Gravel biking has a somewhat nebulous definition. It does not mean biking solely on small rocks, but rather exploring any variety of unpaved surfaces, with conditions ranging from smooth forest service roads to rutted out double track. The bikes are multipurpose — lighter than mountain bikes but burlier than road bikes — combining road bike geometry with mountain bike capabilities. With more than two million miles of unpaved roads across the U.S., there are opportunities for gravel riding nationwide. 

Gravel racing, one of bicycling’s fastest-growing sectors, features courses ranging from 30 all the way to 200 miles, many winding through smaller towns. Legendary competitions are held in places seldom heard of nationally: Emporia, Kansas; Stillwater, Oklahoma; and Cable, Wisconsin, to name a few. These small towns are uniquely situated for gravel riding because they have old farm roads, nearby public lands, and a sense of mystery that many big city riders are attracted to. Small towns offer many benefits for gravel racing, but gravel racing has reciprocal positive effects on the communities — towns that play host for a weekend can see economic, cultural, and conceptual benefits year round.

Outdoor recreation is not often associated with Kansas, even less so with the small town of Emporia, located about an hour’s drive southwest of Topeka. Visitors love the community in the Flint Hills because of the stellar quality of gravel, the people, and the big annual race. Unbound, a 100-mile race, began as a small ride of 34 people. It has since blossomed into an entire week of celebration with 4,000 riders at the starting line. It is called the world’s premier gravel event and attracts pros from around the globe. LeLan Dains, founder of Unbound and a bike shop owner in Emporia, said the biggest gain from this race is the sense of pride locals now feel as a “destination” instead of just a dot on the map. 

People, businesses, and nonprofits have all felt the effects of the event, Gravel City Roasters being a prime example. Operating under their current ownership since 2011, the downtown coffee shop has witnessed the changes in both Unbound and the city as a whole. The owner, Angela Baker, has developed relationships with returning riders throughout the years. As a safe space for the local LGBTQ community, the cafe seemed like a natural option for a fundraiser. The cafe partnered with pros Yuri Hauswald and Molly Cameron to raise funds for Bloom House Youth Services, an all-inclusive shelter for at-risk youth. When they held a shakeout ride on the Thursday before race weekend, the cafe expected 40 or 50 people at most. Instead, hundreds showed up and rode in support of the local shelter. The feeling that Unbound has brought to the town is unique. “Anytime a town organically builds what turns into an international event, there’s a lot of community pride that comes with it. The whole town looks forward to it every year,” says local Jeremy Johns. His brewery, Radius Brewing Company, in turn helps sponsor a smaller gravel race in nearby Americus, Kansas. These community-cycling partnerships are common, and can often reach farther than the small town itself.

Kansas is also home to a burgeoning NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) league, currently in its second year. There are more than 200 competitors, with two dozen in Emporia alone. Cycling is becoming a sport starting at younger and younger ages in Kansas. Bikepacking routes are also being developed across the Great Plains, creating more access to the unseen natural beauty of the region. People have moved to Emporia solely for gravel biking. A prime example is what Dains called “the tale of two Bobs.” Two remote business owners from opposite coasts moved for the friendly small town and the Flint Hills. The draw of small towns, for cultural and recreational reasons, has only grown since the COVID pandemic with the explosion of remote work.

Gravel biking creates economic change, especially in small towns like Emporia. 4,000 riders race, but the actual number of people coming into town for the event is much higher. The Flint Hills of Kansas become engorged for race weekend with more than 25,000 out-. A 2018 study by Penn State put the economic impact of the weekend at $5.5 million. The sales tax, restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and of course bike shops all share in the dollars flowing for Unbound weekend. This doesn’t count the number of people who come for a week before or after, as all of the professional riders interviewed for this story did. Visitors often return as well, both annually and more frequently. 

Gravel riding can bring people to small towns for both sanctioned events as well as training rides. Training for longer rides usually involves getting off the beaten path, meaning riders get to become familiar with small towns, and see changes that most people in a city wouldn’t otherwise notice. The small Texas town of Castell hosts the Castell Gravel Grind, a 550-person race that sells out within the first hour or two registration is open. The unique Hill Country topography and proximity to Austin and San Antonio make Castell a hot-bed for out-of-town visitors . Many stop at the local gas station/saloon/restaurant, the Castell General Store. This historic building is in turn supported by the race’s nonprofit partner, the Castell Preservation Association. This community ethic is reflected in the races themselves.

The biggest difference many professional racers note from road events is that gravel races feel egalitarian and community-driven. Everybody lines up at the same start line at many races, and people are there to complete a race with their friends instead of competing. In the words of professional racer Ryan Standish, “Gravel is much more communal. People are there for fun and to race with their buddies at the end of the day.” This communal feeling means tight-knit communities provide a perfect stage.

