Gravel Union Talks: Recent Episodes

Carlo & Olly

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Kofi Kyei
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!
Don’t forget: join us now

Gravel Inspiration - Gralloch Gravel, setting the gold standard
- Despite women making up nearly half the global population, they’ve long been underrepresented in gravel racing. With more and more women now signing-up to race at the highest levels of the sport you would hope that race organisers would do everything in their power to make the experience for female racers as good as possible, but this hasn’t always been the case. Elite racer Caroline Livesey reports back from The Gralloch, an event which is attempting to buck the trend and set the gold standard for women’s gravel racing.
Gravel Inspiration – Gravel riding with the Nepali cycling queen
- Most world-class athletes will be supervised by a security team and the closest you could hope to get to them is a rushed autograph at best. Fortunately for us, gravel riding is a different world. Earlier in the year, Olly was fortunate enough to be invited to go and join a group of passionate gravel riders as they participated in the inaugural Trans-Nepal gravel event. The head guide on the trip was Usha Khanal, who as a former Nepali cross-country and downhill national MTB champion, is as close to cycling royalty as you could hope to meet.
Armchair Adventure – Riding the length of Africa
- Most of us aspire to do a big ride at some point during our lives as gravel riders. But everyone’s definition of ‘big’ differs somewhat. It might be that 100 km or 200 km is as big as you imagine. For Wiebke Lühmann though big is a relative term. During 2024 she rode from her home in Germany down the west coast of Africa to reach the Cape of Good Hope, a total distance of over 20,000 km. We chatted with her recently to find out what makes her tick.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guests:

Nicole Van Batenburg, Ultracylist
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials www.gravelunion.cc

Insta: @gravel_union - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/

Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now

Articles Highlighted.

https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/gravel-inspiration-gravel-riding-and-birding
- Your initial instinct might be that there’s not much in common between gravel riding and bird watching, but an early morning bike-powered visit to a local bird hide could be just the thing you need to kick start your day. We head out with slow adventure fan Abi Fisher and discover a hidden world just out of sight of our local gravel trails.
https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/news-gra-via-gravel-race-launched
- Long term Gravel Union readers will know all about our love of urban gravel riding, so when news of a new gravel race which starts in central London later this summer was announced recently, it was fair to say that we were quite excited! Read on if you’d like to find our details of what GRA-VIA is all about.
https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/ride-report-a-day-in-hell-of-rheinhessen
- The old cobblestone paths of Rheinhessen are a reminder of times when the pace was slower and the roads more arduous – and therefore more intense. Riding them today on a gravel bike is like taking a small journey through time, with every meter carrying a piece of history. In their imperfection lies a unique beauty – raw, authentic and grounded, just like gravel biking itself. Timo Rokitta reports back from the recent A Day in Hell of Rheinhessen which took participants across some of Germany’s finest sections of pavé.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guests:

Katherine Moore, author, journalist, podcast host & gravel route creator
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on Armchair Adventures articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now

Links:

Katherine Moore's book: Gravel Rides South West England
- Gravel Rides South West England features 24 cycling routes, ranging from 16 to 180 kilometres, showcasing the extensive gravel trails of the West Country. Order at your local bookshop (publisher Vertebrate Publishing) or online
Armchair Adventure - From dust to dusk: conquering the Atlas Mountain Race
- If you had to write a list of things you were most worried about when signing up for a bikepacking event, stomach issues, aggressive dogs, acacia thorns, exhaustion and deep sand would likely be some of the highlights, but for riders taking part in the Atlas Mountain Race, they’re par for the course. Despite its super tough reputation, Valerio Stuart had dreamed about taking part for years. Would he manage to banish his demons and make it safely to the finish?
Armchair Adventure – Nepal from top to bottom – Part Two
- “Unfortunately, because it’s been so cold here recently, all the water in the hotel is frozen, so there’s no possibility of taking a shower.” said Usha. Everyone who had signed up for the Trans-Nepal Gravel event knew in advance that getting a shower in hotels located at the higher altitudes wasn’t going to be possible, so we had come prepared with wet wipes and hand sanitiser a-plenty. In Part Two of Olly’s story, after four days of travelling, the team have finally reached the start line of the Trans Nepal Gravel. It must be downhill all the way to the Indian border now, right?
Armchair Adventure – The Alps Divide
- Having completed numerous challenging bikepacking trips already, Leo Purcell decided he was ready for another adventure. This time his destination was the Alps and his route of choice was The Alps Divide, a challenging 1000km route which runs roughly north/south between Thonon-les-Bains (near Lake Geneva) and Menton (close to Monaco) or vice versa. Leo set off from the Mediterranean coast heading north, searching for some “me time” in the mountains. Will he successfully make it to his final destination? You’d better read on to find out….

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guest:

Andrea Lodder
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now! It's free. www.gravelunion.com

Ride Sri Lankan 2025 video recap
- Ride Sri Lankan is a multi-day gravel event which takes participants on a journey through some of the island's fantastic scenery. Along the way you get to stay in incredible accommodation, eat a huge range of delicious food and receive the warmest welcome possible from the island's incredible people. For anyone who has never considered Sri Lanka as a gravel destination, this might be just the inspiration you need!
Cycling in the Badlands with Saddle Skedaddle - Premium Content
- The south-east of Spain is home to two semi-deserts - Gorafe and Tabernas. In both areas, the soft clay, chalk and sandstone soils have been heavily eroded by rain in places, leading to the formation of stunning rock formations, often called Badlands. This region of Spain offers some of Europe’s best gravel riding, but you need some decent local knowledge to get the best out a trip here. We chat with local expert Dan Hirst from the cycling tour operator Saddle Skedaddle to find out more about this amazing destination and what to expect on their guided gravel trip.
Armchair Adventure - a brutal ride in the clouds
- The Transcordilleras, which has been held in Colombia for the past five years, has a magnetic attraction to lovers of bikepacking and high-altitude bikepacking. Despite its super-tough reputation and the fact he has competed in the event multiple times in the past, Jorge Padrones signed up again for the 2025 event and sent in this fantastic story.
The Ride Gravel, powered by Shimano GRX
- Your fully supported gravel adventure from 7 - 11 September 2025. Five epic stages with the most beautiful paved and unpaved roads in the Netherlands, Germany (Eifel) and Belgium (High Fens). Ride a standard stage (100 km) or XL stage (up to 125 km), both at least 60% off road. Perfect from intermediate to expert level!

