Communityinterview

10 THINGS I WISH I KNEW AS A BEGINNER GRAVEL CYCLIST | ALEXEY VERMEULEN

with Alexey Vermeulen

33:24·14 September 2023

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ALEXEY VERMEULEN

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Alexey Vermeulen, one of the world's best gravel cyclists, breaks down the ten biggest mistakes newcomers make when transitioning from road to gravel. From tire pressure and puncture repair to cornering technique and nutrition strategy, he shares the practical skills and mindset shifts that'll transform your first gravel experiences from frustrating to genuinely enjoyable.

Key Takeaways

Master tubeless tire maintenance: check sealant monthly (it dries out in 2-3 months), know how to plug holes with different plug types, and understand that sealant isn't a 'set and forget' solution.
Lower tire pressure acts as your suspension on gravel—experiment between 28-35 PSI depending on terrain, body weight, and conditions; a 2 PSI difference dramatically changes how the bike feels.
Practice plugging a tire at home before your first race; most people who hate their first gravel event flatted and couldn't fix it, leaving them stranded or out of the race.
Go wider on tire size (40-45mm) rather than skinnier for gravel racing; the extra cushion and grip generally outweigh any speed penalty, especially when you're not racing at elite level.
Develop bike-handling skills like bunny-hopping and controlled cornering; gravel demands placing your front wheel precisely and accepting some tire slip—you can't just muscle through corners like on tarmac.
Plan your nutrition and hydration strategy differently than road cycling; gravel races are longer and demand consistent fueling rather than the old-school 'ride hard, refuel at the end' approach.

Expert Quotes

"Most people I see who don't enjoy their first gravel race it's because they flatted and didn't know how to fix it or didn't have the correct stuff to fix it."

"I raced on 15 PSI the whole day because that was the only way I could stay in contact and keep myself in place in the Grand Prix—wasn't what I wanted to do but it's hard to know that without doing it."

"I tried to leave part of that [ego] behind when I left the world tour. When I line up I'll be as ruthless as I can, but the days before and everything after I would rather be involved in someone having a good experience in their first gravel race than I would win it myself."

KEY QUOTES

“most people I see who don't enjoy their first gravel races because they flatted and didn't know how to fix it or didn't have the correct stuff to fix it”
Alexey Vermeulen — Professional gravel cyclist, former World Tour rider with Jumbo-Visma

“I fit into Big Sugar last year I raced on 15 psi the whole day because like the only way I could stay in contact and keep myself in place in the Grand Prix wasn't what I wanted to do”
Alexey Vermeulen — Professional gravel cyclist, former World Tour rider with Jumbo-Visma

“skinnier is not always faster on gravel um like I will almost always go with the bigger tire that is a little more suspension just gives you a little more cushion because I think for the most part it's also faster”
Alexey Vermeulen — Professional gravel cyclist, former World Tour rider with Jumbo-Visma