The cultural and economic changes gravel cycling brings are abundant for these small towns. Community members can have a positive local event to hang their hat on and urbanites gain a new appreciation for small towns off the beaten path. This appreciation can be expressed in return visits for training rides, learning new history, and interacting with people they wouldn’t run into in  everyday life. Gravel cycling has grown 109% over the last few years, and the opportunity to ride in safer, but still wild, environments means it is more than a passing trend for those looking to get out there explore by bike.

Gravel Biking Is Transforming Small Town America

At PeopleForBikes, we believe we can all do more to grow the cycling community. We’ve been doing the work for nearly 20 years and we want to keep the momentum going. We’re committed to improving inclusiveness in our messaging, broadening the audiences we reach, and increasing our staff diversity. Join us as we learn from various voices in the cycling community. Together, we can turn what we learn into action. Follow our series on inclusiveness.

Max Fennell is a pioneering African American professional triathlete. He’s also known as “The Machine” on the CBS elite-athlete challenge show Million Dollar Mile, and in his spare time he mentors young minority athletes through Tri-Masters out of Chicago.

Encourage — don’t discourage — kids

If you rode a bike as a kid, you probably remember the charge of excitement you got doing a wheelie or riding off a curb to impress your friends. And you probably remember someone telling you to stop — that it’s dangerous. Instead of discouraging kids from doing tricks on bikes, Fennell thinks the industry should foster it. “If you’ve got kids in every neighborhood of the country ripping around the streets on BMX bikes like I used to, what better way for the industry to market to those kids then to support things like bike parks,” Fennell says. If you keep kids interested in bikes from the beginning, they’ll likely transition into other versions of biking. “Kids who get a thrill out of doing a trick on a BMX bike might get the same thrill out of jumping on a fixie, or racing a mountain bike. There’s a progression.”

Create inclusive events and find new partners

When he was getting his start in triathlon, Fennell volunteered with Tri-Masters out of Chicago, and wants to start something similar where he lives in California. The organization started in 1987, when triathletes Bernard Lyles and Alvin Hartley decided to do something to actively get more young African American and Hispanic Americans into the sport. Now that Fennell has found success in triathlon, he feels like it’s even more important to support Tri-Masters. Fennell believes that investing in minority athletes is crucial in order to grow the sport, and in order to grow the community.

MAX FENNELL Triathlete

According to Fennell, it’s not tough to appeal to a broader audience — especially when it comes to young people. “Reggie Miller rides bikes. LeBron James rides bikes to warm up for basketball. Football players are getting into bikes.” Fennell says there’s room to target different demographics — to get lots of kids excited about bikes. Marshawn Lynch has already supported SE Bikes with roll-out events in Oakland and beyond. There are all kinds of bikes and all kinds of people at these rideouts — it’s about having a good time. Fennell believes this kind of ride, promoted by people who kids already look up to, can get cycling into the hip-hop urban community in a really positive way.

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Top Triathlete Max Fennell

Gloria Liu, writer and editor-at-large for Bicycling Magazine, and champion of diversity, didn’t grow up thinking she’d one day charge down mountains racing enduro, or go speeding around tight corners in a crit race. But her love of snowboarding, nature, and speed served as the gateway to various forms of biking.

Liu approaches her writing with  a diverse audience in mind. Her vision is an industry where everyone feels comfortable and welcomed — where going to a bike shop or on a ride is fun and engaging for all.

 Three ways bike businesses can boost diversity

 1. Representation matters: cast a wide net when hiring

“One of the biggest things an organization can do to promote diversity is hire a diverse staff,” Liu says, believing  a more inclusive bike community makes us all stronger. Liu’s experience with Bicycling Magazine has shown her that people of color bring unique experiences and insights to any organization. “People of color are irreplaceable resources in helping an organization navigate the tricky nuances of representation,” Liu says, “so you do things the right way, and signal a good intention to your audience.”

Some might argue that a diverse staff can’t happen overnight, or is more difficult to achieve in certain parts of the country than others. Liu suggests that meaningful actions can still be taken. For example, she says that she wanted to do something for Black History Month this year. “So we did a post about awesome black cyclists who folks should follow on Instagram. It’s possible some people thought, ‘Oh, they’re just doing it because diversity is a buzz word.’ That wasn’t our intention, but a more cynical audience might think that.” Liu says the alternative is taking no action — not elevating people of color and allowing them to continue to be less visible. And that’s not acceptable. “So we did it, and we asked Ayesha McGowan to write it and pick her favorite black riders to spotlight, and it got a really great response. Basically, you can’t be afraid to do things and not contribute to this movement just because you think you might mess it up. If your intentions are good, it will come through.

