Convert xc to gravel bike?

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Convert xc to gravel bike?
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flag elcam
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 14:04 Quote
OK, got it. Thanks! I guess that's not for me. I don't care much for road riding except as a way to get to trails and all the dirt roads here are bumpy enough that i wouldn't go narrower than my xc tires anyway.
flag R-M-R
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 14:29 Quote
elcam wrote:
They just opened a zillion miles of gravel trails around here and I'm interested.
elcam wrote:
I don't care much for road riding [ ... ]

Blank Stare
flag ricochetrabbit
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 14:49 Quote
Not to be a douche but what is the point of a gravel bike? Riding on the shoulders of the road requires a special bike? How’s this different from a XX mountain bike with semi slicks.
flag Marininmaine
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 15:41 Quote
ricochetrabbit wrote:
Not to be a douche but what is the point of a gravel bike? Riding on the shoulders of the road requires a special bike? How’s this different from a XX mountain bike with semi slicks.
It's not really a type of riding, it's the type of bike. I think the main idea is a road bike with knobby tires that can go beyond the pavement when you want it to. Cyclocross is another name for this category, and if you look up cyclocross races, you'll see lots of small laps of muddy grass, whereas "gravel" races, e.g. Dirty Kanza, are more like road races on dirt roads. So to reiterate and be kinda deep, gravel bikes don't have a purpose, they have possibilities.
flag R-M-R
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 15:54 Quote
ricochetrabbit wrote:
Not to be a douche but [ ... ]

Nothing good ever follows this Confused


ricochetrabbit wrote:
[ ... ] what is the point of a gravel bike? Riding on the shoulders of the road requires a special bike? How’s this different from a XX mountain bike with semi slicks.

If you read the prior posts you'll see we discussed the difference between a gravel bike and a mountain bike. To recap: gravel bikes cover a spectrum from pure road bikes to light-and-fast mountain bikes. Everything between those two endpoints is the gravel bike spectrum.

Marininmaine has the right idea. And it's not about riding on the shoulders of roads, it's about riding gravel roads, i.e. going places where there's no pavement. Maybe that's not a thing in Florida. On the prairies and in the mountains, there are loads of gorgeous gravel roads through remote areas that you can't access on a road bike and a typical mountain bike is too much of a monster truck.

Personally, I prefer pavement on a pavement-only road bike or trails on a normal mountain bike, but I do enjoy gravel riding on ideal gravel roads. Soft, dusty, potholed, janky gravel roads are the worst of both worlds: the ratio of effort to speed is no better than mountain biking with none of the thrills.
flag elcam
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 16:24 Quote
All I'm saying is that I don't usually ride on paved roads except to get somewhere, pavement is all about destination rather than journey. If I lived somewhere else, I might enjoy road riding, nothing against it.

I ride on dirt roads too, mostly to: A. get really far out in the mountains; B. get to a singletrack; or, C. to be able to ride next to friends and talk. All things valid. With all the local hype about gravel biking (and punctuated by Evil cycles bothering to make a gravel bike) I thought I was maybe missing some transcendental new way to enjoy endless miles of dirt roads around here. If this is about road bikers wanting to hit the occasional dirt road, then I'd rather spend any disposable income elsewhere.
flag ricochetrabbit
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 16:29 Quote
R-M-R wrote:
ricochetrabbit wrote:
Not to be a douche but [ ... ]

Nothing good ever follows this Confused


ricochetrabbit wrote:
[ ... ] what is the point of a gravel bike? Riding on the shoulders of the road requires a special bike? How’s this different from a XX mountain bike with semi slicks.

If you read the prior posts you'll see we discussed the difference between a gravel bike and a mountain bike. To recap: gravel bikes cover a spectrum from pure road bikes to light-and-fast mountain bikes. Everything between those two endpoints is the gravel bike spectrum.

Marininmaine has the right idea. And it's not about riding on the shoulders of roads, it's about riding gravel roads, i.e. going places where there's no pavement. Maybe that's not a thing in Florida. On the prairies and in the mountains, there are loads of gorgeous gravel roads through remote areas that you can't access on a road bike and a typical mountain bike is too much of a monster truck.

Personally, I prefer pavement on a pavement-only road bike or trails on a normal mountain bike, but I do enjoy gravel riding on ideal gravel roads. Soft, dusty, potholed, janky gravel roads are the worst of both worlds: the ratio of effort to speed is no better than mountain biking with none of the thrills.

Eh. To each their own. Seems silly. I guess it would be the equivalent of putting mud swampers on my Mini Cooper in case I want to go off roading while heading back from Publix. (Famous Florida food store)
flag Marininmaine
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 16:33 Quote
elcam wrote:
All I'm saying is that I don't usually ride on paved roads except to get somewhere, pavement is all about destination rather than journey. If I lived somewhere else, I might enjoy road riding, nothing against it.

