Gravel Roads Making A Comeback?

[kfergos]

Here's an article about how Michigan is converting some of its roads from asphalt to gravel: http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/06...oads-to-Gravel

I wonder how this will impact cycling in the area? I sure as heck don't like riding on gravel roads; I'd take dirt or grass any day. Mountain bike tires, anybody?

Edit to add: Thankfully Massachusetts hasn't switched to this yet! How would they plow or treat those roads in the winter??

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Mountain bike tires are for mountains and rocky trails- not mere gravel roads!
You might want more flat resistant tires though- and you might want to consider slightly fatter tires if only for a smoother ride. Kevlar/flat resistant 25's or 28's are great on very rough gravel. You may experience a drop in speed, but that might mesh well with a more 'slow biking' lifestyle.

[Andrea]

Gravel roads are my favorite! If I'm going to be in an area where I know I'll be riding on them, I switch to a conti gatorskin 700c x 25 tire and run lower pressure for better traction. They're also more puncture resistant than your typical road tire. I'd probably go with something even wider if it'd fit, but it won't work with my frame/brakes.

[beccaB]

I'm not surprised that the state of Michigan (or particular counties) would go back to gravel. Many things are going backwards here and have been for years. That's why, for every one person that moves here, two people move away. Where else is there so much road kill the county road maintenance workers paint lines on the roads right on top of whatever dead animal is there. (on the rare occasion that a road is actually maintained)

[Skierchickie]

How would they plow or treat those roads in the winter??

Pretty much like the others. I live on a gravel road (in Michigan, in the U.P.). We get plowed daily. They don't generally salt the gravel ones. Our road is actually better with a nice snow matte on it than it is in the summer (washboard).

This practice doesn't apply to all roads, by the way - the link seemed kind of short on details, unless I missed another link within it. Just the really bad ones that they can't afford to repave - probably nothing anyone would go out of their way to bike on in the first place. There were one or two near here that they reverted (or are going to?) until they have funds to repave them. For driving, a good gravel road is way better than an exploded paved one. If you don't mind the dust and the washboards. They need to be graded periodically, and they oil our road right in front of houses, and on the hill we're at the top of. The first monster truck that decides to spin out on it pretty much wrecks that for the summer.

When I ride my road bike, I drive the 2-1/2 miles to pavement. And I don't bother washing my car much.

[emily_in_nc]

I live on a gravel road about 1 mile from a paved road. I hate it. It's impossible to ride skinny tires on -- okay for the 1.35" tires I use on my Bike Friday, and on my mtb of course, but my DH has to walk his go-fast carbon Trek up and down each way (I used to do the same til I sold my go-fast bike).

I also hate gravel for driving. It is dusty when it's dry out and muddy when it's wet (splashes way up high on my Element, not that I am a car weenie, but I don't like it to look like complete crap), the washboarding and potholes get bad between maintenance times (it has to be rescraped twice a year and new gravel put down every year or two). Unfortunately, most of my neighbors have no interest in chipping in to have it paved, so gravel it remains. It's definitely scenic and tranquil living down a wooded lane, but I'll never buy a house on a gravel road again.

[TrekJeni]

Pretty much like the others. I live on a gravel road (in Michigan, in the U.P.). We get plowed daily. They don't generally salt the gravel ones. Our road is actually better with a nice snow matte on it than it is in the summer (washboard).

I'm a Yooper that now finds herself living in Cincinnati. Only FOURTEEN DAYS until we come home for a week. We had plenty of gravel roads in our town too and had no problem riding on skinnies. Funny how it's all relative. I was instructing at a Women's MTB Clinic last weekend and one of my students was commenting on how confident she's become on her road bike since taking up mtbing.

Skierchickie - are you on the west end? I'm just south of the Soo on Lake Huron but we plan on hiking/backpacking in the Pictured Rocks a couple days while we're home.