Road Bike Vs. Dirt

It is dubbed "The Paris-Roubaix of the Midwest", except the historical cobbles of the European classic is swapped for gravel and dirt roads.

A first time pre-ride usually leaves a rider wondering what they have signed up for, but it is only after you have experienced sprinting for position to be near the front of the gravel sectors that you instantly love it or hate it. As such, the field sizes are generally smaller and a finishing rate hovering around half make for a frustrating race, but if you can survive the flats and crashes, then that counts as a small victory in itself.

Fitness is important, bike handling skills count, tire selection can be critical, but luck is usually the deciding factor. So next time you pass a gravel road, take the time to explore it on your road bike, unless you are PHo, then stick to the pavement because a 30 minute tire change is outrageous.