My first go-round with SBT GVL was a bust. At the end of 2023, I put a bunch of events on my calendar for early 2024, intending to be super strong and proud of my progressive accomplishments.
I spent my winter doing structured workouts on the trainer and ignoring my grief and anxiety. I worked a lot. I gave myself a full-blown panic attack at work that settled into a year-long mental hurdle to put myself back together. By August, it would be a game-day decision (or very close thereto).
Spoilers: I decided not to go.
Fast forward to October 2025, and we are selling our house in New York to move back home to Colorado. I put my name into the SBT GVL lottery again, thinking I’d rather try to get in again than wish I had after we move.
Here’s the thing about SBT GVL
When SBT GVL first announced itself in 2019, I was excited to see what looked like a grassroots ride in a beautiful part of Colorado. Steamboat Springs is known for it’s “champagne powder” and beautiful surroundings. Over time, SBT GVL has grown into a massive corporate ride.
- The ride is not cheap – for the non-race courses (74, 53, 25), it was about $200; the fancy race is even more.
- There are no refunds or transfers. If you defer to the following year, you still have to pay again. No refunds are a common limitation because events require a lot of cash up front. The no-transfers policy and still having to pay again if you defer does not feel great though.
- Add on lodging, food, and other travel expenses …. it’s not a cheap ride.
- The final kicker is that locals living on the ranchland outside the town tend not to like the event. Things have apparently improved since the 2023 race – but let’s not pretend there weren’t people who chose to not wait for the on-course port-o-potties or left sports nutrition wrappers carelessly on the course.
That’s great and all – how was the ride actually, now that you’ve experienced it?
I’m being a total bike snob when I say I think I’ve outgrown big organized events. Especially ones that seem to cater to wealthy ex-roadies. Although it IS very cool seeing a swarm of bicyclists for as far as the eyes can see.
My first gravel ride, back in 2017, was in Vermont on hilly terrain. I am not exaggerating when I say the rest stop was a wooden picnic table in someone’s side yard. Offerings included pickles, homemade chocolate-covered bacon, a kiddie pool full of ice, and PBRs … and the water came from a hose connected to the tap on the side of the house. When a guy in a rainbow tie-dyed muscle shirt and jorts, wearing flip-flops and riding what looked like a beach cruiser with a plastic basket on the front, flew by me for most of the ride, I knew I had found my like-minded weird bike people.
In all fairness, I found this writeup that extolls the virtues of SBT GVL as one of the more important events in the world – right up there with another wildly corporate race-focused event Unbound.
It really comes down to personal preferences:
- I don’t need a big vendor festival/expo – especially when the booths are for high-end, pricey gear and vacations.
- Free coffee at the start really isn’t necessary.
- The route was just fine. The vistas were excellent, and the sweeping, winding downhills were fast and fun. But generally, it was just Colorado’s wide open skies and long climbs.
- I did not stay for the post-ride meal, so I can’t comment on whether that made the price worth it.
OK, we get it. This isn’t an event for you
I feel like I knew that going into the ride. But Past Laura didn’t want Future Laura to have FOMO from not registering. Past Laura miscalculated.
Were there any highlights for you?
a few!
One, my sister came up with me for the weekend. We had a great time on the drive up, picking up snacks to watch a movie at the hotel, ordering dinner in, and flipping through channels when we realized we hadn’t brought a streaming device for the hotel television. After packet pickup, we went thrifting and wandered around Main Street. We went to the witch shop, and each of us received a tarot reading that really hit home. It was interesting that the reader originally grew up in Massachusetts, so we all bonded over New England regional cuisine.
Two, I finally got to meet two of my personal cycling icons! Joanne, Ellen, and I have known each other online since 2018, when I became a Pactimo Brand Ambassador. We’ve only communicated online, so it was a real treat to have lunch with them the day before the race. Joanne and Ellen travel widely and participate in many cycling events, and they are very strong riders. Their son is a magician in NYC! My sister even nerded out with Ellen about women’s hockey.
Three, Cow Creek. I wish I could have stopped and taken photos. The road is chunky like West Virginia gravel and winds its way through open cow-grazing pastures. At times, the cows were literally on the edge of the road, casually chewing grass as they watched the riders whiz by. Most people went wider on tires, which was a smart choice for this. I brought my 38mm tires and still had a blast (thanks, East Coast Gravel Riding).
Am I glad I rode? yes
Will I do this event again? no
Would I recommend it to others? It depends on what they want from a bike event.
- If you like being in a huge peloton of fellow cyclists, challenging yourself on manageable hills, racing, or having some friends to ride with, this might be a good option for you.
- If you’re more about that low-cost local gravel ride that kicks your ass but you have a blast doing it, it’s probably not for you.
wife. mother. awesome girl. 