I wrote few times about tubeless or about tyres which I use in tubeless system – for example Schwalbe X-One on CX rides, Schwalbe Pro One on road (road tubeless), and Panaracer Gravelking SK as gravel allround tyres. After more than I year, I decided to stop this madness and go back to inner tubes. Why? Because tubeless isn’t perfect, and on real, amateur usage, can be very problematic. Read more to see why.
Last trip in this year? Not, but very, very nice. Great area with amazing friends – a lot of climbing and uphills. Some road, some gravel, and very fast descents. Fantastic place, and I will back there next year. Click read more to see route on Strava and some photos from this trip.
Continue reading “Trip: Jizera Mountains”
I use only one bike for everything and it causes some issues – different conditions required different tires. Last winter I wrote about Schwalbe X-One: completely disappointing in Performance version and very nice in Evo. These tires was great, but for CX-usage: on light mud, on wet grass etc. Not on tarmac and gravel, because of noticeable changes in rolling resistance. In the spring I decided to change them to something else, something for dry conditions and gravel. Now, after many kilometers and many rides, I can review Panaracer Gravelking SK’s.
I started beginning of September in Lubin, on this year’s edition of Marathon Around the Lubin (in Polish: Maraton Dookoła Lubina, MDL). Some competitors (runners) started day before – they must run 100 kilometers… I started on Saturday morning with few friends – they decided to ride 75 kilometers distanse, I again ride 110 km. Everyone could choose distance and also choose path during day: we only must visit some checkpoints and get some stamps on received maps.
As year before, it was again very nice time and great riding. A lot of gravel – on forest, on paths, sometimes on sands, and with some tarmac kilometers. Everything was great except weather. Forecasts said: it will be sunny… or it will be rainy day. It was pretty nice in the morning, but after few hours… heavy rain and we all completed race completely soaked. But it still was great. And gravel bike was also great again :)
And one again on Okraj Pass. But this time, it was a sports competition – uphill in the fastest way. I improved my personal records on all segments so… it was very, very good ride!
