You're clearly missing the point of the entire post. Some people can't always afford multiple specific bikes. Back then I was younger and poorer but still wanted to ride with my friends who were getting into gravel.
The post was about a good bike can do more than just ride a smooth paved road with minor tweaks. It literally had zero to do with me as a rider. Chill the fuck out.
Nowadays yes. These options weren't as available in 2011. Sometimes people buy the bike they can afford on tight budgets. I'm sure there's people on the subreddit that got second hand bikes because it was a really good deal but want to try other types of riding. Sometimes it's just about encouraging people that they can do more with their bike than they might realize.
You could definitely get a cyclocross bike in 2010. I had a rocky mountain solo CX. Just swapped out the tires when I wanted to ride on the road. It was basically a steel framed road bike with a 105 that could accommodate wide tires.
Let him have his "back then In my time " time...
I get tons of customers who rant on newer bikes while saying the Sachs pentasport is peak, disc brakes are a sham.
The thing about gravel is the roads are not consistently good enough to ride a road bike and it largely depends on the maintenance authority. Big rains come and wash off all the smooth hard pack and you’ll be wishing for a mountain bike waiting for the county to come through and fix it before you can ride again. My buddy was getting into cycling and heard old road bikes were fine for gravel and let me tell you on rural American dirt roads an old road bike will not cut it. Theres a reason people run 25psi tubeless with 50mm wide tires.
Yes to bragging about the bike's durability and quality. But more so the post is about that things don't have to be fancy to have fun on.
Our forefathers raced gravel before everything was paved on much less. Same with mountain bikes. It all started on so much less technology yet they got out and sent that shit fully ridged.
Eh, take a look at old TdF photos, and do the math on what a 700C tire was (before anyone added the x23 or some other number to the end)
They were running about 40mm tires back then it seems. Great-Grandpa knew what worked on the roads back then.
Of course every generation before had it harder, but I’m all about making my rides as enjoyable as possible. Knowing I have a mechanically sounds bike with quality brakes, larger tires and smoother shifting just makes my rides even better.
Most of us probably started at the bottom, so that’s why we appreciate it more.
This post pleases me (I have a Roubaix but it is far to cosseted to get it muddy) I started riding in 1990 on a fully rigid mtb. Now I have long travel full bounce, hydraulic disc stoppers, carbon frame, dropper post, and very different geometry etc etc. Thing is, a lot of the time these ‘skill compensators’ allow me to go quicker but not necessarily have more fun. I took my Cove Stiffee for some lift assisted madness in the French alps on tracks I know well. I was slower, fell more often, drops were scary and I was physically battered by the end but I have never had more fun. Being over-biked is a thing
Love the fact that you've disengaged the rear brake for mud clearance. Been there a time or two when you have to make the decision between being able to move and not being able to stop effectively! Brilliant.
Fizik. Super insanely durable but everything else I have has Lizard Skins which is not at all durable but waaaaay more comfortable and grippy. If the fizik ever wears out it'll get lizard skin too as it's worth the wearing out. But I don't dislike the fizik at all. Not worth taking off as long as it's in good shape.
People on here taking the piss are cracking me up. OP, I get what you’re saying though. Cyclists who drag people for not having the “right” bike for certain rides suck.
We had a guy on here a few days ago that posted his hardtail that he uses for riding gravel because he didn't have a specific gravel bike and people jumped all over him for it being a mountain bike. The poor guy was just trying to ride some gravel and have fun. It's sad that the people that contribute so little to the page are the ones that jump all over people on their post.
That’s a vastly different case to what you are doing though. Stop trying to be a martyr for him. You are glorifying riding a severly under-equipped bike in adverse conditions. Riding MTB on gravel is in no way comparable to riding 28 mm slicks in mud because you just were too lazy to go buy better tires for this - and yes, there are better 28s for this and no, don’t try to tell me you did not have money for them if you had a place to live, a bike, time to ride and enter races and money to waste on a POC helmet.
