Redshift Sports Quickdraw Saddle Bag: Review

Note: Redshift Sports sent over two Quickdraw Saddle Bags for test and review to Guitar Ted at no charge. Guitar Ted is not being paid, nor bribed for this review. All opinions are Guitar Ted's. 

Saddle bags, tool rolls, or seat packs. These accessory items go by various names depending upon who you speak to. The theme here is a bag, made from sturdy fabric, usually, which straps under a saddle. This bag can hold things like a spare tube, tools, or more if they are large. 

I don't know......there must be ten million variations on this theme out there. Anyone who has done any time cycling has seen one of these. You have to wonder, what could possibly be done to improve upon this idea? 

Well, leave it to the smart folks at Redshift Sports, who seem to keep cranking out new ideas, to come up with a twist on the old idea. Introducing the Quickdraw Saddle Bag. 

What It Is: Redshift calls this a saddle bag. I think it is almost a tool roll. Hmm.... Anyway, their take on this classic design is to make the space minimalist, and to attach it in a very unique way. The bag itself is rectangular in shape. I received both the Small and Medium sizes. Right now, this is all that is available. These measure approximately as such: 

Medium: 

Weight: 79gm bag only*

Length/Width/Depth: 125mm x 85mm x 55mm

Price: $69.99 USD ($99.99 CAD, £64.99 GBP, €74.99 EUR,$114.99 AUD)

Small:

Weight: 72 gm bag only*

Length/Width/Depth: 130mm x 85mm x 50mm 

Price:  $69.99 USD ($99.99 CAD, £64.99 GBP, €74.99 EUR,$114.99 AUD)

Other: Extra Strap/clips available for $19.99 USD ($29.99 CAD, £19.99 GBP, €24.99 EUR, $34.99 AUD) Lifetime warranty and 90 day risk-free trial. www.redshiftsports.com/products/quickdraw-saddle-bag

*Note: These are my measurements and may not reflect what you see for examples in your hands.The strap and saddle rail clip adds about 35 grams.

Okay, so these two sizes of the Quickdeaw Saddle Bag don't seem that different on paper, but in reality, they are very different, as far as what you can expect to carry inside of them.  

Speaking of the inside, you have a nice sealed zipper with a pull which has a shrink tube over cording that makes for a nice zipper pull. Now we get to one difference from most saddle bags. This bag opens "suitcase style". So the zipper goes around three sides and the bag opens up with a "lid" portion and a "body" portion. Inside you'll see some red lining, a nice contrasting color to most things you will carry, and an extra Neoprene black colored pouch/pocket in the "lid". 

The Quickdraw Saddle Bag is different in that it opens "suitcase" style. Note the inner pocket in the "lid". 

Both bags are not meant to be opened on the bike. So, just how does this bag come off? Well, now we're getting to the really interesting part. 

The Quickdraw Saddle Bag has a Neodymium magnet sewn on top of it and a matching magnet in the strap.  

 The Quickdraw Saddle Bag has a magnetic design. The magnets are what allows you to quickly take the bag on and off your bike. Thus the name. One magnet is sewn on top of the bag itself. The other is part of the strap design, which includes a saddle rail clip. This clip centers the magnet on the strap between the rails. Then the bag snaps into place the same way every time. The strap is the "insurance" that the bag stays put. What is more, the strap can be loosened just enough to remove the bag and when it is replaced, you can simply tighten the strap with a pull and the hook and loop material does what it does. 

A look at the saddle rail clips and strap with central magnetic "box" on an old Campy Aero seat post. 

 Features:

Here is a list of features and benefits from Redshift's press release: 

  Super Fast Access & Removal: Engineered for seamless one-handed operation, allowing you to hold your bike with one hand while removing or attaching the bag with the other.

