Friday News And Views

Airborne Bicycle Co To Launch New Product Soon:

As I was cruising social media earlier this week I came across an old name I hadn't seen much of in recent years. Airborne bikes were semi-famous in the early 2000's as a titanium brand with very inexpensive bikes. (For titanium, that is). Several models were available and Airborne was one of the first titanium 29"er bikes you could buy as a complete offering. 

Airborne was then sold to Huffy Bicycles and they revived the company as a budget oriented brand for mountain biking. I actually tested a Goblin 29 model back around 2012 or so for the 29"er site I wrote for. 

Then Airborne fell off my radar. Well, according to the comments made by "Airborne Bicycle Co." in the Facebook post I saw, the company was bought back by its original owner and since those days it has been quietly running with what appears to be only a couple MTB bikes. (See website HERE)

Supposedly there will be announcements in the coming weeks with new bikes. What these may be are hinted at in that Facebook post I saw. A dirt jumper, some MTB bikes, a return to titanium. But whether or no there will be gravel bikes, there was no hint given. I would bet there has to be something there. We will see.....

Proposed Iowa Bill May Make RAGBRAI, Gravel Riding A Crime:

Thanks to www.bikiowa.com, a new study bill in the Iowa legislature has been exposed which could have several unintended consequences for Iowa cyclists and tourism based on cycling in Iowa. 

Read the Bikeiowa article here and get all the details. 

Comments: Instigated as a way to regulate "devices" on public roadways with speed limits over 25mph, this broad-swath approach to law making could have a detrimental effect on cycling in the state. Unfortunately, this includes gravel roads as well. 

As of Wednesday morning the bill had been pulled. I would assume this is due to all the hub-bub created by Iowa cyclists. Postings about this bill were noted on several social media sites all expressing a negative take on the bill and its possible effects.  

While things seem to have cooled down for now, this hasn't gone away 100%. Worst case scenario is the law passes with no modifications. In my opinion it is unenforceable. Black Hawk county has approximately 550 miles of gravel and dirt roads, and you think you would have time, resources, and technology available to cover just this part to enforce the law? Give me a break! There is no way that happens. 

But Iowans, and you, dear readers, should be taking this seriously. Already we have seen New Jersey pull off a law making e-Bikes have to be licensed and registered as vehicles with insurance. Don't think for a minute your state isn't watching what happens and that your representatives aren't fiddling with similar ideas. 

Surly Offers Midnight Special With Carbon Fork:

Surly Bikes revealed on Tuesday of this past week a new offering of the Midnight Special with a carbon fork. 

The bike, dubbed an "endurance bike for backroads" by Surly, features a Waxwing carbon fork which Surly claims "has a knack for reducing road chatter"

The bike is also set up with Teravail's own carbon rims and tires. The drive train consists mostly of Shimano 105 12 speed parts. List price for this version of the Midnight Special is $3,499.00. 

Comments: Surly continues to "un-Surly" its offerings with this introduction of carbon fiber into its line. My audible chuckle was heard when I read the bit about "reducing road chatter". I have the very same Waxwing fork on my Honemann Flyer. I can tell ya......it ain't all that great at reducing chatter". In fact, I slapped a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem on the bike to do what Surly says the fork does, but does not do.  

And that geometry is pretty weird. 73° head tube angle matched with a 65mm bottom bracket drop? (Looking at a 58cm example) What is this? A Trek cyclo cross bike? I think the geometry is very similar. Anyway, it is about as far away from a "backroads bike" as I can think of for myself. Your mileage may vary.  

Image courtesy of the Gravel Cycling Hall of fame

GCHoF News Snubbed:

Several hours after the news broke on Wednesday morning about the new class of 2026 inductees for the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame, I checked several major cycling news sites. I noted no mention of the 2026 class for the GCHoF. Note: I did eventually find one well written story posted six hours after the announcement on Cycling Weekly by Anne-Marije Rook. HERE.

This is very interesting. 

The cycling industry has benefited greatly due to the development of gravel events and the subsequent innovations the industry has made to accommodate gravel cyclists. It is arguable that gravel, as a category, has made the transition from post pandemic troubles a bit less burdensome on brands and other companies with gravel products. 

