Next Gig

The month of May is just around the corner and I will be getting geared up for a trip to Emporia, Kansas once again to attend the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame awards ceremony, and hopefully, the group ride which happens at 11:00am Wednesday May 29th. 

The plan is to leave Tuesday and stay overnight in Kansas City because I want to take Mrs. Guitar Ted to a Korean restaurant. I heard there is a good one there and we do not have that sort of opportunity here. (Got any suggestions? Let me know) 

This plan will allow us to not have to leave Waterloo, Iowa at some ungodly time to get to Emporia by 10:30am. Sleeping overnight in KC will allow for a reasonable night of sleep with plenty of time to get to Emporia since the travel time is about an hour and a half, maybe a little more. 

I'm thinking the group ride will use the same route as last year's ride which wasn't anything too rough. There was one steep climb and that wasn't too bad. So, I am thinking I will take the Honeman Flyer to Kansas so I can have another State ridden on the bike added to the list of Oklahoma and Iowa so far. 

There is no real pressing need to take anything else to ride so I think that'll be the plan. Now I just need to stay on top of my fitness and get in some rides and that should be good for this gig. As far as the GCHoF, I have been asked to be a presenter, so if you are going to the ceremony proper, I apologize ahead of time! Ha! Nah..... It'll be fun. 

And with that, I suspect that will be the last gig of the year as I have often said here that my new job requires me to work Saturday's and taking more Saturday's off is not good for me or the Collective.

Collective Efforts

Des Moines Street Collective

Tuesday was marked by a trip to the Des Moines Street Collective to see Bobby Kennedy and pick up some of their excess bicycles which were donated over the past several weeks. The Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective does not see the amount of donations that the Street Collective does and we are able to move some of their donated inventory for them in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area.

I believe this was the third time we have collaborated with the Street Collective in this manner. It always starts with a two hour long drive to Des Moines, Iowa in a bouncy moving van. 

When I say "bouncy", I mean like a paint shaker bounce. My fitness watch claimed 17 minutes of "exercise" one way on this trip and a bunch of "moving time" even though my butt was firmly planted in a seat. That seat was shaking, but I was seated!

I did end up getting some "real" exercise when the loading part started and I was sitting the bikes in the van with a Tetris-like mindset. Trying to maximize space for the best possible bike count. I must have done it too well, as Bobby had to cut us off at 53 bicycles even though I had space for more in the truck. 

Curt Young, a Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective board member and a CDL license holder drove and assisted in the packing. I have to say that he earned his keep driving as the winds were really strong and pushing that slab-sided van something fierce! Thanks to Curt for his driving expertise!
 

Planting season is in full swing here in Iowa.

Part of the "haul"

Interestingly, Bobby shared with me that he has found that the relationship between the Des Moines Street Collective and the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective seems to be a rare one. He mentioned that reaching out to other Collectives via email has been met with ghosting and cold shoulders. 

"It\s kind of ironic when you think about it.", Bobby said to me, "The Collective experience isn't very 'Collective' ." I'd have to agree having been ghosted by every other collective I've contacted in the state. Not to say that the other Collectives are "bad", just that they don't seem to see a benefit in collaborative efforts like Bobby and I have exemplified by our two organizations helping each other out. 

(L-R) Bobby Kennedy, GT, Curt Young

The bikes made it back to Waterloo and we got them unloaded and into the basement of the Collective with help from my co-worker Carl and another board member, Nick Arendt. We have enough kids bikes to help with the Summer programs we are trying to support and probably a few more that will be taken for sale to remote locations at Farmer's Markets in the next couple of months.
 

That'll keep us busy for a while.

So now comes the hard work of cleaning, repairing, tuning up, adjusting, and cataloging these bikes for resale and parts. I have a tear-down volunteer group coming in Friday from the local "Big Green Tractor Company" which will help make a little space, but will also create even more stuff to sort through, catalog, and store. I would imagine that the reselling side of the Collective will pick up steam here also with all the fine weather we have coming up.

It is time to get crackin' at the Collective!

Sea Otter Fall-Out

Kona Ourobouros Image courtesy of Kona.

 Over the last four days of the previous week the Sea Otter festival happened. It seemed to go off without a hitch with several events and the gathering of the industry was had which was a cause for celebration. However; one sour note that was sounded there is probably the only thing people will remember from this edition of the event. 