A true testament to underbiking and the spirit of the sub imho !
It’s called « gravelcycling » not « gravelbikes » !
Being able to reliably ride a 28mm bike in gravel/mud/singletracks considerably develop technical skills, bike handling and overall body balance.
Road slicks get eaten alive\* by the gravel where I live, your post is a great example of how different things can be in different parts of the world. Happy, muddy rides, thats a beautiful bike you've got there!
\*I'm talking about getting half-inch long slashes right to or through the puncture resistant layer - also, the people who ride through winter report that the grit used on bike paths is even more of a problem than road slipperiness would be due to punctures
I fully agree, a well serviced bike can take you very far and it doesn't need to be this week's newest tech. However you can also take this sentiment too far and ride a single speed bike while proclaiming yourself the next messiah
I had this Batavus Champion back in the days. Loved to challenge the thing and myself as much as possible, like riding off road and gravel. Lots of fun and excitement. Then came across a second hand S-Works and didn't go off road too much anymore (probably also the wobbly mavic wheels). Since relocation and buying a gravelbike last year, really enjoying the freedom of movement again and pushing some limits on trails as well on my 40mm. So, little bit closer to nature, but with nostalgic to the old days.
Did the same, had 28's on a Cube road bike for three or four years. Mud was the killer, not much clearance at all. If it got muddy or sticky I was forever picking up little sticks to clear the blockages. Did the job though when ideal conditions.
Finally someone who gets it.
So many here go out of their way to be dicks. Stalk their history and they have next to zero original content adding to the sub. A couple days ago there was a guy who posted his hardtail that he currently uses as his gravel bike as he doesn't have a specific gravel bike and people jumped all over him because it was a mountain bike. The dude's trying to get out and ride gravel. We should be encouraging that instead of sitting behind a keyboard looking for reasons to criticize people that are just trying to get out and have fun.
I rode my CAAD10 road bike through gravel multiple times on the east coast. Then I moved to Utah, and 40mm tires are too narrow for most of the gravel here!
I’m with you! My Tarmac saw 1000s of kilometers of gravel and, for better and worse, hundreds in singletrack too. New bikes are better but those bikes rock. More specifically, bikes rock!
Definitely doable. I do remember when I first started riding gravel there were a few races where strong cyclists on their road bikes would win those races. It was definitely course dependent. Some of the rough courses would be a rough ride. I started out running 35 or 38 size tires and I’ve “graduated” to pathfinder pro 47s and am testing out some Vittoria mezcal 2.1s.
I went from a mountain bike to a road bike with 23mm tires. I quickly learned that it didn't like to go anywhere where there was a hint of loose soil or stones...
Where I grew up, the "gravel" was smooth like the stuff in your pictures. That's a lot of fun to ride on. I used to ride my road bike on gravel all the time without any issues. In that area, it was so smooth because nobody ever put down any new gravel. Where I live now, people think they can get away with 28mm tires and quickly find out they were wrong.
It’s not about the bike! All these idiots talking about “proper equipment”. Did you have fun while riding a bike? Then you’re cycling! Welcome to the club!
I’m riding my roady into the ground currently. It’s surprisingly dope, can’t wait to get a proper gravel bike. Is it kind of like having a hard tail with drops?
You're clearly missing the point of the entire post. Some people can't always afford multiple specific bikes. Back then I was younger and poorer but still wanted to ride with my friends who were getting into gravel.
The post was about a good bike can do more than just ride a smooth paved road with minor tweaks. It literally had zero to do with me as a rider. Chill the fuck out.
Sometimes people buy the bike they can afford on tight budgets. I'm sure there's people on this subreddit that have gotten second hand bikes but want to expand their options on riding. Sometimes it's just about encouraging others on what they can do with the bike that they have.
Can’t say I miss the sound out wet sanding the rims with every brake application!
What about the “BBRRRRTTTT!” of 1990s cantis?
