Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

 Ritchey Design Offers New Superlogic Carbon Handlebars:

Ritchey Design specializes in components along with frames and forks for bicycles. I am of the opinion that one of their most underrated ranges is their handlebar range. 

This week Ritchey sent out a press release concerning a new range of Superlogic Mountain Bars in carbon. 

The three handlebar range is aimed at cross country and trail riding, but these could just as easily be used on gravel bikes utilizing flat bars, or on bike packing rigs. The bars have zero, 20mm, or 40mm of rise. The flat bar has 7° of back sweep while the two with rise go one more degree to 8°.  

Width on all three is 760mm with cut-down marks for those wanting a narrower bar. Weight for the Superlogic Mountain Bars is as follows: Flat- 155gm, 20mm rise-  170gm, 40mm- 175gm. All three feature 5° of upsweep and all three feature the 31.8mm clamp diameter for interfacing with stems.  

Prices are as follows: Flat -  $239.95 / €199.90 (inc. VAT) / £173.90 (inc. VAT) 20mm rise- $251.95 / €209.90 (inc. VAT) / £182.90 (inc. VAT) 40mm rise- $263.95 / €219.90 (inc. VAT) / £191.90 (inc. VAT)

See Ritchey Design's website for more details. These bars are available now.  

Image courtesy of White Industries

White Industries Seat Post Collars Offered In Colors:

White Industries, who are known mostly for their hub sets, are now offering seat post collars in a variety of anodized finishes. 

The collars come in a variety of sizes to fit most frames which require a separate seat post clamp. 

White Industries makes these in California to exacting standards which results in a seat post collar that fits well, clamps evenly, and will work with repeated use over a long period of time. 

Priced at a reasonable $54.99USD, these collars and the rest of White Industries products can be seen HERE. 

Image courtesy of Canyon Bicycles

Canyon Offers Grzl Gravel Adventure Bike In Aluminum:

Earlier this year I was thinking about aloy gravel frames and possibly getting one in. The trouble was that an alloy frame was either oddball geometry, but reasonably affordable, or it was a great design, but as expensive as some carbon frames. 

There did not seem to be any alternatives. Now Canyon has an aluminum version of its GRZL adventure/gravel bike available. Just not as a frame/fork only! 

The GRZL AL does tick almost every box though, as I see it. The geometry is good, with the exception of weird sizing. According to what I am seeing on Canyon's site, I would best fit a Medium, which never happens. Usually I am on a size large. 

Otherwise this bike has 54mm tire clearance, a T-47 bottom bracket, and everything is internally routed, of course. Thare are plenty of accessory mounts, as one would expect on a bike billed as an adventure bike. So, it would probably have everything I'd want in a modern day gravel/adventure bike in alloy, but I do not wish to buy a complete bike. So, while a sub-2K complete bike is very reasonable, I'm just not interested in parting out a SRAM drive train.  

Niner Bikes One-9 frame from 2005

Niner Bikes Reportedly Shutting Down Operations:

The original 29"er only bicycle company, Niner Bikes, has reportedly shut its doors according to "several reports". 

On Monday evening I saw a post on Facebook of a screen shot with a message saying Niner Bikes had closed its shop and operations while placing all employees on layoff. On Tuesday  major online sources were also reporting the same story, so it would appear that Nine Bikes is - at least for now - no more. 

Company officials at United Wheels are saying Niner as a brand is "paused" for now.  

The company hit the market in 2005 as a relatively unknown entity which sponsored the 29" page on mtbr.com, which raised some eyebrows at the time. The two co-founders of Niner Bikes, Steve Domahidy and Chris Sugai, were industry vets who decided 29" wheels were the future, with Sugai famously saying 29"ers would become the dominant wheel size in mountain biking. 

The company lost Domahidy who left and started his own Viral Bikes brand. Sugai eventually left the company as well and now is working for Gates, the belt company. Niner carried on, however, but then ran into financial issues causing the company to go into bankruptcy in 2017. The company was then purchased by United Wheels, also owner of Huffy Bicycles, for 3.1 million dollars. 

