7 Things We Wish We Knew When We Started Gravel Riding | Cycling Weekly
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- Опубликовано: 14 июн 2024
- New to gravel riding or just looking for ways to increase your enjoyment of offroad riding? Let us take you through the seven most important bits of advice we wish we were given when we first started out. Follow these and maximise your ride!
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I'd say before getting a bike, do make sure the gear ratio is sufficient on it. As gravel is all the rage these days, they are trying to sell everything as gravel or gravel-ready, but on many bikes the chainring and cassette combination is more suitable for fast paced road riding (looking at you Shimano). That will make it very difficult to tackle steeper terrain, especially on gravel or poor quality roads, if you are not in excellent riding condition. Unfortunately these components can be really expensive to switch out, so it's better to just get a bike that already comes with the ones that are best suited for your needs (and abilities).
Lesson #3: regularly check to make sure your chainring bolts are tight
and more often than once a year!!
I tried to take up mountain biking and in my 60s it was too challenging. So I started using my mountain bike for gravel riding.
Put a bell on your bike because you will be travelling fast on tracks with many walkers
Block you rear wheel to make some noise, it works better than a bell.
Bells make people react strangly, this is why most decent cyclist will slow, call and act on reaction
@@fuzzbuzztk do they??
I find the "auto bells" that you can turn on/off and jingle from the vibration of the trail to be more effective vs the thumb flick bells which tend to come across as "get out of my way". I will turn on my TIMBER bell on downhills or areas with poor sight lines, and it gives hikers and walkers a warning that ramps up slowly as I'm approaching, giving them more time to react. It also lets me keep my hand position constant instead of having to shift to ring a bell manually. The only downside is if it's really smooth, I have to wiggle my bars a little to ring it. This is the one I use: www.mtbbell.com/
Better still, ride tracks where there are few or no walkers - especially walkers with dogs, and double-especially, walkers with dogs on long extending leads. I prefer to slow down and use my voice as a bell can sound a bit "demanding". (Being in England, just a polite cough is often enough to make someone turn, see you and step aside, then I thank them as I ride past.)
So, basically, do what mountain bikers do: Optimal tire selection, lower psi, carry a larger kit, drop the saddle, shorten/raise the stem...
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I was dumb lost the login password. I love any tricks you can give me
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I'd like to add: Don't push it too far when it comes to tire clearance with your bike. The big gravel tires are going to puff out when hitting bumps much more than a road tire will. If your tires are cutting it a little close when standing still, they may actually rub when in action.
Impact of the tyre is nowhere near your fork or chain stay when you hit a bump. The tyre will be back to normal by the time it rotates to where it meets the fork\chainstay.
Gavin Richmond sorry for misphrasing; what I meant was that the tire and wheel will flex over bumps and can end up rubbing on the fork if the clearance is too tight.
Paddyhudson Ah I get what you’re saying now. I personally think a minimum of more than 3mm each side should be ok. It’s mud clearance that might be another issue....
Gavin Richmond I just know that I could use some touch up paint for my inner fork. 😕
@@Paddyhudson If you have a good frame and good wheels, you're not rubbing tire and the only consideration is build of up mud or debris on the tire taking up clearance. If you've got rubbing on your fork then you're having wheel or fork/frame flex issues.
If you need to have a high pressure when you’re riding to your gravel trails, then a low one when you arrive, just let some air out and pump them back up for your ride home
Yes indeed. This is why you also want a good little compact pump, I prefer one that folds to be a mini stand pump with a short articulated hose, GOOD valve clamp and accurate guage ( the guage seems optional, but It is really nice to have). I let 1 or 1.5 BAR out of my front tire and 1 BAR out of my rear when I get to the long semi-technical gravel fireroads, with 30-50 km of ( nice) mountain tarmac roads to get home. So getting back to road pressure quickly and easily is key. I had a crank bros single action pump ( the kind you pump in both hands, in mid air) that, was murder to pump beyond 45 or 50 PSI. I want to easily ( and quickly) pump up to 71 PSI/5 BAR. If it means I carry 150 grams extra of a pump. So be it.
@@colinmcdonald2499have you found a pump like that?
I'm interesting in getting into gravel riding like this. Thanks for the video!
