There’s a “principle” that some cyclists abide by.
It’s known by the equation N+1 where N equals the number of bikes you currently own. Basically, you’ve always got room for one more bike!
Come into any bike shop and you’ll see purpose-built bikes for every specific type of riding. You’ve got road race bikes, endurance road bikes, hard tail mountain bikes, enduro mountain bikes, trail bikes, e-bikes, and the list goes on (and on and on…). The N+1 desire for one more bike in the stable is an easy trap to fall into. It’s easy to justify a bike for every occasion!
For some, N+1 might work. Maybe you are able to ride for 20 hours a week or more, want to explore varied terrain, and can justify owning multiple bikes.
But here’s the thing, for most of us mere mortals, we might not need or want more than one bike! For many of us, one bike might be the best decision. One bike is obviously more affordable, but it’s also easier to stay on top of maintenance. By sticking with one, you can focus your precious pennies on that bike which allows you to get one with better components and longer lasting parts. Or maybe you truly do not have room for one more bike and you’ve got to find the one bike to rule them all.
So which bike is it going to be! Well, in Campbell River the obvious answer might be a mountain bike, but there’s a whole lot of road riders that might differ. Or maybe an e-bike is the way to go.
Enter the gravel bike! We’ve got tons of great trails, lots of pavements, and never-ending gravel roads in and around Campbell River. A gravel bike can handle a lot of easy/intermediate mountain bike trails, can hold its own on the pavement, but it also opens up a whole new world of exploration. There’s a reason the gravel scene is one of the fastest-growing cycling markets right now. One of our customers just bought a gravel bike and he said “some sort of Voodoo went into this bike. It shouldn’t be so comfortable bouncing off rocks and ruts. It shouldn’t be so fun to rip single track on it. But it is!” Tough to come up with a better endorsement. If you already have a bike, great! But if you’re new to biking, check out some of the new gravel bikes. You’ll find that a gravel bike is the most versatile and might also be the most fun bike you’ll ever own!
Quick tip: bring your bike over to the shop and get your chain checked for stretch. If you catch it early enough, you can replace your chain before it ruins your entire drivetrain and you need to replace everything.
– Article provided by Pedal Your World, Campell River
