Make-A-Wish List For 2026

The Guitar Ted Productions "Make-A-Wish" List For 2026:

It is a new year, and while many of us have made resolutions we will break in two weeks, I decided to do something a bit different. I thought, "If I could have my wishes in cycling come true for 2026, what would those look like and why?" So, this will be a bit of fun and a look at what I would want to see happen in 2026 in the realm of cycling and why I would wish those things. 

These will be in no order of importance or significance. So, do not read into the list in this way. It is a list, this is all it is. 

• Wish: I would like to see Shimano and SRAM offer 12/13 speed group sets which are mechanical. Why? Because not everyone wants or needs batteries. It is more environmentally responsible, and users could service their own equipment in a pinch. The way we seem to have to add electronics to literally everything in our lives is a misguided and bad approach. Maybe someday we will see the error of our ways, but then again......maybe not. 
• Wish: To see Jim Cummings get inducted into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame:  This should be obvious. The man, along with current inductee, Joel Dyke, just was involved in the formation and growth of the greatest gravel race on Earth, that's all. The GCHoF seems to have electors who hold grudges not related to gravel cycling, or if not, what seems to be the issue here? Lack of knowledge? Please, clue me in, because Jim's not being in the GCHoF is a discredit to the GCHoF and calls into question its veracity in the gravel scene.Now, Jim is up for election for the Class of 2026, and the votes have been cast. If Jim's name does not appear this year in the list of 2026 inductees then the Hall is essentially a farce. If he does get inducted? Wish granted. 

Jim Cummins (L) and Joel Dyke at the 2010 Pre-Race meeting for the DK200

•  Wish: To see less "race oriented" gravel bicycles offered. Guess what? Most people who ride bicycles do not race. I know this may come as a shock to many in the cycling industry, but it is true. So, ya know......keep your aero, internally routed, aggressive geometry bicycles, and give the public bicycles meant to have fun adventures on. Remember "fun"? It doesn't start with "R" and it does not have four letters. 
• Wish: People would be able to find the "real stories" of gravel's early days. I know..... This is probably a losing venture, but I wish for it anyway. Here's a test: Google "Legends of Gravel" and see what happens. The AI generated response I got told me that Andy Hampsten and Tom Ritchey were "pioneers of gravel". They "lent historical weight" to gravel riding. Then it lists riders mostly coming from the period after COVID as "legends". Maybe you don't care about telling the truth about where gravel came from, but I do. And I don't care to make money off it. I just want the correct details out there. At one time I thought the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame might help. I'm thinking it isn't even making a dent.  

• Wish: To see less gravel bikes with 29"er tire capabilities. Yep. I said it. Not everyone needs monster tires and drop bars. If you think you do, there are "adventure bikes" out there which already do the things you are looking to do. Oh.....you want a lighter weight, trail capable "gravel bike"? Might I interest you in a flat bar bike they have called an XC trail bike? Let's not mess around. Big, fat tires on a bicycle which are over 2" in width and less than 3" in width are for mountain bikes. Thank you.  
• Wish: To see high-quality 8 or 9 speed components offered. I know companies like Sun Race and MicroShift offer things like this, but I am talking about "XTR" level 8 and 9 speed parts. Alloy, beautifully anodized, and which would be reasonably priced, mechanical in nature, and have high-durability/wear characteristics. These overgrown, behemoth electronic 1X derailleurs are not only ugly, they actually are more in the way of being biffed than older 8 and 9 speed stuff was.  Yes, I mean triple cranks and front derailleurs as well. 

This Singular Gryphon Mk3, a drop bar MTB, works great with 9 speed components

•  Wish: To see affordable, quality made 8 and 9 speed parts on affordable bicycles. The press releases are never ending which show the latest carbon fiber, 1 X 12/13 bicycle which costs well North of 10K. This is so crazy! These bicycles, while perhaps worth producing for the companies which offer them, are not conducive to getting more people out on bicycles. If anything, it proves cycling is a "country club" sport, and a sport not democratized for wider appeal.  Too often bicycles which are within the budgets of real, everyday folks, are riddled with sub-par components and don't give their riders very positive experiences. I'd really like to see a change here. 

• Wish: Cycling clothing made for average people. You know.....in sizes that make sense for everyone who doesn't race? Most times I cannot buy a jersey or shorts and feel as though I know they will fit because there is no general standards for people who are not racing. There isn't even anything out there which I can say is a good guide for fitting larger folks, or folks with weird proportions. It isn't as though you can go to a store and try on things. You most often times have to guess and pray the companies size charts are realistic.  

Okay, well there is a short list off the top of my head. If you have any comments, I'm here to read them. Just drop those in the comments section. And if you have any "wishes for 2026", please let me know in teh comment section about those as well. 

Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions! 

While We Are Waiting

Winter. There are days you can get out and be somewhat 'okay' around these parts on a bicycle. However; there are a lot of days when getting out on a bicycle is not a great idea. 

Ice, wind, snow, cold rain, or lack of daylight can all factor in as possibilities for cutting rides short, redirecting where you ride, or just plain making riding not a smart choice. 

 Just last week we experienced 25mph winds out of the Northwest, gusting to over 40mph, and it was 13°F. That makes the wind chill temperature, (how it actually feels and what the consequences would really be for exposure) a balmy -17°F. 

In other words, it is a great time to be indoors and not out there on a bicycle. You get the picture, I hope. If you are siting there thinking those conditions are "no big deal" I hope you are signed up for IDITAROD. 

Then fast forward to today when it is supposed to be just above 40 degrees and very Spring-like. Yeah...today it would work. But days like last week's cold shot with wind has been more the norm since December started.  

Anyway, one can do nothing about a cold and windy weather situation with snow and ice. Folks here choose their own adventure instead. Many resort to other activities, like couch surfing, sleeping late, or seeing how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop. (Everyone knows the answer is three, right?) 
 

I suppose you could also go do other outdoors sports like XC skiing, hiking, or go to a gym and lift weights, swim, or enter a spin class. Many of you ride trainers and use services like Zwift, and others, to train and compete. 

Well, I've not tried everything, but I've tried indoor trainers and...... Yuck!  Not for this guy! So, I am either riding outdoors or I am descending into the nether regions of Guitar Ted Headquarters to tinker on bicycles. Snow sports used to be a part of my outdoor regimen in Winter, but with how things go now with snow.... Yeah. Not so much. 

I usually find something to keep me occupied. I can always clean. I also can always weed out things I should get rid of and either donate those things to the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective or toss them. 

I can always clean and tune up bicycles. You all know I have quite a few to mess with around here. This is no problem to get my spare time used up.  

And working on my bicycles is far better for my mind than spending time sweating in one spot, going nowhere. Oh.....sure! You "virtually"are going places and riding with "virtual" training partners. Notice: none of this is real riding with real friends. It is "riding" , of a sort, but as far as I am concerned, it is no match for riding outdoors with real human beings. Your mileage may vary. That is fine.....for you. 

I get out when the conditions are not stupidly cold, windy, or dangerous. Meanwhile, during those other times, I tinker around with my stuff. Like the recent building up of the Twin Six fixed gear bike. I spent some time accessorizing it as well.  

It needed fenders, lights, and a bag and a pump for repairs. These things all presented challenges. Some small, some requiring a bit of time away for thought on 'just how do I want to do this?' thinking. Eventually it all came together and now the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 can be grabbed and ridden at a moment's notice. 

And all this fussing and thinking and doing is one hundred times more enjoyable for me than sweating it out on a ride to nowhere.  Meanwhile if the weather is raging outside. It's okay. 

I can wait...... 

Project Fixed Gravel Bus

The key to it all. (Image by A. Andonopoulos.)

 I have hinted at this all throughout December and now it is time to share what I've been up to over the past four or five weeks. I will also add the weather was mostly not conducive to being outdoors throughout this period, so it was a good thing to have this to do during the dive into deep Winter weather we experienced. 

Just a quick recap for those new to this story: I had a Twin Six Standard Rando v2 set up geared since around 2022, and for a year or two before that, as a single speed. When tires for gravel started to plump out to the 47mm - 50mm widths I was finding the Twin Six to be lacking as it barely handles a 44mm wide tire. So, I dreamt of retiring the T-6 and ended up replacing the T-6 with my Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4 last September. 

Meanwhile, I had become enamored of riding fixed gear again via my road bike standard Shogun 1000, a 1980's vintage road bike, which has very limited tire clearances. My thoughts began to swirl - What would a fatter tire fixie be like? Then it hit me.....

Build the T-6 as a fixed gear bike, and move the Shogun down the road. So, this is what I have done. This now brings you up to speed on my journey up to the point where this project started.  

The first order of business was to build wheels. 

Thanks to Ari Andonopoulos and Jay Barre, I have this sweet Paul Components fixed WORD through axle hub. It is great Paul Components does this part, because it is not only high-quality stuff, but it is about the only game in town for fixed, through axle, and disc brake all in the same hub. Wacky one-speed rear device indeed!

To build the wheel set I needed rims. Fortunately I had a set of Velocity USA Blunt SS rims just chillin' in my shop. They were waiting for such a time as this! I also needed a front hub. I had used the old original front wheel in the Noble Bikes GX5 before in the Standard Rando, but this wheel was a mismatch from the standpoint of the rim. So, I broke the wheel down and harvested the front Stan;s Neo hub for this project.

