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  #11  
Old July 8th 20, 08:50 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Lou Holtman[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 826
Default nifty multitool

On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at 8:34:04 PM UTC-7, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Wed, 1 Jul 2020 10:57:13 -0700 (PDT), Lou Holtman
wrote:

Fits into the hollow axes of the GRX crankset and is held by a magnet:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hJcKwKxXXKRo6eyS9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sSganYNLo3a5R3SG6

Lou


Nice:
https://www.allinmultitool.com
https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/multitool-fits-inside-crank-spindle-adds-bike-chain-breaker/
68 Euros.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558


Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than gravel.


I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike 48/31T chainrings. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes a very nice gear set up.

Lou
Ads
  #12  
Old July 8th 20, 10:33 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 884
Default nifty multitool

On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:50:25 AM UTC-7, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at 8:34:04 PM UTC-7, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Wed, 1 Jul 2020 10:57:13 -0700 (PDT), Lou Holtman
wrote:

Fits into the hollow axes of the GRX crankset and is held by a magnet:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hJcKwKxXXKRo6eyS9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sSganYNLo3a5R3SG6

Lou

Nice:
https://www.allinmultitool.com
https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/multitool-fits-inside-crank-spindle-adds-bike-chain-breaker/
68 Euros.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558


Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than gravel.


I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike 48/31T chainrings. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes a very nice gear set up.


99% of gravel rides are on flat or nearly so ground. That means that a gravel bike should be setup to ride at a reasonable speed on the normal road - or a compact 50-34. The 48-31 of the GRX cranks is altogether wrong for a gravel bike though pretty good for an 11-speed cyclocross bike.
  #13  
Old July 9th 20, 05:19 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Rolf Mantel[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 267
Default nifty multitool

Am 08.07.2020 um 23:33 schrieb :
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:50:25 AM UTC-7, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2,
wrote:


Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure
out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than
gravel.


I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike
have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike
48/31T chainrings. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind
of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with
the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my
Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette
has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes
a very nice gear set up.


99% of gravel rides are on flat or nearly so ground. That means that
a gravel bike should be setup to ride at a reasonable speed on the
normal road - or a compact 50-34. The 48-31 of the GRX cranks is
altogether wrong for a gravel bike though pretty good for an 11-speed
cyclocross bike.


Really? For me, 70% or more of gravel rides are in hilly forest area.
If I need to climb 600 ft, it takes half an hour either on the 4 mile
road that cars use, on the 2 mile forest road or on the 1 mile walking
trail.

In the flat, there's little motivation to take the gravel road at 20
km/h when I can take a good road nearby at 30 km/h.
  #14  
Old July 9th 20, 01:38 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Lou Holtman[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 826
Default nifty multitool

On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 11:33:29 PM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:50:25 AM UTC-7, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at 8:34:04 PM UTC-7, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Wed, 1 Jul 2020 10:57:13 -0700 (PDT), Lou Holtman
wrote:

Fits into the hollow axes of the GRX crankset and is held by a magnet:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hJcKwKxXXKRo6eyS9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sSganYNLo3a5R3SG6

Lou

Nice:
https://www.allinmultitool.com
https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/multitool-fits-inside-crank-spindle-adds-bike-chain-breaker/
68 Euros.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than gravel.


I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike 48/31T chainrings.. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes a very nice gear set up.


99% of gravel rides are on flat or nearly so ground. That means that a gravel bike should be setup to ride at a reasonable speed on the normal road - or a compact 50-34. The 48-31 of the GRX cranks is altogether wrong for a gravel bike though pretty good for an 11-speed cyclocross bike.


I agree that gravel rides can be on flat terrain but really, a 50T chain ring is better than a 48T chain ring? It is a 4% difference, less than a 1 tooth difference for your sprocket so I don't understand what you mean.

Lou
  #15  
Old July 9th 20, 01:43 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Lou Holtman[_5_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 826
Default nifty multitool

On Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 6:19:10 AM UTC+2, Rolf Mantel wrote:
Am 08.07.2020 um 23:33 schrieb :
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:50:25 AM UTC-7, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2,
wrote:


Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure
out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than
gravel.

I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike
have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike
48/31T chainrings. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind
of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with
the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my
Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette
has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes
a very nice gear set up.


