In Support Of The Adventure Bike

Cotic Escapade (Image courtesy of Cotic Bikes)

Gravel racing this, aero wheels that.... It seems to be that most brands are hyper-focusing on racing again, and since gravel is the hot ticket, they are marketing the daylights out of gravel racing bicycles and gear. 

But "Gravel™" wasn't founded on racing, per se'. It was more about adventure. Of course, many of you long-time readers will immediately think about Salsa Cycles and their "Adventure by Bike" marketing tag line. That idea was way ahead of its time, and the Fargo was the predecessor to a few trends in cycling we see today, such as bike packing, mountain bike-sized tires for gravel, and more. 

But since those late 2000's days of Adventure by Bike, the narrative got lost, and somehow brands did not find the idea to work for them. That may be due to internal predilections towards road bike racing, a misunderstanding of what makes cycling 'fun', or a lack of imagination. Maybe it was due to all of those things. 

But here we are in 2026. I find many press releases and stories about gravel racing bikes made from the latest carbon lay-ups and integrating components with slick looks and price tags which keep most riders out of the market. I don't see a whole lot of things related to having fun, going on an adventure, and at a somewhat more reasonable price. 

Enter Cotic, a bicycle company from the United Kingdom. They offer a model called the Escapade which, in all honesty, is pretty much what a 2008 Fargo modernized might look like. Notice it isn't suspension corrected in terms of its front end geometry. It has a 1X drive train, like most bikes these days with MTB sized rubber. It's made from steel, which probably will outlast you. You don't have to worry if it gets scratched, dinged, or beat up a bit. It even can easily, compared to carbon, be recycled, if need be. 

Here's what I like about how Cotic speaks of this bike and category. From their webpage on the Escapade: "Some bikes are made for roads. Some for trails. The Escapade was made for the in-between; for the lane that dissolves into gravel, the gravel that fades into dirt, and that becomes wherever you feel like going next."

Now that sounds like fun, and it sounds like a bicycle I could ride almost anywhere. To be sure, Cotic is not the only company doing this, but it is one of few that do. And you may balk at the 4K price for a complete, but in 2008 dollars, this a little over 2K, (what a Gen I Fargo cost then) and well, you aren't getting inflation to reverse itself so you can get those old prices you remember.

Between pure smooth tarmac and rough single track is an area where I felt bicycling, for most humans, was being neglected. A place most humans on Earth can find easily. Smooth tarmac exists for cars and trucks and we all know how that works out for cycling. Mountains are few and far between for most folks. MTB areas exist, but you gotta drive to get there, and well.... Wouldn't it be better to have a bike that you can just hop on, and ride almost everywhere where you live? 

Adventures exist right out our front doors. Races? Not so much. Everyday we can go on a bicycle adventure ride. Organized racing? No..... Adventure riding = free. Races? 

We need to think more about adventures on bicycles and less about the latest 10K+ gravel racing rockets. 

Big Ringing It

 The efficiencies of cycling are discussions worth having as we are all limited to a very small amount of power output and maximizing that is important to cyclists who want to enjoy riding for as long as they can. It isn't just for racing. 

I've been observant of what makes cycling easier (more efficient) without resorting to gimmickry or assistance for years. Yes, you can find all sorts of quackery which promises efficiency gains. You also can bypass all of this and get an e-Bike where a lot of the efficiencies for 100% human powered cycling are of no concern.  

I'm not talking about those things here. I'm speaking of things I've learned and which are validated by testing by racers and companies involved in performance cycling. One thing which triggered this post was an inteview of SILCA's Josh Poertner, CEO of the company and who routinely works with top pro cyclists in road and gravel disciplines. 

I wish I'd have paid attention to the site/channel who did the interview because I'd link it here. Josh was spitting some knowledge with facts to back it up. The things I knew inherently to be true from my experiences and observations. Plus he had a bit on aero wheels and tires I found enlightening.  

First, I have read before, and Josh reiterated the fact, that big rings and cogs are more efficient than smaller ones. So, that 10T cog on your SRAM cassette? Highly inefficient. This is why Pro road riders have jacked up their big chain rings and cassettes,  Josh claims many of those cassettes for the Pros are custom assembled for 12T small cogs and up from there. All with an eye to keep the chain as straight as possible in races where flat terrain or time trials are going to occur.  

