Starting in Wiveliscombe and taking in Wimbleball Lake and the Grand Western Canal. Scott Sports, Six British gravel playgrounds for you to try out…. There’s no single tough section, its difficulty is with the cumulative effect of all the climbing. From here it meanders alongside the Hudson River mixing largely flat terrain with a few technical sections.Â, >>> Preparing for your first gravel race: what to know and do, Riding to the end of the trail at the spectacular Croton Dam doesn’t have to be the finish. Some road link up got us back to the starts of the big loop at Strada Florida, and all that stood between us and the end of the route was a 6km gravel climb and the rapidly fading daylight. It’s England’s oldest road and travels some 90 miles from Avebury to Ivanhoe Beacon in the Chiltern Hills. With miles upon miles of off-road gravel routes to be discovered, this is an ideal location for some epic adventure cycling. The state’s other desert roads have also piqued the interest of many gravel riders. These distinctive red-dust roads zig-zag their way across several of Utah’s state parks. With 20 years of stage race experience, TransRockies goes ‘all in’ on gravel for 2021 Panorama, B.C. Don’t discount a few stream crossings and a bit of hike-a-bike, too. Gravel riding is the hottest thing in the drop-bar world. The Chilterns Challenge - a relaxed and friendly, signed and supported cycling event based in our local stomping ground Once you’re over that you’re into typical Peak District heather moorland. Dirty Reiver. Variety nicely mixes with familiarity in this part of the country. The region – less than an hour by train from Grand Central Station – provides an easy escape from the stresses of city life for many NYC cyclists.Â. The Wild About Argyll Trail is a 407-mile route that takes in the Ardgartan Peninsula, the coastal roads of East Kintyre and the Glen Want National Nature Reserve. The Routes Map. We’d recommend being self-sufficient as places to eat are few and far between along the route, unless you dip into nearby towns and villages. The first half makes use of National Cycle Route 7 north as it winds up through magnificent, towering mature woodland on forest tracks, topping out after a stiff 250m climb at the summit of Duke’s Pass. End point: Peebles. Journey Planner . Just let that sink in. I’ve often considered riding home but once you sit down on the sea front and enjoy a few beers the urge to ride back subsides exponentially! It’s home to desert, mountains and a rather big lake. But now the equipment has finally caught up and is keeping pace with our demands and our imagination. Other nearby gravel getaways include Harriman State Park, near Sloatsburg, and Minnewaska State Preserve, near New Paltz. The Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia are better known, but mid-Wales is an area that will put a smile on any gravel rider’s face. New York City is proof that even in one of the world’s busiest cities, gravel riding is possible. It cut its teeth early as a serious mountain bike destination, making its rise on the gravel scene unsurprising. Best gravel riding routes in the UK | 6 rides recommended by, Gravel riding explained: Adventure Addicts part 1, How to have a gravel adventure: Adventure Addicts part 2, How to ride gravel: Adventure Addicts part 3, Ten tips to stay motivated through winter, Reivers Way 282km coast to coast challenge, GT Grade vs Cannondale Topstone | ‘suspension’-equipped gravel bike shootout. It’s really quite steep at its lower part: 1:1 gearing is essential, so a 34t chainset with a 34t big rear cog. The ability to ride miles of winding country lanes before hitting hilly dirt tracks was an option that was never really open to roadies on 25mm tires or mountain bikers on full-suss machines. After a ride on a canal towpath, we turn off and begin climbing into the high peaks, joining back onto the Pennine Bridleway. Located just outside the southern boundaries of the city, these wooded trails are easily accessible by bike. 4. Rooted’s blend of paved, dirt and mud is quintessential Vermont riding. Despite the highest point being 475m, the course also packs in around 3,800m of climbing, about the same as the Fred Whitton Challenge. Like Scotland, Wales offers gravel cyclists a chance to get out and ride in some pretty remote areas. Short and sweet, and most possibly the best introduction to gravel riding in Scotland, the Dunkeld Hermitage Loop is the shortest and easiest route of the Perthshire Gravel Trails. You can explore theses two areas separately or weave them together on an bikepacking adventure. Cycling Plus is the UK's best selling monthly road cycling magazine. It’s amazing gravel country, with fun, fast descents and grind-it-out hills. The trans-UK experience If you fancy the long-haul challenge rather than a one-day affair, try EuroVelo – a network of 15 long-distance cycling routes that criss-cross Europe. Given the nature of the ride you don’t see much in the way of cafes or pubs along the route, so take the opportunity to refuel at Stan’s Bike Shack in Horsham. There’s much more besides that too, so you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to a gravel deep dive. There are some routes that are made classic by their sheer perfection, and others by races. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. We have ~100 routes on our worldwide bikepacking routes map. However, it’s worth noting that if you come to Steamboat Springs, don’t forget to bring your climbing legs. The latter offers miles of undulating gravel trails and beautiful views from the Shawangunk Ridge. The ex-Grand Tour rider, and two-time DK200 winner, now calls the state home. We will publish new routes here regularly. These are the roads that helped elevate gravel riding from a bourgeoning discipline enjoyed by a few die-hards to where we are today. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. If you’re looking for a scenic country ride away from the constant flow of traffic, then some of the UK’s railway cycling routes might be up your street. A 200km route it takes in the high plains and the Gypsum Hills and proves that Kansas gravel is as varied as it is extensive.