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT3 SECTIONS

Flats, cornering, and tire pressure

There's some areas in the gravel world that I think newcomers make a massive mistake yet I think it's nominal I don't think anybody most people are going to notice it um because it's just it's just gonna cause a bigger issue most people I see who don't enjoy their first gravel races because they flatted and didn't know how to fix it or didn't have the correct stuff to fix it what's the best way to corner on Graveler to learn how to bring speed in for somebody new who's coming from Road into gravel so this is what I was waiting for because I think this is the this is the hardest thing from going from road to Graveler mountain bike it changes a lot I think the first thing is learning it's hard to know that without doing it so I kind of tell people like oh your tire's going to wear out cool dab of pair of scissors and practice plugging it it's hard to do and it's frustrating fit into Big Sugar last year I raced on 15 psi the whole day because like the only way I could stay in contact and keep myself in place in the Grand Prix wasn't what I wanted to do but there's a hey everybody and welcome back to the channel if you're new here my name is Anthony I'm a former lawyer turned cyclist turn podcast host who's based on Ireland my goal with this channel is to introduce you to the people and to the ideas to help you optimize your health your happiness and your longevity are you curious about gravel cycling I know a lot of people are but they're not sure where to start or maybe you've tried gravel cycling but you feel like there's something missing some Insider knowledge well do I have a treat for you today because joining me is Alexi vermolin he's a cycling Powerhouse who's done it all Road mountain bike and yes gravel cycling this guy's even raced at World Tour level with the dominant team in the world right now yombo visma so you can bet he knows a thing or two about the world of cycling in this epic conversation Alexi and I were going to decode the world of gravel cycling for you you can think of this as a gravel cycling 101 but from somebody who's been there who's in the trenches literally will be sharing tips tricks and hacks that Alexi wishes he knew when he started out his own gravel cycling Journey now before I jump into this conversation I do have one small favor to ask still around 90 of people watching these videos haven't subscribed if you could take one second before the show starts and subscribe as the more the channel grows the bigger the guests will get this is the romance cycling podcast now my dear friends it's Alexi Vermont Alexa welcome back to the romance icon podcast hey good to be back excited to be here this is second third time I think it's second we've we chat a lot about doing podcasts but then you don't want me on you have you have on bigger fish I come second or third or fourth there's no one bigger than the gravel game my friend uh I don't know once you get beat by Keegan by 25 minutes you might not not agree with that but no I'm happy to be back there's so many areas in the gravel world that I think newcomers make a massive mistake in I know when I was moving into gravel I made huge mistakes and as one of the best gravel riders in the world my goal for this conversation is to get you to help me smooth that transition for Reuters when they're coming across from Road into gravel because you know we all know gravel is meant to be inclusive for that barrier sometimes is the tech hurdle so I'm gonna hit you a little bit rapid fire with some questions as to what people can do to smooth that transition when we're out on the roads I've learned that you need to have a degree of self-sufficiency so what are you putting into your saddlebag on the right so that changes race to training ride um I think I'll start with training right because I think that's helpful um training right almost how I always have a pump and two co2s CO2 can put a see the tire back on but um otherwise try to use a pump so you always have them um at least one tube if not two uh and then multi-tool quick link s and plugs usually about it that's it yeah multi-tail can fix Chain Break as well yep and if you're at home I know there's a culture that's like Everyone likes to bring your bike to the bike shop but what's the absolute must know how to do pieces of bike maintenance I think the most important part of being out alone and gravel is anything Tire related so fixing a tire completely or reseeding a tire or if you have inserts inside being able to even get the tire off it's a lot different a lot harder it's a different technique um to plugging the tire without even you know needing to put a tube in it's interesting what I've seen what a lot of Roadies coming across is they say oh yeah I'm running tubeless and there's a young lad that trains with me and he'll know who he is listen to this we all met up go for a gravel ride he's a road he takes a line of his dad's gravel bike for the day and he's like I'm running tubeless um we hit like the local park we haven't even hit the local Trails we hit the local park and he flats and he takes off his tire like the tubeless was in there the sealants must have been like two years old it's totally dry people don't realize