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guests:

Markus Stitz - the first person to ever ride around the world on a singlespeed bike, guide book author, filmmaker, gravel event organiser, public speaker and passionate advocate for all things Scottish.
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials www.gravelunion.cc

Insta: @gravel_union Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/

Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now. It's free!

Travel Gravel – Karibu Kenya
- Until 2021, Kenya was perhaps better known for wildlife safaris or high altitude trekking than it was as a destination for gravel riders and bikepackers, but the launch of the Migration Gravel Race saw that turned on its head. With an incredible network of dirt roads, stunning wildlife viewing opportunities and plenty of sunshine, Kenya is now well and truly on the radar of adventurous gravel riders. Julian Velascotravelled there in autumn 2024 and has sent in an amazing write-up of his adventures.
Armchair Adventure - Gravel racing at the end of the world
- Many of us have probably had the opportunity to ride off the beaten track before. After all, even in the most populous of regions, a gravel bike is often the perfect way to find a bit of solitude. Jorge Padrones decided that he wanted to really explore the wilderness though and headed off to Patagonia to try and find the end of the world. The Karukinka Gravel 2024 race seemed the perfect opportunity to explore somewhere that very few people have ever visited, let alone ridden a gravel bike. Read on to find out more.
Gravel Inspiration – Mastering high-mountain gravel riding - essential preparation and top tips
- In early February, Olly will be on the far side of the world, heading for some of the planet’s highest gravel roads. A small but intrepid group of gravellers are going to be taking on the Trans-Nepal gravel event which starts at nearly 5000m, right on the border of Nepal and Tibet. With temperatures forecast to be way below freezing, rough terrain, fairly basic accommodation and the remote nature of the event, proper preparation is key to having a good time. What bike to take? Which clothing to pack? How to keep the luggage below the 25kg maximum? Olly shares his top tips for gravelling on top of the world.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode guest: Erwin Vervecken

Erwin Vervecken, UCI Gravel World Series
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

On this episode's guest:
Erwin Vervecken, Mr Gravel at the UCI, the world governing body for cycling. As a former multi-time world champion in cyclocross, Erwin is pretty adept at riding off-road on a dropbar bike. It would be fair to say that gravel racing since the arrival of the UCI into the gravel racing scene, has seen stratospheric growth. Today we’re going to be chatting to Erwin about the UCI’s plans for gravel racing in 2025 and beyond...

What's cooking on Gravel Union website:

Armchair Adventure - Across the Andes
- Ultra-distance gravel event riders seem to be a different breed to mere mortals, riding incredible distances in short periods of time and surviving on tiny levels of sleep, unimaginable to ‘normal’ riders. But is there a point where the safety of riders is being overlooked in the pursuit of ever greater challenges? When he took part in this year’s Across Andes, Mark Livesey was pushed to his absolute limit and wonders whether the spirit of gravel is being lost somewhere out there in the wilderness?
Gravel Adventure - Canyon’s gravel review of 2024
- It’s that time of year where we all probably start thinking about what the future might bring, but also reviewing how this year went. What went well? What do we need to work on? What shall we just gloss over and pretend never happened? It’s not just Joe Public who do this of course, the cycling industry having been doing it too. Canyon sent over their version of a “year in gravel” featuring two of their sponsored riders, former Unbound winner Carolin Schiff and ‘the original gravel privateer” Pete Stetina. We’ve cherry picked some of the highlights from their year to share with you.
Armchair Adventure - Getting cross in Antwerp
- “Do you fancy going to see one of the rounds of the cyclocross world cup later in the year? We could take our gravel bikes and make a long weekend of it?” As a veteran of numerous CX world cup and world championship viewing weekends over the past twenty years, Olly thought he knew how to make a mixed CX/gravel weekend fun. Despite the fact that only one of his regular gravel riding buddies actually ride or race CX, everyone else were keen televised CX racing fans and jumped at the chance to see it in real life. Plans were made, tickets booked and the #fridaygravelgang were soon on their way to Antwerp. Read on to find out how they got on.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Karen Ekman: Scandinavian bike packer and great story teller
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/

Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share! Don’t forget: join us now

Shownotes:

On Karen Ekman: At this time of year, when for many of us it’s cold and grey outside, having something inspirational as a future goal can be the best way of staying positive. Karen epitomises this attitude and we think will inspire quite a few of our listeners to think big in 2025. Karen Ekman is a Scandinavian bikepacker and this summer she rode 7000 km across Europe, taking in 13 different countries and climbing a mind-blowing total of 124,000 metres along the way. We’re going to be chatting with Karen about her amazing adventure. Hopefully her inspiration, tips and guidance will inspire you to do your first or perhaps your most challenging bike packing trip in 2025.
Gravel Inspiration – Finding your way in winter
Depending on where you live, winter might mean rain, mud, slippery roots and the Sisyphean task of bike and kit washing/maintenance. But it can also offer dry, bright conditions and hardpacked trails. We can't do much about the weather, but we can (hopefully) help you to find the best possible winter gravel riding routes. Read on to find out more.
Break for the Border - A gravel odyssey in Patagonia, ArizonaTim Wild was offered the chance to go and ride in Patagonia, Arizona earlier this year and discovered majestic scenery, incredible gravel riding and an intriguing local community. Interested in finding out more about this amazing sounding destination? Then read on….
Armchair Adventure - Wales never fails - A tale of BearBones200 2024
There’s a fine line between bravery and insanity as the saying goes. We suspect that Valerio Stuart is now pretty adept at finding this line (and then going well beyond it too). After a hideous experience at the 2023 Bearbones200, you would have thought he would have learnt his lesson, but no, he headed back for more punishment this year. Fortunately for us, he survived to tell the tale and what a great tale it is.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode of the Gravel Union Talks podcast, we’re going to be chatting with Kerry MacPhee. We always try and give a quick overview of each guest, but Kerry is almost impossible to pigeonhole. She has competed for her home country of Scotland as an elite MTB racer, has won what is arguably the world’s hardest cyclocross race, the 3 Peaks Challenge, she is a gravel event organiser, she has set numerous FKTs on bikepacking routes all over Scotland and she is a voluntary director of three non-profit organisations, all geared up to help get more people outdoors and onto bikes. Away from riding and racing, Kerry is a fluent Gaelic speaker and spends half her week working in the renewable energy sector as a community liaison officer.