This is also why many Pro riders prefer 2X set ups. Especially if they are going to be using the entirety of the cassette. That way the chain can be kept as straight - and thus efficient - as possible. 

Cross-chaining, normally thought of as a double or triple crankset thing, is a huge deal in 1X set ups. The single front chain ring has some advantages, but chain efficiency is certainly not one of them. The 1X does allow for bigger tires on MTB's, gravel bikes, and it does allow for full suspension designs which would not be possible if a front derailleur were necessary. However; most of us gravel folk don't need  1X and would benefit from 2X crank sets more than we would 1X. 

Then Josh shared what he has found to be the "fastest" chain. I was not surprised to hear him say it was a Shimano Dura Ace chain. That's what I use on some of my bicycles, or an Ultegra or XTR chain, which are all proven to me to be superior chains to anything SRAM has ever made. But I was surprised to hear the fastest chain wasn't something else. So that was news to me. I would not have been surprised to hear Josh say that a KMC chain or maybe a Wipperman chain was better, but he claims it is Dura Ace, and I'm inclined to believe it based upon what Josh does for testing. 

Image courtesy of Corima

Finally, the aero thing for gravel. Josh was saying that wind tunnel testing is showing that if your gravel tires are wider than your rims then whatever the depth/aero profile is of the rim pretty much gains you little. There are watt savings, but they are minimized by that big tire. 

This makes sense to me. Josh was saying the airflow off the tire has to flow off the tire seamlessly to the transition to the rim for the best aero gains. He claimed the rim should ideally be slightly wider than the tire, to gain the maximum efficiency in aero. 

He went on to say that if you are using a big tire all rim depth really does on most gravel set ups is shorten the spokes. Interesting.... 

Then additionally on the wider tire thing. Josh is saying wider is better if terrain/road surfaces are rough. Okay, I've seen this said as well from several sources. However; when gravel racers start running MTB width tires my eyebrows raise. At what point does tire/wheel weight start to erode gains from wider tires? 

Yes, there are light, wide-ish MTB tires. However; how much less efficient is a lighter, 45mm tire and is that narrower tire actually gaining back watts from aerodynamics? I'm not seeing these two things being connected nor discussed. My inclination is to say wider tires are better on rougher roads to a point, and then tire weight and aerodynamics start to take away any benefits you gained from rolling resistance. Or.....maybe I'm nuts? 

Anyway, it's all stuff that matters and maybe if you are wanting to see the best gains from your equipment which would enhance your riding, these are things to consider. 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Crust Bikes

 Crust Bikes Didn't Want 26+ To Die:

Crust Bikes released a new 26"er tire this week in 26 X 2.8" size, which is commonly called "plus sized" in mountain bike terms, by most folks anyway.  

The new tire is called the Mateo, and is a modestly knobbly affair with a 120TPI tubeless ready casing, foldable bead, and weighs approximately 750 grams. 

Available now via Crust Bikes website in black sidewall only and in the 2,8" width only. 

Comments: I think this is a great idea. However; there are not a lot of bicycles this tire will fit into. Some Surly bikes will allow for this to slide in, and of course, rim choice will determine fit with this tire as well. A wider rim will yield wider tire widths and narrower rims will make the same tire less wide. 

I'm not sure this would fit my Big Dummy without some modification of the rear end. I have Northstar 45mm wide rims on the bike now running 26" x 2.4" tires and that is pushing the limits already. I ran 26" x 2.5" tires on Velocity Cliffhangars on my old 1X1 single speed bike, which I loved for urban commuting. So, I almost want to get a set of these tires to try on my Big Dummy. 

Image courtesy of Surly Bikes

Speak Of The Devil:

Surly pulled the Big Dummy out of their range in 2023. However; now it is back again as a complete or as a frame set with bags. The new offering can handle 26" x 2.5" tires with fenders and comes with a center mount kickstand in the complete offering. 

Sporting a 1X Shimano CUES 9 speed drive train and Tektro two-piston hydraulic brakes, the Big Dummy is rated for 499lbs of weight bearing. 

Prices for the Twilight Zone blue complete is $2,699.00 and the frame set is in the same color for $1,999.00. See the Surly webpage for the Big Dummy HERE. 

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

32: Fargos Arriving Soon:

The Salsa Cycles Fargo, it's longest running model, takes a leap into another level with the advent of 32" wheels. According to an email blast sent out this week riders can expect to be able to grab a steel Fargo 32" frame set sometime in August. The titanium frame set will follow in the Fall, according to the email.