Mmmmm the sweet sweet sound of my cyclocross youth...
"Is my existence a joke to you!" \~Cyclocross bikes prior to gravel bikes probably
Also, I wonder how many of these races would actually be better/easier on an XC hardtail MTB as opposed to a gravel bike....
You're so tough!
TONS of gnarly crashes bro 😎
or as the kids say: "that shit's gnar"
Thanks for twisting around a post about the bike.
You're clearly missing the point of the entire post. Some people can't always afford multiple specific bikes. Back then I was younger and poorer but still wanted to ride with my friends who were getting into gravel. The post was about a good bike can do more than just ride a smooth paved road with minor tweaks. It literally had zero to do with me as a rider. Chill the fuck out.
I thought gravel bikes were specifically made for people who can't afford multiple specific bikes?
Nowadays yes. These options weren't as available in 2011. Sometimes people buy the bike they can afford on tight budgets. I'm sure there's people on the subreddit that got second hand bikes because it was a really good deal but want to try other types of riding. Sometimes it's just about encouraging people that they can do more with their bike than they might realize.
You could definitely get a cyclocross bike in 2010. I had a rocky mountain solo CX. Just swapped out the tires when I wanted to ride on the road. It was basically a steel framed road bike with a 105 that could accommodate wide tires.
I dig it! Nice work!
Lol at how reddit voters are the biggest bi-polar bunch. OP you were down and they brought you right back up.
Let him have his "back then In my time " time... I get tons of customers who rant on newer bikes while saying the Sachs pentasport is peak, disc brakes are a sham.
But gravel bikes aren't cheap to access, I feel like it's more about how you can take whatever bike you have and make the most of it
The thing about gravel is the roads are not consistently good enough to ride a road bike and it largely depends on the maintenance authority. Big rains come and wash off all the smooth hard pack and you’ll be wishing for a mountain bike waiting for the county to come through and fix it before you can ride again. My buddy was getting into cycling and heard old road bikes were fine for gravel and let me tell you on rural American dirt roads an old road bike will not cut it. Theres a reason people run 25psi tubeless with 50mm wide tires.
I can't tell if you're bragging or complaining! Sweet ride though!
Yes to bragging about the bike's durability and quality. But more so the post is about that things don't have to be fancy to have fun on. Our forefathers raced gravel before everything was paved on much less. Same with mountain bikes. It all started on so much less technology yet they got out and sent that shit fully ridged.
Eh, take a look at old TdF photos, and do the math on what a 700C tire was (before anyone added the x23 or some other number to the end) They were running about 40mm tires back then it seems. Great-Grandpa knew what worked on the roads back then.
Of course every generation before had it harder, but I’m all about making my rides as enjoyable as possible. Knowing I have a mechanically sounds bike with quality brakes, larger tires and smoother shifting just makes my rides even better. Most of us probably started at the bottom, so that’s why we appreciate it more.
I prefer modern tech thank you very much <3
Of course you do it's a lot more capable and comfortable
[удалено]
And sorry if there is confusion with the title. I meant the bike took it all and didn't bitch, I wasn't saying I was the one not bitching about it 😬
https://imgur.com/a/HavWNkk
https://imgur.com/a/tfNLyWw
Ride so rough it bent the seat stays /s
This post pleases me (I have a Roubaix but it is far to cosseted to get it muddy) I started riding in 1990 on a fully rigid mtb. Now I have long travel full bounce, hydraulic disc stoppers, carbon frame, dropper post, and very different geometry etc etc. Thing is, a lot of the time these ‘skill compensators’ allow me to go quicker but not necessarily have more fun. I took my Cove Stiffee for some lift assisted madness in the French alps on tracks I know well. I was slower, fell more often, drops were scary and I was physically battered by the end but I have never had more fun. Being over-biked is a thing
Why have you censored bitching
Idk what the mods are like here so erred on the side of caution.
is there literally any sub where you can't say 'bitching'
r/woodworking doesn’t allow humor so anything is possible
Love the fact that you've disengaged the rear brake for mud clearance. Been there a time or two when you have to make the decision between being able to move and not being able to stop effectively! Brilliant.