that sealant isn't one and Dawn it's not like oh I'm running tubeless that's it I never have to do anything and there's a process that's open this back off yeah yeah no and that's a good point I mean so I use all sealants are a little bit different based on what what they're made of um but I use orange seal and it's they really say two to three months Max they have an endurance ceiling that lasts around that three months if I'm going to erase it's always being checked um and I would say I'm checking trying to check tubeless at least once a month just see how much sealants in there as soon as you can listen for it sometimes you can just say I'm just gonna add some in is there a rotating weight penalty to adding extra say nothing I think it's nominal I don't think anybody most people are going to notice it um I think to a point there is uh there's also a it's trying to figure out how much ceiling you need to completely coat your tire that's a new tire and then once you have that have a little bit left to go and hopefully seal a hole um for what most of us do I don't think you need to worry about it at all I'd say the more the merrier to a point like if you're going to do any normal gravel Tire I'd say putting in between three up to four ounces it's a lot but you're never you have to stress a little less and it's going to last a little longer and are you on seat in the tire cleaning out the old sealants and Topping up new sealants are you just literally pouring a new ceiling fan sort of off uh it depends so like if it's been sitting if we're talking like six months to early two years like 100 clean it out because it's just it's just gonna cause a bigger issue um there's now company like silke makes a sealant remover which makes life super simple just spray it in there leave it for a minute and then wipe it out um but for the most part I'm probably just throwing it in the valve and I'm probably the way I ride bikes and probably wearing tires out before the sealant's going dry Pro problems I just I just leave it running I'd give it to other people to ride so if you're heading out the door one of the most intimidating things I found is especially in my first year Gravel Road it's like where the hell do I go because we don't have Roots sign pokes that like we do on the road where everyone shared on routes is there any apps you found useful commute Strava all Trails or is it just local knowledge I used to I still like will always love people like word of mouth and where to go find Trails um for me Strava heat maps have been by far the help most helpful because people really can't hide stuff they pretend like oh it's a secret Trail but if you really get in deep you can see those little lines um I used to use kamut a lot more in Europe I don't know why I haven't used it as much in in the US um but I feel like yeah right now it's almost always Strava it gives a good estimate for how long it's going to take me just based on my last four week average and it's an easy way to kind of plan rides and go Adventure commute has brought me on some absolutely wild rides like they're you know in most events vent hoofed out exploring and Girona and I picked up his commute trailer because you're riding like a nice gravel route on the side of rocker Coba and then all of a sudden you're hiking with a bike in your back up a waterfall or something who was doing this right yeah no it's difficult to find that middle ground that's kind of why I like Strava because based on how blue that line is or how how um many times the heat maps are written you kind of see okay how many people are riding this um this just gives you an idea there's almost a burgeoning industry of gravel touring here because I find it really difficult to tell my friends yeah it's like go past the down the logs and take the second log on the left like you don't have many landmarks in here out there I pretty much just have like a one hour one and a half to two and a half three four five hour rides that I'm like hey if someone's coming to town I have this on Strava I'm gonna send it to him it'd be easy it just starts from downtown gives they can they can move the start wherever they want it they know you know it's all my favorite Parts based on how how long they're going another massive transitionary thing I had to get used to was coming from the road especially when I was riding full time I was in with a training group or some old school pros and they had maybe the regrettable Habit definitely narrowed away Trends have gone around fueling 120 grams of carbs per hour where if we're doing like a six hour ride you would just have breakfast and then you would ride for three hours and stop the cuff after three hours and then ride three hours home like to be no fueling strategy whatsoever in these rights yeah but you can't get away with that in gravel so are you bringing top tier bags how are you feeling on these fence yeah and you'll actually you'll actually love the person I was talking to about this the other day I was at SBT uh doing a ride and I was talking to Nico roach about this um I think our bodies have like whether you're eating a lot or whether you're eating nothing your body changes um gravel the way it's raced is should be a more higher fuel setup but like when I came to the road in 20 15 2016.

