Gravelanche 2024

My race season is off to a good start with Gravelanche last weekend, an event put on by the Whitewater Center in Huger, SC. I raced in the 60-miler and finished in 2nd for the women’s field, and 6th overall! This was the first year that they hosted this event so it’s great to be a part of that.

 GULO GGA 38 gravel wheels are my go to.

The GGA 38 gravel aero wheels are my go-to, but this time around I had a pair of Schwalbe Thunder Burts (2.1 mountain bike tires) on. I ran about 19 PSI front, 20 PSI rear for race day, knowing that it would be a mud-fest given the last 2 days of monsoon-like rain. Also, the Francis-Marion National Forest near Charleston where the race took place is notorious for some brutal conditions, especially early in the year like now. Much of the course included slimy peanut butter-type mud with lots of potholes and water pits, which, between drafting behind others and barely being able to see through my glasses meant that I couldn’t pick the best lines through those sections. So, I’m thankful for my solid wheels and tire/pressure choice — while other people were struggling and losing control in the mud, I was able to keep pedaling forward and not have to worry as much! That definitely paid off big time!

Nina ‘Machina’ Machinoski

Gulo Ambassador