Why isn't gravel bike a forum yet?
#1
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Why isn't gravel bike a forum yet?
Sure, it's trendy and there's a lot of empty marketing....but it's a real thang.
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#4
Non omnino gravis
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Maybe they should switch the name around - Gravelbiking and Cyclocross?
Nahhhhhhh.
Nahhhhhhh.
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To be honest, when I first heard about gravel biking, and when it got lumped together here with Cyclocross biking, I assumed it was another rough-and-tumble form of cycling similar to Cyclocross, featuring roads of thick, coarse gravel stones much like a gravel driveway. Aside from the fact I couldn't picture riding on that as an enjoyable thing, I couldn't picture how so many guys were all of a sudden finding all these gravel roads to ride on. I had no idea people were actually talking about dirt biking, simply a hard packed dirt surface with a natural mix of sparse embedded stones and maybe a light sprinkling of loose pebbles on the surface.
But to each his own.
But to each his own.
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would have been funny if the OP posted it in the Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational) subforum
luv me some gravel
luv me some gravel
#11
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First I just want to say that I am strictly a road cyclist. But, in defense of gravel cyclists...maybe it should have its own forum. I'm not much of an expert on other forms of cycling, but I have seen enough cyclo bikes to know what one looks like (at least I thought I had). Alas, apparently there is a notable difference between cyclo and gravel. A couple of years ago while traveling, I stopped into a LBS to inquire about renting a road bike. On the showroom floor there was what I thought was a cyclocross bike. I commented to the LBS employee (who I think was actually the owner) how I thought it was a "...nice looking cyclocross bike." He quickly responded "Oh no. It is definitely a gravel bike. We just built it up." So I asked what the differences were...but he said really only slight variations in frame geometry. But...so if mountain bikes and fat bikes each have their own forum, should not cyclo and gravel each have their own? (And I want to state that it really doesn't matter to me. I'm just saying for the sake of argument.)
Dan
Dan
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Gravel? Nope. We have plenty of sand and loose gravel over top. The only bike that is even equipped to be passable is a fat tired thing. You'll be carrying your gravel bike.
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To be honest, when I first heard about gravel biking, and when it got lumped together here with Cyclocross biking, I assumed it was another rough-and-tumble form of cycling similar to Cyclocross, featuring roads of thick, coarse gravel stones much like a gravel driveway. Aside from the fact I couldn't picture riding on that as an enjoyable thing, I couldn't picture how so many guys were all of a sudden finding all these gravel roads to ride on. I had no idea people were actually talking about dirt biking, simply a hard packed dirt surface with a natural mix of sparse embedded stones and maybe a light sprinkling of loose pebbles on the surface.
But to each his own.
But to each his own.
Around here the DOR prefers to dump pea gravel and not compact it....so after a fresh-dumping it is loose and not at all compacted, but a few months later it is compacted or spread to the sides by cars leaving dirt.....or after drought may be hard packed dirt, or may be softpack dusty dirt. Of course on the west coast--you'll hear/see lots about fire-roads.
You might also find dumped railroad ballast on occasion on more private roads that are MMR insofar as the county is concerned.
Conditions are as variable as CX....except last a great deal longer than 45minutes-1 hour.
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I think the name gravel bike is a little misleading. The term adventure bike is much more descriptive to me. With that said I do think it is time to have a separate category because the recreational cyclocross/gravel bike doesn't make sense, since they are so different.
People can say niche of a niche but even Fat bikes got their own category. Talk about niche of a niche of a niche.
People can say niche of a niche but even Fat bikes got their own category. Talk about niche of a niche of a niche.
#17
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I also think that penny-farthings should have their own forum.
