log in
register

Does anybody actually have “Gravel Roads” near them?

  • Creator
    Topic
  • February 15, 2018 at 8:26 am #28138
    Crashboy

    So…when every other review now refers to a bike’s potential on “gravel”, does anybody have any actual Gravel Roads (like the US big brand marketing teams think we need their bikes to ride on) near them?  

    Near me, we only have crap tarmac and grassy/rooty/occasionally stony bridleways.

     

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 15 replies - 16 through 30 (of 48 total)
1 2 3 4
  • Author
    Replies
  • February 16, 2018 at 11:49 am #912477
    0
    fenix

    I’m jealous – plenty of

    I’m jealous – plenty of decent roads to ride around but i can only think of one ex railway path that is a footpath too and so not suitable for speedy rides when people are round. 

    February 16, 2018 at 9:08 am #912475
    0
    Anonymous
    Miller wrote:
    Crashboy wrote:
    I’m not a marketing hype hater as such – I don;t object to the term Gravel Bike per se, but I suppose my original question should have been  “does anyone have those long, lush looking (dry!) gravelly roads like the marketing shots  show (as opposed to the narrow, litter strewn, brown, mucky trails I’m used to) near them”! 

    I like the idea of gravel bikes, and have done a few CX sportives, but I do think the US experience does not bear much relation to UK. The US is huge and my impression is that there are thousands of miles of roads that are unmade but nevertheless flat and wide. Round here, Chilterns area, there is a lot of rideable off-road but it’s bridleways, greenways etc covered in leaf litter, stones, chalk outcrops, ruts and mud. Can still be a lot of fun. The nearest thing I’ve experienced to proper gravel roads was the Dirty Reiver route through Kielder and that still included some hideously muddy and rutted sections.

    the Sarsen Trail event takes place on unmetalled roads on Salisbury Plain that are normally open only to the military. They are the perhaps the closest I can think of to ‘gravel’ roads à l’americaine. I’ve done it on an audax bike with 35mm nobbly tyres, and on a CX bike with the same tyres. This year ‘ll do it on another audax bike with 27mm Vittoria Open Pavé tyres probably. It’s a very enjoyable event. Most people do it on mountain bikes, but it’s not necessary.

    https://www.wiltshirewildlife.org/Pages/Events/Category/sarsen-trail-and-neolithic-marathon?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwdHh6Yqq2QIV6LztCh3V0wDqEAAYASAAEgL48_D_BwE

     

    February 16, 2018 at 6:31 am #912473
    0
    pwake
    Miller wrote:
    Crashboy wrote:
    I’m not a marketing hype hater as such – I don;t object to the term Gravel Bike per se, but I suppose my original question should have been  “does anyone have those long, lush looking (dry!) gravelly roads like the marketing shots  show (as opposed to the narrow, litter strewn, brown, mucky trails I’m used to) near them”! 

    I like the idea of gravel bikes, and have done a few CX sportives, but I do think the US experience does not bear much relation to UK. The US is huge and my impression is that there are thousands of miles of roads that are unmade but nevertheless flat and wide. Round here, Chilterns area, there is a lot of rideable off-road but it’s bridleways, greenways etc covered in leaf litter, stones, chalk outcrops, ruts and mud. Can still be a lot of fun. The nearest thing I’ve experienced to proper gravel roads was the Dirty Reiver route through Kielder and that still included some hideously muddy and rutted sections.

    It’s an American thing; one of my local gravel roads. Although having commuted for years in the UK, I can see the need there… for different reasons.


    February 16, 2018 at 2:28 am #912471
    0
    Anonymous

    I think there are some trails

    I think there are some trails near me but I haven’t been off road for an age, now I’ve built a road type bike to do exactly that and acquired some wider boots I’ll have to crack the old OS out and pinpoint some likely candidates.

    Certainly nothing like what is shown in the ads I agree.

    February 15, 2018 at 9:12 pm #912469
    0
    ChetManley

    Yes, lots around Bedfordshire
    Yes, lots around Bedfordshire. Old quarries 2 minutes from my house, tree plantations, drovers roads, farm access routes, the ancient Icknield way.

    Not mile after mile of them, but a lot if you know how to link them up.

    Outside of gravel riding, a gravel bike is very practical all rounder.

    February 15, 2018 at 7:36 pm #912467
    0
    SingleSpeed

    Nope, but I once took a

    Nope, but I once took a Tarmac Demo bike round the MTB trails at Haldon.

    February 15, 2018 at 7:25 pm #912465
    0
    Luv2ride
    Bmblbzzz wrote:
    Parts of the Fosse Way south of Cirencester are gravel. Other parts are mud, and tarmac. Probably mostly mud, really. 

