Originally Posted by
Milton Keynes
Another reason I have a gravel bike: The county, in their infinite "wisdom," decided to chip seal one of the paved roads on my regular road biking route recently. Just discovered that this morning, they must have started yesterday. For those who have never ridden a road bike on fresh chip seal, don't. It's rough for a skinny tire bike, and pretty hairy riding it early in the morning with just a small headlight to navigate by. Trying to do it fast in the dark is suicidal. My gravel bike ought to be able to handle it OK, though. From my past experience, it will take about 6 months to a year before this fresh chip seal has compacted down enough to make rough pavement.
I used to get a kick out of reading the comments on the local road riding listserv crying and complaining about the conditions of the roads and the unridable chipseal.
These were the same folks who looked at my like I have a third eye when I suggest they ride tires larger than 28s.
”But my bike does not take anything bigger!”
Well, you got suckered into buying the wrong bike.
That was a few years ago where I used to live. Happens here a little bit, but I think as more folks start switching to larger tires bikes, the complaints are simmering down.