Fueling strategy and homemade bars

You got made fun of if you had a jail in the first hour like you were the dweeb you were there like you didn't do that um but yeah now it's definitely like it's easier because there's a lot of companies that are making ways to do that you're not carrying 14 bars um so for me it's usually I'll do almost half to a little more in my bottles so it keeps it busy so I'm doing a training ride say I'll bring two big bottles one water maybe one super concentrated with with a full hour of fuel bring another bag of mix in my pocket or something and then the rest of it is um usually just a mix of stuff and it's usually all all in my my back pockets um I occasionally do like a handlebar bag when I'm training if I have a lot of long stuff um I've never been a big like top tube bad guy I don't know just the way it looks I'm still I still slam my bar so maybe that's the issue it just doesn't come out looking well yes you're still a road yeah but uh have you played around where's home at first uh what's that have you played around making your own bars like homemade alternative to commercials no I think I just I have to the nice thing like working with the feed I have too many options like I've never have any complaints I feel like if I was with one like a certain company like I used to do a lot of like scratch rice cakes you know and like Alan and Bijou came out with the Portables book like I used to do like how many different versions of this can I make in the week but yeah I've got addicted to Alan Murchison I'm not sure if you have his cookbook uh Alan Murchison has this pancake recipe in his cookbook oh my God I'm addicted to it it's like two of them before a medium ride Trader before a super long ride you're golden it's great I love that book the recipes are really complicated do you think so yeah my girlfriend's been making them so they're really you you go and you're like I don't have this in my house like you have to like be looking for some of this stuff like I don't I don't know exactly pancake one but I like every time I go to that cookbook like I'm like I don't think I have this well I was like that with the pancake one I had to go out and literally buy like a year's supply of Pancakes off so now I got my flaxseed and all down yeah because again I'm not used to flaxseed day to day but you're not going with hydration packs or anything funky like that for long races I do um yeah I mean my Brand's having a dog in my back so I gotta have that I gotta have that going kind of hydration pack no um I just I'd rather stop at a cafe or stop at a coffee shop stop at a gas station did you have any crushes yeah I was trying them with the dog on your box I like obviously there's always an opportunity for that but it's mainly on the mountain bike like it would have to be I ride so differently with him on the back that it would have to be like really really bad luck for something to happen yeah so like a total freak one Speaking of mountain bike and stuff when we're moving in from Road into off-road Pursuits were some that's very unsettling is the feeling of the ground moving under you when you're going to a corner you're just used to having that solid contact point with the ground on the road and then we get into off-road and we don't really have that what's the best way to corner on Graveler to learn how to bring speed in for somebody new who's coming from Road into gravel yeah so this is what I was waiting for because I think this is the biggest this is the hardest thing from going from road to Graveler mountain bike um it changes a lot I think the first thing is learning your tires and your PSI like if you're gonna if you still have tubes in or if you have tubeless you have to run very different tire pressures once you kind of figure out what you enjoy different at different um tire pressures for different terrains it's a little easier to dial in how you want to feel right are you someone who's who leans the bike over pretty well that means most tires are going to work for you if you're not someone who leans the tire all the way over to find that edge then you're probably gonna need something that has some grip from the middle of the tire out so I think one of the first ways to learn is first to understand that when you're cornering on a gravel bike compared to a road bike you're not going to have consistency um and that is that's the fastest way to go through the corner to be honest um there will be a little bit of sliding sideways if you're doing it right it's about placing your front wheel correctly um and I am like speaking speaking as professional but I'm still very much learning um and then it's about setting up that corner quite differently right in on the road you can occasionally miss the Apex and still make it on a gravel bike if you're ripping and you miss the Apex you're pretty screwed and you're pretty much gonna go straight let me take a second to talk about today's show sponsor because of something 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restorative sleep I'm waking up feeling refreshed having had that deep restorative sleep I'm now ready to attack work training and life the next day but don't just take my word for it let the data from your Fitness tracker tell the story so if you're ready to elevate your performance and the quality of your sleep why not give pillar a try head over to pillarperperformance dot shop and use the code roadman on your local website for 15 off your first order or for us listeners if you head over to defeat.com forward slash pillar and use code roadman for the same 15 off your order the details of this offer are in the description below now back to the show it's interesting I need to touch on pressure as well because on a gravel bike without suspension I know there's some people now rocking specializing suspension systems and things but generally we don't have suspension so lower tire pressure also acts as our suspension on the gravel bike as well to make the ride a little bit more comfortable so what are the considerations when your children grip versus suspense versus terrain versus body weight do you have a calculation you do do you use an online calculator no no I do I like the silica Tire calculator and the Envy Tire do they applying of a table that I really like I kind of go between those because I think they play very differently based on what you're writing and how much you weigh I think it's harder in the heavier you weigh because pinch flatting is probably the biggest issue in gravel um but for me it's usually starting with okay what's what's the race like and where is it going to be one so am I going to risk it for this one section so I can have a better better finish um so like I guess the easiest way is through actually saying type of person so I weigh about 64 to 65 kilos I will consistently move between the lowest probably at 28 PSI in the front 30 rear up to Maybe 3335 these are all starting pressures because you have to expect with most these races starting early you're going to gain 2 PSI with pressure and or with um going up in altitude and having uh temperature go up episode that I never figured I had Sophia Gomez on the podcast talking about this and I never figured that at all yeah and it changes when you're talking about like 2 PSI difference it's a lot um if you're starting at 35 and it ends up at 37 it's a hard Tire um so and then my other thing that I just learned and I didn't want to harp on his skinnier is not always faster on gravel um like I will almost always go with the bigger tire that is a little more suspension just gives you a little more cushion because I think for the most part it's also faster is there a point where it's no faster like is there diminished marginal returns I'm running the 47 patch Finders um they're pretty much the biggest tire I can get into my Factor austral gravel bike but is there if you go from a 47 or 49 do you think that's faster again at some point it has to not be when you're really racing like all of our races still still have asphalt right so you're not it's not a full like not like the tracker where most of our races have some asphalt inside I don't think I would ever go past a 45.

