This is not what most of us would call a typical gravel bike obstacle. But then Clive, the rider in the photo, isn’t a typical gravel bike rider either. At the right-hand side of this image there is a gap slightly wider than handlebar width, which 99% of riders will sensibly chose to aim for. There’s almost always a puddle in the middle, but it’s not a big hazard and the majority of gravel riders would choose that option. Clive, on the other hand, never takes the easy route through the narrow gap. He goes over the motorbike barrier.
The barrier is made of two old railway sleepers 30cm high and 10 cm thick. Between the two sleepers is a gap a metre wide. Most of us, if it we concentrated hard enough could probably ride over one of these sleepers, but two of them placed a metre apart are a nightmare. One or other of your wheels always seems to be in the wrong place. The positioning of the sleepers has been designed to make it as hard as possible for wheeled vehicles to traverse them. But if you’re Clive, you don’t look at this as a problem, you look at it as a challenge.
"Clive sails apparently effortlessly clear through the gap to a round of applause from the watching group of friends"
There’s a minimum speed which you will need to be riding to have any chance of clearing the barrier. Too slow and your front wheel will drop into the gap between the sleepers and you’ll come to an undignified stop. But too much speed and you risk crashing into solid timber and doing yourself some impressive damage. You’ve got to have the judgement, skills and confidence to be able to jump the first piece of timber, but also use it as a launch pad to clear the second one. This isn’t run-of-the-mill gravel riding skills. This isn’t even typical MTB skills, this is more like a trials rider’s view of the world. It’s not easy. And it takes Clive many, many attempts before he finally nails it and sails apparently effortlessly clear through the gap to a round of applause from the watching group of friends.
"If you’re Clive, you don’t look at this as a problem, you look at it as a challenge."
Some of us, myself included before I started riding regularly with Clive, would make one attempt to try and ride over obstacles in our path without putting either of our feet on the floor, but then if we failed, instead of trying again, we would probably remount and ride off, deciding we will do next time instead. Clive on the other hand is hardwired to be unable to do this. His level of determination is cranked up to 11 and it’s an extremely rare occasion when he gives up or gets beaten by a trail obstacle.
To some people along on a “Clive ride”, this could be annoying or frustrating. You can almost see it written on their face “Why should I hang around waiting for Clive to try and ride something that I couldn’t do for the ‘nth’ time?”. But once you’ve ridden with him a few times, this initial frustration then turns to mere puzzlement. And then the puzzlement turns to wonder and eventually it rubs off on you too. If I practice until I die of old age, I’m never going to have Clive’s level of physical skills (or love of getting my wheels off the floor), but what I have realised is that it’s his 'never give up' attitude to riding that is the important factor.
"The puzzlement turns to wonder and eventually it rubs off on you too"
When you ride with Clive often enough, you learn that he two ‘standard’ faces that he will pull. He’s normally got a huge gravelgrinTM spread across his face, but when he’s concentrating on something tricky, Clive is the master of a good poofaceTM too. What this picture 100% fails to capture is quite how steep, slippery and root infested the climb just out of shot to the left was. It’s short, but the combination of a greasy, clayey surface and a very liberal sprinkling of roots made it way tougher to climb that it should have been. It took him a few goes, but never one to be beaten, with his trademark determination, he traded his pooface for a big smile once he’d finally nailed it.
"Everyone who goes riding with him will come home determined to #bemoreclive on future rides"
Whether it’s his infectious enthusiasm, willingness to always ride something “just one more time” for a photograph or have impromptu sprints with friends while maintaining a huge grin, there’s something about Clive’s attitude to gravel riding (and to life outside the world of bikes too) which can’t help but rub off on everyone he meets.
He doesn’t have a vast trophy cabinet or a legion of internet fans following his every move, but that doesn’t mean that Clive’s place on the inspirational gravel riders’ podium-of-life isn’t well deserved.
Everyone who goes riding with him will come home determined to #bemoreclive on future rides and that’s an impressive legacy.