Friday News And Views

Mike Johnson (foreground), from T.I.V8

How Many Miles Do You Have In This Month? 

I was at the shop today and the talk turned to local rider, Mike Johnson, who is accomplishing something pretty heady. He's about 2/3rds of the way through a 2700 plus mile ride. With just a bit more than 900 miles left to go, Mike has ridden over 1700 miles in two weeks. Off pavement for most of it. Over mountains, through snow, rain, and desert. By himself much of that time.

Over 1700 miles. In two weeks! That's more miles than many put in for a whole year! It's pretty amazing what you can do on a bicycle if you put your mind to it.

Follow along with the end of Mike's trek from North to South along the Great Divide Route by checking his Spot tracker page here.

Mike is on track for about a 25 day finish. There still are several mountain passes, desert, fire dangers, and more that he has yet to tackle. Oh......and check the Track Leaders main page. Lots of unbelievable feats of cycling going on this month!I'll be cheering on Mike from here, and continue being the "blue dot junkie" that I am.

The steed for the weekend.

Odin's Revenge:

Today I am not working, but I am traveling toward my date with some rustic roads in Nebraska. Odin's Revenge is a 150-ish mile long event that will be a good time and test my body and mind as I attempt to ride about as far as I ever have in one sitting. (My "PR" is something just over 160 in a day.)

I'll be bringing back a special report from Nebraska and possibly will post a couple audio-blog reports if I can.

The bike will be the Fargo Gen 1 and I've got her tuned and ready for a long ride. The bike shouldn't be an issue. Maybe I will be! At any rate, my main goals are to finish, have fun doing it, and have a good time with some people I don't get to see very often.

3GR: 

Obviously, I won't be here for 3GR, but if anyone wants to ride it on their own that knows the new route, they are welcome. I would suspect that Cedar Falls is still suffering from flooding, so my advice would be to satrt at Gates Park Swimming Pool parking lot at 8:30am.

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: 

The GTDRI is getting fine tuned by the great folks over at the Slender Fungus Cycling Association. President Ari says that we'll be doing a 135 mile route and that there are fantastic spots lined up for breakfast at about Mile 35, and lunch at a sweet burger joint. There will be B Maintenance Roads, lots of hills, and suffering with like minded folks.

President Ari also advises that all be prepared to start in the dark. We'll be setting off at 5:00am sharp to make sure we can log all 135 glorious Jackson County Iowa miles. There is a "Short Route" of about 65 miles for those wanting just a metric. There is a leader assigned to keep those short termers in line as well!

The GTDRI is welcoming any and all intrepid gravelists to be there for this no-drop ride. But know that it will be a huge test of strength, fitness, and mental acuity. This will not be an easy ride! The date is July 14th. Be there!

Friday News And Views

Mike Johnson (foreground), from T.I.V8

How Many Miles Do You Have In This Month? 

I was at the shop today and the talk turned to local rider, Mike Johnson, who is accomplishing something pretty heady. He's about 2/3rds of the way through a 2700 plus mile ride. With just a bit more than 900 miles left to go, Mike has ridden over 1700 miles in two weeks. Off pavement for most of it. Over mountains, through snow, rain, and desert. By himself much of that time.

Over 1700 miles. In two weeks! That's more miles than many put in for a whole year! It's pretty amazing what you can do on a bicycle if you put your mind to it.

Follow along with the end of Mike's trek from North to South along the Great Divide Route by checking his Spot tracker page here.

Mike is on track for about a 25 day finish. There still are several mountain passes, desert, fire dangers, and more that he has yet to tackle. Oh......and check the Track Leaders main page. Lots of unbelievable feats of cycling going on this month!I'll be cheering on Mike from here, and continue being the "blue dot junkie" that I am.

The steed for the weekend.

Odin's Revenge:

Today I am not working, but I am traveling toward my date with some rustic roads in Nebraska. Odin's Revenge is a 150-ish mile long event that will be a good time and test my body and mind as I attempt to ride about as far as I ever have in one sitting. (My "PR" is something just over 160 in a day.)

I'll be bringing back a special report from Nebraska and possibly will post a couple audio-blog reports if I can.