•  Zero-Fuss Magnetic Mounting: An internal magnet holds the bag securely in place while you compress and lock it in place with the single main strap—no more tedious looping around saddle rails to reattach.
•  Multi-Bike Versatility: Purchase a second strap for another bike and seamlessly swap the Quickdraw bag between bikes.
•  Dropper & Suspension Seatpost Compatible: The bag mounts securely to the saddle rails alone and does not contact the seatpost, ensuring flawless operation on dropper posts and suspension seatposts.
•   Luggage-Style Opening: Unzip and open the bag like a book: you can access all your gear without the risk of it all falling out. The high-visibility interior lining makes it easy to see everything you have.
•  Smart Internal Storage: The bag features a dedicated interior neoprene pocket for your multi-tool or other items you want kept separate. 
•  Optimized for Every Discipline: Available in two sizes: small for road and narrow tire gravel and medium for MTB and wider tire gravel.

Impressions:

The bags are well made using abrasion resistant fabrics and there are reflective elements incorporated into the design as well for better nighttime visibility. The zippers are weatherproof and glide open and shut easily. 

Redshift designed the saddle rail clips to be secure and not so bulky or long that you cannot use the Quickdraw Saddle Bag. For instance, I have a bike set up with an SMP Pro saddle and to get my position correct, I have it slid forward on its rails quite a bit. This leaves little exposed rail in the back to attach most saddle bags. In some instances, a saddle bag would not work. 

Due to the design of the Quickdraw's saddle rail clamp, I was able to get the bag on this saddle. I thought this was impressive. If you typically run your saddle forward, and have had past difficulties finding a nice seat bag, the Quickdraw may be an answer for you.  

I would classify the Quickdraw as a minimalist bag. This is not the bag you are going to stuff with an extra windbreaker, a sandwich, and all your repair tools. This is much more akin to a flat repair type bag, although it can do a little more than this. I have ideas, which I will share later. 

Overall, the design is solid, and it looks classy. This bag is easily removed, and re-installed. A plus over many other bags and which lends it to being used in different ways. Redshift offers extra straps/saddle rail clip assemblies separately, so you can set your entire fleet up with straps and just transfer a single bag around as necessary. A smart way to go if you own and ride multiple bicycles. 

The Medium Quickdraw with some cargo installed

 How I Used The Quickdraw Saddle Bag:

I grabbed some tubes and multi-tools, with a tire lever for each bag, and used the Quickdraw as a flat repair kit to get the test rolling. Strapping on one Quickdraw to my Raleigh Tamland Two and the other to my Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4, I was ready to test. While I could have tried other cargo, I always do this basic test with bags. Once while testing a tool roll I had set up with some of my prized, on-the-bike repair items, I lost the entire tool roll on a ride due to a flaw in the bag's design. So..... once bitten, twice shy!

My Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4 on the morning of a metric century. The Quickdraw looks right on point here. 

 Ride Impressions:

Of course, the two main functions of any bag on a bicycle is to (a) not fall off, and (b) hold your stuff without breaking. look good, and not be a nuisance while riding. (Okay, I stuffed a couple of extras in there!)  

The Quickdraw Saddlebag does all this and more. No rattles, nothing to even indicate it is on the bike, which is a good thing. I rode a metric gravel century, many multi-surface rides, and did some rougher stuff just to make sure the strap and magnet would hold up. It all works just fine. I really see no reason at all to doubt the integrity of this product.  

My only negative thing I found was that these bags, while weather resistant, are not waterproof. I conducted a rain test, since it was so rainy here recently. The material the bag is made from wetted out after an hour sitting in a moderate rain. Your cargo will get wet on a longer, rainy, wet ride. So, just be aware of that if you carry steel tools or anything which might get damaged by wetness in the Quickdraw.  

The Quickdraw Saddle Bag on my Raleigh Tamland Two

Overall Thoughts:

In the future, I probably wouldn't use the Quickdraw Saddle Bag as a tool kit, Here's why: Because it is easily removable. This got me to considering something during the metric century ride I did. 

