BRAN Gravel: Bike Choice

In the run-up to the 44th BRAN ride, and specifically for the gravel route, I am writing up my suggestions and personal choices for bicycles and gear. I hope this will be enlightening and helpful to anyone deciding on gear for this ride or any gravel ride. 

The Bike Choice:

A "gravel bike"? What is that? You may find yourself asking those questions concerning gravel cycling. There is no definitive answer as gravel cycling varies from place to place greatly. Essentially, one could just say "A gravel bike is whatever bicycle you feel comfortable riding on gravel." It could be a mountain bike, a hybrid bike, or even a recumbent. 

Now, with this in mind, I will say there are "better tools for the job" and how one chooses, when there is a possibility for choices, can still vary greatly. Sandy, loose back roads? Maybe you have a lot more pavement than gravel? Or you ride a fair amount of single track connecting dirt roads. All these can change what "tool works best" for the job. But again, you can do a lot with several kinds of bicycles and still "grind the gravel" with anyone. 

In this article I am going to assume the reader has either knowledge of Nebraska gravel types or has listened to the podcasts about "Bran Gravel" (Here and Here) 

Black Mountain Cycles MCD

As I listened to the folks we interviewed who have either done BRAN on the gravel, or know about Nebraska gravel, it became apparent to me that there were going to be various types of surfaces to deal with. Pavement is an obvious one. However; there were sandy surfaces mentioned out in the (of all places) The Sand Hill Region of Nebraska. One person we interviewed mentioned "MMR" (dirt) roads. Then there will be a transition to "white rock" gravel, or in other words, the crushed rock you may think of when "gravel" is mentioned. 

Salsa Cycles Fargo

So, it might be a good idea to have something for a bicycle with wider tires than not, but not huge. One of the interviewed folks mentions this in the first podcast episode linked above. The trend in gravel bicycles of late is for wider tires, so if you have a late model gravel bike, you probably can fit tires with a width of 45mm or so easily. This was a recommendation on the podcast and one I would agree with. 

What would be "too skinny"? I'd say anything under 40mm, but it isn't that one could not do the ride on, say, 38mm tires. It might just be a little harder and not as much fun is all. Ratchet up the "Not Fun" and "Harder" categories as you get narrower than this with tires. 

What would be too wide/big? Well, as one person on the podcast said, a "fat bike" (any bike with 3.5" tires or wider) might be overkill. Again, you could use a fat bike, it just might not be the "best tool", that's all. 

"What are you gonna do, Guitar Ted?"

Well, I have many years of experience on different types of gravel and my choices are narrowed down to the two bicycles you see above. The Fargo has 2.25" MTB cross country racing tires on it and the pink Black Mountain Cycles MCD has 50mm wide Schwalbe gravel tires on it. Here's the difference, as I see it.....

The Fargo is a nod to comfort and a better handling bike in sketchy terrain. You might think about the sandy gravel and dirt roads that BRAN gravel may have on the course this year. The negatives would be that this bike, essentially a drop bar mountain bike, is heavier. The wheels and tires weigh more. So, this may factor into why you might not want to choose thusly.

The MCD has lighter wheels, but skinnier tires. 50mm is a LOT of rubber though, honestly, and this wide a tire should be more than enough while giving a nod to paved riding and a bit of grace in climbing. Negatives could be a less comfortable ride and not as much confidence in any sketchy, loose sections.

Sure, I have less wide tires, lighter wheels, and maybe I could go that route, but comfort over seven days of gravel kind of beats having a lightweight wheel set, in my opinion. My final choice? Well, I'm leaning toward the pink BMC now. 

 You might note I have spent a lot of time on tires and wheels because this makes the most difference in the way a bike handles and feels than anything else. The other consideration is comfort, and tires do a lot here as well. Air pressures chosen will determine a lot in this regard. I would wager most people think they need higher pressure in their tires than they actually do need. One way to find out is to use a tire pressure calculator online. 

