Published October 10, 2016 03:00AM
It’s back for year three! On Saturday, November 12th the third annual Peloton Gravel Mob presented by Panaracer will roll out from beautiful Ojai, California. This is a special event – equal parts community, suffering, scenery and adventure – the Peloton Gravel Mob is 58miles of the most beautiful dirt roads in Ventura County. Check the link below to register and for all the details. Under that you can read about last year’s event. The field is extremely limited for 2016 so sign up today!
peloton/Jeff Clark.
To Sign Up for the 2016 Peloton Gravel Mob presented by Panaracer go here!
November 9, 2015 – It was 7:15am in Ojai, California. The line at The Mob shop was out the door. Clearly, our rider estimates would be way off. Ride day sign ups for the PELOTON Gravel Mob would end up being a third of our total rider count. Turns out quite a few people are as crazy as we are.
After a rider briefing that amounted to, ‘Don’t take any chances in the backcountry.’ and introductions of some special guests and heavy hitters – Dave Zabriskie, gravel ‘World Champ’ Neil Shirley, Chris Barton, the Pablove Crew, the guys from Stinner Bikes, So Cal Bicyclist – the group rolled out for 58miles of climbing, descending, dirt, gravel, fire road, single track, asphalt and water crossings. There were rumors of tequila shots at the third rest stop. We can neither confirm nor deny.
After a neutral roll out to the base of Sulphur we regrouped and at about 9am it was ‘game on’. As expected Neil Shirley went out like Neil Shirley does – fast. A group of local Ventura and Santa Barbara bad asses kept pace for many miles along with Dave Zabriskie, but at the top of the 16km Sulphur climb only Zabriskie was left with Shirley and by the time Shirley hit the bottom of Sisar a few km later he was all alone. After 13km up Sisar, Shirley had completed the Sulphur to Sisar transit in under two hours – a first if Strava is to be believed. He would not be seen again. Zabriskie and Barton kept up a solid chase with a number of local talent hot on their heels. Shirley rolled in at 3:44 with Zabriskie at 3:53.
Here’s a link to Neil Shirley’s Strava file.
After that it was tacos from the Ojai Tortilla House and Topa Topa beer on tap at the The Mob Shop in downtown Ojai as the rest of the field rolled in. There were plenty of war stories to be told, new friends to be made and cramps to be stretched. The post ride raffle was a doozy. Everything from bar tape and lube to helmets and new Zipp wheels was given away. It wasn’t until the sun had long set that the party finally dispersed and that was just to a few local area restaurants as the new friends kept the war stories flowing.
We think this comment from @cyclingj sums up the day and the experience perfectly…
“And this is why I am being drawn more and more to the gravel scene. Ride your ass off with some seriously fast people, have fun riding places you normally wouldn’t, then have tacos and beer with your new friends. Thank you @themobshop and @pelotonmagazine for an awesome event. Can’t wait for next year! #pelotongravelmob #rideojai #gravelgrinder #gravelmob #alpineapparel #getoutgoup”
To Sign Up for the 2016 Peloton Gravel Mob presented by Panaracer go here!