Gravel biking involves riding on trails and unpaved gravel roads. It is a sport that combines elements of road cycling, mountain biking, and adventure cycling, and is steadily gaining popularity. Gravel cyclists often encounter loose gravel, steep climbs, and technical descents on their rides. According to Steven Rindner, from its relative affordability to extreme versatility, there are many attractive aspects of gravel riding. Just about any person can give gravel biking a try, regardless of their cycling experience.
Steven Rindner sheds light on a few of the most advantageous aspects of gravel biking
In recent years, gravel biking has emerged as one of the most popular outdoor activities in the United States. Whether one is new to cycling or is a veteran cyclist, every person is likely to find something to enjoy about gravel biking. Gravel biking involves a blend of mountain biking and road riding, and provides cyclists with access to a wide variety of terrains, starting from smooth, easy trails to challenging off-road routes. Moreover, it is fairly easy and inexpensive to get started with gravel biking, as the majority of the gear needed for the activity is quite affordable and easy to find.
Here are some of the most advantageous aspects of gravel biking:
- Adventure and exploration: Gravel biking and racing generally take place on remote, less-travelled roads, and provide a sense of exploration and adventure that is not easy to find on traditional paved roads.
- Scenery: In most cases, gravel routes take cyclists through scenic and beautiful landscapes that are not easily accessible by car but would be too far to go on foot.
- Community: Over the years, a strong and supportive community have been built around gravel cycling and racing, with events often featuring a festive ambiance and opportunities for socialization. Mass starts tend to make people feel like they are all in it together.
- Challenging terrain: Steep climbs, rough terrain and technical descents offer an exciting challenge. Gravel biking can be particularly appealing for riders who enjoy pushing themselves to their limits.
- Safety: A number of cyclists today prefer riding on gravel in order to avoid distracted or aggressive car and truck drivers on the road. By using low-traffic gravel roads in rural areas, gravel race organizers are able to reduce exposure to car traffic.
- Versatility: Gravel bikes are quite adaptable. It gives cyclists the freedom to plan routes that include gravel paths, pavement and light single-track, all in a single ride. Many gravel bikes also feature mounts for frame bags and up to 3-4 water bottles, and hence can be used for both bikepacking and commuting.
As per Steven Rindner, the popularity of gravel biking has especially exploded in recent years, as a growing number of cyclists are hopping onto gravel bikes. These bikes feature wider tires and open up paths that road bikes cannot reach. This ultimately paves the way for new race formats. Gravel races typically sit somewhere between road cycling, cyclo-cross, and mountain biking. These races ideally take place on farm tracks, gravel roads, and singletrack trails, linked by paved sections.
