Look who my wife spotted in Harrisonburg Va this weekend.

[Megabeth]

FYI…I can attest, the medio route (77 miles) is no joke. But, well worth it if you think you’re not up to the full route.

The medio route is all paved. In fact, climbing Reddish Knob was like butter – a slow, slow, slow, steep butter incline. I had many conversations with little wooly worms running, and keeping pace, with me. But, I made it up the climbs without walking or stopping. Oh yeaaaah.

[Dirt]

@vvill 31746 wrote:

Yeah you definitely need to used to in-the-saddle climbing to get through those dirt stages.

That may be why y’all have sore backs. I definitely suggest mixing it up on long climbs like that just to give your muscles a break. When you’re out of the saddle, roll your hips back over the saddle to keep the rear wheel weighted so the rear wheel holds traction. I used 4 different positions on the climbs and that really helped my back loosen up over the ride. Sitting with my hands on the hoods, sitting with my hands in the drops, standing with my hands on the hoods and standing with my hands in the drops. Each provides a different combination of the muscles that it uses… as well as different amounts of arms/shoulders/upper back that are drawn upon to move the bike forward.

Moving around was the only way I survived that ride. I went into it with a very sore back and when I came out, my back was arguably the only part of me that wasn’t dogged.

There were enough miles of rolling, smooth pavement that I really wouldn’t go any bigger than a 28mm tire for that ride. I did it on 35mm tires last year and that was too much.

[Rod Smith]

@SteveTheTech 31741 wrote:

As the days pass by and my legs get back to normal I am thinking I just might be out there again next year. Although at the time I said I would never attempt that gravel mess again today I am thinking I might be.

Are you running 28cs on a road bike? If so what?

There were many people that were out there that I spoke with riding 32s and even as high as 36s with mtb derailuers. I was thinking it would be considered soft to do that but it is smart out there anything goes.

No road bike. Are hybrids allowed? I have smooth tires, Schwalbe Durano on my sporty hybrid, Conti Gatorskins on my work horse.

[vvill]

You can ride any bike you like. Saw a couple of guys on fatbikes, and a few MTBs.

@Dirt 31758 wrote:

That may be why y’all have sore backs. I definitely suggest mixing it up on long climbs like that just to give your muscles a break. When you’re out of the saddle, roll your hips back over the saddle to keep the rear wheel weighted so the rear wheel holds traction. I used 4 different positions on the climbs

Yeah this is something I need more experience with – riding on dirt/unpaved sections for decent stretches of time. Although I didn’t have a back issue myself, I did feel like I wished I had more variation in body position generally.

Same goes for tire width. With more experience I’d probably be fine with the 25-28 range but as it was I felt a little thin.

[Author]

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