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Yes there’s competitive flavours of gravel now, dunno if things like the “Lifetime Grand Prix” are really in the same non-competitive spirit as tubby Dads and third wave hipsters trundling about on bridleways and knackered B-Roads enjoying the views and a pork pie, but it’s all part of a broad church of “gravel”…
TBH I always wondered if the big gravel rides are wholly dominated by hordes of cycle journalists/fluencers and sponsored riders pimping the wares of the manufacturers.
(Although im sure this can't be true 🙂 )
it’s 90s xc though innit really
No, it's not. Just because everyone had the same style of MTB in the 90 doesn't mean everyone was riding the same trails. In fact, the fact we were riding different trails in different ways is what led to the diversification of bikes in the first place.
No, it’s not.
I like the 90s MTB comparison though, I think because some of the routes which were considered 'classic' MTB loops back then are now sort of 'classic' gravel loops as MTB has moved on and nobody has the patience for 90% estate tracks and tarmac for 10% singletrack or quad track e.g. Glen Kinglas, Gaick Pass, Glen Tilt etc.
Yeah, it certainly is like 1990s XC to some... but it isn't to others.
No need to be absolutist and argumentative about it.
On the subject of which, it's a bit weird that a few people in this thread just seem to want to bash the writer for looking like Seasick Steve.
I've no idea who Seasick Steve is but maybe there's some irony in me currently growing a winter beard while the gravel bike languishes in the garage for a few months 😂
On the subject of which, it’s a bit weird that a few people in this thread just seem to want to bash the writer for looking like Seasick Steve.
I look like I live by train hopping in the mid West? .....actually I would like some denim bib and braces. Wish I could play a 6 string guitar like Steve though, let alone a 3 stringer!
TBH I always wondered if the big gravel rides are wholly dominated by hordes of cycle journalists/fluencers and sponsored riders pimping the wares of the manufacturers.
(Although im sure this can’t be true 🙂 )
Certainly every rider at a professional road or MTB race is sponsored directly or indirectly by a bike manufacturer. Why would gravel be different
It is one of the odd things about gravel. Roadies in particular seem to want to put it all down to marketing. Seeming to not have noticed that the amount spent marketing road bikes swamps that spent on gravel by orders of magnitude. We are talking millions per world tour team to ride those bikes
My only bike is a fixed gear
Show us a pic! I rode fixed for a few years...it's pure AF 🙌
No need to be absolutist and argumentative about it
+1 Anyone who thinks that any particular variety of (whatever) is the one true way is (in my non-argumentative opinion) clearly an arse. Anyone who whines about how other varieties are "worse" than their preferred option is a needs their genre-specific shoes pissed in.
Now it’s become a lot more commercial here in Norway. You see a lot more people with full beards, flannel shirts, and expensive packs full of organic sandwiches and coffee.
The woke, liberal elite, gravellarti... undermining the true spirit of gravel and stealing it from real people? Please god, don't let that happen to gravel in the UK.
It is one of the odd things about gravel. Roadies in particular seem to want to put it all down to marketing. Seeming to not have noticed that the amount spent marketing road bikes swamps that spent on gravel by orders of magnitude.
Bit of a tangent, but it's interesting how bike brands spend loads on sponsoring road teams, but are apparently selling more gravel bikes these days.
Is it a general brand awareness/trickle down thing? Like how DH racing sells enduro and trail bikes?
I look like I live by train hopping in the mid West? …..actually I would like some denim bib and braces. Wish I could play a 6 string guitar like Steve though, let alone a 3 stringer!
No offence intended, was just trying to point out that people were a bit silly to be so triggered by a beard and check shirt.
Picked up a Crux this week, winter road bike and commuting to work. Felt bad for the stumpjumper getting hammered in the rain and crap everyday, equally the nice road bike was getting hammered at the weekends as well.
Its comfy, perfect on the shitty backlanes that constitues my commute and road rides. Just waiting for halfords to deliver some mudguards.
Was looking at a Diverge, but the headshock put me off, as it will creak and be a pain in the ass.
that people were a bit silly to be so triggered by a beard and check shirt.
I think anyone who's triggered by what someone else is wearing probably needs a stern word with themselves, frankly. After all I'm guessing that we can probably all identify the cycling tribe we all belong to just by what we're wearing.
TBH picking on rOcKeTdOg is akin to drowning kittens 🙂
Anyway I think the Raleigh Mustang Elite 2015 (£1,000) was reasonably an early affordable entrant.
I had one that made me realise that I didn't mind drop bar and it worked more for the stuff I wanted to ride.
Then 2017 enter the Aero Phase the 3T Exploro with the idea of being able to run 700 and 650b (a la Open.Up)
TBH I do have a check riding shirt(Sombrio) that I never ride, just for the pub and I've no chance of owning a beard 🙂
As an aside, my first gravel bike was a Genesis Day One Singlespeed with 32mm Kenda Small Block 8s, back before the designer sold out and added disc brakes 😉
Loved that bike, added a White Industries freewheel and XT octalink cranks then sold it in a fit of student pennylessness 😭
Rode some daft winter loop with Markus Stitz on his very similar Swobo singlespeed, so at least two manufacturers doing gravellable bikes back in 2009...
a Genesis Day One Singlespeed with 32mm Kenda Small Block 8s, back before the designer sold out and added disc brakes 😉
Ha.. grindy rim brakes in the mud, I don't miss that. I still have the plain gloss black pre-production canti-post sample. Currently a SS town bike and it really should go back to SS CX duties one winter. Used to ride it loads but got sick of flat tyres in winter, would need tubeless on it if rebuilt. Funny how small the 58cm feels to me these days though.