A Pivotal Moment

Possibly a turning point

It's no theory- Gravel bicycles, events, and associated gear is gaining the attention of the mainstream bicycle companies, bicycling media, and in some cases, the non-endemic media as well. This is tripping up some folks feelings in the gravel circles, while it is bringing in tons of newer riders and interest from places the traditionalists of gravel riding never thought they would ever see.

Why is this? Why is all this happening now? In some ways, I am of the opinion that this phenomenon is a bit of a "perfect storm". This may be the only way to really explain it honestly, but I feel that when this is looked back on, an event that happened only last month will be pointed to as possibly the turning point where gravel as a cycling niche went "big time" afterward. This is certainly only my opinion, and I could be all wrong here, but I am going to state my case.....

Obviously the gravel road riding thing has struck a nerve amongst many riders out there. Numbers of riders in events going upwards to, (and in some cases over), one thousand folks in different parts of the country is certainly undeniable evidence of this. Not only that, but the number of the events themselves, going from a mere handful in 2006-2008 to well over 200 in a year that I know about, marks gravel riding as something that many folks everywhere are trying and enjoying.

Salsa proto circa '09 (Image K. Steudel)

By the latter end of the '00's, a few companies were beginning to take notice of the gravel scene. Salsa Cycles was the most notorious of these and by 2011, they had already designed, prototyped, and manufactured a purpose built gravel road racing bike. Taken by itself,  that isn't a big deal, really.

What did happen afterward did make this a big deal and was what started the ball rolling towards the pivotal point. The Dirty Kanza 200 started to attract some bigger names in the cycling world and one of these was Rebecca Rusch. A sponsored athlete and well known in cycling circles, the Specialized backed athlete participated in the DK 200 and must have been impressed to the point that Specialized took notice. The company sent her back again this year with some special equipment geared toward the gravel scene. Meanwhile, events were getting bigger, and other companies were sniffing around the gravel scene as well. Some because their people had connections to the Mid-West, some for other reasons, but it started to happen.

Bicycles were starting to be prototyped that were going to be "gravel specific". With the road bike, mountain bike, and pavement sectors becoming a flat, or declining market, it can be argued that creating a "gravel specific bike" is just purely a  marketing exercise to wrench more money from rider's pockets by these companies. However; whether that is true or not, the bikes have to be sold and believed in by those who sell them. Now to get industry folks on board with any idea, they have to see rider participation, (they do with all the events), and they have to see a need that can be met, (they do with regard to the bicycles and gear), and finally, they have to have a basis for experience to get passionate about any sector in the industry. This is where I believe Rebecca's Private Idaho, a 100 mile gravel event that took place in Idaho, (duh!), recently, is going to be seen as "that event" where the industry folks got turned on to the gravel scene.

I've been watching the increase in the numbers of media stories on the gravel segment and many of these latest stories have referenced Rebecca Rusch's event and the folks that were in attendance. Not surprisingly, because of Rebecca's stature in the cycling community, many of these folks represent several key cycling industry folks and to a person they seem to have come away impressed.

Giant Revolt

What does this mean? I believe it means that the pieces are all in place for further development into bicycles and gear for the backroad cyclists. Giant, Specialized, Raleigh, HED Wheels, Clement, Challenge Tires, and others are amongst the bigger names joining the ranks of Salsa Cycles as companies focusing product on the idea of bicycles beyond paved roads and suitable for everything up to mountain biking. Industry folks are not only aware of the category, but due to events like Rebecca Rusch's and some others, are now experiencing this for the first time and getting passionate about the category.

Like I said- I could have it all wrong here, but I don't think I do. So, should you, as a core rider from "back in the day" be ticked off that "big companies are cashing in" on a sub category of cycling that you feel will "ruin it all"? That's entirely up to you to decide. I think the best thing to do is ride for fun and, if you race, for the competition and challenges of it, and don't worry about it all. I, for one, applaud the inclusion of more companies if it gets folks out there to ride and have fun like I do. More folks riding is the bottom line, both for the companies getting into gravel, and for cycling in general. If that happens, that is fantastic.

And if I am all wrong? Well, then this will all blow over and nobody will care. Well, except for me and a few others that will continue to ride gravel despite the current fashion of the day.