That had to do with what at first appeared to be mysterious happening involving Kona Bicycles. Many of you know by now that Kona, owned by Kent Outdoors, a company more known in water sports, set up their Sea Otter booth on Tuesday of last week only to have it torn back down again on Wednesday with all the employees leaving the venue. No comment as to why was given at the time. 

Wednesday evening a statement went out to Kona employees that a "town hall" meeting would be held on Thursday of last week. News then came on Friday that Kent Outdoors was putting Kona up for sale, specifying "economic headwinds" as an issue for this legacy brand. Word on social media then came that several Kona employees were let go. 

This cast a pall over the industry gathering which became the headline for the week, despite Life Time, the owner of Sea Otter, trying its best to blast my email box full of overly-hyped news of racing and attendance for the weekend. 

To throw even more gas on the fire, Colorado Cyclist announced a 30% off store-wide "closing sale, which many believe marks the "end" of this longstanding retailer. Now, of course, these could all be isolated incidents and not indicative of anything in particular. However; the industry is on pins and needles wondering if, or when the fall-out of the historically high levels of inventory and flat to lower sales figures for the beginning of 2024 will begin to manifest as business failings. UPDATED 4/23/24 Evening:   Seeing Specialized is running a site-wide 50% off sale. Whoa!

 Without significant changes to the way the cycling industry does its business, I've thought for years that there are too many brands and not enough ways to slice up the pie to fulfill all needs. Is this the purging that I've thought might happen, or is it just random news that just came at a time when the temperature of the room is ripe for making people sweat? We will certainly see soon enough......

A Eulogy For Wally Kilburg

Wally Kilburg at the checkpoint #2 for Trans Iowa v8.

A message has reached me today that a good friend to myself and to Trans Iowa, Wally Kilburg, has died today.

Wally came to be a friend via a random email in 2010 asking if he could be a moto follow vehicle for Trans Iowa. I was skeptical, and eventually Wally's persistence carried the day. I'm glad it did. Persistence was one of the qualities that Wally possessed in spades.

He was persistent in not only his desire to help me and Trans Iowa, but to be a force to help elevate the event via his talents as a photographer. But what you may not know is that Wally also was an advisor, a helper in reconning courses, and was fiercely loyal to myself and Trans Iowa.

Wally moved on after Trans Iowa was done to be a loyal and fiercely supportive husband as he watched his wife be taken away from him slowly by Alzheimers. He was a true inspiration to me from afar as I simultaneously watched my mother die from the same disease.

The struggles for Wally took him away from being my friend, and rightfully so, and so I was not in touch with him recently. That stings a bit, but I understand. I had my own struggles as well.

Wally, your memory will live on with me and many others as well. Thank you my friend.

Pro Gravel Riders Push For Separation

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

First of all, you long-time blog readers all know that I have advocated that Pro gravel riders need to be a separate entity from the amateur/recreational riders that fill the fields of events like Unbound, SBT GRVL, the Belgian Waffle Series franchise events, and others. I have pointed out that the rise of prize purses and riders that are trying to make a living off racing would be the end of mass-start gravel events at these bigger events where "lining up with the Pros" is seen as a benefit/feature for riders that are attracted by those sentiments. 

But I am "just Guitar Ted" and maybe I'm just a ranting old bicycle mechanic that has little to nothing to do with what any "serious gravel cyclist" would need or want in a race setting. What do I know about any of that? Who am I to say?

If that was your take, I understand. Okay, how about this then? One of the top female contenders on the Pro gravel circuit, Lauren De Crescenzo, says essentially the same things in a recent article on the cyclingnews.com site recently. 

A few choice quotes from the article to illustrate:

"In addition to my racing, I am actively engaged in shaping the future of gravel through my involvement in an athlete advisory group collaborating with Life Time. Our focus is refining the start protocols and drafting rules for the Life Time series."

So, from this quote we can surmise that change is imminent. If Life Time changes their protocols in accordance with Pro gravel riders, you can bet that, if it is successful, other events will look seriously at changing likewise. Does this foretell a "governing body" which would oversee Pro gravel in the US? Does USAC adopt these new stances? It certainly is interesting and does open up possibilities for this and other outcomes in the future. 

Now on to what Lauren De Crescenzo thinks should happen:

"I have advocated for increased intervals between start times to optimize race dynamics. For instance, proposing that pro-men begin at 7 a.m., followed by pro-women at 8 a.m., and then other racers at 9 a.m. Ideally, I envision a future where women's races start on separate days, mirroring the successful approach used at the UCI World Championships in Italy in 2022, where I represented the US team."