Topped off with hand-cut DT Swiss spokes from Ari in the rear, and Wheelsmith spokes for the front, and this set of wheels was ready to go. Of course, I used my "signature wheel set" spoke scheme where I use half black, half silver spokes and nipples. The black spokes on one side get silver nipples and the silver spokes on the other side get black nipples.  

The wheel builds were fairly straight forward and besides one spoke, I had no real issues. Then it came to drive train parts. I had two screw-on fixed gear cogs to choose from. One was an All City 17T but is an 1 1/8th pitch. I also have a Dura Ace, vintage 3/32nds pitch cog in a 16T.  Both are black anodized steel. Not sure how they do that, but they are definitely black and definitely steel! 

I went the all-3/32nds route and so I have the Dura Ace part on the hub. For a crank set I came up with a 172.5mm Shimano 105 triple, Hollowgram crank set and I dismounted the three rings and replaced the middle one with a 39T steel ring from some old road crank set. It is a Shimano ring though. 

This meant I had to modify my Wheels Manufacturing Eccentric insert for a PF-30 shell. The left side bearing has that old, pre-DU(M)B spindle which had a 24mm drive side diameter and stepped down non drive side bearing. I knocked the SRAM specific bearing out, grabbed a Shimano outboard bearing sealed bearing cartridge, a plastic bushing, (top-hat) from same bottom bracket, modified the plastic bit, and used this. It worked perfectly. 

With a new SRAM PC 853 chain it now is locked-in and ready to roll. All I needed now were controls, brakes, and cabling. The handle bar is an old favorite, the Kitchen Sink Bar from Redshift Sports. I also used the same Redshift Sports ShockStop stem I had on the T-6 before I broke it up. A Shimano PRO seat post topped with a WTB Silverado saddle gifted to me recently by MG was the seating arrangement. (Thanks MG!!!) Then old Tektro levers in black were mounted as well. All I needed were cables, housings, and brake calipers. 

With everything but the calipers, tape, and cabling. 

 So, with the year closing out I was on the hunt for some brake calipers. It was the only thing I didn't have yet to make this a complete bicycle. Of course, I needed flat mount brakes, but they also needed to be mechanically operated. This leaves you with precious few options. 

You could do the bougie route. Paul Components Klampers or Growtac brakes (Velo Orange sells them), but we're talking hundreds of dollars for two brake calipers. Then you have the next step down in TRP Spyre brakes. Far less money for sure, but no big drop-off in performance. TRP/Tektro has a lower end version of the Spyre, which is slightly less money. Then you get into the sub-100 dollar per caliper brakes which of the lot, only Shimano is a brand I would trust. 

I hemmed and hawed about what to do. I was texting with Ari a few days before Christmas and he pointed out the half price offer on TRP Spyre calipers from an online store. I ended up ordering those as it put the per-caliper price under $65.00. 

Two days before Christmas. No calipers, but I just couldn't resist a test ride!

 I had strung the cables, but no wires, by a couple of days ahead of Christmas. It was pretty nice out for late December, and I had time, so I decided to go out for a short, brakeless ride. This would be on totally flat terrain and maybe for a few blocks and back, but I wanted to get a read on how this gearing was going to work out for me. I knew it was a little steeper than I had my Shogun set up with. 

I think it will be fine for most flattish terrain, but hills will be interesting! I'll just have to see how it goes over the course of Spring and determine what to do after that. 

 I think if Winter is going away, and for good, (fingers crossed), I will set up a different set of tires, But the 45NRTH Gravdal studded tires will grip ice and snow well. In case Winter comes back again, (more than likely), I'll keep them on. So we will see about tubeless tires at some point. Fenders may appear here in either case. I've got metal Planet Bike fenders or a brand new set of plastic Giant Revolt fenders too. We'll see how things fit to decide there. 

