need a special bike to ride gravel.
You don't need special shoes or tires to ride gravel.
You don't need to pay $450 race entry fees to race gravel.

Any bike is a gravel bike if you'll set it free.

Often I don't think that's the point at all. I think the point is pure curmudgeon-y. Bring that 25c road bike over here and try it. You won't last two miles. Purpose built gravel bikes are fantastic and they add a ton of enjoyment to the gravel ride. I don't understand why more choices is a bad thing. Like you say, ride what you want, but why put down others for what they ride? It's their fault if they fall into the marketing BS, but if they're happy..so what?