CRYING ON A 'GRAVEL' RIDE & KYLE TO THE RESCUE 

That looked more like a MTB ride than a gravel ride, especially for a beginer. Not all riding is for everyone. If you don't enjoy gravel, then you don't have to do it. Ride your ride and enjoy every mile!

I am impressed that you uploaded this a lot of people only show perfection online. You are authentic and that's your strength. I think Nigel needs a talking to about the route that was a hiking trail not a gravel ride.

Wow, That's not just gravel. It's a real mountain bike ride. Good for you and Kyle to be by your side. Cheers

That group was not supportive. It was much more MTB not gravel - find your own gravel routes and go at your own pace.

Aww, Amy i felt so bad for you, you had every right to be anxious. I would have been pissed at "nigel" personally! That ride for someone just starting was the worse, thx to Nigel the jerk, starting to not like that guy..seriously that was mess ,I can't believe he took you on that crazy walk up rocks. Amy, you should not at all feel bad about that ride/hike . Nigel made a bad choice, don't trust his opinion on rides, do rail trails instead. Get some hot coco and put the road tires back on and lose Nigel phone # for awhile .. he doesn't seem to have your best interests in mind for you. Kyle is nice to come get ya, all the hugs .x

That looked more like a MTB ride than gravel! I wouldn’t have liked that either! Just stick to what you enjoy, nothing wrong with that 😁

Huge respect for your effort! I believe calling that gravel was being pretty generous, I would call that 'mostly off road'.

Nothing wrong with a quick cry. I hike a lot in an effort to try and regain my mental and physical well-being. Not every trip is easy and it has a huge affect. Loving the channel. Thank you. Keep fighting.

I enjoy watching Amy more than the Tour and the Vuelta! Very inspirational! And Kyle is awesome too.

Kyle is really great guy!

You and Kyle really are a dream team. Love every moment. Inspirational the both of you. I watch your videos and smile. Can’t wait to read the book ❤

You summed it up in that last bit, if you're not enjoying it, bin it off. Life is too short and too precious to be dealing with stuff you don't enjoy. Unfortunately it took me way too long to figure this out but now I ride my bike, do stuff I enjoy, say no to negativity and goodbye to anyone toxic = happy bunny

I cried more than once this week on gravel & fell off so I sympathise with how scared you were! That looked really tough & you definitely made the right choice going home. Really felt for you when Nigel called you pathetic. Even if he was joking, that wasn’t nice. You were awesome for even trying it!! 🙌🏼 Kyle, legend as usual!!

Amy, this edition of your latest productions, showed well. The Countryside looked great, trails a little tough. Nigel's sarcasm, could have appeared in an old Monty Python sketch.

It's what we love about you Amy, Your so real... 😉👍🏻

I did lots of mountainbiking in the 90s when I was in my 30s and that sort of terrain would have been physically challenging on 2" tyres and a suspension fork. Personally I think riding that on a gravel bike (road bike with fat tyres) is insane. You are not a failure - you are awe inspiring. Your personal journey and your recent PBP are testimony to this. Also a huge shout out to Kyle - you two demonstrate what marriage is all about (I speak from 34 years of wonderful marriage). Also shocked/surprised that no one stopped to offer you assistance. I never ride or drive past someone stopped at the alone roadside without asking if they need help.

If the rest of Derby Mercury CC are like Nige, remind me not to join. I had the same issue when I belonged to a Nottingham cycling club, the old guard thinking they know best! Gravel is so much fun when you haven't got someone barking at you. Loads of flat gravel east of Nottingham, leading to Sherwood Pines and Clumber Park or Vale of Belvoir. God bless Kyle.

Amy, you did great. Honestly, I’m surprised they didn’t tell you (or maybe they did when the camera wasn’t on) but that seemed like much closer to a MTB trail than gravel on most parts. Either way, can’t expect to go out there full speed first few times you give it a try. You will build confidence over time. Keep up the great work.

