Gravel biking takes cyclists on roads less traveled by road and mountain bikers. Enthusiasts enjoy getting away from paved roads without the physical stress of many singletrack mountain trails. (Photo by August Kreutz/Special to The Denver Post) Colorado is a playground for cyclists, with paved roads and paths, bumpy mountain trails and dirt farm, ranch and forest routes to explore. According to the nonprofit Bicycle Colorado, 73% of Coloradans own at least one bike and a whopping 41% of residents call themselves recreational cyclists. That’s a lot of pedaling going on in the Centennial State.
Different types of bikes are designed to handle specific terrain — skinny, smooth-tire road bikes for pavement and knobby, fat-tire mountain bikes for off-road. But what if you want the best of both worlds, or maybe just a little bit of the best of both? This is a job best suited for the “Goldilocks” of bikes, the gravel bike .
When Carol Busch, the marketing and customer communications manager for ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours in Fort Collins, switched from hard-core mountain biker to gravel biker three years ago, she was looking to continue “riding dirt” but her body needed a break from the jarring physicality of mountain biking.
“As an aging mountain biker I discovered gravel riding is easier on my body, plus, it opens up a whole new world of riding. It’s nice to have a new focus and learn new skills.” she said.
Busch’s employer has committed to the trend as well, adding gravel tours to its […]
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