I know you’re single cuz if I brought my bike into the kitchen after this kind of ride my wife would hang me from the stairs
Bro might actually be “him”!
Him Kardashian The Himulation 100% Himalayan
Bro stomped me out in his Himberlands
This is the brain nourishment I needed this morning
Call me Him Duncan
Himmy Neutron
What is that bar tape? Looks comfy
Fizik. Super insanely durable but everything else I have has Lizard Skins which is not at all durable but waaaaay more comfortable and grippy. If the fizik ever wears out it'll get lizard skin too as it's worth the wearing out. But I don't dislike the fizik at all. Not worth taking off as long as it's in good shape.
Thanks!
Bruv why the hell is your dirty bloody bike in the kitchen 🤣
Had just brought it in to clean it and didn't want it on carpet. https://imgur.com/a/UYsW1VI
clean a dirty bike in the kitchen? hmm...
Did you just entirely skip my response before commenting?
They obviously didn’t click the link.
People on here taking the piss are cracking me up. OP, I get what you’re saying though. Cyclists who drag people for not having the “right” bike for certain rides suck.
We had a guy on here a few days ago that posted his hardtail that he uses for riding gravel because he didn't have a specific gravel bike and people jumped all over him for it being a mountain bike. The poor guy was just trying to ride some gravel and have fun. It's sad that the people that contribute so little to the page are the ones that jump all over people on their post.
That’s a vastly different case to what you are doing though. Stop trying to be a martyr for him. You are glorifying riding a severly under-equipped bike in adverse conditions. Riding MTB on gravel is in no way comparable to riding 28 mm slicks in mud because you just were too lazy to go buy better tires for this - and yes, there are better 28s for this and no, don’t try to tell me you did not have money for them if you had a place to live, a bike, time to ride and enter races and money to waste on a POC helmet.
Eh, is that really gravel? Just looks like a hardpack dirt road.
A true testament to underbiking and the spirit of the sub imho ! It’s called « gravelcycling » not « gravelbikes » ! Being able to reliably ride a 28mm bike in gravel/mud/singletracks considerably develop technical skills, bike handling and overall body balance.
Okay so go back to riding it and stop b*tchin'?
Road slicks get eaten alive\* by the gravel where I live, your post is a great example of how different things can be in different parts of the world. Happy, muddy rides, thats a beautiful bike you've got there! \*I'm talking about getting half-inch long slashes right to or through the puncture resistant layer - also, the people who ride through winter report that the grit used on bike paths is even more of a problem than road slipperiness would be due to punctures
I fully agree, a well serviced bike can take you very far and it doesn't need to be this week's newest tech. However you can also take this sentiment too far and ride a single speed bike while proclaiming yourself the next messiah
I had this Batavus Champion back in the days. Loved to challenge the thing and myself as much as possible, like riding off road and gravel. Lots of fun and excitement. Then came across a second hand S-Works and didn't go off road too much anymore (probably also the wobbly mavic wheels). Since relocation and buying a gravelbike last year, really enjoying the freedom of movement again and pushing some limits on trails as well on my 40mm. So, little bit closer to nature, but with nostalgic to the old days.
You could say: Limits change with the bike, the person on it challenges the limits (and beyond)
Did the same, had 28's on a Cube road bike for three or four years. Mud was the killer, not much clearance at all. If it got muddy or sticky I was forever picking up little sticks to clear the blockages. Did the job though when ideal conditions.
I have the (essentially) same bike. Yeah, goes everywhere, does everything! It's tops in my stable. I'll never let her go.