There are two I will recommend here. The first one is from a company called SILCA. You can check theirs out HERE. The other is from another company called Wolf Tooth.  Their calculator can be seen HERE. Want one more choice? Component maker SRAM also has an online air pressure calculator HERE. 

Optimizing air pressure will help you go faster. longer, and with less fatigue while retaining a balance of good rolling resistance versus comfort and handling traits. 

As far as the rest of what makes your bicycle go, I would recommend a tubeless set up due to the reported goat heads and other pointy objects out in Western Nebraska. (Obviously, you could run tubes, but then risk the punctures.) Your bicycle should be in tip-top condition, shifting well, and braking well. Stopping is good! Besides this, overall you should choose a bicycle you are confident on and most importantly for a week long ride, comfortable on. There is nothing worse than a bicycle that hurts to sit on after a few days!

Need more beginner gravel tips? Read my series on Beginners On Gravel HERE.  

More information on the BRAN ride HERE.  Register for BRAN HERE.

Supporting The Cause

Bacon wrapped dill pickle anyone? 

 Ten years ago this weekend I was up in Cherry Grove Minnesota doing support for the original Almanzo 100 event when it was run out of Spring Valley, Minnesota. 

It wasn't "on my bingo card", as the saying goes, even a week beforehand to do this gig. It was all a last minute thing due to a sponsor pulling out at the 11th hour. 

At the time, I was partnered up in Riding Gravel and my partner in that effort had called me asking if I could join him in supporting this checkpoint/aid station, or whatever Cherry Grove was meant to be. 

My vision at the time was a spot in the road to grab more water and maybe we'd be handing out gel packets. What I didn't know was how this would end up becoming a sort of party/hang-out scene, not unlike what you might see at Mid-South, for instance. 

There was beer. There was whiskey. There was bacon wrapped dill pickles! It was a scene for sure, and it all went over really well, actually. So wel we were asked to come back for the next two years. But that first year was quite a wild time, especially since I had no idea what I was getting myself into. 

 I was really happy it turned out as well as it did. I was even more happy to have had some small part in helping with an iconic gravel event. So iconic it got its founder, Chris Skogen, installed into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame with me in 2022. 

Ten years ago...... Already? Wild to think this. What is even wilder is thinking about how some gravel riding racers and punters think gravel events started around this time. Or even afterward! That's mind blowing to me to even try to comprehend.  

So many good memories came out of those three years doing the Almanzo 100 support. This first year I went up with N.Y. Roll and his old dog, Ella, who is no longer with us. My son, Jacob came along and made a huge impression on the riders by refilling their water bottles. This was also the event where the infamous "Red Bull" incident involving my son, a can of Red Bull given to him by N.Y. Roll, and my son's passing out in N.Y. Roll's SUV happened. Jacob never let N.Y. Roll live that one down. And now he's gone as well..... 

Yeah, a bittersweet memory filled time for sure. Crazy how much things can change in ten years. Even this event is gone now. 

Just crazy.... 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Stinner Bikes

The 32" Watch: Sinner Refugio 32"er: 

Yeah.....another 32"er! I don't think it is shocking to see another 32" wheeled bicycle anymore. Unless Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, or Giant come out with one, this is now not a head-turning deal these days. (If you are a bike nerd, that is) 

So, I think it is time to start paying attention to how this idea of a huge, wagon-wheeled bicycle is being refined. Especially in terms of geometry. 

Stinner presents the titanium Refugio model as a gravel bike. So we're going to start looking at where drop-bar 32" stuff is heading. I will do a bit of cross-comparison to the new Singular Pterodactyl, a drop bar 32"er I featured last week in the FN&V. 

While Singular is being a bit cagey about the geometry of the Pterodactyl, we know a few things from press releases sent out to various online media. The head tube angle is a steep 71° versus Stinner's Refugio 32"er's which ranges from 68° for the Medium, (What will be the smallest size for most 32'ers, the Fargo 32 notwithstanding), to a steep 71.5° on the XXL size. 

