WTB Solano Saddle Review: Update 1

 Note: WTB sent two Solano saddles to Guitar Ted Productions at no cost for test and review. WTB has not paid for, nor bribed Guitar Ted for these reviews. All opinions and images, unless noted, belong to Guitar Ted/Guitar Ted Productions.

The WTB Solano saddle

It has been about a month and a half since the opening of this review,. There has been rather difficult weather through this period which put off getting a longer ride in before I chimed in here again. However; that longer ride has been done now and so here is the next update on this review. 

The previous post in this review, including the technical introduction, can be seen HERE. In this post I will focus on the Solano, as it fits me best. The Solano SL is now in N.Y. Roll's hands and I will get an update from him on it soon. 

The Solano is for, what WTB describes as, "shorter, harder efforts" and matches up best with riders who prefer harder efforts in the saddle. With this in mind I rode the Solano on my single speed gravel bike which seems to work best with efforts in the saddle as opposed to standing and sprinting or "mashing". 

I found the shape of the Solano was easy to get along with and higher cadence pedaling was no problem. I had no interference with the saddle's edges or any problems with being punished by a non-forgiving base or stiff padding when bouncing slightly at these higher cadences. This went for rougher spots I traversed as well. 

Pushing hard going up a longer grade, I found the Solano was transparent but provided a solid base from which I could press back on for a bit more leg power when it was needed.

Moving slightly fore and aft gave me some different feelings which provided a bit of relief on longer grinds. Obviously, being a very short saddle, with abrupt shape changes in a short distance, you don't have to move much to find a different feel. The contour depression in the middle of the saddle provided excellent protection against numbness and discomfort. I had no issues with this saddle as far as feeling went over a longer ride on gravel. 

So Far... I've had a ton of shorter rides with this saddle but only a couple which went into the three hour range. I'd like to get something a bit longer bagged for my reviewing purposes before it is time to wrap things up with the Solano. I also want to bring in N.Y. Roll's opinions on the Solano SL he has in my next update. 

Right now? I'd keep the Solano on this bike. It does its job quite well, with no irritations, and it isn't harsh, nor does it induce any chafing or numbness with me. Now, this may not be your experience, and saddles are a personal choice, so my recommendations need to be seen in light of this. With this said, I can say with confidence that the Solano does raise the bar for me in terms of what a WTB saddle can do for my riding. I want to hold final judgement until I can manage an over three hour ride, so look for my final verdict later this Summer, if not before.

Country Views: One Good Day

Escape Route: Bike paths through Evansdale

Last week was not good riding weather from a wind standpoint. We had major gusty winds up over 40mph and I was not about to do battle with winds like that for a country ride. Then it got cold AND windy, feeling more like March on Saturday than just past mid-May.

Saturday the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective held a Safety Check at the local farmers market and I about froze to death standing there. You know it is getting bad when your joints feel cold. It took me until mid-afternoon to warm back up from that exposure!

Plus I was feeling down about the single person who came to the bike check who had a bicycle which hadn't been maintained for probably a decade, maybe more. When I discovered the STI shifter was hung up, (a common Shimano issue mechanics have seen for 20-plus years) the person who owned the bike claimed it was my fault and the bike "worked before I brought it here!".  

Another example of a bike "I wish I never Touched". Mechanics know what I mean. The "You touched it so it is YOUR FAULT" thing. Never mind the fact the bike hadn't had a new part on it since who knows when, and the person admitted to leaving it in a single gear when they rode it, but never said why. Curious that..... Anyway.... 

New road and bike path construction happening on Lafayette Road all the way to Elk Run Heights.

First gravel: Young Road

Sunday was a beautiful day, if a touch cool for this late into May. The temperature was around the mid-60's with a moderate Northeasterly breeze. I decided at the last minute to divert from my original plan to ride my "Tour Of Southern Black Hawk County" loop and go East on Young Road. This would put all the headwind stuff on the front end and I haven't been out this way much for a while. 

I ran across a new-to-me development in Evansdale. They are remodeling Lafayette Road from Evansdale to Elk Run Heights and putting in a proper bicycle path. This is a great addition to the bicycle trail network, but it needs to go somewhere after getting to Elk Run Heights. Currently it will be a path ending at the park there at Elk Run. At least, this is how it appears to be now. 

