The problem with paved roads in beautiful areas is that they’re often packed with cars. But if you’re willing to rethink your definition of road riding, you can have your cake and eat it too, hogging the road and the scenery.
High in the arid southwest of the United States, Utah is teeming with a wealth of desert moonscapes, much of it protected in a patchwork of federal lands. While much of wind- and water-sculpted desert is accessible on pavement, some of the most magnificent beauty lies many miles down dirt roads.
- Two Horses for the Course: Mavic Haute Route Rockies
- Clément Ushuaia wheels review
- Get started with gravel grinding
Clément hosted me and a few journalists on its Beehive Ride in mid-September to showcase its new tubeless wheels, designed for supporting wide tires and riding any surface you’re bold enough to point your drop bar towards.
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We rode Eddy Merckx’s new Strasbourg71 Carbon gravel bikes on a mix of dirt, gravel, paved roads and singletrack over the course of about 210 miles with 15,000ft of elevation gain. Once off the asphalt, cars were virtually nonexistent; our bikes and voices were often the only noises to be heard.
- The course: 3 days of rough dirt and paved roads in Utah, traversing three national parks for the Clément Beehive Ride
- The horse: Eddy Merckx Strasbourg71 Carbon with Clément Ushuaia wheels, Clément X’Plor MSO 36 tubeless tires and Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc group
- The objective: All-day sightseeing and fun — plus mechanical dependability, comfort and sure-footedness on rough surfaces
So what’s a gravel bike?
While you might be familiar with gravel races like the Dirty Kanza 200, many of us just enjoying riding on dirt and gravel roads, not necessarily racing on them. The Merckx Strasbourg71 Carbon can handle both, plus plenty of all-duty commuting, with eyelets for racks and fenders.
Merckx included thoughtful touches like Kevlar integrated into the tubes facing the wheels, for protection against rocks that inevitably get kicked up, and there are cage mounts under the down tube. We were supported by vehicles with water and food on our ride, but riding unsupported your range into the desert or any backcountry is determined by your water supply.
More gears with a floppy chain or half the gears with a taut chain?
Wide wheels and tires for a wild ride
Gravel riding in Utah — a desert rainbow of shades and textures
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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