2024 Road Apple Roubaix Review

I was definitely out of my comfort zone at the 10th Annual Road Apple Roubaix in Garrettsville, Ohio.  This was my first time on a gravel bike and first time participating in this event which ended up being quite an adventure. The Road Apple Roubaix offers a longer course of 50 miles and a shorter course of somewhere between 25 and 27 miles depending on who you ask and what course description you read.  I went with the shorter course being that this was my first gravel bike experience.  Favorable weather predictions made for a huge event turnout with organizers closing registration with a sell out of 600 riders.  Surprisingly to most of us the ride day weather was far from what was predicted with cooler than advertised temperatures, cloudy overcast skies, and periods of precipitation.   The event is advertised as a fondo but for many gravel grinders it is very much a race.  When you provide chip timing, and awards for the overall fastest riders along with awards for four Strava challenge sections of the course it becomes a race.  I personally had no interest in racing or completing the course for speed.  The field of riders was made up of all ability levels from beginners out for some recreation to highly skilled and incredibly fast racers.  Bikes styles ranged from gravel bikes, cyclocross bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, and fat tire bikes.  Road bikes are one of the few types of bikes not suitable for the terrain of this event.

The 26 mile course challenged me with massive hills, mud, and constantly changing riding surfaces. I saw some beautiful scenery through the mud, precipitation, and fog of my riding glasses. I did see some road apples and an Amish cart being pulled by two magnificent clydesdale horses.  I found the first 10-12 miles to be fairly easy riding.  The back half of the course was a different story.  It was filled with some very steep hills and a long stretch of trail that was a mixture of clay and mud which was slick and difficult to pedal through.   The wind and precipitation kicked up in the second half of the ride making things even more challenging.  I finished in 2:20:38 just in time to see the top riders race through the finish of the 50 mile course.  They were all completely covered in mud.  So much so that you could not distinguish one rider from another.

Being my first gravel bike experience I learned a few things.  First I probably need to train harder and put more miles on a bike to take on the steep hills.  Second I would probably invest in some lightweight fenders to help reduce the mud splatter.  Third I would probably invest in some weatherproof shoe covers to protect my feet from the wet cold conditions.  Fourth Strava Challenge Area signs mean get ready for some tough riding ahead!.   Finally that gravel grinders are nuts!  The bigger the hills, the worse the riding conditions, and the more mud the happier they are!

Participants received rock music inspired t-shirts and pint glasses plus a free craft beer and chili.  A gravel bike was raffled off along with additional prizes with the purchase of tickets.  I was the lucky winner of a Road Apple Roubaix beanie.

Thank you to my fellow team rider who pointed out that the mud covering our faces most likely was full of road apple debris.
Thank you to Eddy’s Bike Shop, the event sponsors, and volunteers that made the ride possible.