Â.  407-mile route that takes in the Ardgartan Peninsula, the coastal roads of East Kintyre and the Glen Want National Nature Reserve. What ‘gravel riding’ means to you will vary dramatically depending upon where you’re based. These distinctive red-dust roads zig-zag their way across several of Utah’s state parks. I first rode this whole route in October 2017 but it came together bit by bit over the previous year, just exploring trails, using maps and routing tools such as Komoot, realising there are paths here and bridleways there and connecting it all together. Many routes will pack in several thousand feet of climbing. The Cambrain Mountains are dubbed the Desert of Wales. These include Rooted, wthebrainchild of gravel racing legend Ted King. Made accessible via its vast network of traffic-free dirt roads is what makes it a dream for cyclists. We save some of the punchiest stuff for the end because we want to make it a real test – for you to show your true grit! In addition to the 150 mile, 75mile, and 50km events, to be held August 21st, 2021, it is adding the 300-mile Long Voyage sponsored by Komoot. And with good reason. Titsey Hill Smash Up. Pedal across its chalk ridge to the phenomenal Old Harry Rocks, bright white sea stacks that mark the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site. Start point: Peebles. We’ll take riders up Newtondale and Cropton Forests, which are unique due to being on hillsides, so you have these amazing vistas. London to Brighton Off-Road series - choose from cycling this classic route by day or through the night - now with gravel and mountain bike options. Once the terrain gets trickier, into the Peaks, it requires more mountain biking techniques, standing up on the pedals with knees and arms slightly bent, letting your bike move around. With cafes, shops, a great pub (Forth Inn) and plenty of parking, it’s a perfect starting point to kick-start your adventure. Outside the city limits you’ll find plenty of gravel roads and trails to explore. In other words, if you were painting a picture of gravel nirvana it probably would end up looking a lot like Colorado. We tell you some of our favourites, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Like its neighbour Colorado, Utah offers an expansive and dramatic landscape ideally suited to getting away from it all on a bike. Dry conditions and tires north of 40mm will make the going far more enjoyable. Bristol’s reputation as a ‘cycling city’ is well-earned. Here’s some of our favourite spots. On the way back down, try to avoid the sheep. County and area cycling guides . On Easter weekend, when we last did the flat route, we had the most glorious weather, and the surface was bone dry. Already have an account with us?  Zion, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef National Parks all provide plenty of unforgettable gravel routes suited to the more experienced adventurer. The Dirty Reiver’s roads are open all year round, but on the day of the event, the organisation makes a point of taking you away from harvesting and industry going on at the time. I love the route, it’s one I constantly come back to and it’s a great showcase for what we have in the British countryside. Cycle routes in Dorset whisk you across swathes of colourful heathland, rolling chalk hills, old forests and even past an ancient carved hill figure in his birthday suit. Once the domain of hikers and mountain bikers, the gravel boom has seen drop bar riders take to the route, enjoying the panoramic views while breathing in a bit of history. The Ridgeway is more popular with walkers than cyclists, and you’re still more likely to see mountain bikers than gravel bike converts. Adding a gravel segment or route is easy. Be prepared to sign up early though, 2020 registration is already sold out. Legs were heavy, but the stoke levels were high as we rattled the last 30km off in a fraction of the time it had taken us to drag it out in the morning. In fact it possesses more miles of unpaved roads than it does paved.Â. Classic Routes. Yet the oversubscribed 200km Dirty Reiver, four years old and more popular than ever, demonstrates that the UK’s growing legion of gravel enthusiasts want a challenge. The mid-West’s place in gravel riding history is well-documented. The sheer isolation of these spots makes self-sufficiency a necessity rather than a luxury. The route I’ve shared below has elements of the Yorkshire True Grit course, but we can’t share the whole route because it’s pieced together with bits of private road that aren’t open at any other time of year. Elevation gain: … >>> Why are road cyclists riding gravel bikes when hardtails could be faster? The majority of routes here navigate the large reservoirs and blend winding country roads with off-road cycle paths and dirt tracks. It’s good to have to use your skills again, because modern mountain bikes are skill compensators. Generally look for disused railways that have been converted into gravel cycling/walking trails and maybe try Komoot for looking for gravel routes. Official UK off-road bikepacking routes for your next trip 17th December 2020 ; A geologist’s guide to gravel 16th December 2020 ; Maxxis Ravager SS 700 x 40 gravel tyre review 10th December 2020 ; Halo launch three new gravel tyres 9th December 2020 In fact, the only short section appears as part of the climb back over the Duke’s to Aberfoyle, and even that is a beautiful and scenic road in its own right. I think it’s the sheer variety as to why it’s so special. With gravel bikes filling the void between road riding and mountain biking, so must gravel bike clothing. Britain may not have the extensive network of gravel roads found in the US and other parts of the world, but there’s still plenty of opportunity to head out into the wild, from the prehistoric Ridgeway route in the south of England, to the forest tracks of the Trossachs in Scotland. It also serves as a jumping off point for the gravel roads of northern Westchester County. When it’s wet, bumps are shaped and when they dry out they’re like skiing moguls. If the prospect of a gravel … Circa 5,000 years old, it’s at least got an excuse. The country is full of spectacular routes but if you’re new to the region following an established trail makes sense. It’s about exploration, too, just going anywhere, and that exploration has led to us setting up our own gravel event, Yorkshire True Grit. Browse Gravel Routes - Gravelmap Map Search • According to Gravel Worlds co-promoter, Jason Strohbehn, the self-supported Long Voyage will challenge the most adventurous of […] Many of its nearby gravel routes can be reached by riding from from the city, but we recommend using a train to escape the sprawl and doing away with having to ride junk miles. Made accessible via its vast network of traffic-free dirt roads is what makes it a dream for cyclists. Staying on forest tracks and keeping your eyes glued to the wonderful views over the Trossachs ahead, you drop past the brilliantly-named Loch Drunkie to Loch Venechar for yet more speedy gravel trails along the waterfront. Take note of the facilities because this figure-of-eight ride passes back through the town at the halfway mark, allowing you to stock up on supplies before you embark on round two. 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