Inclusiveness takes work. For a group that isn’t internally diverse, inclusiveness might seem forced at first. “Bicycling [Magazine] has long made it a priority. So when anyone has an idea for a story about a cyclist from an underrepresented group, everyone from edit to art rallies to make it look and feel really great. That’s huge and makes it sustainable and consistent.”

Liu says it might take a conscious effort at first. “It might feel like ‘checking a box.’ But if you keep making the effort, you will naturally open your eyes to more great stories from underrepresented groups.”

There is strength in sharing stories and making connections. Liu proved this at the recent Women’s Off-road Cycling Congress event in Boulder, CO, where she gave the keynote address to a packed room. Sharing her experiences with other women and those under-represented in the bicycling community is her way of connecting and passing on knowledge. It’s how she helps others get the most out of their equipment and their riding.

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Gloria Liu

Tamika L. Butler Esq., a civil rights attorney and former executive director of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, recently joined Toole Design to serve as the Director of Planning in California and as the company’s Director of Equity and Inclusion. With a background in nonprofit leadership and transportation equity, Butler believes better listening, thoughtful language, and ongoing courage are vital for improving city infrastructure.

Butler says it’s important to meet people where they are when it comes to inclusiveness. “When I came on [at Toole Design], I spent a lot of quality one-on-one time with the folks…to get their sense of where things were.” This sentiment holds true for both the people she works with in the office, and the people she works with in the field. “I would never go into a community and say, ‘you should do this, you should do this,’ without first spending time there and getting to know the people, and trying to understand where they are and where they want to be.” Coming into a situation and pointing out everything that’s wrong is counterproductive. “I’m really [about] trying to listen and assess.”

Much of Butler’s work with equity starts with language. Low-income communities and communities of color may have different definitions of stress. When building a low-stress bicycle network, traffic, lane size and crosswalks are only part of the issue. “For me to be a queer black woman riding a bike that some people think is too expensive to be my bike, with a hoodie on — what kind of stress does that bring?” Butler asks questions about different causes of stress. “Where one area might be calmer when it comes to traffic, it might not be calmer when it comes to gang territory and street harassment. The stress of being a young person or a woman in that area is the reality of knowing why you don’t go down certain streets — no matter if there’s a bike lane there or not.”

There’s logic in borrowing best practices from European cities, but sometimes those comparisons can be overwhelming, especially when state and local programming isn’t working the way some hoped it would. Thinking about Vision Zero, Butler says, “In a lot of ways it’s a great name: who doesn’t want to get down to zero deaths and be visionary about it. But in other ways we can already see that it hasn’t worked out the way we planned.” Infrastructure in another part of the world can’t necessarily speak to the deep historical issues and context present in the United States when it comes to something like enforcement. That’s why approaching transportation work with a justice lens is so important. More people are starting to be aware of mobility justice, but Butler says because it is relatively new, there’s no single city to point to that has truly integrated mobility justice into their transportation work. What we can do is continue to work with an equity lens — be creative and thoughtful as we think about changes to laws and infrastructure moving forward. Maybe most importantly, keep inviting a variety of voices to the conversation about how a city works and how to make it fair, equitable, and safe for all.

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Tamika Butler

At PeopleForBikes, we believe we can all do more to grow the cycling community. We’ve been doing the work for nearly 20 years and we want to keep the momentum going. We’re committed to improving inclusiveness in our messaging, broadening the audiences we reach, and increasing our staff diversity. Join us as we learn from various voices in the cycling community. Together, we can turn what we learn into action. 

Ayesha McGowan is an elite-level bike racer on a mission to become the first African American pro female road racer. She’s coached by Carmichael Training, and has a growing list of top sponsors. She’s recently contributed to Bicycling Magazine and has been featured in Outside Magazine, and in ad campaigns by Jeep, Oakley and Nike.

McGowan created a virtual ride series called Do Better Together, complete with printable bib numbers and prizes. The idea is to join people from near and far to share an experience. The focus is especially on empowering women of color, but anyone is welcome to join. She does actual in-person rides for folks are in her geographic area (Atlanta, Georgia), and encourages everyone else to join in virtually.

“I’ve added Zwift rides so that I can ride with people all around the world in real-time.” McGowan encourages people to be part of something bigger.

McGowan continues to put her whole self into racing and achieving her professional cycling goals, but she’s also endlessly excited about her role in widening the field. “Racing is really exciting, but I’m just as excited about representation projects that I’m able to be a part of.” McGowan is fueled by recent conversations around representation — positive and negative — just the fact that people are talking about it. “Things are happening, and I’m really proud of and excited for all of it.”

She appreciates the ability she’s had to tell her story, but admits she doesn’t want to be the only one driving the progress. “I want people of color to be hired, to make decisions about how to tell the stories. What I’d love is to work with creatives — people of color — who can do the important work of representation with me.”