Sam Alison, of Singular Cycles, stated on a podcast interview we did with him, that 32"ers would necessarily have to go far greater with bottom bracket drop than with 29"ers. Bottom bracket drop, in case you are unfamiliar with the term, is the distance below a line drawn though both axles of the wheel, horizontal with the ground, that the center of your crank spindle sits. It determines how stable a bike feels and where in space your center of gravity sits in relationship to the wheels. 

Singular Pterodactyl Image courtesy of Singular Cycles

Sam thought something more than 100mm of drop would eventually be where 32"ers end up, and Stinner seems to agree with their bottom bracket drop on the Refugio 32 being 105mm. 

Chain stay lengths are obviously going to have to be longer, as Sam Alison showed us by saying the 32" wheel is roughly 10% larger in diameter than a 29"er wheel is. Stinner seems to have landed on a 455mm length on the Refugio. Typical gravel bikes range from 420mm to 435mm in 700c format.  This seems a tad bit shorter than what one might expect for a 32' wheel based upon Sam's estimates. So, I would look for a 455mm - 465mm range in a "good" design for 32" wheels. This is assuming we are going to stick with 32" x 2.25" - 2.5" tires for the 32" format. 

Stack height is another difficult thing to tackle with the tall 32" wheels.  Note the size small Fargo shown recently with handle bars above the saddle height as an example. Negative rise stems will likely be a thing with 32"ers, if they catch on, in the future. 

There is a long way to go with 32"ers, but I think we are in the "honing in" stages of geometry already with this format.  

Image courtesy of fizik

fizik Announces New Ergolace 2 Shoe Range:

I've been on the hunt for new shoes for gravel travel lately and I have a couple of things I know I like which I have not seen done in combination before. 

I am looking for a shoe which is not race-focused because those are typically too stiff and make my feet hurt, cramp, or both. 

I am looking for grippy soles for walking on things like sketchy dirt roads and up steeps that I cannot ride up, plus be reasonable to walk in for stops at convenience stores and the like. 

Finally, I wanted something lighter in color after speaking with Jeff Kerkove who told me white shoes on gravel rides keep his feet cooler. And yeah.....price matters as well. 

Image courtesy of fizik

Well, fizik just released the new Ergolace 2 range of shoes which have seemingly everything I want. While the white is really off-white, this might be better for gravel usage. 

I like the lightweight uppers with breathable characteristics. The soles look grippy. The upper has a foot entry which is like a cuff, which would keep stones out better. (And possibly make them a pain in the butt to put on?) 

I don't know much about fizik shoes. They said they made the toe box roomier. I don't need this as my feet are shaped like skis and are narrow, but I've had to put up with shoes which did not fit great most of my life due to this. 

At least the prices look reasonable. So, does anyone have any experience with fizik shoes? I'd be curious to read any comments you'd like to share. Typically I have worn Shimano footwear, so that is where I am coming from. You can see the Ergolace range HERE.

Image courtesy of Life Time Fitness

UNBOUND Gravel Features New Twists For Pro Riders: 

The information for the UNBOUND Gravel 200 course was sent out this week and there is a new twist to things which further separates the Pros from the "age groupers" in this event. 

Now instead of the Pro field being mixed into the same area for resupply as everyone else, there will be separated feed zones for the Pro fields at three different spots on the course. There will be no team vehicles or motos allowed in the Pro feed Areas.  

 The rest of the course looks like a mix of a Southern route and a Northern route. Essentially the route loops South, West, North, and back East to Emporia. One thing I noted which may be an issue is that the course looks to be on the Flint Hills Nature Trail coming out of Council Grove for several miles to the Southeast. Whether the trail will be closed to other users during the event is not known at this time, but if it is open, there is a chance for user conflicts. The Flint Hills Nature Trail is a rail way conversion trail and is at railroad grade with a narrow, pea gravel surface. 

A couple of other notable points on course, one of which is the near pass to Cottonwood Falls.  Riders will come within about a mile of the city. The other interesting bit comes not long after this where the course ends a long Northward push at Mile 137.9 and turns West. If a rider were to turn right here and go one mile they could cut off an almost 40 mile section of the Northern loop, but they would miss going through the third checkpoint at Council Grove. Cheaters exist, so this would be a tempting place to do this. (Note: You'd only have to go 20 miles and when you pass through Americus you could resupply.)

