Gravel section in a Road Race?

[UndercoverBrother]

Hi guys,

I would love to know what your thoughts are on a 5km gravel section in a road race.

 

You rate only for the pro's with support vehicles?
Also, if you fall out of the bunch and get stuck behind a queue of Team Vehicles, it will get mega dusty.

I do not have experience with this, but seriously considering adding it to one of the events.

Will people bring different bikes for the specific 

Let a brother know.
 

 

 

[Patchelicious]

Great idea for road bikes, as long as....

 

Its well communicated before the event to allow people to prep spares.

Its hard pack, and not sandy.

Its not very fast section.

 

Otherwise, lekker!

[BMCfan]

Absolutely love it!

 

We used to have two races here innie Kaap in ek se, that had gravel!

It's one thing to ride your roadbike over a gravel piece, but oh my!!! SOOOOO much fun to race over it!!!!

 

I say, bring it on!!!!

[Thomo]

The gravel included in the funrides/races BMCfan refers to got mixed reviews.

Suspect mostly because of the state of the surface and the chaos it can create for the less experienced/capable rider.

[FirstV8]

Bring it on . Adds a bit of spice to a road race . A bit like the cobbles in Paris Roubaix 

 

[Gavin D Smith]

 It happens anyway when you are not  awake in a road race.   Well not for 05km !!

[Schmorglebot]

The sound of a stone being kicked up by a tyre and striking my carbon frame or wheels sends shivers down my spine at the best of times, and that's during a road ride/race. I wouldn't want to subject my baby to prolonged risk of that happening, possibly repeatedly

[Patchelicious]

The sound of a stone being kicked up by a tyre and striking my carbon frame or wheels sends shivers down my spine at the best of times, and that's during a road ride/race. I wouldn't want to subject my baby to prolonged risk of that happening, possibly repeatedly

Like veganism, the answer to everything seems to be, ride it on a Levo.

[Skubarra]

Hi guys,

I would love to know what your thoughts are on a 5km gravel section in a road race.

 

I do not have experience with this, but seriously considering adding it to one of the events.

Will people bring different bikes for the specific 

 

Let a brother know.

 

 

Make sure you communicate it very well in your marketing

 

Look up the hub comments on the 2014 99er race when they included 2km of gravel. Sounded like a novel idea beforehand but after a number of crashes, punctures and scratched bikes on the gravel section organisers were at the receiving end of a massive backlash from participants and dropped that section for the next year.

 

Reality is that our Saffas aren't used to road racing on gravel so it's a risky decision.

[Vetplant]

Could be a cool idea, but riders need to be clearly informed of this before they enter. Otherwise you will get complaints aplenty.

 

How about a dedicated race with close to 50%-50% split between time on tar and time on gravel? Bring your weapon of choice. Like the Swartberg Pass event, but with more forgiving gravel sections...

[Long Wheel Base]

A few years back the Race for Victory used a gravel road. It was only like 1 km or so. IICR the one year it had rained the night before and was a mud bath. They eventually found a new venue. Not sure if it was because of the gravel road or not. Anyway, while I never had issues with flats or crashes, I hated it. I was so worried about crashing or stones hitting my bike. It was like 1km from the start(and then 1km from the finish) and of course it was used to launch attacks to get rid of riders like myself who were not keen on going all out. 

[TomR]

Make sure you communicate it very well in your marketing

 

Look up the hub comments on the 2014 99er race when they included 2km of gravel. Sounded like a novel idea beforehand but after a number of crashes, punctures and scratched bikes on the gravel section organisers were at the receiving end of a massive backlash from participants and dropped that section for the next year.

 

Reality is that our Saffas aren't used to road racing on gravel so it's a risky decision.

 

I remember doing this race. There was a downhill gravel section, and it was absolute chaos. I love watching the pro's riding mixed surfaces, but for an amateur doing a road race on a road bike with no support vehicle, I think it is a bad idea. 

[The Ouzo]

as mentioned, if you're going to do it then please clearly communicate it.

i would not be that keen on it.

[Dirkitech]

Could be a cool idea, but riders need to be clearly informed of this before they enter. Otherwise you will get complaints aplenty.

 

How about a dedicated race with close to 50%-50% split between time on tar and time on gravel? Bring your weapon of choice. Like the Swartberg Pass event, but with more forgiving gravel sections...

Isnt that just a gravel race then?

 

 

 

 

Like so many other comments, I'd continue to single out communicating it as the most important aspect (after having it hard packed and thornless too!). I've ridden my road bike on hard packed dirt roads with stones and potholes and I really grit my teeth the whole ride and turning a blind eye at each "PING!" i heard!

[DieselnDust]

very cool idea. I like it a lot. Our road races need to be more technical anyways and okes need to HTFU and just ride. Too much moaning about this and that and tit for tat.

In Europe if you can't ride a section of dirt road well then you're aren't going to be racing much

[Skubarra]

I remember doing this race. There was a downhill gravel section, and it was absolute chaos. I love watching the pro's riding mixed surfaces, but for an amateur doing a road race on a road bike with no support vehicle, I think it is a bad idea. 

 

Me too, punctured... Which turned out to be a blessing in disguise because the puncture forcing me to stop meant I narrowly avoided a massive group crash seconds later...