In this episode:

Kerry MacPhee
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?

Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials

www.gravelunion.cc

Insta: @gravel_union

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/

Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Links for the notes

Gravel Inspiration – Connecting with the gravel community through guiding
- Working as a guide on a gravel camp involves so much more than just physically managing your group and getting them safely from A to B. Your role is also to inspire, motivate, teach and encourage. It’s not a job that suits everyone, but Claudia Gerosa has been bitten by the guiding bug and has now worked as a guide at three United We Are Gravel camps.
Travel Gravel - Brittany contrasts - French coastal gravel for the whole family
- Underbiking? Family-friendly gravel trails? Hunting for shells on the beach? A family trip to Brittany proved to be a destination which ticked everyone’s boxes as Erwin Sikkens reports. If you ever wondered what the riding is like in this region of north-west France then read on to find out!
The Metamorphosis - From MTB to monster gravel bike
- Ten years ago, when gravel riding was first taking off in Europe, riders tended to stick to smoother, wider off-road trails. Now though, with the introduction of better technology, an influx of riders coming from a mountain biking background and the never-ending search for the “new best thing” a growing number of gravel riders are looking for more adventure in their away-from-the-road rides. Timo Rokitta decided this was a good excuse for some bike building experimentation and the result is a fantastic looking monster gravel bike. Will it ride as well as it looks?

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

For today’s episode we’re packing our bags and heading off for a long haul gravel adventure. We’re going to be chatting with Phil Evans, a pioneer of multi-day gravel and mountain bike events in locations as inspiring as Sri Lanka and Nepal. We’re going to get an insight from Phil into what it is he loves so much about long haul gravel riding and his top tips if you decide to head somewhere exotic to ride next year.

This episode with:

Phil Evans, owner of Multi-Terrain Biking
Hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend
Editor-in-chief Olly on the website GravelUnion.cc

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc / Insta: @gravel_union / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/ and Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Shownotes

Multi Terrain Biking
Ride Sri Lanka 2025
Trans Nepal 2025

Articles on GravelUnion.cc

Ride Report - Racing the pioneer trails in Oregon

The Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder first arrived on the gravel race scene in 2019. It offered riders multi-day gravel racing through stunning scenery, but also a ‘full service’ experience where the organisers take the strain and all the participants need to “is ride.” Jorge Padrones headed out to Oregon earlier this year and sent in this fantastic ride report of his experience.

Travel Gravel - Taken by Albania

When Ali Ford told her friends that she was planning to travel to Albania to go on a bikepacking adventure she received a variety of negative responses, but it didn’t put her off going. Fear of the unknown can be quite a big hurdle to setting out on a gravel bike adventure but based on her über-positive write-up of her trip, we suspect that Ali will definitely be heading back there in the future. If you’d like to get some great insight into this relatively unknown destination, read on.

News - Grinduro returns to its spiritual home in Quincy, California.

Back in 2015 when the first Grinduro event was held at Quincy, California gravel riding was really in its infancy. Grinduro, where participants experience the perfect mix of timed sections, having a great time with their friends and painting the night purple at the famous after-party, is going to be celebrating its 10th anniversary in style by heading back to its birth place in 2025

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Jenny Tough, record breaking endurance athlete.
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.ccCheck out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now at www.gravelunion.cc (it's free!)

Shownotes

Armchair Adventure - Saying yes to a Southern Highlands crossing

Sometimes when a story lands in our in-box it looks so good that our first thought is that it’s come from a Tourist Board, desperately trying to drum up some interest in their bit of the world. Perhaps they’ve blown their whole year’s marketing budget on some images shot against a green screen? But no, Katherine Moore’s Armchair Adventure in the Southern Highlands is the real deal. Early summer Scottish gravel riding never looked so good!

Ride Report – Tor Divide 2024

Gravel riding means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Endless miles of wide fast rolling champagne gravel roads are the dream for some, whilst others prefer something a little more rough and ready to test their technical skills. If you fall into the latter category, the recent Tor Divide might be just up your street gravel track. Claire Frecknall headed along with partner Jo Burt on camera duty and she sent in this fantastic write up.

filmfriday - Chasing Rainbows - Bikepacking Scotland's Moray Coast (with a twist)

Bikepacking often necessitates reducing what you carry to the bare minimum. Everything is weighed/measured and anything superfluous is either removed or reduced. But what if your bikepacking rig suddenly could carry 100kgs+ of weight without it negatively impacting on your ride? In his latest film, Markus Stitz persuades fellow bike explorer Jenny Graham to head to Scotland's Moray Coast for a bikepacking trip with a twist. Read on, if you want to find out what the twist is....

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guest Erik van Kooten, gravel category marketing manager at Shimano Europe
Hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend talk with Erik on the all new GRX Di2 12 speed launch
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly discussing this month’s Gravel Union website highlights

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials: www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now at gravelunion.cc

