It's a GT Grade, a "gravel" bike or "adventure road bike" or "enduro-road" bike. Too many fancy terms lately. Basically a road bike with (hydraulic) disc brakes and more clearance.
I've got 28 mm tires on it now. When they wear out I'll probably go with 32 or 35 mm. For the last half decade I've been riding on the roads pretty exclusively and half my miles are around town after work. But I've never been able to do dirt roads and have free reign now ... so it's a balancing act.
Really, the fun came from the challenging climb, the scenery, and being able to connect my cycling passion with some of my favorite hiking country.
Nice! I rode a 32 mi loop from Exit 42 up to Snoqualmie Pass via Denny Creek and back via the Iron Horse yesterday and that was overkill in the hot weather. Can't imagine doing easily twice the vertical and only getting a bike porn shot at the Cascade Pass TH
I was on a touring bike w/ disc brakes and 35mm wide tires... as someone who owns and has ridden lots of bikes, I can confirm >=32mm wide tires make gravel and dirt enjoyable.
Really, the fun came from the challenging climb, the scenery, and being able to connect my cycling passion with some of my favorite hiking country.
I can relate. In a past life (mid 90's) I used to do RAMROD and for a training ride would go up Hurricane Ridge starting at Dungeness Spit (for a warmup) a couple of weeks before but that was a nice paved road with of course plenty of scenery. I was on road bike with skinny tires, so gravel wasn't even in the equation back then. I enjoyed the climbs and mountain rides. Of course I was more the weight I should have been back then ~ 175-180 vs now and enjoyed the challenge. Now not being in great shape and certainly not good cycling shape the hills aren't much fun, lol...
Now I can't seem to get back into cycling enough to get in good enough shape to be able to enjoy such things. Must be getting old and lazy.
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I was on a touring bike w/ disc brakes and 35mm wide tires... as someone who owns and has ridden lots of bikes, I can confirm >=32mm wide tires make gravel and dirt enjoyable.
Loving your bike trips this spring!