Then in late 2023 United Wheels consolidated Niner with Huffy and moved Niner Bikes headquarters to Ohio from Colorado. In 2024 Niner established a presence in Colorado again. However; with little innovation of their legacy MTB products, Niner was reliant on sales in the competitive gravel bike segment. Although new redesigns and upgrades began to appear in Ninre's line up late in 2025, it seems this was too little, too late.  

 Steve Domahidy commented on a story concerning this subject by "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" on Facebook by saying "Very sad news today. I poured 8 years of my full and total commitment to making this business what it was and saddened to see what it's (sic) has become,"

From Facebook on Twin Six's feed

The 32" Watch: Twin Six To Offer A 32"er:

Early this past week I was sent a sneak peek of a titanium 32"er from Twin Six. The image came from one of the co-owners of the brand I have known for years. He didn't say I could post the image,  so I didn't. Now I have seen the bike on Twin Six's Facebook page, so I am sharing their image here. 

All I know is the bike is designed for drops or flat bars. I was told it was "coming soon". The person I was contacted by said drop bars are going on it this week.  

N.Y. Roll says he's getting this. He already has a T-6 FSU bike he really likes. I know my friend Ari in Chicago is interested as well. Me? Well.......titanium is not cheap. Big hoops and tires would have to procured. I am spending money like I have it to go on this Nebraska trip. So.....I don't see it now, but never say never. 

Image courtesy of Twin Six

It's obvious the niche brands in cycling are scrambling to get behind this wheel size before any mid-tier or one of the "Big Four" brands gets a 32"er out. Selling your titanium 32"er will be a lot easier now than it will be when some entrenched brand comes around with a sub-2K 32"er. 

And it would appear the majority of sales are going to be flat bar/MTB style and not too many drop bar options will seemingly be on the table early on. There is a rumbling concerning Surly coming out with a 32"er, but all I'm hearing is that it will be based upon the Krampus or Karate Monkey design. 

So, I am all about trying one of these beasts on gravel around here, but a MTB? Yeah...... I don't see it for myself. I'd rather see  adrop bar garvel leaning bike which would definitely make me more interested. 

Everyone I've gotten feedback from who has actually ridden one of these 32"ers has positive things to say. It sounds all good, but I don't know right now if I'm in on this wheel size. 

Again, never say never, never say always. Maybe...... Stay tuned. 

That'll do it for this week. Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions! Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend if you are reading this in the USA. Get out and ride those bicycles! 

BRAN Gravel: Gear Choices - Part 1

Earlier this week I went over the bicycle choice for the Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska's gravel route. BRAN gravel will be a unique experience and the bike one chooses can be a critical part in enjoyment level of this ride. In case you missed that post you can go back and read it by clicking HERE. 

This post will be covering choices in gear besides the bicycle for this ride. Things like jerseys, shorts, outerwear, casual wear, nutritional supplements, and tent/camping gear. BRAN is a tenting ride, no motels in these small villages! So, a bit about camping gear is also included in this post. 

In fact, let's kick things off with the home for the week. My tent was chosen for a few reasons. One, it isn't too big. Yes.....that's intentional. Maybe you've heard the saying that a bigger purse, or a bigger garage, just means you have more junk inside of it. Smaller things force intentional choices, and really, you'd be surprised how little you can get by on. Plus, you don't have to worry about so many things needing packed, and where they get packed. I know I've come home, unpacked, and found stuff I never used and forgot I was toting around! 

Sierra Designs Full Moon 2

Camping: For a tent I wanted something light, easily set up and taken down, and packable. This is exactly what backpacking tents do well. Plus you can get several different sizes and with several different price points. 

I wasn't needing to save every ounce here, because our gear is getting toted by a touring service from place to place. So, ultra-lightweight tents were unnecessary. This is also very good because those tents cost an arm and a leg! 

I ended up with a two-person Sierra Designs Full Moon 2. Two person? Yes. My advice is to always buy a tent made for one more person than you need. This extra room will be very much appreciated, trust me! The Full Moon 2 isn't the lightest tent, but it is a solid choice. I have an older one of these and it did really well in wet weather, wind, and in every other way. It was easily set up and taken down. This new one will be even better, I am sure. 

So......why not use the old one? Great question. I lost the poles somehow that hold it up, so..... Yeah. A bit embarrassing!  