Shownotes

Gravel Inspiration – E's are goodFor anyone who listened to pop music in the 1990s, the chorus of The Shamen’s Ebeneezer Good will bring a smile (or a grimace) to your face. Despite being banned from the BBC's airways in the UK at the time, this didn’t stop it being enormously successful and it ended up topping the UK’s music charts for 4 weeks in September 1992. While we’re not condoning taking drugs, the line “Though very much maligned and misunderstood, E’s vibe up the place like no other man could” fits so well with the rhetoric behind e-gravel bikes that it was too good not to use. Can the ‘E’s are good’ epithet be applied to e-gravel bikes? Olly takes one of Canyon’s new Grizl:ONs out in to the wilds of Yorkshire in search of gravelly adventure to find out.
News - Flat out, tongue out gravel racing at Gravel Fondo Limburg
The end of April saw nearly 1500 gravel racing fans line up on the startline at the 2024 Gravel Fondo Limburg. With coveted places for the UCI Gravel World Championships up for grabs for anyone who finished in the top 25% of their respective age categories, the racing was fast and furious. If you'd like to see what the event was like, check out our photo essay here.
News - TransNepal event launched
Can you imagine traversing the whole of the most mountainous country on earth by gravel bike? If you sign up for the newly launched TransNepal gravel event, that is what you will be undertaking. Starting at an altitude of 4600m and finishing at just 100m altitude, riders will cover 400 km during the six stages of riding. Mind-blowing scenery, fantastic gravel trails and an incredibly warm welcome are just some of the highlights being offered. ome of the highlights being offered.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Andrea Lodder who works in the marketing team at Merida Bikes, talks about her life as a "gravel influencer", vlogger and journalist and how she manages to balance her love of cycling when it's both her work and her hobby.
Terre di Pisa Bike Trail - a new bikepacking route that has recently been launched in central Tuscany.
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Links:

Gravel Inspiration - Gravel riding with a legend
There are not many sports where you can even get close to a superstar and former world champion, let alone spend an entire day riding with them, but on his recent adventure to take part in the TransCordilleras bikepacking rally, that’s exactly what happened for Jorge Padrones. He got to spend a day racing with former road race world champion Annemiek Van Vleuten who, after retiring from racing on the road, has taken up gravel riding. Would he be able to keep up? Would he be too star-struck to communicate with her? Read on to find out how he got on.

Armchair Adventure - Classics Story
At this time of year, many gravel riding fans probably spend a good chunk of time watching the different races that form part of the Spring Classics season on the TV. Although there isn’t a direct link between a love of bikepacking or adventure riding and a love of pavé, a lot of the principles are the same – riding an inappropriate bike on a surface that it’s not really designed for and having a lot of fun in the process. There’s a big difference though between watching it on TV and actually doing it in real life though. And an even bigger difference between riding one of the Spring Classics events and riding all of them, non-stop, over the course of just over 80 hours. That’s exactly what Jesko von Werthern did back in 2022 and we caught up with him to get the inside story.

News - Rebound 2024
Can you imagine a gravel event with 100,000 participants where the target for the combined total distance ridden is 10 million miles? That's what the organisers of Rebound 2024 hope to pull off this year and if they succeed, it will be the world's biggest gravel event. To find out how to join in the fun,

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guests:

Carly & Erwin
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!
Don’t forget: join us now on gravelunion.cc (it's free!)

Links for the notes

News - Gravel Union Recommended Events 2024

Each year we try and showcase a small collection of events which we think are worthy of your attention. The Gravel Union Recommended events have been chosen by us to represent the full gamut of gravel and bikepacking events and festivals. This year’s collection features everything from a weeklong gravel festival on a sun-kissed Mediterranean island to “champagne’ gravel riding in Scandinavia to a winter exploration of little-known natural parks in Catalunya.

The Gear - Inspired by the landscape Part 2

Back in 2022, we published a great story about how the colours and forms of the landscape of his beloved Costa Brava, was the inspiration behind the design of Timo Rokitta's custom custom-painted gravel bike. He developed such a good relationship with the owner of the paint company, that there was only one destination for him when he wanted to get a different bike resprayed. Timo gave us the background to his latest amazing-looking bike build.e.

filmfriday - Iron Gravel

Wednesday night in the UK was the coldest so far this winter and the temperature outside the Gravel Union HQ dropped to -10 C. So we're sitting here, a few hours later with everything still frozen solid outside, watching an event film where all the riders are boiling their brains out in the Spanish sunshine. Somehow it makes us feel slightly warmer and it definitely makes us wish for the arrival of summer. If you need a bit of gravelly warmth in your life, you'll love today's #filmfriday offering.

Gravel Dad

Instead of bikes hanging on the wall, the living room is now characterised by kid's toys. For Shimano Gravel Alliance rider Erwin Sikkens, life changed the day he bumped into his smiling girlfriend, holding a positive pregnancy test in her hand. They say the rest is history, but what have the first 12 months actually been like?

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guest:

James Deanehead honcho of Grinduro Global
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share! Don’t forget: join us now... It's absolutely FREE!

Links:

Grinduro Grinduro is not just a bike race. It’s a weekend-long celebration of cycling with as much emphasis on the fun as the ride. The magic happens when you add great food, an art & bike festival, high-quality music and camping in an epic location. Website for more info: www.grinduro.com

News - Win a dream gravel riding trip to Sri Lanka
Stunning scenery. A unique gravel riding experience. Mouth-watering food. Luxury accommodation. If that sounds like your idea of gravel riding heaven in 2024 and you'd like to win a free place, then read on....Armchair Adventure - Bikepacking the Balkans
Bikepacking her way 1500 km across the Balkans with a riding partner she hardly knows could have been a recipe for disaster, but as Nora Battermann explains in her beautifully crafted story, it turns out to be the trip of a lifetime. Find a comfy seat and enjoy our latest Armchair Adventure.Gravel Inspiration - Gravel Dad
Instead of bikes hanging on the wall, the living room is now characterised by kid's toys. For Shimano Gravel Alliance rider Erwin Sikkens, life changed the day he bumped into his smiling girlfriend, holding a positive pregnancy test in her hand. They say the rest is history, but what have the first 12 months actually been like?

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode

Iris Slappendel, designer, (former pro) rider, activist, entrepeneur, reporter
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc. | Insta: @gravel_union | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/ | Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now, it is free :-) www.gravelunion.cc/join

Links for the notes

News - Launch of the Grinduro global event series for 2024

Gravel events generally fall into one of two camps – either testosterone-fuelled pedal-to-the-metal races or more relaxed, welcome-everyone celebrations of gravelling. But there is a third way and apparently, it’s painted purple! Grinduro have just announced the launch of their 2024 world series and we got the inside scoop of what will be involved, from head honcho James Deane.