A Pivotal Moment

Possibly a turning point

It's no theory- Gravel bicycles, events, and associated gear is gaining the attention of the mainstream bicycle companies, bicycling media, and in some cases, the non-endemic media as well. This is tripping up some folks feelings in the gravel circles, while it is bringing in tons of newer riders and interest from places the traditionalists of gravel riding never thought they would ever see.

Why is this? Why is all this happening now? In some ways, I am of the opinion that this phenomenon is a bit of a "perfect storm". This may be the only way to really explain it honestly, but I feel that when this is looked back on, an event that happened only last month will be pointed to as possibly the turning point where gravel as a cycling niche went "big time" afterward. This is certainly only my opinion, and I could be all wrong here, but I am going to state my case.....

Obviously the gravel road riding thing has struck a nerve amongst many riders out there. Numbers of riders in events going upwards to, (and in some cases over), one thousand folks in different parts of the country is certainly undeniable evidence of this. Not only that, but the number of the events themselves, going from a mere handful in 2006-2008 to well over 200 in a year that I know about, marks gravel riding as something that many folks everywhere are trying and enjoying.

Salsa proto circa '09 (Image K. Steudel)

By the latter end of the '00's, a few companies were beginning to take notice of the gravel scene. Salsa Cycles was the most notorious of these and by 2011, they had already designed, prototyped, and manufactured a purpose built gravel road racing bike. Taken by itself,  that isn't a big deal, really.

What did happen afterward did make this a big deal and was what started the ball rolling towards the pivotal point. The Dirty Kanza 200 started to attract some bigger names in the cycling world and one of these was Rebecca Rusch. A sponsored athlete and well known in cycling circles, the Specialized backed athlete participated in the DK 200 and must have been impressed to the point that Specialized took notice. The company sent her back again this year with some special equipment geared toward the gravel scene. Meanwhile, events were getting bigger, and other companies were sniffing around the gravel scene as well. Some because their people had connections to the Mid-West, some for other reasons, but it started to happen.

Bicycles were starting to be prototyped that were going to be "gravel specific". With the road bike, mountain bike, and pavement sectors becoming a flat, or declining market, it can be argued that creating a "gravel specific bike" is just purely a  marketing exercise to wrench more money from rider's pockets by these companies. However; whether that is true or not, the bikes have to be sold and believed in by those who sell them. Now to get industry folks on board with any idea, they have to see rider participation, (they do with all the events), and they have to see a need that can be met, (they do with regard to the bicycles and gear), and finally, they have to have a basis for experience to get passionate about any sector in the industry. This is where I believe Rebecca's Private Idaho, a 100 mile gravel event that took place in Idaho, (duh!), recently, is going to be seen as "that event" where the industry folks got turned on to the gravel scene.

I've been watching the increase in the numbers of media stories on the gravel segment and many of these latest stories have referenced Rebecca Rusch's event and the folks that were in attendance. Not surprisingly, because of Rebecca's stature in the cycling community, many of these folks represent several key cycling industry folks and to a person they seem to have come away impressed.

Giant Revolt

What does this mean? I believe it means that the pieces are all in place for further development into bicycles and gear for the backroad cyclists. Giant, Specialized, Raleigh, HED Wheels, Clement, Challenge Tires, and others are amongst the bigger names joining the ranks of Salsa Cycles as companies focusing product on the idea of bicycles beyond paved roads and suitable for everything up to mountain biking. Industry folks are not only aware of the category, but due to events like Rebecca Rusch's and some others, are now experiencing this for the first time and getting passionate about the category.

Like I said- I could have it all wrong here, but I don't think I do. So, should you, as a core rider from "back in the day" be ticked off that "big companies are cashing in" on a sub category of cycling that you feel will "ruin it all"? That's entirely up to you to decide. I think the best thing to do is ride for fun and, if you race, for the competition and challenges of it, and don't worry about it all. I, for one, applaud the inclusion of more companies if it gets folks out there to ride and have fun like I do. More folks riding is the bottom line, both for the companies getting into gravel, and for cycling in general. If that happens, that is fantastic.

And if I am all wrong? Well, then this will all blow over and nobody will care. Well, except for me and a few others that will continue to ride gravel despite the current fashion of the day.

Whelp! I Guess I Guessed Right?

Rebecca Rusch (Image courtesy of Specialized)

Friday evening I put up a post on Twenty Nine Inches that was based off a press release from Specialized that featured two of its sponsored riders, Todd Wells and Rebecca Rusch. I named the post:"Leadville 2011: Could 29″ers Take The Top Spots?".