Many of the rides I enjoy involve stopping with friends at convenience stores, coffee shops, or bakeries. Fiddling with cash, cards, and receipts can be a hassle when you are in a hurry to get through a checkout. Scooping up your booty is chaos at times. And where do you stuff this on your bike?. Your jersey pockets? They get sweaty. No good. 

I'd thought about using the Quickdraw as my "wallet". A place to store my card, money, receipts, and extra camera batteries, or personal items. The bag is so easily taken off and replaced on your bike you can use the Quickdraw in this manner. This is not the case with most other seat packs. The suitcase style opening makes seeing what is in there a breeze. This also prevents stuff from inside falling out on the ground. Plus, and most importantly, the strap stays on the bike. So the bag is essentially like a mini-purse, in a way. I don't mind saying I quite like this idea. 

I also thought this bag would be great little organizer inside a larger bag. Say you want to have personal items, or smaller repair spares separated within a larger bag with no inner pockets. This Quickdraw bag could be a way to quickly access those items without digging through a bunch of stuff floating around inside a bigger bag. 

Of course, if you want to stuff the Quickdraw bag with tools, TPU tubes, or a bottle of chain lube, that is appropriate and smart as well. One thing I will note here is that the ever more popular mini-compressors may not fit this bag, and if they do, it would be all you'd get in there, I think. I found a few which, if the dimensions are correct, would fit, but these would leave little room for anything beside the compressor. 

 Final Thoughts:

Not all bags work for everyone, and this is why we have different bags. The Redshift folks took a stab at the minimalist seat pack, and came away with something which is truly unique, and actually makes sense. 

This is not an easy thing to accomplish after decades of saddle bag designs which have flooded the market. Looking at it this way,  Redshift Sports has impressed me and I appreciate this bag range from that standpoint. 

But besides the smart design, it is a well made and easily used product. If the Quickdraw Saddlebag fits what you need from an on-bike storage solution, then I cannot think of anything I could recommend above this bag. Yes, I do like other bags for different reasons, but because this bag works in the manner it does, I feel it has versatility other seat packs simply do not possess. 

Also, the Quickdraw bags seems to be well made, durable, and they look great on the bike. I can recommend this bag as a minimalist tool bag, or as a way to carry important smaller items with you on and off the bicycle. However you decide to employ the Quickdraw Saddle Bag, I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

Observations

Stan's products recently reviewed here.

 I was considering how 2026 has been a little quiet in terms of new products recently. While I am far from being "in-tune" with the latest goings on with the bicycle industry, it is not hard to see the void in news over the Summer. 

This has been reflected in reviews I've seen and in terms of reviews I've been asked to do as well. There just seems to be a quiet all along the cycling continuum in terms of releases and innovations. 

I think there are some obvious reasons for this. The economy being one. Lack of buyer enthusiasm another. But I think there is one hidden driver in this which many of you may have not considered. 

In terms of marketing, the cycling industry gets a lot of criticism from its audience. While it may seem the marketing departments at cycling brands and the independent market firms have too much weight in terms of what we get to choose from, this industry pales in comparison to most others. 

Automotive has a huge, over-arching impact on not only its market, but on entire economies. Consumer electronics dwarfs the impact of cycling brands.The amounts of money being slung around by those marketing departments would make cycling brand budgets look silly. 

I point this out because any dip in marketing, research and development, or investments in the cycling industry have far more impact on the market in terms of percentages compared to the massive amounts of money being thrown around in other industries. We feel this in subtle ways. One of those ways is in terms of new product introductions. 

In 2011, the cycling industry decided for you that 650B MTB was going to be the "enduro bike" standard. So out with 26" wheels, forget about 29"ers - those wheels would never work in a long travel application - and get ready for 27.5"ers! So much horsepower was diverted toward this movement that, as a reviewer of all things 29"er at the time, I felt immediate impact. 