The bike will be the Fargo Gen 1 and I've got her tuned and ready for a long ride. The bike shouldn't be an issue. Maybe I will be! At any rate, my main goals are to finish, have fun doing it, and have a good time with some people I don't get to see very often.

3GR: 

Obviously, I won't be here for 3GR, but if anyone wants to ride it on their own that knows the new route, they are welcome. I would suspect that Cedar Falls is still suffering from flooding, so my advice would be to satrt at Gates Park Swimming Pool parking lot at 8:30am.

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: 

The GTDRI is getting fine tuned by the great folks over at the Slender Fungus Cycling Association. President Ari says that we'll be doing a 135 mile route and that there are fantastic spots lined up for breakfast at about Mile 35, and lunch at a sweet burger joint. There will be B Maintenance Roads, lots of hills, and suffering with like minded folks.

President Ari also advises that all be prepared to start in the dark. We'll be setting off at 5:00am sharp to make sure we can log all 135 glorious Jackson County Iowa miles. There is a "Short Route" of about 65 miles for those wanting just a metric. There is a leader assigned to keep those short termers in line as well!

The GTDRI is welcoming any and all intrepid gravelists to be there for this no-drop ride. But know that it will be a huge test of strength, fitness, and mental acuity. This will not be an easy ride! The date is July 14th. Be there!

Announcing The "New" Gravel Grinder News

Finally! It emerges from the primordial ooze!

Wednesday is usually my day off from wrenching at the shop. I usually have a pretty chill schedule which includes a bike ride somewhere on some bicycle or another. But this Wednesday was not to be anything like that....

Going back to 2008, I had an idea on this blog. I thought "somebody" ought to be cataloging these gravel events into a list where we could find information on them, plan dates to attend, and maybe show the "world out there" that there were more events going on than they thought. Well, that "somebody" turned out to be me in the end. I found a new home for the Trans Iowa History site I had been working on, and turned that old Blogger site into "Gravel Grinder News". 

I figured that while I didn't need a fifth blog to watch over, it would be easy to just add links whenever the odd gravel event popped up in my inbox. The thing was, I got a lot more events sent to me than I ever thought I would. I kept finding out about others by word of mouth, looking at Facebook, and perusing Twitter. Then I got a review written on a Salsa Cycles rig. A new model at the time dubbed the "Vaya". My good buddy, MG suggested we try a review, and the next thing ya know, traffic on the site went berserk compared to pre-review days. It only got worse after that. Well......worse if your original intentions were to just have an easy to maintain list of events!

So, in an effort to make the site more than just an after-thought, to make it easier to use for the riders out there, and to satisfy an emerging demand I was seeing from the industry for a place like this, I suggested to my buddy in California, Grannygear, that we move forward on an idea he pitched to me to upgrade Gravel Grinder News to reflect all those things. To make it better than it was.

Riding into the future....

Grannygear and I started this project in earnest at the beginning of this year. We looked at tons of ideas, kicked around a lot of concepts, and got a development site going where we could play with, experiment with, and tweak out our ideas. Things were cruising along really, really well. That is until some interweb behemoth called "Google" reared its ugly head and stymied our intentions.

Well, we've got "real jobs", real lives, and families. It isn't like we can work on stuff like Gravel Grinder News whenever we want, and many times we can't get to it when even when we are free to do so.  Anyway, the thing sat dead in the water for weeks. Meanwhile Trans Iowa happened, a family vacation, work, and well......you get the idea.

Then Wednesday came: I was trying to squeeze in a lot on Wednesday. I wanted to get some work done, so I could leave Friday to attend Odin's Revenge, which I was going to have to travel most of that day for. That meant no work on Friday. I also was dreaming of getting out for a bit of ride testing for Twenty Nine Inches, which has been sparse due to the very wet weather we've had around here. It had rained Tuesday evening......again! So, I went to work first, thinking later on, it may be okay for a ride.

