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I'm thinking about a gravel team
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a slowtwitch gravel team. its members would race whatever races they want (road, road race, road tri, offroad tri, whatever). but the focus would be gravel bike races and gravel triathlons (obviously some members would not race the triathlons if they don't swim or run).

i haven't done a team in many years. decades. but this one just popped into my head. an amateur club team, but with a few elite team members.

that's it. nothing to report beyond that. i'm not announcing. i'm just... sharing.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I only have gravel in my schedule for next season:-)
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I'm thinking...that's a fantastic idea!
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Sounds awesome, How about a gravel forum to go along with it?

Personally, I would love to see/be part of a team that promotes primarily information and/or methodology rather than products. AKA, the HOW of riding Zwift, seating tubeless tires, planning nutrition, choosing gearing for events. Products can certainly be part of that, but as a vehicle to spread technical and physiological know-how rather than Brand X or Y. There are so many BRAND Ambassadors. Can we be KNOWLEDGE Ambassadors?
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I am game just waiting on my new Canyon bike to arrive for winter shredding
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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Well, that is an interesting thought. Thanks for the share.

My YouTubes

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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [brando] [ In reply to ]
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that's what i'm looking for. ideas. inspiration. a reason for a club like this to exist.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [brando] [ In reply to ]
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How about a gravel forum to go along with it?

There's a reasonably active gravel forum here: http://ridinggravel.com/
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [brando] [ In reply to ]
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brando wrote:
Sounds awesome, How about a gravel forum to go along with it?

Personally, I would love to see/be part of a team that promotes primarily information and/or methodology rather than products. AKA, the HOW of riding Zwift, seating tubeless tires, planning nutrition, choosing gearing for events. Products can certainly be part of that, but as a vehicle to spread technical and physiological know-how rather than Brand X or Y. There are so many BRAND Ambassadors. Can we be KNOWLEDGE Ambassadors?

That is a great idea. There are so many triathlete teams that just pimp shite product. A team of people who champion knowledge would be a nice change.
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [logella] [ In reply to ]
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I post over there sometimes, but the frequency and depth of knowledge on ST is +++. The other nice thing about the Tri forum is that it's one big list of interesting things, whereas you have to drill down multiple levels in RidingGravel.

So actually, I don't think I want a separate forum for Gravel on ST. What might be nice is as ST expands to indoor, gravel, etc. is a more inviting name than "Tri" so I don't feel so bad or invasive about posting a bunch about non-tri stuff in the main forum. Maybe it should be called "Main" and then add tagging for specific sports, etc. that you can then filter on in the header. Adoption could be slow but it might be a nice feature.
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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But will you require members to be active on social media with lots of followers and pimp slowtwitch at every opportunity???

“I’m here at Dirty Kanza on my #slowtwitchapproved 3T exploro. I’ll be rocking the Enve 4.5 AR which I picked up on #STclassifieds for a sweet deal. I’m trying to distract myself from nerves by browsing #LavendarRoom #thiswillstirsomecontraversy. Thanks for all the support and good luck everyone racing #yourseatistoohigh”

Matt
Last edited by: Pun_Times: Dec 6, 18 10:57
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Pun_Times] [ In reply to ]
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Pun_Times wrote:
But will you require members to be active on social media with lots of followers and pimp slowtwitch at every opportunity???

“I’m here at Dirty Kanza on my #slowtwitchapproved 3T exploro. I’ll be rocking the Enve 4.5 AR which I picked up on #STclassifieds for a sweet deal. I’m trying to distract myself from nerves by browsing #LavendarRoom #thiswillstirsomecontraversy. Thanks for all the support and good luck everyone racing #yourseatistoohigh”

i hadn't thought to do that. but now that you bring it up... ;-)

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Pun_Times] [ In reply to ]
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We don't need to require any more social media sharing...
#yourseatistoohigh #notaHUMBLEbrag #haveImentionedmy20tripstoKona

Karen ST Concierge
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [brando] [ In reply to ]
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That is one of the frustrating things about that site and all the sub-forums. I generally just look at the "Latest Forum Topics" widget on the right side of the screen for anything new or interesting.
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [turdburgler] [ In reply to ]
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turdburgler wrote:
brando wrote:
Sounds awesome, How about a gravel forum to go along with it?

Personally, I would love to see/be part of a team that promotes primarily information and/or methodology rather than products. AKA, the HOW of riding Zwift, seating tubeless tires, planning nutrition, choosing gearing for events. Products can certainly be part of that, but as a vehicle to spread technical and physiological know-how rather than Brand X or Y. There are so many BRAND Ambassadors. Can we be KNOWLEDGE Ambassadors?


That is a great idea. There are so many triathlete teams that just pimp shite product. A team of people who champion knowledge would be a nice change.

Like this thought as well. Good idea.
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [brando] [ In reply to ]
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brando wrote:
Sounds awesome, How about a gravel forum to go along with it?

Personally, I would love to see/be part of a team that promotes primarily information and/or methodology rather than products. AKA, the HOW of riding Zwift, seating tubeless tires, planning nutrition, choosing gearing for events. Products can certainly be part of that, but as a vehicle to spread technical and physiological know-how rather than Brand X or Y. There are so many BRAND Ambassadors. Can we be KNOWLEDGE Ambassadors?

yeah, but too much bad advice is shared already.
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I'm trying to imagine what this would look like - I'm going to assume most 'elite' riders already belong to teams/clubs, but I suppose this isn't an exclusively 'elite' rider thing.

