Riding (actual) road bikes on dirt/gravel
#26
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True, especially when riding a fixed gear off-road. Don't ask how I learned this.
I just now recalled the logging roads in Oregon I used to ride 20 years ago, were made of this really loose gravel called "Madacam", which was difficult or nearly impossible to ride through if your tires were not wide enough, and even then, it wasn't that fun to ride in because it slowed your down so much when you sunk down into it almost an inch while riding a long. Man, I hated that stuff. Practical for logging trucks, but pretty much hell for bicycles, especially when it had just recently been poured.
So when I talk about riding in gravel, I often forget about that stuff. You absolutely need wide tires to make it through that crap, but for me, I find that 28's are fine for almost everything else short of deep mud, deep sand, singletrack, or that cursed Madacam.
I just now recalled the logging roads in Oregon I used to ride 20 years ago, were made of this really loose gravel called "Madacam", which was difficult or nearly impossible to ride through if your tires were not wide enough, and even then, it wasn't that fun to ride in because it slowed your down so much when you sunk down into it almost an inch while riding a long. Man, I hated that stuff. Practical for logging trucks, but pretty much hell for bicycles, especially when it had just recently been poured.
So when I talk about riding in gravel, I often forget about that stuff. You absolutely need wide tires to make it through that crap, but for me, I find that 28's are fine for almost everything else short of deep mud, deep sand, singletrack, or that cursed Madacam.
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Not exactly, I don't think. People with road bikes are just willing to take them off road if the opportunity arises. Sure, some may appreciate the perverse nature of taking a road racing bike on a dirt trail (it's instagrammable) but I don't think there's a trend of going out of ones way to do so. Well, maybe there IS a trend to go out of ones way to do instagrammable things....
#28
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I think it's so cute that you think "street cred" is a thing. And it's great that you are riding, regardless of the surface you ride. If it's fun, you're doing it right. "Street Cred". Hmmmm.
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The point being ...?
I agree with the "if it's fun" part. The best part is not dealing with cars, I'll deal with goatheads, debris, and fist-sized rocks gladly, if it means there's no impatient cars behind me.
I agree with the "if it's fun" part. The best part is not dealing with cars, I'll deal with goatheads, debris, and fist-sized rocks gladly, if it means there's no impatient cars behind me.
#30
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I like the idea of having a bike that can do both. My new Synapse Disc Di2 came with Mavic Aksium wheels which I have swapped out for Campy Bora 35 tubulars, leaving me with the Aksiums with 28’s. I can put 32’s on and get a 11-34 cassette which will get me anywhere. The question is how much abuse I want to subject my new bike to! There are sone outstanding rosds on Spruce Knob in WVA which would be sublime....
#31
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Forget about road bikes and 28's. Go full gravel.
Just do it. You won't regret it.
-Tim-
Just do it. You won't regret it.
-Tim-