Gravel Culture: Gravel Schmavel
Posted By Gravel Union
On 3 Feruary 2021
If you selected a group of gravel riders at random and asked them “what does gravel riding mean to you”, we reckon you would get some pretty diverse responses. So, we did exactly that and this is what we found out.
Geologically speaking this is would be “fine” gravel. We think it’s more like amazing gravel…
It’s pretty easy to pull up a search engine of your choice and figure out from a geological point of view exactly what gravel is. But even writing this as a former geologist, I would have to say “who cares!?” Grain size definitions are all very well, but what we really want to know is a) why do we all we have a different image in our brain of what gravel riding actually is and b) no matter exactly what it is, why is it so addictive!?
In order to get a better picture of what gravel riding means to riders in different destinations, we thought we would do some research. We started off by chatting to the riders from the 2021 Shimano Gravel Alliance programme – they’re handily distributed all over Europe and come from a very eclectic mix of backgrounds, so we figured they would offer a good sample of how gravel riding varies from place to place.
Erwin, Holland - "Gravel riding for me is the possibility to ride off the beaten track and get lost on adventures big and small. Especially in a country like the Netherlands with its many people in a tiny space, where we always have to share cycle paths, riding a gravel bike offers me the opportunity to escape the crowds and to get lost in nature. Strapping some bikepacking bags to my gravel bike turns it into the perfect adventure machine that brings me even further away from what I know. For me, to get lost in the wilderness of Europe and sleep amongst the stars, is the best way to break with everyday life and enjoy our beautiful world to the fullest.”
Flo, Germany – “For me, gravel riding is a means to escape reality for a few hours. I love to ride around the Alps near my hometown and climb up more than 2000m of altitude just to get some epic views, beautiful scenery and of course an amazingly fun descent on the way back home.”
Ibai, Spain – “For me, riding on gravel means adventure, exploring nature and ultimately boosting my wild side. Adventure cycling is a journey to the roots of cycling - it allows me to ride backroads and get away from asphalt for a long time. The gravel bike is the perfect happiness machine, the best way to travel fast, far and without limits. From exploring natural parks through its gravel tracks, to crossing high mountain passes and deserts. Explore outside of your comfort zone! The world awaits you.”
Josh, UK – “For me, gravel riding is all about covering big distances off-road. Dirt roads, gravel roads, fire tracks, whatever you want to call them! They all allow you to keep a nice high average speed while riding off-road in a traffic-free environment. Sure, you might get the odd singletrack section here and there which is great fun, but the fundamentals are about covering ground. In the UK we don’t have the endless miles of dirt roads that exist in other countries, but we do have a network of farm tracks, bridleways, cycle routes and country lanes so with a bit of creativity you can piece together an excellent gravel route, however in the winter you might get a bit muddy!”
Ena, Sweden – “We’re lucky to have miles upon miles of gravel roads here in Sweden. Things I love most about including gravel and off-road paths on my rides is that I get to reach and explore places I wouldn’t have seen otherwise, like fantastic views of forests, lakes, the sea, and wildlife. And of course, it’s a chance to get away from motor traffic, which is funny coming from someone with traffic planning as a profession! I would sum up my local gravel paths as fast, slow, muddy, brutal, and great fun!”
Photo courtesy of @6stili
Omar, Italy – “The thing I love most about gravel riding is that I can both ride on asphalt or off-road without needing to do too much planning before leaving home. A gravel bike is the one that allows you to decide which road or path you can take during the ride. During the last couple of years, the ability to use wider tires (and studded tyres in winter, for sure) on a gravel frame have really helped me during winter cycling where I love to put my wheels on ice, snow and off- road paths. Gravel riding is not linked to performance or racing. For me it’s just exploration. This is the kind of riding that allows me to discover places, valleys, hidden paths, or cross mountain ranges. During the last few years, a gravel bike was the best partner of my adventures.”
Dalila, UK – “For me gravel riding is as much about bringing out the maps and plotting an awesome route, as it is about heading out with a rough plan and maybe getting a little lost. It's about self-sufficiency and preparation, but also about community and shared experiences. It's about discovering the challenges of the terrain as well as the beauty of the landscape. Grinding my way up a steep track and then taking the time to appreciate the view from the top.”
Sofiane, France – “Gravel riding for me, means escaping. Getting away from people and cars, first and foremost. But it also means I stop focusing on power, average speed, distance and all the numbers that I can’t help associate with road cycling. It’s a breath of fresh air, both physically and mentally. It’s just about being out there and enjoying the ride for what it is. Taking in the views with no sound other than that of the tires rolling on the dirt.”
Photo courtesy of @zammitou
Simon, France – “For me gravel riding is the logical extension of the way I used to ride 20 years ago, when I still called it mountain biking, but now with a modern twist! Gravel bikes just gives me that amazing sensation of being one with the bike. If mountain bikes have tended to erase everything under your tyres those past few years, I feel that a gravel bike still lets you feel and control every change of terrain and that's definitely what I like the most.”
Henna, Finland – “For me gravel riding means adventure, which is exactly why I love it. It is a way to freely explore new places close by and far away. I love to pack my tent with me and go discover new roads and trails. There's nothing that makes you feel more alive than riding your bike to a new place, dipping in a lake after the ride and then sleeping outside. Gravel riding is a perfect way to move fast enough to cover some distance but slow enough to take it all in.”
So, there we have it. Gravel riding means not racing. Or racing flat out. Bikepacking or daypacking or nopacking. It means riding on snow, asphalt, sand, mud and yes, even riding on gravel. Pushing your limits a little. Riding everything. Heading out of your door searching for adventure. It means climbing the steepest trail you can find. And then hurtling back down the other side. It’s about the views, the experiences, the camaraderie. It's about looking for adventure around every corner.
In short, gravel riding means something different to all of us. But the one unifying factor seems to be that it’s all about the fun.