[Closed] What is gravel grinding ?

Schralping the gnarmac to the maxx on epic adventures, innit?

It's what people do when they wake up and realise that they've been overbiked ever since they bought a Flexistem.

Flexstem? Gravel?

Your wish, etc...

Over biked or under skilled? Why yes, yes it is.

😂

It’s a US term to describe long rides on the unsurfaced gravel roads that are common in the American mid-West. It meant that drop bar/CX type bikes developed, with bigger tyre clearance, better gearing and more comfortable geometry (think ‘UK hardcore hard tail’ compared to traditional XC Race MTB). Happily for us it gives a bike that’s not sluggish on tarmac, is perfectly suited to forest roads and smooth bridleways and with a bit of skill can handle MTB type trails (albeit more slowly downhill, maybe). Shit pigeon hole, great bikes.

yeah what boxelder says, mine is a glorified commuter for the canal tow paths and riverside trails, road bike for sportives and big KM runs, mixing it up machine for a train trip to the peak and a bit more. It's kind of the middle ground, goes further if you can pick a line and true front wheels too

Happily for us it gives a bike that’s not sluggish on tarmac, is perfectly suited to forest roads and smooth bridleways and with a bit of skill can handle MTB type trails (albeit more slowly downhill, maybe)

perfect description

 It meant that drop bar/CX type bikes developed, with bigger tyre clearance, better gearing and more comfortable geometry

Yup, tourers. 🙂

Embrace the Carradice.

Tourers are to ‘racers’ what ‘gravel’ bikes are to CX. Is there something wrong with choice in the world of cycling?

edit: nowt wrong with Carradice (except racks....)

Gravel - mtb riding for the scenery instead of the adrenalin stuff?

Nope, that’s bimbling. Don’t even think about taking that away from me. 😾

I love gravel riding, flying down forest roads at 60kph on 35mm tyres and on the drops is thrilling.

Another thing that gravel has taught me is how unpleasant it is to ride a MTB on the road.

That said if l want to go for a true off road adventure ride without having the stress about coming up against terrain where i am clearly underbiked the MTB will always be the right tool for the job

The gravel bike will never truly replace the MTB

Happily for us it gives a bike that’s not sluggish on tarmac, is perfectly suited to forest roads and smooth bridleways and with a bit of skill can handle MTB type trails (albeit more slowly downhill, maybe)

Yep, good description.  And although you can actually use a road bike or a mountain bike for that with the right choice of tyres the gravel bike is still a better choice for most. (odd that I don't ride one really)

I agree 100% with both Boxelder & andypaul.

However you could go to Kielder for instance, when it's wet and you will get plenty of grind.

🙂

The gravel bike will never truly replace the MTB

I think you'd have to be an utter fool to consider the thought that it could.

It’s what people do when they wake up and realise that they’ve been overbiked ever since they bought a Flexistem.

This. And also what you do when you realise your local trails are crap, you don’t want to drive for an hour to ride your bike and you’re not sure if road is for you.

And fixed gravel bikes are for the win.

I think you’d have to be an utter fool to consider the thought that it could.

In the classic I want a do it all bike threads you realise all means very little.

And fixed gravel bikes are for the win.

They sure are and are the cause for more grinding than most people will be doing.  I run a low gear for fixed (61GI) but still have to grind up most gravel hills.

In the classic I want a do it all bike threads you realise all means very little.

Aye, it generally means 'I've reached mid 50's, realised I'm actually pretty shite at this MTB lark, and in my time poor, cash rich life, driving somewhere awesome is really not an option. However, I'll just tell folk I'm overbiked, and that's the reason I've bought a do-it-all-mince-tanker'.... 🙂

A US term. UK equivalent is Byway Bashing or similar. Green laning by bike maybe. 'Grinding', see 'crushing' and other trash-talking bro phrases. We'll have less of that over here, thank you very much.

Aye, it generally means ‘I’ve reached mid 50’s, realised I’m actually pretty shite at this MTB lark, and in my time poor, cash rich life, driving somewhere awesome is really not an option.

Maybe, although for me gravel bikes have genuinely given me a new riding experience.

I do feel that gravel riding is probably the future of road cycling,

With the roads becoming increasingly congested and therefore dangerous more and more people want to get off road, but as you say many will not and may never have the skills to fully enjoy a trail centre, and for whatever reason do not want to ride a MTB.

I do feel that gravel riding is probably the future of road cycling

It's really not. Road cycling is the future of road cycling.

What you are talking about is a form of cycling that is very enjoyable, an alternative for you to road cycling and all it's perceived dangers.

No form of cycling is ever gonna replace another, just because it suits a very small cross section of the cycling community.

You need to remember that a lot of people live nowhere near any gravel roads, whereas almost everyone lives near tarmac roads (If you have to drive for 2 hours to go for a gravel ride I think you have missed the point.).

I live in the middle of a lot of gravel roads but the majority of people riding bikes are road riders who just ride straight past all the lovely gravel roads as that is not what they want to ride.

Gravel bikes have a limited market because of that so can't see it continuing to grow and will probably decline over next 10 years.

You don't need gravel roads. . .My. Riding is a hell of a lot of canal tow paths and flat bw's along with the ncn routes of old railway lines etc.

Gravel bikes have a limited market because of that so can’t see it continuing to grow and will probably decline over next 10 years.

I'd tend to agree, but it's not quite straight forward predicting where the market goes, ten years ago I'd never have thought that a huge number of us would be riding 160mm FS bikes that are comfy and light enough to ride all day. A few years back, we were all gonna be riding fat bikes according to some (I haven't seen one in ages now that I think of it)

Choice is great, as is evolution, it gives us all something to talk about. Talk of one type of cycling being the future for all is just bunkum though.