99% of gravel rides are on flat or nearly so ground. That means that
a gravel bike should be setup to ride at a reasonable speed on the
normal road - or a compact 50-34. The 48-31 of the GRX cranks is
altogether wrong for a gravel bike though pretty good for an 11-speed
cyclocross bike.


Really? For me, 70% or more of gravel rides are in hilly forest area.
If I need to climb 600 ft, it takes half an hour either on the 4 mile
road that cars use, on the 2 mile forest road or on the 1 mile walking
trail.

In the flat, there's little motivation to take the gravel road at 20
km/h when I can take a good road nearby at 30 km/h.


The appeal for a flat gravel road for me is that it is more quiet and most of the time a nicer scenery. On a flat gravel road I can still manage 25 km/hr.

Lou
  #16  
Old July 9th 20, 07:42 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Frank Krygowski[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,538
Default nifty multitool

On 7/9/2020 8:43 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 6:19:10 AM UTC+2, Rolf Mantel wrote:
Am 08.07.2020 um 23:33 schrieb :
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:50:25 AM UTC-7, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2,
wrote:


Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure
out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than
gravel.

I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike
have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike
48/31T chainrings. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind
of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with
the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my
Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette
has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes
a very nice gear set up.

99% of gravel rides are on flat or nearly so ground. That means that
a gravel bike should be setup to ride at a reasonable speed on the
normal road - or a compact 50-34. The 48-31 of the GRX cranks is
altogether wrong for a gravel bike though pretty good for an 11-speed
cyclocross bike.


Really? For me, 70% or more of gravel rides are in hilly forest area.
If I need to climb 600 ft, it takes half an hour either on the 4 mile
road that cars use, on the 2 mile forest road or on the 1 mile walking
trail.

In the flat, there's little motivation to take the gravel road at 20
km/h when I can take a good road nearby at 30 km/h.


The appeal for a flat gravel road for me is that it is more quiet and most of the time a nicer scenery. On a flat gravel road I can still manage 25 km/hr.


That must depend heavily on the nature of the gravel.

What used to be my favorite way out into the remote country roads in a
neighboring township used to involve a bit of gravel that was ridable
with my 28mm or 32mm tires. It's now difficult even with tires over
40mm. Here's the story:

A few decades ago, the quarry company working there offered to buy a
half mile section of road to access the limestone beneath. The township
officers said "OK, if you construct a road around it and maintain it for
access." They did that.

After perhaps 15 years, the quarry was sold to an Italian company.

Then a pipeline company plowed through with a new pipeline to carry
fracked natural gas. They tore up the road terribly, and the road became
just mud in some places, and super-coarse gravel in others.

The township tried to get the Italian company to repair the road. The
company ignored the requests. And the township said "Oh well. We'll just
close thr road."

I'd love to have someone follow the money on those transactions.


--
- Frank Krygowski
  #17  
Old July 9th 20, 09:54 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Mark J.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 840
Default nifty multitool

On 7/9/2020 11:42 AM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 7/9/2020 8:43 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 6:19:10 AM UTC+2, Rolf Mantel wrote:
Am 08.07.2020 um 23:33 schrieb :
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:50:25 AM UTC-7, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2,
wrote:

Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure
out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than
gravel.

I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike
have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike
48/31T chainrings. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind
of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with
the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my
Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette
has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes
a very nice gear set up.

99% of gravel rides are on flat or nearly so ground. That means that
a gravel bike should be setup to ride at a reasonable speed on the
normal road - or a compact 50-34. The 48-31 of the GRX cranks is
altogether wrong for a gravel bike though pretty good for an 11-speed
cyclocross bike.

Really?Â* For me, 70% or more of gravel rides are in hilly forest area.
If I need to climb 600 ft, it takes half an hour either on the 4 mile
road that cars use, on the 2 mile forest road or on the 1 mile walking
trail.

In the flat, there's little motivation to take the gravel road at 20
km/h when I can take a good road nearby at 30 km/h.


The appeal for a flat gravel road for me is that it is more quiet and
most of the time a nicer scenery. On a flat gravel road I can still
manage 25 km/hr.


That must depend heavily on the nature of the gravel.

