Apples and Oranges

Ride #1

Growing up, my favorite day of the school year was the very first day.  I got to wear my new school clothes that matched my awesome scrunchies and put my new pencils to work on fresh, crisp notebooks.  I seemed to run faster and write prettier. I felt fancy.  Everything seemed to be as it should be because it was all new.  Truthfully, I still get this way each school year even as a teacher, but that’s another story for another day.

I had a feeling riding this new bike would be very similar to my feelings when August rolled around.  I was hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. The only difference was this course didn't come with a syllabus. 

When I ride with Lori, we typically meet up at her house, drive to our starting point, and then begin our ride.  This particular time we started from her house.  The last time we started from her house, I drove the struggle bus while she practically pulled me the entire way.  Thankfully, she was kind enough to let me draft off her back tire for the majority of the ride.  Needless to say, I was slightly apprehensive.

I’m not sure if it was the excitement of using a new bike that boosted my confidence but I could immediately tell that this was going to be different.  The kind of different that doesn't make you hate life. Here are some of the key differences I was able to notice within the first few minutes of our ride:

Bike Frame:

The carbon frame made a bigger difference than I anticipated.  I’ve heard it said before that carbon is better and it really is worth spending the extra money, but I never believed it. The light frame helped reduce fatigue far more than I could have imagined.

The Specialized Rumor mountain bike I had ridden before is made of aluminum. It's great for the trails but didn't hold a candle to the lightness and agility of the carbon frame on the gravel bike. 

Handlebars:

 mountain bike handlebars

gravel bike handlebars

I have always been accustomed to using handlebars that go straight across.  However, this bike’s set up is very similar to that of a road bike, including the handlebars.  There are three options to place your hands; it took a minute for me to get adjusted to having my hands in different positions but it quickly became second nature. 

The only obstacle I ran into was trying to use the brakes while my hands were in the drops.  My hands are rather small so it's a stretch for my fingers to reach and grab the brakes when needed.  Other than that, I noticed using the drops on downhill portions of the road gave me more control of the bike and helped maintain an aerodynamic position to increase speed. 

Gears:

I’m used to seeing what gear I’m using on my mountain bike though you can certainly go off of feel.  On this specific gravel bike there aren’t visual indicators as to what gear you’re using.  I’m sure there is a rhyme and reason.

Gear shift levers are on the front side of the bike by the brakes and right above the drops on both sides.  The right side operates the gears while the left side controls the transition from the big ring to the little ring.  These are utilized for climbing hills.

To shift down you move the shift lever towards the front wheel and to shift up you move both the brake and the lever towards the front wheel.  This is a transition from my other bike; there are four shift levers. All of them are controlled independently. 

Tires:

mountain bike tires

gravel bike tire

These tires are a happy medium between a mountain bike and a road bike tire.  They are able to go over rough terrain and take a slight beating but can’t handle the more difficult surfaces and obstacles like a mountain bike tire.

They certainly held their own on the gravel roads, yet they were light enough to tackle the pavement without feeling like a ton of bricks were in tow.

Shocks:

gravel bike shock

mountain bike rear shock

mountain bike front shock

This gravel bike stands tall with a total of one shock and it is located in the stem of the handlebars as opposed to my Specialized Rumor which is a full suspension Cadillac. Where hitting large bumps and potholes would be like a small bump, I now have to be more careful unless I want to cause damage to the bike as well as my back. However, the shock in the handlebars is a nice little bonus and better than nothing.  I’m assuming there are more options when it comes to shocks as the price increases.

With my full suspension mountain bike I do have the option of locking out both the front and rear shocks. This is a nice option if I wanted to make it a stiffer ride for different types of terrain. Prime example: pavement.

Water Bottle Cages:

gravel bike bottle cages

mountain bike bottle cage

I know this may not even seem noteworthy but proper nutrition during any kind of physical activity is just as important as the activity itself. Replacing electrolytes and staying properly hydrated is half the battle.

Depending on the design of the frame you can place multiple cages on your bike.  With my mountain bike I only have room for one due to the rear suspension.  This forces me to ride with an extra bottle in the back pocket of my jersey or wear my Osprey hydration pack.  The option for two bottles on the gravel bike is a huge perk!

I wasn't anticipating to enjoy my first ride on the gravel bike as much as I did.  I'm sure part of it was the adrenaline and excitement of a new toy, but I didn't hate it one bit.  The ride was far more enjoyable than previous rides. Climbing hills didn't feel like I was carrying 200 pounds.  I was able to sprint up the hill; "sprint" being a very generous word.

Both bikes are incredible options for their respected categories. But just like I wouldn't wear high heels to run a half marathon, I don't think I would ride my mountain bike on gravel roads when there are options that are better suited for the job.