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Let's Retire the Term "Gravel Grinder"

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Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational) This has to be the most physically intense sport ever invented. It's high speed bicycle racing on a short off road course or riding the off pavement rides on gravel like : "Unbound Gravel". We also have a dedicated Racing forum for the Cyclocross Hard Core Racers.

Let's Retire the Term "Gravel Grinder"

Old 05-09-22, 12:54 PM
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Rolla
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Let's Retire the Term "Gravel Grinder"

I guess alliteration is cool, but referring to a bike or an event as a "gravel grinder" just seems so 2010.

Likewise "monster cross."
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Old 05-09-22, 01:02 PM
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Yeah the gravel grinder term always made me cock my head a bit since the idea was to sit and spin so weight is on the rear and you don't lose traction.
But I guess more grinding was done 15 years ago before wide range gearing became readily available. At the same time, triples were quite common then so there is that.
Maybe it's just alliteration in the end.

As for monstercross, that pretty much died out after a short life. Sucks, since I have a frame literally called the Monstercross. If you get your way it will be nameless!
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Old 05-09-22, 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
As for monstercross, that pretty much died out after a short life. Sucks, since I have a frame literally called the Monstercross. If you get your way it will be nameless!
I know -- I have one, too!
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Old 05-09-22, 01:25 PM
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Other biking terms that can be tossed too..

>That catchall cute little term "kit". Too cute for me. The Brits can keep it.

>"Clipless" pedals. Having ridden the first 2-3 decades of my biking career using leather strap toe-clips and SIDI racing shoes with nylon-slot cleats..I get it. However, the first thing one does with "clipless" pedals is step on them and "clip" in (SPDs at least).

>"Shredding". Lots of drama. It's just riding a bike..no need for excess drama.

Now..one could no longer don some awesome kit, clip into some clipless pedals, and do some serious shredding and grinding on a fav monster cross bike, and still have a great day of riding.
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Old 05-09-22, 01:34 PM
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⬆️ But how will you shred the gnar, bruh?
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Old 05-09-22, 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
Yeah the gravel grinder term always made me cock my head a bit since the idea was to sit and spin so weight is on the rear and you don't lose traction.
I didn't know the term even had that much meaning at one point! Just figured "grinder"/"grinding" got borrowed from other kinds of cycling to make it sound more "extreme."
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Old 05-09-22, 01:58 PM
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No way. "Gravel grinder" is cool. One term to retire (in a bicycle context): "steed".
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Old 05-09-22, 02:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Rolla
I guess alliteration is cool, but referring to a bike or an event as a "gravel grinder" just seems so 2010.

Likewise "monster cross."
What alternatives are you offering up?
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Old 05-09-22, 02:43 PM
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Originally Posted by tdilf
What alternatives are you offering up?
I'm just here for the demolition. Production is a separate department.
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Old 05-09-22, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Rolla
I'm just here for the demolition. Production is a separate department.
That's the easy part…
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Old 05-09-22, 03:07 PM
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Originally Posted by tdilf
That's the easy part…
Commensurate with the salary.
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Old 05-09-22, 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted by tyrion
No way. "Gravel grinder" is cool. One term to retire (in a bicycle context): "steed".
But what else besides "steeds" are in the "herd" we're always thinning?
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Old 05-09-22, 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Rolla
But what else besides "steeds" are in the "herd" we're always thinning?
Whips. Some people call them whips.

Gravel Grinder doesn't bother me. But the word "Kit" does when referring to bike jersey and bike shorts.
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Old 05-09-22, 03:58 PM
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I always thought grind in Gravel grinder refereed to hard or unpleasant work or preserving through a difficult task not the pedaling style to be employed.

Gravel Grubbing?
Gravel Travel?
Gravel Humping? ( not that kind of humping you pervs)
Gravel Devil?
Gravel Pickle?
Gravel Jackpot? (not the fun kind of jackpot)

Probably none of these are what OP had in mind.
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Old 05-09-22, 04:17 PM
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I'm reading a book written by a WW2 bomber tailgunner. In the chapter I read last night, he talked of donning his "kit" - lots of warm clothes with his air suit over. So "kits " were the thing almost 80 years ago, at least "over there". (Author was English and in the RAF. Book was written during the war and not edited after. He didn't live to see the peace.)
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Old 05-09-22, 04:28 PM
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Gravel Groping!
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Old 05-09-22, 04:52 PM
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Gravel jiggling.
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There's no such thing as too far.. just lack of time
Originally Posted by noglider
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Old 05-09-22, 07:04 PM
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So, we should be calling these multi-surface or mixed-surface rides instead then? I bet I can guess where that will go if you put it to a vote.
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Old 05-09-22, 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by dwmckee
So, we should be calling these multi-surface or mixed-surface rides instead then?.
What’s wrong with just calling them “gravel rides”?

We don’t call road rides “road ramblers,” or mountain bike rides “mountain munchers.”


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Old 05-09-22, 08:24 PM
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Originally Posted by dwmckee
So, we should be calling these multi-surface or mixed-surface rides instead then?
I like those names better than Gravel anything. I've rarely had my bike on actual gravel. Dirt? Yes. Sand? Yes. Grass? Yes. Lots of pavement. Gravel? Rarely. As I ride it, it is a multi-surface bike.
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Old 05-09-22, 08:28 PM
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Originally Posted by billridesbikes
I always thought grind in Gravel grinder refereed to hard or unpleasant work or preserving through a difficult task not the pedaling style to be employed.
Very well could mean this too. This was so decentralized to start with and also very siloed that it could mean one thing locally and a different thing in another region or even a different area of the same state.
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Old 05-10-22, 02:08 AM
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Monster Cross has to stay!

Gravel Grinder can go. yeah.
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Old 05-10-22, 04:36 AM
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Originally Posted by fishboat
Other biking terms that can be tossed too..

>That catchall cute little term "kit". Too cute for me. The Brits can keep it.

>"Clipless" pedals. Having ridden the first 2-3 decades of my biking career using leather strap toe-clips and SIDI racing shoes with nylon-slot cleats..I get it. However, the first thing one does with "clipless" pedals is step on them and "clip" in (SPDs at least).

>"Shredding". Lots of drama. It's just riding a bike..no need for excess drama.

Now..one could no longer don some awesome kit, clip into some clipless pedals, and do some serious shredding and grinding on a fav monster cross bike, and still have a great day of riding.

Thanks for the additions. Kit is particularly irksome. It seems like the "full squish" is passing from the mountain bike lexicon, and that can happen quickly enough.

I call a bicycle seat a bicycle seat. I find it odd when people correct me and say that it's a saddle. Is the piece that connects the seat to the bike called a saddle post? What about the parts of the frame? Do we have saddle stays and saddle tubes? Do we have saddle post binders?
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Old 05-10-22, 06:32 AM
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As long as there are concrete mixers and trucks being used in the world, "gravel grinder" can't be retired.
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Old 05-10-22, 07:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Paul Barnard
I call a bicycle seat a bicycle seat. I find it odd when people correct me and say that it's a saddle.
I certainly dont correct people when they call it a seat, but I also only ever call it a saddle.
A seat is something you sit in/on. A saddle is something you sit atop. Recumbent has a seat, diamond frame has a saddle. Yeah maybe its largely a distinction without a difference, but still...
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