I think they lied to you - looks more like boulder riding! 😳 You made the right call. As soon as it stops being fun and you lose confidence then there is no shame in taking time out and waiting for another day. The New Forest has some great gentle routes if you want to get confidence and practice. Have a look at Woods Cyclery in Lyndhurst. They do some great ride outs. Also, tubeless is the way forward. 👍

6:37 he’s such a supportive geezer that Nigel😅 big hugs to Kyle!! ❤

Kyle should join the RAC. Rescuing Amy Cycling! 😁

Absolutely no interest in riding gravel and I was starting to wonder if I was missing out. Thank you for this, I’m now 100% sticking to my opinion of gravel being overrated!!! I didn’t like Nigel’s shit sandwich either 🤮 Let’s ride on the roads soon girl, we need to meet and have some fun!!! ❤❤❤

No shame Amy! As other viewers have noted, that ride was as much MTB as gravel. If you do go out again on similar terrain with the same bike and tires take special care to adjust the tire pressure as low as safely possible for added comfort on the bumpy bits. Hope your ankle is feeling better!

Gravel riding Is great Amy. You just need to go with someone who knows what gravel is. Nigel is a pillock, this was MTB.

You ought to the High Peak Trail, then down Tissington, on to the Manifold Trail and join up to the Monsal Trail. If you park up in Matlock you can head up to the High Peak Trail via the Cromford Canal. Predominately gravel; none of that grassy nonsense. It's a great circular route you can do with Kylie, its an introductory route to the world of gravel in your neck of the woods; you'll love it. Did this myself with a friend in April.

Thanks for being so honest 😊

Yay! You did a ton more gravel riding than I have done. Well done! And nice you don’t mind putting out videos when you didn’t feel it all went perfectly, gives me a little more hope I’ll manage a bit more one day.

I love your honesty and willingness to try something new. I would not have wanted to do that ride either. You absolutely made the right decision and there’s no reason to feel bad. Great job!

Pure Gent Kyle, to the rescue.👏👏 Well done, great effort Amy. Keep going, more you do gravel/mtb the more confident you'll be.👍

👍👍👍👍 When riding down technical hills put your hands on the drops, weight on your pedals, and slide back on your saddle or even behind it.

Derbyshire has the roughest gravel routes on Komoot that I have so far experienced. On one ride the dirt road suddenly was totally washed out (eroded) with random 50cm deep trenches in it (I walked that on the side of the "road" for hundreds of meters). SInce then I'm very carefully checking on google satellite pics where the komoot route takes me...

Your spirit is amazing. Life is never a continuous straight line or a smooth path. You give a lot of yourself to those who live somewhat vicariously via your adventures and seem to navigate life's ups and downs with skill, grace, and atomic powered positivity. Keep doing what you're doing Amy and always remember that you can flip the bird at folks like "Nige" (in your head) while you smile at his/their cruel rudeness. It doesn't take all kinds, there just happen to be all kinds. This damaged world could use a whole lot more "Amy".

Ride whatever makes you feel comfortable Amy, you're an inspiration.

One piece of advice I would give you to enjoy the descents more would be to ride in the drops as it gives you a lot more control, just be sure your levers are at the right reach so you can cover them if needed. As for the ascent, it would have been tough on an eMTB, let alone a gravel bike.

Bits of that remind of the Three Peaks Cyclocross..................mainly the early bits !

Amy. You've got lots of people all pushing you along. Keep positive. We love you to bits. On the roads and Hills you fly like a bird. So, please don't worry. Well done fixing the tyre. All good experiences for you.

Love your content.. it’s very real ! Keep going - you are such an inspiration ❤

Full credit for trying the gravel ride Amy! And way to recognize and adjust when you weren't enjoying it,

I think you did a great job Amy! I don’t know what you call that ride, but its definitely not a gravel ride! Your honesty is greatly appreciated. Cheers

Failure is a part of learning, as we all know. Good to see you break down but pick yourself back up. Kyle got himself a strong woman. 👌 And also, i believe crying is one the healthiest ways to release emotions that bothers you. Wish I'd cry more often.

Well done Amy, in the UK, having mountain bike experience crosses over well to gravel as our bridal ways are a real mixture and having the experience to stay loose and float over the terrain helps the confidence. It’s worth going tubeless to lower the tyre pressures to aid comfort and grip, still taking a spare tube and good tyre levers just in case as well as tyre plugs. The other thing I do is to take a pair of full fingered gloves with me for when riding through nettles, thorns and rocky areas to protect the hands. They live mostly in my back pocket, but I have them for when I need them. And walking the bike is better than breaking a wheel or a four hour wait for an ambulance, so no shame in walking. TTFN.

