Maintenance Of Fat Bike Tubeless Tire - A Pictorial

 CAUTION! If you are easily offended by gross images or scared of seeing "intestinal" type images, do not read further. You've been warned! 

Today I am going to share what it took to check and clean out the old sealant in my front wheel of my Ti Muk 2 fat bike. The detail most important to know here is the sealant has never been cleaned out of this tire since 2019. So, after around six years, I would imagine it would be time to do this job, wouldn't you think? Ha!

Secondly, you may wonder how I dealt with sealant for this tire, (and the rear, by the way). I simply added about 100ml of sealant every Fall for the past five years. yep! I never did anything else. Now, I will also add here the rear wheel was done several weeks ago, and due to the laborious, time consuming peeling of sealant, I wasn't in any big hurry to do the front wheel. So, this was why I waited a while longer, in case any of you regular readers were wondering. 

 

The front wheel of my Ti Muk 2 consistes of a SON dynamo hub laced to a carbon Whisky Co. rim. These were rims which came stock on Beargrease fat bikes circa 2016 or so. The previous owner had these wheels laced up, so as far as any other details of these wheels goes, I am unaware of those. I mounted the Terrene Cake Eater 26" x 4.0" tires in about 2019 or so. These wheels originally had 45NRTH Van Helga tires which I found to be too slow and clunky for my uses. 

Removal of the wheel requires careful disconnection of the two spade connectors near the drop out so the wiring for the dynamo hub can be separated to get the wheel out. Then the Maxle through axle is utilized to release the wheel from the fork. The next step is to break the tire bead from its place on the carbon rim. 

 The first order of business is to remove as much air as you can from the tire. I usually don't take the core out, and in fact, I close the valve when I am finished pushing out air. I cannot say this is an aid, or cool trick to use, but I've always done it this way with fat bike tires. 

To break the bead from its place on the rim I lay the rim against the bench at a slight angle, not allowing a lot of the rim to overhang the bench. This is important for leverage. You want the rim supported at two points closer together so you won't damage the rim. 

Next I use the butt of each hand to apply pressure right at the point where the tire meets the rim at the sidewall facing upward at me. (See where I have my thumb in the image. This is where you want to apply pressure)

Using a downward force at a right angle to the rim, (essentially pushing 'sideways' across the rim), I carefully apply pressure until the tire breaks free. I use my finger to grasp the tire in this process, but I am not really doing anything with force at the fingers. The force is concentrated at the butt end of my hands. Think of how an automobile tire machine works, if you are at all familiar with this type of machine. 

Once the bead breaks free the rest generally will come apart with little effort. When you have pushed the bead on one side all the way around away from the rim edge, flip the wheel and repeat the above process

Next, you will need a tire lever to peel off one bead from the rim. Now in my case, here is where I found a big surprise. The sealant had formed a sort of 'tube' which was acting much like a butyl rubber tube in that it wanted to come out in one piece. So, I went with this situation. 

Here you can see what this looked like. I simply started to look at this as I would a tube replacement. The sealant slipped right out of the tire with little effort. 

Now I know some of you will want to know what I used for sealant for the past five-plus years. The answer to this question is a little complicated and murky. 

I'm pretty sure most of the sealant was WTB sealant. Some of it was Finish Line sealant, because I could see the black additive particles they used as an extra measure to seal up punctures. I am certain the last sealant I put in was Orange Seal for cold weather, and I may have used my own home-brew sealant which is a recipe I have shared here several times and which I call "MG's Sealant". 

Yeah.... I realize many say do not mix sealants. But to my mind, most sealants are more similar than dissimilar, and in practice, mixing sealants has never caused me any negative effects. So, you probably should not do what I did, but also - I am not at all concerned about mixing sealants. So, take all this under advisement and consider what you do carefully in regard to your own sealant use practices. 

After peeling out the sealant I simply remounted the tire, introduced 300ml of new sealant, and aired up the tire again with no further issues. For the record, I used some mixed up sealants again. So, I cannot tell you exactly what I used because I don't even know for certain. But before I discarded the old sealant "tube" I thought I'd weigh it for fun. 

