Gravel Bikes

[SKv11000]

We have a small group of friends here in Salt Lake City who ride gravel bikes on our trips. We run 3-7 day trips, primarily here in Northern or Southern Utah but have loose plans for some trips to our surrounding states over the next few years. Our daily schedule usually rolls out like this: Wake up / Coffee / Coffee / Ride 30-50miles (chill pace) / Lunch / Pack up / Drive to the next location / Dinner / Sleep / Repeat.

Always looking to meet up with likeminded (or bike tolerant) people.

 

[CO_Jeep_Zach]

I'm a bit of a drive from SLC but do love a good romp on gravel. I started cycling with mountain biking but then got into gravel with a Diamondback Haanjo Trail. I love that I can ride some singletrack but also coast along on bikeways.

 

[Sparksalot]

I’ve not heard of a gravel Bike before. Same thing as a fat tire bike?

 

[SKv11000]

I'm a bit of a drive from SLC but do love a good romp on gravel. I started cycling with mountain biking but then got into gravel with a Diamondback Haanjo Trail. I love that I can ride some singletrack but also coast along on bikeways.

It's funny how gravel has brought the two disciplines (road/mtb) together into a pretty awesome category. I ride with a lot of people here that came from both sides and the middle ground of riding gravel has opened up new worlds for everyone. Some moved from road - grave and then to MTB and others have gone the other direction. I guess the bottom line is that bikes are rad.
Love to see some photos of what you're riding up in AK.

I’ve not heard of a gravel Bike before. Same thing as a fat tire bike?

Gravel sits in-between road bikes and mountain bikes (but mostly closer to road). The bikes themselves look like road bikes with clearance for bigger tires with tread pattens to handle looser stuff (think A/T tires as compared to passenger cars (road) and M/T (mtb)). Generally the geometry of the bike is more relaxed and the frame construction is less rigid for comfort without losing power or handling. There's a whole history of how they came to be from "underbiking", the birth of mountain bikes, cyclocross bikes, to a new category of cycling by tailoring bikes specifically for the purpose.

 

[Sparksalot]

It's funny how gravel has brought the two disciplines (road/mtb) together into a pretty awesome category. I ride with a lot of people here that came from both sides and the middle ground of riding gravel has opened up new worlds for everyone. Some moved from road - grave and then to MTB and others have gone the other direction. I guess the bottom line is that bikes are rad.
Love to see some photos of what you're riding up in AK.



Gravel sits in-between road bikes and mountain bikes (but mostly closer to road). The bikes themselves look like road bikes with clearance for bigger tires with tread pattens to handle looser stuff (think A/T tires as compared to passenger cars (road) and M/T (mtb)). Generally the geometry of the bike is more relaxed and the frame construction is less rigid for comfort without losing power or handling. There's a whole history of how they came to be from "underbiking", the birth of mountain bikes, cyclocross bikes, to a new category of cycling by tailoring bikes specifically for the purpose.

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Regular mountain bikes suck in sand and even some gravel. Those bikes have even skinnier tires.

I've been thinking of a fat tire bike to stay on top of the stuff, not plow through it.

 

[SKv11000]

Regular mountain bikes suck in sand and even some gravel. Those bikes have even skinnier tires.

I've been thinking of a fat tire bike to stay on top of the stuff, not plow through it.

The challenge is part of the fun. It's a type of fun that not everyone is looking for, i'll admit.

Sand sucks always, no matter what you're riding.

I've considered renting a fat bike to ride in the snow, but wife keeps trying to push me towards skiing or split-boarding.

 

[mtbidaho]

The thing that has deterred me so far is I typically have mountain bike destinations so I decide if I squeeze in the cx bike. Hopefully the switch from highlander to f150 will leave room for another bike. N+1

 

[SKv11000]

@mtbidaho Always a matter of priority, right! Just get that rack system dialed and secure enough to leave one bike while riding the other.

We got back from a trip to Southern Utah last night. .5 of us had hardtails and the other .5 had gravel bikes (which happens a lot) and we split the trip accordingly. The gravel bike on flowy singletrack was pretty fun.

 

[mtbidaho]

@mtbidaho Always a matter of priority, right! Just get that rack system dialed and secure enough to leave one bike while riding the other.

We got back from a trip to Southern Utah last night. .5 of us had hardtails and the other .5 had gravel bikes (which happens a lot) and we split the trip accordingly. The gravel bike on flowy singletrack was pretty fun.

Agreed on getting the rack right to fit both. We have a new tow vehicle for our TT that is our base camp. We haven't loaded up yet to see how everything fits.

My gravel bike is a Trek Crocket which is really a cyclocross bike. My race warmups are usually a mixture of flowy singletrack trail laps and BMX track laps. You must be smooth on both. I am enjoying skate skiing now but look forward to southern utah warming up enough to travel back down there.

