If you grew up riding a bike on unpaved country roads, riding BMX or mountain bikes, then you are probably confused by all the fuss about gravel. After all, it's not nearly as gnarly as hitting a triple jump on a pump track. And if the only way to get to Jimmy's farm two sections over was to get on your bike and ride - what's the fuss?
Shockingly, a lot of the folks interested in trying gravel have never ridden the stuff! And so for those pavement only riders, gravel riding can seem something mysterious, and perhaps a little forbidden or even dangerous. Hopefully we'll take a little of the mystery out, and help you get ready for your first few rides.
Just like pavement, there are all sorts of gravel roads, from freshly dumped beds of 1/2-1" size granite (usually reserved for underlayment before pavement) down to limestone or granite dust that packs down hard and smooth. We rode a recently repaired section of the Minnesota Valley Trail that was smoother and harder than any pavement in town. Probably won't stay that way, but it was smooooth.
'Gravel' also encompasses all manner of dirt roads, roads that the state no longer paves, farm "B-roads" (barely a road?) that are only used at planting and harvest time, 'two track' forest roads, and a whole lot of well maintained gravel that is left unpaved but heavily traveled by cars, tractors, pig haulers, turkey trucks and harvesters. Rounding a corner in farm country and coming face to face with a combine that is 10' wider than the road is always entertaining! A good gravel bike can take you places that you'd really rather not ride a full suspension mountain bike, too. Long headwind rides get pretty numbing on an upright position - which is why we have drop bars and hoods as an option!
Actually learning to ride gravel isn't hard, it's just a matter of progression. For your first rides, find a packet limestone path (like many of the state trails in Wisconsin and a few in Minnesota). You can ride your road bike, hybrid bike, mountain bike or whatever. Get used to how the bike feels. Learn to focus on what's coming in 50 feet and 50 yards ahead, not right in front of your wheel. what you see in front of your wheel will already be under your tire by the time you react. On bumpy roads - like washboard, the best technique is to 'float' slightly off the seat (transfer your weight to your feet as you pedal so you push your butt slightly off the seat) as you see even small bumps. You'll find even this slight bit of suspension will make your ride much more pleasant and cut down on pinch flats.
Next, find a dirt parking lot or baseball diamond at the local park. Practice riding turns on this. Make up slalom games, practice sudden stops and some 'fast' turns. Get used to the feel. Learn to corner with your bike in different angles, and positions. Practice really slow riding. Ride on the grass. Note- in certain regions, be careful with grass. I was in Oklahoma last fall, and learned the hard way about the burrs in a lot of the municipal grass! Two flats, and absolutely ruined a set of tires. Darn goatheads.
Riding gravel takes a bit more energy than an equivalent road ride. Rolling resistance from the surface and knobbier tires, and loose gravel contribute to this energy consumption. I also find that I'm better off dropping my cadence a bit and pedaling in a slightly harder gear. This makes it much easier to float off the seat as mentioned above, and unless all out top speed is needed, is a little easier on energy consumption.. Also, I'm constantly looking at the road for the firmest/smoothest line. Don't be afraid to move back and forth across the road (with an eye on other riders and any traffic). Use common sense, but look for the harder packed surfaces.
One safety note - cars and trucks DO NOT expect riders to be out on 'their' roads. I've rarely had an issue on this, but the place you do not want to be is on the wrong side of the road nearing the crest of a hill or in a blind turn. If you can't see the road, the cars can't see you!
Weight distribution is also important, especially when climbing, braking and cornering. Again, try to look out in front of you, being at least peripherally aware of everything around you.
When climbing, if you find your back wheel slipping, you'll need to scoot back on the seat a bit. This is especially true when climbing out of the saddle.
Cornering, you may want to ride with your bike a bit more upright than you would on the road, which means your weight needs to move inside a bit. Stand on the outside pedal (it's down, of course) with your butt off the saddle, and move your nose over the inside brake lever.
And when descending, make sure your weight stays back and on your pedals, not your butt. This will ensure the bike stays 'sprung' and in contact with the road, not bouncing up and down. It's easy to overthink this, but in terms of function, "the front brake is for stopping, the back brake is for steering." Put another way, the rear brake will lock up easiest, and a sliding back end is not exactly what you want to deal with in most cases.
The bottom line - start out on easy surfaces, fun trails and work your way up to the more challenging unsupported rides and routes. Have a great ride!
~mj
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