Two Things

The Peregrine Mk4 with Schwalbe G-One Overlands.

Ride Quality vs Speed:

If I am not using my gravel bike for racing, then what am I using it for? This may sound like a ridiculous question, but the answer you give matters. 

Why? Well, the answer will tell you what is likely going to be a bigger influence on the success of your riding. If the answer is that you only really race, or are training to race, on the gravel bike, then your focus will be on speed and aero. If you don't really care about racing, then maybe you might want to think about comfort and ride quality. 

I like fun. Being beaten and made numb or sore because my bicycle rides like a hay rack is not fun. I will give you an example. The recently reviewed Schwalbe G-One Overland tires I tried were fast. They were some of the best I've tested in this category. However; they did not feel very good. 

I was a bit disappointed and fearful this may have been an issue with the Peregrine itself. Maybe the frame is just too stiff? Well, after the review was over, I swapped wheel sets and tires. The tires I used were older SOMA Cazadero 700 X 50mm tires and these were fitted with Rene Herse TPU tubes. I used the bike on the Veteran's Day ride with N.Y. Roll. 

Image by N.Y. Roll

The ride quality was better. No more harshness when hitting things like expansion cracks, potholes, or the like. Plus the Cazadero/TPU tube combo rolled nearly as fast as the Schwalbe tires did. 

Now had I run these tires tubeless I would imagine the ride quality would have been even a little bit better, at the least. So, this fit my purposes better than a tire which has speed but lacks in ride quality. 

My results were that I had more fun. Fun is good. 

Now had I been going racing? Had I been doing work in training for a race? Maybe I'd throw the Schwalbe tires back on. But I am not racing, and so I don't place speed above all else when it comes to riding gravel. 

I'm not saying racing is bad, or you should not ride for those purposes. However; many folks get caught up in the racing stuff due to those racing things seemingly being "the goal you should strive for". I think this is wrong thinking. I believe most riders want to have fun riding their bicycles and speed gains, power outputs, and GPS data - while cool - is not what the focus should be for most riders. It is not why most people ride. They typically ride for pleasure and fitness. So, maybe choose tires which fit why you are really riding. Just a thought.....

Big Wheels For Gravel:

Maybe 15 years ago, maybe a little more than that, you would have been fairly acquainted with the arguments for and against 29" wheels for mountain biking. 

29"ers were really the first wheel size which came along to break all the traditional thoughts and technical design behind mountain biking. Change is never easy, and a lot of people don't cotton to change. Resistance was high. However; eventually the results of using 29"ers convinced most people this was actually a better way to go.

Manufacturers made a few mistakes along the way. Technologies came along, which enhanced the positives of 29"ers to the point where 26" wheels, once the mainstay of MTB, were now deemed not all that great to use anymore. 

Now there is a new wheel size which is here to challenge 29"ers. It is 32" in diameter, and it sure looks as though the MTB world is going to be in line to see what shakes out from the trial usage of 32" wheels in XC racing. Technically manufacturers and designers all know what to expect, in theoretical terms, due to the previous experiments with 29"er wheels. Mistakes and failures should be mitigated to a great degree. If 32" wheels "work", it won't be because of luck. 

So, in the latest podcast we discuss this, 32"ers rumors and speculations which are afoot, and whether or not 32" is a good idea for gravel bikes. Give the show a listen. Let me know what you think in the comments. 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions