It’ll be GRVL next year 
3 Likes
Gravel is like the shitest bits of everything, I don’t get it.
XC and cyclocross kind of interested me a while ago but I never got into it.
1 Like
The term ‘gravel’ has changed a bit though really - the way I see it is that it just a term for off road riding and not strictly ‘gravel’
1 Like
gravel I see as MTB-lite
5 Likes
All the above, but it helps sell bikes to people that think they need one instead of the MTB that’s rotting in the garage 
2 Likes
And no one’s interested in XC MTBing nowadays. It’s too hard. We’re in the Enduro boom.
2 Likes
I reckon the bike shops that were telling people that they needed a road bike for commuting in London are now telling folks that the London roads are terrible and they need a gravel bike now
I see loads of gravel bikes on the streets of London that have probably never seen any gravel
4 Likes
Not unlike all the 4*4’s
Oh wait, they need them to park on the kerb
3 Likes
Like bag for life, they should do vehicle for life. You get one vehicle, it’s a bike, and that’s it forever.
3 Likes
Or Trigger’s broom
3 Likes
I’m in two minds over my cycle club membership … I rarely ride with them now. And when I do, I rarely enjoy it. Also, the enforced insurance thing grates with me (not mad keen on being a member of either CTC or BC, as I believe I’ve insurance via my home cover 
)
I stopped the running club, as I just cannot be arsed to do anything after 7pm these days.
Tri club in Knutsford was great for swimming.
As I live 150m from the pool and they swam at 6am 
Running wasn’t great, as it was in Timperley/Altrincham, which is my closest track.
Macc Leisure centre has a track, but it’s 15km away and, you guessed it, CBA (my gym membership covers running there)
I’m going to join the canoe club, for a waterways license, so I can paddle on canals with my daughter, does that count?
ManTri seem to have some good session times, but I no longer work in Manchester, so again, no point. Plus the cost 
They’re like £400/year or something ridiculous!!!
RE: Gravel Vs MTB - totally different. If I got an MTB now, I’d end up doing myself an injury believing “I’d still got it.” The gravel bike keeps me sweet. Also, speed. When I’ve been out with others off-road, the gravel bike is so much quicker on the lighter stuff. FINALLY … if I wanted to cover 20km in two hours, I’d go for a run, not a fricking bike ride
5 Likes
Rarely?
3 Likes
My wife has commented (on multiple occasions) that I’m much happier when I return home after a solo ride 
6 Likes
Manvers, 70 quid/year I think, family membership is about 90. Can swim in the lake every day, canoe SUP or whatever, fishing, RC boats, tri sessions, run sessions all included. Total bargain.
Cycling club is 20 quid but we get a free burger & pint on the solstice rides and any money left over is mostly spent on beer for good turnouts.
3 Likes
I’m riding with GS Avanti tomorrow. I’m expecting the group to be slow, maybe try the next group up afterwards. I’m also half expecting the bike to fall apart so…
I won’t be riding every week if I join, probably once a month for some company on a long hard ride.
What’s your club like, other than the obvs?
1 Like
At these tri clubs that are hundreds of pounds I assume you get some sort of discounted or free sessions?
I’ve only really heard of pay as you go sessions which seems to make more sense unless you are super committed
At Manchester Tri full membership means you pay nothing extra for sessions, which include coached swim sessions 6 days a week
5 Likes
At Thames Turbo you get two coached swim sessions a week, a coached track session and organised rides throughout the week - I’m sure there are other benefits but it’s still never swayed me to cough up nearly £500 a year.
I mean I left my cycle club at the end of last year as I hadn’t ‘officially’ ridden with them since 2020! That was only around £30 but you have to be a BC member
4 Likes
Pretty decent value if you go regularly I guess but less so for casual attendance
2 Likes
I may be reviewing this opinion. 
How can I tell if the trails nearby are any good for “gravel” riding? I’ve seen a few MTBers with their global warming lights in winter occasionally.
Only functioning bike left is my steel town/touring bike. I could strip the guards and frames and put on knobbly tyres but seems like a lot of faff and potential disaster.
Eyeing up a gravel bike around £1300…
1 Like