Finally someone who gets it. So many here go out of their way to be dicks. Stalk their history and they have next to zero original content adding to the sub. A couple days ago there was a guy who posted his hardtail that he currently uses as his gravel bike as he doesn't have a specific gravel bike and people jumped all over him because it was a mountain bike. The dude's trying to get out and ride gravel. We should be encouraging that instead of sitting behind a keyboard looking for reasons to criticize people that are just trying to get out and have fun.
Exactly! Ride bikes. Have fun. Simple! If someone is butt-hurt about what/where/when/how you ride, fuck 'em. They're not worth my time. Cheers!
Same on a defy 1.
I rode my CAAD10 road bike through gravel multiple times on the east coast. Then I moved to Utah, and 40mm tires are too narrow for most of the gravel here!
Bitching would have been less cringe than trying to brag.
I’m with you! My Tarmac saw 1000s of kilometers of gravel and, for better and worse, hundreds in singletrack too. New bikes are better but those bikes rock. More specifically, bikes rock!
Truth!
Dog: why tf is this bike in the kitchen for a photoshoot
Because i didn't want it on harder to clean flooring. Brought it in to clean it. https://imgur.com/a/UYsW1VI
😬
Heheheheehehe
You won races?
People forget the first Belgian Waffle Rides were ridden on road bikes running 28s
Good for you mate.
Nickname : slippy
Definitely doable. I do remember when I first started riding gravel there were a few races where strong cyclists on their road bikes would win those races. It was definitely course dependent. Some of the rough courses would be a rough ride. I started out running 35 or 38 size tires and I’ve “graduated” to pathfinder pro 47s and am testing out some Vittoria mezcal 2.1s.
Looks like fun!
Zertz add 10mm to your tire width.
Damn, you're so cool for not bitching about 28mm tires! r/iamverybadass
You must have large genitals
I went from a mountain bike to a road bike with 23mm tires. I quickly learned that it didn't like to go anywhere where there was a hint of loose soil or stones...
You'll take my 42mm tires out of my cold dead hands
Ok Fred.
Zert
Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
That’s neat! I use my 2011 KHS Flite 100 for all those activities, the 28c Gravel Ling SK’s make the fixed gear move like a gravel bike too!
Where I grew up, the "gravel" was smooth like the stuff in your pictures. That's a lot of fun to ride on. I used to ride my road bike on gravel all the time without any issues. In that area, it was so smooth because nobody ever put down any new gravel. Where I live now, people think they can get away with 28mm tires and quickly find out they were wrong.
Awesome.
It’s not about the bike! All these idiots talking about “proper equipment”. Did you have fun while riding a bike? Then you’re cycling! Welcome to the club!
Dont mess with this guy, hes got mud on his bike 🤣
Yea still not complaining or attention seaking I see...
I have a similar generation 2011/12 tarmac that I still ride with, although now has 11 sp dura ace, and still love the ride I get.
Come on man without those zertzs you’d been bitching.
I’m riding my roady into the ground currently. It’s surprisingly dope, can’t wait to get a proper gravel bike. Is it kind of like having a hard tail with drops?
It is more like having a road bike with wide tires and less tire pressure.
That sounds dope.
It is pretty dope. :)
lol can’t stop saying that lately
It’s dope as hell.
ye, but back then bikes weren‘t the bitches they are now! I remember they used to be ridden, even in rain!!!
Tough guy, eh? Mmyaaahh
You're clearly missing the point of the entire post. Some people can't always afford multiple specific bikes. Back then I was younger and poorer but still wanted to ride with my friends who were getting into gravel. The post was about a good bike can do more than just ride a smooth paved road with minor tweaks. It literally had zero to do with me as a rider. Chill the fuck out. Sometimes people buy the bike they can afford on tight budgets. I'm sure there's people on this subreddit that have gotten second hand bikes but want to expand their options on riding. Sometimes it's just about encouraging others on what they can do with the bike that they have.
You don't need 2 bikes, you just need to be a tough guy with 1 bike. I gotchu