Gravel grinding. Two words that have entered the cycling lexicon and will be as common to any cyclist as the term mountain biking has become.
My first foray into this uber fun cycling discipline was in the UK and one of the most memorable rides was deep in the mountains in Scotland. It was 1981 and I was experiencing some absolutely incredible roads for the very first time. I had not ridden on anything this unique and special before. I discovered ribbon thin roads in the Cotswolds that seemed like something out of a dream for a North American cyclist. Why didn’t we have roads like this back home I kept asking myself. The answer was actually quite simple when you gave it a moments thought. Age. These paths and roads were often ancient. Some may have been built by the Romans two millennia ago and others were merely goat and sheep paths. The good thing was that most of them were traversable by bicycle. Especially if you were comfortable on uneven and unpredictable surfaces. I now look back and realise I was gravel grinding well before the term had been invented.
But I certainly was not the first to have trodden these paths. Cycling clubs like The Rough Stuff Fellowship had been at it for decades in the UK. Nonetheless I was thrilled to have discovered this new cycling discipline. My baptism by fire was on those trails in the mountains of Scotland. I was on a cycling tour that took me across Europe and then all over the UK. One day I happened upon a few lads who were also on a cycling tour but they were local Scottsmen and they knew all the special roads like the back of their hands. They showed me the good stuff and I was immediately hooked! We road some thin little foot paths that seemed to meander endlessly but eventually got you somewhere . There was ruts and loose gravel to contend with and I realised a different set of wheels and different tires would have been much more suitable for this day on the bike but I managed ok with my touring set up.
When one thinks about it, gravel grinding is actually where we all started and its what we have decided to return to in an effort to escape modern day traffic and its inherent dangers. Better to take a tumble in some gravel than get run over by a Mack truck!
As a wheel builder I am now called upon to create wheels for this new breed of gravel heads and I like it. Its up my alley in a big way. There’s lots of new cool rims and hubs to fit the bill perfectly and the tire manufacturers are giving us new models all the time it seems. 650B wheels are now starting to get popular in this genre and that’s a good thing. Guys like Jan Heine from Rene Herse and Patrick and Ron from Ultradynamico are providing cool 650B tire options that will make you a convert.
If you are planning on taking gravel riding seriously I would invest in the right wheels and tires. It will make your experience all that much more pleasing and will increase your confidence when navigating gnarly gravel chunks and funky roads. Trust me, you will get addicted to these crazy roads and you want to be prepared with the right gear.
Check out my page entitled Off Road Wheels for a glimpse into some hub and rim options. There’s lots to choose from at numerous price points. We’ll need to have that tire discussion at some point as well. That’s really important. Getting on the right rubber will make all the difference.
This season I built lots of gravel wheels for everybody from general enthusiasts to guys racing events like Dirty Kanza so I’ve got lots of feedback to help refine the process. Being a serious gravel dude myself I am always thinking about ways to improve my wheels when possible.
Drop me a line if you need some advice or if you would like me to build you your first set of serious gravel wheels. It would be my pleasure.