There is no question that gravel events draw more participants than most other niches of cycle sport the mainstream sites froth over in their coverage. News on road cycling, MTB, or even such mundane things as the layoff situation at Campagnolo grabbed space in their news feeds. 

How gravel history and its impact on the industry is so conveniently ignored by all of the mainstream news sites is not going unnoticed. Also, for the record, those sites were afforded the opportunity to mention the GCHoF's Class of 2026 by way of a press release I know they were sent. (I happen to know the PR guy, so there is that...)

I don't know, but the way mainstream cycling media pushes news like this to the back burner is rather curious. 

Also, our take on the Guitar Ted Podcast can be heard on our latest podcast episode HERE.  

Bobcat tracks I saw in 2006

Bobcats More Common In Iowa:

As a cyclist, I enjoy seeing wildlife on my gravel rides. I was pretty curious and thrilled then when back in 2006 I came across bob cat tracks near Hickory Hills on a gravel ride.  

As I recall this was a ride in January which took me all the way down Ansborough Avenue Southward to the "T" intersection in Tama County where I stopped and refreshed myself with water and nutrition I had at the time. It was then when I spied those tracks in the snowy ditch. 

Bobcats were rare animals then and I felt fortunate to have even found tracks. But according to State biologists, the species has rebounded in the last 20 years to the point of becoming observed in urban areas. 

Mating season for the bobcat is now through March. So, males may be more on the move at this time. Keep an eye out for bobcats in fields along wooded areas or check for tracks when you stop. If you see one, don't panic. They are very wary of humans, and it would be a very chance occurrence if you did see one on a ride. But......there is a chance. A much better one than I had 20 years ago.  

Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co. social media

The 32" Watch: State Bicycle Co. Teases 32"er

State Bicycle Co., purveyors of budget and value driven bicycles and components, recently showed a bike with a front wheel that is 32" in diameter. Sporting the now ubiquitous Maxxis Aspen 32" X 2.4" tire, State seems to be testing the waters here. 

It is worth keeping an eye on if you are 32"er curious as anything State might put out there with a 32 inch wheel will likely be very competitively priced. 

Will they do this? I'm thinking there is a very good chance they will, but if so, my bet is nothing shows up for sale until 2027. It would take at least this long to develop a bike, components, and if they are going to provide a budget suspension choice, this might tack on a bit more time to get into production as well. 
 

That's a wrap on this week's FN&V. Thanks for reading Guitar ted Productions. Get out and ride a bicycle soon! 

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Class 2026

The Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame has announced its 5th class of entrants to the hall. Let's take a look at each entrant, their bio for the hall, and then I'll have a bit of commentary afterward on each individual. 

Please keep in mind these comments I make in each "Comments" section for each individual are my own opinions and may not reflect the opinions of the GCHoF, cycling media, or anyone else, for that matter. I'm open to civil discourse concerning any of my comments so please do not hesitate to reach out if you feel so inclined in the comments section here. 

Image courtesy of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame

 

The Inductees for 2026

Kristen Legan
Meg Fisher
Paul Errington
Jim Cummins

Kristen Legan: From her bio in the press release: "Her accomplishments on the bike include multiple Unbound 200 podiums and a victory at the 2023 Unbound XL, but today her ongoing legacy is in her storytelling and the riders she coaches. Kristen has helped cyclists of all abilities accomplish and exceed their goals in gravel cycling. In addition to her coaching, Kristen works with leading brands in the cycling industry, including Shimano, Lazer helmets and others, to advance and promote the sport of gravel cycling."

Comments: Kristen has been an athlete and a mover behind the scenes. Her husband, Nick Legan, also a member of the GCHoF, along with Kristen, are both instrumental in influencing product, particularly from Shimano, when it comes to gravel cycling. Kristen's athletic accomplishments and advocacy further underscore why she belongs in the Hall. 

Meg Fisher: From her bio in the press release: "With palmares including Paralympic gold, silver and bronze medals, Meg Fisher turned her world-class talent to gravel bicycle racing. There, she quickly became an example of courage, perseverance and inclusivity, with para category wins at world-class events including Unbound Gravel, Rebecca’s Private Idaho, Gravel Worlds, and SBT GVL, among others. As an advocate for the creation of para classes, Meg has helped create inclusive spaces at gravel events across the country. Her presence at those events, her willingness to share her story, and her encouragement of others has inspired countless riders of all abilities to find confidence, resilience and joy through gravel cycling."