That's the key when you said - I ride to enjoy it. Good call

I just love watching this channel

LOVE ALL YOUR VIDEOS

That was deffo more than just a gravel ride!

You could well be fatigued after PBP! I get weepy when I’m really tired too. And I’m rubbish at gravel as well, in fact, I just don’t like it much! Give tubeless a try as well. Punctures very, very rare, and when you do get one it’s often fixable with a plug. I haven’t taken a tyre off at the side of the road for 2 years.

Well done Amy....but you can keep Gravel!!....I'm sticking to the road!!!

All of us roadies should try off roading, it gains confidence and makes you focus on bike handling. Big well done Amy for having a go.

Have a similar Topstone to Amy but have a Lefty Oliver fork on it. Makes all the difference on more knarly gravel trails.

The trick with gravel is to have wide tubeless tyres with low pressure to cope with bumps and loose surfaces - also that route was more MTB singletrack than gravel riding so don’t sweat it Amy.

Must be catching, as an oldie, I went out Saturday to do a 60 milone loop, at 15 miles I just wasn't feeling it and said 'you know what.. not today'... and pedalled back... Youre a fabulous couple and deserve all thats heading your way...

Great job for putting yourself out there and trying! Like others have said that was some gravel/mtb trails and not for a beginner. Don’t beat yourself up, you are making a darn good effort. I found that riding a mountain bike a bit can really help your skills off-road before trying gravel. Mountain bikes have so much more control that you can build your confidence. Cheers

That's definitely a MTB ride. I always saw a Gravel bike as a comfortable road bike... Too much bump for a bike without suspension... You did really well though. Thought for food: Kyle should open a business "Rescued by Kyle"

Deffo more of a MTB ride!! You did really well, I’d be terrified 😂😭

Sorry to see you suffer on the gravel ride Amy, never been keen on it meself. I've found weight training a great combo with the cycling & use it regularly as an anxiety buster & all round chill sesh with benefits lasting well into the day. 16:43 in the PM & hope you enjoy your chicken dinner at your mother's & from me it's TT in the FN

nice one Amy! I wouldnt fancy gravel myself. 👍

Super work Amy 🎉 💪

That wasn't what I would think a gravel ride is ! That's like MTB kinda stuff. Quite ok to bail on a ride! :) Thanks for sharing!

Like many have pointed out in the comments - that was not a gravel ride!! I live near the New Forest and you would love it. Proper gravel (fire road) tracks. No huge boulders which even MTBs might struggle with. It is so much fun - and you would be yippee-ing all the way! Well done you for going along - but your team mates must have known that was not gravel and for you as a newbie on gravel it was ridiculous for them to suggest it was. I have never seen anyone carrying their bike like you guys had to on gravel. And all that grass - trying to get across cattle fields! What was that?! Not gravel! It did look a thoroughly awful ride and I think it would have stressed those of us who are more accustomed to gravel. Definitely don't give up yet though. Tubeless and low inflation is definitely the way to go and far more comfy if you are on gravel and not a mountain! If you get the chance to ride a Glorious Gravel event, they are very well organised, very well supported events with great food and mechanical support and you would be amazed to see it is nothing like your ride. It will be proper gravel 🙂 Maybe check some out on YT and you'll see what they're about. Dear Kyle - he is such a great guy. You two are so good together! Looking forward to the next adventures.

Glad you made it. Gravel rides are fun - similar to riding in snow except not as cold and wet. Not everyone is into Winter riding either except crazies like myself that can't live without my bike lol. You may have to ease into it slowly and see if it's something you enjoy which is what riding is all about. Pick a different course that's less bumpy. 🤕

So impressed you at least gave it a go… gravel is a completely different beast… even with a gravel bike… and sometimes it’s good to challenge yourself with something different.. go you 👍👍

Just look after yourself Amy ❤️. And remember, you don’t have to do gravel riding. I did a mountain bike route once. Hated every minute of it. So I’ve not done anymore. And I’m very happy about that. Road riding all the way for me

You should come and ride some proper gravel roads here in Scotland. I agree with others that looked more like MBT and I never need to hike a bike on a gravel ride. You were absolutely right to call it a day when you weren't happy but don't give up entirely on gravel. There are much nicer routes that are easier to start with. You are amazing Amy and that you for sharing your fears. It's not an easy thing to do but we all feel the same at some point. Loving your videos - keep on finding what you enjoy x

The issue with UK gravel rides is they are more MTB routes, you need to have a ride on a 29er hardtail mountain bike. Going downhill without front suspension and wide handle bars. I have been riding MTB's for years, for fun and racing Enduro/Cross Country. I then bought a CX bike and going downhill on drop bars is a nightmare. And your right, if you don't enjoy it, don't do it.

