Gravel forum?

[TAF 298]

@Albert - I wonder if we shouldn't add a separate forum for gravel posts -- the purist in me thinks they should not be bundled in with the roadie posts!

[mack_turtle 1,433]

rename the Roadie forum "unpaved" or something like that. depending on how you look at it, "gravel bikes" are mostly road bikes for unpaved roads.

[TAF 298]

7 hours ago, mack_turtle said:

rename the Roadie forum "unpaved" or something like that. depending on how you look at it, "gravel bikes" are mostly road bikes for unpaved roads.

Actually, they are not - gravel bikes, until recently, were typically re-purposed cyclocross bikes, which have the wider tire clearances useful for mud, and definitely no caliper brakes.

My experience on (many) gravel rides and events, is that it's where roadies and mountain bikers meet. So I stand by my argument - or indeed, by your suggestion - we need an Unpaved forum!

[mack_turtle 1,433]

"Unpaved" might not be the right term if we want to discuss all road-riding fun. I still think roadies is appropriate if the point is to discuss riding stuff that is not singletrack.

"gravel" is such a vague thing and a moving target. based on what I've read about it because historically (when I was too young to know or care at all), gravel grinding is just what roadies did when they didn't have access to pavement. bikes are getting more specialized for gravel roads but most of them are still road bikes at heart. the line is being blurred every day though. in the end, it handles like a road bike and has been adapted for unpaved surfaces. cyclocross bikes became popular because the market was slow to bring a bike that handles well on the road but has room for big tires.

however, I don't want to get caught up in the bikes because it's the riding that matters. so how do we section off a segment of discussion about riding that's not really road riding but not mountain biking? I'd just stick that kind of discussion in the roadie forum and not waste another thought on it.

[TheX 1,473]

Roadie Forum - Paved and Unpaved

 

Fits well.

[TAF 298]

I'll just stick to the various FB groups which thankfully are gravel-specific. I refuse to discuss gravel riding in a roadie forum!

[Barry 923]

A man has to stick to his principles! 

[TAF 298]

11 minutes ago, Barry said:

A man has to stick to his principles! 

Exactly! And if you've ever seen a peloton of road riders, heads down, tires 6 inches apart, hit the sand on Keyserville Rd and perform a group yard sale wipeout, then you will know what I am talking about.

[TheX 1,473]

If you removed the gravel posts, the roadie forum would be empty.

[TAF 298]

3 minutes ago, TheX said:

If you removed the gravel posts, the roadie forum would be empty.

Exactly! Let's just rename it.

[TheX 1,473]

7 minutes ago, TAF said:

Exactly! Let's just rename it.

I'm all for that!!!!!

[AntonioGG 1,402]

Roadiephobics.  The more you complain the more I think you’re a closeted roadie.

all riding is cool.

[TheX 1,473]

I love road riding, except for the road part. No thanks to riding with cars.

[notyal 1,215]

12 hours ago, TheX said:

If you removed the gravel posts, the roadie forum would be empty.

Move all forums to the MTB forum and rename it "forum". It's not like this forum gets an overwhelming amount of posts that need to be filtered down to a specific surface.