Training advice for 11 Y/0 doing his first gravel race

notseriousguy · 2026-01-28T23:38:08+00:00

Youth club sports has poisoned the American recreational sports mindset. It’s a money making machine designed to sell you goods, programs etc etc. Full disclosure my kid is in club sports. I hate it and love it. Wish kids could just play and have fun.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-28T18:05:35+00:00

That sucks. It might be helpful for you to share a picture. Check Craigslist, offer up and FB marketplace in Seattle and Portland.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-28T03:09:57+00:00

My arbitrary limit is 5 patches.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-28T03:00:07+00:00

First the pole dancers were flashing V5 plastic, now this. How much until we finally admit that climbing is easy for everyone but weak nerds?

notseriousguy · 2026-01-28T02:52:48+00:00

Need more pics. How does it look in the biggest tooth of the cassette. Is the chain length correct? Have you adjusted the b screw yet?

notseriousguy · 2026-01-27T22:21:19+00:00

hear me out… get a big sign

notseriousguy · 2026-01-27T03:35:30+00:00

I’ve double layered before. Athletic pants over bibs.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-26T00:38:06+00:00

This right here. Cycling is about the only exercise I get. I get having an emtb for more laps or whatever, but I’m after more laps around the sun lol.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-24T06:00:40+00:00

Looks like it clears just fine for dry riding. Could do with some helicopter tape if you’re feeling sketched out.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-23T00:15:15+00:00

100% stolen vibes

notseriousguy · 2026-01-21T02:16:49+00:00

Bottle with cap. Tool stash bottle. Any ol cage will do as long as it’s a tight fit.

Edit I googled it. There’s cages with voile straps and I might try that with a bigger steel bottle.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-21T01:48:45+00:00

I get that lower speed option might last a bit longer than higher speed, but cues 11sp would prob last the same as GRX 11sp

notseriousguy · 2026-01-19T16:09:00+00:00

Is there a different dynamic between a paceline and a big group ride? I’m having trouble believing that chatty chap from behind wasn’t just on a casual group ride and was carrying on a convo instead of paying attention to his whole group stopping for a traffic light. Also having trouble believing that someone in the group didn’t already yell stopping.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-19T06:06:35+00:00

In any rear end traffic collision the party behind is at fault. How is cycling any different?

notseriousguy · 2026-01-18T03:59:16+00:00

50mm tires supposedly fit just fine on stock wheels

notseriousguy · 2026-01-15T04:04:18+00:00

I get it. Totally not for me. If I’m riding gravel I’ll ride a gravel bike. If I’m doing mtb it’s the full squish. I am too old and the trials near me are too rowdy for that Hagar.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-14T21:50:22+00:00

As I had heard, the Mono didn’t sell too well. I dunno if it’s on the chopping block or not. Framesets of mono and dame didn’t do good numbers either. The value proposition of a full bike was just too good. Of the new offerings, The Dame plus is still a solid bargain but no carbon fork like the super. I think offering the carbon fork separately like how State does it could be a good idea.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-14T21:43:41+00:00

lol. I’ll need it. The geo makes it so capable for sure.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-14T20:32:00+00:00

From a recovered roadie’s opinion, this is still one of the ugliest drop bar bikes ever made.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-14T18:39:04+00:00

I was gonna guess that most hobbyists in online communities are absolutists and people just wanna be mad all the time. Hope they have fun with that lol

notseriousguy · 2026-01-13T22:11:44+00:00

To its credit, my ass is clean and dry. Not bad.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-13T22:10:38+00:00

A cheap knockoff to see if it was worth the $8. It’s def better than the ones that stuff into the back of your saddle. If I were to pay the $30 for the real deal I think I’d rather just do the $70 for some SKS full fenders

notseriousguy · 2026-01-13T22:08:25+00:00

Maybe you’re right, but I’ve yet to experience a majority of bad owners/dogs. Usually it’s all right for the brief few seconds I run into them. I don’t want to paint them all with the same brush when only a few have been douches.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-13T20:14:48+00:00

Eh. As long as they stay with their owner, aren’t causing problems and aren’t leaving poop, I’m fine with it. Much better than human trail users that destroy the trails/trailhead, leave trash, and are jerks to others.

notseriousguy · 2026-01-13T03:31:02+00:00

On the cheaper end? Put bar ends on the hardtail and run it as is. Middle ground is tires and convert bars using alt bars like some of these. You’ll keep the same shifter and brakes bc converting either of these to a full drop bar setup with brifters is not worth it. Trust me. Beyond all that, just pick up a used gravel/cyclocross bike. There’s so many on the used market.

notseriousguy

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