Finished Saturday evening 12/27/25

 Twin Six Standard Rando v2 (2020) in Saffron 

• Size: 59cm
• Frame: Steel (Twin Six never really says what, if anything, is special about their tube set) 
• Fork: Carbon T-6 (Again, no details but it does have internal routing for the front brake cable, Three-Pack mounts, and a 12mm through axle.) 
• Wheels: Hand-built using Velocity USA Blunt SS rims (28 spoke hole drilling), Mix of Wheelsmith (front) and DT Swiss spokes. Spokes in each wheel are all black on one side  with silver nipples, and all silver on the other side of the wheel with black nipples. Three cross lacing. (Guitar Ted Special Wheel build) Hubs are Paul Components WORD Fixed Disc (rear) and Stan's Neo (Front) 
• Track Cog: Vintage NOS black Dura Ace, 16T x 3/32nds.
• Chain: SRAM PC-853
• Chain Ring: Steel 39T Shimano of unknown vintage. (Likely 7 speed) 
• Crank Arms: Shimano 105 10 speed Triple modified for single speed use. 172.5mm length.
• Bottom Bracket: Modified Wheels Manufacturing Eccentric for PF-30 shell. 
• Seat Post: Shimano PRO
• Saddle: WTB Silverado
• Head Set: Enduro MaxHit stainless steel.
• Stem; Redshift Sports ShockStop Pro
• Handle Bars: Redshift Sports Kitchen Sink (46cm)
• Bar Tape: Ergon AllRoad
• Levers: Tektro short pull
• Brakes: TRP Spyre/Shimano rotors/Jagwire Pro housings.
• Pedals Fyxation Mesa MP's
• Tires: 45NRTH Gravdal, fully studded, with tubes. 
• Frame Pump: 1990's vintage Blackburn 

I'll have a ride report up once I can get out with this bike for a decently long ride. Indications are the stiffer T-6 frame will be a big benefit toward making the fixed drive train work its best. Gearing? Yeah..... I don't know yet! 

Stay tuned...  

2026 Gravel Events Cost Survey

The 2026 Gravel Events Cost Survey

The Gravel Events Cost Survey is a random look at events across the USA which are primarily gravel based cycling events to see what it costs to go ride organized events in the year 2026. 

I did a similar thing last year  so take a look there for comparisons. Note to any readers of this survey: I have opinions which may not line up with what you believe. This is my take on this subject.  

How The Survey Was Done: I began my survey by taking a look at some promotions that started coming into the inbox here and taking notes on distances offered versus registration costs. Then I added events from BikeReg using their geographic breakdown of the nation and the events listed in each region. I noted some events were listed in more than one region so I avoided those for the survey, or only used an event listed twice across regions in one region that made sense to me. 

Here are the regions as broken down by BikeReg: New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, Rocky Mountains, South Central, Northwest, and Southwest/Texas. (Note: I combined the Southwest and Texas regions because the events overlapped so much) So, I used four events from each region, (last year I used three) trying to use a different state in each region where possible, and this brought in 37events. (I accidentally used FIVE events from one region. Sorry!) I also included the one event I had already been noting previously as mentioned from promotions So a total of 38 events were included. (One more than last year)

 The Events: So, what types of "gravel" events were included? Of course, their are a few "biggies" in the survey: None of which I used last year. But I have unheralded events from all across the nation. So, there is a range from very inexpensive to well over four (!!) figures in cost and everything in between. 

I chose the regional events based upon a few things. First, I only looked at the names of the events and where they were located to get a good representation of events all across the USA. Names of events came into play where I recognized names from a long time ago and are events that have been well-established. I also included some events which had names that just struck my fancy. For instance, "The Lit Whizzy". 

But this year I tried to find as many events with "gravel grinder" in their name as possible, (rather easily done, by the way) and any event with a skull as a logo or having "skull" in their name. I know....weird, but it helped randomize my selections. 

What I Am Trying To Show: My baseline for a gravel event value is based upon how much it cost per mile to register. So, if an event is 100 miles and cost 100 bucks to enter that event has a cost of a dollar per mile. 

You'd think that the biggie events would skew the rating far more to the spendy side but I found that many smaller events are charging a LOT more these days for registration. And it should be no wonder. "Gravel" is the hot ticket for competitive bicycle events these days and the genre' shows no signs of slacking off yet. Event directors and organizations are seeing the big time events charging three-digit entry fees and are following their example. 

Also, this survey is an average cost analysis. I am not breaking down these by regions or in any other way. I am just curious to see how far above the old "dollar-per-mile" limit we used to use for gauging events we have gone now and what the new baseline might be. That's it. I'll give that average cost per mile for 2025 and then give you some trends I have noticed while doing this survey. 

The cost analysis was done over 109 distances/costs. This year's survey has 51 unique distances from 12 miles all the way up to 350 miles.  

Average Cost Per Mile: So, in this year's survey, I found an event with a free distance, a beginner's distance of 18 miles, and the most expensive distance was from an event which charged the a 200+ dollar fee for all its distances making the 40 miler come in at cost of $6.02/mile.  The event with the highest entry fee at $1.400.00 for either distance offered actually wasn't too bad $4.83/mile and $4.00/mile costs. 

Most event distances in this year's survey cost between $1.00 and $2.00/mile. I found this a bit surprising. This wasn't even close, by the way. The next group of event distances - Over $2.00 to $3.00/mile - had  almost 30 less examples. So, I think it is safe to say the overall average is going to be under $3.00/mile yet. At least it is in the examples I pulled from BikeReg this year. 

Comments: My initial impressions were that event prices felt higher than before, but in reality, the events I pulled from seem pretty average and close to last year's average per mile cost. Keeping in mind I am not considering aid stations, swag, after-parties, etc. This is purely money versus mileage. 

I also did not include any "bucket-list" events. Those skew the results, and since one in particular uses a lottery, it is harder to determine "costs" to the rider. Finally, I think focusing on events which are available to most everyone across the nation makes more sense than focusing on the ultra-exclusive, "bougie" events.  

It was immediately apparent while doing my research that a rider gets more value out of an event if they choose the premier/longest distance offered. Many events are really oppressive when it comes to what they are charging for shorter distances to the point it makes me wonder if they are actually trying to discourage folks from taking shorter distance options. Just for an example, one event was charging more than double for its shortest distance per mile versus their longest distance. 

Sometimes this is a factor of events making each distance the same fee. I suppose this streamlines their planning but it sure makes me not want to choose a shorter distance when I can pay less per mile to ride more.  

I tried to sprinkle USAC events in my survey. This did not seem to make much of a difference one way or the other in cost per mile. But those events do have loads of categories. Some non-USAC events did as well, but these were by far in the minority in terms of the 38 events I looked at. There were far more with very simplified categories. 

I did also notice some older events still chugging along but there were far more I'd never heard of, and I was just in there at Bike Reg a year ago. Finally, it seems there are fewer events this year, but I could be off on this. I did not count, it just felt that way to me. 

It's good to know you can still find events with a less than $1.00/mile cost, and many are good values from this standpoint alone. I am not taking into account anything like courses, views, or extras. So, this shouldn't be used to gauge any specific events. I just do this exercise more out of curiosity, and to check in on the health of grassroots gravel across the USA. 

I hope you found that interesting. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions. 

From Untamed To Unbound: How Gravel Riding Has Changed

Image by Guitar Ted

Gravel cycling  has been in its"Modern Era" now for over two decades. In those early days, it did not take long for a debate to ensue amongst its participants as to what would happen if and when "sanctioned" events, large amounts of money, and professional level riders came into the sport.  This debate sprung up because everyone who participated back then was in tune with what was going on with the early gravel events. However; this was so long ago now, many cannot even begin to understand when older gravel riders shake their heads and look away in dismay when younger riders extol the current gravel racing scene. 

Somewhere there is a discourse to be had which might connect the two feelings and viewpoints represented by the older way gravel events were conducted and how these events are conducted in 2026. It might explain why the UCI has not made a lot of headway into gravel racing in the USA. It could be a way to explain what people are talking about when the much-maligned term, "spirit of gravel" is mentioned.  

Today my hope is what you are about to read will shed some light on these two disparate views.  

I am a big J.R.R. Tolkien fan. I was introduced to his writings back in the early 1980's by way of an acquaintance who suggested I read "The Hobbit", and loaned me his copy of the book. I took it home and devoured it in two sittings. Of course, Tolkien's famous trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings" was next, and I read this three book series eight times. I'm not trying to brag about my voracious appetite for the author's most famous books, but I am trying to let you know I was fully engaged and knowledgeable on the legends Tolkien created. 

This explains why, when I went to watch the first, blockbuster movie of the books, directed by Peter Jackson, I firmly rejected Jackson's rearrangements and omissions of what I held to be critical parts of the stories. While it is true Jackson's movies based on the fantasy trilogy brought the "Lord of the Rings" to millions who otherwise may have never read the books, it was done at a cost to the visions of J.R.R. Tolkien and to how the book's fans believed the story should be told. 

I feel similarly about gravel event's past versus today.  

A gravel race start line4 in 2008. Image by David Story

Many fans of Tolkien's books will freely admit there is probably no way a film adaptation of the trilogy could ever be done 'properly', and done accurately to the books. This translates to where we are in gravel events in 2026. I agree with this sentiment in terms of gravel events, and I think it is pretty plain as to why this is. 

Those early events most assuredly have little chance to be recreated in terms of "feel", function, and outcomes in 2026. The story which was told twenty years ago is so vastly different and unimaginable to most riders today. Most riders of gravel in events now have expectations which were not even considered necessary twenty years ago. Event directors demand a certain level of insulation from catastrophe and  a certain level of compensation for liabilities and efforts they are willing to shoulder in 2026. No, things have changed so much, in critically important ways, that the "feel", the essence of those early gravel events, is nearly impossible to find at the "bucket list" events people queue up to get into now. 

So, what is this thing, this "feel", this essence which I speak of? Yes, it is often referred to as the "spirit of gravel', but this term has been so laughably misused and misunderstood, I hesitate to mention it anymore when speaking about gravel events. It is a thing which most people do not have a clue as to what it meant, and it has almost no bearing on the way things are done in gravel in 2026 anyway, so the point is mostly moot.  

However; it was a thing. It was "how the story was originally written" by the event directors and participants back in those days. To fully understand what the essence of gravel was then, one must drop the preconceived notions of what a "race" is and look at competition in a bit different way.  

Difficult conditions were actually relished by early gravel riders and considered a badge of honor to have gone through. Image by Wally Kilburg

I used to have difficulty trying to express what it was which made the early gravel races and rides different. There were the obvious things. Things like start and finish line trappings, chip timing, aid stations, and now - media coverage - which were all non-essentials in early gravel racing. Those things, while seen as unnecessary, were not why gravel events felt the way they did back then. It was something I always had a hard time putting my finger on. It is why any discussion of the term "spirit of gravel" was useless. 

However; I recently came across a dissertation on the views of J.R.R. Tolkien regarding his contemporary, Walt Disney. I found some lines from the dissertation to be particularly enlightening when it comes to explaining the essence of early gravel events versus today's version of gravel. 

Tolkien was reportedly disturbed by Walt Disney's portrayal of fairy tales. Originally, these medieval tales were written with a view to the moral and ethical complexities of situations and choices. Sometimes fraught with danger and frighteningly descriptive details. Disney sought to soften these edges and simplify the moralities for his creations within these tales to make them more accessible and lucrative .  

First up - Here is a quote as taken from "The Inspireist's Post", as seen on social media. 

"For Tolkien, mythology was not meant to be improved, modernized, or made accessible through simplification, It was meant to be preserved - its complexity, its darkness, its moral ambiguity, its genuine danger all intact. If that meant that fewer people engaged with it - so be it. Better a small audience encountering the real thing than a mass audience consuming a commercialized substitute."

I will freely admit I was one of the "Tolkienists" of early gravel. In fact, I was appalled when I found out the Dirty Kanza people were going to take the impromptu parking lot finish line from 2006's inaugural running of the event and refine it. The "feel" of the experience that evening was not repeatable by tinkering with the loose formatting of the first event. And one might argue it couldn't ever be replicated. But this is but one example I have concerning all facets of those early events. 

Pop-up tents, coolers, and clipboard check-in sheets. 

One could also argue that an"elitist" stance of holding gravel to those sorts of limitations may have discouraged many would-be gravel riders. Riders who have since engaged in gravel events because of the simplifications, the amenities, and technologies allowed in events these days. Similar criticisms were laid at Tolkien's feet concerning Disney's treatment of fairy tales and their subsequent successful acceptance amongst millions of people. 

Again, from "The Inspireist's Post" -

" But Tolkien's counterpoint would have been, "What exactly did Disney introduce them to? If the darkness is removed, if the moral complexity is simplified, if the genuine danger is replaced by manageable scares, are children encountering fairy tales? Or are they encountering something that looks like fairy tales but functions differently - as entertainment rather than a myth?""

As I stated earlier, there is almost no way to turn back the clock and do things "the way they used to do things". You have smart phones with desk-top computer functionalities. Navigation, maps, and contact with any knowledge one desires is hand-held and ready for the taking. Demand for inclusion dictates a certain level of care and responsibility on the part of event producers. Certain governmental levels of approval and acknowledgement require levels of guarantees and compliance which weren't considerations twenty years ago. I understand these things to be inherently true. It is also why this entire "spirit of gravel" thing is misappropriated and a moot point today. 

The "genuine danger", moral choices, and the "darkness" of early gravel events is now mostly sanitized and streamlined to fit a model of efficiency, creature-comforts for riders, and sheer numbers of participants.. The substantial monies necessary to produce such big events also creeps in with its own set of demands on events. Social media and sponsors demand a level of viewership which has resulted in coverage of the larger, more lucrative events by way of media vehicles, drones, and helicopters. 

Image by Wally Kilburg

Gravel in 2026 is nothing at all like it used to be. Besides a few examples like Iowa Wind and Rock, the Heywood Ride, and several smaller, lesser known local events, the old narratives of adventure, daring-do, and pure grit are gone. 

They have been replaced by a sharp rise in the level of physical preparations, technological applications to the bicycles, and a focus on competitive fairness in regards to age categories, gender, and an ability to earn money above all else. 

It used to be competition was against oneself. A chance to see if one could overcome Nature, The Course, and Spirit. Others in the event were not seen so much as "competition" but as potential life-long friends who had endured the same situations as you had through to the finish line. Choices were paramount to success. Make a wrong turn, eat the wrong thing, or choose the wrong clothes and your ride might end in a ditch somewhere. 

