The history of “gravel riding”...

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by happycampyer

Riding on long stretches of crushed gravel sounds miserable—like a cyclocross course that is mostly one long sand pit, or skiing on ice. Are the roads in the midwest more gravel than dirt? If so, maybe it’s fair to say that “gravel grinding” is more of a midwest thing. If the unpaved roads around me (and in Litchfield, CT, western MA, VT, etc.) were mostly gravel, I’m with saab—I’m staying on the pavement.

Riding on long stretches of crushed gravel is indeed miserable. I don't see the appeal other than the reduction of automotive traffic by 95%. That is appealing. But it's fatiguing riding wonder every foot of the way what your front wheel is going to do when it sinks into a hidden pothole that's filled with sand or loose gravel. Not my thing.

Hardpacked unpaved roads are nice. Loose gravel roads suck.

[colker]

" “Born in the American Midwest, gravel riding is one of the fastest–growing styles of cycling"

Unless Specialized is talking about cycling over a specific terrain that only exists in the US, this sentence crossed the line into ignorant statements territory.

In Brasil most of the bikes have big fat balloon tires on big wheels. Hundreds of thousands bicycles are just like that. That´s how most of everybody rides: on gravel roads. We have one of the biggest cycling companies in the world, Caloi, turning those bikes every year and it´s been like this for the last 70yrs. Lance A rode for Caloi btw. Caloi had a partnership w/ E Merckx.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by colker

" “Born in the American Midwest, gravel riding is one of the fastest–growing styles of cycling"

Unless Specialized is talking about cycling over a specific terrain that only exists in the US, this sentence crossed the line into ignorant statements territory.

In Brasil most of the bikes have big fat balloon tires on big wheels. Hundreds of thousands bicycles are just like that. That´s how most of everybody rides: on gravel roads. We have one of the biggest cycling companies in the world, Caloi, turning those bikes every year and it´s been like this for the last 70yrs. Lance A rode for Caloi btw. Caloi had a partnership w/ E Merckx.

Once again Brazil has missed out to capitalize on their vast natural resources.

[William]

I invented it in the forests of Washington State riding logging, fire, and meandering backcountry roads when I was a kid. Wildcat, Scrambler, Varsity, Monte Carlo, wide tire, skinny tire, yada, yada, yada...I rode it all.

Hey Sinyard, come at me bro!






W.

[colker]

Originally Posted by joosttx

Once again Brazil has missed out to capitalize on their vast natural resources.

Maybe.... Specilized is still looking stupid w/ that statement but you could capitalize on this wonderfull sense of humour:
Picking on other nationalities. Borderline ethnic prejudice. Awesome Joost. .. as usual.

[colker]

Originally Posted by William

I invented it in the forests of Washington State riding logging, fire, and meandering backcountry roads when I was a kid. Wildcat, Scrambler, Varsity, Monte Carlo, wide tire, skinny tire, yada, yada, yada...I rode it all.

Hey Sinyard, come at me bro!






W.

Exactly.

[El Chaba]

Originally Posted by saab2000

Riding on long stretches of crushed gravel is indeed miserable. I don't see the appeal other than the reduction of automotive traffic by 95%. That is appealing. But it's fatiguing riding wonder every foot of the way what your front wheel is going to do when it sinks into a hidden pothole that's filled with sand or loose gravel. Not my thing.

Hardpacked unpaved roads are nice. Loose gravel roads suck.

It's another case of the romance of the notion being far greater than the reality. My county has no unpaved public roads. An adjacent county has about 100 miles of them. Like you wrote, hard pack is one thing, but our unpaved roads have a very high sand content. In summer it is like riding on a dry beach. When things are wet the wheels function as an abrasive distribution system for the various parts of the bike. In short, it sucks. There are times that I ride over these roads, but I look at it as something to be negotiated and not an end in itself or an epic reenactment of some sort.

[Dasarbule]

Gravel riding loses a lot of its romance the first time a huge Dodge "Dually" rips past, throwing a wake of deadly projectiles in every direction as it slews around you at 90km/h. It's a great day if they aren't shouting obscenities at you as they make their way past.

[unterhausen]

I would say my main complaint about the local gravel is that it's too well maintained. It's just about perfect by hunting season, but then riding on it isn't prudent and the snow starts then too.

I have ridden on well-maintained gravel in Iowa, and I'm not a fan of that. Around here, the interesting roads are gravel, the entirety of happy valley has been overrun by sprawl and there are very few roads that don't just go past one crappy little house after another. And the bulk of the inhabitants are nasty little people that take out their frustration with their poor life choices on cyclists.

[coolplanetbikes]

Here in Vermont we have more dirt than pavement and most of the time the dirt roads are in better shape than the paved ones (pot holes and deteriorating shoulders with no bike lanes in most places). I also routinely ride my 25s on the packed dirt and maintain averages very close to those on the pavement. They suck on loose stuff and washboard but I'd rather have the efficiency than the comfort. My cobbled together "gravel bike" is essentially a 700c road frame with disc brakes and mountain gears with 34c semi-slicks. I built it 10 years ago...

[choke]

Originally Posted by coolplanetbikes

My cobbled together "gravel bike" is essentially a 700c road frame with disc brakes and mountain gears with 34c semi-slicks. I built it 10 years ago...

You have to satisfy my curiosity....what road frame had discs 10 years ago?

[coolplanetbikes]

Yeah the frameset is a 2008 Scott Sub 10 - nothing fancy. Originally designed to be a commuter but it's got long and low geo (like a road frame) with 700c wheels, discs, and big tire capacity. Ahead of it's time I suppose. Pic here: https://www.rei.com/product/766794/s...ssic-bike-2008

[kingpin75s]

Originally Posted by happycampyer

The unpaved roads around Battenkill and Deerfield (and the northeast in general. in my experience) are more hard-packed dirt than gravel, and those are the nicest roads to ride on. Riding on long stretches of crushed gravel sounds miserable—like a cyclocross course that is mostly one long sand pit, or skiing on ice. Are the roads in the midwest more gravel than dirt? If so, maybe it’s fair to say that “gravel grinding” is more of a midwest thing. If the unpaved roads around me (and in Litchfield, CT, western MA, VT, etc.) were mostly gravel, I’m with saab—I’m staying on the pavement.

Probably a fair statement. My Aunt lives in southern NH and started the Rose Mountain Rumble after joining me in MN for the Almanzo 100 in 2014. She was surprised at the difference between NH gravel and MN gravel. She equated Almanzo gravel to ball bearings on concrete and found it in great contrast to what she was used to. 2014 was not even near the brutal course that 2012 and 2013 were. 50-80 miles of deep edge to edge those years.

Most of my NE gravel riding is like what we call "hero gravel" in MN. Good, fast hard pack.

Each region has their own. Have not been to the DK region but hear that stuff is pretty rough flint, limestone and shale. Even some of the counties in western MN, where they contract cheap gravel, provides a very different experience. I take my mountain bike or Fat with me to train when I head that way.

All semantics in the end.