What used to be my favorite way out into the remote country roads in a
neighboring township used to involve a bit of gravel that was ridable
with my 28mm or 32mm tires. It's now difficult even with tires over
40mm. Here's the story:

A few decades ago, the quarry company working there offered to buy a
half mile section of road to access the limestone beneath. The township
officers said "OK, if you construct a road around it and maintain it for
access." They did that.

After perhaps 15 years, the quarry was sold to an Italian company.

Then a pipeline company plowed through with a new pipeline to carry
fracked natural gas. They tore up the road terribly, and the road became
just mud in some places, and super-coarse gravel in others.

The township tried to get the Italian company to repair the road. The
company ignored the requests. And the township said "Oh well. We'll just
close thr road."

I'd love to have someone follow the money on those transactions.


Yup, I'm learning there is gravel and then there is gravel. Thing is,
I'll see both extremes in one season on the same roads around here.
Sometimes things have packed down and you can really blast along without
bad vibration. Other times it's a slog after which I feel as if I had
been beaten with a stick. Maybe I should see if the county maintenance
schedule is publicly available.

Mark J.
  #18  
Old July 10th 20, 01:08 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Frank Krygowski[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,538
Default nifty multitool

On 7/9/2020 4:54 PM, Mark J. wrote:
On 7/9/2020 11:42 AM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 7/9/2020 8:43 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 6:19:10 AM UTC+2, Rolf Mantel wrote:
Am 08.07.2020 um 23:33 schrieb :
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:50:25 AM UTC-7, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2,
wrote:

Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure
out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than
gravel.

I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike
have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike
48/31T chainrings. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind
of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with
the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my
Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette
has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes
a very nice gear set up.

99% of gravel rides are on flat or nearly so ground. That means that
a gravel bike should be setup to ride at a reasonable speed on the
normal road - or a compact 50-34. The 48-31 of the GRX cranks is
altogether wrong for a gravel bike though pretty good for an 11-speed
cyclocross bike.

Really?Â* For me, 70% or more of gravel rides are in hilly forest area.
If I need to climb 600 ft, it takes half an hour either on the 4 mile
road that cars use, on the 2 mile forest road or on the 1 mile walking
trail.

In the flat, there's little motivation to take the gravel road at 20
km/h when I can take a good road nearby at 30 km/h.

The appeal for a flat gravel road for me is that it is more quiet and
most of the time a nicer scenery. On a flat gravel road I can still
manage 25 km/hr.


That must depend heavily on the nature of the gravel.

What used to be my favorite way out into the remote country roads in a
neighboring township used to involve a bit of gravel that was ridable
with my 28mm or 32mm tires. It's now difficult even with tires over
40mm. Here's the story:

A few decades ago, the quarry company working there offered to buy a
half mile section of road to access the limestone beneath. The
township officers said "OK, if you construct a road around it and
maintain it for access." They did that.

After perhaps 15 years, the quarry was sold to an Italian company.

Then a pipeline company plowed through with a new pipeline to carry
fracked natural gas. They tore up the road terribly, and the road
became just mud in some places, and super-coarse gravel in others.

The township tried to get the Italian company to repair the road. The
company ignored the requests. And the township said "Oh well. We'll
just close thr road."

I'd love to have someone follow the money on those transactions.


Yup, I'm learning there is gravel and then there is gravel.Â* Thing is,
I'll see both extremes in one season on the same roads around here.
Sometimes things have packed down and you can really blast along without
bad vibration.Â* Other times it's a slog after which I feel as if I had
been beaten with a stick.


All of which makes me wonder about the lyrical portrayals of gravel
rides by Jan Heine and others.

Historically, I've been willing to ride on rougher surfaces than my club
mates. A couple guys in particular used to complain - sort of
good-naturedly - about roads I chose when I led rides. But it does vary
a lot. I remember one tour where I rode the gravel but my companions
walked it for a long way, even though I was carrying a lot of their
luggage for them. And I remember another where I had to give up climbing
a steep gravel hill despite my super-low gear, because I didn't have
enough traction to proceed.

Maybe I should see if the county maintenance
schedule is publicly available.


Every six months or so, our newspaper publishes a list of roads soon to
be paved. I've thought that I really should save those lists to put
together smooth rides. But so far I've failed.


