Originally Posted by
Mulberry20
It is a brilliant marketing concept. Back in the day, I rode throughout the northeast on unpaved roads on a beater bike because who in their right mind would take something nice on a road where rocks pelted the frame and dirt got in your gears.
I can’t imagine spending the type of coin people spend on these bikes, thousands even $10,000 or more
I simply don’t get it but apparently when people hear “gravel bike” they get all hot and bothered when in reality some piece of crap bike is what you need and not a carbon, or custom made steel or titanium bike. Its absurd.
Because some people like riding nice bikes, regardless of whether or not the ride makes the bike dirty. You can ride paved roads just fine on a piece of crap bike, and you can go mountain biking on a piece of crap bike. But people buy nice bikes for those disciplines. Graveling is hardly much different.
Yes, gravel riding wears parts faster than road riding does. But most of the folks dropping $10,000 on gravel bikes aren't going to be stricken with sticker shock when they learn that a new Dura-Ace chain will set them back $45.
Thoughts of quiet pastoral trails, nature sightings and fun picnics. In reality though, gravel biking is really boring. Seriously the rides are short and slow with none of the challenge and sport of mountain biking.
If the rides are too short and slow for your tastes, why not go on longer and faster ones? I don't see how "short and slow" makes any logical sense as a criticism to direct at a cycling
discipline.
If you simply don't like the roads in your area, then I guess that's a bummer and would certainly stifle the interest. The thing about gravel cycling is that it varies
dramatically by area, depending on what kinds of gravel roads actually exist, what sort of terrain they go through, how they interact with the paved road network, etc. My regional gravel roads are mostly mountainous and have no shortage of "nature sightings." (And if you're inclined to descend aggressively, the double-track roads can provide plenty of challenge on a gravel bike.)
