Transitioning from hybrid to road/cyclocross

[north woods gal]

Hi Molly. See my response to your post on riding gravel.

There are some online forums devoted to gravel riding, but for me, riding gravel has been a learn as I go experience. Honestly, since you live in an area where gravel riding is popular, I'd head to a good local bike shop and visit with them about what you'll need for riding the gravel roads in your area. They could probably hook you up on some group rides on gravel, too. That would be a great way to learn to ride gravel. Me, I've been a solo rider all my life, but mostly that's been out of necessity. Up here, I'm often riding on very remote roads with little traffic. I do love riding these roads, but riding by myself out in the middle of nowhere, so to speak, still makes me a bit nervous. I'd recommend riding in a group to get started, if that's possible in your situation. Even having one riding pal is safer than riding, alone. More fun, too.

[MollyJ]

OUr LBS is awesome. But I rarely do group rides. It's hard enough to get me on a bike and on the road. Coordinating with others would be "too much". And I'm not, by any stretch, fast. So I'd just feel bad if they all passed me up and pissed if they were slower than me. (A little bit of a cat, I am.) But i do know so local cyclists. And I've done some fair longer rides in the area and can imagine places I'd like to try. Frankly, it surprises me that gravel bikes have drop handlebars. But in Kansas, if you are going to leave town, dropped handle bars have so many advantages. So if I get to that point, I'll wrap my mind around it.