As many of you now know, I got it right. Well, I think if you consider the details leading up to the event, it wasn't all that hard to guess correctly. Let's consider the following:

-Lance Armstrong, although he qualified to race, wasn't toeing the line this year. Had he thrown his hat into the ring, he would have been a top pick to win it.

-Six time  Leadville champ, Dave Wiens wasn't racing either. Again, you'd have to slot him in as a number one pick had he been in the race.

-Many pro roadies were already racing in the Tour of Utah, or were going to be at the Tour of Colorado. Roadies? Yup! The LT 100 suits roadies quite well, and this year they graded out rougher sections of the course, making them "B Road" smooth. Levi Leipheimer has won the event before, in record time, just last year.

-Many top mountain bike riders were overseas contesting the World Cup. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, who came in second last year, wasn't there either. This narrowed down my choices quite a bit.

-Todd Wells is in top condition right now. He just won the National XC Championship jersey, and Todd is always a top contender at any XC race he enters. Why didn't he go overseas to contest the World Cup? I can not say for sure, but Specialized has a top flite XC racer this year in Jaroslav Kulhavy who is making history every time he wins on his Epic 29"er. Keeping Todd in the US for another shot at making history might have been too good to pass up.

-Rebecca Rusch: Nuff said. Until she stops focusing on the LT 100, or starts to wane in her abilities, she will continue to be a threat to win the women's race at Leadville. This year? She lopped off even more time from her previous record at Leadville. Amazing! There was no way I would have bet against her at Leadville.

So, when you think about those things, and if there were no flat tires, mechanicals, or other mayhem for the two Specialized riders, (like there was for their competition, by the way), it was likely these two riders would contend for wins. They did, and they did. But, as I mention, it wasn't without a little "help" on the men's side, at least. Alban Lakata of Topeak-Ergon made a great race of it, coming in second on a flat tire. Had he not flatted? Well, who knows?

So, it was a lucky, somewhat educated guess, and no big deal in the end. It isn't like I could have picked the correct lottery numbers or anything magical like that!

Whelp! I Guess I Guessed Right?

Rebecca Rusch (Image courtesy of Specialized)

Friday evening I put up a post on Twenty Nine Inches that was based off a press release from Specialized that featured two of its sponsored riders, Todd Wells and Rebecca Rusch. I named the post:"Leadville 2011: Could 29″ers Take The Top Spots?".

As many of you now know, I got it right. Well, I think if you consider the details leading up to the event, it wasn't all that hard to guess correctly. Let's consider the following:

-Lance Armstrong, although he qualified to race, wasn't toeing the line this year. Had he thrown his hat into the ring, he would have been a top pick to win it.

-Six time  Leadville champ, Dave Wiens wasn't racing either. Again, you'd have to slot him in as a number one pick had he been in the race.

-Many pro roadies were already racing in the Tour of Utah, or were going to be at the Tour of Colorado. Roadies? Yup! The LT 100 suits roadies quite well, and this year they graded out rougher sections of the course, making them "B Road" smooth. Levi Leipheimer has won the event before, in record time, just last year.

-Many top mountain bike riders were overseas contesting the World Cup. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, who came in second last year, wasn't there either. This narrowed down my choices quite a bit.

-Todd Wells is in top condition right now. He just won the National XC Championship jersey, and Todd is always a top contender at any XC race he enters. Why didn't he go overseas to contest the World Cup? I can not say for sure, but Specialized has a top flite XC racer this year in Jaroslav Kulhavy who is making history every time he wins on his Epic 29"er. Keeping Todd in the US for another shot at making history might have been too good to pass up.

-Rebecca Rusch: Nuff said. Until she stops focusing on the LT 100, or starts to wane in her abilities, she will continue to be a threat to win the women's race at Leadville. This year? She lopped off even more time from her previous record at Leadville. Amazing! There was no way I would have bet against her at Leadville.

So, when you think about those things, and if there were no flat tires, mechanicals, or other mayhem for the two Specialized riders, (like there was for their competition, by the way), it was likely these two riders would contend for wins. They did, and they did. But, as I mention, it wasn't without a little "help" on the men's side, at least. Alban Lakata of Topeak-Ergon made a great race of it, coming in second on a flat tire. Had he not flatted? Well, who knows?

So, it was a lucky, somewhat educated guess, and no big deal in the end. It isn't like I could have picked the correct lottery numbers or anything magical like that!