Not bad, eh? I think this is in the range of TPU fat bike tubes, maybe a touch heavier. But I thought it was interesting the sealant did not accumulate to a weight  which was more than it turned out to be. Obviously, this was still far less than a butyl tube would weigh in at for a 26" x 4.0" tire. 

So, there you have it. My maintenance of my front wheel is finished and I am ready for Winter. Also, this might be the bike I end up using for the Virtual Turkey Burn Ride, since we may be getting blasted with Arctic air right around that time. I'd rather ride this bike when, or if, it gets windy and cold. 

The Thirty-Two Watch

Image courtesy of Velocity USA

Evidence is mounting for an introduction of 32" wheels for mountain biking in 2026. As more niche brands are exploring the wheel size, it is becoming increasingly probable we will see the wheel size being offered from at least a few mid-tier brands in an effort to get a jump on the 'Big Four', (Trek, Cannondale, Giant, Specialized) before these big companies commit to selling something risky like 32"ers. 

While the benefits of a larger wheel size are straight out of what I've learned from the transition from 26"ers to 29"ers, many feel 32' is just a ruse by cycling insiders to make more money. Of course, capitalism is certainly a motivation, but there is actually good, researched reasoning behind the idea. See THIS YouTube video for the details. 

Meanwhile, all you have to do is pay attention to what is bubbling up to the surface regarding the necessary pieces to put together a 32" wheeled XC racing bike. Things like tires are already here. One of the next things to look for is a suspension fork, (rumors abound concerning big name suspension fork companies looking at 32" wheels) but for now, only Wren Sports is a 'real' option. Rims would be another issue to overcome, and just this week Velocity USA announced a 32" diameter Blunt with hole drilling from 28H - 40H available. 

While XC MTB is the focus now, gravel bikes will be seen soon enough sporting this wheel size, especially since a suspension fork is not necessary for success in the gravel market. I know of at least one niche manufacturer who is looking into this currently, but I would not be at all surprised to find out there are others developing bicycles for gravel and 32" wheels. I'd keep a keen lookout for something to pop up around Sea Otter time. 

Personally, I feel 32" wheels have a place in gravel cycling. I would certainly be all over trying a bike out fitted with 32" wheels and having the proper geometry. Maybe it is worth a custom frame. 

But I need a bicycle like I need another hole in my head, so..... 

Stay tuned.
 

Three Series: A Contrast & Comparison

2026 Gravel Earth Series Calendar: (Image courtesy of Gravel Earth Series)

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

 As we wind down 2025 many gravel events are ramping up marketing and registrations for 2026. I'll have a report on what trends in enetry fees I find and "value per mile" opinions coming up early next year. Right now I wanted to compare and contrast the three preeminent gravel racing series in the world now: The UCI World Championship Gravel Series, The Life Time Grand Prix, (Could be argued it isn't really a pure gravel series, but...), and the Gravel Earth Series of events. Let's start out with a look at what is in store for each series coming up. I'll kick it off with the Gravel Earth Series. 

Gravel Earth Series: 

This series is kind of the upstart of the three major world-wide series. Last year this organization, based out of Spain, had a confusing calendar with main series events and some events which were kind of satellite events, trial events, or something along those lines. These ancillary events weren't part of the main series, and this year some of those events do not appear on the calendar for 2026. Most notable of those is the Gravel Worlds event out of Lincoln, Nebraska. 

The streamlined calendar for 2026 does include three events on US soil. The Lost and Found, The Oregon Trail, and CORE4 here in Iowa. Gravel Earth organizers also have introduced age categories to "recognize performance across generations". Organizing company Klassmark, who are the event production company for the Gravel Earth Series, will kick things off in Spain and Italy with the first overseas venture being the Lost and Found in June. 

For more details see the Gravel Earth Series website.  

Comments: This series seems to be on the upswing with refinements and a streamlined calendar of events featuring mostly European and USA based events. There are two events outside this norm, with one in Iceland and the other in Kenya.  Last year this series covered more continents and featured a more international palette of choices than this year. I think this is a good thing from a focus standpoint. Obviously, having three US based events is outstanding. 

