No question about it, gravel biking has become incredibly trendy in recent years. These trends have developed for good reasons. Not only does unpaved gravel cycling enable explorative riding on lower traffic roads, but today’s gravel bikes are built to handle near mountain bike conditions.

In 2019, I acquired a titanium gravel bike from Bearclaw Bicycle Co. Since then, I’ve cultivated a faithful best friend that’s traveled well over 15K miles with me through some of America’s most glorious terrain and deep nature scenery. That titanium gravel bike is known as Thunderhawk, and it’s unquestionably one of the best options in the world for gravel bikes.

From multiday bikepacking adventures to 200-mile gravel bike races, Thunderhawk and I have seen it all. This short post is a tribute to my titanium gravel bike and some of the experiences that it accommodates.