Repurposing Gravel Bike
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Repurposing Gravel Bike
After recently experiencing some shoulder and neck pain while riding some local non-tech mountain bike trails I’ve decided to ‘not do that again’, despite that being one of the main reasons I bought a gravel bike last winter (the fun factor).
Have you changed what/where/how you ride your gravel bike over time?
I first had neck and shoulder pain 10 years ago after a combination of poor posture while working at a desk and mountain biking (and never stretching many of these muscles). Went to physio, massage and chiro and had it sorted out for years. It’s all down to a poor curve in my cervical spine that means overusing those muscles leads to strain, pain.
So I’ll keep the gravel bike for winter rides on paved roads when safe (bonus riding that beats the indoor trainer), light touring, and mixed surface rides with paved and gravel roads, and rail trails.
Im now o
Have you changed what/where/how you ride your gravel bike over time?
I first had neck and shoulder pain 10 years ago after a combination of poor posture while working at a desk and mountain biking (and never stretching many of these muscles). Went to physio, massage and chiro and had it sorted out for years. It’s all down to a poor curve in my cervical spine that means overusing those muscles leads to strain, pain.
So I’ll keep the gravel bike for winter rides on paved roads when safe (bonus riding that beats the indoor trainer), light touring, and mixed surface rides with paved and gravel roads, and rail trails.
Im now o
#2
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I think I have a memory of tight shoulders and neck stiffness when I first started riding gravel. I was riding 700x40c tires, carbon frame, carbon seat post. And too much air in the tires.
I discovered that less air pressure in a bigger tire meant the tires would absorb the shock, eliminate the bounce and give more traction and control. I now use a 29x3 plus bike on gravel (@ 13-15 psi) and the older adventure bike has the same set of 40mm touring tires I started with, for paved roads.
All considered, my plus bike is my favorite ride on gravel or easy singletrack, though gravel forest service roads and old double track are what I really enjoy. I feel no stiffness, no soreness, but lots of confidence at speed in the downhill corners.
Alternatively, your riding position may have your hands too low with respect to the saddle, which can give neck and shoulder soreness also. An adjustable stem that rotates upward might be a partial answer.
I discovered that less air pressure in a bigger tire meant the tires would absorb the shock, eliminate the bounce and give more traction and control. I now use a 29x3 plus bike on gravel (@ 13-15 psi) and the older adventure bike has the same set of 40mm touring tires I started with, for paved roads.
All considered, my plus bike is my favorite ride on gravel or easy singletrack, though gravel forest service roads and old double track are what I really enjoy. I feel no stiffness, no soreness, but lots of confidence at speed in the downhill corners.
Alternatively, your riding position may have your hands too low with respect to the saddle, which can give neck and shoulder soreness also. An adjustable stem that rotates upward might be a partial answer.
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The bike fits great and I can ride for 3+ hours with no issues, on paved or gravel roads. But when I ride on technical terrain with steep, loose climbs I use my upper body a lot and there is no fix for that. Unfortunately. I rented a fatbike a few times this winter and it took a week to recover each time.
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My gravel bike with 38mm knobbies or 32mm slicks is also my favorite commute bike. It has Gevenalle shifters which I always run in friction mode and SKS Race Blade fenders which I pretty much keep on year round. The roads around here can be fairly broken up with frost heave and all, so the bigger tires are nicer to be on day after day.
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Its not my route that's changed but rather my bike. Years ago I set up my ChroMo Univega for touring because allot of the roads I was on were pretty rough. The roads have not gotten better or my routes. That is less smooth asphalt and more torn up asphalt and small loose gravel.
So over the years I changed my tires, gears, bars, seat, and other things that just could not take the abuse.
Then a couple of years ago a guy ridding by me said "Hey... Nice old Gravel Bike"...
So over the years I changed my tires, gears, bars, seat, and other things that just could not take the abuse.
Then a couple of years ago a guy ridding by me said "Hey... Nice old Gravel Bike"...
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I attempted to use my gravel bike on gnarly mountain bike trails but gave that up. I could cover the ground without peril, but it wasn't my idea of fun. However, on rural gravel roads and any kind of rails-to-trails my gravel bike is fabulous.
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I went on a four hour road ride the other day and was pain free during and after. One hour on a technical trail and I’m sore for a day or two.
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I've found my gravel bike excels on gravel roads. Sounds like a good decision to use your gravel bike for gravel.
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I've gone the other direction. I got my first gravel bike thinking I'd be riding about 60/40 road/dirt, but it's become more like 20/80. In fact the tires I have on my gravel bike keep getting knobbier. I essentially have MTB rubber on there now. But I came from riding a rigid mountain bike exclusively for a number of years so it's not really that different, and my bike setup is not super aggressive--bars a smidge higher than the saddle.
Road riding here sucks--it's super dangerous the way people drive. So even though you get a beating sometimes, focusing on the dirt is a win-win for me--more fun and safer.
Road riding here sucks--it's super dangerous the way people drive. So even though you get a beating sometimes, focusing on the dirt is a win-win for me--more fun and safer.
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Yes! When I bought my Monster Cross I was determined to set it up like I wanted it -- with wide, flared gravel drop bars. Unfortunately, that didn't prove to be comfortable on the long rides I was doing on it. So I re-thought the concept and put a Jones Bend bar on it, and ended up increasing the versatility of the bike. I can now not only do those all-day rides much more comfortably, but I also use this bike a lot more for around-town riding than I did before the bar switch.
#11
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If I could have only one bike, it would be my gravel bike. it's OK on the road, Good on 95% of the gravel I come across, and 'so-so' on many MTB trails. When I travel, I bring my gravel bike for these reasons. But at home, I also have a road & MTB, so I choose the right tool for the job. I've ridden an IMBA Epic MTB trail once with my gravel bike - once. I'd file that under 'never again'.
For repurposing, I did covert my gravel bike to a bikepacking rig; so I suppose that counts.
For repurposing, I did covert my gravel bike to a bikepacking rig; so I suppose that counts.
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Update - I haven’t ridden anything technical for a month. Only the road bike for last two weeks. Still get sore neck and shoulders now and then. So as I’m not much better, back to the fun gravel!