Think I have made every mistake you've described and all your suggestions are bang on....except for tire pressure. I run tires pretty hard all the time as I was getting sick of pinch flats. I'm running more of a monster bike in the Salsa Fargo and run 2.5" wide Maxxis Hookworms. Surprisingly good traction off road and roll well on road although, with a 30 lb.+ steel bike I'm not winning any races! I went to a flat pedal and shoe after years of clip ins- just more into more relaxed style of riding as I get older.
Dropper seat posts are great if you are on a ride with a big variation in terrain.
Load of rubbish. If there's that much variation, move to a mountain bike with a dropper. The beauty of a gravel is the simplicity of a road type using it off road, but that can only go so far. Going to a point where you are calling for a dropper is the point to pick up your mountain bike
Coming back down those 20% FSR for instance, but yeah sometimes you want an XC bike or a hardtail (a more popular n+1 locally).
@@robertkee7534 my gravel is my back up mtb while also my roadie, so makes sense for people like me.
@@robertkee7534 I mean it's good to have the post high for flat rides, and abit lower on trails to prevent losing you anal v-card
@@robertkee7534 load of rubbish, the beauty of a gravel bike (any bike) is you can ride where ever you want. Riding mine on most of my MTB routes is far more challenging and an absolute buzz, there would be no benefits to not using a dropper.
If you don’t have skill level to take it on MTB trails, practice a bit more…
Or stick to road riding.
I just bought an entry level gravel bike. I would love a video up which upgrades or modifications are good to make to a "cheap" bike. As I'm starting I didn't want to buy an expensive bike, if I end up loving it, I will sure upgrade to a new bike
Apparently wheels are the best upgrade you can make. I'm new too and asked myself the same question
Best upgrade is usually a better wheelset. But honestly, most room for improvement is yourself. Just get out on the bike you have and ride it.
Here are 2 things I learned from personal experience...
Don't run road level tire pressure and a mtb stem & mtb bar when you're planning to speed down a gravel trail at 25mph lol
Rear tire was drifting and the front tire was skidding with every quick counter steer.
The mtb stem and mtb bar might not be that bad, but the tire pressure cost me some traction.
Biggest mistake I made: if you're going to ride proper trails the semi slick "gravel" tires that are so popular are useless on technical trails. Get knobby tires!!
I am having good luck with Schwalbe Mondrials (700x 40C)... As an all-purpose tire. I just finished 98km. About 40 km of it very mixed fire road ( heavy gravel, rocky , sandy , almost dirt/natural cobbles, muddy.. over grown in sunny spots with some fallen rocks. rocks . First 12 km and last 46 km.. very smooth, highway ( with 8km of roughish pavement). I let about 15 psi out ( four squirts on presta) of the front and 11 or 12 psi out of the back ( 3 squirts.. when I got into gravel. Pumped them back to 70 psi front and 5 bar rear... 5 or 10 km after the gravel ended.
Steep drops and about 600 meters of gravel descent.
Those tires are worth a try... They roll nice and smooth on nice roads..
I could only get the pro line Mondrials ( the mid level schwalbe) where I am at... But really good value.
Fun as hell on all surfaces
disagree - gravel riding is not about technical trails, and subtle drifts on light trails is no problem - best to stick with semi-slicks (which do have some tread or inverted tread)
I think this little debate exposes the myth of one bike to rule them all. Flexible machine with ability to cover distance including mainly lighter off-road and take in diversions? Sure, and that's great.
But if you focus on the most resilient frame it won't be light on the road. If your tyres roll fantastically then they won't have much dirt traction. Mix it up while compromising, or divide activities while specialising. Common life choices.
@@antonroux6737 I think I agree with you. If you borrow too much from a very different type of bike, the resulting character doesn't hang together very well.
Gravel riding doesn't have to be gravel. But that's its origin and gravel is quite free draining. Packed dry summer soil is within the spirit of gravel. Coping badly with mud on a bike not designed for it has a different name: cyclo-cross!
Coping better with mud has yet another name: MTB.
One good tip is ride at a speed that allows you to stop if a pedestrian is using the track just around that corner.
My favorite bike for gravel war a 89 Ceturian Dave Scott Ironman, witn 28mm Continentals at 70 psi
Super fun on hilly loose river rock...❤️
Excellent pace and discussion lads!
Love your experience tips, it's really help! Great video...khemah!