Boom! Now if this happens, and I've said it would, and still believe it will, then how do you sell people on your event when they used to be able to "line up with the Pros" and ride the same course as they did in similar conditions? Does a separate "fondo" day happen, and is it competitively timed? How is this  not like typical Pro road events that exclude people because they are not elite athletes? 

Specific to the Unbound 200, would this mean that the cut-off time for the amateurs would be extended three hours? Or two if the Pro Men went at 6:00am? Would the City of Emporia allow that to go on until 4:00 - 5:00am in the morning? Lot's to think about there..... 

The so-called "spirit of gravel" has to give way to the "business of gravel", and when it becomes a thing that affects business and livelihoods, then those things, whatever they may be, have to be eliminated.

One of the main reasons gravel got started in the first place was so that elitism and exclusion would be eliminated. Also, rules, attitudes, and entry fees which were out of control were a part of the early rejection of oversight by a committee of competitively minded, for profit promoters. (USAC, NORBA, et al) 

And finally, this quote which makes it unmistakably clear:

"Gravel races and events with significant purses necessitate separate starts to ensure fairness. "

De Crecscenzo couldn't have been more succinct. This was a sentiment that N.Y. Roll and I covered last year in the podcast episode "Gotta Keep'em Separated" and which we also touched upon in our "The End Of The Age Of Gravel" podcast episode as well. In my opinion, the separation of the amateur classes at Unbound, and other big-time gravel events, and the Pro fields is inevitable when prize purses reach the level that they have reached. The so-called "spirit of gravel" has to give way to the "business of gravel", and when it becomes a thing that affects business and livelihoods, then those things, whatever they may be, have to be eliminated. 

And where does it go from there? I'm going out on a limb and saying the pursuit of the "business of gravel" will "kill" that part of the sport, just like it did with any other cycling discipline that "went big" and went for the dollars and forgot its roots. The latest form of cycling to feel this inevitable evolution being cyclo-cross which will have zero World Cup events in North America for 2024. None. Not to mention that cyclo cross has also been losing rider's interest in the Mid-West and elsewhere as well. Oh, and crit racing's supposed savior, the NCL? Well that got cancelled recently after a truncated 2023 season. Guess the venture capitalists that were behind the scenes didn't see enough return on investment. Once the grassroots elements of any cycling discipline get spurned/turned off, this is what happens. Support for those events erodes. That may well point to the same fate for gravel on the big stage. 

The "spirit of gravel" may survive all of this, thanks to a huge base of grassroots activity and events that hold true to serving the base that brought gravel to its current popularity. But it will have to deal with a media that sees only the "business of gravel" as being legitimate and an industry that is mostly blinded by traditionalism. There are outliers, and let's hope that they prevail. But when you see Pro's like De Crescenzo claiming that they speak for all of "gravel" and its interests, then it is hard to fathom that any of the other Pro riders, their sponsors, or the media that covers them will think or say otherwise. 

Maybe I'm wrong about all of that. Let's hope that I am.....

Keep It Big, Keep It Straight

I came across an article on Bike Radar recently that was addressing the uptick in use of big chain rings by Pro roadies. The article is fascinating from the standpoint of how Pro cycling has changed in regard to equipment choices, but what I found most interesting was the technical aspects regarding drive train efficiency. 

What I found there in that article hinges on two basic principles of drive train efficiency and informs all of us how we can make the best use of any chain driven drive train. Both of these ideas were expounded upon years ago and that is where I learned these ideas and have implemented them into my thinking about bicycle components and which has informed my choices about drive train components over the years. 

It's been so long ago that I read about these ideas that I forget where it was I learned these ideas specifically. I know that before the Internet's widespread usage, there was an article published in "Dirt Rag" that was written by Keith Bontrager. In it he attempted to explain how to use a typical for those days triple crank set drive train. 

You can read in the "Bike Radar" piece I linked to about these same ideas, so this is knowledge that has been around for decades, but it is criminally either missing in most rider's knowledge base or completely misunderstood. At any rate, you can break it down into two basic things.

Keep It Big: Chain articulation around cogs is a source of loss of power as the smaller the arc of the cog is the more the chain has to articulate to conform to the cog shape and this causes a loss of energy. Efficient use of a derailleur drive train would be to use the largest cog/chain ring combination that is reasonable and that provides a ratio that allows the rider to do whatever it is that rider is attempting to do, be that climbing, descending, etc. 