Also there will be wheels and tires on offer, (likely the Teravail components, but possibly something else as well), to flesh out your build. It should be noted that complete 32" bikes are not available yet from Salsa Cycles. No indication of when completes might become available with 32" wheels was made either. 

Comments: While this is great news for 32" wheel curious folks, there has been no indication of what exact pricing will be on the steel frame set. Those hoping for an inexpensive option will likely have their hopes dashed though, as I am expecting these frame sets to top out over 2K and you still need wheels and tires to boot.  

Not to say this won't be a great option, because it probably will be a great option in my opinion. It just won't be a "32 curious friendly" option. I do like what appears to be color-shift paint on the steel Fargo 32"er though. 

Image courtesy of Selle Italia

Selle Italia Introduces New SLR Gravel Range:

News came out this week about a new gravel oriented saddle range from venerable saddle maker Selle Italia. Their SLR model was one of the darlings of the early ultra-MTB scene in the early 2000's, and now this range looks to become a top choice for gravel riders. 

Focusing on rider comfort over rough terrain, this new saddle range has what Selle Italia calls a "Bow Rail System" to deal with vibrations. This particular saddle shown here, the SLR Gravel Elite, has another unique feature in the included Protective Insert. The small sliver of material fills the cut-out to help prevent riders from getting wet or from having debris contact their shorts while riding in inclement weather or over looser terrain. This insert can be left out as needed by the rider also. 

The SLR Gravel Elite comes in two widths and sells for $249.90 USD. 

Comments: Perhaps a lot of younger riders do not know Selle Italia, but their saddles are legendary in the older annals of MTB and ultra-MTB racing. This new saddle seems a bit different than most gravel oriented saddles. I especially like seeing this protective insert option, which whether or not is effective, seems smart from a marketing perspective. 

Image courtesy of West High Wahawks Football

A Dedication:

Today would have been my son Jacob's birthday. I wanted to dedicate this FN&V column to his memory. I have an image of him here at football practice from 2020. Thanks to Waterloo West High Wahawk Football for the image.  

Tomorrow I will be hosting the Ride For Jacob. The 46 mile, mostly gravel route will be a good one and I am expecting at least a small number of folks to show up to help me remember my son.

One thing I wanted to add here, and that is my sincere thanks and deep gratitude to you, the readers of Guitar Ted Productions, who have steadfastly supported me through this past year. Your kind comments and even your silence when I posted some intensely personal feelings concerning the death of my son a year ago were noted.  

One never knows if things expressed which are intense in nature and not the ordinary content for a cycling related blog will be acceptable to the readership, but I felt I could trust you all with this. I was certainly not disappointed in doing so. And so I thank you all for your kindness, your consideration, and yes, even your silence, all which has allowed me to express myself freely without condemnation of any kind.  

A report on the ride will appear Monday.

Thanks again. Now get out there and ride those bicycles! 

Two Things

From the 2005 RAGBRAI

Cycling Season Is Over (Here)

In Iowa if you ride a bicycle you've probably been asked about RAGBRAI, the annual recreational, week-long ride across the state started in 1973. 

It's as if you don't ride a bicycle unless you are going on RAGBRAI. It gets annoying sometimes. I was asked this past Tuesday (while RAGBRAI was in progres), by a passing motorist if I was going on RAGBRAI. 

Ya know, people actually ride bicycles for more reasons than just RAGBRAI. But for the non-cycling public here, RAGBRAI is cycling. There is no other reason to ride a bicycle. That is fact, at least here it is. 

Another fact: Cycling season ends after RAGBRAI. Most roll their bikes into the garage after RAGBRAI and never look at those two wheels again until June of the following year. I know this as I was a retail bicycle mechanic for decades in Iowa. Other folks quit cycling as school openings approach, football season kicks into gear, and Fall yard work beckons. 

I see it every August. The precipitous fall off of cycling related activities, sales, and interest in the spot overall. The Collective just experienced one of its best months over the period I tracked from late June into July. This will be the pinnacle of our year. From here on out the business dwindles like the Sun in the horizon, with darkness coming sooner every day. 

I'll keep on riding all year, as I have, and as long as I can do that. But I'm a weirdo around these parts. 

