Gravel

With Mitchelton-Scott pro Carlos Verona as guide, we explore the eastern Pyrenees and encounter some spectacular, lesser-known gems of this mountain range.

I finished the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana this year and yet it was The Tent that nearly broke me.

I’m a keen cyclist. Nothing fancy, no racing history, or inclination. Just a road bike I think is pretty cool, a trainer in the garage, and a desire to be a better rider than I was the month before.

For all its charms, Sydney is far from a great city for cyclists, with hostile authorities and manic traffic conspiring against the picturesque surrounds. But venture to the north, and with a little planning, you can find yourself in rugged, quiet terrain that's perfect for an escape from the city.

Nestled in the Bernese Alps is a tiny road, closed to motorized traffic at the top, with dramatic views of some of the most prestigious peaks in the Alps. Grosse Scheidegg – the most beautiful climb you’ve never heard of.

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After more than a decade of bikepacking adventures, Jay Petervary is something of a guru. We asked for his advice on getting out there.

After his first foray into the world of bikepacking, Dan Cavallari has five tips to help you pack more efficiently for a night outdoors.

With just about any bike and a minimum of planning, you too can fall in love with bikepacking, literally, overnight.

On Strava I clicked my way around the Yorkshire moors, then into the Derbyshire peak district, across a corner of Staffordshire, then finally down onto the Cheshire plain. Here we go. An adventure. A quest to give back a tenner, test out some kit, and sleep beneath the stars on some lovely, lonely peak. 250km, with 4,000m of up.

I call them ‘breakdown rides’ – rides that take me deep enough into myself that something breaks or heals, or sometimes both.

Sometimes you just need to get away and ride your bike somewhere new – somewhere you’ve always longed to see in person. That was the mindset we had when we decided to step out of our usual comfort zone, and fly off (with bikes in tow) to the vast expanses of the Idaho countryside.

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Grinduro is part bike race, part camping trip, part block party in the woods of Northern California. It makes for one hell of a weekend.

Better gear to ride mixed terrain is encouraging riders to explore beyond the usual roads — a good thing, says the Squid Bikes co-owner.

Dirty Kanza organizer says the sale will secure the future of the iconic gravel race and help support the community of Emporia, Kansas.

Rebecca's Private Idaho combines stunning mountain scenery with a tough route and plenty of celebration once the 92-mile gravel race is over.

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Photos from the 2018 edition of Rebecca's Private Idaho, a gravel race led by Rebecca Rusch.

As part of our continuing coverage of gravel events, I'm headed to Ketchum, Idaho for the sixth edition of Rebecca's Private Idaho.

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Three hours and a million miles from the bustle of Chicago, on the shores of the Mississippi, lies the hilly, gravelly cyclist's paradise of Galena. We drifted out of the city to discover the Midwest's best kept riding secret.

Editor’s note: Managing editor Chris Case raced the Crusher in the Tushar and lived to tell the tale. This coverage is sponsored by 3T, Mavic, Bell, and Roka. Case rode a 3T Exploro on Mavic's Allroad Pro UST Disc wheels and Yksion Allroad XL tires, and was equipped with a Bell Z20 MIPS helmet and Roka GP-1 sunglasses. 

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Check out Chris Case's author page.

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Riders share stories of how they got through the brutal, 206-mile Dirty Kanza.

On a three-day gravel ride through the North Island's east, we were treated to a jawdropping procession of rolling hills, impossibly green fields, dense rainforest and champagne cycling conditions. In other words: a hell of a good time.

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The Lauf True Grit may look a bit odd with its suspension fork, but it's one the best, most versatile gravel bikes we have tested.

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Salsa Cycles decided to add a bit of cushy comfort to Dirty Kanza with a red velour chaise lounge. The photos were amazing.

Mike Shaw, of Cohasset, California, dies of apparent heart attack at Lost and Found Gravel race.

Thousands of riders take on the challenge of a 206-mile gravel race through the Flint Hills of Kansas.

We went to the laboratory (and the dirt roads) to figure out whether low tire pressure is not only more comfortable but also faster.

Ted King and Kaitlin Keough won the Dirty Kanza 200 gravel race on Saturday in Emporia, Kansas.

Team Panaracer/Stan's No Tubes employs road cycling tactics at gravel events. Not everyone is happy about it.

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The Dirty Kanza 200 gravel race attracts a wide range of riders and bikes. We're on the ground in Emporia to capture the magic.

Former Dirty Kanza winner Yuri Hauswald is going big this year on the 350-mile DK XL route. Here's a look at his bike for the race.

Former WorldTour pro and Dirty Kanza winner Ted King talks about the spirit of gravel racing, tactics, and yes, aero bars.

