Monday News And Views

The Germans Are Coming! Yes folks, those Europeans are starting to discover big wheels and the Germans seem to be finally convinced they are not "trekking bikes". Take a look at this German forum link here. Also, a German brand by the name of "Bulls", (gotta love trans-cultural brand meanings!), has a press release here touting the benefits of the big wheels.

Twenty Nine Inches is also testing another German brand's bike, and that can be seen here. So, what could this all mean? Well, the German mtb market has traditionally led the way in terms of innovations and style in Europe, so with the additions of 29"ers to many of these brands lines, it could mean big things.....eventually, for 29"ers everywhere. Imagine more 29"er tires from Hutchinson, Michelin, Schwalbe, and Continental, for instance. Imagine a Magura Durin 29"er fork. Imagine more wheel offerings from Mavic and DT Swiss. More brands from Europe will bring more 29"er specific products. It could be huge for the 29"er marketplace here. I think it will be, given some time. In five years, things will be vastly different. Just stay tuned!

It Isn't Supposed To Work, But It Does: In the "don't try this at home" file, I have this to share. My Dos Niner, with Tiagra STI levers, is pulling Avid BB-7 Mtn calipers, and while that isn't supposed to work, it does. At least for me! You can see I have light around the rotor at the pads, and in the other pic, I have the lever bottomed out on the bar, (a Salsa Woodchipper), which if I did while riding would totally have the wheels locked up. Usually I never get anywhere that close to the bar in actual usage. The downside? The "window" of modulation- the point where pads contact the rotor to full lock up- is about a pull of about 5mm with these levers. It's scary to modulate, because they are almost- but not quite- "On-Off" levers/calipers. I have some Problem Solvers doohickeys that are going on to see if that will make things better, or worse. Stay tuned!

Wots In Th'box?: (Image cred: Salsa Cycles) This sneak peek has been driving some folks nuts. It is on the Salsa Cycles site. Today sometime they are supposedly taking the curtain down that shrouds this project in mystery. I don't know how much of this ol' Cagey McCagerson and his Crew are going to release, so I won't say anything now. I wish they would let the cat outta the bag, as it were, because I am almost 99% sure what it is and it is hard to keep quiet about such an exciting product.

Suffice it to say that Mr. McCagerson was right when he said to me several years ago that Salsa Cycles would continue to bring out bikes that I would want. I know I want this new one, because I've been wanting something like this for years.

Dang it! Why do you always have to be right about me and Salsa bikes, McCagerson? We must be on some kinda similar wavelength or sumpthin. Weird!

Well, anyway, I'll be watching the Salsa site with great interest today!