The Sound of Gravel

WildPaul

WildPaul

Active Member
Region
USA
Anyone else out there who just really enjoys the *sound* of gravel?

Not sure why… there’s just something supremely satisfying about that soft continual *crunch* I feel and hear on a great gravel trail. I’m not typically someone who pays a lot of attention to such things, which is why I mention it… for me, a good part of the appeal of gravel is this sensory aspect.

Or maybe it’s just me?

Speaking of - here’s some photos from today’s ride on some lovely gravel trails here in Litchfield County Connecticut, courtesy of the new Specialized SW Creo 2 (I absolutely *love* this bike 🥰)

Happy fall riding everyone!

Paul

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WildPaul said:
Anyone else out there who just really enjoys the *sound* of gravel?

Not sure why… there’s just something supremely satisfying about that soft continual *crunch* I feel and hear on a great gravel trail. I’m not typically someone who pays a lot of attention to such things, which is why I mention it… for me, a good part of the appeal of gravel is this sensory aspect.

Or maybe it’s just me?

Speaking of - here’s some photos from today’s ride on some lovely gravel trails here in Litchfield County Connecticut, courtesy of the new Specialized SW Creo 2 (I absolutely *love* this bike 🥰)

Happy fall riding everyone!

Paul

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Definitely not the only one. Gorgeous final pond shot.

Not wild about traffic noise, the hiss of air escaping a tire, and the incessant clicking of a bad bottom bracket bearing. But I love the sounds of cycling in general — especially the crunch of gravel, the snick of a crisp gear change, and even the faint whirr of my motor. And of course, the birds.

Not sure what's so magic about the gravel sound, but it does celebrate your progress in a way that hard surfaces do not. Could be part of why it's so satisfying.
 
Great and happy photos, Paul!

Whenever I see a gravel road ahead, I utter the angry 'Argh! Gravel again!' with the afterthought 'You are expected to be a gravel cyclist Mikeš so let's have some little practice again!' 🤣

Yes, I do love the gravel crunching, too!
 
WildPaul said:
Anyone else out there who just really enjoys the *sound* of gravel?

Not sure why… there’s just something supremely satisfying about that soft continual *crunch* I feel and hear on a great gravel trail. I’m not typically someone who pays a lot of attention to such things, which is why I mention it… for me, a good part of the appeal of gravel is this sensory aspect.

Or maybe it’s just me?

Speaking of - here’s some photos from today’s ride on some lovely gravel trails here in Litchfield County Connecticut, courtesy of the new Specialized SW Creo 2 (I absolutely *love* this bike 🥰)

Happy fall riding everyone!

Paul

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The sounds of cycling do contribute to the joy.

I especially appreciate what the road sounds say about the conditions of the ground. On gravel the sounds say whether the trail is firm or soft. Whether taking a turn at speed will be safe or result in a skid. Whether the straight road can be ridden straight or zig zags are needed for safety.

The Connecticut scenery is beautiful, btw.
 
I grew up on gravel roads. What is cool is locking your rear brake and sliding. I still do it to impress my wife. She says it is not working. I ride GravelKing tires and surprisingly only get a couple of thousand miles out of the rear tire. Gotta start locking up the front tire too to wear them out more equally.
 
Thanks for the photos @WildPaul. Nice bike. I grew up just S.W. on 44 in Dutchess. That brings back memories. I like it in the mornings when you see the lace over a puddle just begin to melt at first light on a gravel trail in an orchard with the smell of maple leaves. And when the long shadows are white with frost in contrast to the golden morning light.
 
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Where you live there is a divide between Yankee fans and Red Socks fans. Are you more culturally oriented to Boston than to NYC? WNYC or BUR? As I am working on a bike right now I am listening to BUR. Both are cycling centers. I am in Coastal N. Cal. I will bet on the Socks. The founders of my town came from New England. It is culturally very different from towns further inland settled by people who arrived overland and this is a cycling town.
 
The Central Mazovia (the area around Warsaw in Poland) is highly developed, and finding a gravel road is difficult there. However, Mazovia (the biggest and richest province of Poland) is huge, almost touching the Belarussian border. Yes, you can find gravel roads even in Mazovia :) (That's why we have an organization called Mazovian Gravel to organize gravel group rides and ultramarathons),

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A Mazovian place called Garwolewo, which I jokingly re-christened to Gravelovo :) A long way off Warsaw!

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Mazovia in the map of East Europe.
 
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