Road Cyclist Goes Gravel - 2025 Bovine Classic Recap

As a former editor at ACTIVE.com, and an editor and contributor at a handful of other fitness publications, I’ve spent the better part of my career plugged into the endurance sports world. I’ve seen trends come and go (colostrum, anyone?), but by the time gravel racing became popular, I’d already had one foot out the door. I’d entered a different phase in my life, started a family, and running, cycling, and triathlon took a back seat to 2 AM diaper blowouts, toddler dance classes, Bluey, and dino nuggets. 

Fast forward a few years, and now, with a slightly more flexible home life (and, admittedly, a 20-pound heavier frame), I’ve been itching to get out and back on two wheels. I personally need something on the calendar to motivate any "regular" training, so I booked a century ride for mid-August 2025 along the California coast. That went better than expected with less-than-optimal training, and it immediately got me thinking, "What’s next?". 

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I’ve known that gravel riding and racing have been popular for years now, but I had my doubts. If you’re going to do a road ride, why not stay on the road? If you want to get dirty, why not just do a mountain bike ride? I didn’t get the appeal of "gravel", and I wasn’t willing to shell out thousands on a new bike and gear for this unfamiliar hybrid cycling style.

After searching for rides around Southern and Central California, I stumbled across the Bovine Classic – the self-proclaimed "America's 4th-hardest cow-themed gravel ride in a California wine region not called Napa or Sonoma". That was just non-specific enough to pique my interest, and after a not-so-in-depth look at the route in the hills of Atascadero, Calif., I took the "seriously unserious gravel ride" as seriously unserious as I could. 

The fine folks at the Bovine Classic offer three routes to pick from:

• The Big Bovine: 85 miles with almost 10k feet of elevation gain (yikes)
• The Feisty: 71 miles with 7k feet of elevation gain (also yikes)
• The Happy Bovine: 45 miles with 4k feet of elevation gain (there we go)

The Ride

We clipped in with around 600 other "groadies" and headed out the start/finish chute at 8 am sharp, with no intention of setting any sort of course record. As we defrosted from 45-degree start temperatures, we were flanked by tandem bikes and other riders in full-on cow costumes. The first several miles were on paved, rolling hills, and there were lots of course marshals, volunteers, and law enforcement out to ensure riders were safe and protected from traffic. 

At this stage, it became clear why gravel bikes are essentially road bikes with a slightly more relaxed geometry and higher-volume tires – on my modified hardtail mountain bike, I often reached the limit of my gear range, and I wished for a more efficient ride. 

The gravel sections picked up, and riders spread out. Unlike most organized road rides I’ve been to, it seemed most riders were riding solo and pace groups weren’t forming due to the rolling hills and some punchy gravel climbs. It had briefly rained the day before, so the dirt couldn’t have been better. It wasn’t dusty, much of the standing water had drained, and there were very few loose sections. 

We skipped the first aid station and continued on our way, with the first real test of the day arriving around mile 20. For the next couple of miles, we gained about 1,000 feet of elevation, all on a tighter, slightly more technical gravel section appropriately named Killer Canyon. To prevent the entire event from being a hammer fest, the organizers smartly delineated "timed" sections of the route for participants to really get after it – this was one such section. I may or may not have stopped halfway up (but definitely did) for a breather when things topped out at 12 percent.

The route alternated between gravel and paved sections, and we stopped at the second rest stop to regroup and refuel. After the CalPoly SLO cycling team handed me everything in sight, including salami, peanut butter pretzels, chips, and fruit snacks, we were back on the road. 

The remaining miles wound through scenic wine country, with both paved and gravel sections flanked by vineyards, tasting rooms, pumpkin patches, and more. Again, props to the ride organizers; it was a truly beautiful route, and the weather couldn’t have been nicer. Just over four hours after the start, I cruised across the finish line much less dusty than I expected, immediately had my remaining snacks stolen by my kids, and found a crisp IPA from Firestone Walker and a carne asada burrito from a local vendor.

The Gear

As mentioned, I had no plan to invest in a whole new setup for this cow-themed event. I’ll share more about my bike and how to "go gravel on a budget" in a future article, but I essentially converted my used, very abused 2014 Specialized Rockhopper to be more road and gravel-friendly. 

I replaced the knobby oversized tires with used 45mm Maxxis gravel tires I found on Facebook Marketplace, shortened the flat bars, threw on a frame bag and SPD pedals, and called it a party. Pretty immediately, I wished for a wider gear ratio and a lighter and more nimble setup (there’s not a single ounce of carbon on this bike), and don’t get me started on my bottom bracket. To those around me who had to listen to my bike scream in pain through every pedal stroke for miles on end, I apologize. And yes, I’ll take you up on the "GoFundMe" for a new bottom bracket you somewhat jokingly offered. 

Ironically, despite literally dressing as a cow for Halloween this year per my three-year-old’s request, I decided to leave the cow costume at home. Pearl Izumi heard about my quest and sent me some pieces from their gravel/adventure line, including the Expedition Short Sleeve Jersey, Shorts, PRO Alpha Jacket, and PRO Off-Road Shoe. Compared to the decade-old cycling kit I was planning to wear, these were a massive upgrade, making the whole experience much more comfortable. I’ve been a fan of ROKA since I met their owners years ago in Dallas when they were only making triathlon wetsuits, and now, since they’re crushing it with eyewear, their team threw in a pair of their oversized San Remo sunglasses so I could channel my inner George Hincapie. 

For the remaining gear (helmet, vest, arm warmers, cycling computer, etc.) I used a mix of road and MTB-specific gear I already owned, and everything worked fine. 

Parting Thoughts

If you haven’t tried a gravel ride yet, I highly recommend giving it a shot. The Bovine Classic, as I’d expect from other organized gravel rides around the world, was just a good day on the bike – no pressure, fresh air, and good vibes.

  Gear-wise, investing in gravel or off-road-specific items will definitely make your gravel experience more enjoyable and efficient. Still, as shown by the spectrum of bikes and gear at this year’s event, you can make pretty much anything work for your needs. I’d also like to note that since the weather was literally perfect, the day was more forgiving to all types of gear – if conditions were worse, there’d be a clear advantage for more gravel-specific gear. 

As a road cyclist, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of paved sections throughout the route. This is just a guess, but I’d say only 40 percent of the route was on dirt/gravel, which breaks up the monotony throughout the day and also keeps things moving. 

The event really allowed all riders to prioritize what’s important to them. If you wanted to train and go for the timed segments, you had the opportunity to really push yourself and compete. If you wanted to show up on a flat-bar mountain bike without a single training ride in the weeks leading up to the event, that worked, too. It turns out the beer tastes the same afterwards, regardless.

See you next year. Viva Bovine!