There is another reason a rider would consider doing this and that is for the longevity of the drive train parts. Smaller cogs on a cassette contact chain links more often as they spin than larger cogs will. Also, that chain articulation under tension is supported by fewer teeth on a smaller cog, so the combination of frequency of load bearing and the focused wear on fewer teeth means that smaller cogs, when used often, will wear out more quickly than would the same/similar ratio using bigger cogs and chain rings. 

Both reasons are why I try to use bigger chain rings and cogs on my single speed bikes. As an example, I could run a typical 32T x 16T on a 29"er for a gear inch of 58, or I could get the same 58 gear inch by running a more efficient, longer wearing 40T X 20T set up. Of course, the weight conscious amongst us would cry foul, and yeah, some big chain rings will not fit on some bicycles. But the point remains valid. 

Image courtesy of Campagnolo

Keep It Straight: The other thing Keith Bontrager said in that old "Dirt Rag" article was that the straighter you kept the chain the more efficient the drive train would be. This principle of derailleur drive train usage is also expounded upon in the "Bike Radar" piece. 

This idea helps riders understand when to shift, and why. It helps explain why certain combinations, while usable, should be avoided if possible. The commonly heard term, "cross-chain" came out of discussions about how to use triple and double crank set drive trains. The more misunderstood "duplicate gearing" concept is also part of this discussion. Similarly to how one would want to always defer to a larger combination of cog and chain ring, one also would (or should) want to choose  to use a straighter chain line whenever possible over a cross-chained set up. 

Efficiency increases with a straighter chain over that of a cross-chained choice of gear, but again, wear is accelerated with cross-chained choices. And where do we see a lot of severe chain angles now? That's right. In 1X systems. 

Front derailleurs were eliminated in MTB for several design choice reasons not based on drive train efficiency. Gravel bikes ended up adopting 1X to a degree due to the MTB influences, and rarely will you see 1X in Pro level road racing, because efficiency is king there. I would also put forth the argument that consumers see 1X as being "easier" since they don't have to think about how to use a front derailleur. Compounding this is that shifting a front chain ring is harder to do than shifting at the rear and you can see why 1X is so popular now. 

It may be popular, but 1X has shown that it is not as efficient as a multiple front ring crankset by wearing out chains laterally as well as in the traditional way. In fact, many mechanics have posted online that they change 1X chains now based more on lateral wear than based on the traditional way that chains are measured for wear. That's an indication of less efficient operation.

Conclusions: Of course, you don't have to consider any of this and you can have fun riding a bicycle without any knowledge of the above. That said, if you care about efficiency and wear issues, these ideas might help you out.

It Has Been Ten Years Already?! Part 2

From the recon of Trans Iowa v10's course.

 Here's another tale I'd forgotten about concerning Trans Iowa v10 which happened ten years ago this month. Oh, and by the way, good luck to those riding in Iowa Wind and Rock today, tonight, and tomorrow!

If you missed the first tale, you can read that HERE.

One of the enduring facets concerning riding gravel in the Mid-West has to do with our unmaintained roads. Those (usually) dirt roads that leave you wondering if you've made a right choice by entering an event that uses them. The mystery of the dirt road has caused much wonder, consternation, and has been the hammer that forged a lot of people's characters over the past 20 years of gravel grinding. 

This all started when, back in 2005, I included, unwittingly, two miles of what we call in Iowa, a Level B Road. This was a feature that was expanded upon for the following year, but with copious amounts of moisture, it made the event unfinishable that year. The legend was born concerning muddy dirt roads and ever since then these roads have been a legendary part of several gravel events. 

A previously unpublished image by Jeff Kerkove from T.I.v2 showing riders dealing with mud from a Level B Road.

Of course, being the RD of Trans Iowa all those years, I got a LOT of queries concerning Level B roads and how to deal with them. The effects of putting these roads into my courses was weighed heavily and was not done willy-nilly by any means. Each section of dirt was carefully considered and work-arounds were usually in place in case things got really crazy. But even then, keeping the crazies happy by including these challenges was not easy as a LOT of people would cry foul as well. 

