The irruption of Alejandro Valverde from Murcia, recently retired from professional cycling after a legendary career, in the gravel modality has been the last push this discipline needed to become an upward trend in Spain. In the United States it is already very popular. It’s often said that a road bike can’t get to the same places as a gravel bike, but a gravel bike can get to the same places as a road bike.
Thus, since 2021 there have been many non-professional Spanish cyclists who have left the road and have entered trails and gravel roads where previously they could only be accessed with a mountain bike.
The first advantage is obvious: where cars don’t pass you can’t be run over. The feeling of safety for the cyclist is much greater in times when there are frequent accidents, most of them caused by the lack of sensitivity and empathy of many drivers with cyclists. But there’s more: with the arrival of a new generation of gravel bikes, cyclists have switched to a modality that allows them to ride at a good pace on the road and enter dirt tracks and trails that are not excessively technical.
These are the five keys to understanding the ‘boom’ of gravel in Spain:
an all terrain bike
Road bikes, with their lightweight, aerodynamic designs, are built for maximum precision and speed on the road. They are perfect for the most demanding events on the UCI calendar and this will always be the case. It is true that the ‘boom’ of gravel bikes comes because not everyone gets on a bike to compete, amateur riders multiply every year and going off-road becomes a special challenge for any cyclist more or less prepared.
Designed to go where road bikes can’t, gravel bikes are much more versatile. They move freely on asphalt and also on dirt trails. They are a great choice for a wide variety of terrain, as well as comfortable and reliable. Obviously, as with an off-road car, gravel bikes do not offer the same sensations on asphalt as a road bike. But they take you to places where road bikes can’t go.
a more comfortable position
The geometry of a gravel bike is usually more comfortable than that of a road bike. Taller head tubes and sloping top tubes allow for a more relaxed riding position than road bikes, which typically have a flat top tube. This more comfortable geometry is accompanied by softer head angles that improve control on roads and trails.
steer tubes
Taller
upper tubes
with sloping
steer tubes
Taller
upper tubes
with sloping
steer tubes
Taller
upper tubes
with sloping
Designed to provide greater stability and comfort over long distances, gravel bikes are taller than road bikes. With a taller bottom bracket, they have more ground clearance to get over obstacles and are generally longer between axles to improve stability on rough terrain.
Disc brakes essential
Disc brakes are very important for gravel mode. On gravel bikes, hydraulic disc brakes are essential as they provide control, confidence and stopping power whatever the conditions the rider may encounter off-road. Also, if we want to change the size of the wheels to adapt the bike to different terrains, it will be much easier to do it if we have disc brakes.
When you apply the brake,
the tension in the cable
causes the pills
brake press a disk,
thus braking the wheel
When you apply the brake,
the tension in the cable
causes the pills
brake press a disk,
thus braking the wheel
When you apply the brake,
the tension in the cable
causes the pills
brake press a disk,
thus braking the wheel
This type of bike, lighter than mountain bikes, allows us to ride faster and forces us to constantly be aware of the irregularities of the terrain. It is key to have good brakes, but it is also important that the cyclist has dexterity and little by little knows how to handle a bicycle that can perform well on difficult terrain.
A few different developments
Developments in road bikes usually have a narrow range of configurations. In general, they have a double chainring, one with 39-42 teeth and the other with 52-53 teeth, although options with less development are also available. The most common sprockets are 11-28 and 11-32 and they are the ones that provide suitable combinations to ride on flats and climbs.
In gravel, however, things are not so clear. There are two main options, single dish and double dish. The gravel-specific group offers 1x and 2x configurations. And you have to choose the sprockets always depending on the configuration of the chainrings. Chain slap when trail riding a gravel bike can be a problem. That’s why single chainring drivetrains use a different staggered tooth width, to help keep the chain in place when riding over rough terrain. A chain tensioner is also essential on the rear derailleur for gravel bikes.
longer routes
The lightness and better rolling of gravel bikes makes it possible for our tours to be longer than in the mountain bike discipline. This allows us to cover more territory, expanding the possibilities of discovering and linking the best paths.
A clear example of this are gravel events and competitions that usually exceed 160, 200 and even more than 300 kilometers. In Spain, La Indomable de Berja (AlmerÃa), recently won by Valverde, and The Traka de Gerona stand out.
