CVC Members,
The Gravel Ride Survey results are attached. Thank you to everyone who
participated. We ended up with 27 responses, which indicates that there is
significant interest in gravel cycling.
Based on what we learned, the club will take the following actions:
*TWO GRAVEL RIDES EACH MONTH*
There will be two Sunday gravel rides each month. One will be an easier
ride on the *first Sunday*, and the other will be a more challenging ride
on the *third Sunday*. By offering these on a consistent basis, we hope to
make it easier to plan ahead and participate.
*EASIER RIDES*
These will take place on the *first Sunday* of every month. They will be
tailored for people with little gravel riding experience, but of course
everyone is welcome to join. These will be no-drop rides with frequent
re-groups as needed. No singletrack! The routes will remain relatively
close to paved roads in case someone wants to bail out.
*MORE CHALLENGING RIDES*
These will take place on the *third Sunday* of every month. They will be
suitable for intermediate or advanced gravel riders. These may have
singletrack sections as well as steep climbs and more difficult surface
conditions.
We will try to make these gravel rides more apparent on the weekly ride
announcements.
*GRAVEL BIKES*
Several people asked about gravel bikes. In essence, they are road bikes
with fatter tires and lower gearing. But it's no surprise that there are
many variations. Rather than give recommendations, we suggest you visit one
of the many bike shops in our area. In addition, there are many
introductory videos on Youtube and the internet regarding gravel biking.
You can also ask other club members, especially our gravel ride leaders.
Mountain Bikes are welcome on all our gravel rides.
Thanks to all who participated. Hope to see you out there joining these
rides. As you continue to ride the gravel rides, please feel free to
provide feedback.
Watch for gravel rides in the weekly ride announcements!
CVC-Gravel Captain -Paul Sterngold