Ad dollars for the 29"er site dried up. Test bikes and 29"er specific stuff was rare to get our hands on. We almost shuttered the deal in 2012 it was so bad. But then the tide turned again, and 29"ers began to overtake 650B in the enduro field, and elsewhere, so the site soldiered on for a few more years.  

That example is what is happening now, it's just that the categories are different now. Gravel racing, e-MTB, and now 32"ers, are where you are seeing the money being directed toward these days. Cycling categories outside of this aren't getting much attention, unless you want to lump in the pseudo-gravel bikes called "endurance bikes" into this mix. It's still about Gravel™, so whatever. 

This combined with the economic stresses we are weathering is really putting a cap on newer innovations, introductions, and the reviews and news which follows that. 

Deconstruction: Part 1

Well, since I've been getting rained out here I figured I may as well get cracking on with the new wheel build for the Fargo Gen I. "New" as in a new assemblage of older parts I have. The spokes and nipples may be the only new thing I use. 

The rims will be the venerable Bontrager Duster rims. These were off the Trek Sawyer I once had. The hubs will be the old Chris King hubs, the very same hub set I used over a decade ago during the "Mud Year" of 2015 at the DK200. 

The plan will be to do the "Guitar Ted Special" build, which is black spokes on one side, silver on the other, with one wheel having a reverse arrangement from the other. Black spokes will get silver nipples and silver spokes will get black nipples. I know, it sounds weird, but it looks rad - to my eyes - and I have a few wheel sets already built up using this scheme. 

Other details will include removal of the stickers on the rims, getting the hubs checked out inside, and re-using the Bontrager TLR rim strips. Bontrager TLR Rim strips? Yes..... I'll show you. 

But first, I had to begin things by blowing apart the old wheels. Let the deconstruction commence!

Dismounting the Extraterrestrials was no small task. This was due mostly to the TLR rim strip. Dislodging the bead of the tire from the bead channel molded into the TLR rim strip is a chore. Good thing if you flat while riding because it is unlikely the TLR rim strip will let your tire go. Bad if you want to actually remove a tire. 

So, to dislodge the bead from the TLR bead channel, I devised a tool from a Pedros tire lever. The purpose of this was to push the bead over the inner part of the bead channel and into the rim well. It worked! Good thing because I could not roll it off with my hands at all. 

After this, you'd think things would get easier. Nope! Next you have to remove the TLR rim strip to reveal the spoke holes and nipples. You want to do this very carefully. The reason being is that the edges of the rim strip are delicate and it is easy to damage the molded strip. I was able to get it out okay. 

Then all I needed to do was start cleaning things up and move on to the next wheel. But I won't get into all of that here. The next update will show you the rims cleaned up and what my spokes will be for the build. After this, I need to verify the condition of the rear King hub, in particular, and build up the wheels, of course. 

The TLR rim strip in situ.

 

Here the TLR rim strip is removed.

One more thing about the system. This was the first, good tubeless rim system ever made. Everything fit together like puzzle pices, but you were locked into Bontrager stuff. Maybe not necessarily in regard to tires, but the rim, rim strip, and valve were all proprietary technology. Brilliant in design though, and it worked perfect most every time. 

No tape to fail, tires were held securely, and things were serviceable. It's too bad it wasn't an industry wide standard, really. Anyway.... 

Stay tuned. 

CORE-Wet

Today CORE4 is supposedly happening. (Note- I wrote this post up before Saturday, so if it was postponed/cancelled, I didn't know about it yet)

Rain has plagued Iowa, and especially the center section of the state from East to West, all week long with flash flood emergencies being issued by the National Weather Service. Rain came down hard on the course Friday morning and overnight as well. 

I spoke with N.Y. Roll on Friday 'fore-noon' and he mentioned the courses for wet weather were all in effect except the Pro 120. Furthermore, parking at the venue is now banned and has been moved approximately three miles away to a paved lot area. There will be shuttles available for volunteers, spectators, and runners, but cyclists will have to ride that three-ish miles to the start and back again to the lot. I'm going to assume Pros will have rides provided by team members or sponsors. 