Why 40mm beats 47mm tires

And I've raced to 45 once this year so I think most of the time for me it's between a 40 42. is the fastest I'm just there's a lot of guys are like oh should I run a 35 I'm like you should run a 40. you're interested because Dylan Johnson reckons I had him on the potty a couple of months back he reckons 47's faster almost in every condition including asphalt yeah and this is where Dylan and I disagree about a lot of things I think there's things to be tested by yourself there seems to be test equipment wise and then you also have to remember that gravel is not the way we're racing gravel is not Gravely ridden riding 47 is I think spectacular um bracing 47s I don't know there's much value to be gained because you are at the whim of someone ahead of you so if someone ahead of me has a let's use Keegan for example right and we're at Unbound and he has a bigger gear that means running a 50 10 and I have a 50 11. it's a bigger gear and a faster Tire because I do think no matter what you say aerodynamics wise and rolling resistance if you're running gravel pressures a skinnier tire is going to be faster on asphalt yeah I have to keep up with him it's not my choice I don't get to ride my Pace I'm racing Keegan so in that term I don't think you can always say I I do believe that the 47 is faster if you have a very consistent test that's interesting because the roller tires are getting wider and wider as well and it's like we're gonna meet somewhere in the middle there's not that much difference between my gravel tires and my roll Towers now yeah and that's where I think like pretty much the road tires are gonna are gonna cap out at like 30s most the guy most the Tour de France teams are back on 28s 30s and you're going to have I don't think gravel is going to start going below 38s I think there's going to be a tiny Gap in the middle it's pretty much useless unless you're like I just want cushion and that's where I think like the 4749 and the 35s 32s are just going to be used you know for either high-end Road or high-end gravel when you just want to go train and have fun there's been so much Innovation around this like when I was racing full-time I was racing 21s 140 PSI regardless of the conditions you might left 5 PSI out first pouring rain but that was it now I'm running turkeys on 65 PSI on the gp5000 tubeless ones and that's the recommended pressure of silica's web sorry and they rock yeah yeah soon I mean I still like the only time I still I ran tubious at Road gnats this year 24 millimeter tubulars it's a crazy feeling to get back on them like I was just like holy and they rip they are so fast but it's I would you could never take them anywhere off-road I miss glue and tubular tubular Taurus that was like there was something romantic about it I used to pour myself a nice glass of red wine I just pulled the glue in the ocean I don't know I kind of missed that I was like old school gluing yes taking old glue off I could I'd never have to do again I'd be happy descending is an order area and I didn't even realize this was a scale until I went graveling with a friend who can't front-wheel like bunny hop left his front wheel it was ridiculous how many crashes he had I didn't even realize it on this it's just like you know you're riding the bike since a kid and you see an obstacle you're like well that's going to show me over the handlebar so you just intuitively lift your front wheel to clear her he didn't have the skill because he didn't ride as a kid and it was insane how many times he hit the ground over a two-day period on a bike parking trip is there any other skills like that that you're like they're essential if you're going to come across the gravel um yeah I mean I think one of the way from what you're talking about like coming from the road I think one of the biggest issues for people is just having too much power for the skill they have on a gravel bike yeah like for me that's the biggest I just power out of every corner that's not how you go fastest that's not you still get dropped somehow that way um so learning how to control speed and learn how to what speed you should be going into Corners seeing lines is very different so I think any of the little things you have to learn a harp on top on fixing tires again because that one will suck and you'll be stuck somewhere with no service somewhere so being able to plug tires um understanding that um a lot of gravel is encountering things you're you haven't otherwise encountered and so figuring out either how you're writing over them or how you're getting through them um is important and then lastly I think is just preparing nutritionally I don't think it's all Tech bike skills like I think bike skills will come if you ride it's just about not riding too fast and learning as opposed to just trying to rip through ending up on the other side of the road I heard someone describing gravel as just this constant fixing problems so yeah have a counter problem solve a problem encounter a problem solve it move forward and it's a pretty good analogy especially if you do like a multi-day gravel events where yeah I hadn't although I carry plugs around for a long time I'd actually first