The crops are emerging now all across the county.

A brief stop where McStay Road is barricaded. Further up the road it terminates at HWY 20.

I made great time getting out of town but once I reached gravel on Young Road the fresh dump of rock slowed my roll quite a bit! Being on a single speed, I had to meter out the effort accordingly or risk blowing up before I got my route done. Fortunately the wind wasn't much of a factor. 

The next mile after reaching the opening salvo of freshies turned out to be less of an issue and then the fresh gravel and older surfaces alternated so it became a game of hunting for a good line, then rolling easy for the rest of the route. 

Headed North on Garling Road here.

I'm doing a drawing study of these crosses on Holgate Road from different seasons of the year.

After doing a bit of "cheater road" (pavement) headed toward Jesup on Dubuque Road, I headed up Holgate Road and finially up to Newell and a mile from the Black Hawk County line on the East side. 

So, I decided to stop at the New Barclay Cemetery for a brief visit. Then I turned West and headed down toward Waterloo again on roads which were mostly older gravel, very dusty, and fast. 

This was the furthest East I went on the day. It also was nearly the highest elevation point.

It was nice to see the crops poking out. Soon these will be 8ft high corn plants (Or higher!)

A couple of miles from the cemetery I heard the familiar barking of a dog and an owner yelling at it. Of course, the dog in these scenarios never listens to the owner. So, knowing this I stop and start talking to this, what appeared to be, overweight, older Labrador. The dog seemed genuinely happy to find me, and was waging its tail furiously side to side, holding it high, which is a good sign, but you never know. 

Meanwhile, the owner, a tall, athletic looking man of maybe around 40 years of age, comes sauntering out onto the road with two little girls, both probably around five years old, in tow. The man tells "Bucko", (I think I got that right) to sit, and he does, right next to me! It was as if the dog was saying, "Look what I found!". 

The owner apologized for this scene and literally drug the dog away by the collar. I'll tell ya what - I've seen this scene play out several times enough to know that most country dogs are not trained to heel when called upon by their owners. If you have to literally drag a dog off the road, this is a bad sign. This time it was no big deal, and I smiled as I rode away because the look on those little girl's faces was priceless. Plus the dog was no big threat. However; I've had it the other way too, where a dog was threatening me and even resisting its owner. It didn't help that it was a Great Pyrenees and it was so strong it nearly overcame its owner's tugging. 

But this wasn't how this encounter ended, thankfully. It was just one more good day on the bike instead of a tragic story.

Tree In The Road Ride: Update

Well, since we had stupid wind, temperatures in the 40's, and now rain, I didn't get a whole lot of time to ride of late. Not out in the country, at any rate. So, how about a Tree In The Road Ride update instead? 

I guess it doesn't really matter what you think, because you are getting it anyway! Ha! In case you were not aware of what this is, please head back to this post and read about the details there. (Follow links back to previous posts there.)

I don't have a whole lot different to share, but there are two bits of information here which should get you squared away for this event coming up in about a month from now. The first is the route, which I think is pretty much going to be what Sarah Cooper gave me which is based off of Rob Evans original route design. The Ride With GPS files and route can bee seen by clicking This Link. Put that into your device for route finding. There will be no cue sheets handed out so if you'd rather navigate old school you'll have to draw up your own.

The Fargo Gen I version 2025 or....

...or the Gryphon Mk3?

The next thing I wanted to share is that we (N.Y. Roll and I) are planning on hanging out a bit post ride, but we have decided to roll back to Waterloo Saturday evening now.  We thought staying two nights is a bit much, and I have to play at church on Sunday.  So we just wanted to put that out there in case anyone had designs on having breakfast with us on Sunday morning. 

Now I am on to bicycle choice, and I've whittled it down to two rigs. The Gen I Fargo and the Singular Gryphon Mk3. I am looking at these bikes from the standpoint of comfort, stability, and both have triple crank sets, which I probably will need. I'm guessing I'll not have had any hill training going into this ride, given how my schedule and the weather have lined up over the past several weeks. And it doesn't look promising for the few weeks I have ahead of this ride.

I guess I'll just have to 'embrace the suck'. Ha!

