Reggie Miller has a new gravel bike and he’s riding in Steamboat Springs this weekend

Mountain biker and NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller just picked up a new gravel bike.

After a busy spring of NBA commentating, the former Indiana Pacer is in Steamboat Springs, Colorado for the weekend. On Thursday, he picked up his brand new Moots Routt RSL and went for a 52-mile spin and a factory tour.

On Saturday, he’ll join hundreds of folks at the Moots Ranch Rally, a group ride and fundraiser that the brand launched in 2014.

Read also: Reggie Miller’s custom Moots Vamoots Disc RSL

Miller is a known mountain biker at this point, frequently seen training and racing near his home in southern California. He’s a stalwart at the California Mountain Bike Series races at Big Bear. However, Miller often trains on the road (on his custom Moots Vamoots Disc RSL), which has naturally translated to more rides on gravel.

Miller told VeloNews that earlier this year Moots approached him with an offer to build a gravel bike — and to visit Steamboat for the Ranch Rally. Miller, who “absolutely loves” his Moots road bike, was an easy sell — as long as the funds raised could benefit a cause near to his heart.

“They were like, ‘hey we see you’re doing a little more gravel riding,'” he said. “‘We’d love to build you a bike in conjunction with this ride called the Ranch Rally which benefits local agriculture up there.’

“I said, ‘great, but diversity and inclusion — that’s one of my missions in life. To get more people of all creeds, colors, sizes, on bikes.’ So the ride this year isn’t just for the ranchers here in Steamboat but also for the HBCU cycling programs. I’m all in and I’m excited and honored to be here for Saturday’s ride.”

A portion of proceeds from the Ranch Rally will go to cycling clubs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Riders will choose either a 76 or 54 mile route, both almost 100 percent gravel and will include a few competitive timed segments.

Miller himself is not planning to get competitive on Saturday.

“I want to enjoy, socialize, thank people,” he said. “And there’s timed segments, but I know I’ll never be the fastest person, so why even exert that energy in trying to do that? I want to thank riders. So many people come up to me say, ‘you don’t understand what seeing you on a bike, or the words that you say, that got me back on my bike.’ I hope to have those experiences on Saturday, ride with people, take selfies and just enjoy it.”

Saturday’s ride will also offer riders a preview of part of the SBT GRVL routes. Miller plans to ride the 100-mile version of SBT GRVL in August, and aside from a few other XC MTB races, he is focused solely on preparing for that. It will be his first gravel race, and he’s nervous about the distance and the group dynamics (“All my training is by myself. So I’ve never been in a group!” he said).

Miller said he’s in a fitness-building phase after working the playoffs from April through the end of May, but that basketball will take the sidelines for the summer.

“I’m basically off the bike from April 4 through Memorial Day,” Miller said. “I can get some rides in but not the normal training rides I have during the season. It takes a while to get fitness back.

“It’s bike season now. It’s race season now.”

Oh, and we had to ask about Miller’s picks for the NBA finals, where the Boston Celtics are leading the Golden State Warriors. He offered this: “I’m not necessarily rooting for one team, but my son Ryker is rooting for the Warriors because Stephen Curry is his favorite player, but I think Boston will win series.”

Reggie Miller’s custom Moots Routt RSL