time I ever used one was like six months ago and it's a weird feeling because you're making the hole in your tire bigger to fix it and you're like this looks like it's making the problem worse not better so yeah it's definitely one to play around with one to play around with and there's also like obviously at the racing Edge there's four or five different plug types in my opinion honestly I'll almost always carry all of them because no different different holes right and so you have to be able to look at a hole know what kind of plug you're using if it fits well I can plug a tire and keep racing without ever having to fill it up again did it at Big Sugar last year I raced on 15 psi the whole day because that was the wood day I could like there's only way I could stay in contact and keep my second place in the Grand Prix wasn't what I wanted to do but there's a it's just it's hard to know that without doing it and so I kind of tell people like oh your tire's going to wear out cool stab it with a with a something sharp stab with a pair of scissors and practice plugging it because it's it's hard to do and it's frustrating when you're out alone or especially when you're in a race and it's just people are flying by you and there's air and sealant spraying out and it's just it's a lot so you mentioned there's different types of looks I didn't even know that the only blocks I have are the little strip ones that you stabbed into it so what is there different sizes or diameters of them or how does it work different sizes diameters of those um so my most the guys favorite in the US is they use is those the genuine Innovation ones but they're small plugs they are not you don't make your hole bigger you just try to shove it in no matter what it is sometimes you put two in get out of the quickest you can they're super light they're on all of our it's what you see on all of our cables and you just like rip it off stick it in and hopefully you go they make bigger diameter version of that um like lasign makes some Blackburn make some a couple others that are just bigger and you sometimes you have to make a hole for those then from there there is dynaflugs which I like um dynaplugs and the next version for me stands can be hard because if you have to put a tube in you have to go find all the plugs and take them out because they can fly your tube because they have pointy ends it's just remembering but those are the best at filling big holes so it's and what about slits slits you're kind of I mean I it like like Unbound like I carry like duct tape and stuff you can put duct tape on the inside of the tire you're taking the tire off you're re-fixing um a lot of like if you see a lot of my training bikes there's just a bunch of duct tape around the seat post like if I really get into a thing and I just want to get out of it without calling you can do it slits the same thing though if you're gonna you know you're not really like Unbound to carry super glue like occasionally that works but it's you got to get lucky there's a lot going on if it's wet and there's sealants everywhere and you're trying to Super Glue something it's probably just gonna break again yeah because I've had slits on the side wall that I haven't been able to fix and I've had to call for a lift with them yeah so if you can do like imagine you put a couple plugs in and it's close and it's just coming out a little bit in between that's where super glue can help and you can get through get a buy with a slit interesting so I nearly throw that back into our first question where I throw duck type and super glue back into the Saddleback yeah it's one of those things that like I probably would only be carrying those on like you know the explorative adventure rides but like once you're out there I don't want to have to call for help I don't wanna I just want to listen to my podcast and be out in the woods so even trying to call for help I drove over with my girlfriends to uh Trail she's trying to get into gravel blankets so we drove across the city to a trail it's pretty remote as you know most trails are uh we rode the trail had a lovely ride and all right the keys to the car obviously bounced out of my pocket at some point on trail so we got back to the car like the car was open I forgot to unlock it as well so I just had a total nightmare of the day cars open we're sitting in the car I'm like have you got the keys she's like no have you got the case no case anyway but boring story short I have to call my dad he was old school and I was like I'll drop you a pin and I'll tell you where I am and he's like how do you mean drop me a pen like what the is dropping them in like just tell me where you earned I was like I can't direct you like it's the middle of a forest like I don't know how to direct you this was like a four hour screaming match on the phone and he's saying just just use the pin just use the pin I'm sending you it was for real yeah yeah that's the biggest thing is I don't think like there isn't really a a good way I mean obviously guys are taking out you know radios and different transmitters at this point but yeah I mean I'm try to be self-sufficient is the goal and shoes I'm seeing this trend with