3 Tips for New Gravel Riders (to keep tires down and smiles up!)
Whether you are new to riding, transitioning from road to gravel (or mountain biking to gravel), riding this new light, skinny bike on gravel, dirt, and rocks is a new feeling and can be a bit scary. COACH TIP - understand your bike and your body. The bike-body connection is key to gravel riding and once you start to feel it, you will ride with ease and flow (and faster and safer).
3 Tips for New Gravel Riders
Know Your Bike - Knowing your tires, wheels, gearing, and set up are the basis of your ride. Get comfortable with how it feels and don’t be afraid to change things up. One common mistake is to have the tire pressure too hard/too full. This causes a reduction in friction (or grip) to the dirt and there less control. Control is speed. If you are coming from a road background, the mechanics and dynamics are different and rules of the road don’t apply to the dirt. I encourage you to let out 2-3 pounds of pressure at a time. Usually between 30-45 psi is recommended - depends on terrain and your body weight. Here’s an easy chart to follow.
Know Your Body - of course you know your body but how your body moves with your bike and with the terrain will help with your speed and safety. A lot of this movement and anticipation (and reaction) are skills that can be learned and honed. Taking the time to learn how to descend, climb, corner and roll on to and roll over rocks can make the difference of minutes and your safety. For example, if you hit the brakes on a descent and you are either seated on your bike, or too far forward, your body weight will shift forward and bring you OTB (over the bars). No Bueno. Sitting in a ‘low ready’ position with your butt off the seat , with weight even in your pedals, helps you be ready to respond to terrain and speed.
Pick Good Lines - one skill that gets improved with gravel riding is looking for lines in the dirt with least resistance. Clean lines means less hesitation, good flow, and smiles for miles :). Keep your eyes up and look as far ahead as you can. The faster you are riding the farther you need to look. This too is a skill in itself! You go where you look so keep looking at the line you want (and not where you don’t want to go).
Enjoy the Ride!
Chi
Interested in learning more about gravel skills? Join Chi with the Controlled Chaos Skills for their upcoming Advanced Gravel Skills Clinics - Part 1 on Sunday, May 21st and Part 2 on Sunday, June. 25th. You are welcome to join one or both of these clinics.