Comments: The obvious influence here is Meg Fisher's spirit and grit to overcome things which seem overwhelming to many of us. In the face of her difficulties she shows us a form of the "Spirit of Gravel" which is at once both inspirational and indisputable.  

Paul Errington: From his bio in the press release: "While modern gravel cycling has its roots firmly planted in the USA, it has quickly become a global phenomenon. One of the key figures in the global proliferation of gravel events has been Paul Errington. He recognized the potential of gravel cycling as a unique and accessible form of outdoor adventure. As an early advocate for the sport, he’s inspired countless cyclists to explore the world on gravel, both in Europe and beyond. He hosted his first gravel event –– The Dirty Reiver –– in 2016 and was a key figure in the global expansion of the Grinduro gravel series. Today, as the Grinduro series owner, Paul hosts thousands of riders each year at multiple events across the globe."

Comments: I have been aware of Paul for many years. He came and rode in Trans Iowa v9 in 2013. He also partook of the DK200 as well. Being inspired by these events he went back to the UK and started the Dirty Reiver,taking cues from the US scene, and  his bio tells the rest of the story. Definitely one very influential person in the gravel scene. 

Jim Cummins: From his bio in the press release: "As co-founder of Unbound Gravel’s predecessor, the Dirty Kanza 200 (with 2023 GCHOF inductee, Joel Dyke), Jim Cummins placed his bet on the potential of gravel as a cycling discipline in 2006. Jim and the DK team successfully scaled from 34 riders in 2006, to using a lottery system to fill the 2,500 available spots in 2018 –– remarkable growth by any standards. It was also one of the first gravel events to host international riders. Today, Unbound Gravel is the world’s largest gravel cycling event, bringing thousands of riders, support crews and race fans from all over the world to the Emporia area. The economic impact is easy to see, as the empty storefronts of 2006 have been replaced by thriving businesses. Throughout the spring, summer and fall, the Emporia area is now a destination for gravel cyclists seeking adventure."

Comments: Wish granted. (IYKYK) Also: It's about time! This has been a person who has first ballot credentials who was ignored for reasons outside of gravel riding and arguably very unfairly so. Now that the electors have gotten over their nonsense the issue has been rectified. 

I've written here several times why Jim deserved to be in this hall, and I know many of you readers are in agreement. The accomplishments are without peer and his influence on gravel cycling is immeasurable. The hall saves its integrity as well. A very well-deserved, long overdue inclusion. 

Overall Comments:  The inclusion of Jim Cummins was met with many commenting and voicing happiness and relief that it finally happened. I was on my phone texting about it for a solid hour after the announcement. I know of two individuals who said they were thinking of starting their own Halls of Fame for gravel and inducting Jim if it did not happen for him this year to be inducted into the GCHoF. 

Besides Jim, the rest of the inductees are worthy additions. I like the international flavor here with Paul Errington's recognition. It points to further inclusions for others not in the US sphere of gravel, but who were obviously influenced by the scene here, and spread the word in a significant way, as Paul did with his efforts. 

Overall a significant and worthy class. I like it, but more importantly, it further legitimizes the Hall as being representative of the most important innovators and historical figures in gravel cycling. More work needs to be done there. (Jana Vavra and Sarah Cooper as women athletes, Craig Schmidt of Gravel Worlds, Mike Narchand as an athlete, as examples), but given what has happened in this class, I have hope those people needing to be included have a chance to be with a continued focus on our gravel cycling pioneers. 

It would help matters if the nomination process was streamlined and taken in-house. I am not in favor of how nominations are done by the GCHoF currently, and this has been expressed to them, and on these pages here, before. I will not belabor the point today, but there could be a far better process for nominations if the GCHoF has the appetite to take authority there. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame inductees!