obviously when you come across the gravel you assume you're using Graveler mountain bike pedals and shoes but there's a trend where you're seeing more gravel guys racing and Roadshow row pedal setups what's your consideration here how much walking is in I guess or is there an aerial consideration walking in mud um I think the the benefit in using Road shoes is this is a bigger platform right like mountain bike races have never been six to ten hours and all of a sudden they are and just avoiding hot spots on your feet um trying to just have a bigger platform to put power down with mountain bike shoes are great because you can always clip in no matter what you step in you know Clay you can still clip in uh Road shoes are not that way um but I would say the reason you see a trend toward that is like okay is it a dry race without much walking Road 2 is going to be a great option did you use Graveler rushes on level uh lead value is not my juice interesting and for somebody that's heading into their first event is there any advice you'd give them because it's vastly different from their road setup that people are accustomed to it's you know it is full and it's inclusive to really good laugh but it's totally different as well so it can be a little intimidating yeah we're gonna keep coming back to this self-sufficiency thing like most people I see who don't enjoy their first gravel race it's because they flatted and didn't know how to fix it or didn't have the correct stuff to fix it um you know it's there's a lot of these little things we've all talked about whether it's plugs and changing tires and all that stuff either if it's just watching YouTube videos do that and make sure you have like the right length valve like a lot of us are running carbon deep dish wheels on gravel bikes now the only people I encounter who have a gravel valve like this because it's how they're all made that doesn't work um so just you know if even if you know be prepared and go double check everything um and then I guess last is like make sure you have the course on your computer because that's usually the biggest the second most uh common problem is getting off course and does the spirit of gravel exist can people find this can they harness it uh I don't think you can harness it I think it's just I think it's just a feeling you feel involved or you don't um I think it's easy from the road to feel like it has to be competitive I think it's a beautiful gravels it doesn't have to be competitive because it is so vastly different but that being said like the reason it's growing is because everybody can take on their own race it's a very Iron Man ask I feel like I can't have to finish off for you looking at next season they were coming towards the end of the races this year I know a few events still left but Keegan seems to be the dominance Force again how good is Keegan and is he beatable next year big winter for you um yeah I don't know I we raced very differently um I like since I left the road I've never put everything back into the bike like I put a lot of my time in but I also have a lot of things outside that I focused on Keegan right now is not beatable he's that good um he's leaves no stone unturned equipment wise uh testing you know different fueling strategies pushing the limits of what we can do like all of us are racing SBT which is 142 miles with all the liquid we need because of Keegan right I wouldn't say that's fun or possible but Keegan made a statement last year that you can go win that race and that is gravel racing it's being able to take on everything and not have to stop uh I didn't enjoy carrying whatever 13 pounds of water but that's what it took to be on the podium SBT and so I think finding those lines and limits um to me is still fun and interesting and right now Keegan's the best at all of it it's the best riding his bike up and downhill and he's the best at doing the rest of it when you look ahead for yourself are you motivated to be less less rounded of a person in Pursuit with us emerging all gains to close that Gap to Kagan yeah I mean we're in different races right now not even different it's not a gap I mean Leadville is 25 minutes so I like I think just remembering that I enjoy riding my bike uh and finding like I definitely have moments where I'm like oh I'm gonna put it all in for this next month or two month period um but it's never going to be a 10-month goal for me again um I am very competitive but I also like when I left the world tour I kind of tried to leave part of that behind like I tried to leave the ego behind um and so when I line up I'll be as ruthless as I can but the days before and everything after I I would rather be involved in someone having a good experience in their first gravel race than I would win it myself and actually I love this conversation I think it's going to be so helpful for people easing that transition from Road into gravel thanks for joining me thanks for having me on if you enjoyed this episode please click up here for another conversation which I know you're going to love and don't forget to subscribe to the channel so you don't miss out on some amazing upcoming guests that I have planned see you next day