The pearl of this series is The Traka. Described by many as "Europe's Unbound Gravel", this event has quickly become a premier gravel event on the calendar. So much so that Klassmark is now marketing and producing events dubbed "By The Traka", to reflect how these other events are influenced by the way The Traka feels and is experienced by the riders. Five of the Gravel Earth Series events are now designated as "By The Traka" events.  

Life Time Grand Prix:

This event series is a six race series split evenly between MTN and gravel based courses. Some might argue this series really isn't a gravel or a mountain biking series, and while technically true, we have seen cross-over with regard to not only athletes, but equipment choices in this series in the past. This blurs the lines at times between MTB and gravel to make the Life Time Grand Prix a sort of hybrid event series which features some of gravel's top athletes in both the women's and men's fields. 

New for this season is a significant uptick in prize money. Now featuring $175,000.00 for Men and Women each across ten placings, this series has become the plumb racing series for top athletes in North America, if not world-wide, in gravel specifically. Each event will now have a prize purse in total for both men and women Pros in the series of $30,000.00 split evenly between genders and paid out to tenth place. Double the 30 grand to 60 grand total for Unbound and the Leadville 100. 

2026 will see four of the series six events have live, real-time coverage of the contest.  Most notable of these is Unbound, by far the World's most important gravel event. The series will also bring back the "Wild Card" entrants who are chosen based upon results up to and through Unbound Gravel in June. Those qualifying athletes are added to the limited roster of men and women in the series who are chosen via application/lottery by Life Time to participate. 

For more details see the Grand Prix website.  

Comments: There are two things which stand out to me concerning Life Time's Grand Prix series. One - This series would be background noise if it were not for (a) Unbound Gravel and (b) the amount of money set forth for prizing. Both these things are what bring the eyeballs to the Grand Prix. There is no question in my mind concerning the impact of the series if Unbound Gravel is taken out of the equation. Sure, Leadville has cache, and Chequamegon has tradition, but in terms of what makes cycling go 'round in 2026, it is gravel, and Unbound Gravel is king in terms of importance world-wide. 

Second, it is the exclusivity and discrimination exemplified by the selection of Life Time's organizers when the roster for the Grand Prix is considered. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but it is not how gravel got its footing amongst cyclists. But then again, is the Grand Prix even a "gravel series"? This is a legitimate question, and again, without Unbound, who would even care? (Well, there is that money they are waving around, so....)

Image courtesy of the UCI Gravel Worlds Series

UCI Gravel World Series:

The UCI, (Union Cycliste Internationale) has had a gravel world series now for a few years with 2025 being their most ambitious effort to date with 33 events world-wide. 

2025 saw the first US-based UCI gravel events with the addition of California's Mammoth Tuff and the Highlands Classic in Arkansas.  The UCI has been criticized and kept at arm's length here in the USA due to its formulaic way of producing events with a disregard to how traditional gravel events have been produced here. 

Because of this, the UCI's gravel series hasn't been well covered or received here in the States. This is a series with much more import in Europe, where 23 of the 33 events are held. Of course, the UCI has promised more US-based gravel events will be coming online, and we've yet to see the 2026 calendar, so perhaps this stands to be changed in the near future. 

For details on the UCI Gravel World Series see their webpage.  

Comments: The UCI has been ambitiously chasing the gravel money-making machine for nearly ten years now. Slowly, the organization, which represents the pinnacle of sport in MTB and road racing, is gaining a foothold. However; even in 2025, it is difficult to name a top racer in their series here as a US citizen. The coverage and impact of the UCI's efforts is not all that great. With the lack of 'star power' (see Tadej Pogacar, et al) spectacle, or any real legacy/premier gravel event on the calendar, (see Unbound Gravel/The Traka), the UCI has quite an uphill battle on its hands to gain the sort of stranglehold it has currently on MTB and road racing.  

Image courtesy of Life Time Events

 Conclusions:

While gravel events have evolved in terms of professional participation and import on the industry and average cyclists, the foundational base of gravel in the USA remains strong and healthy going into 2026. How these three series actually affect anything regarding "gravel culture" is hard to gauge. It probably has more impact at the retail bicycle level than it does anywhere else. 

