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ctothez2018 on
Hi!
I wanted to thank the group for the advice on choosing my new bike and share my perspective on what it’s like to switch to a gravel bike after almost 25 years of riding a mountain bike (mostly for traveling). Hopefully, this will help someone in a similar situation make a decision.
# Why did I want a new bike?
I’ve traveled half the world on my old bike and never really planned to part with it. But during a cycling weekend with a friend who got himself a new mountain bike and kept waiting for me (29” vs 26”), I thought, “I’m not putting up with this anymore,” and decided to get a new bike.
# Why a gravel bike?
I have a relatively recent experience from my other hobby – photography. For years, I used one brand of camera, then switched to another one, which is technically inferior but way more fun to use (to put it simply). Since then, I’ve been taking photos every day for years. I wondered – could the same thing happen with a bike?
# First impression of riding it:
Speed!!! That’s the first thing that surprised me, even though I expected it. The speed is unbelievable.
# Other impressions over time:
I’m going to kill myself on this thing.
Damn, I bought a bike without a suspension fork!
Speed, even off-road, yes!
Oh no, I got a flat!
Crap, it’s slipping in the mud, and I’m falling!
Fun… it’s just fun. It’s something completely different from a mountain bike!
I’ve watched a lot of videos where people say that “gravel is the best of both road and mountain biking.” Well, it can also be the worst of both. Or maybe it’s just a hybrid bike with drop bars. A mountain bike without a suspension fork…
# But the key factor with this type of bike is FUN.
I ride as much as I can. I don’t care that I bought a bike for winter – I ride because it’s fun again. I enjoy the ride, even when my hands hurt from the roots during a downhill in the woods. It’s a bit like an e-bike – places I used to reach on my mountain bike drenched in sweat, I now get to effortlessly. And faster.
It’s definitely a step out of my comfort zone, but it’s awesome.
2 Comments
**Thanks for posting to /r/gravelcycling! It looks like you’ve submitted an image.**
This community encourages additional context about image submissions. You can include details about your post in a comment below. Some suggestions for good comments:
* Bike details (make, model, accessories, and gear)
* Location (specific or general is fine)
You can also use **post flair** to give additional context about your post.
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Hi!
I wanted to thank the group for the advice on choosing my new bike and share my perspective on what it’s like to switch to a gravel bike after almost 25 years of riding a mountain bike (mostly for traveling). Hopefully, this will help someone in a similar situation make a decision.
# Why did I want a new bike?
I’ve traveled half the world on my old bike and never really planned to part with it. But during a cycling weekend with a friend who got himself a new mountain bike and kept waiting for me (29” vs 26”), I thought, “I’m not putting up with this anymore,” and decided to get a new bike.
# Why a gravel bike?
I have a relatively recent experience from my other hobby – photography. For years, I used one brand of camera, then switched to another one, which is technically inferior but way more fun to use (to put it simply). Since then, I’ve been taking photos every day for years. I wondered – could the same thing happen with a bike?
# First impression of riding it:
Speed!!! That’s the first thing that surprised me, even though I expected it. The speed is unbelievable.
# Other impressions over time:
I’m going to kill myself on this thing.
Damn, I bought a bike without a suspension fork!
Speed, even off-road, yes!
Oh no, I got a flat!
Crap, it’s slipping in the mud, and I’m falling!
Fun… it’s just fun. It’s something completely different from a mountain bike!
I’ve watched a lot of videos where people say that “gravel is the best of both road and mountain biking.” Well, it can also be the worst of both. Or maybe it’s just a hybrid bike with drop bars. A mountain bike without a suspension fork…
# But the key factor with this type of bike is FUN.
I ride as much as I can. I don’t care that I bought a bike for winter – I ride because it’s fun again. I enjoy the ride, even when my hands hurt from the roots during a downhill in the woods. It’s a bit like an e-bike – places I used to reach on my mountain bike drenched in sweat, I now get to effortlessly. And faster.
It’s definitely a step out of my comfort zone, but it’s awesome.
Thanks again, and enjoy the holidays!