Gravel Biking - Getting Gritty
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Imagine cruising along a smooth asphalt surface and coming upon a dirt road. The adventurer in you says, let's go check it out, but if you are riding a road bike that may not be the best choice. Nowadays with the versatility of gravel bikes, you can. We can link different types of surfaces and explore different places all with one bike.
The Adirondack Park in Upstate New York, established in 1892, is unique in that it is the largest park in the contiguous United States, comprising of six million acres. Unlike national parks, it’s a blend of private and state-owned lands. It’s roughly three times the size of Yellowstone Park. The shoulder seasons of fall and spring tend to be very quiet in the Adirondacks but come summer the population quadruples. That’s when it is time to head for the roads less traveled. In the Town of Johnsburg, the home of Gore Mountain Ski Resort, there are 76 miles of gravel roads alone. It’s the best kept secret.
The New Kid on the Block
Gravel bikes gained popularity soon after and have become one of the fastest growing markets of the bicycling industry. A gravel bike is a drop-bar bike that enables the rider to ride many different surfaces, including trails. They are built from light-weight composites and metals. They incorporate high performance, hydraulic disc braking and can include effortless electronic shifting. Often the tires are tubeless and may include foam inserts to dampen vibration and help to protect the rims from damage on rough surfaces. In addition they come with lots of mounts to incorporate fenders and racks for multi-day touring and adventuring.
Where to Start?
Getting started is easier than ever. Gravel bikes are sold in bike shops and also directly online, however, setup should still be done by a skilled technician. Experts/reviews can suggest the right bike for you and provide insight into getting started, in addition to recommending places best suited for you to start. If you are just getting back to riding or are all together new, choosing easier paved roads, in less congested areas, is well advised. Getting used to the gearing, braking, and regaining your cardiovascular strength should be your first priority.
From there you can incorporate some easier dirt sections that don’t require much shifting. Focus on riding a smooth line and becoming familiar with the balance in motion. Learning to shift and discovering the right speed to corner comes with practice. Anticipating and adjusting beforehand is essential. Consistent riding enhances skill. Developing good bike handling skills takes time, but when you are ready to sharpen them, find a park that offers trail riding. In metropolitan areas of Upstate New York, places like Gurney Lane and Rush Pond have been developed as a result of the popularity of off-road riding. They offer great riding, away from traffic, ideal for both novice and more advanced riders.
Facilities like this are loaded with berms, twists, drops and occasional wooden plank sections. These are ideal places to hone your bike handling skills before setting out for outback journeys that may have a blend of different terrains.
You can discover similar places all throughout regions where off-road cycling has become popular, like the Kingdom Trails of Northern Vermont, Moab, Colorado and throughout many other regions in North America, Europe and the Southern Hemisphere’s.
Level Up
The natural evolution of riding may lead you to want to try your hand at racing. Gravel bike racing is somewhere between road, cyclo-cross and mountain bike racing. It takes place on open gravel roads, dirt double tracks and single track, often with stretches of paved road linking different segments, similar to the Paris Roubaix race, held every year in northeast France, where competitors race across both paved and cobblestone roads.
The uniqueness of gravel racing has led to the creation of hundreds of popular races, like Unbound Gravel, arguably one of the more extreme endurance off-road races, and the Black Fly Challenge. As competitors search for ways to have an edge, innovative technology is being discovered and brought to market, making the bike experience better for everyone.
The Blackfly Challenge
The Blackfly Challenge is the largest off-road race in the Adirondacks, started in 1996. It’s a 40 mile dash that alternates direction, each year, between Inlet and Indian
Lake. Twenty-seven miles of the race are a blend of different gravel surfaces and ten miles are on the pavement. It traverses through a delicate wilderness area in the central Adirondacks, which were formed one billion years ago and have been subjected to hundreds of millions of years of erosion and glaciation, hence why the Department of Environmental Conservation limits the field to 1000 participants. There are a lot of other unique places in the Adirondacks to ride.
Off From the Beaten Path
If mapping your own journey is more your style, then Strava is a great resource. The free app allows you to search popular routes and segments according to surface, length, and steepness. In the Southern Adirondacks hundreds of gravel road segments that have been shared on the app for others to find easily. Using Strava to map your ride takes the guesswork away.
In addition it’s great for seeing how you stack up amongst some of the Fastest Known Times (FNT), which may be short sprints or in some cases thousands of miles as documented in The Divide, an epic 2,754 mile, mixed surface ride that traverses the Rocky Mountains, from Canada to the Mexican Border.
The Road Doesn’t End Here
In conclusion cycling will continue to evolve, as it has since its inception in the early 19th Century, making it more appealing to both outdoor enthusiasts looking for a challenger. Or perhaps to people who are seeking a means to living a healthier lifestyle.
“Gravel biking has allowed me to explore many different types of riding, right from my doorstep."
Bob Olden
Featured image: Sunset over the Southern Adirondacks.