Now with a bike packing tent you should also use a ground cloth. You can buy one, but a great hack which is cheap, or free, is to find a partial sheet of Tyvek insulation wrap. (Or a similar material). This stuff is like a lightweight, thin tarp. It is very tough, and will not let moisture pass through to the floor of your tent. 

Thermarest pad

I also bought a brand new Thermarest Basecamp sleeping pad. I have an ancient one from the early 1990's which is getting a bit long in the tooth. But these things are the bomb for sleeping in a tent short of carrying a heavy inflatable mattress. Thermarest pads keep you insulated from the ground, which is important so you won't get hypothermic from heat loss to the ground. 

I already have a very lightweight sleeping bag which is all I need to stay warm at night down into the 40's, if it even gets that cold this year. And even if it does, I can wear some clothes to bed to insulate myself more. 

Finally, a little inflatable pillow is going along to cushion my head. Besides this, I won't need anything camping specific. All meals will be purchased or provided so no cooking to be done on this trip! 

One could go ultra-lightweight with their camping set up, but since - again - gear is being carted for us, I see no need to go spend the kind of money it would take to get lightweight, competent gear. But you do you. Maybe you'll use ultra-light stuff for other trips. Then I can understand the need there. 

One more word on tents: A full rain fly is nice if we get a wind driven rain storm. So, this is something to think about when buying a tent. 

Clothing: With no laundry service on route you can do one of two things. One- Pack seven days of stuff. This isn't a bad idea, but it is a LOT to pack for. Two: Pack for three days, wash your kit when you take a shower, and hang it out to dry on your tent fly ropes. (Or suitable hanging situation)  

I'm going with option two. Then I will have a pair or two of shorts, a few t-shirts, socks for the week, and a pair of sweat pants for cooler evening in the tent. I'll bring a light jacket or hoodie, and some casual shoes. I love the stuff Twin Six does for riding wear and casual wear. Check them out HERE. 

I use clipless pedals, so I'll have the cycling shoes, a helmet, jerseys, bibs, and riding shorts. Or I may just bring inserts and shorts. Probably the latter.  I like to wear a bandana on my head to keep sweat out of my eyes and protect my head from flying insects which could get into the vents of a helmet. Generally speaking one would also want to consider sunglasses, but in my case I haven't been yet able to afford prescription eyewear. A great sunglasses brand which won't break the bank is Tifosi Optics. 

Shoes are kind of a big deal, so I will spend a little more time on this. I would strongly suggest your carbon fiber soled racing shoes stay home. Unless you cannot get anything else, then yeah. But suffering on boards with no flex will fatigue your feet, calves, and shins if you have to do much off the bike stuff. Getting a shoe with a little flex is something to consider here, and definitely think about some shoes comfortable enough to walk around in. 

You'll be spending the better part of seven days in those shoes, and if you cannot wear your super-stiff, super-racy shoes for more casual riding because they make you hurt, then this ride will be a lot less fun. 

Saddles are another super important subject when it comes to longer rides. Everyone is different and so my choices won't reflect what works for many. Here's a few things to think about though. 

- Proper bike fit has to be done before any saddle will work properly. A great saddle can be a hurtful thing if your bike fit is poor. Check with a local bike shop or bike fitting professional if you need assistance here.

- Once your saddle height and fore/aft positioning is squared away, then you should determine your sit bone width. Most quality saddles are designed with certain sit bone measurements in mind. Wilderness Trail Bikes and Ergon have online saddle width calculators so you may want to search those out and see where your sit bones measure out for reference in the future. 

-It is a journey. There is no "easy button" when it comes to finding a perfect saddle, but if you have the fit dialed, and you know you sit bone width and have chosen a saddle width accordingly, that's half the battle won. And there is one more important thing to do when seeing if a saddle will work......

- Use a chamois creme and quality shorts with a pad insert. Big, BIG game changer here.  Your interface with a saddle is two sided. The saddle and the garment that comes in contact with that saddle. Chamois creme is the secret to keeping those shorts slipping and sliding against your body where it needs to be doing that. Better this than a hot spot, chafing, and saddle sores. Check out Chamois Butt'r for a great solution here. 