It promises to be chaotic, stressful, and possibly quite the adventure. As a former event promoter, I know all to well about last minute weather intrusions and having to adjust accordingly. I have also ridden in events which were modified by weather. So, I've experienced both sides. 

My hope is the attendees have some grace with the promoters. Getting the event in some way is going to be their top priority balanced with rider safety. It is NOT an easy thing to do. It IS easy to get on your digital soapbox afterward and complain bitterly about how "this or that" sucked and should have been done in a different way. (Although most folks never offer any real, applicable solutions)

Well, we shall see what happens soon enough. Maybe N.Y. Roll with have an eyewitness report if he decides to go take this event on after all. 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Trek Bicycles.

Mazda Becomes Official Vehicle Of Trek Off-Road Teams In North America:

On Tuesday a press release went out declaring the Mazda has become the Official Vehicle of Trek North American Off-Road Teams and events. 

Mazda will provide the CX-50 model to Trek in a "multi-year" deal. These vehicles will appear at North American XC MTB events, DH events, and at select gravel events under the "DRFTLSS" moniker. (DRFTLSS example shown) 

Comments: Old timers will recall the Trek VW MTB Team and how they were a staple of the NORBA scene in the mid to late 90's. There were some Trek VW mountain bike models made and sold at dealers, but no such plan has been revealed for this new partnership with Mazda. 

Yeah.....gravel events have come a long, long way. Team cars at gravel events? With big time sponsorship from a worldwide automaker? Crazy.....  I just shake my head in wonder.

Then there is this current trend to avoid vowels. I'm going to say it - I don't like it. I know...... Maybe I'm a fuddy-duddy, but spelling is important to me. At least it seems the terms "groadie" and "groad" have quietly been retired. Those were just plain stupid. I always despised those two terms.

Image courtesy of Trek Bicycles

 You're Almost There!

The "endurance" geometry road bikes have been creeping into "gravel bike" territory for the last couple of years. On Thursday Trek released the fifth generation of the Domane. It is another step closer to where I thought road bikes for the average folks should be at back in 2010. 

Featuring the new frame and fork which has retired the use of IsoSpeed (thankfully!), Trek has otherwise designed in a compliant seat post, (A ROUND seat post? gasp!) and given the bike clearance for tires up to 40mm. The geometry is pretty much "first generation" gravel bike geo, and hilariously, they ditched the down tube storage to lighten the frame. (Take that N.Y. Roll!)  

There are several models to choose from starting at about 8K and going up from there. 

Comments: First of all, Trek's website navigation is a disaster. It seems overly-complex and offensive in its barrage of visual information. Maybe that's just me, but I've seen far easier sites to look at. That much I do know.... 

Okay, the bikes! Well, I find it very interesting that, ten years ago, this would have been a top tier gravel bike without question. Checking into some details, there is even a frame bag mount and a custom fitted bag available for this Domane along with a top tube bag. Fully kitted out, a new Gen 5 Domane would slip right into any current gravel event and no one would bat an eyelash.  

There is a white paper page which goes into all the nerdy details of the ditching of IsoSpeed. I found it fascinating to read that Trek credits tire volumes and disc brakes as things which have negated the need for decoupling their frames. They credit flexing seat posts as a benefit as well as their trotting out the old saw of "vertical compliance and lateral stiffness". (HA!) 

I'm glad Trek figured it out, (finally), but they need to go just a little further with this. Give me clearance for 42/43mm tires, (or 45mm, since the tire folks have kinda landed on a 40-45-50 scheme), and slacken that head angle a half degree or so and we're there. Domane AllRoad, I'd call it. Oh! And maybe not make the entry level bike so dang expensive (carbon), 8K is nuts.  

