What are your experiences with gravel riding?

[GoldenOne]

So I'm wanting to do some more offroady stuff on my EUC but the issue is that most of the trails/paths near me are gravel, not hardpacked dirt.

I wanted to ask what your experiences were with riding on this sort of terrain, whether punctures were an issue etc?
I currently have a KS18L so it's a decent size tyre (preorder in for the S20 :D), and I've slimed it, but given my weight is about 110kg I'm nervous that an EUC on this type of terrain might be asking for trouble.

But I could also just be being completely paranoid.
Anyone done much gravel riding and how was your luck when it came to punctures?

[.....]

I wouldnt worry about tire puncture in the slightest, on that surface. If that bicycle can manage it, the euc will. Only my mten tire is one I would worry about, and its made of playdoh. I say... ride it and worry about a flat, when/if it happens. There's only one way to know. Personally, I'd worry more about glass and thorns, than rocks,gravel,dirt. You weigh more than I do, but so what? Go for it bro, its just a tire.

Edited November 14, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Tawpie]

Oy vey, that looks nice!

As @ShanesPlanet said, you shouldn't have any 'extra' problems with punctures on that surface, especially with slime. And the wider tire you're sporting will help a lot, these kinds of surfaces can vary rapidly from soft to almost pavement hard and your wide tire will help keep you from 'sinking into' the softer stuff as much.

It's not pavement though, so you want to remain loose. No zombie style. And don't power carve (gentle side to side, but mostly go straight because of the soft stuff). When (if?) you do fall, the gravel can chew you up pretty quickly so abrasion resistant gear is recommended.

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Tawpie

[GoldenOne]

2 minutes ago, Tawpie said:

Oy vey, that looks nice!

As @ShanesPlanet said, you shouldn't have and 'extra' problems with punctures on that surface, especially with slime. And the wider tire you're sporting will help a lot, these kinds of surfaces can vary rapidly from soft to almost pavement hard and your wide tire will help keep you from 'sinking into' the softer stuff as much.

It's not pavement though, so you want to remain loose. No zombie style. And don't power carve (gentle side to side, but mostly go straight because of the soft stuff). When (if?) you do fall, the gravel can chew you up pretty quickly so abrasion resistant gear is recommended.

 

 Yeah I'm not super worried about the lack of ability to carve etc. Got some good roads around me for that stuff but wanting a bit of a change of scenery

I've got some AA rated kevlar jeans on the way as I figured with the speed that the S20 should be able to get to it'd be somewhat silly not to have them. So will be using those.

[.....]

12 minutes ago, GoldenOne said:

 Yeah I'm not super worried about the lack of ability to carve etc. Got some good roads around me for that stuff but wanting a bit of a change of scenery

I've got some AA rated kevlar jeans on the way as I figured with the speed that the S20 should be able to get to it'd be somewhat silly not to have them. So will be using those.

Embrace the joy that is the euc! Quit thinking like an adult and work on your hindsight abilities. Acting like a kid is the easy part. Enjoying the ignorance you once had, takes more effort but pays in dividends.   Oh, is that a mud puddle? <end of thought process>

https://youtu.be/PvOZoXRwVts?t=93-

-still waiting on a flat tire on my 18xl and sherman...

Edited November 14, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Seba]

5 hours ago, GoldenOne said:

So I'm wanting to do some more offroady stuff on my EUC but the issue is that most of the trails/paths near me are gravel, not hardpacked dirt.

No, you don't have to worry about punctures. The only real problem is that the tube may get a "snake bite" when riding with too low pressures (less than 2 bar / 30 PSI) over stones or curbs. Anyway, sliming a tube was a good idea tho. You know, kind of insurance  

KS-18L/XL is a very capable wheel in terms of terrain types it can ride on. Some time ago I've created a graphic showing examples of roads that are not a problem for this wheel as long as the rider is skilled enough:

Another image composed from stillshots from videos captured during my rides on KS-18XL (stock tire). On one of the photos below you can find a friend who was riding on Monster, but he was lacking physical fitness to keep up with me on a bumpy and grassy singletrack. So in regard to so-called offroad, most of the time the rider is the limitation, not the wheel.

[bracky72]

I ride trails a lot with fine gravel. I have to lower my tire pressure or the wheel feels super squirrelly.

[mhpr262]

After quite a few punctures - at least three over the past 2.000km, two within 20km of each other - I have grown very leery of gravel roads. Whether or not they pose a danger to your wheel depends mostly on the shape of the gravel though - if the individual stones are all round and smooth there is no danger, but if it is just crushed rocks with pointy, sharp corners and edges the danger is real. Low pressure helps a lot, and the right tire. I think the Ching Shen 1488, standard tire on many Inmotion wheels and others, is very thinwalled with not a lot of positive profile, and it doesnt offer much resistance to punctures.

Edited November 16, 2021 by mhpr262

[RockyTop]

On 11/13/2021 at 9:56 PM, GoldenOne said:

This is the type of path that I get in trouble on. Wide open as far as you can see. 20mph > 30mph > 40mph > 48 mph > I can fly!!! - Then I wake up on the ground.  
 

Seriously though, I love gravel trails. They are the best!! 

[Paul A]

Tyre liner.  Various brands.  

Quite tough, helps to prevent punctures.