The 32" Watch: More Gravel

Baum DBM 32"er. (Image courtesy of Baum's social media)

It's Not Just For MTB:

While most 32"ers seen so far are meant as mountain bikes for XC use, there are now some being offered as gravel bikes. I showed a Singular Albatross here last Friday, and now I have come across this Baum Cycles DBM drop bar bike which was built as a gravel bike for a tall client of theirs. 

It is interesting to see a big 32"er frame which makes the wheels look normal. I would suspect their will be a lot of taller folks getting on the 32"er bandwagon now that tires and rim choices have started to become more commonplace for this size wheel. 

Speaking of rims, I was tipped off to this Chinese carbon 32'er rim choice which is sub-300 bucks each. That is a pretty outstanding price. While I am not a big fan of hookless rims, these are meant for MTB tires which would make these rims make more sense then as a hookless option.  

I have heard the 32"ers will appear on gravel bikes and road bikes as well. Look for more sightings as Sea Otter draws nearer in mid-April.  

Note: The Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame class for 2026 will be announced today at 9:00am CST. Look for the announcement and a breakdown of my reactions to each inductee tomorrow here on Guitar Ted Productions.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! 

Jim Cummins
Kristen Legan
Meg Fisher
Paul Errington

Dreaming

Image courtesy of Cannondale's social media

I had a crazy dream this past weekend about road bikes! I know.......weird! Why should I care about road bikes? I do not understand the dream, but it was a vivid one where I was asked what I thought should be done in the future for road bikes. 

Road bicycles, the ones with a racing influence and drop bar handlebars, haven't changed their parameters for years. There is a kind of unseen "box" which road designs seem to be locked into which has been around for decades. 

Wheel spacing, bottom bracket widths, crank set design, and some other details are seemingly lines you cannot cross in road bike design. But in my dream, two things I remember from the dream were pretty outrageous. The first was wheel spacing. In my dream I said the rear wheel spacing would be widened to match current MTB Boost standards. That would be rear 148mm and front 110mm. 

The other thing was regarding bottom brackets as I said in my dream that this should also match MTB standard width. This would make sense because road wheel and tire combinations are getting ever wider and this would allow for clearances and better chain lines. 

Now, perhaps this is too extreme for road bicycles, but gravel bikes? Maybe gravel bikes will be assimilated into MTB anyway,. and road bicycles can become the "all-road" thing I was advocating for in 2011 and I can just ride some fancy new road bike with clearance for 45mm tires maximum and forget about "gravel bikes". 

Ha! Fancy that.....

Searching For The "Magic" Alloy

Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co. 

 Frame materials for bicycles can be a fun discussion amongst bicycle nerds. I have delved into the subject several times here over the years. 

In 2026, I find most people are probably thinking along the lines of the following: Aluminum is "entry level", carbon is "the best", and titanium is for "cork sniffers" in the bicycling scene. 

Steel is .......I'm not going to say it! Steel is perceived by many casual cyclists I've met as being "heavy". Most don't want anything to do with it.  

Apologies if I offended anyone with those gross generalizations, but I used those to prove a point: Most folks have no idea what a frame material really does for them. Sure, they have heard things. You might think carbon fiber is "the lightest" and most prestigious frame material. You may have heard aluminum isn't comfortable to ride. You may have heard titanium is "expensive". As generalizations go, some of their basis is true. Much of the nuance lost will paint a more detailed and truer picture. 

That goes for pretty much anything in life. 

Anyway, this is about an idea I had to help dispel some notions about aluminum gravel bike frames. The thing is, the frames you can buy are priced all over the place and some are more expensive than what I would pay for a carbon fiber frame and fork from China. 

The next thing you'll notice is that many of these frames have odd geometries. In fact, those geometries are all over the place as well. Adding in my proclivities for what a gravel bike geometry should be, and well, it gets darn near impossible to find anything I'd like to try. 

Take for instance the State Bicycle Co. 6061 AllRoad, (shown here). It is sub-$900.00 with a carbon fork. Tire clearance up to a 50mm tire. But the bottom bracket drop is straight out of cyclo cross. Too little of it, that is, so it fails as something I'd want to test. 

Then there is the fine looking Velo Orange Chessie.  I took a deep-dive look at this bike last year. It was almost there like the State offering, but the bottom bracket drop was odd on the bike so I passed on it. Honestly, I was disappointed because I really like everything else about the Chessie. 