I tend to overpack. But if you are lucky enough to live someplace with 200, 300, 500 or even 800 meter ( in elevation) descents, be sure to inspect your brake pad thickness often. I carry a new pair of spare brake pads, next to my replacement chain link. You never want to find out that you're on your last mm of disc brake pads with 700 meters of elevation still to descend!
Thank you for great information guys, loved all your VDOs. What inner tube strap and Bento bag are they?
Cheers!! Bento bag is a Roswheel road top tube bag, strap is a Backcountry Research one
James Bracey Thank You
Gravel riding looks so fun!!
I've found that it's just as fun on a light XC MTB as it is on a gravel bike. Both are fun in different ways.
@@christocr Riding a trail on an MTB is called riding off road. Using a gravel oriented bike on the same trail is called riding gravel. It is very confusing to some.
Fantastic video, thank you 👍🏻
Great advice thanks for the video
Great video, with handy advice.
I lost a load of chainring bolts on a tour of Eastern Europe. Realised when my chain went between rings on a shift. I used cable ties to hold the chain rings on for over 1,000km.
Nice tips!🙏thank you
I would see this on my RUclips feed after my first gravel ride lmao.thanks for the tips
Thanks for those tips.
Nice review guys! Very fun!
Please can you post a link for that little multitool device under your bottle. Great video BTW.
Thanks for the info!!!!
Thank you for your tip im planning to get a GB next summer! Subs to you from Master JC Channel / Canada.
Chainring belts falling out as a new one for me. I've broken plenty of chainring bolts by tightening them as part of a tune-up (which is the most convenient time to find broken parts because they can be replaced immediately), but I've never heard of them just falling out of the bike.
10:36 It only needs to happen once to ruin your day. I lost 4 of my 5 chainring bolts and had to walk it out for 2 miles pushing my bike. No fun. I should have paid more attention to the noise coming from my chain area. My chain was not aligned with the front and rear sprocket and it slowing caused enough vibration to loosen the bolts over time. Having a multi-tool is useless if you don't have the bolts to tighten. I've since bought the correct spacers to keep my chainline straight. Also I now periodically inspect all bolts and screws on the bike for tightness.
I learnt alot, thanks
I liked the strategy of having your spare tubes on your frame!
I have mine inside the saddle bag, but that leaves the bag with almost no space left, forcing me to have some tools in the second bottle cage
Tubes?!
lol... go tubeless and carry a plug kit.
Tubeless is love, tubeless is life.
Superglue should also be in your repair kit. Easy to quickly slap some glue on loose bolts then wrench and fix them properly when you get to back home or to the shop. Saves losing them and having to ziptie your bike together.....this is definitely from experience 🤣
Also works a treat on minor lacerations. The stuff was developed for use by field medics.
Only do this if you wrench on your own bike.
Back when I worked at bike shop as a mechanic, if I found things like superglue or thread lock on components that don't require thread lock - I'd charge extra for the trouble I'd have to take to ensure that I don't strip the Allen socket, and the time to clean that crap off the bolt when I reinstalled it.
Carry a proper folding multitool and tighten your bolts down in the field.
Invest in a decent torque wrench and install them correctly and they won't work loose on a ride.
Note that good bottle cage by no means expensive cages. Cheap ones can be just as good.
Nice cycling video!
Honestly what I've seen called gravel looks a lot like an MTB trail to me. I guess my vintage 26 inch MTB, rigid fork and bar ends is a Gravel Bike!
Love the Mint Sauce bar tape. Got some on my Nukeproof Digger. If you know, you know.
Mint sauce bar tape exists? Where do I buy that???
@@davelloyd8454 Search 'Jo Burt Series bar tape', then get it on your bike. 😉
@@132Marty mind explaining why it’s better than the rest?
@@KruiserIV Never said it was.
@@132Marty Why do you like it?
When you love mountain bike & road bike you ended up buying a Gravel bike 🥰
Cant recommend the funn mamba pedals enough, clips one side flat and grippy the other but it doesnt matter if you get it wrong as it provides amazing grip both sides.
7:20 flats with straps are a nice and cheap option to start with as well.
I still have them on my roadbike, been awhile since ive seen someone else uses them
Tire size 650b x42 or 700x 38 minimum. If your bike can hold these you are in for most scenarios and a blast. 25-30 psi is perfect for most scenarios. Just my .2.
