Categories: Belgian AffirmationsCyclocrossLe Graveur

Anatomy of a Graveur

Photo via F&O Forgotten Nobility

I am a road cyclist, at heart. Even when I’m in a car, I’ll daydream about riding the same road I’m driving. I’ll imagine how the tarmac might feel as my wheels carry me across it, the wind, the smells in the air. I’ll imagine how my lungs are expanding and contracting, cleansing me a little with every exhale. In my mind’s legs, I’ll feel the pressure building as I imagine myself rising out of the saddle to power over a pitch. I know I would feel the pain of such a ride, but I can’t really imagine what it would feel like. I can never really imagine pain.

The paved road is where we are the closest we will ever be to achieving flight. To restrict ourselves to tarmac, however, is to restrict ourselves to those places in this world which are most travelled. The most beautiful places do not lie at the end of such roads; they are hidden away, where those with some element of imagination might venture to look for them. A two-lane dirt track, perhaps, or a forest road that winds off beyond the damp forest and on to places unknown.

On gravel and dirt, we find a completely different sensation from that on the road. Certainly, many of the elements are still there, but the terrain demands a different kind of harmony; we dart along from one side of the road to another, looking for the best bits where the holes are smaller and the gravel is held together more. The dust or mud kicked up by our tires hovers in the air about us and covers our lips, teeth, and tongue. Suddenly, we taste the road as much as feel it.

Being away from traffic and in the wilderness awakens something primal in our spirits. The smell of damp dirt, moss, and bark or the baking scent of dry pine needles flushes the city from your senses and immediately awakens a calmer Self. My soul is at peace when I return home from such a ride.

The road is where my heart lies, but gravel is where I find my soul.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

gregorio says:

Aug 18 2013 at 1:34 pm

@Weldertron

@frank

@gregorio

@Weldertron

@gregorio

During the last year I've collected enough parts from upgrading my road bike to assemble a build kit. My VMH has decreed that I MUST build my gravel machine with a frame that is less than $1000 - which to my mind means steel. Anyone out there in V - Land have some ideas for a steel frame of this price point?

Any particular reason to stay away from Alu?

Not especially. I'm open to that possibility, but also remember the ride quality of my first steel racer 30 yrs ago. I've read about recent innovations in forming and manipulating alu that have resulted in improved ride quality. Suggestions?

I think weight is a bigger concern than people give credit both on gravel and on CX; you're lifting your bike a lot in CX and on gravel you want it light enough to bounce over the terrain. Its not very romantic, but I've heard people actually have had great luck with the Performance brands of Carbon frames - and Nashbar does a no-brand carbon frame that is actually an unbranded Ridley. Those can be had in your price point for sure, Rule #58 notwithstanding.

I'm still wary of carbon frames in cross for the non-sponsored rider. One trip up on a barrier and you could be looking at a broken frame. I know aluminum and steel can dent, but I think it's been proven a lateral impact to a lightweight carbon frame might have some adverse affects.

That nashbar frame isn't a bad deal for the starter. At that price it's almost disposable.

Found a Specialized crux alu frame with carbon fork for $990 retail. No rule #58 headaches and no worries with tire clearance. Looks like with a set of cantilever breaks I have the parts to build her up over the winter. http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/crux/cruxe5osbbframeset Thanks for the ideas!
motor city says:

Aug 18 2013 at 2:06 pm

I've taken my maiden gravel ride tonight and I'm kicking myself that i haven't done it sooner. I live right on the edge of the South Downs National Park and 200m from my house is a bridle path into the countryside that i've never investigated. I had an amazing time, rolling hills with chalk and flint farm track and grass all on my doorstep.

I took some photos to add to the collective gravelbone:
Weldertron says:

Aug 18 2013 at 2:19 pm

@gregorio

@Weldertron

@frank

@gregorio

@Weldertron

@gregorio

During the last year I've collected enough parts from upgrading my road bike to assemble a build kit. My VMH has decreed that I MUST build my gravel machine with a frame that is less than $1000 - which to my mind means steel. Anyone out there in V - Land have some ideas for a steel frame of this price point?

Any particular reason to stay away from Alu?

Not especially. I'm open to that possibility, but also remember the ride quality of my first steel racer 30 yrs ago. I've read about recent innovations in forming and manipulating alu that have resulted in improved ride quality. Suggestions?

I think weight is a bigger concern than people give credit both on gravel and on CX; you're lifting your bike a lot in CX and on gravel you want it light enough to bounce over the terrain. Its not very romantic, but I've heard people actually have had great luck with the Performance brands of Carbon frames - and Nashbar does a no-brand carbon frame that is actually an unbranded Ridley. Those can be had in your price point for sure, Rule #58 notwithstanding.

I'm still wary of carbon frames in cross for the non-sponsored rider. One trip up on a barrier and you could be looking at a broken frame. I know aluminum and steel can dent, but I think it's been proven a lateral impact to a lightweight carbon frame might have some adverse affects.

That nashbar frame isn't a bad deal for the starter. At that price it's almost disposable.

Found a Specialized crux alu frame with carbon fork for $990 retail. No Rule #58 headaches and no worries with tire clearance. Looks like with a set of cantilever breaks I have the parts to build her up over the winter. http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/crux/cruxe5osbbframeset Thanks for the ideas!

If i may make another suggestion, consider the TRP CX line of mini-v brakes. They are (in my opinion) a better option if you plan on using it mainly as a higher speed gravel racer. They aren't as good as cantis in thick mud, but the stopping power is quite good.

I use my cross bike as a winter training bike aswell, so they work well for the high speed road stops.
gregorio says:

Aug 18 2013 at 5:18 pm

@Weldertron Thanks for the tip...they'd work well with my ultegra levers.
Balexander says:

Aug 18 2013 at 7:04 pm

@Weldertron I built my gravel/CX rig from a $500 carbon frameset from Ebay. It works great, has the exact same geometry as the Crux. My LBS started building bikes and wheels with factory-direct unbranded stuff right around the same time. Now all the cheapskates on our team ride incredible bikes. Look into it.
scaler911 says:

Aug 18 2013 at 7:12 pm

You mean roads like this? Had the Cogal gone off as planned, this was the "graveur" chunk. Took this last night after picking huckleberries.
EricW says:

Aug 18 2013 at 7:14 pm

@frank That dude is absolutely hard. Looks like a blast.

oh and, @frank, I remember Travis Brown rocking the drop bars at Leadville a few years ago. I don't like Trek that much, and he was leading out COTHO that year, but still, it'd be fun to show up at a CX race on that rig.
RedRanger says:

Aug 18 2013 at 10:11 pm

@EricW I really want to do a drop bar MTB some day. but so many bike upgrades are in front of that.
RedRanger says:

Aug 18 2013 at 10:14 pm

I also kinda like the idea of a steel CX bike but I dont know why that would be any better than say carbon or alu
EricW says:

Aug 18 2013 at 10:24 pm

@RedRanger I've tried it on my old 26er hardtail. Ran a rigid fork up front, and put the fattest tires I could fit on there (Conti TrailKing 2.4). Honestly, besides the hipster rad factor, it wasn't all that great. I felt very iffy on descents and couldn't get my arms wide enough on climbs, and I was using flared mountain drop bars. The only place where it was nice was on fire road but then, I have a cx bike.

And IMO there's not a lot inherently better or worse about steel over AL or carbone on a cx bike since the big tires give you plenty of compliance and dampening. I guess not having to worry about the frame in a crash as opposed to carbone is kind of nice. I've found the main advantage of having a steel cx bike is that I can look at the other racers and say things that begin with "back in my day...".

Also it makes PBR taste better.