The other aspect is do you envision riders on the same team at the same races? Gravel racing hasn't traditionally been a team tactic thing, though I have seen my fair share of it - still kind of rare in my experience. Some folks think team tactics is the beginning of the end, but I definitely like this aspect and strategy riding with my teammates. The front group seems to understand team dynamics for sure based on the races I've done.

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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [logella] [ In reply to ]
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Thats a great site. Gets updated slow in the winter but activity picks up early spring
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [brando] [ In reply to ]
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brando wrote:
What might be nice is as ST expands to indoor, gravel, etc. is a more inviting name than "Tri" so I don't feel so bad or invasive about posting a bunch about non-tri stuff in the main forum. Maybe it should be called "Main" and then add tagging for specific sports, etc. that you can then filter on in the header. Adoption could be slow but it might be a nice feature.

first, you shouldn't feel bad about posting non-tri stuff on this forum if it's bike-related. second, we generally do better around here with the fewest sub-forums we can get away with. so, classifieds, jobs, etc.

but we're all about better navigation. so, let me noodle that. i have some ideas.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Zulu] [ In reply to ]
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Zulu wrote:
I only have gravel in my schedule for next season:-)

How many gravel tries have you found?

Can't seem to find any in my area
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Bonesbrigade] [ In reply to ]
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Bonesbrigade wrote:
I'm trying to imagine what this would look like - I'm going to assume most 'elite' riders already belong to teams/clubs, but I suppose this isn't an exclusively 'elite' rider thing.

The other aspect is do you envision riders on the same team at the same races? Gravel racing hasn't traditionally been a team tactic thing, though I have seen my fair share of it - still kind of rare in my experience. Some folks think team tactics is the beginning of the end, but I definitely like this aspect and strategy riding with my teammates. The front group seems to understand team dynamics for sure based on the races I've done.

how this came up, a few people i know, pretty senior in cycling, are not on teams. kind of felt abandoned by their teams, by any teams, because their focus is in gravel racing and perhaps the odd gravel triathlon. typical USAC teams just haven't yet come to grips with the fact that road racing in the US is dead (it just doesn't yet know it's dead).

i don't really have a burning desire to start a team and, if i did, i certainly don't want to RUN a team. the only way i'd do this is if i, we, slowtwitch, is carried along by the current, rather than paddling against it. i gravel race. i'm not on a team. jordan's not on a team. paul thomas is not on a team. i think a lot of other high achiever road cyclists who've transitioned to gravel are finding it hard to fit comfortably on a team.

as for team tactics, etc., no, i don't see this as a purpose of the team. so, what is the team's purpose? good question. i don't want to be a team looking for a purpose. but i also don't think it's solely my job to gin up a purpose. maybe there are good reasons for a team to exist beyond what i might think up.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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OK, I see where you are coming from.

This made me chuckle, "haven't yet come to grips with the fact that road racing in the US is dead (it just doesn't yet know it's dead)." This is almost verbatim the line I use talking about road racing up here in the great white north (Ottawa area).

I like the idea, but it sounds like the vision needs to be developed a little more. I look forward to participating in the conversation if there is one - I've been at this gravel thing for a long time now, so I'm quite invested from a participation point of view and an organizational point of view. My club puts on a gravel event every year and we just had our 10th anniversary this year for the event!

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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Bonesbrigade] [ In reply to ]
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Bonesbrigade wrote:
OK, I see where you are coming from.

This made me chuckle, "haven't yet come to grips with the fact that road racing in the US is dead (it just doesn't yet know it's dead)." This is almost verbatim the line I use talking about road racing up here in the great white north (Ottawa area).

I like the idea, but it sounds like the vision needs to be developed a little more. I look forward to participating in the conversation if there is one - I've been at this gravel thing for a long time now, so I'm quite invested from a participation point of view and an organizational point of view. My club puts on a gravel event every year and we just had our 10th anniversary this year for the event!

this IS the conversation. we're having it. i'm going to decide this pretty much on the basis of what happens on this thread.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I'm all in for the ST Gravel Group....the ST Gravitas-ers.... the ST Gravi-tossers.....the Gravel Grovelers.....Morgan's Gravel Squad. How about we just call it.... ST ON YOUR LEFT

Seeing as knowledge is power and all....I want to start with our team just sharing what gravel races exist on the calendar, and then build with race reports. When Slowman and I did the Ugly Dog Gravel Tri outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan last year it was BRILLIANT! That race should double in size for 2019 and the helpful little bits about where to stay, what the course is like, how to plan travel around it so you can make the awards party at the Ugly Dog micro-distillery after the race. And maybe, I don't know maybe we can....you know if anybody wants to.... we can even talk about tire pressure. But that probably won't come up.

Ian

Ian Murray
http://www.TriathlonTrainingSeries.com
I like the pursuit of mastery
Twitter - @TriCoachIan
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Re: I'm thinking about a gravel team [ianpeace] [ In reply to ]
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ianpeace wrote:
I'm all in for the ST Gravel Group....the ST Gravitas-ers.... the ST Gravi-tossers.....the Gravel Grovelers.....Morgan's Gravel Squad. How about we just call it.... ST ON YOUR LEFT

Seeing as knowledge is power and all....I want to start with our team just sharing what gravel races exist on the calendar, and then build with race reports. When Slowman and I did the Ugly Dog Gravel Tri outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan last year it was BRILLIANT! That race should double in size for 2019 and the helpful little bits about where to stay, what the course is like, how to plan travel around it so you can make the awards party at the Ugly Dog micro-distillery after the race. And maybe, I don't know maybe we can....you know if anybody wants to.... we can even talk about tire pressure. But that probably won't come up.

Ian

i ran 85psi. until i factored in impedance. now i run 6psi. what do you run?

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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