The whole thing with the Level B road madness came to a head in Trans Iowa v10's run-up as potential riders of the event were concerned that I would be putting in too many roads of dirt and doom and that this alone would prevent their finishing of Trans Iowa. Little did they know what would actually happen that year that would knock most of the field out, and it was not any dirt roads! 

Of course, the riders had no clue as the event approached. The focus for them was on what these roads, which I had said there would be 10 sections of in the event, one for each year of T.I.'s existence, would be on their efforts. One or two riders asked about how long it might take to traverse a Level B Road with a typical bike set up for Trans Iowa. Well, I took that as a challenge. 

From my test of 2014 to see how long it took to walk one mile of Level B Road.

I had a bike, my Raleigh Tamland Two, that was all set up for gravel travel, much as a Trans Iowa competitor might have a bike set up, and as fortune would have it, it was a rainy Spring. I had an opportunity to go down to Petrie Road's Level B Section, a prototypical Level B Road from the standpoint of how it had a hill, a flat section, sand, and mud when wet, so that I could actually time myself walking that section of road. That particular Spring the road was wet, muddy, unrideable, and so it was perfect for this test. 

Turns out that, at a moderately fast pace, it takes 20 minutes to walk a muddy mile of Level B Road. That was what I found, at any rate, and was what I reported to my riders for T.I.v10. How they used that information was up to them after that.

Naturally, as I alluded to above, it wasn't muddy Level B Roads that would knock riders out of the running that year. No, it was a mighty East wind, sideways rain in the night, and lots of miles. The Level B roads? Certainly, they played a part, but they were not the knock-out punch many were thinking that they could be that year. 

One more tale to go!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Rivendell Bikes

 A Corpulent Sea Otter Edition

Seven Speed Specific Hub From Rivendell:

I found this on Instagram recently. A seven speed specific rear hub from Rivedell. Why, in an era of 12 speed rear cassettes, would anyone want a seven speed hub? 

Well, if you asked that, glad you asked, because I can think of several reasons why you'd want this. 

First of all, and less obvious, these hubs have a shorter cassette body, just like the original 7 speed cassette hubs of the 1980's, and that allowed Rivendell to spec a wider hub flange spacing. This allows for a stronger, more reliable wheel, especially for carrying loads. Secondly, seven speed components, like the chain and cassette, have more material than current 11 and 12 speed chains and cassettes which is advantageous from a wear standpoint. Finally, if you get the right sort of cassettes, they can have shifting ramps that stand more proud from the cassette cog enabling better shifting under loads and longer wear as well. 

The Rivendell rear hub is available in silver and a light green anodized hue as shown. The cost is a reasonable $170.00 and they weigh  a claimed 314 grams. I'm not sure if there is a matching green ano front hub, and yes- rim brake only. This is Rivendell, after all. 

Image courtesy of Cane Creek

Cane Creek Debuts Invert Gravel Suspension Fork:

Monday of this week news dropped concerning the new Cane Creek Invert, a gravel suspension fork Cane Creek claims is the "first gravel suspension fork". 

Using a novel combination of a uni-crown style carbon crown and carbon steer tube mated to aluminum uppers and lowers, this fork utilizes an inverted telescopic design, thus the name, "Invert". 

Two models are in the range, one with lock-out, one without. The fork utilizes an air spring, oil bath lubrication, but no damper system as Cane Creek believes that things happen so quickly on gravel with regard to shock absorbing duties that a damper cannot keep up. In fact, their testing showed that a fork in prototype form utilizing a damper was not as satisfactory as one without. 

The travel is limited, as it is with all telescopic "gravel" suspension designs, to either 30mm or 40mm of travel. This forces the axle to crown to be at 425mm for the 30mm travel option, or 435 for the 40mm travel option. So, unless your gravel bike is designed for suspension forks, this will mess with your fit and handling to a degree. Most non-suspension designs for gravel will have an axle to crown of around 400mm, plus or minus a few millimeters.  

Cost is $1,099.00 for the Invert with no lockout, the lightest at 990 grams claimed weight, or $1,199.00 for the lock-out version which weighs a claimed 1,113 grams. 