Then I got a call from Grannygear. He was making headway on the switchover, but a new snafu had arisen. I made a suggestion, and after a couple more phone calls, it was looking good to go. Meanwhile I had a couple packages to mail out, one which I had to do some online research to get the postage right. This was cutting into my time! I was a bit frantic, and then I got a call that the site was live, in the meantime, I missed an important call from family. Wondering what the heck that call could have been for made me more amped. Then I found out the reason for the call. My Uncle Paul had died.

Okay....so I had to do a few quick things to get the news on GGN out, post a promised review up on GGN that I had said would be on the site when it went live, get the packages mailed, and deal with the news I had gotten. Needless to say, I was wrecked. I didn't get that ride in. But.....anyway.....Gravel Grinder News new site is finally live! 

All that to let you know the site is live. I just felt I needed to get the story off my chest, to let some folks know what the deal was who were "in the know" about the changes, and not to gain any sympathy for my troubles. It's been a tempestuous week so far, with many ups and downs, but getting this site upgraded and changed is a goal that Grannygear and I have had for a while. I am happy we've reached it, and I hope all that check out GGN find it to be an improvement, useful, and worthwhile.

We're particularly proud of the Calendar Of Events, which we hope will be much easier and informative to use. Check it out when you get the time. It's really the whole reason for the site in the first place. We're also going to, (hopefully), get more contributions from our riders in the field, like MG, who has contributed another great bike review on the Singular Kite here. Look for more from him and from Monika Sattler, whose articles will be re-posted from the old site very soon. There will be some reviews on gear being completed soon, which you will see, mostly on tires. Stay tuned!

Thanks for supporting Gravel Grinder News, and as always, keep sending in the news on events and I will get them on the calendar.

 

Announcing The "New" Gravel Grinder News

Finally! It emerges from the primordial ooze!

Wednesday is usually my day off from wrenching at the shop. I usually have a pretty chill schedule which includes a bike ride somewhere on some bicycle or another. But this Wednesday was not to be anything like that....

Going back to 2008, I had an idea on this blog. I thought "somebody" ought to be cataloging these gravel events into a list where we could find information on them, plan dates to attend, and maybe show the "world out there" that there were more events going on than they thought. Well, that "somebody" turned out to be me in the end. I found a new home for the Trans Iowa History site I had been working on, and turned that old Blogger site into "Gravel Grinder News". 

I figured that while I didn't need a fifth blog to watch over, it would be easy to just add links whenever the odd gravel event popped up in my inbox. The thing was, I got a lot more events sent to me than I ever thought I would. I kept finding out about others by word of mouth, looking at Facebook, and perusing Twitter. Then I got a review written on a Salsa Cycles rig. A new model at the time dubbed the "Vaya". My good buddy, MG suggested we try a review, and the next thing ya know, traffic on the site went berserk compared to pre-review days. It only got worse after that. Well......worse if your original intentions were to just have an easy to maintain list of events!

So, in an effort to make the site more than just an after-thought, to make it easier to use for the riders out there, and to satisfy an emerging demand I was seeing from the industry for a place like this, I suggested to my buddy in California, Grannygear, that we move forward on an idea he pitched to me to upgrade Gravel Grinder News to reflect all those things. To make it better than it was.

Riding into the future....

Grannygear and I started this project in earnest at the beginning of this year. We looked at tons of ideas, kicked around a lot of concepts, and got a development site going where we could play with, experiment with, and tweak out our ideas. Things were cruising along really, really well. That is until some interweb behemoth called "Google" reared its ugly head and stymied our intentions.

Well, we've got "real jobs", real lives, and families. It isn't like we can work on stuff like Gravel Grinder News whenever we want, and many times we can't get to it when even when we are free to do so.  Anyway, the thing sat dead in the water for weeks. Meanwhile Trans Iowa happened, a family vacation, work, and well......you get the idea.

Then Wednesday came: I was trying to squeeze in a lot on Wednesday. I wanted to get some work done, so I could leave Friday to attend Odin's Revenge, which I was going to have to travel most of that day for. That meant no work on Friday. I also was dreaming of getting out for a bit of ride testing for Twenty Nine Inches, which has been sparse due to the very wet weather we've had around here. It had rained Tuesday evening......again! So, I went to work first, thinking later on, it may be okay for a ride.