Anyway, I'll be interested to see how these bits and more play out in Kansas soon.  

Image courtesy of Enve Composites

Enve Announces New Wide, Aero Gravel Wheel Set:

Enve, the wheel and component brand from Ogden, Utah announced a new wide gravel wheel set with deep aero profiling called the G SES 6.7 Pro. 

Featuring an internal rim width of 35mm and a deep aero section of 60mm front/67 mm rear, this wheel set promises great aero results with tire from 44mm in width " and larger tires", according to the webpage for this product. (Up to 52mm listed in 'Features')

The wheel set weighs a claimed 1,580 grams. The G SES 6.5 Pro wheels are offered only in 700c and standard 12mm through axle dimensions of 100mm front, 142mm rear. Hubs are Enve's Innerdrive hubs with straight pull spokes. The brake rotor mounting is Center Lock standard.Maximum allowable tire pressure is 50psi. 

The price for a set of G SES 6.5 Pro wheels is $1,400.00 USD.  

Comments: That is a really wide internal rim width! I tested some 30.5mm internal rim width rims in 2021 with a couple of different gravel tires and was not all that impressed. So running what ENVE says will work at 44mm seems a bit dodgy to me.  

My assessment in 2021 was that such a wide width internally would work best on 700 x 50mm tires and wider. However; in 2021 there weren't really many gravel bikes with this sort of clearance. Now?

Well, an aero MTB wheel makes sense now with wider XC MTB tires. Let's be honest, this is what people are really doing. They can call it "gravel", but really? We know what's up here!  

New Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #107

Okay, here is another podcast drop to check out which started out innocently enough as a compare and contrast between two gravel racing bikes. Then....

Well we went off the rails a few times. Then I got into some esoteric changes in the upcoming Unbound 200. (See above) Nobody probably cares but me about those things, but I talked about it all anyway. 

Anywho... If you want to listen to this one, check it out HERE on our Spotify home page, or find the Guitar Ted Podcast on your favorite podcast provider's sites. 

That's a wrap for the week. Get out and ride those bicycles! 

How A Disaster Shaped My Future In Cycling

A post card depicting the aftermath of the 1968 tornado.

I sometimes get the question what it was that led me to being involved in cycling over the majority of my life. It is a good question, and the answer to it may be a lot different than you might have imagined it to be. 

May 15th, 1968. I was a seven year old elementary student at McKinley School in Charles City Iowa. My family had moved across town just three days prior and everything was new to me. Well, except my school. 

Instead of walking several blocks home, crossing busy Highway 14, and walking past the Southside Grocery store, I was now walking past the Texico station, crossing the Cedar River on a fairly new Brantingham Bridge, and walking along busy highway 18. 

It would be the last time I ever did that walk home from McKinley School. 

That very afternoon, at around 5:00pm, an EF-5 tornado ripped across Charles City, devastating homes, killing 13 people, and injuring hundreds more. Homes and businesses were destroyed. The city was never the same afterward. 

Of all the bad things which came out of this disaster, there were a few, a very few, good things. One of those was in regard to the youth, specifically the young boys, who lived then in Charles City. I was amongst a group of boys who scavenged bicycles which were strewn about the outskirts of town in woods, ditches, and wild areas. 

We would drag these bicycles back to our homes, tear them apart, and attempt to assemble them. Sometimes we'd make cross-bred contraptions bicycle designers had no intention for out of these free parts. 

Choppers were a big deal in the late 60's and early 70's, so we'd often make chopper bicycles out of the ones we'd dredge up from the flotsam and jetsam resulting from the tornado. It was part adventure, part mad scientist stuff which engaged us for days upon days. 

Over the Summers of 1968 through to around 1970 or 71, this scrapping of bicycles was going on. Of course, it eventually all went away, but the skills I gained in tire removal/installation, chain repair, and general knowledge of how a bicycle worked were all formed in those days of experimentation. 