See Guitar Ted's "Top Ten Recommendos"  for more on what works for him. 

That's a long enough post for this time. I'll post up again this weekend with anything I'm missing here. Got questions? Hit me up in the comments or email me at g.ted.productions@gmail.com.  

Put Some Respect On Him

From a recent social media post. 

About a quarter century ago now I started working with a young college aged student of the arts named Jeff Kerkove. He was known then as a quiet person, unassuming, and the kind of person one maybe didn't take note of. He wasn't going out of his way to get to know you and he didn't give off the kind of vibe that he wanted you to bother to get to know him. He was content to do his thing. And his thing was riding bicycles. 

He was good at it, by all accounts. His mother said he would ride for miles on gravel just to get to a good spot for fishing. Something he spent a lot of time doing as he grew up in Algona, Iowa.  

Eventually, a small bicycle shop run out of a garage in Algona caught Jeff's attention. He learned about races on mountain bikes which were occurring in nearby Minnesota, Wisconsin, and a few in in his home state of Iowa. Jeff found a small, like minded group of young men who were infatuated with riding fast off-road. It didn't take long before his talent at racing became apparent to the owner of that local shop. He did all he could to encourage Jeff in pursuing racing bicycles. Like it was going to take much persuading. Jeff took to racing bicycles immediately and was all about racing by the time he left for the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. 

Once Jeff had given longer, 24hr races a try he realized his forte was in the long haul. He vaulted up through the ranks of solo 24hr racers in the Mid-West. He forged a name for himself both within the racing community and online doing this new thing called "blogging".

Just behind Jeff was where we concocted the Trans Iowa in 2004

I came to work at a place called Europa Cycle and Ski in the middle of September of 2002, Jeff was a mechanic at the time there and I was paired with him doing the repairs for the shop. 

Now, I did not try to do anything special, or different when I started working directly across from Jeff. Just throwing out the usual small talk at first, and then we seemed to hit it off. I said something that made him laugh, and as one does, I found this encouraging. I laughed at his retorts. We found a groove. It was pleasant. Fun even. But I wouldn't have called our initial relationship extraordinary by any stretch. But apparently I was wrong about this.  

About two weeks into working there I was in on a day when Jeff wasn't working. Our boss at the time asked if he could talk to me. I was curious as to what it could be about when suddenly my boss says, "What did you do to Jeff?"

I was shocked and confused until my boss explained that when he and the office staff heard Jeff talking  and then laughing, they were amazed that anyone had gotten him unlocked like that. Apparently Jeff had worked with a few other guys in the shop and was stone cold to them. How was it that I got Jeff to open up? This was what my boss wanted to know. I shrugged my shoulders and said I did not know what it was I did. I was just n=being myself.  

Jeff Kerkove circa 2003 (Image by Paul Buchanan)

So, Jeff apparently took to me and he was never hard to get along with for myself. Our relationship grew as time went on, but it wasn't as if we hung out after work or anything. Heck, Jeff didn't have time for those things. He was training. All. The. Time. 

 

I always have said that Jeff Kerkove was the most disciplined person I have ever met. He had goals and he worked every moment toward them. 'Lazer focused' is a term which gets abused a lot in our culture, but to my mind, Jeff epitomizes this phrase. He is the picture in the dictionary next to "single minded". It paid off too. Jeff was wining 24hr events worldwide. He competed in Canada, Germany, Japan, and all across the United States when I was working with him. He had professional sponsorships with the likes of Giant, Cannondale, Cat Eye, and other cycling brands for years.  

And of course, it was Jeff who propelled myself into blogging here, and into a thing I hadn't any business doing, which was promoting and running a cycling event. It is without question that without Jeff Kerkove, I would still be "just a mechanic" from Iowa who no one would have ever heard about. I wouldn't have made a dent in what became the standard mountain bike wheel size of today. I would have never been feted as a founding father of a style of bicycle racing and riding which has taken over the world. 