Comments: Again, this is a telescopic fork, and I will refer you to what I wrote earlier about such forks HERE if you want my full-take on why these types of forks are not ideal for gravel use. I am not saying this, or any other telescopic gravel suspension fork will not work for gravel riders. I am saying this is not the best option for gravel. (See that link for why that is, if you want more on my thoughts) 

I will also point out here that - yes - the Invert has a service interval of every 50 hours for an "oil flush" and every 100 hours for "Full Service". So, keep that in mind when you are thinking about this option. Just to remind you, suspension stems do not have such limitations. Finally, while Cane Creek is to be commended for reducing the weight of this fork to a level that mimics a steel, uni-crown rigid gravel fork, the Lauf Grit weighs a claimed 936 grams right out of the box. Cane Creek is basing their claims on a cut, 165mm steer tube, so it is close to a Lauf but not quite, and the Lauf is maintenance free. 

Carbon Piedmont wheels Image courtesy of e'Thirteen

e'Thirteen Debuts New Piedmont Gravel Wheels:

Known more for their MTB components, e'Thirteen have just announced new Piedmont Gravel wheel sets in alloy and carbon. 

Utilizing straight-pull hubs with a 4 pawl, 3° engagement, the new rims are now 26mm inner rim width on the carbon and 24mm in alloy. The rims use a proprietary Quick Fill valve stem which is provided with the wheels.

The carbon rims have a 31mm profile height, are made from high-modulus carbon fiber with a hookless bead design, and have a lifetime warranty. The carbon rims weigh in at 340 grams each. Wheel set weight is estimated at 1400 grams for the set. 

The alloy rims have a 19.5mm profile height and weigh in at 415 grams each. The alloy rims are also a hookless design. Wheel set weight is estimated at 1500 grams a set. Hubs are identical on each set and the spokes are Sapim D-Lites at 24 count front and rear for both wheel models. The front hub is convertible with the supplied alloy end caps to be either 15mm or 12mm through axle compatible while the rear is a 142mm X 12mm only.

Prices are $1,679.90 for the carbon versions and $749.90 for the alloy versions. 

Image courtesy of Kona Bikes

Kona Ouroboros - Carbon Drop Bar Bike:

Kona announced a new model on Wednesday called the Ouroboros, a front suspended carbon framed "gravel/MTB" bike. 

Using the the Fox TC32 on the entry level $3,799.00 model and the Rock Shox Rudy XPLR Charger Race Day (really?!) fork on the range-topping $6,999.00 model, the bike will allow 40mm of front travel. There is a rigid fork model in between the front sus bikes at $4,799.00 which is also the only bike sporting a front derailleur (!!) All bikes feature wide gearing ranges from SRAM. 

Comments: This bike, I think, is the bike that someone from Kona tipped me off to last year, or was that 2022? Anyway, it was quite some time ago now. The point is, I've been patiently awaiting news of a new drop bar bike model from Kona for quite some time, and now it appears that it is finally here. 

There are certain things I see here that are great: Lower range gearing, big, 2.1" tire clearances, a decently low bottom bracket, and a slack, sub-70 degree head tube angle at a claimed 69.5°. However; by now you should all understand that I am not a fan of "under-traveled", 'gravel' suspension fork designs. Especially spec'ed on a bike aimed at mountain bikers who, for the most part, are not going to think 40mm of travel is enough when their forks are running three times that amount of travel, or more. And then you have the Salsa Cycles' Cutthroat, which actually does support a real MTB fork and has big tire clearances. 

So, in my opinion, this bike is kind of a weird fashion statement, and the real gem is the rigid bike. But maybe that's just me.....

But Wait! There's More! Apparently, according to a "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" report released on Wednesday, Kona had set up their Sea Otter booth and then tore it back down at the behest of their company overlords, Kent Outdoors. (Kona was sold a couple years ago by the originator's of the brand) Reportedly a group call will have been held on Thursday with the entire Kona staff and then..... Who knows? Maybe the Ouroboros won't be a thing after all.  UPDATED 4/20/24: Scuttlebutt on the social channels, with some claiming insider info, are saying Kona has been shut down by it's owners. This is not verified public info., Late Saturday evening "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" posted that the company would be put up for sale by its owner, Kent Outdoors. Se the article HERE.

Image courtesy of Munich Composites

More Wheel News:

More introductions concerning wheels happened this week. One of the most interesting to my mind was the acquisition of Munich Composites, a company from Germany, by the Cardinal Group and Boyd Cycling. This new arrangement will bring carbon wheel manufacturing to North Carolina where a state of the art facility will begin producing carbon fiber wheels made with continuous strand technology. 

The patented technique is said to produce a stronger, lighter rim without the use of sheets of pre-preg carbon which then has to be laboriously laid up in a mold. The technique utilized by Munich Composites braids the rim together instead. (See image) The company hopes to have rims produced in the  USA by mid-Summer.

