San Diego Gravel Routes

After getting multiple requests we finally put together a list of some of our favorite gravel routes in North County San Diego. These are all moderately difficult routes ranging from about 40-50 miles. Terrain is a mix of road, hardpack gravel, singletrack, bike path and fireroad. As such, we recommend a cross or gravel bike with tires at least 40mm in width. In most cases we’ve marked at least one water stop on course, and the dirt sections are labelled in blue. In general, these rides can take anywhere from 4-6 hours.

Tire Insights with Ultra Ronnie Romance, Schwalbe & WTB

A fantastic presentation all around, this Tire Ted Talk goes super deep into all things tires. Moderated by tire fetichist Ultra Ronnie Romance, and joined by industry pros from Schwalbe and WTB, this panel talk was recorded at the Philly Bike Expo. Learn all about carcass thread density, casing, puncture protection, tire pressures, the new Ultradynamico tire brand, and how to support drugs in cycling.

Donnelly Strada USH 650b Long Term Review

After the last couple of years I’ve steadily increased the volume of my tires, following the trends of wider offerings while seeing where I might land in terms of personal preference. The hesitation for many of my friends to try 650b is understandable, requiring a new set of wheels while also potentially moving away from what their bike was designed for. Thus far we’ve reviewed two 650b gravel tires, the Panaracer GravelKing and WTB Venture at 48 and 47mm respectively. Slightly wider, while still well within the the clearance limits of the 3T Exploro, we now offer a long term review on the Donnelly Strada USH in 650b x 50mm.

Amity Rockwell with Easton Cycling

Amity Rockwell is a pretty special human being, and knows her way around a cup of coffee as much as a long gravel climb. Check out the latest Rollout video from Easton Cycling, which takes a closer look inside Amity’s head.

Favorite Gravel Cycling Gear Picks 2019

Here at Gravelstoke our dedication to finding, testing and sharing the best gravel cycling gear and bikes remains at the core of who we are. 2019 was a busy year for us on all fronts, with new opportunities and connections that bring us closer to the original vision for the site. Creating original and inspiring content for the adventure cyclist, with a focus on high quality goods from the brands we love. We’re excited to share with you our top 10 gravel cycling gear picks from 2019. As always, thanks for sharing and subscribe here for more content like this in the weeks to come.

Payson McElveen Crushes the White Rim Trail

After a fantastic season opener win at the Landrun 100, Payson McElveen decided to tackle one of the most iconic records in American cycling: the White Rim Trail.

Why Your Strava Maps Now Look Way Cooler

If you’re an avid Strava user like we are, you probably noticed something looks a bit different on your latest upload. Scrolling through your activity feed those static maps look a little bit crisper, with some welcome new details since yesterday evening.

NewsDave MalwitzOctober 30, 2019strava map update, new strava maps, strava mapbox update, strava blog post

Big Island Gravel on the ENVE SES 3.4 AR

Neil Shirley and the ENVE crew decided to find out what riding Kona Hawaii has to offer and set out to explore the best pavement and dirt on the island.

Chris King Open House Gravel Bikes

Our friends at Path Less Pedaled came through with a great video featuring a number of sweet builds from this past weekend’s Chris King Open House in Portland, OR. The show gave builders the chance to show off Chris King’s beautiful new colors, Violet and Matte Bourbon.

WTB + Gravelstoke Giveaway

We love these Venture gravel tires so much that we teamed up with WTB to give away one pair FREE! Sign up for a chance to in via the form below. Winner get one set of Venture 700 x 40c tires, a set of four 22oz Gravelstoke Purist Bottles and a cool sticker pack.

Three Peaks Cyclocross 2019

The latest instalment of EF Gone Racing's tour of alternative races around the world sees Lachlan Morton land in Yorkshire. An iconic race on the British cycling calendar, the Three Peaks Cyclocross event has drawn hundreds to the Dales for more than 50 years. But are these runners and riders, runners or riders? Tune in to find out how Morton fared on foot and in the saddle.

Three Things I learned from Cameron Falconer

During my recent visit to Downieville for the Roval Terra wheel launch, I had the opportunity to chat with custom frame builder Cameron Falconer, and appreciate up close one of his recent works. Cam was invited to not only give the new Terra CLX wheels a spin, but share his knowledge of the local terrain with two rides during our stay. Northern California has a rich history in frame building, so I was curious to learn more about his philosophy as a builder, the benefits of steel and why someone might consider going custom.

Cannondale x Grinduro 2019

A race? A ride? Whatever. Grinduro is an event for anyone who likes to have a good time around two wheels. This year was no exception as the weather rolled in for a monumental day on the bike - and a most excellent party off the bike.

VideosDave MalwitzOctober 9, 2019grinduro, cannondale, gravel cycling video, rides

California Gravel Rush: Adventures on the All New Roval Terra Wheels

Well known for its history off-road, the gold rush town of Downieville is perhaps most recognized today for the downhill mountain bike race that bears its name. The “Classic” descends 5000ft of singletrack over 15 miles, covering just a slice of what this mountain town and the surrounding buttes have to offer. With an invitation to join the crew from Roval Components on a 3-day gravel adventure in the Lost Sierra I jumped at the opportunity to experience the more supple side of Downieville.

Eliel Drops Eastern Sierra Collection

Just in time for cooler weather the good folks at Eliel Cycling announce their Eastern Sierra Collection. Included in the fall apparel launch are all new short and long sleeve jerseys, jackets, vests, base layers, gaiters and socks. We love the imagery captured by the brand’s very own Topher Riley.

#DirtChurch 9/15 Photo Gallery

Sunday September 15 marked the start of #DirtChurch Season 2, with a kick-off ride and celebration. Here is our photo gallery from the day.

DirtChurch 2019: All Are Welcome

Join us for Southern California’s most anticipated adventure series on Sunday’s this fall. In collaboration with Lost Cyclery, Eliel Cycling, Latigo Coffee and The Lost Abbey, the second season of DIRTCHURCH will bring more dirt, multiple route options, free coffee and new host venues.

Orbea Gain All Road Review: A Gravel Commute Project

My own introduction to gravel started in Southern California with an old Trek 1200 road bike on 25c tires. The bike was primarily used for commuting on the occasional weekday, a 30 mile round trip from Carlsbad to La Jolla. My true riding interests took me off-road, exploring local open spaces and linking together trail systems on a hardtail mountain bike. As my knowledge of rideable dirt grew, so did my curiosity on what was possible with the road bike on evening commutes. With good reasons to escape traffic-heavy roads and an ideal climate year-round, these interests only grew. What failed to grow in parallel was the suppleness of my Trek, ultimately limiting the potential for adventures I knew were there. My first gravel bike in 2015 would change all that.

Ass Savers X OPEN WI.DE. Detour Edition

It seems like some of our favorite products and designs often come from relatively small brands, creating from a place of passion rather than the result of a marketing strategy. This is certainly the case with the latest collaboration bike from OPEN. This time, delivering a beautiful limited edition Winding Detours adventure bike based on artwork from the newly released ‘Detour Kollection’ by Ass Savers.

Top Eight Gravel Bikes from Utah Builders Summit

In mid-August, The ENVE Builders Summit brought 20 of the world's top custom frame builders to ENVE's Ogden, Utah headquarters for a multi-day event that also included the inaugural Grodeo gravel ride. We pulled together photos of the 8 gravel bikes from the event, all bike images courtesy of John Watson.