Gravel Inspiration – Taking On The Weather Gods And Winning

It seems to have rained in the north of England non-stop since the start of October. Each time you ride, your drivetrain and brake pads make the kind of noise that whispers “your bike hates you” repeatedly in your ears. Wouldn’t it just be best to wrap your gravel bike in a blanket and forget about riding it until the Spring? Never fear – we’re not going to let climatic conditions ruin our ride plans, we just have to be a little cleverer. Here’s Olly’s guide to not giving up when the weather gods aren’t smiling on you.

The Gear – Ass Savers Win Wing Mk 2

In a sales meeting in 1909, renowned car maker and engineer Henry Ford is documented as saying “customers can have any colour they like so long as it's black”. The design team at Ass Savers have obviously been paying attention to their history of design lessons, as their newly launched Win Wing Mark 2, at first glance at least, follows the same ethos laid down by Henry Ford.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Francis King, professional gravel cycling guide
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share! Don’t forget: join us now

Links:

Travel Gravel - Bamboo Bikepacking
As Gravel Alliance rider Saoirse Pottie writes this article, she’s staring at a beautiful view of Table Mountain overlooking Cape Town from the window of her B&B. In a couple of days, Saoirse and her friend, Abby Popplestone, will cycle out of the city and begin a 10,000km cycle that winds its way across the African continent, eventually finishing in Nairobi, Kenya.

--

Gravel Inspiration - Five things I learned as a guide at a women’s-only gravel camp
It’s no secret that there’s a profound impact that comes through doing any sort of outdoor sport – especially when you do it as part of a community. Fresh from guiding a women’s gravel camp in central Italy, Shimano Gravel Alliance rider Claudia Gerosa looks back on how riding in an all-women’s environment can be so inspiring.

--

filmfriday - Seven Serpents 2023 recap

Back in June, we ran a fantastic story from Claire Frecknall about the trials and tribulations of taking part in the 2023 Seven Serpents bikepacking event. Beset by horrendous weather conditions, the already demanding event turned into something even more challenging. The event organisers have now published the official event recap film and it's brilliant.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guest:

John Timmermans. Gravel rider and fan of Land van Grind en Zand... the North and middle part of the Dutch province of Limburg
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now

SHOWNOTES:

Land van Grind en Zand (Land of Gravel and Sand)
(Dutch) Platform on riding offroad in the beautiful and diverse area of North and Middle Limburg (NL). With komoot routes, stories and info that will inspire you to visit this area and ride off road. John Timmermans, our guest of this episode is a ambassador for this region.

The Gear - Searching for the gravel Holy Grail

If you were about to launch a brand new (and highly anticipated) gravel bike aimed squarely at racers and then one of your sponsored riders wins the UCI World Gravel Championships on a prototype of the new bike just a few days before the official unveiling, you would be pretty happy, wouldn’t you? In the search for the gravel Holy Grail of fast, light, stiff, comfortable and adaptable, we suspect the addition of some world champion stripes to their new bike led to quite a few celebrations at Canyon this week.

Launch of the 2023 Gravel Union member survey and the chance to win a Cube C:62 Pro gravel bike

Love gravel riding? Love Gravel Union? Want to help make it even better? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we suggest you fill in our member survey. It will only take 10-15 minutes of your time and you could win a Cube Nuroad C:62 Pro gravel bike for your trouble.

UCI Gravel World Championships photo story

Gravel racing is somewhat of a polarising topic. For every gravel rider that loves the combination of speed, endorphins and do-or-die attitudes, there are riders who aren’t interested one bit. But for anyone with even a passing interest in competitive gravel riding, the recent UCI Gravel World Championships was the highlight of the year. Emmie Collinge and Phil Gale sent in an incredible photo gallery from a very dusty and unseasonably hot Veneto region of Italy.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guest:

Rob Busser, Product Coordinator at Shimano Europe
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!
Don’t forget: join us now at www.gravelunion.cc. It is free!

Shownotes

News - Shimano GRX turns up the volume to 12
- It’s perhaps not been the best-kept secret in the gravel cycling world, but today Shimano announced the launch of their latest GRX gravel groupset and it’s been updated to 12-speed.
Gravel Inspiration - #Underbiking
- Big volume tyres. Plush suspension. Huge disk brake rotors. Dropper posts. These are just some of the things that most gravel bikes don’t come fitted with. To most gravel riders, the simple, paired-back functionality of a gravel bike is part of the appeal. Less to go wrong. A more visceral riding experience. A bigger buzz. The question is, where does this desire for a simpler way of riding become #underbiking?
Armchair Adventure - A rookie first attempt at ultra-cycling
- For many gravel and adventure riders, the decision to enter a 720km long bikepacking event which contains a mighty 19,000m of climbing would be one that was taken after a lot of careful consideration and only with the right preparation in place. For Valerio Stuart though, the decision was made on the spur of the moment after some holiday plans fell through. With barely any time for preparation and a mountain of untested kit, would he survive or would he end up scratching?

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Lee Craigie, storyteller and adventurer.
Lee’s book, Other ways to win, comes out in September and is available to order here
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socialswww.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Shownotes:

The Gear - Altangle Connect
- Sometimes you see a new product launched into the world of gravel riding and your brain instantly comes up with two thoughts a) Ooooh that’s super clever and b) I wonder why no one has thought of it before? Altangle’s new Hanger Connect portable workstand fits precisely into that category.
Armchair Adventure - #grannygravelling
- Are you ever too old to try out gravel riding for the first time? How tough is too tough? What time is too early to stop for coffee and cake? When your 76 year old mother-in-law decides that her perfect birthday present would be a couple of days of riding in an area chock-full of great gravel trails, it would be rude not to include some in the route, wouldn’t it? Olly sets off to discover whether #grannygravelling is a thing.
Gravel Inspiration - Bikes Bees and Trees Rally
- “Adrenaline and purity of purpose are addictive bedfellows when escaping our everyday responsibilities, but I found equal satisfaction in a weekend of volunteering and social riding”, so writes Ed Wolstenholme in his piece about literally putting something back into the gravel riding world. Ed travelled north with the Bikes, Bees and Trees Rally earlier this year and sent in this thought-provoking story.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Regularly (mostly every month :-) hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing. In this episode:

