Friday News And Views

Enve Adventure Fork Announced:

Enve Composites announced a fork on Tuesday this week that has - amongst other things- a flip-chip drop out to adjust the offset and axle to crown length of their fork. This was done to appeal to a wide range of custom frame builders that use Enve forks to make custom bicycles.

While it is available aftermarket, it likely will be mostly used on small stock line builds and on full-custom bike builds. You probably won't see this fork on a Trek or Specialized anytime soon.

Of course, Enve is no stranger to gravel bikes. This fork follows in the footsteps of forks they have made in the past for this segment. While the offset chip drop out is cool, as is the "three-pack" bosses on the legs, what I was disappointed in not seeing was any talk about how the fork rides. That is 'how the fork rides outside of handling'.

To my mind, the number one issue with gravel travel by bicycle is how a component can affect the smoothness of the ride. How does a component damp the higher frequency vibrations, or how does the component make the rider more comfortable and in control? You can have all the 'adventure-warts' you want, all the adjustable 'this-or-that' you want, but if the component is harsh, hurts to ride, or bounces you all over, I don't want it.

In the past, Enve's reputation for ultra-stiff forks has preceded it and has been born out to be consistent. I just don't care to try one of these unless that aspect of their products has been addressed. This news that came out gives me no reason not to believe that Enve still is producing a stiff, unforgiving fork, because if they were, wouldn't that be good news to share? You'd think so.

 

There's a giant light in the sky!

Transition Lenses- Where Have You Been All My Life?

I just received some Rudy Project Cutline glasses to review for RidingGravel.com recently and the lenses are transition style ones. You know, where they get darker or lighter depending on the intensity of light around you? Those kind of lenses. They've been around in one form or another forever, but I'd never tried them until recently.

Man! What a great thing! I cannot imagine not having eyewear with this technology in the lenses anymore. Now many of you can chuckle all you want that already know. I get it. I'm late to the party. That said, this is revolutionary. For me, anyway, it is. See, I have a morning commute that takes me from full sun to heavily canopied bicycle trail which makes it so that I normally have to remove my sunglasses and ride with them in my teeth for about a mile. No big deal, but one day I had a bug hit me right in the eye in that section. Had I been able to be wearing sunglasses, well obviously that wouldn't have been a problem.

Anyway, these Rudy Project Cutlines are on par with Oakley and other higher end eyewear makers. So, the optical clarity is top notch. The air venting is superior to anything I've yet tried, and yes- I am impressed. I also have a typical mirrored lens to contrast with these lenses, so I can get the real feel of this company's line.

By the way, the transition time is also pretty quick. I can literally watch them get darker and lighter. As I rode, I never felt the need to squint coming out of a darker area and vice versa- I never felt I couldn't see going in under that canopied section. Good stuff! I'll have a lot more about these coming up in my Riding Gravel review.

The Colorado Classic Releases Their COVID Protocol Measures:

The Colorado Classic, a Pro road stage event that was to take place this Summer, but was cancelled due to COVID 19 concerns, has decided to release the protocols they were working to employ for the event. This was done in hopes to provide guidance to whichever Pro event does happen in the future. While obviously not a gravel event, their measures they were planning to employ might be looked upon as a guidepost for what bigger gravel events may have to do to get something off the ground in 2021.

First off, you can see for yourself what they had planned on doing here. (The link takes you to a site page where you can download a PDF file) The main points are the following:

1. No Spectators Allowed
2. Teams must arrive early and submit to a COVID test performed by medical experts which must show negative for COVID 19 before anyone can race. After Day 2 another round of tests would be administered.
3. Contact tracing would be implemented just before and after the event for 14 days total. (Remember- this was a stage race event over several days.)
4. Teams would be "in the bubble" for the entirety of the event. No outside contact would be allowed while attending the event.
   

Lucy Diaz, CEO of RPM Events Group LLC, was quoted as saying, "We were creatively working on guidelines that maintained appropriate social distance measures from start to finish, but short of hosting individual time trials for each stage you can’t avoid the peloton formation."

What we can draw from this is that in order to have any large groups attending and participating in any sporting event for gravel in the near future, major changes would be necessary. Basically, controlling who might bring in the virus, who might contract it and leave with it, and finally, provide testing and documentation to cover any legalities or issues arising from having held such an event.

It may be highly unlikely that anyone racing might be an asymptomatic carrier or be someone to contract the virus, true. This is why some feel these cautions are too restrictive. However; it only takes one person to catch it. Also, where money and liabilities are concerned, I don't see it as being 'too cautious' at all. They have to be cautious due to the nature of how this particular virus spreads and how it can affect those vulnerable to it.

Now the smaller, less organized events will certainly circumvent most, if not all of these protocols- but think about it. If one participant picks COVID up, or drops it off at the event, and THAT causes issues- Like  poor health, medical bills, and even death- would you want that on your conscious? Or does "not knowing" because you aren't being diligent to deal with this take you off the hook for any responsibilities? Remember- It's all good until it isn't.

I would think the chances aren't worth taking, but that's just my perspective.

That's it for this week. Have a great, safe, and happy weekend of riding.