Gravel photos

[elantra]

Glorious riding conditions yesterday. These pics taken on Acacia Scrub Road, which offers nice gravelly surface and superb panoramas.
Hard to briefly describe where it is, but let’s say in the Border ranges west of Woodenbong, East of Tenterfield, and south of Killarney.



In other words, close to the Qld /NSW border, and at simultaneously at the headwaters of the Clarence River (flows into the Pacific Ocean at Yamba), and the Condamine River, which becomes the Murray/Darling river system and reaches the ocean at Goolwa in South Australia !!!


Not all cattle grids are created equal!
This one required a dismount. I wouldn’t like to try and negotiate it any other way !

[warthog1]

Looks like good weather and good roads.

[Mr Purple]

Some amazing photos in these albums from the BVRT E2E event on Saturday.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/bvrte2ex2/media/albums



And my ugly mug holding second wheel before I got too messy.



Fortunately we'd outpaced the photographers before it got too bad!

[open roader]

62km today. Used 89% of my battery and my quads were burning a bit after the 44km mark where I took the photo in the Otway Forest Park on Westwood Road.

9 deg C, high overcast sky with occasional sunny breaks and zero wind for a change. New merino glove inners worked a treat too.

The electric MTB customised into a gravel bike is a success! I can spend an afternoon trundling out 62km, suffering no headaches / migraines - it works!

[warthog1]

The electric MTB customised into a gravel bike is a success! I can spend an afternoon trundling out 62km, suffering no headaches / migraines - it works!

Got to be happy with that!

[elantra]

An encompassing view over the Tweed Valley, looking west from Eviron Road. Not a gravel road, but quite popular for Road cyclists and also often included on predominantly “gravel” rides.
Mt Warning (or Wollumbin as it is often called nowadays) is the prominent local landmark.



Mt Warning/Wollumbin from the west, “gravel” country. While it is the most prominent and most well-known local mountain, it is exceeded in height by on of the mountains along the Queensland border directly behind it - by ten metres



The new Railtrail is a huge step forward for just about any variety of cycling activity here.
Even hard-core roadies love it because it is a relaxing way of gaining access to some of the quietest and most pleasant country roads in the district.
But unfortunately this is where it currently ends, at the Tweed Shire boundary.
Still it’s only a few km on the sealed road from this point to the rather glorious Wooyung beach, below



However at the western end of the abandoned rail corridor- 100 km and 2 shires away - the Richmond Shire council has almost completed its section of Railtrail, pictured below



The start of this section is at the city of Casino (yes, it was named after the Italian city of Cassino, about a hundred and fifty years ago !)
This section will be officially opened later this year.
And hopefully- one day- the entire 130 km corridor will be a World-class Railtrail.

[MichaelB]

^Looks fantastic !

[warthog1]

It does look great.
Showing us how it's done without the wide tyres too.

[elantra]

It does look great.
Showing us how it's done without the wide tyres too.

I have to let you know that the Railtrail gravel surface here (Northern Rivers Railtrail) is extremely smooth. You could ride it on a Track bike !

However some of the gravel roads that can be accessed from the Railtrail are quite gnarly and I would chose bigger, tougher tyres on these routes.

The “real” gravel roads vary dramatically in the smoothness of their surface.
Depends on whether it’s been wet or dry weather, how long since a grader went over it, and how much motorised traffic is carried. etc.

Corrugations are very hard to cope with on a bicycle.
Fortunately are not overly common around here, must be due to the soils and rock types etc.
Mud is sometimes a problem on farm roads.
And unfortunately on National Parks roads they sometimes drop huge quantities of course rock on the surface of “bog-prone” roads.
Very hard to enjoy riding on these surfaces.
Obviously done for the benefit of motor vehicles, but just about the worst option for bicycles.

[warthog1]

Went out on the gravelly again today. Actually not a bad day weather wise too
The last photo shows lake Eppalock which is quite full. I rode over the dam earlier but didn't stop for a photo.
The roads are smooooth at the moment, a bit of mud around after the rain we've had.
The bike definitely needed a wash when I got home.
Only 1 car seen on the dirt and going the other way nice and slowly. I waved thanks and he waved back.
So much better than the bitumen.

[warthog1]

[quote]
I have to let you know that the Railtrail gravel surface here (Northern Rivers Railtrail) is extremely smooth. You could ride it on a Track bike !

However some of the gravel roads that can be accessed from the Railtrail are quite gnarly and I would chose bigger, tougher tyres on these routes.

The “real” gravel roads vary dramatically in the smoothness of their surface.
Depends on whether it’s been wet or dry weather, how long since a grader went over it, and how much motorised traffic is carried. etc.