I was able to maintain my single speed, coaster brake 20"er myself for the most part. My Dad had to step in a few times when I would break a rear axle doing jumps, but otherwise I was on my own for taking care of flats, new tires, and oiling the chain. 

And of course, a love of cycling and for bicyles in general was kindled then. It was the vehicle which took me around the city to witness the destruction of the "Charles City Tornado". Then other adventures came along. Eventually I outgrew the 20"er and was gifted a single speed Huffy lightweight coaster brake 26" x 1 3/8th" wheeled bike which I promptly tore the fenders off of and used as my city commuter and single track bike in the late 70's. 

McKinley School grounds, Brantingham Bridge

Of course, I left cycling for other worldly pursuits in my 20's, but it never went away completely. By the time I was in my late 20's I had purchased a mountain bike, started riding single track, and by 1993 circumstances led me to becoming a bicycle mechanic. 

Since then cycling has been pretty much at the forefront of my life. All due, in part, to a wicked, unfortunate natural disaster in the late 1960's. 

The anniversary date for the Charles City Tornado is tomorrow, May 15th. I will quietly mark the day. I will recall the scenes I saw with my own eyes and the screaming sirens I heard all night long that night in 1968 will replay in my mind again. I know most of you will have an ordinary day, but you all probably have a memory like this as well, so I am willing to bet some of you readers understand where I am coming from. 

So, if you've ever wondered what my start in cycling was, now you know.  

Issues Escalating

Image courtesy of Trek Bicycles

We used to joke about this years ago. Whenever anything became "a thing" in the Mid-West it was old news everywhere else. Well, that's one thing when it comes to fashion, music, or culture, but it isn't good in some cases. 

My hometown where I grew up, a city of around 7,000 souls, is now in the throes of an e-bike dilemma. 

A recent report of a youth running into a car and causing nearly $1,500.00 damage has stirred up debate amongst the small town's populace. This seems to be an epidemic which isn't going away any time soon across all communities in the USA. 

Years ago I predicted this might become a problem. What's the quote? "With great power comes great responsibility". (from Spider-Man circa 1962) Give cyclists more power outside of what they can generate on their own, and well...... We can see the results, and it is not all good. Not even close. 

I likened it to when mopeds were all the rage in the 1980's. Youth were out of control on those machines many times resulting in conflicts and crashes with automobile users. Eventually these were effectively banned by making operators of these devices get licensed and insured. Now we are seeing similar efforts to effectively ban the modern-day moped equivalent in e-bikes. 

Trouble is these devices are infused into our society at such a fine-grained level they are going to be tough to regulate without taking out some of the rights and privileges of ordinary cyclists. As an example, a recent city ordinance proposed in Waukee, Iowa would have banned any two-wheeled vehicle with pedals and/or an electric motor from any street with a speed limit over 20mph. (Which is basically any street.), and also from bike paths. Good riddance to those pesky e-motos! But in the process you throw the baby out with the bathwater. Not good! 

Fortunately that ordinance was tabled. For now..... This is a ticking time bomb though. New Jersey already has a draconian law in place and they are ticketing law-breakers now. Other states and municipalities, strapped in terms of budget, looking for answers, and not having patience, are probably going to be pressing for things which many of us cyclists are not going to be happy with. 

Just keep in mind any kind of ordinance or law passed will have to be backed up with real enforcement, consequences, and legal backing, or those ordinances and laws will be paper tigers. Lawmakers know this, and my feeling is there is going to be no appetite for nuance in their solutions. 

The future for cycling will probably get interesting very soon. Probably not in a good way....

Review: Stan's Sealant Injector & Universal Valves

 Note: Stan's Sent over several bicycle products for test/review to Guitar Ted Productions at no charge. Guitar Ted is not being paid, nor bribed, for these reviews. All opinions are Guitar Ted's. 

I used the Stan's products sent to review to set up these tires tubeless.