If traction and comfort are the priority over speed, then an XC hardtail would be the better choice for "gravel" riding. And even an XC bike would still be sufficient even if you have to ride on pavement; i can ride my XC bike comfortably for 100 KM on a combination of good and bad pavement even compared to my road bike, no need to buy a gravel bike.
Only use my road bike if i know that i will be riding on good pavement.
Is the handlebar on the silver bike a Ride Farr bar?
Looking forward to James's review for the gravel handle bar on his bike!
Do we know what this handlebar is and where I can find one?
@@jacksonbaker414 you can find it here: ridefarr.com/int/product/farr-aero-gravel-alloy/
@@jacksonbaker414 Before you buy that bar look at the Jones H bar. I realized that I almost never used my lowers on my gravel bike so I got the Jones bar and I have loved it. Five had positions so I can feel like I am in the hoods and more.
@@LarryRichelliSure, if you’ve already got a flatbar setup, but you’d have to switch out the shifters (among other components) to make these work.
that black specialized comp carbon is sweet
As an alternative to tubeless, you can get a valve core removal tool and just throw an ounce of sealant in the tube. Works wonders on small thorns and a lot less messy than tubeless.
bicycle tire liner tube protectors work better.
Garage Sale I ran the Mr Tuffy liners on an old bike. I liked them but can not confirm whether they can tolerate goat heads or not. I once ran over a goat head plant and literally got 24 goat heads between the front and rear tires. I got home, carefully pulled all the goat heads out, then put an ounce of sealant in each tube, just to see what would happen. Amazingly, those holey tubes sealed right up! The tire liners won’t help against a thorn that comes in from the side, and this obviously could happen.
Just go tubeless in the first place. Works wonders on anything up to 4 inch nails.
They sell those as Slime brand tubes that come pre-filled with Fix A Flat
Needless to say after a few years the slime gums up, and makes them completely unusable. Plus it's a lot more weight that's sloshing around in your tubes.
Took a while to go tubeless.. But had numerous flats cycling and the sealant has worked a treat.. Just kept rolling
Gonna start shopping, but, thinking straight bar with bar ends may be a good option
Try the Jones H bar. I put it on my gravel bike because I almost never used my lowers. Love that Jones bar.
Don’t fear gravel, Fear grass. Damn thorns cost me so much on tubes.
What tubes?
Why would you ever run tubes on a bike?
Great episode. Keep the supple side down :-)
What size are your Ride Farr aero bars? they look great and I like the idea of multiple hand positions.
They are 46cm
Can anyone tell me what gravel bike brand the titanium bike is please? Looks nice, love the handlebars.
I found my more flexible soles of my Shimano mtn bike shoes killed my toes with hot spots on a 125 mile gravel ride/race....they hurt pretty bad by the end of the ride. Just snagged a pair of Shimano RX-8 gravel race shoes, far more stiff (and much lighter as well) - they should do the trick.
Can someone please tell me what bracket is used for holding up the trip meter in this video? U can see it on 00:29
Great vid
I prefer my trusty CamelBak hydration back pack over bottles for off road - especially in spring and autumn when there more mud about and bottles can get mucky.
You've got the new bike and the kit, but where to go. How do I go about find trails or gravel path to ride my new bike.
The resurgence of 90s mountain bikes...
Agree and makes sense because modern mountain bikes are too good for normal trails, they need proper mountain tracks to create a real challenge.
To some extent yes... comparing to my old Bridgestone of that era, mountain bikes still had a lot of road bike traits, like flat top tubes and long skinny stays. Today's gravel bikes have huge advancements and improvements though - bike weight, hydraulic disc brakes, a wide variety of tubeless 700c tires, integrated shifters (vs the Bridgestone's thumb shifters on the top of the bar), carbon frames and forks, light trail-worthy 700c wheels. They may have roughly the same silhouette, but they aren't at all the same bike.
Hi! What tyres is Rupert using?...Specialised Pathfinder Pros??
Def pathfinder pros. I've got them on my cx bike; they roll soooooo well on tarmac and tightly packed dirt
Hi! I used to have a mtb, but I switched to gravel bike since drop bars gives me much more comfort. Can a gravel bike be used for speed just like a road bike?
