What is the Spirit of Gravel in Cycling?

Question

As I have been getting to know cycling better, I have come across some cyclists who used the term ‘spirit of gravel’ which seems to have been directed more towards the aspects of gravel racing or riding in general. Does someone know what that means?

Answer 1

Gravel cycling comes with a unique culture which is called the ‘spirit of gravel’. It is about the enjoyment of gravel roads, almost like combining road and mountain biking. Riding with the spirit means valuing friendship, freedom and simplicity in biking: the emphasis is on the ride and fun of gravel biking rather than its technical aspects.

Comments

Are there any rules of the spirit of gravel that I missed? Let me know in the comments.

---

Hilarious sarcastic master class on the subject! One thing my wife used to say after attending road races with me, “bike racers are aholes”.  I used to laugh about it, but knew there was some truth in the statement. Riding gravel events in my senior years now, I try to stop and offer help to fellow competitors that are having a mechanical. I think not being a dick may be the biggest unwritten rule in Gravel. Or that is my hope.

---

Love this. Your forgot about the kerfuffle when a whole team of riders was dedicated to pacing and drafting and getting one rider to the finish in first - ie road team tactics - was a huge concern for the spirit of gravel… also wait until riders who lost their road careers to doping get into gravel races

---

What about the exhorbitant price you get to pay to be part of inclusivity of a gravel race when you can ride the course with friends for free. I get to pay over $200 or more to be able to start with some pros and never see them again till we watch them get all the prizes on the podem. Oh ya, sometimes you get a beer ticket and a not so decent meal after it.

---

Imagine if Dylan did content on the “spirit of triathlon”? It’d easily be 30 minutes long.

---

The spirit of gravel compels you!

---

You‘d need a checkered shirt to embrace the spirit of gravel. And of course you need more than one bike.

---

Rules are for roads man!!!

Out on the un-road we only have un-rules.

If you want to be *allowed* to win a gravel race, you have to have your own race!

Influencers shouldn’t be allowed to race- only compete so my race gets promoted on their channel (I made sure to announce that one on my Podcast).

The only training allowed has to have been done in the past twenty years of racing 100 days a year. Anyone doing high volume camps prior to UnBound is in direct violation of the spirit of gravel un-rule #366.8

My sponsors told me to say that commercialisation is RUINING the spirit of gravel.

---

No one can describe gravel as well as Jeremiah Bishop (big fan of his TheImpossibleRoute content with The Vegan Cyclist). When JB is describing gravel, I can close my eyes and sense the texture beneath my tires)

---

This is great! As a 69 year old 'gravel guy' (lol), I have experienced all sorts of this bravado. Mainly, it's just talking smack at the coffee stop or post ride beer. Occasionally, it's discussed seriously, especially if after a gravel race. This is hilarious, 'cause we just rode for x number of hours for a T shirt.

---

I always thought that my gravel rides were training rides for cyclocross (my mental health can't cope road) but now it is a religion.
Good to see that ye olde skool XC is back modern day trails are too gnarly for me.
As a bike shop guy it was funny to see all those industry guys boasting about gravel and when asked what makes this gravel they couldn't answer.

Still loving old XC.. I mean Alt Gravel (ever heard that label?)

---

Beautiful content on Gravel spirit!

---

I always wanted to try gravel but the problem is I don't drink beer.

---

Oupps, the other ''Gravel Rules'': 2-To power the wheel, eat more oatmeal, 3-Ride in the rain, don't complain, 4-Your luck is finite, so stay upright, 5-A dirty bike means you're in the good fight, 6-Don't sweat a flat, that's part of the combat, 7-Pity the roadies, mere dasypoedes (sorry, but how am I supposed to find a word that rhymes with roadies?), 8-The washboard road, taping out freedom's code, 9-Roads less travelled, troubles unravelled, 10-Self-supported roll-out, ingenuity sprouts, 11-A dusty track, stay ahead of the pack, 12-No asphalt in sight, things must be right, 13-Bumps and puddles are part of the puzzle, 14-Pound on the pedals, problems will settle, 15-Mercyless the Gravel Grinder, pavement is kinder, 16-Tireless turning tires, Gravel grinders, the outliers, 17-As the weather gets colder, gravelers get bolder, 18-Gravel, mud, ice or snow, after many hours it's chapeau, 19-The gravel trail never leads to fail.