Gravel Riding Chit Chat

Looks like Enduro do one, maybe I’ve mixed them up.

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My mate that did the Spine in January just posted in FB that he did this event in November

Not my cup of tea but might be of interest to those in this thread


I was on the waiting list for the gravel version of this in March, but was notified I’m not getting in. It does look fun. The Trail version has some gnarly MTB sections.

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I finished building up my new gravel bike on Sunday and took it out for a first ride. It rides beautifully and SRAM AXS Force 12x is just so smooth. Nothing fell off, so build success. The only teething issues were a slowly slipping seat post, now fixed with assembly paste, and the eeSilk suspension stem. The stem was a gamble and I just don’t like it. It makes the front end feel floppy and clunks when you hop the front wheel. Now I understand why suspension stems were abandoned in the ‘90s. Oh well, will pop it in the spare parts box and replace with a carbon stem.

Didn’t take any pics… maybe next weekend I’ll find a nice backdrop and take a few bike porn stills.

Edit: the stem in question:

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So … speaking of “building” bikes.

My rack mount rivnut came out :exploding_head:
I assumed it was the bolt that snapped, but nope.
That little thread thing - totally goneski!

Just a case of getting a new one and some epoxy?

Oh … and Heath Robinson the missing rack mount fitting :roll_eyes:

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check out helicoils

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Carbon frame?

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Yeah, but it’s the drop out and all metal inside.

‘Tinterweb said epoxy is fine :joy::see_no_evil_monkey:

Why, are the rivets hard to get back in?
I’ve seen some on Amazon to tap in,
They look different to the helicoils

Has anyone here done the Flanrou Ribinou event in Somerset? I did the Omloop back in 2018, but this has dirt/gravel sectors. 8 June. Thinking about it.

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Sounds good that :+1::white_check_mark:

435km Dales Divide for me this weekend :roll_eyes::face_with_peeking_eye: (NB)
My training has consisted of … pretty much nowt :joy:

163km 28th December (road)
102km 9th March (road)
116km 21st March (7hr gruelling off road)
93km 23rd March (easy off road)
2 x 75km 4th April (overnight kit test. HillyAF = 18kmh)

NB: I’m taking the shortcut at York and not going all of the way to Scarborough, as that’s the hilliest part coming back via Goathland etc. plus, I haven’t done any training and only want to be away one night :+1:

Quite looking forward to seeing how broken I can be afterwards :joy:

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As long as it’s an adventure, mission accomplished right :+1:

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So who’s running a tubeless road/gravel setup these days? Thoughts? 32mm is probably my limit.

I put a bottle of Slime in one of the Outback tyres last week/reinflated and it seems to be working…so on that basis :sweat_smile:

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32mm being the lowest?

Tubeless on gravel, for sure.
So many punctures fixed that I never even knew I had :+1:

It’s magical.

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Good luck :tiger_face:, hope the weather holds for you.

Can’t see your name on the tracker, are you going dark?

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No I think 32mm is probably the widest I can fit on this frame; certainly on the back.

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Thanks :heart_eyes:
Love the emoji use :lion:

Erm … for a “free” event, the costs soon mount up …

£15 parking donation
£25 event donation
£55 tracker fee.

So I skipped the tracker fee :white_check_mark:

I’m doing the 435km York/Osmotherly shortcut, the orange line on the map.
As I only want to be away one night.
And a much much stronger cyclist than I managed 16-18kmh in the two previous attempts he did.

So … :woman_shrugging:t2:

DotWatcher link here. With a preview, too.
Really pleased with the amount of rain the past two days :face_with_symbols_on_mouth:
That won’t make 40-140km a total bog-mire :roll_eyes:

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The best of mechanical fortune!

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Well I just went out and strung some bridleways together including riding across a rather chunky field on 27mm Pave CGs with latex tubes. How on earth I didn’t get a pinch flat is anyone’s guess! I certainly got buffeted around at times though. I can only imagine how plush 40mm + feels.


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Might be more for the adventures thread but this could be good!

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:grimacing:

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