Gravel Cycling in Colorado
The Origins of Gravel Cycling
The origins of gravel cycling are as old as the sports of cycling itself. The true heyday of cycling in America was in the 1880’s and 1890’s after the invention of the modern looking safety bicycle and before the popularity of the automobile took over the roads. In the late 19th century paved roads were a rarity and all of the cycling was done on dirt and gravel roads. The term “gravel grinding” has a history from back in the 1970’s when road racers would take their slick asphalt racing machines onto the un-paved roads where they were forced to “grind” due to the lack of a low gear on their bikes.
The popularity of gravel cycling in the twenty-first century has a lot to do with the array of mountain bike technologies and equipment combing with traditional road bike design to create a sport that feels very new, but actually is not. The spectrum of gravel bikes ranges from the almost a road bike category call “all-road” to what would be
considered a cross-country mountain bike. There is no solid rule about what makes it a gravel bike, or a gravel ride, it all comes down to what you want to do with it and where you want to ride. Many gravel rides include a fair amount of pavement and encourages a fast road style bicycle, where some rides with rough forest service roads through the mountains might call for a mountain bike for a comfortable ride.
Safety Concerns for Gravel Cycling
For those coming to gravel cycling from a background of riding on the pavement the main safety concern will be bike handling skills. Dealing with deep loose gravel, washboarded conditions and muddy terrain are not things you encounter on paved roads. While most experienced road riders have the skills to deal with those conditions it might pay to slow down when coming into difficult situations. High speeds can compound the technical difficulties of any questionable terrain. For dedicated mountain bike riders who are venturing into gravel riding they may lack some awareness of cars and traffic. If you haven’t seen a car in the last hour it is easy to loose any awareness and start drifting over to the wrong side of the road with dangerous results. You should always imagine that there is a yellow line in the middle of the road and try to stay on the correct side of that line. Just imagine the way you might drive if you hadn’t seen another car, or a cyclist in the last hour of driving and then imagine yourself coming in the other direction.
Where to Ride in Colorado
The genius of a good gravel bike is that you can ride anywhere: pavement, un-paved, forest roads and even single track. The classic idea of a gravel ride would be an un-paved road through a very rural area with little to no traffic. While user generated websites include every kind of ride imaginable there are a few curated websites that offer pre-mapped gravel rides. The Front Range has a good selection of rides courtesy of Gravel Bike Adventures who also have gravel rides mapped out in other western states. The area around Trinidad Colorado has a dry and warm climate that makes for great early season riding and a variety of gravel rides mapped out here. The Northwest corner of the state and Steamboat Springs has a vast number of dirt roads that have been mapped out by The Dirty Roads which also include some multi-day grand tours including a 1000 mile tour around the entire state!
What to Buy for Gravel Cycling
You might not need to buy anything. This might not be a popular sentiment in the cycling industry but the reality is that you can ride gravel with all sorts of bicycles including the one you might already own. You can wear whatever you want as well. While the popularity of gravel racing has a defined aesthetic with drop handlebars and slick clothing, it is really not required in order to have an enjoyable ride. Consider putting some fast slick tires on your old mountain bike or the widest tires that you can fit into your old road bike and start from there. If you don’t have an old bike to work with then you are in luck with the variety of different bikes out there to pick from. There are no rules in the world of gravel cycling other than the ones that you set for yourself, just have fun and be safe!
