The Gravel Bike Encyclopaedia (3): Type 2 Fun, Balloon Rider, Drop… what’s that?

““Do you speak Gravel?” Do you already understand the jargon of gravel cyclists, or does it still sound like a foreign language to you? Time for an update: our gravel glossary sheds light on the technical terms.

Every specialist sport has its own jargon – and gravel biking is no exception. If you know the scene’s terminology, you’re one of the gang; if you don’t, you’re still a rookie. To make sure that doesn’t happen to you, we’ve put together this gravel glossary. Here’s what the key terms mean!

1 Type 2 Fun

The term ‘Type 2 Fun’ originally comes from the climbing and outdoor scene. The well-known US climber and author Kelly Cordes took up the concept in the 2000s and published the ‘Fun Scale’ in blogs and climbing magazines. From the climbing and mountaineering scene, the term quickly spread to ultra-runners, bike-packers and gravel cyclists, where extremely gruelling or chaotic tours are now almost proudly referred to as Type 2 Fun be celebrated. The term describes something that’s absolutely no fun at the time you’re doing it – but which, looking back, is remembered as a brilliant adventure.

When it comes to gravel biking, that means: you battle your way through pouring rain for hours on end, get stuck in the deepest mud, push your bike up a black ski run (photo), are completely exhausted and find yourself wondering several times along the way why on earth you’re putting yourself through this. But as soon as you’re back home under a hot shower or sitting with friends over a beer, the exertions fade away. Suddenly, you’re proudly recounting the hardships, and the ride is etched in your memory as an epic highlight.

• Type 1 Fun: Power meanwhile Fun, and also looking back (e.g. a relaxing Party Pace A ride in the sunshine).
• Type 2 Fun: Is meanwhile It's hell, but it's worth it in hindsight Fun (e.g. torment, bad weather, getting lost).
• Type 3 Fun: Power neither at the time nor afterwards Fun (e.g. a real emergency or dangerous situations that you’d never want to experience again).

2 hot-air balloonists

​The term ‘balloon rider’ is a tongue-in-cheek, slightly teasing name for gravel cyclists who ride their gravel bikes with extremely wide tyres (50 mm or even wider) at very low pressure. Compared to the more athletic, performance-oriented Race-style gravel bikes or Speedgravel fans (who often prefer narrow tyres with higher pressure) the term is sometimes used humorously to describe riders who prioritise maximum comfort over top speed and use their gravel bike almost as if it were a hardtail mountain bike.

3. Drop

The ‘drop’ refers to the bend in the handlebars (The Drop), i.e. the vertical distance (in millimetres) between the highest hand position (the top of the handlebars) and the lowest part of the handlebar bend (the bottom of the handlebars). In gravel biking, a compact drop has become the norm. The shorter drop means you don’t have to lean forward as far when reaching for the lower part of the handlebars. This is more comfortable and safer, as it makes the bike easier to control off-road. Your hands slide into the lower grip position immediately and smoothly. However, ‘drops’ also refers to the grip position (Drops): If you hold the hanger at the bottom, you might also say: "I'm off to Drops." This improves aerodynamics and ensures maximum control when braking on steep descents.

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