The Spirit Of Gravel Riding: It was this or golfing vOv

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > The Spirit Of Gravel Riding: It was this or golfing vOv

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

# ¿ Jan 15, 2023 03:58

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# ¿ May 17, 2024 18:46

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Seashells = gravel?

# ¿ Jan 21, 2023 02:52

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Riding somewhere far away by road then being able to explore even single track stuff fucken rules :sun:

gravel is my favorite kind of riding I've decided

# ¿ Jan 21, 2023 06:09

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Project M.A.M.I.L. posted:

Depending on where you go, it can be an extra level of enjoyment when you can actually relax that you aren't going to get run over by some tiny-dicked rear end in a top hat in a ford ranger. I wish we had more stuff around here, mostly the gravel roads I can ride are shared either by logging trucks or fuckwits going too fast.

E: got any close pics of the bike? You said it was a surly of some kind.

Yeah it's a surly straggler, I haven't got many close up pics for whatever reason

I had to change out the steerer for a much shorter one as the bike seemed to be set up for a person with orangutan arms (I am 190cm and I went from ~110mm to 65). The stock tyres are terrible, got replacements on the way, and the stock seat is mediocre but decent enough that I can take my time finding a replacement.

The brakes seem to have sintered pads and are pretty loud.

# ¿ Jan 22, 2023 20:30

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Thanks dude! Based on an intersection of price, size, tread pattern and rolling resistance nerdery I'm getting tufo gravel thunderos (preposterous name). I'm hoping they'll still have enough grip on dirt for my purposes while being more efficient on pavement, they're also 3mm bigger.

I figured that discs are just noisy, I have them on my mtb and I'm getting used to just making a lot of noise when I'm braking from 50kmh or whatever.

# ¿ Jan 23, 2023 01:38

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Got new tires, decided to take them on an inaugural ride, ended up doing the most physically punishing thing I've ever done due to navigational and judgement based errors, I now feel crippled.

See that gap in the forest? Guess who decided to aim for that gap on a whim, and guess what the gap is made of?

That's right it's sand, which is a rare form of gravel. Sand so deep I was having to get off and walk to avoid falling over half the time.

Eventually I realized it wasn't going to get any better when I reached the beach so I bailed onto a logging road at the first opportunity.

At this point I had completely deviated from my original plan and shortly after this I made a navigation mistake and ended up doing an extra ~15km of 'gravel' that was mainly fist sized stones that absolutely hosed me up. Eventually I found my way back to a road leading out of the forest instead of further in.

Pine needles - gravel?

After this I stopped taking pictures because I was in deficit of water, energy, physical and psychological condition. The last 50-60km were the worst thing I've ever done, I remember stopping for an iceblock and when I tried to stand up afterwards I just sort of couldn't and my whole body said nope. Got home in the end though. Tyres were excellent!

Slavvy fucked around with this message at 22:28 on Feb 11, 2023

# ¿ Feb 11, 2023 22:24

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

I still can't walk properly but that's already happening :negative:

# ¿ Feb 11, 2023 23:45

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Communing with the spirit

Giant pit of literal gravel in the bush

Giant pipe in the bush

I felt like a Real Man (tm) riding across this stream

# ¿ Mar 5, 2023 20:45

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Double post because prior to that I recreated my earlier big dumb ride by making it bigger and dumber but, infuriatingly, my gps decided to pause for no reason at one point and I didn't notice for a good half hour so what should be my longest ride on Strava is like 15km short, you can see the straight line at the top

I also had to navigate these every 50m for about 3km which absolutely wiped me out; I did not account for the devastating cyclone of the previous few days when I planned the ride. I solved my earlier food problem by stuffing a pair of six inch subs into my jersey pockets with mixed result.

Beaches on a sunny day are hard work I tell you hwhat

# ¿ Mar 5, 2023 23:37

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Gavel

Pavement

Grabble

# ¿ Mar 19, 2023 04:51

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

HenryJLittlefinger posted:

My riding buddy and I went to hit a good isolated gravel road but the wind was just godawful so I convinced him to take his bike on some single track instead and it was good.

Looks like gravel to me!

# ¿ Mar 20, 2023 17:59

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Is your pink bike on 27.5's?

# ¿ Mar 21, 2023 22:01

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

I will travel far and wide to taste that sweet sweet spirit

Grass is just green gravel

# ¿ Mar 26, 2023 06:03

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

I went outside today

# ¿ May 27, 2023 03:48

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

What happens the rest of the year??

# ¿ May 30, 2023 21:58

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Team_q posted:

Early Morning Riding

Great picture

I find I always forget to take pictures during the fun parts cause I'm mostly just trying to keep moving

# ¿ Jun 4, 2023 05:38

Slavvy: Dec 11, 2012

Steve French posted:

I rode a new gravel bicycle today. Hooray! Quick shakeout ride this morning, earlier than I usually get out (it's cold here in the mornings) and got some ground fog after thunderstorms yesterday afternoon. Dirt was fantastic.