gravel grinding Archives - Tailwind Coaching

The Gravel Guru: Top Training Tips For Your Next Gravel Grinder

Gravel grinders have become one of the most popular types of cycling events out there. From events like Dirty Kanza and Battenkill to the myriad of smaller gravel grinders that happen on a weekly basis, people are learning that it's fun to turn down the road less traveled.

Whether you're riding a dedicated gravel bike or a regular road bike, there are plenty of things you can do to increase your enjoyment of a gravel grinder. In this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll get into the basics of a solid gravel grinder training program. So click on through the jump and learn what you can do to handle the gravel a little better next time you want to get dirty.

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Motivation Monday: Going Gravel

It's been no secret for the past few seasons that the gravel bike market has been steadily picking up steam. Recent trends from Eurobike and the Sea Otter Classic certainly point to this trend as a fact. Whether it's the machinations of the cycling industry feeding us new (and expensive) gear to gobble up or a true shift in cycling culture remains to be seen.

What does not remain to be seen, however, is the fact that riding “off the beaten path” or “gravel grinding” is fun. Really fun. In fact, it's some of the best fun you can have on two wheels.

Regular readers will recognize that I've long been a huge proponent of riding on unpaved surfaces. From tips about dirt road riding to an unhealthy obsession with racing Battenkill a number of times, I've been churning through dust and dirt for years. I've done a lot of road, crit and track racing since the Battenkill years, taking me away from the dirt. This year I decided to return to the unpaved madness for Monkey Knife Fight 9 and seriously put my gravel grinding legs to the test. To say I failed would be critical: I simply didn't hack it all. Partly due to fitness, partly motivation and a little touch of equipment choice made for a long day.

Well, it's time to rectify that with a #newbikeday. But why did I choose to go this route? For this Motivation Monday, I'll chat about the road less traveled, why it's so nice and why you should think about turning down it.

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