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How often should you replace tubeless sealant in gravel tyres?+

Alexey Vermeulen recommends checking your tubeless sealant every month and replacing it every two to three months, as it degrades and loses effectiveness over time. Most riders treat tubeless as a one-time install, but Vermeulen treats it as ongoing maintenance. He recommends using three to four ounces of sealant per tyre, with Orange Seal as his preferred product.

What tyre pressure should a beginner gravel cyclist use?+

Tyre pressure on gravel depends heavily on conditions, rider weight, and tyre width, but Alexey Vermeulen ran as low as 15 psi at the Big Sugar gravel race to stay with the lead group on loose terrain. Lower pressures improve grip and comfort on rough surfaces in a way that road cycling instincts often cause beginners to resist. Experimenting on your local terrain before race day is essential.

What should you carry in a gravel cycling saddle bag?+

Alexey Vermeulen considers a tyre plug kit non-negotiable kit for gravel riding, alongside a spare tube, CO2 or a mini pump, and a multi-tool. Equally important is practising how to use a plug before you need it roadside, as fumbling with unfamiliar equipment mid-ride costs significant time and confidence.

How is gravel cycling different from road cycling for beginners?+

The biggest shift is technical rather than physical. Alexey Vermeulen highlights that road cyclists often carry over habits like high tyre pressure, rigid cornering lines, and under-packing for mechanicals, all of which cause problems on gravel. Cornering technique in particular requires learning to weight the outside pedal and read loose surfaces, skills that road riding rarely develops.

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Key Takeaways

Master tubeless tire maintenance: check sealant monthly (it dries out in 2-3 months), know how to plug holes with different plug types, and understand that sealant isn't a 'set and forget' solution.

Lower tire pressure acts as your suspension on gravel—experiment between 28-35 PSI depending on terrain, body weight, and conditions; a 2 PSI difference dramatically changes how the bike feels.

Practice plugging a tire at home before your first race; most people who hate their first gravel event flatted and couldn't fix it, leaving them stranded or out of the race.

Go wider on tire size (40-45mm) rather than skinnier for gravel racing; the extra cushion and grip generally outweigh any speed penalty, especially when you're not racing at elite level.

Develop bike-handling skills like bunny-hopping and controlled cornering; gravel demands placing your front wheel precisely and accepting some tire slip—you can't just muscle through corners like on tarmac.

Plan your nutrition and hydration strategy differently than road cycling; gravel races are longer and demand consistent fueling rather than the old-school 'ride hard, refuel at the end' approach.

Expert Quotes

"Most people I see who don't enjoy their first gravel race it's because they flatted and didn't know how to fix it or didn't have the correct stuff to fix it."

"I raced on 15 PSI the whole day because that was the only way I could stay in contact and keep myself in place in the Grand Prix—wasn't what I wanted to do but it's hard to know that without doing it."

"I tried to leave part of that [ego] behind when I left the world tour. When I line up I'll be as ruthless as I can, but the days before and everything after I would rather be involved in someone having a good experience in their first gravel race than I would win it myself."

KEY QUOTES

“most people I see who don't enjoy their first gravel races because they flatted and didn't know how to fix it or didn't have the correct stuff to fix it”
Alexey Vermeulen — Professional gravel cyclist, former World Tour rider with Jumbo-Visma

“I fit into Big Sugar last year I raced on 15 psi the whole day because like the only way I could stay in contact and keep myself in place in the Grand Prix wasn't what I wanted to do”
Alexey Vermeulen — Professional gravel cyclist, former World Tour rider with Jumbo-Visma

“skinnier is not always faster on gravel um like I will almost always go with the bigger tire that is a little more suspension just gives you a little more cushion because I think for the most part it's also faster”
Alexey Vermeulen — Professional gravel cyclist, former World Tour rider with Jumbo-Visma

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How often should you replace tubeless sealant in gravel tyres?+

What tyre pressure should a beginner gravel cyclist use?+

What should you carry in a gravel cycling saddle bag?+

How is gravel cycling different from road cycling for beginners?+

10 THINGS I WISH I KNEW AS A BEGINNER GRAVEL CYCLIST | ALEXEY VERMEULEN

Key Takeaways

Expert Quotes

KEY QUOTES

Flats, cornering, and tire pressure

Fueling strategy and homemade bars

Why 40mm beats 47mm tires

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Flats, cornering, and tire pressure

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Why 40mm beats 47mm tires