Weekly Top Five

  Welcome to the weekly Top Five" showing links to five of the week's most read articles on the blog.
Sometimes those will be current posts, but sometimes not. I will also post commentary with perspective on some of the older posts, and try to give some context as to why I wrote what I wrote then, which may not reflect what I'd say in 2025. With all of the above said, here is this week's list.

 Wide Tires On Gravel: The Effect Of Wider Tires On The Bike - Tuesday May 13th, 2025: This is one from the Wide Tires On Gravel series. Anything having to do with tires seems to pique interest here and elsewhere on the web. No surprise then....

Friday News And Views - Friday, May 18th, 2025: Perennial weekly top-views getter. This last week's must have been a good one

Continental Terra Adventure 700 X 45mm Tires: Update 1 - Thursday May 15th, 2025:  Tires. What did I say about tire posts? Oh.....yeah, right then.

Wide Tires On Gravel: Alternative Bikes - Wednesday May 14th, 2025: You know the drill..... Tires again!

How Wide Should Your Drop Bars Be?: Monday November 20th, 2023 - Oooo! Not tires! A reappearance of this old post. Must be some articles out now concerning narrow bars for gravel. This would be my guess as to why this popped up yet again.  

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Two Things

Clik Valves from Wolf Tooth (Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth)

 Clik Valve Gains Traction:

On Thursday Wolf Tooth  Components released news that they are supporting Clik Valve with a mini-pump, tubeless valve stems, and cores to convert Presta valves along with pump heads.

Of course, I am testing Clik Valve on a wheel set along with a pump I have converted over to the system. You can read my latest update on the system HERE, but suffice it to say that I am bullish on this new standard. 

I'm also trying out the Stan's Exo Core valve stems, a "traditional" valve in the sense that it works with standard issue pumps, such as you may already have. The idea being that they flow a higher volume of air due to their unique design.  

Which is better? Well, the better question is "Which is easier to use?" Also, which would create more satisfaction with newer users? In my opinion the answer is Clik Valve with no debate. Both the Stan's and Clik Valves flow air quite well, so I think this is a bit of a wash, but if you want to use tire inserts, I'd stick with something like Stan's valves for now. However; I've no doubt, given the ease of use of the Clik Valve, that this system will end up finding favor with many casual cyclists and cycling enthusiasts alike.

From an email sent to me by a Trek dealer

How Long Before We Need A License & Insurance?

Trek dealers are email-blasting their customer lists concerning this new eBike with a throttle control which, apparently, does not require "assist".

The new Trek FS+ 1S also comes with turn signals and brake lights. Coupled with the throttle, what does this make you think of?

I can't blame Trek. I mean, how many other niche eBike companies offer something like this, and have, for well over five years now? Trek, and other traditional human-powered bicycle purveyors wanted to pretend for years that "assist" was going to be what appealed to riders. And make no mistake, it does to cyclists. But many people who are buying brands like Aventon, Rad Power, and others of this ilk are not typically "cyclists" in the sense that they were/are rabid about pedaling something with two wheels.

Of course, there are exceptions, and spare me all the "If it weren't for eBikes I/my____ wouldn't be riding" stories. I get it. This matters. I'm not talking about this use scenario. I'm speaking about the perceptions "non-traditional", shall we say, cyclists are looking at this type of product.

This user group outweighs the "need to pedal" group by a large margin, at least around here. I also hear this from other areas of the country. Mechanics reporting how eBike users slam the bike into the highest gear, and leverage the motor to do "work". Reports of throttle eBike users who never turn the crank arms. Users who are clearly disregarding traditional cycling "rules" on their eBikes, if they ever knew the protocols in the first place.

Younger folks who see eBikes as the "latest tech" and traditional 100% human powered bikes as "antiques" akin to penny farthings. These user groups want to sit and be moved. They are not very interested in "working to move". I'm not saying they are "lazy", nor am I saying they are "cheating", but humans take the path of least resistance, given the choice, and throttles are easier. Period.

