Drop foot and Gravel cycling

First time getting back into bicycling after recovering from a motorcycle accident that left my left ankle numb and unable to move (drop foot). I chose a gravel bike because I used to love the MTB off-road genre so much. But now, with drop foot, riding an MTB on asphalt feels too heavy for me. So I asked my friends what type of bike would suit me better. One of them suggested the United Gavriil, saying it's the best in terms of price and performance — for only USD $500, you get a full bike with a mix of GRX groupset 🤩.

The first time I switched to my United Gavriil, it felt so smooth and incredibly light. At first, I wasn’t very confident—riding with a dropped foot, relying on an AFO, and switching to a new type of bike felt overwhelming. But as days went by, I started to feel more connected with the bike, and more confident in my body.

I have no regrets about training almost 30 km/day with my old MTB, averaging 145 m of elevation gain, mostly pedaling with my right foot. Now, I can maintain my heart rate in the lower zones and have ridden a total of 232 km in just the first half of July ✨.

To anyone out there who’s dealing with drop foot or recovering from nerve injury: don’t give up. You can stay active. You can enjoy cycling again. With the help of an AFO and some adjustments—like choosing the right bike and pedals—you can ride safely, build strength, and feel alive again.

Gravel biking has helped me not only recover physically, but also emotionally. It taught me to believe in myself again. So if you're on a similar journey, keep moving forward — one pedal at a time.