You need to talk to Jan about tire pressure
Definitely go tubeless on gravel. You can run lower pressure without running the risk of pinch flats and lower pressure means more comfort, more traction and less discomfort on bumpy sections.
I used to think the same but I hated the struggle of changing tyres every 2000km and random pressure loss during bike packing tours so much that I switched back to tubes. Setting up the tyres without compressor is just horrible if you don't want to waste co2 all the time.
I was going to go tubeless on my gravel bike build but the tires are expensive and I have to buy and mess with that liquid stuff which requires topping off or renewing every few months. I heard they fit really tight and I have arthritis in my left hand so getting the tire on the rim would be impossible for me. Besides I bought a pair of high-end tires from a friend for pennies on the dollar so I went with those.
Don't get carried away with tubeless. There's more disadvantages.
1. If you pick up a puncture larger than the self sealant can cope with you will need a tyre patch and tube to get you home. Gravel riding can take you onto less traveled back countries and harder to get that backup. You are more likely to hit a larger sharp stone liable to cause a gash. If you aren't travelling across rougher ground then you don't need a gravel bike.
I switched to tubeless after flatting both tires, and one of those twice on the same gravel trail, then once more over one those sections of pavement that are all broken up by tree roots. Spend a lot less time faffing about with tubes, and all you need is a cloth to wipe up the old sealant, a spray pump with soapy water and a good pump (I did pick up one of those burst canister for half price at the LBS for Boxing Day) to seat the tire (now add a tire insert and that does add a bit of 🤪 to the effort).
@@robertkee7534 Luddite.
nice saddle !! what brand is it ?
Great advise and tips, thank you guys and stay safe!
Are Bontrager GR1 Expert a decent tire to go offroad?
Love that specialized back... Can anyone help me with what model it is?
Hi Christian - it's the Specialized diverge comp carbon www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/gravel-bikes/specialized-diverge-comp-carbon
I have a saddle bag for each bike with a puncture kit a spare tube and a multi-tool for each bike. Grab the bike can't forget the bag. Handlebars are hollow stashed inside cable ties and about 20 dollars in cash for emergencies. On every bike a crank brothers Klic Hand Pump. If driving to a location in each of the cars I have spare tires a portable compressor and a small set of tools.
Good. For. You.
Its tacky and see-through-as-f how cyclingweekly "loved" this post. Spend spend spend. Way to go china
No... the justification is more like, I just had a flat and I'm 20 miles out in the middle of the desert... oh shit, my goodie bag is on my other bike, which is sitting at home. Two bags, two pumps, two multi-tools, etc, solves that little problem, even though it costs a bit more money. If you have two good bikes, with the horrendous prices these days, you can damn sure afford two bags, two pumps, two tubes, etc...
what's the recommended PSI pressure of gravel riding?
What top tube bag you are using?
whats that drop bar whit a loop?
I notice this most with UK cycling videos ( GCN too).
Safety/cycling glasses are not optional for gravel biking.
I guess the UK is blessed re: bugs???
But today I was doing a quickly-getting-overgrown fire road in the temperate rainforest ecosystem I live in. Basically it was a twin single track already in the 2nd week of June. The prominence of this road is impressive... Which also means that you could drop 50 or 100 or 300meters if you wipe out on the outside. Keeping inside ( the uphill tire track line) has branches leaning down. Take your pick but...
But no glasses; get whipped in both eyes with a branch;. You are totally ( royally for the UK) f'ed on so many levels.
Not a lot of bugs during the day in most parts (outside of FLYING ANT DAY) as they mostly show up in the evenings, but only for short parts of the year
@@WelshMullet tree branches lash eyeballs even if there are no flying insects.
Holy trinity of biking: gloves, eye protection and a helmet
Hello guys , should I get a smaller frame for a Gravel bike or the same size of my road bike
I'm a 5'9" height and my current road bike is medium.
thank you for all your tips.
It ultimately depends on the brand. Some brands may recommend you be on a small, but you may find medium to be more comfortable. Safest bet is to go to a brick and mortar and have the staff help you out.
Copy the XC/Enduro guys. Get a dropper post. Much easier to change your seat height while you keep the pace, makes everything flow much smoother.
Get at least one Topeak Ninja bottle cage so you can have a multitool with you at all times. The bike is being shaken with nothing to deaden the vibration. Bolts have a habit of walking loose.