I've said it all along. These motorized bikes would eventually evolve into electric motorcycles. This new Trek does nothing to convince me otherwise.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off 2025: The Introduction

 NOTICE:  The Guitar Ted 'Lube-Off' is a comparison of different lubrication products for bicycle chains that is undertaken in 'real world' conditions in a set way. Then I compare and contrast the results with past 'Lube-Off' products to see "which one is best for me". This is done for entertainment purposes and the reader should apply their own reasoning and discernment while reading my 'Lube-Off' entries. What works for me may not work for you at all.  

Okay, it is high time to kick off this season's Guitar Ted Lube-Off competition! Last year I tried a new lubricant from Effetto Mariposa called "Flowerpower" which did okay. Actually it did better than okay, it was one of the best lubricants I've tried for dry conditions. The final results of last year's contest can be seen HERE.

This year I have a new contender and I am going to pitch it against the Flowerpower lube, SILCA's Super-Secret lube, and DuMonde Tech, the latter two of the three being perennial "best lubes" in year's past. The idea is to see which lubricant will be best over a riding season in dry, dusty gravel riding conditions.

The Stan's BioBased Dry Lubricant is the new lube on the test and while it doesn't really say what it is, I am pretty sure I am safe in saying this is not a wax-based lubricant. There are no real detailed instructions for application for this lubricant, nor any idea given for what to expect for longevity. Essentially I will be on my own in this regard. My plan was to strip the chain down, (already done), apply the BioBased Dry sparingly, (done), and wipe down the chain after application (done) then start riding, (also done).

I'll have some first impressions soon. I want to log a few more rides before I chime in with any  first impressions. I will say my expectations are that this lube will end up being dirtier in the long run since it isn't wax based, but then again, neither is DuMonde Tech and I have seen really clean results with it in the past. So, maybe Stan's lube will surprise me here.

All chains will get stripped clean, reapplied with their individual lubricants, and then the riding shall commence! One minor point: The Honeman Flyer single speed bike is currently running Flowerpower so I'll keep running that chain as is and do a long-term report with that bike.

So, to recap: Effetto Mariposa's Flowerpower Wax Lubricant, DuMonde Tech, SILCA Super-Secret Lube, and Stan's BioBased Dry lube are the contenders this year. I also will be updating my over all lube post detailing all the different lubricants used for a reference. The last update to the post was in 2022.  

Stay tuned for updates.

Friday News And Views

The Great Plains Gravel Route Released:

The gravel version of The Great Divide Route, (well, this new route was inspired by the GDR, which itself is basically a gravel route), is finally out now. You can check it out HERE.

Comments: I know a lot of people are excited about this route. I am not one of them. I just don't see this project as being a cohesive route. It's essentially a highlights driven exercise with connectors to make it work as a route from end-to-end across the nation. The serpentine nature of the route is pretty much a tell-tale that this is the case here.

Not that this route is a bad idea, it just lacks an overarching theme for me. The Great Divide Route is a ride along the spine of the Great Divide. This makes sense. The Great Plains Gravel Route is a series of highlights which are not all parts of the Great Plains. (Black Hills, Big Bend area of Texas). The "need" to connect the highlights makes for a weird route, in my opinion. Again - in my opinion. This is "Friday News And Views", after all. So, you may not agree, and I understand this.

I would ride parts of this route. But I probably would research my own version of parts of it. So, this isn't something I'd jump at the chance to do as it is written. Maybe you are excited about it? Let me know in the comments.

Where We Came From Featuring Mike Marchand:

In case you missed this, The Guitar Ted Podcast released a new episode last weekend featuring early gravel pioneer and racer Mike Marchand.

Mike shared some incredible stories of events on gravel which pre-date the Modern Gravel Era by a few years, both examples being in Kansas. 

It was fun talking to Mike as I ended up learning a lot about him. It is funny, in a way, how preconceived perceptions of a person can be shattered  once you hear their story, and in Mike's case, I found I had him pegged wrong.

Mike won the 2009 Dirty Kanza 200 and the 2010 Gravel Worlds. Because of this I was under the impression Mike was some kind of racing honch, and had been for years. In fact, the DK200 in 2009 was Mike's first gravel race! Had I known this, I probably would have had a completely different idea of who he was in terms of gravel riding and racing. It was not that Mike wasn't good at gravel racing, because, obviously, he was. I was just under the impression he'd been at it for a long time, when in fact, it was all new to him, for the most part.