Classified, the internal geared rear hub maker, has just announced that they are now partnering with Enve to offer their proprietary hub, cassette and shifting system in Enve wheel builds. The press release also said that the wheels would also be available on Enve carbon bike model "rolling chassis" options as well. Prices are, as one would expect, on the upper end of what wheels cost these days, but you are getting a partial drive train and shifting system as well. 

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

Ritchey Design Offers New Butano Ridge Super-Logic Bar/Stem:

Ritchey Design announced a new carbon stem/handle bar with its latest offering, the Butano Ridge Super-Logic 

The design features internal cable routing which can be accessed by a removable cover, a "flattened round" shaped top section, and low weight, of course. The 44cm wide, 110mm length stem version weighs in at 417 grams. 

The Butano Ridge has a 17.5° flare and comes in a matte UD finish. Price in the USA is $599.00. See Ritchey Design for more details on options for sizes of this bar. Keep your eyes peeled for some other Ritchey news in the near future that I think many will be interested in. 

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Salsa Cycles Debuts E-MTB's:

Salsa Cycles continues to roll out their electrified bicycle models and at Sea Otter they are featuring two new MTB eBikes.

The first, here shown to the left, is the Notch, a 160mm travel enduro bike which features a 65 watt/hr Bosch mid-mount motor producing up to 85Nm of torque. 

The other model is the all-mountain Moraine with 145mm of Split-Pivot suspension and a Fazua motor. Each model comes in two spec ranges and each model starts at $4,999.00 and tops out at $5,999.00. See these and other Salsa eBikes HERE. 

Image courtesy of Delium Tires

New Gravel Tire Brand Delium Debuts:

Another gravel tire brand hits the market at Sea Otter and their name is Delium Tires. There are some Delium MTB tires already out there, but these three new models are their first foray into the gravel market. 

To the left here we see the AllRounder, a tire meant for multiple surface types. If you thought it was a Gravel King you could be forgiven, but it isn't a Gravel King. 

The Delium AllRounder comes in 38mm, 43mm, and 50mm widths, all folding bead and tubeless ready with a medium dual compound rubber. 

The next tire up is the Delium SpeedX. This one excels on dry terrain and hard-packed conditions. This model has a triple-compound rubber with a softer, grippier center tread. It comes in a 38mm, 40mm, and 45mm widths. 

SpeedX image courtesy of Delium Tires.

The final tire in the new trio of gravel treads from Delium is the Loamer. This model is all about grip in looser dirt and - the company claims - wet dirt. 

This one has the dual-compound rubber like the AllRounder and also comes in the same sizes as the AllRounder. 

Casings for all three tires have what Delium calls a 'Dual Zone" construction with the side walls being a cut-resistant material and the top of the casing being a more supple construction for lower rolling resistance, grip, and comfort. All three models have 62TPI casings. All three tire models are e-bike certified and cost $49.99 each no matter the model.

Comments: "Tire tread designs are purely fashion". That's what one famous designer of tires told me one time, and well, I think the eye-test for Delium shows that they have hit on some "fashionable" looking tread designs. 

Delium Loamer. Image courtesy of Delium Tire.

That said, it is how a tire feels to ride that matters. If the tire doesn't do anything weird in terms of handling, if it feels good......what's not to like? Looks? Price? I'm going to take a stab here and say that if the Delium tires work out in terms of ride feel, looks, and weight, then the cost makes these pretty desirable. The sizes are right, the tread designs are spot-on, and the only thing missing is where you can get them at. 

About that: Hitting up their site, all three gravel tires are "pre-order" status only, and not all the sizes are available. (No 50's? Boo!) That's not a great start. 

Final Quick Hits: TIME has a revamped gravel pedal line. Looks nothing like the original gravel pedal from them and is essentially a two-sided Xtrac variant that is very expensive. Hope has a new aluminum 24mm internal width wheel with their signature hubs and new valve stems to match. Maxxis is making their Team Issue XC MTB tires available for a limited time. DT Swiss unveiled a ne 90T Ratchet free hub. 

Good luck to all the team at Iowa Wind and Rock this weekend. I hope all the riders are safe and have a great ride.

Whew! That's a wrap on this edition of the FN&V. Have a great weekend and good luck to all the Iowa Wind and Rock riders and volunteers!