Guest:

Heather Jackson, professional gravel racer.
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc

Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Shownotes:

News – Kickstart your day with some gravel-inspired coffee?
- Coffee and cycling are practically synonymous, whether it’s a pre-ride aperitive, a mid-morning pick-me-up or a post-ride digestive. But if you are a dedicated gravel-loving coffee monster, then you obviously need the perfect gravelly coffee bean to create your brew. Luckily the lovely people at GRVL have got just the thing….
Ride Report - FNLD GRVL
- Photojournalist Phil Gale headed to Lahti, Finland for the recent FNLD GRVL event. By bringing an American-style ethos to a mixed Scandi and European audience, it sounds like the organisers of FNLD GRVL will have done a lot to shake up the status quo among existing gravel events.
Armchair Adventure - Seven Serpents - Schnapps, storms and survival
- With mechanical gremlins putting a large spanner in the works practically before they had left the startline and cataclysmic weather conditions threatening to make a bad situation even worse, Claire Frecknall and Jo Burt did the sensible thing and engaged Gravel Holiday mode instead. With language barriers, 18km climbs and an excess of schnapps to deal with, it sounds like quite a challenge even without the racing aspect.

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!
Don’t forget: join us, free membership on www.gravelunion.cc

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Saoirse Pottie from Bikepacking Buds
Hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc

Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now

Links:

The Gear - Kinesis Fernweh
- Not many people get to design a bikepacking überbike tailored to their every need and with even the most minute of details perfectly executed. But then most people aren’t Emma Osenton. Kinesis Bikes brand ambassador and one of the most passionate and enthusiastic away-from-the-road riders you will ever meet, we suspect Emma wore down the team at Kinesis just by her sheer energy alone.
Gravel Inspiration - Gravelling with your paintbrush
- For many of us, when we take on a physically demanding multi-day gravel ride, trying to capture a smartphone snapshot of the different scenes that we witness along the way is the best we can hope to achieve. But for Nuri Galbe, gravel riding and sketching have become indelibly intertwined and is her way of bringing home some physical memories of what she encounters on her journeys. We chatted with Nuri after she took part in the recent GranGuanche komoot Women’s Rally in the Canary Islands.
Travel Gravel - Mount Kenya by gravel bike
- Was it possible to ride a gravel bike to the 5000m summit of Africa’s second highest mountain, Mt Kenya? That was the question that was keeping elite-gravel rider and event organiser Janosch Wintermantel awake at night. With the help of two local Kenyan riders he was determined to try and find out the answer.
Bikepacking Buds
- A non-competitive, supportive space where people live more adventurously. We connect people of all different levels and experiences that want to go on bikepacking adventures.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Carla Playà from the Gravel Earth Series
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

SHOWNOTE LINKS:

Sideway Bikes custom carbon frame builder
- “Did you know there’s a custom carbon fibre frame builder in North Shields and she won an award at this year’s Bespoked” said my friend Barry. The custom carbon fibre bike frame building world is extremely small to say the least, so to find one located 20 minutes’ drive from the Gravel Union UK office was too good to be true. Olly heads over to the coast to spend a day with Viola from Sideways Bikes.
Travel Gravel - The Magic Gravel Escape
- Coffee and cake. Blue sky and sunshine. Beer and gravel riding. Some things are just destined to go together. Sure, you can do one without the other, but they’re always better together. Olly heads to Huddersfield, West Yorkshire to see whether the combination of Magic Rock Brewery and the local gravel riding trails are a match made in heaven.
The Gear - The behind-the-scenes story of Canyon’s VCLS seatpost.
- Product manufacturers, understandably perhaps in a competitive and price-sensitive marketplace, aren’t often that keen to talk about the design process behind their latest technological marvel. But we persuaded Canyon’s head engineer to give us a little behind-the-scenes insight into their VCLS seatpost.
Gravel Earth Series

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Erwin Vervecken from the UCI
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now for a free membership with loads of benefits! https://members.gravelunion.cc

Links for the notes

2023 Gravel Union Recommended events launch
- The Gravel Union events calendar is one of the most popular sections of the website and each year we try and showcase a wide range of destinations and styles of events. For 2023 we’re back with another selection of hand-picked Gravel Union Recommended events.
Armchair Adventure - North Downs Way Rider’s Route
- Testing out a 250km/150mile gravel bikepacking route in the middle of winter sounded like it could be quite miserable. But then the cosy cottage with log-fired hot tub as overnight accommodation was mentioned and suddenly it sounds quite a lot more appealing. Claire Frecknall heads out on the newly launched North Downs Way Riders' Route.
The Gear - Inspired by the landscape
- Inspired by the colours of the landscape of his childhood, Timo Rokitta commissions a custom paint job for his über-lightweight gravel race bike.
Website UCI Gravel World Series
- Website with all info and backgrounds on the UCI Gravel World Series and the UCI World Championships in 2023.
Calender 2023 UCI Gravel World Series Events

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Loek Luijbregts from FatPigeon.cc
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now for a free membership with loads of benefits! https://members.gravelunion.cc

More info on FatPigeon Video an Photography:https://www.fatpigeon.cc/

Stories on Gravel Union mentioned in the podcast:
Gravel Inspiration - How to prepare for a long ride

In an ideal world we’d all have endless time, energy and finances in place to allow us to ride our gravel bikes as far as we wanted whenever we wanted. But in real life, we’re more likely to only have a small window to get our fix of gravelly fun. But if you want to do bigger rides in the future, how should you go about it? We asked for 24hour solo MTB champion Rachel Sokal to give us her top tips.

Travel Gravel - Finding out the hard way

The tourist board version of cycling in Tuscany is all strade bianche, Cyprus trees silhouetted on the skyline and Fiat 500s puttering through ancient villages. But as James Flynn finds out, the glossy tourist version doesn’t quite match the reality.

