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| Fun while it lasted.... |
So, I have been in the game of switching gears mentally to spring time. Too early, you say? No.......no, spring is coming. I know. I heard the Cardinals start singing already, and that usually doesn't happen until mid-February. The forecast says 40's all week. I'm digging out the Gryphon and "Orange Crush" and I'm thinking long gravel rides are coming on fast.
I have an event coming up at the end of February too, so I need to get the gravel grinding done in preparation for CIRREM which is a hilly, challenging course. It is the same distance as Triple D was, so I should be okay with that part.
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| Single Gear Suffering? |
Plus, it has just been too long since I spent quality time aboard this bike. It certainly is a comfortable enough rig. I rode this one the last time I did Gravel Worlds in Lincoln, and spent all day on the bike. That didn't stop me that day, but the extreme heat sure did!
If I really wanted to be a goof ball I would just ride this in CIRREM. Who knows......maybe I will! Heck, it goes up hills just fine. I know that from my Nebraska trip. Just stand on those 180mm White Industries cranks and get goin! If CIRREM looks to be a peanut buttery mess, I definitely will be taking this rig.
Otherwise it'll be a Black Mountain Cycles kind of day. Either way, I will be needing to take some time plying some Iowa gravel roads and seeing what is going on out there in the country. The off road trails won't be up to snuff for quite a while yet, and the snow biking, well.......those days are done for this year.
Maybe I'm wrong about that, but I bet not.
Hey G.T what gearing are you running on the gryphon? I really love those bikes.
ReplyDelete@Ari: It is the 38 X 18 I ran for Gravel Worlds and I haven't swapped it out since. Great for SS gravel grinding for me. They are Home Brewed Components ring and cog, by the way.
ReplyDeleteEvery year the midwest warms up for a week or two during winter and everyone swears it's the beginning of spring. Then comes the sub-freezing temps for another month or so...Well, I'm not falling for it this year. Maybe that'll make your bet win out!
ReplyDelete@JR.Z: Really? A warm up in winter? Not around these parts for the past four or five years. I would agree that we "used to" get that, but when we did, it was from sub-zero to maybe a few days above 32 in January. We're talking 40's for a straight week, and with no snow cover after that?
ReplyDeleteYou tell me what that sounds like. :>)
I moved to Syracuse NY where last year at this time they had already had 100 inches of snow. To date there is 3 inches of snow on our lawn and tomorrow it is supposed to go up to 45 degrees. It has never done this since 1966. All the snowmobile business, skiing, etc has been a failure. Great for riding though!
ReplyDeleteStill not sure what I'm riding for CIRREM either. SS would be a challenge for me, but a good workout. If we had some snow on the ground, I'd consider the Mukluk. . Heck, I still might take it anyway. Drop bar SS Karate Monkey would work too. :)
ReplyDeleteHi. May I ask a really dumb question?
ReplyDeleteWhats the difference between this Gryphon and Salsa Fargo 1st gen? When you ride it?
Really? For me it's just two versions of the same bike.
One - singlespeed and internal gear hub capable, but absolutely not for touring
Second - touring capable, but not singlespeed...