This is manifested in hardware which reflects the Pro. Wireless shifting, aerodynamics, and efficiencies which are really best for ultra-fit, high-end athletes seem to be getting all the attention inside the main brand's headquarter. Much like the bicycles and hardware from heyday of the 'Lance Era ' did which affected road bikers to a high degree. This is not only unnecessary, but detrimental to people coming into gravel for the first time. 

Besides the way companies fall into thinking "F-1" type bicycles and gear are what everyone wants, (it isn't what we want), and need, I'm not sure any of these gravel series really matters. In other words, these series tend to have far too much influence than they should have over certain aspects of cycling.  

Perhaps the Gravel Earth Series comes closest to keeping something of what gravel cycling was meant to be in its productions.Their concern for how the culture and local impact of an event is received by riders is to be commended. The UCI doesn't care, in reality, as their cookie-cutter approach to events completely ignores what made gravel "gravel" in the first place. Essentially, their events are produced like a Pro road event with only the surface raced on being different. Finally, the Grand Prix is spectacle and largely forgettable all in one series with a big, fat wallet being waved in front of a select few athletes. besides Unbound, it really has no relevance to gravel at all.  

In a "what 0f" world, it is fun to consider what the gravel racing landscape might be like in 2026 if the UCI could have somehow pried the Dirty Kanza 200 (which became Unbound) from Jim Cummings' hands. This one possibility probably would have catapulted the UCI to heights unheard of in the world of cycling. But then again, had they completely overhauled the format, and made it a "UCI event" in practice, would this event even exist anymore? My bet is the UCI would have totally mismanaged this possibility. It is a fascinating exercise in thought, but obviously, (and thankfully), nothing to sweat over.  

So, there you go. My thoughts and comments on the three preeminent gravel series in 2026.  

A Strange Fall

The weather has been odd

 It is mid-November and we broke a record for high temperature on Friday. What a weird Fall. It hasn't really ever felt like Fall here besides a few days here and there since September. Last weekend it was Winter-like, with brutal winds and low temperatures, but a week later and it was so hot I maybe could have worn a Summer kit there for about an hour or so. 

Of course, I had to go for a bit of a ride in the afternoon. No biggie, just a cruise over to what was once called the Mitchell Sandpits. It has been transformed into what is now called  the Riverview Recreation Area. There is an old sandpit dredged and filled with water to make Harold Getty Lake. It's not very big, but there is a dirt path around it for 3/4's of the way and paved bicycle path the remainder of the way. I like going over there to run the dirt and see what is going on in the lake. 

On this particular day, I wasn't the only one thinking this November weather is something to be taking advantage of. There were a few other cyclists, a fisherman or two, and several cars parked at teh boat landing. 

If you squint hard enough, you'll see the kayaker who scared all the Canadian geese away!

 

The path around the lake is mowed out pretty wide. 

When I reached the earthen dam on the Western side of the lake, my phone rang. It was N.Y. Roll and he wanted to chat. I stood on the beach and looked out over the now shallow lake. The drought conditions are creeping back in again. There was a lone kayak skimming across the water toward a flock of floating Canadian geese. The geese didn't cotton to having a human very close, so they burst forth with honking and took flight in a crash of wings on water. 

Yeah....I'm not sure what this person expected would happen. 

If I didn't know any better I'd say this looked like, and felt like, Spring.

Eventually I made my way back around the way I had come, exited the park, and went on my way to explore some alleys. I got home in one piece and then I sat on the porch, soaking up the last rays of Sun for the day. In fact, I did that Saturday as well. These days are gifts to be savored, I think. So, this is what I did. 

Now it has become much more Fall-like. I suspect this past week will be the last we see of the sort of warmth we had till next year. I'm happy I was able to get out there and enjoy it for a bit. 

Two Things

VTBR Update: 

I've been anxiously checking the long term forecast for Thanksgiving weekend about every day. I know.....it's not a very good thing to do. Forecasting this far out is always an exercise in futility. However; things should start to come into focus from here on out and my plans will as well.

