Gravel bikes at MTB parks?

BOSSNUT.DAVE

At first I wouldn't have a problem with this idea, but I then had the unfortunate pleasure to encounter two. I was just cresting the top of Llandegla long uphill section, when I heard someone shouting..... ? I was already on the side with enough space to pass, they shouted a few more time and then passed me quite quickly. I wasn't slow either.
Following on from this I quickly caught them up on the slightly bumpy down hill trail. I shouted just as they had shouted at me, but they didn't move over, they didn't go faster, they were just in the way, braking over every hump.
They were roadies in disguise, arrogant roadies, who though they were the great because they could climb faster.

Have you encounter gravel bikes yet, I'd like to hear back. I didn't think I'd be that bothered really.

cooldad

Diddums.

I Blame Wiggle.

bikes`n`guns

Oh dear ! lol

It is wiggles fault you know, ? has to be.

Stevo_666

People like that should be forced to tow real MTB'ers to the top of the hill.

kajjal

Some people are just miserable, let them get on with it and enjoy the riding. It makes no difference what their riding experience and preference is.

It is a change taking a gravel bike round a proper MTB course, mine is very fast on the smoother , straighter stuff but as soon as it get rough, technical and twisty a mountain bike is much faster.

Gravel bikes are like 1990's rigid MTB's with smaller tyres, but great fun to go exploring on as the road sections just fly by so you can enjoy the off road, I do a 50 mile mainly off road loop on mine which is mainly forestry and byways. It is hard work but would take a lot longer on a mountain bike.

cougie

Maybe there wasnt as much space to move over ?

Storm in a teacup I think.

doomanic

If you can't go round, go through!

BOSSNUT.DAVE

doomanic wrote:

If you can't go round, go through!

Next time :evil:

tlw1

As roadies I assume they are on drugs

rockmonkeysc

It's no different to xc riders on downhill or enduro trails. Just pull over for a minute and enjoy the view or pass them as they take the chicken line around a jump and don't let them past again.

FishFish

I met one in Thetford Forest earlier in the year. I now know it was a gravel bike but have to say that I was impressed that it managed the red route I was on - not that Thetford red routes are particularly challenging although if you were a sperm whale with no flippers then they might be challenging.

fat daddy

FishFish wrote:

I met one in Thetford Forest earlier in the year. I now know it was a gravel bike but have to say that I was impressed that it managed the red route I was on -

I think over the last 10 years with all manner of decent lightweight full sus bikes on the scene, that people have forgotten that we used to ride at this level using no suspension MTBs.

taking a lightweight flexible gravel bike down most of these routes is probably easier and quicker than riding 1990s mtbs down them

These days people seem to think you can only ride a massive 5"+ 29" full susser on a mtb trail .... a gravel bike is the only thing that works on gravel foot paths and only a road bike can work on the road.

thistle_

I think it's just a Llandegla thing.

Had someone fly past me on the climb a few weeks back, didn't shout or anything beforehand but never mind.

E MTBs were more of a problem. A group of 3 or 4 a couple of weekends ago were barging past people on the singletrack climbs on the black, one of our group was forced off the trail. They could at least shout?

doomanic

E MTBs; the Audi of the bike world.

oodboo

Meh. Sounds like you didn't like being overtaken on the uphill and getting in a pointless paddy about being held up on the downhill. Live and let live, who cares, chances are you won't run in to them often enough for it to be an actual problem.

rockmonkeysc

doomanic wrote:

E MTBs; the Audi of the bike world.

Sounds about right. Boring, ugly, bought by estate agents and accounts, never owned by real enthusiasts (early 2.2 Quattro excepted) and strangely popular with doggers. You'd never want to spend any time with anyone who owns one.

FishFish

RockmonkeySC wrote:

You'd never want to spend any time with anyone who owns one.

...what - even if they are a dogger?

Stevo_666

RockmonkeySC wrote:

bought by accounts.

Never knew a department could be a registered keeper. Might be handy for dodging those points for speeding.

bg13

Stevo 666 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

bought by accounts.

Never knew a department could be a registered keeper. Might be handy for dodging those points for speeding.

Have you got your bike charged up for your wales trip?

Stevo_666

bg13 wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

bought by accounts.

Never knew a department could be a registered keeper. Might be handy for dodging those points for speeding.

Have you got your bike charged up for your wales trip?

They call it sheeping rather than dogging over there for some reason.

rockmonkeysc

Stevo 666 wrote:

bg13 wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

bought by accounts.

Never knew a department could be a registered keeper. Might be handy for dodging those points for speeding.

Have you got your bike charged up for your wales trip?

They call it sheeping rather than dogging over there for some reason.