Anyway, give the episode a listen and if you like hearing about old, grassroots gravel events, you'll enjoy it, I think.  

A Borealis fat bike in 29"er mode I tested/reviewed in 2014

Borealis Pauses Business:

According to a Colorado news report seen on Facebook, Borealis Bicycles has decided to pause doing business effective at the end of July. 

Citing issues induced by the Trump tariffs, Borealis will sell through remaining stock and the owner said he'd wait to see what will happen after that.  Unfortunately the building Borealis uses and their employees will all be gone at the end of July.

Comments: Honestly, I thought Borealis was gone several years ago. But apparently they were still selling bikes assembled in Colorado. At any rate, this company joins Revel Bikes as recent casualties of tariff policies.

With still soft sales nationwide, I suspect this will not be the last we hear about a bicycle business shutting down.  

Nitto Introduces New Gravel Flared Drop Bar:

As seen on Soma Fabrications Facebook feed, it appears Nitto will have a new gravel oriented flared drop bar coming available soon. It will have "about 15° of flare, minimal reach, and drop. As you can see from the image, it will come in two colors. Soma says the bar will be available in only two widths in 31.8 mm clamp diameter and soon it will come in a 26.0 mm clamp diameter.

No price was listed and as of the time I wrote this, neither was it on Soma's site yet. 

Comments: The name? Uggh.... Whatever. There has always been a certain element of the cycling community which seems to think things having to do with gravel cycling need "cutesy" names. If you like this, fine. I think it is unnecessary. "M138" works for me.

As far as this offering is concerned, I think it is notable only because it is a Nitto product and that it is available in their silver anodized finish, which is really nice. If you are at all familiar with Nitto, you know what I mean.

Beyond this, it is a fine drop bar, but nothing unusual. there was a time when a bar like this would have caused quite the stir. This was when a flared drop bar was rare, and a Nitto offering then would have been a big deal. (I believe they had something early on in a flared drop, but I cannot recall now.)   

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

Ritchey Announces Their First Platform Pedal:

The Ritchey Bigfoot pedal just dropped on Wednesday and it is a nice choice in a flat pedal.

Boasting replaceable steel traction pins, a reinforced nylon body with an inner bushing and outer cartridge bearing, the Bigfoot should work across four season use. (Metal bodied pedals suck heat from your feet in Winter!)

The pedals will be available now in black with a Desert Sand color coming later in the  year. Price for these is a modest $44.95USD.  

Comments: This is great news. I love my Fyxation Mesa MP's and these pedals are very similar to my favorites. I have no doubt that these will be a great pedal for anyone looking into a flat pedal option and who doesn't want to spend a lot of money on them. My Fyxations hold up really well. In fact, I've yet to have a pair wear out or fail on me, but I do use them sparingly across several bicycles, so my usage case might be skewed a bit!

However; I stand by my recommendation, and especially if you want a nice pedal for cold weather riding. These will not act like a heat sink, sucking warmth from you feet through your boots/shoes like metal pedals can in colder weather.  

UnPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley Announces Cash Purses, More Rider Options For 2025:

A press release sent out late on Wednesday  announced new tweaks to the unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley Event. While all riders will receive a Whoopie Pie if they finish, now the full, 130 mile course riders will have a shot at a cash prize as well. Racers will vie for this prize over 13 hills, 11,500’ of climbing, and the infamous Longwell Draft “road” that was part of “The Difference” in the first few years of unPAved.

But if this is not for you, don't worry. unPAved routes are made up of interconnecting loops, so many options will be available to any rider. Here's a quote from the presser:

“It’s amazing to see the wide variety of gravel cyclists that come to unPAved,” said Cimarron Chacon, Race Director. “So, we’ve built the event to be with a lot of options. For those that want a big day, the Big Lick-200 is for the experienced backcountry adventurer. My favorite, the SlumberPArty, is a ride focused on camaraderie with a group camp-out and catered breakfast provided by Backyard Beans Coffee Company. And for those not quite ready to explore off road, we even have our FUNpaved rides on Saturday. There really is something for everyone at unPAved.”

Registration is open now HERE. unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley will be October 10 - 12 in Lewisburg PA.

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions! Get out and ride those bicycles! Special shout out to anyone going to The Heywood Ride tomorrow, Have a good time!