Plans for my attempt at this year's VTBR, that is. My hope is I would get to bang out a metric century in one go and be done with it. However; I cannot be assured of anything at this point. 

We will have our own observance of Thanksgiving here at Guitar Ted Headquarters, of course. Perhaps on Friday due to my daughter's work schedule. I think Thursday looks like my most "open" day for the attempt. Here's hoping the weather is somewhat decent. 

If.....and it is a big 'if' now...I get to ride on Thanksgiving Day, my plan is to ride the "Ride for Jacob" route again. Maybe this time I'll get those roads I missed in! The route is a metric, plus some, so it would be perfect for the VTBR. 

Of course, I;ll need to choose a bicycle for this. Again, IF a big, one day ride is in the cards, I may go with the Fargo, Gryphon Mk4, or my Black Mountain Cycles MCD. But I am supposed to use a "forlorn" bike in the stable. This would point toward the Raleigh Tamland 2 or the Pofahl Signature single speed. Meh! 

First world problems.... 

GT giving his acceptance speech at the GCHoF in 2022.

A Project Begins:

In June of 2022 I was inducted into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame. What I did not talk about back then was a bit of an interview I gave for a special project headed up by a couple of guys who have connections to both gravel events and independent film work. They are putting together a documentary film, and I have been asked to help out. 

Without giving too much away, I can say this is about gravel cycling and there is a lot of work for me to do on the project which I have already begun to do. Wading through all the material gathered so far is quite a monumental task, but I have a plan.  

I hope to get through everything and then give my feedback soon. Once my feedback has been given, I'm not sure where my part in this project will end. Perhaps this will be all I contribute, or....? Hard to say. All I know is the goal is to get the finished product out next year. So I better get crackin'! 

Planning For The VTBC Ride

The Veteran's Day Ride was a great training ride for the VTBC.

In less than two weeks I will be challenging myself to do at least a metric century ride. Maybe I'll have to spread it over three days, maybe not, but I am well into preparing myself to get it done again this year. 

If you are not understanding what I am talking about here, this is all about the Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge (VTBC) ride  It isn't too late to consider joining us, so if you are interested, see THIS LINK for all the details. Essentially this is an excuse to use your bicycle at this time of the year when most cycling events have shut down for the season. 

The recent Veteran's Day Ride I did with N.Y. Roll was a great opening up on preparations for this challenge. We were out in "not very ideal conditions", I would say. Conditions which might just reflect what it will be like for the VTBC. It was quite windy, with consistent winds in the 20mph range with higher gusts. It was cold, with a starting temperature in the mid-30's and rising into the 40's as we went along. Thankfully it was mostly Sunny, but this is rare in November. So, I'm not banking on this to happen again. 

Last year I did the VTBC over four days on my fat bike due to the cold temperatures.

Last year was brutal here. It was very windy, and VERY cold. I ended up riding every day, on Thanksgiving through the following Sunday, to get a metric century in. I did this all within the confines of the local soft trails and bike paths, so it was definitely a big challenge to get all the miles in! 

My bicycle choice was pretty much forced upon me by the weather last year. This year I haven't seen enough evidence to make a definitive choice. I could easily end up on the Ti Muk 2 again, or a gravel bike! Some weather prognosticators are calling for a big storm to hit around Thanksgiving. So, no decisions on the bike just yet. 

I am getting out now though and pedaling as much as I can before Thanksgiving. It is difficult to prepare for a situation which remains fluid. Late November here can be tranquil, or very stormy. It can be warm, or very windy and cold, like last year. You just cannot predict it easily. Nothing like say, June, where you know you most likely can ride barring lightning being present or for some other severe weather which is pretty easy to predict ahead of time. (Relative to Winter forecasting)

So, I have ideas, but making any solid choices will have to wait for about a week.  

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycle Co. 

Wilde Bicycle Co. Announces Heighliner Titanium Adventure Bike:

Due to a leak of information, Wilde Bicycle Co has decided to release the information and pre-orders on its newest model dubbed the Heighliner. 