Five routes to do gravel in the Region of Murcia
Gravel has ceased to be a fashion to be the fastest growing discipline in cycling. More races, more material and more runners of different profiles that join this modality. None of them, however, has the track record and the media relevance of an Alejandro Valverde who is helping everyone talk about gravel today. On June 4, he participated in the Hutchinson Ranxo de Lérida, his second race of the 2023 UCI Gravel World Series, and achieved victory. It is the same thing that he did in his debut in this modality, in La Indomable de AlmerÃa. Two out of two for the one from Las Lumbreras, who at 43 does not lift his foot. If he goes to a race it is to win it.
In the Region of Murcia, meanwhile, more and more cycling fans are turning to gravel and little by little routes are being discovered to be able to enjoy this growing cycling modality. There are all kinds of them, with different requirements and in almost all the regions of our Community. There are some that combine road and mountain. Others, with paths traveled by hikers. And even some where demanding ascents can be combined with very technical descents.
Here are five of the best known:
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Espinardo-Caravaca
Greenway of the Northwest
It is the gravel route par excellence in the Region of Murcia. The most frequented and where you can enjoy this discipline the most. It consists of 78 kilometers and a cumulative drop of 2,167 meters and takes advantage of the old railway route between Murcia and Caravaca de la Cruz. The track begins its section at the Espinardo Campus and heads northwest until it ends in Caravaca de la Cruz.
The route of the VÃa Verde del Noroeste used to be followed by the Murcia-Caravaca railway, which was in operation between 1933 and 1971. This is where the special boast arises in the construction of viaducts, tunnels and stations that make the route so special and picturesque. Since 1998 it has been used for hiking and cycling and several of its stations now function as hostels for passers-by and pilgrims. It has been a paradise for gravel lovers for a few years.
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Fortuna, Abarán, Blanca and Molina de Segura
Sierra de la Pila
It is one of those places where you can still ride a bike without meeting anyone. You have to be in shape, yes, to face the very hard ramps that lead the cyclist to the top of Pico de la Pila, where the AEMET weather station is located, at 1,265 meters above sea level.
The route starts in La Garapacha (Fortuna) and from there you take the forest track that goes up to the Sierra de la Pila. Once you reach the crossroads known as the 4-Face Landmark, you have to take the track that goes up to your right towards Pozos de la Nieve and Pico de la Pila. The mountain range covers part of the municipalities of Abarán, Blanca, Fortuna and Molina de Segura. There are different routes, adapted to cyclists of higher or lower level.
Sierra Espuña is a unique natural environment to enjoy comfortable trails, where sections with technical difficulties are reduced to make gravel practice more accessible. The route is divided into 4 sections: from El Berro to Gebas, from Gebas to Casas Nuevas, from Casas Nuevas to Las AlquerÃas, and from Las AlquerÃas to El Berro. Among all the routes there are 146 kilometers of route and 4,300 meters of ascent. They are perfectly signposted and are ideal for everyone to go at their own pace. Espubike is the route most frequented by cyclists in the Region.
The Calblanque Regional Park, in Cartagena, is an enclave characterized by its diversity of vegetation combined with dunes, sandbanks, coves and cliffs. A paradise for bathers fleeing the crowds, in recent years it has also become an environment that has tens of kilometers of dirt paths ideal for practicing gravel.
If the cyclist is looking for a route with views of the sea, he has to go to Calblanque. If a circular route is included that reaches the Cabo de Palos lighthouse and the Salinas de Marchamalo, the route is 23 kilometers long, with sections in which you have to get off the bike and carry it on your back. Another option is to enter the Sierra de AtamarÃa and reach Llano del Beal, with flatter itineraries that can exceed 45 kilometres.
Bolnuevo is part of the Eurovelo 8 route as it passes through the Region of Murcia. The Bolnuevo area, in Mazarrón, is a true paradise. The route from Puerto de Mazarrón runs along a dirt path parallel to the sea and it is quite easy, even for less prepared cyclists. It consists of 21 kilometers and ends in the nudist coves of Bolnuevo.
Those who want more and are in good shape can start from Puntas de Calnegre and finish their tour in Cartagena, on a 58-kilometre route perfect for gravel lovers. It goes through Percheles, Cobaticas, Bolnuevo, Mazarrón, Cueva del Agua de Isla Plana, Rambla del Cañar, Peñas Blancas, Rincón de Sumiedo, Tallante, PerÃn Aqueduct, La Corona, volcanic flows of Rambla de los Jarales, Molino Zabala and Roman quarries of Canteras, before reaching the final station: the Port of Cartagena.
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