For generations, road engineers worked tirelessly toward a simple goal:

Make roads smoother.

They filled potholes. They removed rocks. They laid asphalt. They created mile after mile of beautifully paved surfaces so bicycles could roll quickly and efficiently.

Then gravel cyclists arrived.

“Could you put the rocks back?”

And so began one of cycling's great technological revolutions.

Bicycle manufacturers responded with wider tires, flared handlebars, lower gearing, longer wheelbases, frame bags, tubeless sealant, and increasingly sophisticated equipment designed to help cyclists ride comfortably over surfaces their grandparents had spent decades trying to pave.

There was only one remaining problem:

Not enough gravel.

Fortunately, the heavy-equipment industry was ready to help.

Today, gravel riders can enjoy all the benefits of modern cycling—expensive carbon frames, electronic shifting, GPS navigation and precision-engineered components—while bouncing down a road that appears to have been finished approximately six minutes ago.

Progress is a wonderful thing.

Pavement? Overrated.

Loose is the new smooth.