Then I got a call from Grannygear. He was making headway on the switchover, but a new snafu had arisen. I made a suggestion, and after a couple more phone calls, it was looking good to go. Meanwhile I had a couple packages to mail out, one which I had to do some online research to get the postage right. This was cutting into my time! I was a bit frantic, and then I got a call that the site was live, in the meantime, I missed an important call from family. Wondering what the heck that call could have been for made me more amped. Then I found out the reason for the call. My Uncle Paul had died.

Okay....so I had to do a few quick things to get the news on GGN out, post a promised review up on GGN that I had said would be on the site when it went live, get the packages mailed, and deal with the news I had gotten. Needless to say, I was wrecked. I didn't get that ride in. But.....anyway.....Gravel Grinder News new site is finally live! 

All that to let you know the site is live. I just felt I needed to get the story off my chest, to let some folks know what the deal was who were "in the know" about the changes, and not to gain any sympathy for my troubles. It's been a tempestuous week so far, with many ups and downs, but getting this site upgraded and changed is a goal that Grannygear and I have had for a while. I am happy we've reached it, and I hope all that check out GGN find it to be an improvement, useful, and worthwhile.

We're particularly proud of the Calendar Of Events, which we hope will be much easier and informative to use. Check it out when you get the time. It's really the whole reason for the site in the first place. We're also going to, (hopefully), get more contributions from our riders in the field, like MG, who has contributed another great bike review on the Singular Kite here. Look for more from him and from Monika Sattler, whose articles will be re-posted from the old site very soon. There will be some reviews on gear being completed soon, which you will see, mostly on tires. Stay tuned!

Thanks for supporting Gravel Grinder News, and as always, keep sending in the news on events and I will get them on the calendar.

 

About That Long Ride In France

Image by W. Kilburg from T.I.V8

There's this big ride happening in France soon. Guys that make some pretty good money riding bicycles full time will be arranged in teams and all will duke it out over three weeks running around France and some nearby nations trying to put one guy in a yellow jersey.

It's kind of a complicated scene, really. There's this "race within the race" for "points", and "best climber", and "best young rider", and who knows what all. In fact, it is so intricate, with time bonuses and team points that you usually find a "Legend' on many sites that will guide you to be able to understand it all.

What happened to a race where the fastest guy wins? How easy is that? Guess it had to be made "more interesting", for whatever reasons. And in that vein, if you actually go to see this event, there is even more layers to this thing. There is a huge "race caravan" of sponsors. Call it a speeding parade. Brands and manufacturers that give support to this deal roll by the throngs of spectators hawking their products and tossing out promotional materials for the people to wear and use during the event. When the riders go by, hopefully the T.V. cameras catch some of those icons for a bit of free advertising. Maybe some people will take these sundry items home and have a reminder of the race, (and in turn a brand). Marketing is a big deal at this event for sure.

It wasn't always like this. It used to be that merely knowing about the event and the riders and how difficult it was to accomplish the route was "interest" enough. Man against the terrain and the clock. self-supported over country roads. Miles and miles of them. Gravelly passes through uncertain mountains. Weather. Mud. The human spirit put to test against seemingly insurmountable odds. That was really riveting stuff back in the day for this event, but then it all changed.

Now there are support vehicles, team cars, race radios, and all in the name of speed and safety. The race has become something totally different than it had been. You may like it. You may even love it. However; there are a lot of folks that have grown tired of the hoopla, and the rules, and the breaking of the rules. Count me as one of them.

Here's a bit of an out take from Zach Dundas' book entitled "The Renegade Sportsman". This is a book about under-the-radar sports and the folks who have rejected the "sports-entertainment industrial complex". Zach felt Trans Iowa fit this mold and this is where Zach is quoting my take on Trans Iowa and how it relates to the big July race :

"All the big European cycling events have their roots in things like this, (gravel road racing), The difference is, they've been totally transformed by money and T.V. They've been sanitized for mass consumption to the point where they're no longer recognizable as what they were. I'm not saying the Tour isn't a great athletic event and a spectacle, because it obviously is. But c'mon- it's kind of become a sick joke, hasn't it? Even if you ride, you can barely relate to it because it's become so detached from reality."