Featuring clearance for 29" 2.25" tires, fully internal cable housing, and UDH compatibility, this new model is Wilde Bicycle Co. head Jeffrey Frane's favorite bike currently. In fact, he designed the geometry himself. 

The frame has double-butted titanium tubing with a T-47 bottom bracket. There are two water bottle mounts in the front triangle, one Three-Pack mount under the down tube, and a top tube bag accessory mount on the top tube. 

The frame is made at the ORA factory in Taiwan. Pre-orders for a June 2026 delivery are open now. Price for the frame and fork is $3,300.00. The details can be reviewed on the webpage for the Heighliner HERE. 

Image courtesy of Moots

Moots Announces Scrambler Adventure Bike:

Moots released information yesterday on a new model called the Scrambler. This drop-bar, wide tired bicycle is designed around a 100mm travel suspension fork.  

Available as a frame only or with a Rock Shox SID fork and Shimano GRX/XT build, the bike will only be available for  -according to the press release - "a limited time".  (End of January 2026, to be exact)

Tire clearance is stated at 20" x 2.4" maximum. The frame is a Boost spaced frame. Completes will ship with Chris King MTN30 AL29" wheels. Tires will be the WTB MACRO 29" X 2.4".  

For details see Moots page for this model HERE.  

A Gen 2 Fargo pictured in 2015.

The "OG" Would Like To Have A Word:

This trend to 29"er MTB sized rubber, drop bars, and a penchant for telescopic front forks in the realm of "Gravel™" these days reminds me of something....

I cannot quite put my finger on it now. Was it some bike back in 2008 or 2009 with a marketing tagline which went something like "Adventure by Bike"?

Anyway, you get my point by now, I am sure. It was inevitable we'd see all things garvel eventually reach a point where the lines were blurred and what we were looking at now became what we already have seen for sixteen years now.  

You'll note I did not write any "Comments" for the first two entries. This is the comment section on those two entries. Welcome to "Adventure by Bike" Moots and Wilde. There's plenty of room on the couch here and for the rest of you brands who think they have discovered something here.  

I'm not criticizing here, but unless you remind people of the past, they will make up their own stories. So, check the history and be informed.  

Image courtesy of Vittoria Tire

Vittoria Announces Future Availability Of Eco-Friendly Brown Hued Tires:

On the heels of my recent post concerning these tires (HERE), it has come to light recently that Vittoria Tire is indeed going to sell the eco-friendly, brown gravel tires. Tires which have been claimed to be faster than their carbon black infused siblings. 

The full range of Vittoria's PRO gravel catalog will eventually be available in this compound and casing made with 92% renewable, recyclable materials. 

Vittoria claims this brown-hued compound is 5% faster, has 19% more grip, and has 18% better puncture resistance than its current gravel tire range. 

All this performance and earth-friendliness comes at a price though.  Tires in the range are well over $100.00 each at $112.99. This compares to Vittoria's current range which runs at $81.99 for each tire. 

Comments: Wooo! That's a big jump in performance at a big jump in price. Would you be willing to slap on nearly $225.00 of tires, (before shipping and taxes), and have your bike seen with brown rubber? Yeah..... That's a big ask, but I'm willing to bet a lot of people are going to give this a go on their gravel bike. 

A comment left indicating the Luxy Bar redux is a possibility. 

Do You Really Want It? Then Say So!

Thursday (yesterday) an long ago memory was stirred when I saw "Brant Richards" pop up in my email.  

Brant Richards was heavily involved in UK MTB as a writer and parts designer up until about seven years ago when he and a partner opened up a boutique clothing business called HebTroCo. But before the trousers came into Brant's life, he designed a lot of cool stuff like the On One Inbred, some nice forks, steel frames for trail MTB, and this odd flared drop bar called the Luxy Bar. 

Now Brant seems as though he's back into bicycles, at least for a bit. He hit me up yesterday asking what I thought about a reissue Luxy Bar. So lokk, if you ever wanted one, wanted another one, or are "Luxy-Curious", give a shout. Hit the comments and say something. 

If you don't ask, you won't receive anything.  

That's it for this week! Get out and ride those bicycles!