 

[SKv11000]

My gravel bike is a Trek Crocket which is really a cyclocross bike. My race warmups are usually a mixture of flowy singletrack trail laps and BMX track laps. You must be smooth on both. I am enjoying skate skiing now but look forward to southern utah warming up enough to travel back down there.

I'm technically riding a CX bike on gravel as well. I have a current Colnago Prestige that has a longer wheelbase than the previous that was developed for Sven Nys. I didn't really want the super slack geo that gravel bikes have became and wanted something that handled a bit more like my road bike (custom Saltair, made in SLC). The geometry of the Prestige was pretty similar; Colnago even rebadged it as a gravel bike and called it the "GRV". Wife was on a CX bike also, but recently switched to a Specialized Diverge (that may or may-not get a Campy Ekar groupset in the near future).

It was in the upper 60's two weekends ago in St. George. We set up camp along the Frog Hollow course and rode bits of it on Sunday after Smith Mesa on Sat. Perfect days.

 

[MazeVX]

I'm technically riding a CX bike on gravel as well. I have a current Colnago Prestige that has a longer wheelbase than the previous that was developed for Sven Nys. I didn't really want the super slack geo that gravel bikes have became and wanted something that handled a bit more like my road bike (custom Saltair, made in SLC). The geometry of the Prestige was pretty similar; Colnago even rebadged it as a gravel bike and called it the "GRV". Wife was on a CX bike also, but recently switched to a Specialized Diverge (that may or may-not get a Campy Ekar groupset in the near future).

It was in the upper 60's two weekends ago in St. George. We set up camp along the Frog Hollow course and rode bits of it on Sunday after Smith Mesa on Sat. Perfect days.

Hey guys, I'm riding a Ridley Kanzo A gravel bike. I'm coming from cross country and marathon mtb and switched to a gravel bike last Oktober.
During my search for the right bike I rode quite a few gravels and realized that there really isn't a "gravel geometry" mine is more like a roadbike with wide tire capabilities, but the different handlebars made a huge difference!

 

[SKv11000]

Ridley Kanzo

Hi MazeVX! Are you riding the one with that new Classified rear hub? Is that even out yet? is it a myth?

 

[MazeVX]

Hi MazeVX! Are you riding the one with that new Classified rear hub? Is that even out yet? is it a myth?

Hehe no unfortunately I only have a "Kanzo A" wich is a more universal one with aluminum frame and far more budget friendly.
But I can tell you the "kanzo fast" is not a myth, I've seen it and touched it and the classified hub is reality ;-) it works.
It's a dreambike and in reality it looks even better and faster than on the pictures.

 

[SKv11000]

@MazeVX - haha, I've always been a [closet] fan of Ridley. They make nicely engineered bikes and it's great to see them push some new technology. I gave my father an X-Trail a few years ago when we did a limited ed. color for my old employer.

@MazeVX / @mtbidaho - need to post some ride photos

 

[MazeVX]

@MazeVX - haha, I've always been a [closet] fan of Ridley. They make nicely engineered bikes and it's great to see them push some new technology. I gave my father an X-Trail a few years ago when we did a limited ed. color for my old employer.

@MazeVX / @mtbidaho - need to post some ride photos

I was a Cannondale fan most of the time, only discovered Ridley through a new local shop after the cannondale topstone disappointed me badly and I started looking for alternatives.

 

[mtbidaho]

@MazeVX - haha, I've always been a [closet] fan of Ridley. They make nicely engineered bikes and it's great to see them push some new technology. I gave my father an X-Trail a few years ago when we did a limited ed. color for my old employer.

@MazeVX / @mtbidaho - need to post some ride photos

Here is a teaser. One mountain bike. Another cyclocross. The cross bike is also my gravel bike when I put 38's on it.

 

[MazeVX]

Well let's get you some gravel pics...

 

[mtbidaho]

Well let's get you some gravel pics...
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Those are true gravel pics. And, in beautiful locations too! It is more likely I'll skate ski this weekend but if not, I hope to do some gravel exploration just outside of town. Eventually my wife and I can mix it into 4x4 travel.

 

[MazeVX]

Those are true gravel pics. And, in beautiful locations too! It is more likely I'll skate ski this weekend but if not, I hope to do some gravel exploration just outside of town. Eventually my wife and I can mix it into 4x4 travel.

Thank you! Its all within a few kilometers from my home. Its a nice gravel Area around here.
At the moment its so wet and we already have some floodings so no gravel cycling at the moment over here, but your plans sounds nice too!

 

[SKv11000]

Great photos both of you. Good seeing some land that's not covered in snow.

I rode the gravel bike on the road yesterday because we're snowed in: