Rear View 2025: The Guitar Ted Podcast

The Guitar Ted Podcast For 2025:

The podcast rolled into season #3 in 2025 with N.Y. Roll as co-host and who provided the venue where we could record. 

According to Spotify and Apple Podcasts, the show grew a modest amount in 2025 in terms of listenership. We saw measured growth in several metrics and we were both surprised as we do not typically get any feedback from who is listening out there. 

When we do, get the feedback, it is overwhelmingly positive. There is a certain local who works with N.Y. Roll, a "Mike", who sometimes criticizes the podcast material, but we take it all into consideration. 

We introduced a series of shows featuring the pioneers of Modern Gravel which we called "Where We Came From" We tried to feature those individuals who we feel were integral to gravel's formative years, or were people who were there when those things happened which were foundational to Modern Gravel. This series should continue into 2026.  

Our most listened to show came from this series and it was about the Lincoln Scene. We recorded 28 episodes during the calendar year. This is a couple less than normal, but there were a few extenuating circumstances which took the total recorded episodes down a bit. Hopefully we can squeeze in around 30 episodes for 2026. 

Got any suggestions, comments, or other feedback for us? Please leave a comment in the comment section below. You can listen to the Guitar Ted Podcast HERE. 

Bikes Of 2025: Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4

 It's another end-of-year period on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2025. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up.

 Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4:

The newest bicycle in the fleet is the Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4. This bike didn't arrive here until September, so it hasn't had much of a chance of getting ridden. However; I did get out on a few longer rides on the bike. It will definitely feature heavily as a bike I choose to ride in 2026. 

I wanted something like the Peregrine because it can take up to 50mm tires with clearance to spare. I like the classically inspired look. It has lugged construction, which I like. It also has a more traditionally formed and constructed fork, which I also admire, but all of those things are not without critical modern touches. 

Through axles, fork accessory mounts, and disc brakes all help make the Peregrine 'up to date'  The paneled head tube and seat tube lend classic style as well. Plus, you get the Singular signature feature, an eccentric bottom bracket. Essential for a clean single speed look. 

Veteran's Day Ride. Image by N.Y. Roll

I got out on a multi-surface ride with N.Y. Roll in early November on the Peregrine. This was a good test of where I was at with the evolution of the set up. throughout the ride I never was frustrated by any aspect of the bike. 

The ride of the Peregrine is stiffer than you might hope for. I still believe it is a good riding bike, and it handles with complete neutrality. Not too much of anything, really, or not enough of anything.  But I feel like I can make a smoother ride experience with better tires. 

I know MG and some others would say I should put on Rene Herse tires, but my head won't let me do it. This is a lost cause for consideration by myself. My loss, I guess. (But honestly, I'd be too anxious to use those tires after hearing all the horror stories I've heard, so that's my opinion.) 

I'll find something. I'm not worried about it, and the Cazadero tires are just fine for now. I've got a set of Pirelli tires I'm going to give a try out next. 

So, other than flipping wheel sets and tires like I always do, I do not see any changes to the Peregrine now. However; things rarely stay the same with my bicycles and me, so you know how this will likely turn out.  

Bikes Of 2025: Salsa Cycles Fargo (Gen I)

 It's another end-of-year period on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2025. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up.

This bicycle might be the most recognizable bike I have. Most folks know well what it looks like and what this bike has meant to me over the years.. I received this bike in late 2008 as a gift of sorts. Ostensibly I was only to have been riding it for a demo, but ....... Well, you had to be there, I guess. Anyway, this bike means a lot to me because of the person behind it, who had the idea for the bike, and essentially was the one who coined the term, "Adventure by Bike;". Well, if it wasn't Jason Boucher who coined the term, he certainly was a big proponent of the saying and the ideal behind the saying. 

I have encouraged Jason to tell his story about the Fargo for years, and he has teased us with a few details, but maybe one day we'll get the full enchilada. Maybe......

I use the Fargo for occasions which I am going to be finding myself in territory I am unfamiliar with. Why? Because the Fargo is like a horse which doesn't let its rider fall off under any circumstances. I have bonded with the bike since day one. I trust the bike, it is very comfortable and capable, and I reach for it every time I feel anxious about a ride. 

The Fargo Gen I has also been a bike I have had very meaningful rides on throughout the years. So, it was the only choice for the Ride For Jacob this past August. I just could not imagine using any other bike for that ride on that particular day. 

Not surprisingly, there is not much left on the Fargo which was on the bike when I received it 18 years ago. There is the head set. I know I have not touched that part. Then maybe the rear and front derailleurs are original to the bike. I think that is all. 

As far as changing anything in the near future goes, well I would like a premium wheel set for it. Something with carbon rims, nice hubs, and sturdy spokes. But it doesn't have to have those things. I just need to ride the Fargo more. And the plan is to do just that. 

This will be the bike which goes with me to the Flint Hills in April for the L.O.G. Ride. I hear Wabaunsee County is pretty rough, and this is right up the Fargo's alley. I will likely be doing some training rides previous to going on the trip on the Fargo as well. Then, I don't know. I'm sure something will come up like the next Ride For Jacob, whenever that happens in 2026. 

Rear View 2025: Winter Begins

 Hello! it's time again to review the year on Guitar Ted Productions. The "Rear View" has been a staple of the blog since almost the very beginning. This year will feature  five Rear View posts looking back on   End of Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, and  Beginning of Winter. I'll also have a post looking ahead at 2026. Enjoy the look back and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

With Fall winding down I turned my attention to the upcoming Virtual Turkey Burn Ride challenge. The weather was very mild heading on onto November with consistent days into the 50's and often warmer. 

I had high hopes I might be able to rdie my new Peregrine Mk4, and as a warm-up of sorts, I took this bike on a Veteran's Day ride with N.Y. Roll. He being a veteran of a foreign war and all, it was the right thing to do!

The Peregrine was awesome, and recent tweaks I had made to it were really helping. I did switch out those Schwalbe G-One Overland tires as soon as I was finished reviewing them though. I just wasn't a big fan of how these tires felt to ride. I ended up on old SOMA Fab Cazederos with TPU tubes instead.    

The Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4 with the SOMA Fab Cazedero 700 X 50mm tires.

The Veteran's Day Ride was a lot of fun.

Things were great weather-wise for a warmer weather attempt at the VTBRC until right up to the day of my attempt when a cold front came through. That pushed me to a narrower window to get it done. I essentially was going to have one day to get the ride in before a huge snow storm was forecast to hit the area. This put my plans to ride the Peregrine off and I switched gears to riding the Ti Muk 2 instead. Mostly because this bicycle has pogie-possibilities and it was going to be chilly. I was thinking of staying out of the winds and to ride the Green Belt instead of in the open countryside. 

Well, as it turned out I only logged 42 miles for the day, but I guess if you add in about five hours of snow shoveling, I probably burned the same amount of turkey as I would have if I had ridden a metric century. (Maybe more!)

The VTBR ended up coming short of my goal.

I thought I'd ridden this bike for the last time in November. Think again!

 So, going into December a new project has come up revolving around the frame set for the Twin Six Standard Rando v2. I've already posted about this elsewhere, so all I will say here is to look for more on this in the coming year.

The snow and cold relegated me to snow bike commutes, snow shoveling, and writing up all this end-of-year stuff! But then about mid-month it relented, warmed up, got messy, and fenders were necessary! Now with December's ending I will recalibrate  and see where my goals may be for 2026. I'll talk about this and more in my final post in this series, "Looking Ahead". 

Bikes Of 2025: Noble GX5

 It's another end-of-year period on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2025. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up.

The Noble Bikes GX5 is surprisingly still relevant in 2026.

The Noble GX5 is an unusual bicycle. First of all, there are not very many of these around. The company never really got off the ground, in terms of sales, and now it is gone, I think, although the website is updated to 2025. (See the GX5 page HERE)

Secondly, the bike was designed by a former Raleigh product engineer who sat in on my conversation with their team at Raleigh when the Tamland was in development. So, there is somewhat of a chance my basic geometry ideas trickled into the design of the GX5, and by their charts, I would say this is true. But this is purely speculation on my part. 

Keeping in mind the GX5 came out in 2018, I think it was, and the following details of this bike might surprise you. While the GX5 was claimed to only have clearance for 40mm tires, it easily swallows 47's, and 45's fit all day. So, this is still pretty relevant in terms of the mainstream tire fitments out there. It could become out of date in 2026, but my guess is gravel bikes will pull back somewhat from the MTB wheels and tires to more aero, lighter tires and wheels again. 

The slightly longer top tube, slack head angle, lower bottom bracket, and internal routing of cables is all right on the money from a spec viewpoint in 2026. While the cables do not route through the stem and head tube, I am VERY happy they do not. That is just stupid, (have you seen the damaged steer tubes from cable rub on the internet?), and unnecessary. 

I point all this out because I've had thoughts of passing the Noble GX5 down to someone else. Then I realize I'd pay a lot more just to get something even close to what I already have, so.....why?

Don't fix what ain't broke. Right.... 

So, this bike continues on as being my lightweight, racier option, and it is quite comfortable and capable, now that I have the State Bicycle Co. Monster Gravel Fork v2 on it. This fork can also handle a 29" x 2.1" tire, so I also now can get the benefit of a big, fat tire when desired where it would matter most. 

The Noble GX5 isn't out of date, even though I have had it for six years already. I suppose I could put an electronically shifted drive train on it, but, really? Why do this when I have a bike which does what I need it to flawlessly already? I wouldn't turn my nose up at an opportunity to do a switch to electronic shifting, but I do not need it. 

So, my plan is to just keep using the Noble GX5 when the situation calls for a light, fast bike or if  I just want to ride it. I suspect it will stick around here for quite some time.  

Merry Christmas!

N.Y. Roll's home decorated for Christmas by Morgan. 

Merry Christmas! 

  From : Guitar Ted Productions

To: You! 

I hope everyone has a safe, peaceful, enjoyable Christmas day today! 

I am grateful for you, the reader of this blog. May your bicycles be clean and quiet, your trails and roads be interesting and challenging, and may you have the health to pedal over it all anyway. 

Thank you! 

 

Rear View: Best Images Of 2025

 The Best Images From The Blog For 2025

A few ground rules here before we dive in. First, the images were chosen by me, Guitar Ted, and my decisions are final!  Secondly, the images had to be taken by Guitar Ted. There were several contributions to the blog from other riders who took some really good images. Some better than mine, but this is not a list from those folks. 

See, if I choose one of my images over another one of my images I can only offend myself.  Ha! You get the picture. (No pun intended)

 Most of the images are self-explanatory and need no further commentary. However; if you have a question concerning any of these, let me know. Just drop a comment in the comments section and I will get back to you. 

I am listing these from January through December. This year the images weren't great, I will admit. I did not get out enough, and when I did, somehow or another good images eluded me. This year was the first year I did not leave the State of Iowa in decades. So, this might explain some of the lack of variety. Additionally, I was relegated to being hyper-local as well, with only a couple of exceptions. This definitely was a limitation!  Okay. Enough! On with the show......

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Bonus pic!

So, that is a wrap on the images which I thought were the best for the year on the blog. What do you think? Good? Bad? Ugly? Which was your favorite?

I also wanted to point out a special post I wrote up for the celebration of 20 years of blogging here. It is a "Best Of" for the pictorial headers I use here these days.  If you'd like to peruse those again,or if you missed those the first time, Click Here. 

Otherwise that should do it for this post. I'll be back again next year with  more imagery and hopefully a trip or two which should spice things up a bit! Meanwahile, have a Happy Holiday season!