Oh bless you don’t worry sometimes it’s fun and sometimes it’s sh..! lol you did brilliant and you need to get a tyre glider for your tyre makes everything so much easier. Love all your vlogs keep them coming.😢😅😊

I got gravel and a mountain bike. My gravel is for road and very light trails and Bridleways . And if its hilly and rocky then my 3rd option us the full suss ebike😂👌👍 Great vid. Tough route that on the cannondale .

Miss Amy, Grand Hike-A-Bike, at the start. Looks more like a Mountain bike trail here in South Texas. You are a trooper putting up with that ride. Don't get upset for not finishing the ride for it is not your type of riding. I've learned to carry spare everything including 4 tire levers. Glad Kyle was around to save ya.

That’s mountain bike ride 😮.. not gravel Amy .. your response was 💯 .. correct 👍.. Nigel was being too hard !! Totally 💯.. Kyle LEGEND!!! You have a good seed with him Amy .. crying is healthy .. and listen to your fears and anxiety… acknowledging them is healthy .. if you feel unsafe down hills .. listen to yourself .. and if something isn’t for you and you tried .. that’s cool 😎 too 🍎 .. great content showing the ups and downs on the bike 🚴.. glad you ended on a positive.. cheers 🥰👏👏🥰

Wow, this is my stomping ground! Recognise most of the tracks. Some serious stuff for a newbie gravel ride/hike a bike at the beginning looked like one out of Belper! I went out on some local trails last week for the first time on my gravelbike on other trails that lead off the High Peak Trail check out me last video (don't normally do that) should have come with me, honestly you wouldn't be the slowest. Trust me a few times exploring the rail trails you will be itching to explore more less tame stuff. I can relate to feelings of inadequacy, suffer with those feelings everytime I cycle with a group, which is why I prefer to cycle alone mostly. Oh and its nice to hear honesty. Huge kudos for giving it a go...atb Nige

Hello Amy, Maybe little and often is the way to go with the gravel riding. See you next time Take care Paul,,

Kudos to you, Amy, for venturing onto a trail made for hikers and mountain bikes. Definitely not a gravel,path. I rode something like that recently on my Canyon Grail, and it was constant stress downhill and up. Physical jolting and need to watch where you are all the time is exhausting. It’s a serious challenge completely different from road rising. And Kyle is the best riding buddy.

Well done Amy, i think Nige needs to take a leaf out of Kyle's book 🥰 i can highly recommend the tyre glider for removing tyres and innertubes when u get a puncture its really good when u know how to use it , check it out on you tube 👍 ive not forgot about ur Chai Lattes as well will keep u posted 🚴‍♂️😎👍

Amy lots of that look more like a mountain bike ride and less of a gravel ride IMO. I would keep that in mind when you are judging your effort here. Never apologize for your emotions either. It seemed more a a mini mind storm trying to mess you up maybe. That was a more extreme end of gravel riding, so I suggest keeping that in mind. Kudos for even trying that crazy route of Nige's I would suggest getting that Cannondale set up tubeless, and you should have less punctures to deal with. Lovely video; nothing to be ashamed of at all. Kudos to Kyle again. Yippee and TTFN back to you Amy.

Thanks for posting this video. I have wondered about gravel riding and seeing this it’s a « no thanks » from me. I’ll stick to the road. You remain a heroine of cycling and that would not change one bit if you never went ‘gravel riding’ again. And obviously we can not speak highly enough of Kyle, what a guy!

Awesome Amy

I agree with some of the previous comments. Do what you like to do. If off road isn't your cup of tea. That's fine. I wouldn't take my bike on that track.

mountain biking is hard, after watching your video I'm glad I'm learning it by myself

Amy, Amy, c'mon lass! To be fair though, those trails looked quite difficult for a newbie. You should try to get on some rides that stick to decent dirt roads and not single track hiking paths. Rocks are scary as fook - for good reason, going over the bars into the stone hurts! Nige threw you in the deep end a little there - not too radical but certainly not easy going, which is what you need until your confidence and experience grows. Learning to let the bike move around under you whilst just paying attention to your own balance and direction of momentum will take some time. Get out of the saddle, most off road should be done standing up - sitting down is asking for trouble. If you do manage to get into it you will find riding through nature both liberating and exhilarating. AND there are no cars - bonus! Well done for trying to expand your horizons and giving it a go - hope the next time is more enjoyable!