I ride on dirt roads too, mostly to: A. get really far out in the mountains; B. get to a singletrack; or, C. to be able to ride next to friends and talk. All things valid. With all the local hype about gravel biking (and punctuated by Evil cycles bothering to make a gravel bike) I thought I was maybe missing some transcendental new way to enjoy endless miles of dirt roads around here. If this is about road bikers wanting to hit the occasional dirt road, then I'd rather spend any disposable income elsewhere.
Yeah I agree with you here. I understand the appeal, but don't take after it. I really don't know why anyone would spend thousands of dollars on a bike to ride roads when they could spend that money on a Fox 38 and a Push Eleven6. (I said that semi-ironically)
flag R-M-R
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 16:37 Quote
ricochetrabbit wrote:
Eh. To each their own. Seems silly. I guess it would be the equivalent of putting mud swampers on my Mini Cooper in case I want to go off roading while heading back from Publix. (Famous Florida food store)

What you described is, obviously, silly and no one does it because it makes no sense. A better analogy would be a light-duty 4WD vehicle: not quite as good on pavement, but able to explore rural roads without feeling like it's going to fall apart.


elcam wrote:
I thought I was maybe missing some transcendental new way to enjoy endless miles of dirt roads around here.

That's exactly what it is, minus the hyperbole. Road, including gravel, is a different experience from mountain biking and I enjoy both. Some people don't, and that's fine. Here are some of the things I enjoy about road:

• Cover a lot of distance. Point to the horizon and go there.
• Fast. Feels a little like flying.
• Scenic. Enjoy the scenery without having to keep your eyes glued to the trail. I learn about my local landscape and wildlife.
• Relaxing. It's a more peaceful experience without the constant need to focus on staying upright and alive.
• Solitude. Many trails are close to urban centres and / or are popular with other users. Road - especially gravel - riding can take you places where the population density of bears exceeds that of humans.
• Precisely metered physical effort. You can decide exactly when and how to physically challenge yourself. You can take it easy without ever having to grind up a steep pitch, you can sprint until the precise point at which your heart is about to explode, or anything in between, and you can precisely control the effort.

Gravel riding doesn't change the fundamental nature of road riding, it just tweaks the ratios of the factors I listed. If these things appeal to you, give it a go. If not, continue to enjoy riding styles that are more appealing to you.
flag elcam
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 16:56 Quote
OK. Like i say about fly fishing, I'll keep in mind for when my body can't keep up with the other stuff.

Agree about road bikes like flying. Lived in Mexico City for a while and had a borrowed carbon fiber road bike for a few months. Talk about flying, biggest city on earth felt like a village on that jet.
flag ricochetrabbit
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 17:01 Quote
R-M-R wrote:
ricochetrabbit wrote:
Eh. To each their own. Seems silly. I guess it would be the equivalent of putting mud swampers on my Mini Cooper in case I want to go off roading while heading back from Publix. (Famous Florida food store)

What you described is, obviously, silly and no one does it because it makes no sense. A better analogy would be a light-duty 4WD vehicle: not quite as good on pavement, but able to explore rural roads without feeling like it's going to fall apart.


elcam wrote:
I thought I was maybe missing some transcendental new way to enjoy endless miles of dirt roads around here.

That's exactly what it is, minus the hyperbole. Road, including gravel, is a different experience from mountain biking and I enjoy both. Some people don't, and that's fine. Here are some of the things I enjoy about road:

• Cover a lot of distance. Point to the horizon and go there.
• Fast. Feels a little like flying.
• Scenic. Enjoy the scenery without having to keep your eyes glued to the trail. I learn about my local landscape and wildlife.
• Relaxing. It's a more peaceful experience without the constant need to focus on staying upright and alive.
• Solitude. Many trails are close to urban centres and / or are popular with other users. Road - especially gravel - riding can take you places where the population density of bears exceeds that of humans.
• Precisely metered physical effort. You can decide exactly when and how to physically challenge yourself. You can take it easy without ever having to grind up a steep pitch, you can sprint until the precise point at which your heart is about to explode, or anything in between, and you can precisely control the effort.

Gravel riding doesn't change the fundamental nature of road riding, it just tweaks the ratios of the factors I listed. If these things appeal to you, give it a go. If not, continue to enjoy riding styles that are more appealing to you.

I have never rode a road bike before, but I can imagine what you’re saying...they seem incredibly fast.
flag R-M-R
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 17:16 Quote
They're a different kind of fun. Similar kind of fun to running, I suppose, but so much better. You can zone out and let your mind wander or dial in the intensity and make it hurt just right, with the benefit of speed, smoothness, distance (i.e. additional sense of accomplishment), solitude, and less pain in your knees!
flag ricochetrabbit
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 17:29 Quote
R-M-R wrote:
They're a different kind of fun. Similar kind of fun to running, I suppose, but so much better. You can zone out and let your mind wander or dial in the intensity and make it hurt just right, with the benefit of speed, smoothness, distance (i.e. additional sense of accomplishment), solitude, and less pain in your knees!

Probably fantastic for building up cardio
flag R-M-R
Posted: Apr 13, 2020 at 17:44 Quote
It really is. There's been interesting research in the past several years to show fitness is built almost exclusively through high intensity. i.e. The old approach of lower intensity and high duration is less valuable - great for losing weight, though!

My road rides are now at a generally easier pace, with occasional bursts of very high intensity. Luckily, this is also a more fun way to ride: I can enjoy the scenery most of the time, rather than just dialing up the pain and holding it there for ages, and my hard efforts are satisfyingly fast.
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