So, if any of you dear readers have a suggestion, here are my parameters: The frame/fork must not cost 1K or more. Secondly, the frame must be aluminum, but the fork can be carbon, or whatever. Now, geometry is important. Bottom bracket drop must be 72mm or more. The head tube angle must be 72° or slacker. Tire clearance must be up to a 45mm, and preferably up to 50mm.  I'm open to suggestions on anything else, but I'd really like to stay away from any oddball bottom bracket standards and I prefer threads there, but I can work around this detail.

Got anything for me? Hit me up in the comments.  

Two Things

Cannondale Topstone Carbon 2 (Image courtesy of Cannondale)

Integration And The Future Of Bicycles:

The big feature being leveraged in today's top cycling brands is integration. Now for many of you, this may conjure up the image of seeing a lack of external cabling on a bicycle. While this is maybe the most obvious and well understood form of integration, there is more happening out there which falls under this term. 

Take for instance Cannondale's "Smart Sense" system. It is an integration of drive train, accessories, and your smart phone into an ecosystem which could be leveraged to do many things. Younger folks seem to have no aversion to "apps", and charging cables, but some of what Smart Sense does is troubling to this old codger. In my opinion, we are losing cycling's simplicity which has been central to finding escape and joy from modern world trappings.  

Smart Sense runs off a battery, of course it does! And it is USB C type compatible. Right! As it should be. You must charge the system if you use the rear radar and lights, right? No big deal. But did you know that Smart Sense uses a cable which runs from the battery in the down tube of the frame to the AXS rear derailleur because they are integrating the system using SRAM's e-Bike type AXS battery which, on an e-Bike, is running off the main battery pack? Crazy stuff there.... 

Anyway, I think you can see how my bicycle, with no batteries to recharge, might be a bit simpler and quicker to get on and, you know.....ride? Take a look at this page on Cannondale's site regarding Smart Sense and count the steps involved in going for a ride with Smart Sense on. Not easy. Not how I define easy, at any rate! 

And you know Cannondale is tracking your rides, right? The Smart Sense uses the app to send "maintenance reminders" and probably could be doing more stuff which we aren't quite aware of as well. I could see this becoming a system with a subscription to receive updates. And even if updates were free, what happens when your software is no longer supported? See that drawer with all your old phones and cables? Now imagine this as being a garage with old, unsupported e-Bikes and "integrated bikes" with no means to reverse the tech to run mechanical group sets.  

I just have an issue when technology causes more steps and more complications. Bicycles are amazing machines which are simple and efficient. Additional technology hasn't done much but make things more complicated and less sustainable. It has gone in a bad direction, in my opinion.  

Hmm..... Bicycles becoming "devices"? I'm not down, sorry..... 

Stained glass window art in Notre Dame Church, Cresco, Iowa

 On Being Recognized:

First of all, my uncle on my mother's side died Tuesday January 20th. I was called to be a pall bearer. As I was in attendance at this event, I was amazed by a couple of relatives who stated that they read these digital pages nearly daily. 

I am always taken aback by these encounters because, well.....I am amazed anyone would read what I am doing here. And to be reminded publicly that people actually do read these ramblings of mine, well, I am surprised every time. 

Surprised in a way which I react thusly: "Oh! This person actually reads my blog?!!" Wow! I really find it kind of surreal even after all this time. I always figure someone is going to say they read my blog and then give me some grief over something they didn't like, or say I'm trash, or worse, but so far...(looks for wood to knock)...this has not happened.....yet. 

Anyway, a funeral was the last place I would have ever suspected to hear compliments about this blog. So, Tom, if you are reading this, Thanks. George also mentioned he keeps up with me here. Thanks man! I know my cousin Dave also reads this stuff from time to time as well. It's just not something I take in as being a real thing, and maybe I should. Maybe I'm just not comfortable with being recognized, I don't know....  

I'll try working on that in the future, but in the meantime, just know I am very thankful for each and everyone of you who check this out. Whether it is one time or on a daily basis. Thank you!

