For many years, my cyclocross bike (2006 Fuji Cross Pro) pulled double duty as both a fall weekend race machine and a year-round gravel bike. I invested in a second set of tubular wheels for cross and maxxed out the gravel tires for all other riding at a tight 700cx 40mm. That was my setup for many years. And ooops, it just turned 20 circa 2026!
Then, 2020 rolled around. Lots of things happened and didn’t happen in 2020 – among them, I purchased a dedicated gravel bike, a Pivot Vault, link to the GC Review Here. This relegated the CX bike to occasional evening gravel training rides as by that time I really was not racing cross anymore. But every time I took it out on these shorter, faster (ok, fast!) rides, it felt, well, faster. The steeper geometry, stiffer ride, narrower tires, and lighter weight all made it at least seem faster.
Eventually, I made one of those accidental or serendipitous discoveries that people like to make lists for on the interwebs. Think penicillin or X-rays. This one will not change the world like those but if you have been more than intrigued by all the “all-road” chatter over the past couple years, then maybe it might change your options.
So, what was ‘the accident’ you say? For the past few years, as the North Florida Freeride Gravel Series expanded its roster of FREE events around our region, we eventually added one called the Super Bowl Shuffle held on – you guessed it – Super Bowl Sunday. This 90+ mile route features many of the same roads as the old OG “Doc Hollywood” ride, meaning it is largely a road ride featuring about a dozen gravel sectors with most in reasonably good condition. Most of the time. So it’s not really a route that I wanted to push around the Vault with my default 43mm Gravel King tires.
A few weeks prior to event Sunday, I began to think of switching out tires and replacing them with some 35-38mm tire options sitting in ‘the humidor’. But I really wasn’t looking forward to the inevitable faffing around with pulling apart a perfectly good tubeless setup only to have to switch it back again soon after the ride. Why? Because 43mm is my go to size for our local roads – still narrow enough to be fast in almost all conditions but wide enough to get through the inevitable sand bogs that pop out after only a week or two without rain. So the GK’s would be going right back on post-ride.
That’s when the humidor spoke its secret language and pulled my eyes to a set of NOS Michelin Jet 30mm file tread CX tires, incidentally gifted to me by Dr. MSG, the instigator of the ride at hand. Why not set these up – not on the Vault – but on the CrossPro? Forget tearing down a solid existing setup. Forget those years of trying to jam various 40mm options into a rear triangle designed for 33-35mm. Get into a rig that splits the space between my Bianchi with 25mm and the Pivot with 43mm (obviously, I have a lot of ‘first world problems’). Get a solid, trusted bike off the wall and back into regular ride rotation for no cost other than my labor.
The conversion went quickly as simply swapping a couple tires and tubes. This was the best option for me as the Michelins were not rated for tubeless setup, I would be running these at higher than CX pressures, and I did not want yet another bike on which to maintain sealant condition & volume. The ease of setup was the first bonus. The second came immediately after when the American Classic rims plumped those 30mm rated Michelins out to 34mm at 40psi. The podium was complete when I picked up the finished product – not as light as the road bike but an obvious and considerable reduction from my gravel setup.
The bonus continued a few days later over a 109 mile road route with one gravel sector late in the ride. A good group of strong riders with a few out of town guests pitched up so I had several reasons to ‘ride strategically’ since the Super Bowl Shuffle was also the following day. Of course I had to test the setup prior to event day and it did not disappoint. The pace was solid tempo with some spicy bits and we averaged 19.5mph over the route to finish with a 5:35 moving time plus stops for several mechanicals (but none for me!). The setup proved comfortable, soaking up multiple chipseal sections and various ill-maintained local roads. I blasted through the 1.5 mile packed but somewhat cratered limerock sector without concern. I never yearned for a road bike. Yes, this would do nicely tomorrow, nicely indeed.
Considering the prior day’s mileage, I felt pretty good heading out on a warm (for February) Sunday morning. The early pace was set a bit stiff by a few who did not know what was to come but then settled down after a few miles as cooler heads moved to control the front. The first gravel sector over miles 16-19 was taken pretty quickly and several disgruntled folks dropped off the back to do their own thing. Naturally, the pace quieted down right after. We cruised along nicely until several locals forced a quick liquid refuel at mile 31 – it was turning into quite a warm day. I recall nothing of note over the next 30 miles that covered a number of well-known dirt sectors before rolling into the classic Doc Hollywood store stop in Williston. Several folks eventually limped in after fixing (or waiting on) flats. After this stop, history dictates that the pace would increase for the final miles.
It did, but the strong tempo did not dislodge any of those who had survived so far. With the group intact, those familiar with the route had to know where any move would be made, i.e. the last 1.5 miles of the penultimate unpaved sector. This bit comes after several miles of good quality gravel but then turns into a few hundred meters of potentially soft double track that dips down into a notorious sandy bottom before a short uphill back onto marginal quality dirt road. When the sector ends, there are just 5 miles to the ‘finish line’ at the end of the final sector. So… be near the front at the start of the double track and choose carefully any wheels that happen to be in front of you.
I mostly managed the first, entering around sixth wheel but quickly guessed that several in front might have difficulty. Some did not, as one local favorite running 38s on his gravel rig went off the front and followed by another with 34s on his road bike. Third spot was an out of towner on 28s – but he was only 28 so there’s that. The two immediately in front of me on narrow road tires began to look uncomfortable as the double track deteriorated well before the sandy bottom and it took a quick move over onto the tiny center strip to slip between them and onwards. Tight for sure but no rubbing and no words as those guys knew their stuff. I plowed through the sand and never saw them again until the finish. Meanwhile, the two in front had opened some 50 meters, with another 25 up to the leader. Nobody was sitting up, this was the move. I figured if I could get up to those two then we could catch the leader on the 3.5 mile paved section that followed. Well, easier said than done as I had to chase for more than a mile on sandy gravel until after we turned onto the pavement when I finally gasped my way onto their wheels. They closed the gap to the lone leader – I could do no work and none was expected. The pace hotted up and I sat on until the finish, not contesting the sprint.
If you are still reading this then you’re either saying “WTF is this guy on about” or you’re really, really intrigued by the possibilities of “all-road”. So let’s (finally) get to the point. Who is this particular mode of all-road for? Perhaps most obviously, it’s especially relevant for new riders and those with space or budget constraints. Having a single, well-priced bike that both makes paved roads more comfortable and can transition to reasonable unpaved conditions can open up the world of cycling that much more rapidly. Having a single bike that handles speedy group rides, gravel-centric day trips, and urban commuting with aplomb makes total sense for apartment and condo dwellers or even Marie Kondo adherents. And there is no real reason to spend multiple thousands on a lovely “not a single housing exposed” model unless you can manage it without pain. Many options are on the secondary market at $500 – think most 2005-2015 CX bikes with a 10-11 speed mechanical drivetrain, rim brakes, bottle mounts, and aluminium frame w/ carbon fork. Want to spend more? Get a full carbon version for $1k. Those with garages and/or an n+1 affliction may already have a candidate sitting somewhat neglected in your favorite storage spot. As one local rider said a few months after its debut, “Man, you ride the $hit outta that bike!” Try it and I bet you will too.
P.S. You’re still going to want a mountain bike…
Learn more about the North Florida Freeride Gravel Series (not Corporate BS)