Please help me understand gravel riding?
#101
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Here in southern Denver we have the High Line Canal Trail which is 71 miles long (the first 35 of which is contiguous gravel, the 2nd half is paved) and is a completely segregated (except for a few road crossings) and tucked away MUP trail that winds its way from the rural openspace near Waterton Canyon, up thru the bedroom communities, and into the Denver Tech Center (DTC) where it changes from gravel to paved. The gravel section is easily manageable on a road bike with 28's, but would be better in the sandy sections with a gravel bike that has 32's+, and my mtb with 55's is overkill. Because its tucked away and mostly treelined, it's a great little getaway, especially in the heat of the summer, and without having to drive 30 miles south to get to dirt roads which are completely exposed, and have cars/trucks/farm vehicles to contend with.
Last edited by Riveting; 09-14-20 at 11:25 AM.
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Ri-i-ight.
That's a little hard to reconcile with many modern road racing bikes coming standard with 28s and clearance for 30-32s, not to mention disc brakes as opposed to the single pivot calipers we can easily see on most of the bikes in the pictures.
The modern road racing bike doesn't have wider tires, nor as much clearance.
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From where i live in San Mateo, a lot of where I'd want to ride on gravel is already a good road ride away. I think it would be a blast to spend some time exploring the dirt roads and trails on the west side of the Peninsula, and maybe I'll get to that eventually, but for now, I still really love pavement. That, and I don't have anywhere to park another bike in the garage!
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#111
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The big rides already require a lottery to sign up for because they crash BikeReg or any other service with people wanting to ride it.
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HA! Interestingly, Canyon actually do suggest the Endurace (like mine) for "light" gravel riding. I presume this means well-maintained dirt roads, and not rutted, rocky singletrack.
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#113
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If I lived in Portola Valley or Woodside, then absolutely a gravel bike to ride the asphalt to the gravel and back would make perfect sense, since modern gravel bikes are simply modern road bikes with slightly larger clearance and slightly more relaxed geometries. And if I lived in Portola Valley or Woodside, I'd probably be wealthy enough not to flinch at buying another bike.
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Try again?
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We don't all live where you live. If we did, there wouldn't be a gravel road half a block from your house.
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#118
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If you're meaning signing up to actually participate in those events---you're wrong. It is a zero-sum. There's a set number of bibs available and when they're gone that is it. If 50 or 500 UCI racers want to ride--that is 50 or 500 fewer bibs for anyone else. Between that and inflated registration costs it drives the grassroots people out from participating who made it popular in the first place.
The big rides already require a lottery to sign up for because they crash BikeReg or any other service with people wanting to ride it.
The big rides already require a lottery to sign up for because they crash BikeReg or any other service with people wanting to ride it.
Several EF riders tackled DK200 last year and didn't win, nothing is guaranteed. If UCI can't get involved officially (i.e. - make money off of it), I don't see there being a huge influx of pros to the gravel scene.
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#120
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Your posts so far have made it abundantly clear that it is you who is confused. Whatever they may be, your personal, idiosyncratic, geography-based needs don't speak for the "vast majority." If you don't want or need a gravel bike, don't have one. But don't pretend to know the motivations and needs of others.
Last edited by Rolla; 09-14-20 at 01:21 PM.
#122
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Yeah, I ignored that because it depends on which "modern road racing bike" you use as your benchmark. The clearance varies by brand and model.
Again, even though you doubt/can't comprehend that the tires in those pictures aren't 23s, they are indeed 28s.
I won't ask you to try again. It would be pointless.
Again, even though you doubt/can't comprehend that the tires in those pictures aren't 23s, they are indeed 28s.
I won't ask you to try again. It would be pointless.
Just look at rims these days. Most of them are at least 17mm internal width and 21 is not uncommon. Canyon's ultimate is spec'd with 17mm rims and 25mm tires, and accomodates up to 32mm, per Canyon. So, again, modern road racing bikes can, and do accomodate tires of the same width you claim is necessary. Geometries, in terms of headtube angle, seattube angle, and fork rake are also probably similar.
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Last edited by genejockey; 09-14-20 at 02:04 PM.
#123
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28s are puny. Not even worth arguing over.
Last edited by Kapusta; 09-14-20 at 02:45 PM.
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#124
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I hear the sound of goalposts moving.
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#125
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You know, I didn't pay much attention to new road bike tech from about 2008 until this year. The ONE THING that stands out as different? Wider tires and rims to accomodate them. Seems that during that 12 years, more and more riders were going to wider tires, so race bikes largely come with 25s with the clearance for 28s, and lots and lots of GP5000s are sold in 28mm. So saying that modern road racing bikes can't accomodate tires they plainly CAN accomodate is, as I said, nonsensical.
Just look at rims these days. Most of them are at least 17mm internal width and 21 is not uncommon. Canyon's ultimate is spec'd with 17mm rims and 25mm tires, and accomodates up to 32mm, per Canyon. So, again, modern road racing bikes can, and do accomodate tires of the same width you claim is necessary. Geometries, in terms of headtube angle, seattube angle, and fork rake are also probably similar.
Just look at rims these days. Most of them are at least 17mm internal width and 21 is not uncommon. Canyon's ultimate is spec'd with 17mm rims and 25mm tires, and accomodates up to 32mm, per Canyon. So, again, modern road racing bikes can, and do accomodate tires of the same width you claim is necessary. Geometries, in terms of headtube angle, seattube angle, and fork rake are also probably similar.
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