valleysuper

Im very new to riding off the road. I was very excited to try out gravel riding, and built up an old steel mtb with some drop bars and headed out. Ive got 26" wheels with 1.75" tires that are not knobby, but have some tread. Ive come to notice that the "gravel" around my area is mostly loose stones/rocks/boulder paths, with long sections of beach sand scattered in.
I for the life of me struggle to get through the sand sections, its a few inches deep and when I get in it I have little to no control over the bike. front tire is skiddish and all over and the back wheel sometimes slides right out.

Do I just need to practice riding in it more? i cant imagine going into it faster..., does it just suck no matter what? I dont really want to run fatter tires.

I have a race on my radar in early May, but if its anything like my area there is no way I could power through 54 miles of it.

yesterday was particularly pleasant, after wiping out in some large deep puddle/swamp that the 4 wheelers had torn the bottom up into a mud pit, i fell a second time 1/3 mile up the path in the sand, absolutely covered me, the bike, everything in sand. had to use my water in my bottle to get the drivetrain to stop crying for mercy.

Spoonrobot 

You'll get better the more you do it. It takes familiarity to get used to just letting the front wheel wander while using your body and pedaling to control the line.

Notice the body english of the rider starting at 30 seconds in. Sand is always hard but it is always a great equalizer, most riders have equally bad technique or aren't able to output enough power to use it to make a race changing move.

Maybe contact the race promoter to get course info. Usually it's put in the race description if there's a lot of sand as most people do not like riding in it. I could not imagine riding in 54 miles of sand, I would pass if that was truly the course.

dgodave

Sand is rather atypical in my experience of gravel riding. And when sand sections are long dry and deep there's almost no one who can really ride through it without getting quite fat tires.

valleysuper

Thanks guys.

Nothing in the race description as to amounts of sand. Just says fire roads, gravel some pavements. I gotta figure it will be ok. its a small race from the one person I found who rode it last year, he said hes not doing it again due to fitness.

Ive yet to be this excited for cold, drizzly rain like it is today. maybe firm up the sand a little for my ride.

Hiro11

Sand pits are very treacherous. Cross riders traditionally ride figure eights in loose sand to develop the bike handling. In my experience, tire tread doesn't really help in loose sand, it's more about balance and bike control. I've found keeping weight over the rear tire, maintaining a low center for gravity and a light touch on the bars all helps.

redlude97

Body separation is key, and following a rut if one is already formed. When transitioning in keep your weight back or you will endo, but once into the sand put more weight forward than you would think so the back doesn't sink as much and try to keep power delivery smooth

MarcoBianchi

More important than tire is its pressure. Low pressure will help you. But I understand that you are not going to low pressure for 50 meters of sand, it depends how long are sand section.

chas58

Races generally avoid sucky conditions like deep mud pits and deep sand pits. What did your friend say the course is like?

Deep sand can't be ridden through - well maybe on a fat tire bike. If you have to ride it - the biggest tire and the lowest pressure is best. I have some 60mm slicks that are designed for beach racing with pretty low tire pressure. They float over sand, but are a night mare in mud - you don't want to float over mud...

Hellgate

Get your weight over the rear axle, gas it, and follow the ruts. Hands light on the bars and let the "force" flow. Repeat until it's natural.

Hondo Gravel

I hate hitting that dreaded sand trap and I don’t golf leaned the gravel bike over many times hitting sand so if I see it in time I walk through it. Light sand I just grind it out.

valleysuper

Rode with a few guys the other day. They have more exp than me. We went to a good sandy stretch and worked for a bit. Riding it several times. Im a little better.
Thanks for the tips. Worked a keeping power steady and using my body to guide the bike, not over steering it.

50voltphantom

Agreed.