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A rider who finished 18th in his age category at the UCI Gravel World Championships reports on the setup he chose for the race in Nannup, Western Australia. His changes included 50mm tyres, 155mm cranks and adjusted gearing; a power-meter failure meant he raced without recorded power data.
A rider who finished 18th in his age category at the UCI Gravel World Championships has detailed the bike and equipment changes he made for the race in Nannup, Western Australia, including 50mm tyres and 155mm cranks. His account describes personal equipment choices and race-day experience, rather than a controlled comparison of products.
The rider chose a Canyon Grail CFR Di2 after testing the model in the weeks before travelling to Australia. He valued its stability on descents and its clearance for tyres up to 57mm, then replaced the stock 45mm Schwalbe G-One RS tyres with 50mm Hutchinson Touareg Race tyres. He had brought both 45mm and 50mm versions before settling on the wider option.
He reported using tyre pressures of 25 psi at the rear and 23 psi at the front. He said those pressures were higher than his usual choice, partly to reduce the chance of impacts between tyre and rim. The course had corrugated gravel in places, and rain the day before had made the pea gravel less difficult, according to his account.
Other changes included a 155mm Praxis Zayante crankset, a 42-tooth chainring and an e*thirteen Helix Race 9–45-tooth cassette. He also replaced the saddle with a 164g Selle Repente Artax GLM. His XCadey power meter stopped working after being put into transport mode for the flight, so he had no power data from the race; a heart-rate monitor recorded an average of 157 beats per minute over a ride lasting 5 hours, 3 minutes and 33 seconds.
How the Setup Matched Nannup
The account offers a practical example of how one competitor adapted a gravel bike to a specific course, especially around tyre width, pressure and gearing. The rider said the course was not as rough as some British gravel events, but included corrugated stretches and areas where punctures affected riders. His choices show the trade-offs he made: wider tyres for the conditions, slightly higher pressure to guard against rim impacts, and gearing that covered both steep climbs and fast sections.
For readers planning a gravel event, the report is useful as an individual case study, not a universal equipment prescription. Rider weight, tyre construction, wheel compatibility, course conditions and personal fit all affect what works. The reported finishing position and heart-rate figures describe this rider’s race; they do not establish that the equipment changes caused the result.
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From Testing to Race Day
The rider said choosing the Grail CFR was a late decision. He had recently reviewed the model and used it at the British Cycling Gravel Championships before testing it further and making changes for Australia. He described the medium frame as comfortable through the race, while saying he might have preferred a smaller frame with a longer stem for a lower handlebar position. Canyon’s size recommendation for his height was XS, but he believed a small could suit him better.
The account also records a limitation in the race data: the rider does not generally train with heart-rate zones and had no working power meter. His maximum heart rate during the event was 182 bpm, compared with a personal maximum of 185 bpm, but he cautioned that the figures lack established training-zone context. The supplied source cuts off during its discussion of the wheelset, so it does not provide the full account of that equipment choice or any detailed nutrition plan.
“I was happy with the choice and, even with hindsight, wouldn’t change anything.”
— The rider, in the post-race report
Limits of the Race Report
The source material does not give the race date, the rider’s name in the supplied text, or the full details of his nutrition strategy, despite the original report’s headline referring to fuelling. It also ends partway through the wheelset discussion. The extent of punctures among other competitors is not quantified, and no independent test compares the selected tyres, pressures or crank length with alternatives.
The rider’s power-meter failure meant there is no power file to assess his output. His heart-rate readings are reported directly, but he says he does not have established heart-rate zones for interpreting them. The account therefore cannot show how his effort varied across the course or whether the equipment setup affected his finishing result.
Further Equipment Details Needed
The published account is retrospective: the race has been completed, and the rider has reported his 18th-place age-category finish and the setup he used. The supplied material does not announce a follow-up test, another race, or a planned equipment change. A fuller assessment would require the missing wheelset and nutrition details, along with additional race data or testing across different conditions.
Key Questions
What bike did the rider use?
He raced a Canyon Grail CFR Di2, with several component and fit changes made before travelling to Western Australia.
Which tyres and pressures did he choose?
He used 50mm Hutchinson Touareg Race tyres, at 25 psi rear and 23 psi front. He said the pressures were slightly higher than his normal choice to reduce the risk of tyre-to-rim impacts.
What crank length did he use?
He fitted a 155mm Praxis Zayante crankset, saying that length was not available from Shimano’s GRX crankset range.
Did he record power during the race?
No. He reported that the XCadey power meter stopped working after he put it into transport mode for the flight. He did have heart-rate data, including a reported average of 157 bpm.
What is known about the fuelling plan?
The supplied source text does not include the rider’s nutrition details, so his specific fuelling products or schedule cannot be confirmed from this material.
Source: rss
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