Gethin used to be terrible for it before Bike Park Wales was there. You'd be innocently pushing up, wander around a corner and there'd be some old bloke in a car bashing one out or some middle aged could going at it over the bonnet of a Vectra.

tlw1

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

bg13 wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

bought by accounts.

Never knew a department could be a registered keeper. Might be handy for dodging those points for speeding.

Have you got your bike charged up for your wales trip?

They call it sheeping rather than dogging over there for some reason.

Gethin used to be terrible for it before Bike Park Wales was there. You'd be innocently pushing up, wander around a corner and there'd be some old bloke in a car bashing one out or some middle aged could going at it over the bonnet of a Vectra.

Sounds like delemere forest

welshkev

WTF is a gravel bike?

fat daddy

welshkev wrote:

WTF is a gravel bike?

a bike capable of going on MTB trails without feeling the need for 140mm+ of front suspension, 110mm+ rear suspension and without 2"+ tires.

MTBers generally don't like them, DHers hate them, because it shows them up when someone without all that tech can also ride on the same surface

anyway, enough of this banter I need to pop down stairs ... now where are my crampons, ropes, oxygen tank, emergency tent and survival food ....... damn I hate my wife, she just walked down the stairs in slippers !!! :evil:

rockmonkeysc

Downhill riders don't hate them. They don't use the same trails. If anyone wants to try my local DH trails on a gravel bike I'll happily watch as their bike snaps in half on any of the big jump landings.
Gravel bikes are aimed at the smoother end of mountain biking, bridleways and smooth trails etc. Kind of halfway between a CX bike and an XC bike. A mate has one he uses in the dolomites where most of the riding is worn out gravel tracks.

welshkev

fat daddy wrote:

welshkev wrote:

WTF is a gravel bike?

a bike capable of going on MTB trails without feeling the need for 140mm+ of front suspension, 110mm+ rear suspension and without 2"+ tires.

MTBers generally don't like them, DHers hate them, because it shows them up when someone without all that tech can also ride on the same surface

anyway, enough of this banter I need to pop down stairs ... now where are my crampons, ropes, oxygen tank, emergency tent and survival food ....... damn I hate my wife, she just walked down the stairs in slippers !!! :evil:

Who pissed on your chips?

It was a genuine question. I've never heard the phrase Gravel Bike before.

And if someone can ride a dh trail on one FairPlay to them cod I don't think we're riding the same dh trails!

kajjal

A gravel bike comes from riding long distances on fire roads and dirt roads in the US.

They are similar to CX bikes , with disc brakes, bigger tyres and much sharper handling than a road bike. I have one and until the trails get rough or technical it is fast. Also they fly along road sections that link off road trails unlike my xc MTB bike with knobbly tyres which drags on road in comparison especially up hill. Specialized Diverge and GT Grade are gravel bikes.

They are fine off road but if you want to die take one on a real downhill course.

bg13

It all sounds a bit ghey to me!

veronese68

welshkev wrote:

WTF is a gravel bike?

Who the fark are you?

fat daddy

welshkev wrote:

Who pissed on your chips?

DH bikes that hold me up as they lumber around on trails and on the road.

When I said that DH rider hate them, I was pertaining to the amount of DH, 180mm rigs that you get these days ambling down your normal blue - black runs at places like Cwmcaen and Afan ..... that are as much out of place as a gravel bike is (ie just the other end of the spectrum)

I wasn't meaning to refer to where they perform their best on the DH courses that walking down is nigh on impossible !

allow me to clarify.

A Gravel bike is underkill on a MTB trail such as whites level in much the same way a proper DH bike is overkill on the same trail .... and if you are happy and think your DH bike is great on Whites Level, then be it known, the guy in the gravel bike is happy and thinks his bike is great on Whites Level ..... although you are both wrong .. 5" is where its at !

bg13

fat daddy wrote:

welshkev wrote:

Who pissed on your chips?

DH bikes that hold me up as they lumber around on trails and on the road.

When I said that DH rider hate them, I was pertaining to the amount of DH, 180mm rigs that you get these days ambling down your normal blue - black runs at places like Cwmcaen and Afan ..... that are as much out of place as a gravel bike is (ie just the other end of the spectrum)

I wasn't meaning to refer to where they perform their best on the DH courses that walking down is nigh on impossible !

allow me to clarify.

A Gravel bike is underkill on a MTB trail such as whites level in much the same way a proper DH bike is overkill on the same trail .... and if you are happy and think your DH bike is great on Whites Level, then be it known, the guy in the gravel bike is happy and thinks his bike is great on Whites Level ..... although you are both wrong .. 5" is where its at !

Orange 5 obvs!