What about Jeff? Well...... he never changed. He still is out there winning, doing well, and racing when and where he wants to. Jeff doesn't seem to care about the accolades nor does he need to be in the limelight. But here's the thing: Whenever you hear about gravel riding and racing, and if you think about where it came from, please remember Jeff Kerkove's name 

Please remember he had some hand in making the thing start up and without his influence and resources Trans Iowa would have died in the water. One has to wonder if gravel racing would have ever become a thing had it not gotten off the ground in 2004/2005 when it did. And it did, in large part, due to Jeff Kerkove.  

I owe a huge debt of thanks to Jeff myself. Obviously. So I am biased when it comes to putting his name out there for consideration to be recognized. However; I think it is only right to do so. I will continue to put a shine on him, to give him the respect due to him, as long as I am able when it comes to gravel cycling. 

Thanks Jeff!

The World's Premier Gravel Event Is....

Image courtesy of The Traka

 20 years ago there was a small group of riders who convened at a seedy, run down motel in a city in Kansas most people had never heard of to ride in the Flint Hills. A 200 mile trek across those rolling, rock infested roads around Emporia. 

At the time, no one cared. 

No one, that is, outside of the small cadre of enthusiasts who were the pioneers of what we now know as Gravel™. The biggest trend in cycling for decades. 

That event grew, and it grew, and it became known as "The World's Premier Gravel Event". And it was true for many years. 

But now? Now there is a contender. An event across the sea in Spain which has been around for eight editions now. Run by a series called Gravel Earth, The Traka, based in Girona Spain, has a little something to say now about who may have the world's top gravel event.  

The Traka isn't the richest Pro gravel event. It isn't even a pioneering gravel event in Europe. But it has taken on a vibe, and it has taken on an importance in Europe, and beyond. A place on the calendar which took Unbound far longer to achieve in terms of overall importance. Of course, the event formerly known as the Dirty Kanza 200 had to forge a path no other event had forged before it, unlike The Traka. But besides this point, it would seem to me, at any rate, that the Traka is poised to take over the crown of the World's Premier Gravel Event. 

Image courtesy of Unbound Gravel

Comparing these events we see that both draw about 5,000 riders across multiple distances. Both feature Pro level event categories. Both events draw heavy industry attention with brands choosing to debut new equipment and bicycles at these two events. Both events draw intense cycling media coverage on the internet and social media. 

So, why might The Traka overtake Unbound Gravel as the top world gravel event? In one word, I can give you a very compelling answer: Geography. 

The thing is that geography could take in what the courses are like at these two events, but that is not what I mean, necessarily. I think it has to do with something N.Y. Roll mentioned while we were discussing the two events. It is just easier to get to Girona Spain than it is to get to Emporia, Kansas. 

But cycling companies are making choices too, and one popular wheel brand has already stated that The Traka is the "benchmark" gravel event. We can see how many European based brands are making moves to be a part of The Traka as well. This has been the domain of Unbound up until recently, but with both events in May, and after Sea Otter, it seems to me that The Traka has drawn a lot more brand interest than Unbound seems to be getting. 

Now, it should be said that both events have had growing pains when it comes to Pro vs amateur field racers. Just this year at The Traka complaints were lodged by some Pro women riders concerning this. Now Unbound has further separated the Pro field from the amateur classes by giving the Pros exclusive feed zones. They also have separated finish chutes and timing for their respective classes. The Traka is still navigating some of these issues as well. How the ending of these stories is told may have a say in which event becomes the one at the top of the heap for all concerned. 

For now, in 2026, twenty years after a humble beginning in a seedy Kansas town, the Unbound Gravel event still holds the crown as being the World's Premier Gravel Event. But for how much longer will it retain this accolade is now in question. I wouldn't be surprised to see this crown move overseas.  

Two Things

 

 Testing 1,2,3....

 Just testing out this shiny new laptop I got Friday for this BRAN gig coming up in a couple of weeks. 

I need to be able to update the blog from the road, and well.....  Dragging a PC around isn't very practical. So this laptop was procured and it should provide me with the means to do some writin' on the road. 

I'm still testing this thing out and hopefully images won't be too hard to get the way I want them. You know, technology isn't my best area of expertise, although I will advocate for myself a little here and claim a bit of competency in dealing with new things. 

So, wish me well. 