 

Accell Group Declared Bankrupt By Dutch Court:

In news from the bicycle industry, it was revealed on Wednesday that a Dutch court had declared Accell Group and its brands bankrupt. This is an escalation from the previous designation by the courts which would have provided a means of restructuring the company. 

Accell Group owns the brands Raleigh, Lapierre, Ghost, Haibike, and others. The status of these subsidiaries is  complex due to the multi-national situation. Lapierre, for instance, is seeking to find its way independently, but the success of this move has yet to be determined. 

You can see more details in the story posted on "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" 

Comments: This seemed to me to be the most probable end-game for Accell, who have struggled mightily since the pandemic. It would be easy to blame that time for this news, but I feel Accell's problems started well before this. 

Now.....this is just my opinion, but as I was working at a Raleigh dealer in the USA in the 2010's, I can say that Raleigh was at their pinnacle of potential here in 2014. In that year Raleigh introduced the Tamland range. It was one of the very first, purpose-designed bicycles for gravel. It also sold very well. Raleigh could have made a big dent in the gravel market. 

However; shortly afterward, Raleigh started a consumer direct model of selling bicycles, which Raleigh's US based dealer network was not happy about. 

Subsequently their dealership numbers faded quickly here. This coupled with Raleigh's too soon timing of their D2C move essentially erased Raleigh's presence from the US bicycle market. It could have gone so much differently, but the D2C thing along with a lack of vision for the Tamland and successors in the gravel range pretty much set the tone for what happened after the pandemic.   

unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley Announces 2026 Events:

A press release sent out on Wednesday announced the details on the 9th unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley events for 2026. This year the unPAved weekend will be on October 10th - 11th in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. 

Some details include:

Race for Whoopie Pies: For those who want a place on the podium and part of a $3,000 cash purse we've got the Full-130 course battled out over four timed segments that add up to 59 total miles (45% of the full route) of gravel racing. And if that’s not enough, there's the Big Lick-200 for the ultra endurance folks that prefer to race through the night.

Ride at Pierogies Pace: For those just looking for the vibes and the views we've got four choose-your-own-adventure courses from just over 50 miles to the Full-130 course at a civilized pace and lower price. Plus we have added two new courses (40 and 70 miles) for our Pierogi Pacers in 2026 that will start and finish at the Rusty Rail Brewing Company in Mifflinburg, PA.

Have a SlumberPArty: If you're all about gravelmaxxing the weekend our SlumberPArty gives you two days to ride the course. Roll out on Saturday, camp overnight at R.B. Winter State Park, and finish the course with the other riders Sunday. We'll even ferry your gear to and from camp.

Weekend Full of Activities: unPAved has grown from a single-day event to a full 3-day weekend, with gatherings starting on Friday night, and on Saturday there’s the Lewisburg Fall Festival with FUNpaved Rides, vendors, crafters, and kids’ activities followed up by the unPAved Film Festival at the historic Campus Theatre in downtown Lewisburg, PA.

Comments: Highly recommended event and one of the very best gravel events anywhere. Especially for anyone on the East Coast. Register HERE

No Powerline?

Wildfire damage has altered the course for this weekend's Leadville event taking out an iconic climb and making the overall elevation gain for the event less than it typically has. 

Storylines for this year include Quin Simmons attempt at the Men's win, Last year's Woman's winner, Kate Courtney's attempt two double up, 32"ers making a dent, and the 5DEV company offering 12K plus a little to anyone who can win using their Shredville Mount, a system which allows one to use road controls on a flat bar. 

Lots of weirdness possibilities this year, which I think is fun. We'll see how it all turns out. 

Okay, that is a wrap for this week! Get out and ride those bikes! Summer is fading fast!

Two Things

Graphic courtesy of Max Velocity YouTube channel

 Wet Weather, Dumb Decisions Hinder Riding:

I've been wanting to get back on the bike and do some chain lube testing, but the weather isn't having any of that. And neither has my gut, but that part is my fault. I'll explain. 