Gravel Inspiration - Riding the Rebellion Way

The flatlands of Norfolk might not be somewhere you would instantly think of as a gravel riding mecca, but UK-based charity CyclingUK are hoping to change people’s perceptions with the launch of a bikepacking new route, The Rebellion Way. Claire Frecknall headed over for the launch and sent back this great report.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode Reese Ruland takes us to the realm of Cycling FKT's (the Fastest Know Time). She tells about the fun of riding, preparing FKT efforts, making routes and the real community sense of this gravel domain where you race the stopwatch on longer routes.

Guest:

Reese Ruland, founder of https://www.cyclingfkt.com
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socialswww.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now for a free membership with loads of benefits! https://members.gravelunion.cc

Biggest news item of last month

World gravel cycling championships 2022
- As long-term gravel addicts with one eye on race results and another on the development of gravel bikes and components, it feels slightly strange to be writing about the inaugural World Gravel Championship in 2022. It’s as though someone has come significantly late to the party. Emmie reports back from the inaugural World Gravel Championships.

Most popular stories on GravelUnion.cc last month

Gravel bikepacking on the Veneto Trail - Claire Frecknall
- “Little tears of happiness pooled in my eyes and blurred my vision”. Claire Frecknall heads to north-east Italy in search of gravel ‘paradiso’ on the Veneto Trail.
Remembering Sule Kanganki
- Over the weekend came the desperately sad news from the USA that Kenya’s top gravel rider and friend of Gravel Union, Sule Kangangi tragically died while taking part in a gravel event in Vermont. We look back at some of the achievements of this inspirational gravel rider.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode it’s all about making gravel riding more inclusive and welcoming to people who have typically felt excluded. We’ve got two special guests joining us in this episode - Alison Wood and Taylor Doyle, who are two of the founders of the Ultra Distance Scholarship - a scheme which they helped set up back in 2020 to support new riders from under-represented backgrounds who wanted to try ultra-distance riding.

Guests:

Alison Wood and Taylor Doyle, founders of the Ultra Distance Scholarship
Jon Heard from the Wild Wales Gravel Campout
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now for a free membership with loads of benefits! https://members.gravelunion.cc

Links and most popular articles on GravelUnion.cc

Tour Divide 2022 - the preview
How tough are you? Are you the type of rider that doesn’t just handle multi-day rides, but sets out to crush them? If so, you might see a bit of yourself in Sofiane Sehili and Josh Ibbett, two riders lining up for the legendary Tour Divide that are capable of feats of endurance that would see many of us crumble.

The Traka ride report - Ibai Fradejas
Ibai Fradejas headed off to Girona in search of some full-gas gravel racing and he wasn’t disappointed.

HotChillee - London to Paris gravel route reccie

Despite having led groups on the road London to Paris on thirteen occasions, Hotchillee Ride Captain Rachel Przybylski, is a fairly new convert to gravel. She joined a group of fellow Hotchillee Ride Captains and gravel enthusiasts for the second reccie ride of the two French days of the London to Paris by Tour de France gravel edition.

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guests:

Sofiane Sehili (http://www.instagram.com/sofianeshl), multi-event winning gravel and adventure racer
Annelore Cleuren (www.flandersgravel.cc) of the Flanders Gravel event series
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socialswww.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now for a free membership with loads of benefits!
https://members.gravelunion.cc

Links:

Launch of Omar Di Felice’s Arctic World Tour
- Ultra-endurance rider Omar di Felice is currently riding solo around the top of the world on his Artic World Tour. Setting off in the middle of winter, he wanted to be the first ever cyclist to successfully traverse the fearsome Kamchatka region of Russia. We catch up with how his adventure has panned out so far.

Most popular stories on GravelUnion.cc last month

Kona bikepacking video from the Verdon region of France
- It's another posting in our random "ooooh, look what we found" video series. This time we're off to the south of France on a bikepacking and pack rafting trip courtesy of Kona. Two minutes of stunning, peaceful entertainment for your viewing pleasure.
Interview with Stayer Cycles
- "There’s been a long history of bike builders in this part of London - since around 1890, so we feel like we’re carrying on a tradition” said Sam. Olly heads down to the Big Smoke to spend an afternoon with Sam and Judith from Stayer Cycles.
Sofiane Sehili https://sofianesehili.com/
Flanders Gravel :
- Saturday 11 June 2022 Diksmuide (Flanders Fields)
- Weekend 1-2-3 July or Saturday only 2 July Koppenberg (Oudenaarde)
- Saturday 6 August 2022 Limburg (Bilsen)

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Guests:

Katherine Moore, komoot editor and expert gravel route planner - www.instagram.com/katherinebikes and www.instagram.com/komoot
Maarten Peteeuw - Nordic Gravel Series - www.instagram.com/nordicgravelseries
Gravel Union Talks podcast with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s most popular articles on the Gravel Union platform.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials: www.gravelunion.cc

Insta: @gravel_union / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/ Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!
Don’t forget: join us now for a free membership with loads of benefits! https://members.gravelunion.cc

Links:

Doorstep Challenge: check out www.gravelunion.cc for all the latest info!

Komoot webinar for Gravel Union members
Rescheduled Monday 21st at 19.00 GMT/20.00 CET - Learn more about komoot and how it can benefit your gravel riding. Register for free. https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/gravel-union-members-komoot-webinar

Ultra Distance ScholarshipGravel riding has some pretty high barriers to entry – everything is expensive, you need some decent skills and fitness to get the most out of it and perhaps most importantly, you need someone to help, inspire and motivate you to give it a try. If you’ve grown up in a community where for whatever reason, cycling wasn’t an option, then how are you going to get to experience the joy of gravel riding? https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/the-ultra-distance-scholarship

South-Africa: Far Not FarYou don’t always have to travel hours to find adventure. It is often just around the corner, it’s all about knowing where to look. That’s the ethos that Charl Dettmer, resident of South Africa and co-owner of ACME bikes, followed when he put together this fantastic sounding gravel bikepacking trip recently. https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/Far-not-far

Gravel Events CalendarThe Gravel Union events calendar offers a comprehensive, worldwide view of gravel riding events and races. https://www.gravelunion.cc/events

Gravel Union Talks is a podcast series full of inspiring stories, news and events from the world of gravel biking. Each month hosts Carlo and Olly will be chatting with guests who are passionate about riding off the beaten track… adventure riding, bike packing and gravel racing.