Image courtesy of the Street Collective

Debate Rages On:

I've written a lot about conflicts between motorists and electrified vehicle users here already. I hate to have to continue this conversation,but this Summer the issue has reached a fever pitch here in Iowa. 

Local law enforcement departments across the state, local hospitals, and local cycling advocates are all voicing concerns over the sharp increase of wild, out of control use of electric scooters, e-Motos, and e-Bikes, mostly by under-aged folks who are not being safe in terms of themselves or others around them. 

Solutions voiced range from awareness/education to outright bans on cycling of any sort. The latter by ordinary citizens tired of dodging these vehicles.  

One hospital here in Waterloo had an emergency doctor advocating for motorcycle related helmets and full-coverage clothing for any two-wheeled electric device capable of going faster than 20mph. Some have advocated for users to have to obtain certificates by going through classes run by governments. Some are advocating for the licensing of the vehicles themselves, while others just want all of it to go away. 

 This issue has blown up this year to be a big-time problem and regular 100% human powered cyclists had best be aware of what is going on within their communities. If you ignore this issue you may find you are on the other side of the law when it comes to where you can ride and at what speeds you can ride at. 

I'm sure other parts of the USA are also wrestling with these issues. My gut tells me it won't be solved this year, at least here in Iowa, but when this all blows up again in 2027, and it will, something will have to give.  

Fleet Review: Part 3

 Finalizing the Fleet review today which will close out this look at all the bicycles I have at Guitar Ted Headquarters. This post will cover my "utility fleet" of bikes. Bikes with different purposes and uses. The last Fleet review can be seen HERE. A link on that post will take you back to Part 1. 

2020 Twin Six Standard Rando Fixed Gear:

When I received the Singular peregrine Mk4 last year, I retired the Twin 6 Standard Rando v2 bike. The entire point being that the Singular had better tire clearance and an even more classically inspired look than the T-6 did. Then I got an idea....

I retired my old Shogun fixie conversion due to its limited tire clearances and built up the T-6 Standard Rando as a disc brake fixie. I could run fenders with 37mm tires, and this was perfect for what I needed to get around in the city with. 

It has become a great commuter bike and errand bike. If anything it is too nice, as people might want to make it their own, whereas the Shogun looked old, and not very desirable. But be that as it amy, I do like the T-6 as a fixed gear bike. 

2012 Surly Big Dummy:

Back several years ago I obtained an Xtra Cycle long tail conversion and bolted it to a late 1980's Schwinn Sierra. My goodness! I was hooked, but I found the limitations of the set up rather quickly. The donor bike attached to the Xtra Cycle longtail conversion made for a flexy, not super-capable rig. I had cantilever brakes which weren't good enough, and the drive train was old as well. The purpose-built Surly Big Dummy sure looked a lot more attractive to me! 

Well, along about 20 16 I posted a "Wish List" all about wanting a Big Dummy. The post was read by a local, Mike Johnson, who just so happened to have a Big Dummy which he was willing to pass along. We negotiated a price, and by the middle of the Summer I had a Big Dummy! 

I use it most to do our recycling and to pick up items for the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective. Once in a while I use it for another errand, but those are its main uses these days. 

The bike probably needs to have parts upgraded or replaced, since I haven't touched anything on it since I got it ten years ago! Better get on that! 

 2013 Singular Cycles Buzzard:

Well, this one came out of nowhere, seemingly, as I had not ridden this bike in years and, in fact, it had been retired for quite some time.  I had zero interest in bringing it back into the fleet until an idea popped into my brain one day back in 2024. "What if I had a bike which had front and rear identical wheel axle widths which could be swapped out like a Surly Pugsley's? 

I had a Salsa Cycles Enabler fork, the early fat bike fork in steel which was made to accept a 135mm quick release rear hub. This was an influence of the Surly Pugsley, which had swappable wheels in case your derailleur got whacked. The idea being that you had either a fixed cog on that front wheel, (really a rear wheel mounted on the front), or a free wheel single speed cog, and you could bail yourself out of a tight place.  

The Buzzard was just early enough that still had a quick release rear drop out. Perfect! So I got around to lacing up a new front wheel out of the old Buzzard front wheel. I used a thread-on rear hub for a single speed and there ya go! I had a swappable front wheel bike packing bike! 