A couple of weeks ago I introduced a bunch of Stan's products. A couple of those were tubeless specific things like the Universal Valve Stems, the Sealant Injector, and the sealant, of course. 

I had decided to set up some different tires on my Fargo Gen I. Since I was going to do that it provided the perfect opportunity to use a few of the new Stan's products I have in. The wheels needed to be prepped first, so I cleaned up the inner rim well and laid down some new tubeless tape. Then I used the new Stan's Universal Valves. 

It should be noted that these wheels are not tubeless rated wheels. This did not seem to complicate things, but it could in certain cases. Unless you have extensive tubeless set up experience, I would not recommend doing what I have done. Best to stick to known tubeless ready certified items.  And of course, if you are not well versed in tubeless set up there are a lot of online tutorials and your local bike shop mechanic where you could possibly gain some wisdom. 

These Universal Valves have a base which sits proud of the inner rim well a fair amount, but there is a good reason for this. Instead of a single, outward facing bore, the base of the valve stem has two holes facing horizontally in alignment with rim well and two which are 90° to the rim well and face the rim's side on each side. There is also a fifth hole facing outward as a traditional tubeless valve would have. Ostensibly this should provide more air flow and an easier tubeless set up. 

The base also has an oval, and conical shaped rubber piece which sits above the very base of the stem.  This should seal off the valve stem hole. It's supposedly a one-size fits all solution, and I guess it is okay. As long as it seals up, (right?), it can be whatever shape they want to make it. 

The rest looks like standard fare, but there is one hidden feature in the valve stem nut. It has a 'o' ring installed in it which provides a bit of friction you can feel when installing it. This is there to prevent unintentional loosening of the nut. I cannot say I've ever had a valve nut loosen, but perhaps I am a lucky guy in this respect.  

The valve installed. The arrows are indicating two of the four air outlet holes in the valve base. 

 Alright, now let's talk about the Stan's Sealant Injector. I've tried various hacks and purpose built sealant injectors over the course of my nearly 20 years of setting up tires tubeless. The Stan's injector follows the form of a few of the other older injectors I have used but with a couple of notable differences. 

Lube bottles for size context.

First off, everything about the Stan's injector is bigger. The body, the bore of the nozzle, and the capacity are all much larger than any other purpose built injector I have seen or have used. 

The Stan's Injector also has this funky rubber end which is angled and fits over a standard tubeless valve stem. This is handy for times when you are adding sealant through a valve bore with the core removed. I was going to add my sealant before I finished mounting the tire, so I didn't think I'd need the funky black rubber end. (Stay tuned on this point)

The injector can hold up to 150ml of sealant. This reflects the trend for bigger tires on almost every tubeless set up these days. I think it is smart. The gradations are very clear and easy to read. They also are a separate applied film/sticker which I also like. Gradations printed directly onto the body of most injectors tend to fade away over time leaving you guessing. 

We'll see how the Stan;'s gradations hold up over time, but this is a feature which has been missing from products like this for a long time. A small thing maybe, but a detail I appreciate.  

Okay, back to that black nipple thing-a-majig I decided not to use. Big mistake. Generally speaking one can draw up sealant into an injector and it stays inside the injector until one depresses the plunger. Not so with this Stan's injector! The sealant practically runs right out as if you were pouring it from a pitcher. 

You'll want to use this. Trust me....

Back on with the rubber nipple! Ha! Seriously though, it stopped the free-running of sealant from the injector and everything went a lot better afterward. 

One more thing about the injector. Clean-up is a breeze. You can pull everything apart easily. Since the bore of the nipple, injector body, and tubes is larger over all, it makes for easier clean up. This will make the injector last longer. I appreciated this as well. 

A Word About How Inflation Went: 

The tires aired up pretty easily with my SILCA pump. I have to believe the air flow from the valve stem was a high enough volume that it made this set up go a lot better than it would have with a standard tubeless valve stem. 

Of course, tire/rim interface has a lot to do with this, but I do really feel the valve stems were a difference maker here as the tires I used were a bit looser on these rims than I typically find these days while setting up stuff tubeless. 