We've been getting rained on at times when I could go out, and when I have had dry periods, it's been so humid that I just don't have the gumption to pedal through it. Not when the heat index is near or at 100°F. That's not good for me. 

And then I did something dumb last Friday and ate a big bowl of ice cream at a friends ice cream shop he was proud to show me. And on an empty stomach. This caused big intestinal issues over the weekend. (Perhaps I'm more lactose intolerant than I thought), and I suffered like a dog until Monday. So, yeah....

Good times. 

Moving forward, I will have to get in rides whenever I can. Today is sketch. Friday we get more rain, and so on and on...

The good news is this won't last, but this certainly hasn't been a very productive time. 

The Last Chapter

Well, this week I finally got my BRAN 44 jersey. To be fair, I did not order it in time for the ride. Also, it came right when it was expected to. No disappointments there. 

But it is the final line in the BRAN 44 story for me. It's kind of funny now, but I was not really knowing what to expect out of this ride when I left Waterloo, Iowa on June 5th. 

It could have been a real slog. I wasn't trained up as good as I would have liked to have been, but then again, I had about a month's notice, so..... 

It could have been a bad experience. But thankfully, it was far from that. In fact, it was more than I could have imagined it to be. Which isn't usually the expectation for an event. 

But BRAN lived up to the reputation I had heard about it from others and even they did not convey the experience I actually had, but then again, who could have predicted I'd randomly meet Jacquie Phelan on this ride? 

Well, the answer is no one could have. And that wasn't all.  

My family thinks the jersey looks nice. It is pretty cool. 

I did not have to get it. I have more jerseys than I really need. But as I told the family, I may never get out to ride that ride again, so...why not? It's a good souvenir, at the least, and a decent jersey which is unlike anything else in my collection. So, it works for me. 

I met some very nice people on this ride. I think it is one of the benefits of any sort of travel. You leave behind the masks of socialization, the ability to hide behind a keyboard, and deal with people face to face on common ground. It's something more of us should be doing. 

Yeah.....I suppose for younger people it could be scary. But maybe us older folks are just putting limitations on them with our views of screen-raised younginz. I think this kind of backdrop to looking at society is not exactly how it works out in the field. There, in rural Nebraska, I was riding with a teenager. He got along with us just fine. It didn't mater that I was his grandfather's age, and I didn't care that he was a bit of a whippersnapper. We communicated just fine. 

But more to the point - we had different world views. Many of us did. But.....it doesn't really matter when you are together encouraging each other up steep hills. We are more the same than we think. 

That's what this jersey will remind me of when I wear it.  

Rim Wars: Sometimes The Solution Is Right In Front Of You.

Just the other day 'shiggy person' asked me to see if I had a Surly Extraterrestrial to measure. Well, in fact, I do. 

The wheel set I rode last year for the Ride For Jacob is the original wheel set from a Trek Sawyer I used to have, Because the wheel was spec'ed with a heavy Shimano hub set, I was not too stoked about riding them and ended up throwing various different wheels at that bike until I sold it. 

The ironic bit is that the Sawyer had the Chris King hubs on it when I sold it. But those were offered back to me earlier this year and I bought them to use for a nice wheel set for the Fargo Gen I,

Which....again in a bit of irony..was the bike I used the Bontrager Duster/Shimano hub set on when I did the Ride For Jacob last year. Again, this wheel set hasn't been a favorite of mine but the Duster rims best suited the Extraterrestrials, so I rolled them. 

So, while I was measuring the Extraterrestrial for 'shiggy', (62.63mm @ 19psi, by the way), I realized that I would like this wheel a lot better if the Chris King hubs were laced in their. 

Boom.....

So I think this is the direction I'm going to go in. I'll set up the Dusters with the King hub set. Then The Surly tires will go back on. Problem solved.