In addition to telling her own story, McGowan has a mission to help everyone realize that there are a lot of incredible people of color constantly doing awesome and impressive feats. “It’s great to get all of the exposure — I love it — but what I love even more is to spread that around. There are so many people out there doing amazing things.”

Even beyond her own goals as an athlete, McGowan thinks a lot about how she can influence the whole experience for others. “I think about Althea Gibson. She was awesome at tennis — the first one to cross the color line — and that was great. But then you get the Williams sisters, who come along and just knock all of that out of the park.” McGowan says that doesn’t make Gibson any less awesome, it just means she helped break down the door, and now so many others get to stomp all over that door. “That’s my dream and goal. I think I’m cool — I work super hard and I’m still not the best bike racer in the world — but there’s somebody who’s going to be a much better athlete than me, and that’s what I want to see.”

There are a lot of assumptions made all the time about who would want to ride a bike, or race a bike, or try something new. “If you have an opportunity or an extra bike, don’t assume what people can do or what people want to do. Invite someone. Don’t decide for them that they aren’t going to be into it or that they’ll say no.” McGowan says — as most people can — that she’s tried plenty of things simply because someone asked if she wanted to. “Just ask: just give someone the opportunity to say yes.”

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Athlete and Advocate Ayesha McGowan

Thanksgiving is past, holiday decorations brighten dark winter days, snow dusts towns across the nation — and many bike riders are hanging up their helmets and spandex for the season. But for some bike racers, the fun is just beginning: Cyclocross season is in full swing and landmark mountain bike events, like the Old Man Winter rally, are still to be enjoyed.

While the prospect of racing in cold, wet, muddy or frozen conditions may not excite everyone, many riders embrace these obstacles and feel the nasty weather gives them an advantage. We called up three of those riders — Troy Wells, Katerina Nash and Georgia Gould — to share a few tips to get you to the starting line and finish the race with a big, mud-flecked smile.

Know your body and wear what you need to finish the race safely.

Georgia Gould: “For me, the priority is my hands and feet. I wear gloves heated by a battery pack and winter-specific cycling shoes. I was skeptical about these things at first, but they really do make a difference. It’s not the lightest set up, and the shoes are not as stiff as a racing shoe, but being able to feel your hands and feet is nice.”

Katerina Nash: “Coming from a skiing background, I think I have a higher tolerance for the cold. My preferred technique is to use embrocation [i.e., “water-shedding burn balm”] instead of leg warmers that may bunch or sag. I always put a little embrocation on my toes too — it probably doesn’t help much, but I always do it.”

Troy Wells: “I am a big fan of the having a windproof undershirt. I am also careful to have spares available to change into after my warm up so I can get to the start line dry. If you get cold waiting for the start, it is really hard to come back from that during the race.” 

Wells: “I love racing in terrible conditions because it adds another dynamic to the race; it’s not just a tractor pull and the person who can put out the most watts wins.For me, the more technical the conditions, the better.”

Nash: “Given my longevity in the sport, I have trained and raced in a lot of bad conditions and I think I have built a mental toughness that gives me an edge over some other riders who may be anxious about the weather.”

Gould: “I don’t get bummed out and I think of the race as a crazy adventure. The result is not predetermined, everyone is making mistakes so you have to keep your wits about you and be as smooth as you can. We usually don’t like to feel out of control on the bike, but in some conditions you have to let go of that. I try to think to myself ‘It’s going to be a little sketchy, just go with it.’”

Gould: “I remember just sliding on my butt down a descent in a German World Cup because it was so slippery and technical I couldn’t ride it anymore.”

Wells: “As much as I like racing in awful conditions, I get really anxious about the mess during warm up and the clean up after the race. I usually just leave stuff in a pile for a day until I can face cleaning it. Sometimes my clothes are still frozen when I pull them out!”

Nash: “I don’t mind mud, but I am not a big fan of riding in snow or ice. I slipped out on ice at the Cyclocross Worlds in Tabor and it cost me a medal. When I see snow on the ground I would rather be skiing.”

Wells: “I won an Under-23 Nationals in bad conditions and got third in the U.S. Gran Prix of Gloucester in what was, basically, a blizzard. Some fond memories for sure.”

Nash: “At the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Namur there was so much mud they had ropes on the hill for spectators to steady themselves. I thought, ‘Is this for real?’ but the crowds love it and it makes for a great atmosphere.“

Gould: “I will never forget the USGP Portland Cup races where the whole course, tape to tape, was just mud. So much mud, it was insane.”

Topics

Bike Racing

PeopleForBikes at Work on Bike Racing

News

Gravel Biking Is Transforming Small Town America

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Top Triathlete Max Fennell

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Gloria Liu

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Tamika Butler

How to Grow the Bike Community: 3 Ideas from Athlete and Advocate Ayesha McGowan

Pros Dish the Dirt on Winter Bike Racing