I ride a lot of gravel but that was experienced MTB rider territory. I would have bailed out long before you did, and I’m not a failure. It would have helped if Nigel had recognised the difference between reluctance and fear. Don’t let it put you off as there are some great tracks and trails that are pure joy to ride.

Chin up gal, good job on getting out! I'm a roadie and must admit when I go off road I don't feel as confident, but its comes with practise.

Ive gone tubeless on my cannondale topstone . Those tyres are super tight on them rims👍

There was a 136k organised gravel ride in the Peak District yesterday...you should give a gravel event a go next time :)

You are totally right Amy, if you don't enjoy it, don't do it. Just a second before you said it, my wife said she (you) are not enjoying the ride, and one of the reasons you ride is for stress relief and this seems to be having the opposite effect. My wife and I avoid that sort of route and if we have to ride on bumpy stuff we both start apologising to our bikes😅

No problem stopping if you weren't enjoying it. I'm feeling gutted today too. Started my first audax ride, got caught in a sharp thunderstorm, and aqua planed at the bottom of a descent. Battered and bruised , had to abandon. 😢

Great vid, yes you have had a sniffle or 3 but you said yourself you do this for the enjoyment and you were not enjoying. Maybe Nigel can plan some quarter gravel and 3 quarter road and build from there. Take care and stay safe

That’s more like a mtb route

I cried too watching your poor Cannondale forced to be a downhill MTB. Naughty Nige! 😁

I'd class gravel as Tissington/High Peaks/Monsal Trail. That looked like mountain biking terrain. Not being clipped in gives you more confidence over the rougher stuff, but I'm always much happier on my mountain bike over that sort of terrain.

Kyle is correct "BALLS TO THE GRAVEL" 👌🏻

Have you thought about using flats for when you do your gravel/mtb riding . Think I would've done that route on a full sus bike .

Your doing well. I done mtb racing ,road and gravel and it take me year or so till ok offroad. You maybe better with a hardtail mtb its alot easyer and safer so more fun and keep your other two bikes for road stuff . Love u lots

Amy, that’s a tough course for a beginner to gravel or MTB, we’re local to you and would love to help you get your confidence up on some of our routes!!!

Somehow, these videos are the best. We all struggle with something. I hope you get the urge to try again, and practice will make, if not perfect, then improvements. Once you get up to speed and feel the 'rythm', the adventures of gravel, will give a road ride a run for it's money. Keep at it girl, and you'll find your gravel-yipee in no time 😀♥

we love you kyle, we do, oh kyle, we love you 😂

Hey Amy, first of all, well done for giving that a go and that looked tough! Second , have you heard of the “tyre glider”? This is a fantastic tool for people of all abilities and so easy to use! I highly recommend you check it out and purchase one! It works amazingly well on tight tyres on tight rims and doesn’t require brute strength. Anyway hope this helps, keep up the great videos and amazing rides 😊

Interesting as that ‘gravel’ route was a lot more like the single-track sections of some gravel races I have done. Super challenging and scary, but if all gravel was like that I’d be doing way more road than gravel. And as others have pointed out, the group you were riding with were not really supportive which is the exact opposite of any gravel riding people I have encountered. The biggest allure to gravel riding has been the openness and supportiveness of the people I meet.

Get through all that gravel, then 3 miles into the road riding, get a puncture. 😮 Gotta watch that tarmac, Amy, it’s way too hard on bikes and equipment. 😉 Love your honesty in posting all that.

5:46 😢 sorry Amy. you’re so strong. but we are human. we live and we learn, enjoy your own routes. cycling is so freeing and open. i learned that from watching you!! ❤

Been riding off pavement for 30+ years. Slowly have learned that momentum is your friend and that I never clear difficult stuff if I'm braking a lot. Let it roll.

You're pretty brave running that without gloves. I'd be on my 2.1 tyres for the cush.