Women’s Gear Guide for Gravel Grinders and Newbie Cyclists

What’s a gravel grinder, you ask? It’s typically an endurance ride on gravel and/or dirt, rather than smooth pavement. However, gravel grinding is not to be confused with mountain biking, which usually requires more climbing and the technical skills neccessary to roll over rocks, roots and maneuver between trees. The mother of all gravel grinders is the Dirty Kansa, where participants ride for 200 miles straight on the dusty farm roads of rural Kansas. It’s also completely self-supported. Gravel grinder enthusiasts are typically gluttons for punishment—the ultrarunners of the cycling world.

Here’s the gear that kept me going hour after hour during my grueling 56-mile gravel grinder, Rebecca’s Private Idaho, in Sun Valley. To read more about the ride click here.

The Bike: Liv/Giant TCX-W 2013

Because gravel grinding is the marriage of road and mountain biking, it requires a hybrid bike: light and fast for speed and distance, but meaty enough to handle loose rock, washboard roads, and the occasional mud puddle. Enter the cyclocross bike. Designed specifically for cyclocross racing (imagine riding your bike through a obstacle course and having to dismount and run while carrying your bike up steep hills), a cyclocross bike has the same drop handlebars and 700c wheels you’d find on a road bike, but with a wider fork to accommodate fatter, knobbier tires and cantilever or disk brakes for quicker stopping. The crankset is also mounted higher for better clearance over obstacles in the road. In essence, a cross bike is the ideal setup for a gravel grinder, although you could also be quite comfortable on a hardtail or full-suspension mountain bike for shorter distances.

In any case, leave your road bike at home.

The Liv/Giant TCX-W is a true cyclocross bike designed with a woman’s frame in mind. If, like me, you have a longer torso and shorter legs, you’ll love the fit of this bike. The TCX-W features a super light aluminum frame with a carbon composite fork, making it very easy to carry or load on top of your car. The colors and graphics are pretty sexy too.

However, I had to make some adjustments in order to make this bike gravel grinder ready. Because I knew I was going to do some serious climbing, rather than flat cyclocross racing, I switched out the SRAM PG-1070 10-speed 12×27 cassette for a SRAM PG-1050 10-speed 11×32 cassette, which gave me three more easy gears. Believe me, I was so happy to have them in Idaho. I also had to change my rear derailleur to accommodate the new cassette. Finally, I bought grippy new tires (I was unimpressed with Giant P-SLX2 32 x 700 set that came standard). I upgraded to Clement MXP 33 x 700s, which also gave me an extra millimeter of width.

Finally, I invested in a professional bike fit with the bike guru, Nancy Kelly, at Full Cycle in Boulder. She spent well over an hour with me, adjusting my seat height, handlebars, and the cleats on my shoes. I would recommend a bike fit to anyone who plans on spending significant time on her bike.

Thanks to all my tweaks, the TCX-W worked very well for my 56-mile ride. However, for newbies, I would suggest a full-suspension mountain bike for this course. It will allow for much easier climbing when the going gets tough and just a cushier, more comfortable ride. A cyclocross bike does NOT absorb vibration at all. After hour three, your butt will either be numb or aching like crazy.

The great thing about a cross bike like the TCX-W is that you can simply switch out tires or–even easier–the wheel set to make it road ready. One bike can do it all.

Pedals and Shoes

Because I am so new to cycling, I had never used “clipless” (a misnomer if I ever heard one–you are clipped in) pedals before July, when I got my first set of Shimano PD-M540 SPD pedals. And frankly, the concept of them scared me to death. You mean you’re locked in? Help!

But, here’s the thing: they help a lot when climbing. You get more power and speed when you’re clipped in. Just make sure you practice before you hit the road. My first day on clipless pedals I was mountain biking on single track on my cyclocross bike in Granby, CO—bad idea all around. I fell multiple times.

Shimano SPD pedals are a good choice because they are widely considered the easiest pedals to get in and out of. They are technically mountain bike pedals, but many people use them for road biking as well.

I rode in Pearl Izumi’s best-selling mountain bike shoe, the X-Alp Seek IV. These basically look and feel like running shoes with cleats on the bottom. Comfortable and easy to walk in, the X-Alp is great for any off-road riding, where you’re getting on and off your bike often. They also transition well from the bike to the gym, as long as you’re on soft surfaces. My only complaint, is that the toe box is a little narrow for my wide forefoot.

The Kit

At the risk of being wildly unpopular, I have to say that I am not a fan of the “cycling kit.” You know, those matching bike shorts and jerseys that double as “business casual” attire in Boulder or other bike-crazy towns. They’re just so dorky. If you feel the same way, never fear, you don’t have to wear one. A technical t-shirt and padded shorts will do just fine.

I love mountain bike shorts because they look like regular shorts, but I’m also a huge fan of the cycling skort, because they’re just so cute! I wore the Novara Miss Carema Gel Bike Skort, which is A-line, so it’s super flattering. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s available at REI anymore, but you still might be able to find it online.

On top, I wore the Ex-Officio Sol-Cool ½ sleeve tee, which not only offers 50 UPF sun protection but is also made with proprietary Icefil fabric that is supposed to cool your body by five degrees. I don’t know if it actually kept me 5 degrees cooler, but I can say that this shirt is remarkably stink-proof. It also has a comfortable, flattering fit. The dolman sleeves allow for excellent mobility and the sleeves are elbow length to provide you with a little more sun protection. It comes in a variety of attractive colors.

Gloves

Probably one of your most important pieces of gear for long rides, cycling gloves not only help protect your hands from blisters or from cuts if you fall, but they also provide shock absorption to keep your hands from going numb on the handlebars. My Pearl Izumi Full-Finger ELITE gel gloves provide serious comfort and protection (my first two long training rides, I went glove-less. Not recommended). I rarely even commute without them. They’re light, comfortable, and also provide extra warmth on chilly Fall days.

Hydration Pack

If you’re planning on a long-distance ride, staying hydrated is key. A plastic water bottle just isn’t going to cut it. I wore a Hydrapak Tamarack hydration pack, which can carry up to three liters of water. With enough storage capacity to hold sunscreen, a cell phone, a GoPro, energy gels, and extra tubes, with room to spare, the Tamarack still manages to remain light and comfortable on the body thanks to the extra padded straps and removable waist belt (I kept mine on). I also prefer Hydrapack’s proprietary ShapeShift reservoir compared to Camelbak, due to its baffle which keeps the weight evenly distributed on your back. It’s also much easier to clean. This pack is also the perfect size for a day hike. I love gear that does double duty.

The After Party

After you celebrate your long, hard ride with a cold beer, you’re gonna want to shower and change. You’ll be covered in dirt and dust from head to toe…and, if you’re me, chain grease. Lots of it. You will never enjoy a shower more in your life. After finishing our ride in just over eight hours (the hardcore cyclists did it in less than four), Kevin and I couldn’t wait to slip on our cool, new t-shirts from Endurance Conspiracy and enjoy a well-earned steak dinner. Because sometimes a shirt says it all….

 

Category: Gear