Troubles In Waterloo

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

Introduction:

I was recently forwarded a link to an article on the "Escape Collective" site by Ronan Mc Laughlin which has painted a troubling picture of industry giant, Trek Bicycles. My link was a "gift" link, so I was able to read the entire article, but this is a paywalled site, so if you have a subscription, go read that and you will get a good feel for what is happening with Trek. Also, if you'd rather listen to N.Y. Roll and I discuss this topic, and others, we get to this in our latest podcast episode HERE. 

From my personal perspective as a person who worked at a Trek retailer for almost two decades, I will give my own take on this subject, as some of what is written about in the article I read has roots going way back with Trek. This also probably will be similar to workings at Specialized, and to a lesser extent, other brands in cycling. 

 The Problems:

There is no doubt that there are two major weights on the cycling business currently. One is still an abundance of inventory in several categories. This has been detailed at length by trade magazines. The second is an ongoing downturn in consumer buying. Several factors go into the consumer part and the consumer part directly relates to the inventory bit.  

In my opinion, Trek, and related cycling brands, haven't pivoted quickly enough, or at all, from their trade practices embedded within their company's cultures. Trying to force excess inventory on dealer's backs, discontinuing popular models, and misdirecting efforts into products with little mass appeal hasn't just been something which has happened recently. These things have been happening for decades. Literally. 

Add to this the internet. I like to think of this in terms of how we used to access music, and how music is accessed now. At one point, when I was young, (admittedly, back when rocks were soft!), we had the radio, the rare concert, or covers by local bands to learn of new tunage. That was it. Oh.....maybe your local department store played new tunes in the record department. But you get the picture. Access was limited. We were all directed into these similar silos. 

Now/ pffft! Can anyone count the ways music can be accessed now? I doubt it. This is why "record departments" no longer exist in mass quantities anymore. It is why AM/FM radio is unknown to anyone under the age of 40 years. Concerts? Yeah.....maybe. If you've got tons of expendable income, then maybe. 

We refurbish and scrap tons of bicycles every year at the Collective.

So, bike shops were the "radio/record shop/magazine" for bicycles. Now days, you can get bikes anywhere. Used ones, new ones, direct from factory ones, and you can even design your own bicycle and have it made in China and shipped to your doorstep. 

 The Non-Evolution Of Bicycle Retail:

Bicycle brands relying solely, or nearly so, on bicycle shops are cutting off several avenues for reaching consumers. And maybe it doesn't matter. Especially if Trek or some other well known brand is seen as something out of touch with younger consumers. 

Like maybe Trek is the modern day equivalent to rotary phones for the younger generations. A "grandpa/grandma" brand which is so out of touch the youth won't even give them a chance. I don't know, but I do know in the shop I worked at which handled Trek, seeing younger folks actually buying Treks was rare. 

Overproduction: 

Finally, there are just way too many bicycles being produced. At the Collective during the year of 2025 we hauled about 6 metric tons of scrap to the recyclers, all bicycles or bicycle related things. We refurbished well over 100 bikes for sale to the community. All freely donated things. All out of one tiny non-profit shop in a modest sized Mid-Western city. (I'm not counting bicycles we gave to people in need) 

Think about this - If we were to just get the bicycles sitting around in your city up and running again, we wouldn't need any new bicycles. And people are catching on to this. I've seen two recent YouTube videos with subject matter related to restoring old 1990's mountain bikes and how versatile those bikes are. (No lies told either.)

Just the sheer amount of resources and knowledge at our finger tips is also unmasking the decades long secret of over-production of bicycles. There are reasons why it worked for so long though. The marketing over the years created near feral thoughts in consumer's minds which moved us to buy the "latest and greatest" thing. Look, I am not absolving myself here. I am just as guilty as anyone when the new shiny thing comes around. (32" wheels anyone?), so yes - I am also part of this problem. But now more people are catching on that just because a bike is a few years, or even a few decades old, it doesn't mean it is not awesome. This cuts into new bike sales also.

 Conclusions:

  Read the article from the "Escape Collective", if you can. The author makes it sound like pretty dark times are ahead for Trek. You can contrast those thoughts with mine here. Any way you slice it, as I have said here before, bicycle retail is in for a major resetting in the next ten years."Traditional" bicycle shops will be rare. Whatever takes over will not look like the chaos we have now.