Corrugations are very hard to cope with on a bicycle.
Fortunately are not overly common around here, must be due to the soils and rock types etc.
Mud is sometimes a problem on farm roads.
And unfortunately on National Parks roads they sometimes drop huge quantities of course rock on the surface of “bog-prone” roads.
Very hard to enjoy riding on these surfaces.
Obviously done for the benefit of motor vehicles, but just about the worst option for bicycles.
[/quote]

Yes corrugations are annoying.
About the only reason I'd go bigger tyres. The bigger the tyre the more it smoothes bumps. Slower on the smooth stuff however. Currently I run 40mm tyres and am pretty happy with them.
A couple of people I ride with have the revolt X that has a short travel suspension fork.
They say it's a bit better. Seems to be the rear is where you'd need suspension on corrugations?
Anyway not for me as I use my revolt on the bitumen a bit too and will do so when I travel with another set of wheels shod with road tyres.

(dunno why that quote won't come up as a quote?)

[elantra]

…<snip>…





Went out on the gravelly again today. Actually not a bad day weather wise too
The last photo shows lake Eppalock which is quite full. I rode over the dam earlier but didn't stop for a photo.
The roads are smooooth at the moment, a bit of mud around after the rain we've had.
The bike definitely needed a wash when I got home.
Only 1 car seen on the dirt and going the other way nice and slowly. I waved thanks and he waved back.
So much better than the bitumen.

Bliss ! Doesn’t get much better than that

[Mr Purple]

So the Checkpoint is doing that 'slowly mutating into something slightly uglier but faster' process. I should really match those sidewalls at some stage, I feel like I'm riding a beaten up 80's BMX.



Hope Carbon seatpost and Selle Italia Carbonio XL-R saddle managed to strip 260g off it. Had to post a photo of it to Strava today because I took out two KOMs by enough time that it needed a 'definitely not an e-bike' photo.

Have noticed pretty much every steep offroad KOM is held by a speed of about 25km/hr by someone who doesn't ride much. E-bikes everywhere.

[warthog1]

Hope Carbon seatpost and Selle Italia Carbonio XL-R saddle managed to strip 260g off it. Had to post a photo of it to Strava today because I took out two KOMs by enough time that it needed a 'definitely not an e-bike' photo.

Have noticed pretty much every steep offroad KOM is held by a speed of about 25km/hr by someone who doesn't ride much. E-bikes everywhere.

I actually got a KOM the other day from a bloke who is stronger than I, but seems to have stopped riding.
Chuck, who used to post on here commented "nice KOM mate"
I replied "Ssshhhh. Any number of riders can go heaps faster here".

Luckily it's gravel and not too many ride it. Otherwise it's gone.

[warthog1]

Had to get a photo of this bit of road on today's ride. Buttery smooooth and deserted. Just sublime cycling

[antigee]

^^^^^need a like (lots) button

[warthog1]

^^^^^need a like (lots) button

It was great but it was only about 10k long.
There was some more rocky rugged stuff but the roads here are generally very good at the moment. Loving it!

[find_bruce]

And I somehow rather fancy that I'd like to change with Warty,
Like to take a turn at riding where the roads are so tranquil

[jaseyjase]

Had to get a photo of this bit of road on today's ride. Buttery smooooth and deserted. Just sublime cycling

on point as always WH

[open roader]

Had to get a photo of this bit of road on today's ride. Buttery smooooth and deserted. Just sublime cycling

on point as always WH

This is nirvana - about as good as it gets......... maybe add sun and it's perfect!

[warthog1]

Had to get a photo of this bit of road on today's ride. Buttery smooooth and deserted. Just sublime cycling

on point as always WH

This is nirvana - about as good as it gets......... maybe add sun and it's perfect!

Some sun would be nice agreed. Winter ain't my favourite time, but the roads tend to be smoother when it isn't hot and dry, is a positive I guess.

Zwift today for the first time in almost 2 months. Nowhere near as good.

[elantra]

^^^Looks like gravel road conditions in Victoria are relatively good at the moment.

Up here about a thousand km north (as the crow flies) things are getting a bit dry and dusty after lower than average winter rainfalls.

Fingers crossed that it won’t end up like 2019.


This is literally right on the Qld/NSW border. Headwaters of the Clarence and Condamine rivers.
Currently perfect (gravel) riding conditions.
Don’t even need a gravel bike !


Looking north - Into the vastness of Queensland.



Looking south - through the Barlow’s gate Rd Border gate. Other side of gate is NSW.

As you can see, the Qld Gov is a bit phobic about rabbits.
I wonder if anyone has ever copped the $ 3,750 fine for leaving this gate open ?

Rest assured that I passed through this gate and closed it again securely.

[warthog1]

^^^Looks like gravel road conditions in Victoria are relatively good at the moment.

Up here about a thousand km north (as the crow flies) things are getting a bit dry and dusty after lower than average winter rainfalls.

Looks like some great riding up there Elantra.
Must get my gravelly up there for a look at some point.

[jaseyjase]

Meanwhile on the west coast, it was wet and muddy with the boys this morning. Probably the way we like it tbh !

[warthog1]

Good numbers there.
A bit of cleaning required.