Not that I've actually used this bike for anything. Well, anything other than testing. My intentions are to use it for an actual sub-24 event this year yet, So, stay tuned! 

Pieces and Parts:  

No pictures,but I do have four frames sitting around here too. A Salsa Cycles Big Mama, a Gary Fisher HiFi, a Badger Cycles Dorothy, and a Mongoose All Mountain Pro. I also have an Ibis Trials Bike stuffed away somewhere down there that needs brakes. 

And that does it! Those are the bicycles I have. I'm working on whittling down the numbers of bikes, and in fact, I've already broken down one from the Part 2 of this series, the On One Inbred. So, this list should get smaller as time goes on. That's my hope, at least. 

GT's Ride For Jacob: Final Update

Well, this coming Saturday is the day for the Ride For Jacob, a 46 mile loop from Big Woods Lake, North of Cedar Falls, Iowa. 

I had really wanted to get out to ride the route to recon it, but between heat advisories, having to mow lawns at two different places, air quality issues, and work, I did not find any time for it. I'm not super concerned, as I know the roads and rode most of this last year. There is a small chance I get out today, or maybe Thursday, but unless there is some major rerouting needing to be done, the GPS file should not change. 

Speaking of that, here is the Ride With GPS page link. 

Details on how to get to the parking lot at Big Woods lake are HERE. Look for the July 10th update. 

Weather: As of now it is looking perfect.  

Finally, I've heard some rumblings about a few folks making a trip out to ride with me on this route Saturday. I'm sure some locals are thinking about the ride. I haven't gone out of my way to promote this other than on the blog here. So, I really cannot say how many folks will show up. I'm guessing it will be between 20-30 riders. 

If that is the case, that parking lot may get pretty full. If you are a local, please consider riding to the venue, or maybe park in Cedar Falls at the Gateway Park area which sits just across the Cedar River from downtown Cedar Falls. From there you can ride the Big Lake Loop bike path out to the North parking lot, adding maybe a couple of miles to your ride. 

Okay, so that's all I have for you. Again, if you want to do a virtual "Ride For Jacob" because you cannot make the trip to Cedar Falls you can do that. See the last FN&V HERE for more on that idea. Otherwise I'll see whomever shows up a little before 8:00am on Saturday. Thanks in advance for wanting to be a part of this. It means a lot to me and my family. 
 

A Case Study : Bicycle Ownwer's Manual

 I work at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective where we receive donations of bicycle related accessories, gear, and bicycles. Occasionally we get an interesting bit of bicycle related ephemera which enlightens me. Case in point: I checked the mail box on Saturday morning to find a bicycle owner's manual inside it. 

No notes. Just the manual. I almost tossed it, but then thought better of it, sat down with it, and checked out the contents. 

Typically, the bicycle owner's manuals I've seen have no real value. They were written as a kind of vague warning which gives lawyers an "out", I am sure, in case the company the manual represents gets in legal trouble with a consumer. There was never any useful knowledge between the covers.  

However; this CyclePro manual was different. It was a little instruction booklet. In fact,  if one had the correct tools, you could have easily built and adjusted a bike out of the box using those instructions, diagrams, charts, and images found on those pages.  

 Of course, the technology represented in the manual is so far out of date it is laughable, but in its day, this manual had value. In fact, it still does for teaching about bicycles, and for old-school knowledge which is becoming scarce these days. 

 There were even diagrams showing how to use some tools. This was a detailed manual, and it displayed a level of care and concern for the consumer which is sorely lacking in many bicycle shop/online transactions these days. 

 There was a section on sizing a bike to a person. There was another section concerning gear shifting, how and why you'd want to shift. This is stuff you never saw in manuals which came with bicycles when I was working in retail bicycle shops. 

A gear chart? Would the average consumer even know what to do with this?

 Anyway, I immediately thought about what you get today when you buy a bicycle. The companies selling stuff today are probably not doing manuals like this, and they are likely very similar to what I recall from the early 2020's. 

What if there were manuals like this included in bicycles sold today? Certainly the technical nature of the information would be deeper. It would have to be! Look at the hydraulic disc brakes, suspension forks, and electronic shifting. Look at the internal cable housing designs. It is a nightmare for mechanics. I don't suppose the average consumer could even start to want to dive into taking care of their bicycles. Not given how specific the tools have become to work on components and not so much when technical demands are so intense. 

Maybe this is a sign we've gone too far......