--
- Frank Krygowski
  #19  
Old July 10th 20, 01:42 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
John B.[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,697
Default nifty multitool

On Thu, 9 Jul 2020 20:08:53 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 7/9/2020 4:54 PM, Mark J. wrote:
On 7/9/2020 11:42 AM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 7/9/2020 8:43 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 6:19:10 AM UTC+2, Rolf Mantel wrote:
Am 08.07.2020 um 23:33 schrieb :
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:50:25 AM UTC-7, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2,
wrote:

Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure
out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than
gravel.

I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike
have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike
48/31T chainrings. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind
of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with
the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my
Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette
has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes
a very nice gear set up.

99% of gravel rides are on flat or nearly so ground. That means that
a gravel bike should be setup to ride at a reasonable speed on the
normal road - or a compact 50-34. The 48-31 of the GRX cranks is
altogether wrong for a gravel bike though pretty good for an 11-speed
cyclocross bike.

Really?* For me, 70% or more of gravel rides are in hilly forest area.
If I need to climb 600 ft, it takes half an hour either on the 4 mile
road that cars use, on the 2 mile forest road or on the 1 mile walking
trail.

In the flat, there's little motivation to take the gravel road at 20
km/h when I can take a good road nearby at 30 km/h.

The appeal for a flat gravel road for me is that it is more quiet and
most of the time a nicer scenery. On a flat gravel road I can still
manage 25 km/hr.

That must depend heavily on the nature of the gravel.

What used to be my favorite way out into the remote country roads in a
neighboring township used to involve a bit of gravel that was ridable
with my 28mm or 32mm tires. It's now difficult even with tires over
40mm. Here's the story:

A few decades ago, the quarry company working there offered to buy a
half mile section of road to access the limestone beneath. The
township officers said "OK, if you construct a road around it and
maintain it for access." They did that.

After perhaps 15 years, the quarry was sold to an Italian company.

Then a pipeline company plowed through with a new pipeline to carry
fracked natural gas. They tore up the road terribly, and the road
became just mud in some places, and super-coarse gravel in others.

The township tried to get the Italian company to repair the road. The
company ignored the requests. And the township said "Oh well. We'll
just close thr road."

I'd love to have someone follow the money on those transactions.


Yup, I'm learning there is gravel and then there is gravel.* Thing is,
I'll see both extremes in one season on the same roads around here.
Sometimes things have packed down and you can really blast along without
bad vibration.* Other times it's a slog after which I feel as if I had
been beaten with a stick.


All of which makes me wonder about the lyrical portrayals of gravel
rides by Jan Heine and others.

Historically, I've been willing to ride on rougher surfaces than my club
mates. A couple guys in particular used to complain - sort of
good-naturedly - about roads I chose when I led rides. But it does vary
a lot. I remember one tour where I rode the gravel but my companions
walked it for a long way, even though I was carrying a lot of their
luggage for them. And I remember another where I had to give up climbing
a steep gravel hill despite my super-low gear, because I didn't have
enough traction to proceed.

Maybe I should see if the county maintenance
schedule is publicly available.


Every six months or so, our newspaper publishes a list of roads soon to
be paved. I've thought that I really should save those lists to put
together smooth rides. But so far I've failed.



:-) Way back when, in 1880, The League of American Wheelmen was
formed largely to advocate the improvement of roads and highways in
the United States, or in simpler terms, "smooth roads"

Today, long after the building of paved roads and highways, literally
"all over the place" bicyclists want to ride on dirt roads which their
ancestors were screaming and hollering should, Must, be paved.

--
Cheers,

John B.

  #20  
Old July 10th 20, 02:10 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Mark J.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 840
Default nifty multitool

On 7/9/2020 5:08 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 7/9/2020 4:54 PM, Mark J. wrote:
On 7/9/2020 11:42 AM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 7/9/2020 8:43 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 6:19:10 AM UTC+2, Rolf Mantel wrote:
Am 08.07.2020 um 23:33 schrieb :
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:50:25 AM UTC-7, Lou Holtman wrote:
On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:31:00 AM UTC+2,
wrote:

Having ridden a great deal of gravel in my time I can't figure
out why the GRX cranks would be set-up for cyclocross rather than
gravel.

I'm not sure what you mean but my Ultegra crankset on my crossbike
have 46/36T chainrings and the GRX crankset on my gravel bike
48/31T chainrings. I think both cranks are suitable for both kind
of riding. It is all about the cassette. I have a lower gear with
the GRX crankset combined with a 14-28 cassette than I have with my
Ultegra cross crankset with a 11-32 cassette and the 14-28 cassette
has smaller jumps betweem the gears. I think the GRX crankset makes
a very nice gear set up.