Dan
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To be honest, when I first heard about gravel biking, and when it got lumped together here with Cyclocross biking, I assumed it was another rough-and-tumble form of cycling similar to Cyclocross, featuring roads of thick, coarse gravel stones much like a gravel driveway. Aside from the fact I couldn't picture riding on that as an enjoyable thing, I couldn't picture how so many guys were all of a sudden finding all these gravel roads to ride on. I had no idea people were actually talking about dirt biking, simply a hard packed dirt surface with a natural mix of sparse embedded stones and maybe a light sprinkling of loose pebbles on the surface.
But to each his own.
But to each his own.
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Gravel biking is definitely a thing - particularly for those of us in more rural areas where half the roads are...gravel.
I'm not sure if it makes a ton of sense to separate it from the 'cross forum at this point: the majority of the posts in that subforum are actually about gravel biking. There's also obviously cross-over (no pun intended) with other sub-forums, especially long-distance cycling (for the brutal, long-distance events), touring (relevant to bikepacking on mixed surfaces), and fatbiking (for those who do gravel on fatbikes).
If anything, a few stickies like "show us your gravel bike!" might make the dual nature of the subforum more apparent
I'm not sure if it makes a ton of sense to separate it from the 'cross forum at this point: the majority of the posts in that subforum are actually about gravel biking. There's also obviously cross-over (no pun intended) with other sub-forums, especially long-distance cycling (for the brutal, long-distance events), touring (relevant to bikepacking on mixed surfaces), and fatbiking (for those who do gravel on fatbikes).
If anything, a few stickies like "show us your gravel bike!" might make the dual nature of the subforum more apparent
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Its actually helpful to have cyclocross and gravel together. Although there are differences, there are also similarities. All in one forum. Otherwise, it would be going back and forth to get information. You know, decision making. What works for you.
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Why does the CX/Gravel forum have a "(Recreational)" qualifier in its title? Is this supposed to distinguish this forum from others in some way?
#22
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There are several sub-forums dedicated to competition events, while many ride gravel just for fun.
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Yup. Same idea as having a "road cycling" and "MTB Cycling" forum and a dedicated racing boards for each of those disciplines.
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I'd rather put them all together. When you break them up there is a lot of overlap like "training" or even a lot of equipment that fits better in the general.
I see two groups on BF.
Competitive - The sport/s - racing (goal to win), anything that is competition and getting there first, in less time, fastest, longer (if you are competing against another rider) is better than not. It can be the riders, the coaches and the fans - but it is all about how to win, or get closer to it.
Non-competitive. They can show pictures of bikes, scenery, water, snow and cool stuff that costs 20X what it should. Posting about what goes faster is still fun, even when not doing it to win an official race.
I am tweaking the tandem - tubulars, aero bars, Di2 (the tandem stuff would fit well on any gravel bike too) but have more in common with the racing thread where they deal with Di2 and tubulars than tandem when it is more tourists.
I see two groups on BF.
Competitive - The sport/s - racing (goal to win), anything that is competition and getting there first, in less time, fastest, longer (if you are competing against another rider) is better than not. It can be the riders, the coaches and the fans - but it is all about how to win, or get closer to it.
Non-competitive. They can show pictures of bikes, scenery, water, snow and cool stuff that costs 20X what it should. Posting about what goes faster is still fun, even when not doing it to win an official race.
I am tweaking the tandem - tubulars, aero bars, Di2 (the tandem stuff would fit well on any gravel bike too) but have more in common with the racing thread where they deal with Di2 and tubulars than tandem when it is more tourists.
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I'm still confused, what forum do I post about my rides that are a third road riding, jump to gravel at the edge of town for a third then hook up to a rail-trail mup for the remainder? All the while on my horizontal top tube LeMond with brifters and GP4ks2's?
Can't really post in Gravel (recreational) since I dropped a known cat 1 racer from my Strava. Sure he was probably (100% definitely) doing a recovery ride. Also he might have been riding no handed and snacking.
Can't really post in Gravel (recreational) since I dropped a known cat 1 racer from my Strava. Sure he was probably (100% definitely) doing a recovery ride. Also he might have been riding no handed and snacking.