That Topeak multi tool bottle cage carrier is trash though. The mount of mine wore out quite quickly and then was loose all the time due to all the rattling on the ride.
Hi was this filmed at velmede Woods near the foresters pub in Fleet?
Does anyone know what that nifty bottlecage/multitool holder is called?
what model aero bars are you using
Like a teleshopping conversation
A Dropper post is fantastic and is highly recommended.
Thanks for the tips I’m looking at buying a gravel bike. I love the Kinesis set up you have. Is that a titanium bike. G Day from Australia
Hey Wayne, yes it is titanium, it’s the Tripster ATR V3
@@jamesbracey6560 thanks ill look into it :)
Hi James, what’s that handlebar?
Jackson Baker it’s a Farr Aero Gravel
What is the brand of the multitool thing?
I usually get punctures when riding on the road, not off road. Off road it really only get pinch flats and with tire pressure and technique I've been able to avoid them. On the road though there tend to be a lot of stuff like glass, plastic or whatever else people loose or throw around...
Swing tubeless on mtb. After a couple pinch flats I was over tubes on the trail. I use orange endurance sealant. Best in my opinion.
What about riding a hardtail 29er, carbon frame vs a gravel bike? I just wonder if that mtb will give you more comfort but maybe the efficiency of the gravel bike is much better 🤷♂️
This is the build I’m starting. Bought a 29er carbon hardtail, planning to swap to a rigid fork, 45mm tires, 720mm flat bar with aerobar (get both control/comfort for more technical but tucked for smoother/faster sections), MTB 1x12 wide range. On the tires side, many gravel people have been limited there. Gravel frames keep getting wider to allow the 40-50mm+, but no clearance issues with a 29er. A gravel frame is likely a bit lighter though.
where can I find this funky multi-tool?
i think it's the topeak ninja master
Yep, what he said👆🏻
harrylook make sure that you can reach everything important. The tools of my Ninja 16+ are very short
Do these bikes start hurting your arms with the vibrations due to not having suspension on the front? Thinking of getting one
ready ur hands dude
Time was when no bikes had suspension. For general riding on single track and trails, you don't need it. Suspension is weight and mechanical complexity. Gravel bikes started as mountain bikes without suspension and with dropped bars. Then the marketing boys thought, "Hey! What if we make a gravel bike but give it suspension and straight bars?" Your tyres, arms and legs are all the suspension you need for gravel riding.
Dont use Sram?
Can I use a gravel bike as a mountain bike
Whenever I go off pavement I get those puncture stickers and a flat, what do I do?
@Steve King that is my current strategy. 🙄
Tire Pressure? carry a pump, to adjust tire pressure for the road conditions, as needed.
Any info on that bottle cage/tool combo?
Topeak Ninja just by the looks of it.
i use mountain bike clip ins on my road bike
9:57 What’s the exact multi tool there?
Hi guys. I am really new biker and just bought a second hand Trek speed bike. I am overweight and was thinking if a gravel bike with wider tyres and different frame design would make my riding little more confortable on roads at least during this beginning?
maybe abit, but some gravel bikes are also pretty stiff.
It's important to have the right seating height, you dont want to be whipping up and down because your seat is too high or too low, which is just extra strain on parts and yer bum
The perfect solution is to bring a pump, run what ever pressure you want on the road, off the road, then back on the road.
First I have to say that I'm new to cycling.
I'd like to know why would he use a gravel bike to ride on mtb trails .. I mean wouldn't it be better to have front and or rear suspension-mtb?
Simply yes, if you mainly want to ride mtb trails then buy a decent 29nr hardtail with a quality front suspension fork.
Gravel bikers are re- learning / re-inventing the mtb. Many gravel bikes look a lot like 1990’s mountain bikes.
Carry a mini pump and adjust your pressure at the trail head.
Wear gloves!
Hand helmets!
No
@@jamesbracey6560 Comes in handy when you crash. Hand injuries are pretty common. Of course, if you don't care about your hands, go ahead and shred them.
I haven't had any problems without wearing gloves, although I haven't crashed that much also 😁
Yes, gloves. Learned that the hard way mountain biking.
2:06 dropbar looks sick! Whats the name of it?
looks like Farr Aero Gravel handlebars