And for the tech nerds out there I will head off any questions in the comments and let you know what device we ended up with. It is a Lenovo Yoga (I say "Yoda", but Mrs. Guitar Ted doesn't like that!)

So, there ya go. Stay tuned for more from the Yoda laptop soon. 

Note: The above part was posted on the laptop. Now back to the regular PC.... 

Joe Meiser with a Ti Fargo 32 (Image by Steve Fuller)

The 32" Watch: Ti Fargo 32 Completes Century Gravel Ride:

Have you, like me, been thinking a 32"er might be good for gravel road riding? Well, apparently Quality Bicycle Products' own Joe Meiser, a former Trans Iowa winner, thinks it does. He just used a 32"er Ti Fargo to complete the century distance at this past weekend's Heywood Ride. 

Thanks to volunteer Steve Fuller, we have this image and a few details. Apparently Joe chose Teravail Ciclos carbon rims and had these laced to Berd hubs with the Berd spokes which, I would imagine, results in a very lightweight wheel set. 

Those are the Teravail Cannonball 32" tires on there as well. Steve got a quick ride on it and said the bike felt pretty natural to him. It is an XL size, by the way. 

32" Fargos will be available in titanium and steel coming later this year. See your Salsa Cycles dealer for more details. 

And....

I have seen an image of another prototype 32"er which I have been told will work with drop bars or flat bars which will be offered "very soon." This will be coming from a company not known primarily as a bicycle company, by the way. 

Stay tuned..... 

BRAN Gravel: Bike Choice

In the run-up to the 44th BRAN ride, and specifically for the gravel route, I am writing up my suggestions and personal choices for bicycles and gear. I hope this will be enlightening and helpful to anyone deciding on gear for this ride or any gravel ride. 

The Bike Choice:

A "gravel bike"? What is that? You may find yourself asking those questions concerning gravel cycling. There is no definitive answer as gravel cycling varies from place to place greatly. Essentially, one could just say "A gravel bike is whatever bicycle you feel comfortable riding on gravel." It could be a mountain bike, a hybrid bike, or even a recumbent. 

Now, with this in mind, I will say there are "better tools for the job" and how one chooses, when there is a possibility for choices, can still vary greatly. Sandy, loose back roads? Maybe you have a lot more pavement than gravel? Or you ride a fair amount of single track connecting dirt roads. All these can change what "tool works best" for the job. But again, you can do a lot with several kinds of bicycles and still "grind the gravel" with anyone. 

In this article I am going to assume the reader has either knowledge of Nebraska gravel types or has listened to the podcasts about "Bran Gravel" (Here and Here) 

Black Mountain Cycles MCD

As I listened to the folks we interviewed who have either done BRAN on the gravel, or know about Nebraska gravel, it became apparent to me that there were going to be various types of surfaces to deal with. Pavement is an obvious one. However; there were sandy surfaces mentioned out in the (of all places) The Sand Hill Region of Nebraska. One person we interviewed mentioned "MMR" (dirt) roads. Then there will be a transition to "white rock" gravel, or in other words, the crushed rock you may think of when "gravel" is mentioned. 

Salsa Cycles Fargo

So, it might be a good idea to have something for a bicycle with wider tires than not, but not huge. One of the interviewed folks mentions this in the first podcast episode linked above. The trend in gravel bicycles of late is for wider tires, so if you have a late model gravel bike, you probably can fit tires with a width of 45mm or so easily. This was a recommendation on the podcast and one I would agree with. 

What would be "too skinny"? I'd say anything under 40mm, but it isn't that one could not do the ride on, say, 38mm tires. It might just be a little harder and not as much fun is all. Ratchet up the "Not Fun" and "Harder" categories as you get narrower than this with tires. 

What would be too wide/big? Well, as one person on the podcast said, a "fat bike" (any bike with 3.5" tires or wider) might be overkill. Again, you could use a fat bike, it just might not be the "best tool", that's all. 

"What are you gonna do, Guitar Ted?"

Well, I have many years of experience on different types of gravel and my choices are narrowed down to the two bicycles you see above. The Fargo has 2.25" MTB cross country racing tires on it and the pink Black Mountain Cycles MCD has 50mm wide Schwalbe gravel tires on it. Here's the difference, as I see it.....

