Sartorial issues here. What does a person wear to go gravelling. Is there a dress code? Esp re legs. ??
Crosshair. That’s a strong look!
wrestling underpants obviously...........
Hair shirt?
Pretty sure a checked shirt is compulsory. And facial hair where possible
At this time of year, a tweed jacket and shirt (with tie collar) and tie or shirt (with stock collar) and coloured stock, pale breeches, clean short boots and gaiters/half-chaps or long boots, dark gloves and a hat with a dark cover. Keep your hair neat and tidy with a hairnet.
When it warms up I loosen the tie.
I can’t believe there isn’t gravel specific clothing yet. I remember those 29er saddles.
Perhaps a combo of roadie and MTB atire OP? That would be in the spirit of the intended usage. Lycra at the bottom DH gear at the top?
Don't listen to the marketing nonsense. Anything goes on gravel. Castelli jacket, baggy shorts. Generally scruffier than road ( or filthy). I nicknamed my mate The Graveltramp.
I thought one of the posh biking kit companies had produced specific gravel kit 🙂
this is th elook you are after
Depends on your style of gravel surely?
For gnargrav it has to bee impractically long "shorts", ideally with a expensive name all over them. Multitudinous pockets are a must. Socks should be high enough to cover the bulge of the calf. Top should be loose enough to make pockets a pain to use thus justifying excessive luggage, all for a trip round the local family trail. Helmet should be a nasty hybrid thing that suits no one and the shoes must be gravel specific meaning that they are pale, possibly laced to catch all crud and the vents will let a;; the mud in.
If you are aerogravelling it will be you best road kit although possibly those silly shoes with holes will be used. Laces won't.You won't take a jacket as that will fill the pockets which are best kept for a useless tiny pump and a stupidly big phone padded by two expensive designer gels.
The old timer RSF type (modern version) will use Craghopper walking trousers, cheap trekky trainers and either a hi viz waterproof or ex army camo. Helmet is optional and will probably have lycra cover. Be warned. These are the riders whose short trip will take in 3 Munros, 10,000 feet of ascent and 50% carrying.
The old timer RSF type (modern version) will use Craghopper walking trousers, cheap trekky trainers and either a hi viz waterproof or ex army camo. Helmet is optional and will probably have lycra cover. Be warned. These are the riders whose short trip will take in 3 Munros, 10,000 feet of ascent and 50% carrying.
🤣🙃 We have a few of them ^^ in our bike club.
Their usual reply to any chat/questions about bike choice,kit or fuel, is..
"How about you try,just gettin (efin) oan wi it"
👍😜
The old timer RSF type (modern version) will use Craghopper walking trousers, cheap trekky trainers and either a hi viz waterproof or ex army camo. Helmet is optional and will probably have lycra cover. Be warned. These are the riders whose short trip will take in 3 Munros, 10,000 feet of ascent and 50% carrying.
You see these people out occasionally. Carradice saddle bag held together with string. It will contain half a dozen jam sandwiches which will sustain them for the 200 miles they'll be doing before breakfast.
The newest component on their bike will be something they got third hand at a cycle jumble 20 years ago.
The entire net worth of their cycling clothing will be about half that of the Assos gravel-specific jersey you're wearing.
From what I saw from a gravel "event" that passed through a forest we were riding in a huge frown is compulsory.
Is gravel the new triathlon, scorned by every other bicycle breed for daring to exist 🙂 If so, I appear to be jumping between mocked groups every couple of decades!
Vaguely serious answer - In a recommend what you own stylee, did you get in on that mass Aussie Grit closing down sale bonanza during lockdown - a bit too baggy for road cred and a bit too try hard to be cool at the trail centre cafe - that. (I appreciate this dude is not on a gravel bike - just imagine that with drop bars and an air of superiority.
A rash?
WTF are gravel shoes, i've seen a few brands selling them, wouldn't you just use road or MTB shoes.
More marketing crap?
More marketing crap?
XC SPD dancing shoes re-branded basically.
A moustache is all a gentleman needs, ladies may prefer to be more modesty attired.
NOT anything you value highly. Between getting sprayed with a mix of mud and slurry and the higher likelihood of crashing, it's no home for shiny new gear.
Other than that it's just full lycra for me but a less Euro-fluoro palette and more earthy tones (yes I'm typing **** deliberately but sadly it's pretty much true). Examples:
I got into MTB via the RSF.
When I failed to renew the membership secretary turned up at Newcastle railway station to have words.
I don't know what gravel is but wear a green Buffalo Active jacket - and do most of my cycling in a pair of nylon Fox trousers I bought second-hand 20 years ago for £10. This week I ripped the arse out of my waterproof trousers - but will continue to wear them because the legs are still waterproof.
A couple of times a week I dress up to ride with MTB friends.
Oh yes: John Taylor, the man responsible for cyclists being treated fairly by the Land Reform Act, used to cycle everywhere in wellies, plusfours and a Greenspot jacket.
Man! I’ve opened a real bag here. I was thinking roadie on top mtb bottoms plus spds. Now I’m rocking a tweed jacket, plus fours, pedals with toe clips and a stripy bobble hat.
I wear my cycling kit
Man! I’ve opened a real bag here. I was thinking roadie on top mtb bottoms plus spds.
TBH that's more or less what I wear. Except in winter when it's roadie tights all the way.
For years I've just worn my MTB spd shoes as well, it was only very recently I got what were termed "gravel shoes" and even then it was cos they were ridiculously cheap in a sale and they're actually just rebranded MTB shoes anyway.
Always roadie tops because they're snug fitting and have pockets. Any kind of flappy "MTB" top that doesn't have rear pockets is just annoying and pointless.
and a stripy bobble hat.
Don't forget the blue trackies and rain cape.