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For the inaugural edition of DK XL, a 350-mile gravel adventure, Rebecca Rusch has a tricked-out Niner RLT 9 RDO.

The Cervélo co-founder talks with VeloNews about where the bike industry is headed.

If 206 miles of Kansas gravel isn't enough, Dirty Kanza is running a new 350-mile race this weekend. Here's what to expect.

Defending Dirty Kanza champion Mat Stephens says aero bars were key to his 2017 win, and he's not giving them up anytime soon.

Geoff Kabush says you’re an idiot if you are running aero bars at Dirty Kanza, and he's here to explain why.

Land Run 100 is one of many events helping grow gravel cycling's popularity, one hug at a time.

Shimano expands gravel offerings with RX line of components, hints at more products to come in 2018.

When Daniel Weststeyn turned 30, he wanted to do something memorable; to usher in a new decade with a journey that he'd remember for the rest of his life. This is the story of that journey – a stunningly picturesque solo ride through Central Asia.

If you've been following our recent ten-part series on Switzerland, you'll know that we've traversed much of the country – from lakeside to mountaintop, on road bikes, mountain bikes and ebikes. What you haven't seen is all the cheese we ate, the crashes we had and the drones that we lost...

Although at opposite ends of the country, the Swiss regions of Aargau and Engadine have one thing in common – an abundance of phenomenal cycling. The rolling hills and historical towns of Aargau offer countless rewards for the road rider, whilst the slopes of St. Moritz represent a mountain-bikers mecca.

Switzerland's famously punctual railways are just one part of the broader Swiss public transport network – an efficient, reliable and safe way of getting yourself (and your bike) from one amazing riding destination to the next.

Tracing a mountain range from Switzerland's southwest to northeast, much of the Jura & Three Lakes region falls under the protection of the Swiss Parks – set up to preserve the diverse character and culture of the region. And that diversity means that the cycling in Jura is fantastic.

The Belgian Waffle Ride serves up a tough 133-mile course with fast pavement, loose gravel, rocky trails, and plenty of waffles.

Belgian Waffle Ride challenges 1,200 riders with tough climbs, rocky trails, and even a few water crossings over 133 miles in SoCal.

Mavic expands its Allroad line with new wheels and heavy-duty tires. It will add additional products throughout 2018, like shoes.

With beautifully-preserved medieval villages and towns, grassy farmland and forest, and some of Switzerland's best cheese and chocolate, the canton of Fribourg is a memorable cycling destination.

With mountain passes through the Jura range, quality local produce and stylish Swiss living – not to mention Europe's largest freshwater lake – Lake Geneva Region is well worth a stop on your cycling journey through Switzerland.

The Hunt 30Carbon Gravel Disc wheelset is versatile, robust, and caters to the needs of the modern rider

In the region around the Swiss capital, Bern, our journey through Switzerland took us to Gstaad and Emmental. While there, we uncovered a wonderland of quiet country lanes, dense forests, alpine ascents... and lots of cheese.

In Switzerland's southwestern corner, bordering Italy and France, lies the sparsely-populated canton of Valais. With 45 peaks over 4,000m and an enormous diversity of riding, we discovered a treasure-trove of incredible road cycling.

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A quintessential Swiss Alpine village, Zermatt is the gateway to the iconic and awe-inspiring Matterhorn. As we found, it's also an incredible mountain biking destination – surrounded by 38 peaks, the slopes circling Zermatt offer flowy trails for riders of every skill-level.

With 2.1-inch knobby tires on 650b wheels, the Open U.P.P.E.R. blurs the line between bike segments.

Specialized went all-in on innovative components to make the ultimate gravel bike in the S-Works Diverge.

Masi's CXGRc is an interesting blend of ’cross geometry and gravel bike build.

If you’re built for the long haul, or want a bike to serve as both your adventure steed and daily commuter, the Marin Gestalt is built for you.

Trek's Checkpoint should appeal to gravel riders who know they’ll be abusing their gear or first-timers who don't want to break the bank.

Andermatt has long been a favoured Alpine destination. For centuries, the quiet mountain town has provided refuge to travellers – and, being surrounded by mountain passes, it's a wonderland for road cyclists too.

In Ticino, superb riding abounds – from Alpine climbs to the quiet roads around the lakes, which corkscrew up and down through Instagram-perfect villages. But, as we discovered, it’s off-road where Ticino really comes into its own as a cycling destination.

From the rolling fields of the Swiss Plateau to the thick forests and lakes of the Jura mountains, Switzerland's landscapes are vast and varied. Over the coming ten weeks, our Discovering Switzerland series will showcase the very best of its regions.