All very nice and rewarding, of course, I will continue to do these things, but a gravel bike for me is the charm of a ride studied on the maps, it’s road but it is also off-road, it’s about climbing a beautiful alpine road at a pace and efforts similar to a racing bike and, once at the top, a plunge into old dirt roads at high altitude and then down into a new valley, it’s hanging three bags to go on vacation, it’s the discovery of the territory that slowly tints that dark mental map of forests, roads, villages and small and insignificant but beautiful details that I always ignored and never would have discovered and that now I proudly collect, I take friends there or advise anyone who asks me.
In addition, it’s the sense of freedom, it’s touching nature not just from the roadside, it’s moving fast in the urban jungle, it’s its natural aptitude to clock up the miles, it’s the reliability of the solid and essential tool, a frame, large tires and very efficient brakes. It’s about being able to ride on roads, b-roads and forests in total safety and, last but not least, it’s the sense of strain and satisfaction of bringing the body to a tiredness that I love to look for.
This is what I love about this bike, it’s not for everyone but this is what has connected me to this tool.