The Fargo is a nod to comfort and a better handling bike in sketchy terrain. You might think about the sandy gravel and dirt roads that BRAN gravel may have on the course this year. The negatives would be that this bike, essentially a drop bar mountain bike, is heavier. The wheels and tires weigh more. So, this may factor into why you might not want to choose thusly.

The MCD has lighter wheels, but skinnier tires. 50mm is a LOT of rubber though, honestly, and this wide a tire should be more than enough while giving a nod to paved riding and a bit of grace in climbing. Negatives could be a less comfortable ride and not as much confidence in any sketchy, loose sections.

Sure, I have less wide tires, lighter wheels, and maybe I could go that route, but comfort over seven days of gravel kind of beats having a lightweight wheel set, in my opinion. My final choice? Well, I'm leaning toward the pink BMC now. 

 You might note I have spent a lot of time on tires and wheels because this makes the most difference in the way a bike handles and feels than anything else. The other consideration is comfort, and tires do a lot here as well. Air pressures chosen will determine a lot in this regard. I would wager most people think they need higher pressure in their tires than they actually do need. One way to find out is to use a tire pressure calculator online. 

There are two I will recommend here. The first one is from a company called SILCA. You can check theirs out HERE. The other is from another company called Wolf Tooth.  Their calculator can be seen HERE. Want one more choice? Component maker SRAM also has an online air pressure calculator HERE. 

Optimizing air pressure will help you go faster. longer, and with less fatigue while retaining a balance of good rolling resistance versus comfort and handling traits. 

As far as the rest of what makes your bicycle go, I would recommend a tubeless set up due to the reported goat heads and other pointy objects out in Western Nebraska. (Obviously, you could run tubes, but then risk the punctures.) Your bicycle should be in tip-top condition, shifting well, and braking well. Stopping is good! Besides this, overall you should choose a bicycle you are confident on and most importantly for a week long ride, comfortable on. There is nothing worse than a bicycle that hurts to sit on after a few days!

Need more beginner gravel tips? Read my series on Beginners On Gravel HERE.  

More information on the BRAN ride HERE.  Register for BRAN HERE.

Supporting The Cause

Bacon wrapped dill pickle anyone? 

 Ten years ago this weekend I was up in Cherry Grove Minnesota doing support for the original Almanzo 100 event when it was run out of Spring Valley, Minnesota. 

It wasn't "on my bingo card", as the saying goes, even a week beforehand to do this gig. It was all a last minute thing due to a sponsor pulling out at the 11th hour. 

At the time, I was partnered up in Riding Gravel and my partner in that effort had called me asking if I could join him in supporting this checkpoint/aid station, or whatever Cherry Grove was meant to be. 

My vision at the time was a spot in the road to grab more water and maybe we'd be handing out gel packets. What I didn't know was how this would end up becoming a sort of party/hang-out scene, not unlike what you might see at Mid-South, for instance. 

There was beer. There was whiskey. There was bacon wrapped dill pickles! It was a scene for sure, and it all went over really well, actually. So wel we were asked to come back for the next two years. But that first year was quite a wild time, especially since I had no idea what I was getting myself into. 

 I was really happy it turned out as well as it did. I was even more happy to have had some small part in helping with an iconic gravel event. So iconic it got its founder, Chris Skogen, installed into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame with me in 2022. 

Ten years ago...... Already? Wild to think this. What is even wilder is thinking about how some gravel riding racers and punters think gravel events started around this time. Or even afterward! That's mind blowing to me to even try to comprehend.  

So many good memories came out of those three years doing the Almanzo 100 support. This first year I went up with N.Y. Roll and his old dog, Ella, who is no longer with us. My son, Jacob came along and made a huge impression on the riders by refilling their water bottles. This was also the event where the infamous "Red Bull" incident involving my son, a can of Red Bull given to him by N.Y. Roll, and my son's passing out in N.Y. Roll's SUV happened. Jacob never let N.Y. Roll live that one down. And now he's gone as well..... 

Yeah, a bittersweet memory filled time for sure. Crazy how much things can change in ten years. Even this event is gone now. 

Just crazy....