99% of gravel rides are on flat or nearly so ground. That means that
a gravel bike should be setup to ride at a reasonable speed on the
normal road - or a compact 50-34. The 48-31 of the GRX cranks is
altogether wrong for a gravel bike though pretty good for an 11-speed
cyclocross bike.

Really?Â* For me, 70% or more of gravel rides are in hilly forest area.
If I need to climb 600 ft, it takes half an hour either on the 4 mile
road that cars use, on the 2 mile forest road or on the 1 mile walking
trail.

In the flat, there's little motivation to take the gravel road at 20
km/h when I can take a good road nearby at 30 km/h.

The appeal for a flat gravel road for me is that it is more quiet
and most of the time a nicer scenery. On a flat gravel road I can
still manage 25 km/hr.

That must depend heavily on the nature of the gravel.

What used to be my favorite way out into the remote country roads in
a neighboring township used to involve a bit of gravel that was
ridable with my 28mm or 32mm tires. It's now difficult even with
tires over 40mm. Here's the story:

A few decades ago, the quarry company working there offered to buy a
half mile section of road to access the limestone beneath. The
township officers said "OK, if you construct a road around it and
maintain it for access." They did that.

After perhaps 15 years, the quarry was sold to an Italian company.

Then a pipeline company plowed through with a new pipeline to carry
fracked natural gas. They tore up the road terribly, and the road
became just mud in some places, and super-coarse gravel in others.

The township tried to get the Italian company to repair the road. The
company ignored the requests. And the township said "Oh well. We'll
just close thr road."

I'd love to have someone follow the money on those transactions.


Yup, I'm learning there is gravel and then there is gravel.Â* Thing is,
I'll see both extremes in one season on the same roads around here.
Sometimes things have packed down and you can really blast along
without bad vibration.Â* Other times it's a slog after which I feel as
if I had been beaten with a stick.


All of which makes me wonder about the lyrical portrayals of gravel
rides by Jan Heine and others.

Historically, I've been willing to ride on rougher surfaces than my club
mates. A couple guys in particular used to complain - sort of
good-naturedly - about roads I chose when I led rides. But it does vary
a lot. I remember one tour where I rode the gravel but my companions
walked it for a long way, even though I was carrying a lot of their
luggage for them. And I remember another where I had to give up climbing
a steep gravel hill despite my super-low gear, because I didn't have
enough traction to proceed.

Maybe I should see if the county maintenance schedule is publicly
available.


Every six months or so, our newspaper publishes a list of roads soon to
be paved. I've thought that I really should save those lists to put
together smooth rides. But so far I've failed.


I don't want to give the wrong impression. I'm really enjoying the
gravel rides I'm taking:

* Lots of new roads that are right in my vicinity. After living here
for 30+ years, I know most of the pavement within 40 miles. The local
gravel roads are surprisingly "a whole new world" often within a half
mile of roads I would know in my sleep.

* Very quiet roads. I've never been "traffic-shy", I've always been out
on the roadways, but it IS nice to ride for 10 or 20 minutes at a time
without seeing a motor vehicle - or even another human. It's very
peaceful out there. [And there are just NO worries about whether my
social distancing is adequate out there.]

* It's a different challenge. For most of us, after decades riding on
the road, it's still fun, but there's not much novelty there. Riding on
gravel is teaching me new things about handling, or reminding me things
I've forgotten. Different handling, different power curve, different
cornering, climbing, descending. A new challenge is refreshing.
Equipment and maintenance are different too. (So much DUST!)

* There is a kind of love-hate relationship with the bouncing and
skittering, see "new things about handling," and I DO sometimes feel
"beaten up" by a ride, but, at the very least, it feels so much better
when I stop.

Honestly, I'm not a paid shill for gravel bike retailers!

Oh, and I've seen similar local repaving schedules, but I haven't heard
of - or looked for - schedules for re-graveling or grading, or whatever
they do to the gravel roads. I'm not even sure the variation I'm seeing
is a result of maintenance or weather, but it's hard to believe gravel
spontaneously gets looser.

Mark J.
 




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