From "The Renegade Sportsman" pg 68-69

 Maybe you don't agree, but if you do, there are things happening, right now, that hearken back to the original spirit of the event that we know now as "The Tour". Just check out what is going on with Tour Divide. I'm following a friend that has done over 1500 miles in eleven days already, all on his own recognizance. Man against the terrain and the clock. self-supported over country roads. Miles and miles of them. Gravelly passes through uncertain mountains. Weather. Mud. The human spirit put to test against seemingly insurmountable odds. You know.......some really riveting stuff! (For me, at any rate.)

About That Long Ride In France

Image by W. Kilburg from T.I.V8

There's this big ride happening in France soon. Guys that make some pretty good money riding bicycles full time will be arranged in teams and all will duke it out over three weeks running around France and some nearby nations trying to put one guy in a yellow jersey.

It's kind of a complicated scene, really. There's this "race within the race" for "points", and "best climber", and "best young rider", and who knows what all. In fact, it is so intricate, with time bonuses and team points that you usually find a "Legend' on many sites that will guide you to be able to understand it all.

What happened to a race where the fastest guy wins? How easy is that? Guess it had to be made "more interesting", for whatever reasons. And in that vein, if you actually go to see this event, there is even more layers to this thing. There is a huge "race caravan" of sponsors. Call it a speeding parade. Brands and manufacturers that give support to this deal roll by the throngs of spectators hawking their products and tossing out promotional materials for the people to wear and use during the event. When the riders go by, hopefully the T.V. cameras catch some of those icons for a bit of free advertising. Maybe some people will take these sundry items home and have a reminder of the race, (and in turn a brand). Marketing is a big deal at this event for sure.

It wasn't always like this. It used to be that merely knowing about the event and the riders and how difficult it was to accomplish the route was "interest" enough. Man against the terrain and the clock. self-supported over country roads. Miles and miles of them. Gravelly passes through uncertain mountains. Weather. Mud. The human spirit put to test against seemingly insurmountable odds. That was really riveting stuff back in the day for this event, but then it all changed.

Now there are support vehicles, team cars, race radios, and all in the name of speed and safety. The race has become something totally different than it had been. You may like it. You may even love it. However; there are a lot of folks that have grown tired of the hoopla, and the rules, and the breaking of the rules. Count me as one of them.

Here's a bit of an out take from Zach Dundas' book entitled "The Renegade Sportsman". This is a book about under-the-radar sports and the folks who have rejected the "sports-entertainment industrial complex". Zach felt Trans Iowa fit this mold and this is where Zach is quoting my take on Trans Iowa and how it relates to the big July race :

"All the big European cycling events have their roots in things like this, (gravel road racing), The difference is, they've been totally transformed by money and T.V. They've been sanitized for mass consumption to the point where they're no longer recognizable as what they were. I'm not saying the Tour isn't a great athletic event and a spectacle, because it obviously is. But c'mon- it's kind of become a sick joke, hasn't it? Even if you ride, you can barely relate to it because it's become so detached from reality."

From "The Renegade Sportsman" pg 68-69

 Maybe you don't agree, but if you do, there are things happening, right now, that hearken back to the original spirit of the event that we know now as "The Tour". Just check out what is going on with Tour Divide. I'm following a friend that has done over 1500 miles in eleven days already, all on his own recognizance. Man against the terrain and the clock. self-supported over country roads. Miles and miles of them. Gravelly passes through uncertain mountains. Weather. Mud. The human spirit put to test against seemingly insurmountable odds. You know.......some really riveting stuff! (For me, at any rate.)

Dealin' With Some Baggage

Odin's Revenge set up.

 A while back I mentioned BikeBagDude from Australia and that I had made arrangements to get a few items from him to use on the titanium Mukluk. Well, the package hit the door yesterday.....just in time for me to use some of the kit for Odin's Revenge!