One is not necessarily better than the other. I admit to being more attracted to the latter rather than the former, but there is no denying the fact we are experiencing things we would not have otherwise if gravel had not followed the 'path of Disney'. My point in this post is to show why the essence of gravel in the early days is not repeatable - or maybe even applicable anymore - today. Many people wouldn't want those things we cherished then anyway. It would be said to be too hard, too dangerous, and too risky. Maybe even stupid. 

While the old ways and experiences may not be replicated today, and at odds with how today's gravel scene on the bigger stages is, I find it ironic that the whole "Spirit of Gravel" thing was what drove this niche into the behemoth of competitive cycling it has become today. We couldn't have today without yesterday, yet most involved in the storytelling of gravel seem to forget about this fact. It is something which is being lost as the years go by. I find this to be a worse thing than not having today's events reflect the true spirit of the old days and events.   

It is a story worth being told.  

I hope this helps explain where we came from in gravel, and why it is different today. Thanks for reading! Please feel free to leave a comment in the comment section.  

Friday News And Views

 

Image courtesy of Shimano North America

GRX717 Di2 Introduced As Shimano's Budget Gravel Group:

On December 16th, news came out regarding a new level of GRX gravel components from Shimano. This new GRX717 level is electronic, 12 speed, 1X only, and is priced to compete with  SRAM's more entry level offerings. 

The new 717 is wireless, just like its more expensive sibling. In fact, it is practically a mash-up of current 105/Deore wireless 12 speed components with GRX branding. The 717 rear derailleur features the same WideLink design, ability to reset after a blow to the cage, and the same low-profile design as Deore MTB Di2.  

Levers are essentially 105 design, lacking the grippier hoods of the top-tier GRX Di2 12 speed. It bears mentioning the hoods are textured a little bit though. 

Crank set options include a 40T and 42T option. The rear cassette is meant to be a 10-51T range 12 speed MicroSpline compatible cassette. It should be noted also that all 12 speed wireless Di2 is interchangeable. So....say you want flat bar GRX, you just add flat bar Di2 Deore shifters and you are there. Other possibilities are available as long as you stick to the Shimano 12 speed wireless Di2 ecosystem. 

Comments: Prediction - Shimano sees more spec with this offering. They had ceded this segment of the market to SRAM by not having a more budget friendly option for electronic 12 speed shifting. Now that this is out there, Shimano only is missing a top-tier, super light Di2 gravel racing group. 

Special Statement Concerning The Virtual Turkey Burn Ride Challenge:

I was made aware of a VTBRC report which may have been sent and was received in the spam folder of my email instead of the regular email folder. Now I am aware this is a possibility, and now I have to wonder if other reports went to the same folder. The thing is, I never look at what is in the folder, I simply delete the whole thing every day. 

So, from comments left on the blog it seems at least one report met this fate and perhaps others have as well. I apologize for this! I was not thinking such a thing would become a problem, but there it is. 

So, in the future I will be more careful when deleting the spam file during times I expect reports on rides like the VTBRC. I sincerely hope those of you who sent in reports will forgive me of this oversight and I would be 100% good with publishing those reports if you let me know you'd like to do this. 

This little machine saved my bacon

Fixed Gear Build:

The Standard Rando v2 is being converted into a fixed gear bike and things have been progressing slowly with this build all December long. 

I ran into a situation which had me in a bit of a pickle. I was building the front wheel when I discovered one spoke was not accepting a nipple. This after I had everything laced up and ready to tension. 

To make matters worse, it was the only silver spoke I had which would fit this application, and I did not have access to a bike shop, as this happened at an odd time. 

So, I grabbed my Hozan Spoke Screwing Machine, an extra long silver spoke, and got to work. I first cut the spoke down to the proper length. Then I mounted the Spoke Screwing machine in my vise. A few minutes later and I had a replacement spoke ready to install. Problem solved!  

These little machines can be a life saver. While one could thread spokes for an entire wheel build with this little guy, I wouldn't recommend it. This is best suited for spoke replacements running up to a handful of spokes in number. More than a half dozen and you'll get real tired, real fast of the tediousness of the process. You have to be patient with this machine! 

These are still available, so if you think you'd like one, you should be able to find one easily enough. By the way, I'll have a lot more on this build coming up here on the blog soon.  

L.O.G. Ride  Logo Updated:

I received an email a while back here from Jesse Petersen, a reader of these digital pages and a graphic designer, by the looks of it. He took my caveman drawing of the L.O.G. Ride logo, "cleaned it up a bit", and sent it my way so it can be used by the promoters of the ride. 

(That is right, I'm not in charge of this ride. I just came up with an idea for a logo)

If you want to know more about the Legends Of Gravel Ride, seek the page out on Facebook for all the news. And thank you Jesse for an awesome "clean up" job on my artwork! 