Plenty of sartorial guidance here ->
https://www.instagram.com/rsfarchive/
Love the RSF pics 😀
When not sporting tweed, I tend to look like a mongrel roadie, possibly with Enduro shorts over my bibs, and always MTB shoes as I have no others...
And a pipe obvs.
For MTB pretty much the same although I change my lid from a roadie one to a peaked Fox something or other..
Joking aside. Whenever I’ve gone out with friends for a ride with friends on their gravel bikes it tends to be a mix of my MTB kit, check shirts, Lycra, SPDs, flats and whatever they fancied.
Plenty of sartorial guidance here ->
https://www.instagram.com/rsfarchive//blockquote >They are great photos. Will nicely contrast with my usual scroll-through of mountain bikers, trials riders, bmxers, and fitness people.
Same as I wear to mtb or road quite frankly. Always baggies. I might wear lycra but it's most definitely hidden. Ain't no-one needs to see me in full lycra. 🙈
Shorts and a T-shirt.
Trousers and a fleece / coat if it’s cold or wet.
I do have some shoes that I wear just on the gravel bike, they’re MTB flats and I got them because my others were hitting the chainstays and these have a narrower heel.
The only piece of lycra I own is a pair of padded shorts and they ALWAYS have something on over the top.
Full Lycra.
MTB shoes (but not 5:10’s, disco slippers).
Roadie helmet.
Ridiculous, bright glasses.
thought one of the posh biking kit companies had produced specific gravel kit thought one of the posh biking kit companies had produced specific gravel kit
Several have. Cargo bib shorts seem quite the thing. Though what you're supposed to be able to get in the pocket, God knows.
@convert I have two of those Aussie Grit jerseys they get used for Gravel, Road and MTBering...
In answer to the question, just wear anything it's a bit of a broad church innit reformed roadies still flash the logos their rapha and castelli kit insecure MTBists can mask their lard in baggies and flappy tops, hipsters can wear their ironically over-priced lumberjack shirts and cut-off Levis from a 'vintage clothing' shop. Those of us with a bit of everything in the kit bag can wear whatever suits.
I'm going to try and lead the charge for Hawaiian shirts this summer (with cargo bibs of course
There are no judgements made out on the bridal-ways 😉
I’m going to try and lead the charge for Hawaiian shirts this summer (with cargo bibs of course
There are no judgements made out on the bridal-ways 😉
You say so, but the bride’s mother won’t approve.
Another full lycra and MTB XC SPD shoes for me. It is the most comfortable and efficient clothes to cycle in so why not?
Cargo bib shorts seem quite the thing. Though what you’re supposed to be able to get in the pocket, God knows.
Cargo pockets on shorts/tights are amazing. Honestly one of those things you think "what would I ever put in the pockets?!" and before you know it you're using them for food, phone, rolled up armwarmers, gloves...
And yes, all that stuff can go in back pockets but they get jammed up and in rummaging around for a bar you end up dropping all sorts of other crap plus if you're wearing a jacket or gilet you need to undo that too...
I'm going to try and lead the charge for Hawaiian shirts this summer
I'm in.
What about Downcountry Gravel ?
Man! I’ve opened a real bag here. I was thinking roadie on top mtb bottoms plus spds.
Not very baggy, baggies over Lycra work for me. There seem to be two types of gravel riders round here, one who've come from mountain biking who just look functional and scruffy and a whole raft of newly converted road riders dressed in immaculate Rapha and picking their way cautiously down, say, the Roych with the very, very serious expression of someone facing up to certain death ... ultimately it just comes down to what works best for you.
I find proper baggies irritating what with the constant pedalling swish noises, but it's all subjective and people are quite happy to ride around on e-bikes sounding like an out-of-control food processor, so what do I know. Road helmet with cap works for me, modern mtb helmets look daft and the peak screws up your view when you're on the drops.
I'm sure some roadie idiot has invented 'The Rules' for gravel by now and the posh kit brands would love you to buy their exceedingly expensive, multi-pocketed underpants and gravel-specific socks, but... isn't this all kind of obvious?
Nothing.
I don't want anything to spoil the purity of gravel.
Careful emperor you know that will end in a rash
This thread has reminded me, I miss Southlakes threads. His name escapes me ATM, but sure someone will remind me
There are no rules, if you are doing something because "you're supposed to" then you are doing it wrong*
*Which sounds like a rule, crap...but you know what I mean
Oh and one of these obviously
https://flic.kr/p/2ot4mzG
I find proper baggies irritating what with the constant pedalling swish noises
I find you don't get that with the Assos baggies, and you can sometimes find them on offer on line.
hawaiian shirt and baggies....... tick.
i am way ahead of the trend.................;o)
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I splashed out on a Castelli Unlimited puffy jacket, which has been a staple on every ride since I got it. I have Rapha Cargo bibs that I often put a pair of Castelli unlimited baggy shorts on top of. MTB XC clip ins. The bibs and shorts are also worn on the MTB if I don’t have knee pads on..
I can’t believe there isn’t gravel specific clothing yet.
There's shedloads! Most cycle clothing manufs have gravel specific ranges now...
Oh and one of these obviously
None in fat-man sizes in blue though 😢😢
Mud is the only thing to wear on a gravel bike currently
https://flic.kr/p/2otvxTP
@cookeaa another Hawaiian shirt bringer here. Let’s make it happen.
I’ve never thought too much about it really; I still wear the same rapha brevet jersey that I would for Audaxing or road rides. I have cargo bibs but am dubious to the pockets because I don’t really like warm bananas. The best pair of shorts I ever bought are a pair of Evans’ own from 6/7 years ago that long since discontinued.
Cap or bobble hat depending on weather.
Buffalo windshirt for any rough weather.
A long beard 🧔♀️