    Parts of that start near to where I live, but late last year long sections got “resurfaced” using huge chunks of aggregate.  Made it almost unrideable on my bike even though running 700x40mm tubeless, and I think walkers and horses were struggling with it too.  A real shame.

    February 15, 2018 at 7:07 pm #912463
    0
    Crashboy

    asdfqwerty wrote:

    asdfqwerty wrote:
    I’ve ridden gravel roads in Colorado that are smoother than most sealed roads in the UK. I wish we had some of that here, though forestry commission tracks are sometimes decent.

     

    I wouldn’t be surprised if some almost inaccessible  poor or war torn thirld world countries have better road surfaces than parts of the UK.

     

    Whichever way I route my short daily commute my Marathon Mondials take a severe hammering – for the off road riding I do, they’re ace; but for a touring tyre recommended for traversing the world with minimal punctures, they are not doing so well on 18KM per day on my route to work – and I’ve tried many types of tyres, all the same story.  A gravel road (whichever definition we choose) would be easier on them I think!

    February 15, 2018 at 6:49 pm #912461
    0
    asdfqwerty

    I’ve ridden gravel roads in
    I’ve ridden gravel roads in Colorado that are smoother than most sealed roads in the UK. I wish we had some of that here, though forestry commission tracks are sometimes decent.

    February 15, 2018 at 6:27 pm #912459
    0
    Anonymous

    Yes

    Yes

    February 15, 2018 at 5:45 pm #912457
    0
    Bmblbzzz

    Parts of the Fosse Way south

    Parts of the Fosse Way south of Cirencester are gravel. Other parts are mud, and tarmac. Probably mostly mud, really. 

    February 15, 2018 at 5:31 pm #912455
    0
    Miller

    Crashboy wrote:

    Crashboy wrote:
    I’m not a marketing hype hater as such – I don;t object to the term Gravel Bike per se, but I suppose my original question should have been  “does anyone have those long, lush looking (dry!) gravelly roads like the marketing shots  show (as opposed to the narrow, litter strewn, brown, mucky trails I’m used to) near them”! 

    I like the idea of gravel bikes, and have done a few CX sportives, but I do think the US experience does not bear much relation to UK. The US is huge and my impression is that there are thousands of miles of roads that are unmade but nevertheless flat and wide. Round here, Chilterns area, there is a lot of rideable off-road but it’s bridleways, greenways etc covered in leaf litter, stones, chalk outcrops, ruts and mud. Can still be a lot of fun. The nearest thing I’ve experienced to proper gravel roads was the Dirty Reiver route through Kielder and that still included some hideously muddy and rutted sections.

    February 15, 2018 at 5:22 pm #912453
    0
    alansmurphy

    Ha ha, apologies, I’m in a

    Ha ha, apologies, I’m in a grump.

     

    There’s just a few on here that reckon we’ve all been duped – they must be on a steel frame with 23 tyres and an 11-23 cassette. I may coin the term ‘do it all drop-bar’ as I reckon many gravel bikes are part cross, part road/pothole, part sod it and ride!

     

    February 15, 2018 at 4:43 pm #912451
    0
    Crashboy
    VecchioJo wrote:
    there’s a few round here on the South Downs, although loose stone over hardpacked dirt might be a more apt, if longwinded description

     

    that said, i’m not sure i’ve ever been up an actual mountain on my Mountainbike, but when someone says the word i know exactly what they mean without having to read a page long explanation about what they are, much like the way the catch-all genre descriptive term ‘Gravel Bike’ is used nowadays

     

    Fair point regarding the mountainbike  – l live on/in Fenland so I certainly haven’t been up a mountain with my MTB. The top of a speed bump is considered a viewpoint  around here.

     

    Thanks for the responses  – seems we have a fair range of “gravel” definitions though – I think “loose stone over hardpacked dirt” as you say is probably closest to what I have access to.

     

    I’m not a marketing hype hater as such – I don;t object to the term Gravel Bike per se, but I suppose my original question should have been  “does anyone have those long, lush looking (dry!) gravelly roads like the marketing shots  show (as opposed to the narrow, litter strewn, brown, mucky trails I’m used to) near them”! 

    I stand corrected, and will shut up now and go for a ride.  smiley

    February 15, 2018 at 3:58 pm #912449
    0
    pwake

    Loads in Texas. Heading out

    Loads in Texas. Heading out this weekend for a 100k gravel ride, about 3k will be on paved roads. Might be worth a look at Gravelmap.com; looks like people are uploading sections in the UK.


  • Author
    Replies
Viewing 15 replies - 16 through 30 (of 48 total)
1 2 3 4
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.