I did get confirmation that the registration should be up by now, or any day now. The Legends of Gravel will have two levels you can sign up for. One: Anyone wanting to stay at the Lodge, and Two: Those staying elsewhere, but wanting to join the ride. Sorry, this is all I know at this time, but you can check out BikeReg and search "Legends of Gravel" to learn more, or go to the Facebook group page for this event.  

Adventure Cycling Debuts Golden Gravel Trail Route:

The Adventure Cycling organization is about to celebrate its 50th year. To do this they decided to draw up a mostly gravel road route from Oregon to the Mississippi River on Missouri's border. The route will total 3,700 miles and will be released to the public in March of this year on their Ride With GPS  account. 

Route diagram courtesy of Adventure Cycling

The route is described on the Adventure Cycling blog page (HERE) as being somewhat similar to the Great Divide Route (Tour Divide), and riders should expect similar experiences. 

Adventure Cycling reminds riders who want to ride this route that it is not going to be 100% perfect and will likely need tweaking in its infancy. 

Comments: Obviously this is what Adventure Cycling is all about, but also it is noteworthy they chose a mostly (reportedly 70% gravel) gravel route. NOT a paved route. Also notable is their West-East routing versus what the Great Plains Gravel Route does, which is to meander North-South. Also, The Spinistry is developing a route which will traverse the entire nation East to West on mostly unpaved roads, (See the next story for more). So, the Adventure Cycling folks are not the only group doing things like this. 

It stands to reason a route like this would be done, as gravel is more safely traversed these days due to distracted drivers on paved roads. But then again - You need to know even in the remotest places you could still get smoked by an inattentive driver. Just ask Jay Petervary. 

So, when will the race be announced? (Only half kidding)

TUBA Trail: The Longest Off-Pavement Route Being Developed:

In other long route news of the unpaved sort, N.Y. Roll and I were able to pin down the industrious Kevin Lee of the Spinistry for a chat. Our conversation centered around the newest off-pavement route for bike packing and touring, the TUBA Trail. 

Kevin and The Spinistry are no strangers to long off-pavement routes. They have developed the RAT 1000, a route across Texas and have been maintaining it for several years already. In fact, the RAT 1000 route idea is the genesis for the idea for the TUBA Trail. 

I won't dive into too much of the detail on this new trail route, but you can check out the conversation we had with Kevin by listening to the latest Guitar Ted Podcast HERE. (Spotify home page link, but you can find the show on most major podcast platforms.) 

I enjoyed hearing about how Kevin pays attention to details which I related to having routed Trans Iowa over the years I did that. I also appreciated Kevin's mentioning the costs involved in doing route finding, a thing most riders tend not to appreciate.  

I also wanted to thank Kevin again for his time and for sharing the news of the TUBA Trail, which is set to be completed sometime this year.  

Image courtesy of Singular Cycles

The 32" Watch: One More For The Album:

Singular Cycles posted this image on their socials and asked for names for this new model with 32" wheels. Most Singular models are named for avians, so the bulk of the suggestions were of this nature. 

Comments: This is a good look at what this model may look like in production. If I had to guess, this appears to be titanium. I hope Sam Alison is thinking about a steel version because a titanium version would be quite pricey. Nice, but expensive for sure. 

I've no idea for a name for this, but I'm sure it will be appropriately named. One thing you can always count on from Singular Cycles, and that is they have always done things with class. From aesthetics to the names for their models, it is hard to find fault with anything the company has done. Not that Singular is perfect, mind you. Far from it. I will only say other "big wheeled" purveyors do not have the same level of attention to detail when it comes to how their products are presented and perceived in the marketplace. It doesn't hurt any to have bicycles which handle and ride nicely also, and Singular has a reputation for this as well. 

So, I expect nothing less than a really well sorted and classy looking 32"er from Singular. My proclivities run more toward trying a 32 inch wheel out in a drop bar format. Maybe Sam could name it the  "Hræsvelgr". I think that would be appropriate. 

Give me that and a reissued Luxy Bar. I might have to get rid of a bike to bring one like this in.  

Thanks for reading! Get out and put in your first ride of 2026, if you have not already!

Happy New Year

 Happy New Year!

It's a new day and a New Year. I hope you all have a wonderful, blessed, healthy, and safe New Year.  

I'll be taking the day off here but I will return tomorrow. It may be the first FN&V for the year, or it could be my outlook for gravel event prices and where the value is in terms of events for 2026. It could be my story of the Fixed Gravel Bus. It could be fluff as tomorrow is my 27th wedding anniversary. You'll just have to come back tomorrow and find out!

Until then, have a great day and thank you for checking out the blog today!