Life In The Saddle

For me, the gravel bike is everything. My skinny tyre road bike has been hung up for over a year, and my gravel bike is used for road based commuting, weekend blasts, shopping trips and bikepacking adventures. I have two gravel bikes: the Kona Private Jake and the Kona Sutra Ltd. The Private Jake is now my commuting rig, and I have been hunting for a tubeless tyre that offers speed, stability and all weather grip, both on the asphalt and for occasional off-road riding. In the Hutchinson Caracal tyre, I think I have found it. The Caracal is a 'fast' gravel tyre. It has a slick central strip, with small side knobs for added grip when cornering. The central strip allows you to roll quickly on light gravel and road based rides, and when you do lean the bike over, especially loaded, the lugs provide respectable grip. Venture offroad in wet conditions and you might be looking for more grip, but for fast summer trails without too many rocks, the Caracal is ideal. Hutchins...

I ride a gravel bike on the Isle of Wight more than I ride any other; it is the perfect way to explore the vast network of quiet roads and exciting open trails. In this post, I have tailor-made a selection of the best gravel cycling routes on the Isle of Wight, with suggested pit-stops and highlights. The Isle of Wight roads, trails, and tracks are my home. I have toured all over the world, but whenever I come back to this small island off the South Coast of the UK I am amazed at how diverse and beautiful the riding is here. 'The Island' is very easy to get to with a bike—use one of the three car ferry routes from Portsmouth, Lymington or Southampton; or come as a foot passenger and bring your bike for free on the Wightlink FastCat  from Portsmouth Harbour train station. You can get to the Island from Central London in just a little over three hours. Once you are here, there is a plethora of bike-friendly accommodation: from hotels and B&B's to campsites and Eco-l...

Just before the world went into Lockdown in March 2020, I squeezed in a last minute trip to Portugal's Algarve—to explore some of the amazing and unique gravel riding on offer there... Dust rises, rocks ping from beneath tyres, and the scent of wild rosemary and jasmine fill the air as I barrel down the narrow twisting singletrack to the serene Guadiana River below. This is only my first evening in the Algarve, but I have already added it to my list of ' Gravel Riding Meccas '. I first came here last December—seeking respite from the cold and grey of the UK winter. Then, the region delivered unquestionably—with 18 Celsius temperatures and dusty trails, explored on a rental mountain bike. That first trip also opened my eyes to an iconic point-to-point bikepacking adventure that could be staged in this unique landscape… The Via Algarviana is an ancient hiking route spanning the Algarve from the Guadiana River on the Spanish border to the Cabo de São Vincente lighthouse at the...

This exciting new book is the latest release from single-speed round-the-world cyclist, Markus Stitz. It is a collection of 26 gravel routes across the British Isles, curated by Markus by visiting gravel cyclists from all walks of life, and documenting their favourite off-road rides. As a friend of Markus, and many of the local riders within this book, I was sure that this would be a fantastic read. It has not disappointed. Each route has a detailed route description, a map of the trail, public transport details and attractions to explore, cafe and pub recommendations, and a list of local bike shops and bike hire providers. On top of this there are downloadable GPX files for all the routes – making this an essential companion for every gravel rider in Britain that wants to explore new areas. Markus commented: “ I was curious about the places gravel bikes take us to, but I was even more interested in the people whose infectious enthusiasm makes gravel riding as vibrant as it is. ...

Many know the Isle of Wight for its spectacular road cycling routes, but one of the better kept secrets is the vast network of varied and challenging off-road gravel bike routes that is waiting to be explored. Last September, I launched the inaugural edition of The Wight Prestige , in collaboration with The Garlic Farm. The three day event offers gravel cyclists with a bespoke experience weekend: discovering hidden gravel trails, eating sumptuous locally produced food, and staying in one of the beautiful yurts at The Garlic Farm. A Weekend of Gravel Cycling on the Isle of Wight The weekend shapes up like this... On the Friday evening, riders are met off the Wightlink Fast Cat at Ryde Pier Head, and their baggage is transferred safely back to The Garlic Farm by electric cargo bike. Riders then have just a short warm up spin to get over the Downs and reach their base for the weekend at Mersley.   On arrival, guests check into their four person yurts (bookings must be made in a g...

In late September 2021, I welcomed an exclusive group of 20 enthusiastic gravel riders from across the country to my home soil on the Isle of Wight. The Wight Prestige #1 would be a weekend of fantastic food, countless laughs, and the best gravel bike riding that can be found on this little emerald Island off the South Coast of the UK… The click of freehubs, clink of beer bottles, and sound of Rory's Boom Pod signals the arrival of the first of the guests for the inaugural Wight Prestige. As they roll off the ferry at Ryde Pier, handing their bags to the e-cargo bike bag transfer riders, it is a relaxed and jubilant atmosphere as the sun shines down on the late September evening. We spin down the pier and along the seafront, sneaking out of town on hidden bridleways as the Friday afternoon 'rush hour' descends. Before long we are out on the Downs, and I am leading the small group up over the hill and down to the calm surrounds of the Garlic Farm on the southern side of the...