In this episode:

Gravel Union Talks hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and Olly Townsend welcome:
Sander Kuik, Digital Transformation Director at Shimano Europe on the development of GRX components and his favourite own titanium bike build
Simon de Schutter, organiser of the Gorilla Gravel gravel event in Rwanda and the social programme he is supporting

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests? Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc
Insta: @gravel_union
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/
Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review (it really helps us!), like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now for a free membership with loads of benefits! https://members.gravelunion.cc

Links:

Back in May, we launched an occasional series of features called Gravel Gear, which was all about the gravel bikes that you’ve built and use. This time we’re featuring this fantastic looking build from Gravel Union reader Gideon Thomashttps://www.gravelunion.cc/article/gideon-thomas-genesis-croix-de-fer

How do you fancy racing over a 200km gravel circuit, taking in more than 8500m of climbing through the stunning scenery close to Mont Blanc? If you do, then we have just the thing – the 2022 Gravel Tour du Mont Blanchttps://www.gravelunion.cc/article/gravel-tour-du-mont-blanc-2022

Sander Kuik made his dream come true. With the help of T-Lab Bikes he built his own titanium gravel bike. Follow the whole journey; from idea to reality:https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/the-custom-built-dream-gravel-bike-part-1
https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/the-custom-built-dream-gravel-bike-part-2

Sander Kuik talks about his job at Shimano. You can also land your dream job. Check out the current opportunities https://shimano.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/Shimano

Simon De Schutter pitches Gorilla Gravel (https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/Gorilla%20Gravel%202022) in the podcast and tells us more on the Rwanda Beyond project; a great example of joint growth. We also did a long read on it with great photograpy: https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/rwanda-beyond-project

In this episode:

Henna Palosaari (@hennapalosaari), on gravel riding in winter time with top tips and great stories from Finland. Henna is the most northerly based of all of the Shimano Gravel Alliance riders.
Stu Thomson (@stu_thomson) puts forward his elevator pitch for the 2022 edition of Dukes Weekender and waxes lyrical about his local community of Aberfoyle (Scotland).
Co-host Olly Townsend (@gravel_union) talks about the new website and his favorite articles on www.GravelUnion.cc

Check out our platform and socials
www.gravelunion.cc / Insta: @gravel_union / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/ / Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now for a free membership with loads of benefits! www.gravelunion.cc/join-us

Links:For anyone currently sitting in the northern hemisphere, it’s probably winter outside your window, which means cold temperatures and wet trails. We thought that for this week’s #filmfriday extravaganza we should offer up some sunshine and some inspiration. https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/badlands-filmfriday

Back in August, world record breaking expedition cyclist Mark Beaumont took on the GBDuro – a 2000km bikepacking race up the length of the UK. The film of his race, with all the drama, excitement and stunning scenery is now ready for its launch to the world. https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/maiden-race-film-launch

Serbia Upside Down is the story of eight adventurers from Serbia and Germany who traversed by gravel bike over the most stunning mountain ranges of Western Serbia.
https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/serbia-upside-down-into-the-unknown

We sent James The Intrepid out into the cold to try and figure out the best way to make winter riding fun. https://www.gravelunion.cc/how-to-make-winter-gravel-riding-fun

If, like Andrew Terker and his wife, you are fortunate enough to call Switzerland your home, then gravel riding from your door looks absolutely stunning. https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/gravel-riding-in-switzerland

In this episode:

Erwin Vervecken (@erwinvervecken), former world CX champion and currently the sports technical manager at Golazo. He tells us about the future of gravel racing, the UCI World Series and gravel rainbow jersey...
Laurens ten Dam aka LtD (@laurens_ten_dam), Live Slow Ride Fast podcaster and gravel professional, makes a quick appearance and throws in a question for Erwin
Andrew Diprose (@northlondondirt), together with his brother Philip, they are the event organisers of the North London Dirt urban gravel event. Andrew elevator pitches their event.
Olly Townsend (@gravel_union) talks about the new website and his favorite articles on www.GravelUnion.cc

Check out our platform and socials

www.gravelunion.cc

Insta: @gravel_union

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/

Komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!

Don’t forget: join us now for a free membership with loads of benefits!

www.gravelunion.cc/join-us

Links:

After a long season of riding, racing and organising gravel events, Timo Rokitta headed to Spain for one last adventure before he wound down into winter mode. https://www.gravelunion.cc/ruta-de-la-plata

Serbia Upside Down is the story of eight adventurers from Serbia and Germany who traversed by gravel bike over the most stunning mountain ranges of Western Serbia. https://www.gravelunion.cc/article/serbia-upside-down-into-the-unknown

UCI anounces to join the gravel community with the UCI Gravel World Series of Gran Fondos https://www.uci.org/pressrelease/the-uci-innovates-in-the-off-road-disciplines/269FNQQIXzxRQGY5eaGbd6

North-London Dirt, 2021 edition on Gravel Union
https://www.gravelunion.cc/north-london-dirt-ride-report

In this episode:

Guests:
Paul Errington (@paule78) - https://www.komoot.com/user/321673933514
Shawn Rath (@unleashtherath)

Kicking off Gravel Union Talks with hosts Carlo van Nistelrooy and co-host Olly Townsend.
GU’s editor-in-chief Olly on last month’s favourite platform articles and the Doorstep Challenge, which we ran in association with Thomson Bike Tours and PRO.
Guest Paul Errington co-founder, gravelista and gravel pioneer talks about the Gravel Union platform, pro-racing vs social riding and the trends for 2022.
Gravel Epic’s Shawn Rath elevator pitches the new gravel Gravel Epic race series and tells more about future plans.

Want to bring in ideas for topics or guests?
Mail Olly at info@gravelunion.cc

Check out for in depth articles and event calendar: www.gravelunion.cc

Insta: @gravel_union

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GravelUnion/

komoot: https://www.komoot.nl/user/1080024447202

Thanks for listening. Please share a review, like and share!