Photo: Dan Milner
I’ve heard it said so many times: ‘Cycling is the new golf.’ But if that analogy is starting to feel a bit tired, then surely it’s time for an update. And I would suggest that the new version should be: ‘Gravel riding is the new cycling and the new golf.’
The golfing expression was coined in the post-2008 Beijing Olympics boom, when it was suddenly en vogue to be wearing Lycra while riding a carbon road bike on the highways, instead of wearing Argyle knitwear while swinging a carbon-shafted club on the fairways.
But that was 12 years ago, and now that it is 2020 I feel like there’s a glaring oversight in this parallel, at least where road cycling is concerned.
Golf is a pedestrian-paced sport, built around a blend of competitive and social elements. Conversations, and even important business meetings, can be had freely as you play – at least, they could before the coronavirus took over.
And there’s a sense of escapism from the frenetic pace of modern life. In other words, in my experience, the exact opposite of most road rides nowadays.
Any chance to chat on a road ride is often eliminated by being strung out in single file to avoid inciting the anger of motorists. Communication is often reduced to shouting out hazard warnings. It can at times feel just as stressful as the boardroom.
Yes, there’s the possibility that the conversational part can be saved for the cafe, but on a gravel ride I can spend the majority of my time having a good old natter, plus there can still be a cafe stop. Hell, even a pub stop.
Before the lockdown I had some very constructive meetings with brands and colleagues in the relaxed environment that off-road riding provides, in safe, quiet surroundings, where there’s often space to ride three or four abreast for hours on end.
I’m not trying to suggest that I no longer enjoy road riding – I still love it and do it frequently – but I would suggest that gravel riding has more of the elements to satisfy the golf analogy.
Better still, you get all the fun and fitness gains that cycling provides, while never having to endure the rage-inducing nightmare of missing a two-foot putt.
Cyclist Off-Road is available alongside Cyclist magazine at selected retailers. Better still, head to the Cyclist Shop and get your copy delivered straight to your door.
Stu Bowers
Editor, Cyclist Off-Road
In Cyclist Off-Road issue 03...
Here’s a sneak preview of some of what you’ll find inside…
• Into Africa: In South Africa's Karoo lies a pass like no other, where black mountains turn red, and blue rivers run green. The going is tough, the distances vast, but it's more than worth the effort. And that's just the first pass…
• Round the Horn: The iconic peak of the Matterhorn provides the focal point for this stunning gravel ride in the Swiss Alps
• Five Days in the Outback: At the biennial Outback Odyssey, Cyclist Off-Road discovers the wonders of the Mawson Trail, a 920km gravel route into the heart of South Australia
• The Talented Mr Ritchey: Gravel riding may seem like a modern trend, but famed American framebuilder Tom Ritchey was designing road bikes to go beyond the road nearly half a century ago
• True Grit: Amid the hills and vales and mid-Wales, Gritfest is an enticing weekend of racing, fun, relaxation and the occasional hideous climb
• Our Private Idaho: The Copper Basin loop is as wild, rugged and remote as you will find in the United States. No wonder it's a haven for gravel riding
Also in Cyclist Off-Road issue 3, we test out the Ritte Satyr, Moots Routt YBB, GT Grade Carbon Pro and Cervélo Aspero. We run the rule over the latest kit and gear for gravel riding, help you choose the right tyre for the right surface and run over the essentials of tubeless tyre repair.
It’s all in Cyclist Off-Road issue 3 – pick up your copy today