Gravel bikes changed cycling and took it to a new level. It made common ground for road cyclists and mountain bikers to join forces and gave us the do all it bikes we never knew we needed. What makes gravel riding so special is the amazing community surrounding it and the amazing events you can participate in.
It might be the adventure cyclists who want to go on a weekend away or the local club looking to explore a new discipline. The best place to immerse yourself into the gravel community is by racing, and in this article, we’re going to tell you how to get involved by discussing:
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Can You Race With A Gravel Bike?
Gravel cycling is one of the fastest growing communities, and many races and sportives are available for the day-to-day rider. You will find gravel events worldwide, but most of the bigger races are in the US. Gravel races can range from as little as 50 km all the way to 500 km and above.
Not only will you find casual cyclists at these events, but they’re also many professionals who ride gravel too. Many have come away from the pro peloton and the professional mountain biking circuit to enjoy gravel racing. Gravel being a UCI official discipline, means they can make a solid career as a gravel rider.
Gravel bike races are not like your typical road or mountain bike races, and this is what makes gravel riding very special. What happens in a lot of gravel races is they put the social riders and professionals together, and the professionals ride off fast at the front, and the rest of the people choose to ride socially or try and keep up.
That’s not the only format you will find when it comes to gravel racing. Some races have been known to have waypoints where riders go as fast as they can through sections, then the shortest time overall section wins the competition.
You also have gravel stage races, which are multiple races. Unlike professional riding, you don’t get all the support cars, and even professionals have to fix their own bikes if they break. Gravel racing encompasses skills that many riders would benefit from.
Related Reading: Best States for Gravel Biking
What Do I Need For A Gravel Bike Race?
You don’t need much for a gravel bike race. Here’s what we recommend you take with you if you plan to tackle an event:
- Gravel bike – Ensuring you have the correct bike for the course is important.
- Helmet – Safety comes first when it comes to events, organizers will require helmets.
- Lighting – Gravel bike races can start and finish in the dark.
- Tools and spares – You might need to repair your own bike.
- Food and water – Enough nutrition to take you from feed station to feed station.
- A form of navigation – Although most races are signposted, it helps.
- Correct clothing – Enough clothing to ensure for bad weather and cold conditions.
How Fast Are Gravel Races?
The speed depends on many different factors, such as how rough the terrain is, the wind direction, the elevation, and even the size and ability of the group you’re riding in. There’s also your approach to the race if you do it socially or try to place high with the pros.
From a professional rider’s point of view. A good indication of the speeds you will be going is to assume road racing speeds, then minus around 2 mph. This is the same for social riders, too, minus around 2 mph to 3 mph under the speed you would cover similar tarmac terrain on a road bike.
Related Reading: How to Start Gravel Biking
Gravel Bike Races: Getting Involved
When getting involved in gravel biking races, the key is getting into the community and meeting like-minded people. Here are our top ways to get involved with gravel racing:
Just Turn Up
Turning up is the first and most simple way to get involved with gravel races. Book a place in a race and just go along and see who you meet. So many riders turn up and see what happens, and it’s a great way to be in the community, and you never know who you will meet on the loose gravel.
Join A Club
Wherever you are in the world, you will never be far from a cycling club. If you join a club, you are going to be socializing with cyclists all the time. It only takes one rider to suggest going to a gravel ride before you have a pack of club members going along. This is the way most cyclists end up at gravel races.
Request Help On Social Media
Another great way to find gravel riders is to post on social media. With many local communities chatting and communicating on sites such as Facebook, it only takes one single post asking if anyone is interested in going for a spin to join their community.
Speak To Your Local Shop
Another great way to get involved with the gravel community and meet many cycling friends is to speak to your local shop. They will know of lots of people in the same situation and many shops because of this actually run group rides. I personally met a lot of amazing cycling friends on my local shop rides.
Related Reading: 5 Best Electric Gravel Bikes
Excellent Gravel Biking Events
If you plan to get involved in some epic gravel races, then here are some we highly recommend starting with:
Barry Roubaix
The Barry Roubaix is a gravel event hosted yearly in Hastings, Michigan. Normally held around early April, it’s ideal as a season opener for many riders. It caters to a wide range of cyclists and does rides from 22 miles all the way up to 100 miles with aid stations.
It’s a mix of gravel and paved roads and has a mix of long flats and challenging climbs. It’s a lot of fun and a test of endurance and technical ability for many riders. They also offer a gravel time trial for those who really want to test themselves on a short course.
Gravel Worlds
The Gravel Worlds is an annual event which is in Lincoln, Nebraska. It’s normal around mid-August, and people from all over the US flock to enjoy the weekend. It is great for all abilities, offering many rides from 50 to 150 miles.
A great feature of this event is the goon ride which is the day before, so you are able to experience some of the course before going into the main event the next day. It’s an event with lots of entertainment, music, stands, and even a party after the race.
Paris To Ancaster
The Paris-to Ancaster (P2A is a gravel event situated in Ontario, Canada. It has a few distances ranging from around 30 to 100 KM. It’s an event that is hugely growing in popularity, and many gravel professionals and enthusiasts are flocking to it for their gravel fix.
Navigating narrow dirt paths, gravel roads, and rail trails, you get to experience the best from the area. One of the highlights is “The Wall,” a steep climb toward the end of the courses to challenge you when you are tired. They also have an expo and lots of activities going on alongside.
What Is The Toughest Gravel Race?
There are a lot of incredible gravel races available that are going to push you to your limit, and one of the toughest is the Unbound Gravel (Previously Dirty Kanza). With route options up to 352 miles and the top professionals attending this event to be crown gravel champions, there’s no denying the competition is serious.
Related Reading: Gravel Bike vs Road Bike
Training Tips For Gravel Bike Races
When it comes to training for a gravel bike race, there’s a lot to think about. Here are our top training tips for getting race ready:
Build Fitness
Before getting to that start line of the gravel events, it’s important to be ready from a physical point of view. Ensure you have done some riding prior and consider strength training. We highly recommend considering a cycling coach to help.
Mental Preparation
If you are going into a big race, it’s good to be mentally prepared too. We recommend doing similar rides to the distance you cover beforehand to give you the confidence to tackle your big challenge.
Practice Technique
A commonplace a lot of cyclists get it wrong on gravel rides is by getting fit but not having the technique for the course they are tackling. We recommend getting lots of off-road in beforehand to practice and get some skills. Many riders spend time on mountain bikes to practice off-road.
Bike Fit
Finally, if you haven’t had one, we recommend having a bike fit for riding gravel. A bike fit is the process of a professional fitting you to your bike for maximum efficiency and comfort. We highly recommend having one, as it will make you faster, more comfortable, and more efficient.
Nutrition
A big part of gravel cycling is getting your nutrition on point. With the races being so much longer, it’s good to understand how much food and water to take onboard and when. We highly recommend testing lots on your training rides to see what works for you.
Taking Your Gravel Biking To The Next Level
When it comes to gravel biking, it’s a cycling discipline that can be experienced both casually and professionally. Many riders choose to step it up and start challenging themselves further to get more out of their cycling. However, as long as you are having fun, then that’s all that matters.
Read More: Best Gravel Bike Trails in Canada