Mark Stevenson
Long before riding gravel roads was considered a legitimate industry segment, Mark “Guitar Ted” Stevenson was out there doing it. His thirst for adventure coupled with his love of riding and wrenching bikes led to explore the abundant gravel roads around his Waterloo, Iowa home.
Stevenson’s early goal wasn’t notoriety or fortune, it was simply to have fun and see quiet, peaceful, and remote places. That meant venturing off pavement and onto gravel, where his positive personal experience led him to share gravel cycling with others.
Working as a bicycle mechanic early on led Stevenson to product testing opportunities, and later to his creation of numerous blogs including TwentyNineInches.com and perhaps the first gravel riding specific website, Gravel Grinder News.
Through his blogs, group rides and early events, Stevenson shared his love of gravel with countless other riders, many of whom were inspired to host rides and events of their own. In fact, the DK200 (now Unbound Gravel) was inspired by Stevenson’s first TransIowa event, held in 2005.
Initially conceived in the fall of 2004 by Stevenson and endurance legend Jeff Kerkove as a one-day gravel race across Iowa, TransIowa evolved into a loop-style course of roughly 320-330 miles in length, with checkpoints on the route and paper cue sheets for navigation.
The format Stevenson used for TransIowa became the template many events would use, either in part or in parcel. Stevenson never charged an entry fee for TransIowa, yet the unique challenge and often inhospitable conditions made simply finishing the event a personal victory, if not a life highlight, for many participants.
Stevenson retired from promoting TransIowa in 2018, after 14 editions of the event. However, two TransIowa veterans, Steve Fuller and Sarah Cooper, have carried the spirit of the event forward since 2019 in the Iowa Wind and Rock event.
The challenges of riding TransIowa helped to inspire the creation of a new generation of bicycles and equipment specifically designed for the rigors of gravel travel. Numerous cycling brands have leveraged Stevenson’s perspective and insights, either directly or indirectly, to better understand the unique needs of gravel riders.
His influence has touched virtually every part of the modern gravel bicycle, from flared drop bars riders prefer, to the frame geometry and expansive tire clearance required to traverse muddy gravel roads.
After retiring the Gravel Grinder News site, Stevenson launched Riding Gravel, a popular hub of news, opinion, and product tests for gravel riders. He also posts daily about gravel rides, events, and updates on his personal blog, Guitar Ted Productions. Today, Stevenson is the lead mechanic for the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective, where he helps cyclists with limited resources work to earn a suitable bike and understand how to care for it day-to-day.
When asked what accomplishments in the gravel world he’s most proud of, Stevenson said he’s proud to have been in it since the beginning.
“Not many people can say that they were there,” Stevenson said. “I’m proud that I was able to influence the cycling industry to bring better products and bicycles to this style of cycling.
“I am perhaps most proud that I was able to give others a platform to discover themselves, go beyond what they thought possible, and find even greater heights to their lives.”