Continental Terra Adventure 700 x 45mm Tires Review: Update 1

 Note: Continental Tires sent Guitar Ted Productions two Terra Adventure 700 X 45mm tires for test and review at no charge. Guitar Ted was not paid, nor bribed, for this review. All opinions are Guitar Ted's.

 
The Continental Terra Adventure tires were introduced a little over a month ago HERE for review. Please check that post out for all of my impressions and the technical side regarding these gravel tires. In this post I will give my testing impressions of this aggressively treaded gravel tire from my riding on various surfaces ranging from pavement, dirt, and all sorts of gravel types.

I'll also get to my opinions on the width question later in this review, but for now, I wanted to share my mostly good impressions on this tire. It does several things quite well.

First of all, at lower pressures, it runs so smoothly with a damped quality which is very nice. In fact, I thought the tire was going flat after having ridden a stiffer tire for a bit on the same bike. (I am swapping wheels and tires for another story here on the blog) This smoother ride quality enhances comfort and reduces the amount of chatter reaching my hands to a great degree.

Continental doesn't talk much about what is going on with this casing or the rubber used, but whatever it is, I like it. I could not ask for a better feeling at the handlebars or saddle while riding these tires. For what it is worth, (which I would caution you is probably not much) I run these at 30psi. However; my pressure should not be yours and vice versa. There are a lot of reasons for this, but this is not the article for that discussion. (Read THIS if you want to dive into the subject.) 

These tires are also extremely quiet. I was very surprised by this as any gravel tire with an aggressive tread design usually has a singing quality on pavement. Not so with this tire. It makes a sound, but it is very subtle. 

Continental is using the "3-3-4 Center Stud tread design here. This is something borrowed from their XC MTB line of tires which is supposed to give you great low rolling resistance without compromising traction or braking as the shoulder knobs are angled for better grip.

What this means in reality is that the central rows of knobs account for the contact patch while riding in a straight line. The cornering knobs are almost on a different plane, or stepped down, from that centralized section. It is almost as if the central section, which is about 30mm in width is the "main riding portion" of this tire, and the rest is only applicable in deeper grounds or in turns where you would lean the bike over.

This works great on hard pack and on dirt where I was railing corners with a confident level of grip most gravel tires do not display. If I were running single track which was more dirt than not and pretty buff, this would be a great tire to consider.

However; this same characteristic works against the Terra Adventure when the gravel gets loose and chunky. The minimal amount of tread hitting the gravel, coupled with the rounded "C" profile of the tire on my 23mm inner width rims, makes for a nervous handling bike. A tire with a flatter profile would handle this sort of gravel much better, and not want to push rock aside and "hunt for the path of least resistance".

Okay, so now let's talk about this tire and the claimed width. Continental sells this as a 45mm tire. I have yet to reach this width with the tires I have being a bit less than 44mm wide each. Now, yes - On a wider internal width rim this tire might eek out a 45mm width. I'd be a lot more comfortable calling these 43mm tires than I would 45mm tires and the volume of the casing speaks to a 43mm tire more than it does a 45mm tire as well.

I know this Terra Adventure is a "sample of one", but I also have been testing tires since 2005 and mounting hundreds, if not thousands, of Continental tires over the span of a 30+ year career as a bicycle mechanic. My experience tells me this is commonplace for Continental tires to be "undersized" for their stated width. Use this information as you will. All I am saying is this undersized characteristic Continental tires have does not surprise me in the least.

So Far... From the viewpoint I would use for a 43mm tire, the Terra Adventure is a great tire for dirt, hard pack, and it rolls 'okay' on pavement. Deeper grounds in terms of sand, loose rock, or the like, can upset this tire and cause some handling quirks. Soft ground, some mud types, and wetter gravel (as long as the base is hard) would be fine with this tire. Surprisingly it lets loose of packed in soil pretty nicely. However; I'm still skeptical this tire would make a good mudder tire.

The ride quality is very good. Maybe one of the most damped tires I've ever used on gravel. If only the casing was not quite so rounded. Perhaps a wider inner rim width would solve a couple of issues here. This is something I think I will try now with the Terra Adventure. Look for a new update in about a month.