Overall Impressions: 

The valve stems are good. Those extra ports are good for some more push outward on the tires from the inside, making a tubeless set up a bit easier. The valves have press-on aluminum caps which are fine. They are functionally unnecessary, but they complete the look here and that is worth something, I guess. 

I'm most impressed with the sealant injector. Overall it is an improvement even if the black nipple is a bit weird, at least it keeps sealant where it should be while you are setting up a set of tires. The ease of clean-up is perhaps my best liked part of using this tool though. It means it should last in great shape for a longer period of time then the other dead injectors I have in a drawer in the shop.  

I'd give the nod to all three products used in this test. The sealant, injector, and the valve stems. So far so good. I may come back with a longer term look at these items if I find anything else notable to share.  

Making A List

Yesterday's announcement now has made this more real to me. This ride is actually going to happen, so I'd better be getting my ducks in a row. Actually, I already have been. This all starts with my mind racing in four different directions at once, so making a list of things I want to make sure I get gathered together for this week-long adventure helps me to get my head wrapped around things a bit better.. 

So, there are some categories I need to head up my list and then put things in those categories which should help me compartmentalize packing and getting all the gear and things in the truck so nothing is left behind. 

The Bike:

I know for some of you this would be the easiest category. Not for me! Too many choices exist and all would make sense to take for one reason or another. Here are the contenders so far. 

The 2018 Black Mountain Cycles MCD

Black Mountain Cycles MCD:

Listening to the folks I interviewed for the two BRAN Gravel podcasts, it was apparent I should take a bike with wider tires than not. This is because I am going to be tackling gravel roads in the Sand Hills region of Nebraska. Having a little experience with sandy gravel in Nebraska, (Odin's Revenge days), I know a wide tire handles the sandy gravel, or just outright sand in some cases, better than typical gravel tires would. Not that you cannot ride 700 X 40's, but if you have the option to go wider, and I do, those wider tires sure make the going easier. 

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD currently has a 29 X 2.25 on the front and a 700c X 47mm in the rear. Probably good enough for this ride. Water carrying capacity is also okay. Fit and function, okay also. It would likely get the job done. 

Next... 

Singular Gryphon Mk3

Singular Gryphon Mk3:

Speaking of wider tires, here ya go! 29 x 2.8"ers here! Sand? No problem! Weight? Yeah......there is that. However; this bike was the one I took out to Western Iowa to do the Tree In The Road Ride and there were some big hills out there to climb, which I was able to do. It wasn't easy though, but I attribute that to the brutal heat and humidity we suffered through on that day. Still.... 

Water carrying capacity is great. Fit is awesome. (Luxy Bar) Function.....good. The front derailleur function could be better. 

Next....  

Fargo Gen I

Salsa Cycles Fargo Gen I:

And here's the last contender, the Fargo Gen I. It can handle pretty wide tires, like the Surly Extraterrestrial 29 X 2.5"ers. Right now I have some Rene Herse tubed tires on it, but I also have a set of N.O.S. Vittoria Terreno Dry 29 x 2.25"ers ready to go on this wheel set. That would be a tubeless set up. So, then the tires would be definitely wide enough, but not too heavy either.  

Comfort level - Excellent! Water carrying capacity? Excellent! Function? Excellent! (The front derailleur really works well on this bike!) 

So, you can see I have choices, and all three have merit. I'm leaning toward the Fargo right now, but ask me again tomorrow and I'll have talked myself into the MCD, or the Gryphon. 

I actually have a couple more bikes I could talk myself into here, but I have to limit this!  I'll come up with a decision this week, then I'll get into all the fine details as to why I chose how I will choose. Or something like that....... Anyway... 

After the bike comes the Overnight Set-Up. This will encompass my tent, sleep system, what details this all encompasses, and more. Next will be Clothing. I need to consider how I will manage a week-long ride with no laundry and after ride clothing as well. Finally, Logistics. Food, water, travel. 

Look for more to come on my pre-ride choices soon. .