Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

I did my time - a year of riding through horrendous mud - when first starting off riding off road. For me, it was learning which routes were bad in different conditions & then avoiding the proper slopfests when it was bad.

I used to live in a flat when doing this with no outdoor tap. That poor CdF went through a lot.

1 Attachment

Not at all, as a matter of fact I am not complaining, but I'm quite ready for spring now and those damn trees to start sucking some water out of the ground again!

Also, and this cannot be stressed enough in this thread, narrower tyres (read CX) really make it easier to go through the thick mud.

Gloopy rides are good CX training.

Also, and this cannot be stressed enough in this thread, narrower tyres (read CX) really make it easier to go through the thick mud.

1 Attachment

Normally I do one or two thick gloopy rides in december/january and then decide I don't want to do them anymore.

@Belagerent this

You gotta do a couple of claggy slop rides a year, just to kinda remind yourself you can and how silly it is. Plus I think there's a small sense of achievement afterwards. But ultimately, yeah a couple are good but the novelty wears off and it becomes a labour after that.

Definitely a good plan to explore and know your routes which are passable at this time of year.

@giofox careful now, don't let Hippy hear this.

1. Choose your routes. If you REALLLLLY want to geek it, use this tool to head to areas with sands and gravels rather than clays, silts and mudstones https://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html

2. CX tyres fo sho. Full muds probably not required as they feel shit on tarmac but low pressure 33mm intermediates are good right now for general riding.

3. Don't wash your bike unless it really needs it. Mud on the frame and rims isn't a problem to leave on.

I ride my bike like what, 500km a year? Accelerated wear is fine.

I have a big brush, just a quick brush on my bibs, shoes and my bike on the street once I'm done and the mud is getting dry.
I just can't be arsed with parks right now, too many families to ride at speed, much covid.

@giofox careful now, don't let Hippy hear this.

He knows, but he pretends to ignore it

When I see people riding out in the freezing january slop I want to put my hands on their shoulders and say:

"Hey, hey.. look at me... look into my eyes... don't look away from me, listen... I want you to know that you don't have to ride your bike, OK?

You can just do something else.

You don't have to ride it.

It's OK to leave your bike in the shed.

You can find something else to do. It's OK... it's going to be OK"

"Hey, hey.. look at me... look into my eyes... don't look away from me, listen... I want you to know that you don't have to ride your bike, OK?
You can just do something else.

Where were you after my first freezing cold sloppy CX race?!

I questioned my resilience several times in search of wha was my true motivation that pushed me to ride last 6/8 weeks and often came to this same conclusion.

However, the monotony of life right now sucks enough that even going 4kph through a farmed field with 2C real feel and soaking wet freezing feet made me feel better. I mean, otherwise what would you do? Come here on this thread?

"sir, can I interest you in our lord & savior, watopia...?"

And it's still better than a winter road ride

Much warmer as well, despite the cold feet (I must commit to GTX boots for next winter)

I mean, otherwise what would you do? Come here on this thread?

The correlation between the level of shitposting in this thread and how tenable it is to ride a bike outside is extremely high.

I'm quite ready for spring now and those damn trees to start sucking some water out of the ground again!

Can we override the schedule and talk about this ASAP? Are trees not thirsty boys in winter?

Is an SSCX bike the ultimate UK Winter Gravel Bike?

Yes, but then it implies you need a summer one too.

You need another bike is the answer I’m always hoping for

Yes

2n+1

It only really seems to be the skinny tyred bikes you see coated in a deep layer of the UK’s finest. Wide bar MTB tyre romanceur aficionados, are these getting ridden over the winter?

.

Edit: that was unnecessarily harsh

Only when it's a nice layer of snow for some Instagram action