I live in the middle of a lot of gravel roads but the majority of people riding bikes are road riders who just ride straight past all the lovely gravel roads as that is not what they want to ride.

Fair enough, its just that bike manufactures seem to making a big effort turning their road bikes into gravel freindly bikes ( big tyes,disc brakes) in addition to gravel stages in tours. Something must be happening..

, its just that bike manufactures seem to making a big effort turning their road bikes into gravel freindly bikes ( big tyes,disc brakes) in addition to gravel stages in tours.

Or just adding one more in there, bigger tyres and endurance geo is great for most roads, there was a proof that bigger tyres are not slower for most so an evolution.

Disc brakes don't mean gravel just evolution again.

The gravel stages are mostly an unfinished summit isn't it?

Having bought into this space recently I don't see it being pushed as everything but there are a lot more choice for road and gravel is an addition.

( big tyes,disc brakes)

I never assumed any of this was for gravel?, bigger tyres make more sense on road bikes for the average Joe, minimal if any loss of speed, protects rims, bit of comfort too. Disc brakes were always coming as they're just better.

Edit - beaten to it by MWS!

I never assumed any of this was for gravel?, bigger tyres make more sense on road bikes

Agree, but i think the driver for all of these is still for the average road cyclist to, in one way shape or form to get off road. Whether the off road is a canal path, forest road, bike path or gravel track the desire is obviously there.

My opinion is slightly skewed as i dont live in the UK, but can say that my LBS is doing an absolutely roaring trade in gravel bikes specificaly the trek checkpoint for some reason.

Gravel bikes have a limited market because of that so can’t see it continuing to grow and will probably decline over next 10 years.

I would disagree with this entirely. Because of the appeal, flexibility and general "do it all" nature I think they have one of the biggest potential markets in the bike world. Commuters, gravel riders, adventure biking/bikepacking, casual riders looking for a first road bike even. There is plenty of scope to market these "go anywhere" bikes.

For most isn't it just the latest fad to replace fatbikes?

bigyinn

For most isn’t it just the latest fad to replace fatbikes?

They're a good complement to a fatbike though. Covers the other seasons with a bit of overlap.

If there was a fad with fatbikes, it was with folk who were using them as a general purpose trailbike, a bit like buying a Landrover when a Subaru would be better suited. And that's perfectly ok if you like it, but there's a lot of compromises.

I think fatbikes will become more visible in the next few weeks. The conditions for most of this year haven't merited bringing out the fatbike - I have only done one long ride on mine once since February. However the snow is down to 2,000 feet at the moment here, so if this weather continues, it's fatbike time.

Maybe someone could do a Venn diagram of the ideal bike mix.

What do you reckon?

Basic set: Road; gravel; mtb; fatbike.
Icing on the cake: Fixie; ss mtb; DH
Oddball: Unicycle; vintage; retromtb; tandems; recumbents....

I'm sure there's more to be added to that. 🙂

I would disagree with this entirely

I will see you in 10 years and we can find out.

Maybe someone could do a Venn diagram of the ideal bike mix.

Different for different people.  Mine would just be a circle with a fixed gear track bike in it as it does all I need.

Bike types vs surface type. Effectivness rated 0 - 10. Hardtails come out as the best all round bike *

[url= https://image.ibb.co/cgmEk0/bikesurface.jp g" target="_blank">https://image.ibb.co/cgmEk0/bikesurface.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

* not scientific in any way shape or form

I will see you in 10 years and we can find out.

Some people take cycling forums way too seriously

Basic set: Road; gravel; mtb; fatbike.
Icing on the cake: Fixie; ss mtb; DH
Oddball: Unicycle; vintage; retromtb; tandems; recumbents….

Fixies,SS go into a new category ‘ slightly oddball’

I would disagree with this entirely. Because of the appeal, flexibility and general “do it all” nature I think they have one of the biggest potential markets in the bike world. Commuters, gravel riders, adventure biking/bikepacking, casual riders looking for a first road bike even. There is plenty of scope to market these “go anywhere” bikes.

We've had hybrids for years...

Some people take cycling forums way too seriously

Yes you do seem to.  You actually thought I would wait 10 years and them come back to see what had happened.  It wasn't a serious comment...

We’ve had hybrids for years…

Yep, and gravel bikes will eat into that market share. A quick google shows that road bikes, mountain bikes and hybrids all have a 20-25% market share. So, if gravel bikes took 5% off each category then it`ll have a healthy share of the market.

Nobeerinthefridge

We’ve had hybrids for years…

That's a fair comment, but generally speaking they were unattractive to either dropbar bike users or mtb riders.

They looked like they were aimed at old duffers to ride along smooth canal paths for a mile or two to the pub and back.

Most I saw had low spec groupsets and tyres, and I wouldn't be keen to go into the middle of nowhere on one. Shopping & commuting, maybe. The frames may have made a good basis for a custom gravel build though. (This being STW, I'll bet someone will now mention brand X which I have entirely overlooked. 🙂 )

but generally speaking they were unattractive to either dropbar bike users or mtb riders.

Agree, and they still will be unattractive for same reasons.   Gravel bikes have fashion on their side but fashion only lasts for so long (see fat bikes, fixed gear bikes, single speed MTBs and so on).  People buy one as gravel is what 'everyone' is doing and then go back to their road bike or MTB when they find out it doesn't suit them more than what they were already do.  10 years and people won't be talking about gravel bikes (and no I am not going to come back and check)

* not scientific in any way shape or form

You do know* that shape and form are the same thing.

* by which I mean you don't know.

They looked like they were aimed at old duffers to ride along smooth canal paths for a mile or two to the pub and back.

Ahem.... 🤣