Yep, I am putting on the Chaff Bags I got in onto the Fargo. What's a Chaff Bag, you might ask? Well, here's the description straight from the website:

"Handy little bags for the handlebars -they work both on the LHS and RHS. Can be 4, 6 and 8 inch deep. Bungy cord drawstring top made from Terrain X Pac and fully lined."

So, basically these can be used as a feed bag type of gizmo, or they fit water bottles really well. You could stuff gear of appropriate size in there too, I suppose, but since the bags are meant for the handlebars, I would assume the things you stuff in there are things wanted while riding. Perhaps.....other interpretations are welcomed! 

Chaff Bag

 The Chaff Bag has two Velcro tabs up near the opening that you can use on a handle bar, or put one around the bar and one around the stem, as I have here. (Note: The Chaff Bag on the other side of the bar is only looped around the handle bars.) On the bottom of the Chaff Bag there is an extra long Velcro tab to reach down to a fork crown, down tube, or what have you, to secure the bag so it doesn't flop around. The top opening is big enough that I can easily reach down inside it and it features a drawstring closure. (Note: Bag in the foreground is closed, bag in the back ground is open.) 

So, I basically just popped these two on in about two minutes and didn't even think about it, really. However; I think this might be exactly how I run them. The one closest to me will carry food and the one on the front of the bar will carry a water bottle. (In fact- there is a large water bottle in it in this image, you just can't quite see it from this angle.) This arrangement will allow me to carry three large water bottles and three small water bottles for a total of six for a total capacity of 132 ounces of water. All of that water and none of it on my back! I'll need it too, cause the forecast is calling for 95°F and low humidity. 

Custom frame pack

 The other bag is the custom made frame pack for the Mukluk. This is your frame bag with a "false floor" which is removable so you can have a divided compartment or a huge open area inside. The lower zipper allows access to the "basement" level when the floor is installed. 

The bag is very detailed, well made, and spacious. I'll have to do a post dedicated just to this bag at some point, but I need to test fit it to my Mukluk first and then I'll share all of that with ya'all later. 

But before that can ever happen, I desperately need to clean By-Tor up. He's been wallowing in the mire of late, (and it's been loads of fun!), so the frame is encrusted with a thick layer of dried dirt at the moment. No use getting the bag all fouled up right out of the gate with that! Even just yesterday, just before I discovered the bags had arrived, I was spinning the rear wheel up a greasy, slick, muddy climb. I had splashed through mud puddles and thrown up dirt all over it again, as it had just rained heavily here before each way of my commute. Once in the morning, and once right before I left work, so By-Tor is rather messy. 

I'll get all this done and probably wait till after Odin's Revenge so I can write up a proper review on the Chaff Bags and then fit those and the frame bag to a clean Mukluk!  

Dealin' With Some Baggage

Odin's Revenge set up.

 A while back I mentioned BikeBagDude from Australia and that I had made arrangements to get a few items from him to use on the titanium Mukluk. Well, the package hit the door yesterday.....just in time for me to use some of the kit for Odin's Revenge!

Yep, I am putting on the Chaff Bags I got in onto the Fargo. What's a Chaff Bag, you might ask? Well, here's the description straight from the website:

"Handy little bags for the handlebars -they work both on the LHS and RHS. Can be 4, 6 and 8 inch deep. Bungy cord drawstring top made from Terrain X Pac and fully lined."

So, basically these can be used as a feed bag type of gizmo, or they fit water bottles really well. You could stuff gear of appropriate size in there too, I suppose, but since the bags are meant for the handlebars, I would assume the things you stuff in there are things wanted while riding. Perhaps.....other interpretations are welcomed! 

Chaff Bag

 The Chaff Bag has two Velcro tabs up near the opening that you can use on a handle bar, or put one around the bar and one around the stem, as I have here. (Note: The Chaff Bag on the other side of the bar is only looped around the handle bars.) On the bottom of the Chaff Bag there is an extra long Velcro tab to reach down to a fork crown, down tube, or what have you, to secure the bag so it doesn't flop around. The top opening is big enough that I can easily reach down inside it and it features a drawstring closure. (Note: Bag in the foreground is closed, bag in the back ground is open.) 

So, I basically just popped these two on in about two minutes and didn't even think about it, really. However; I think this might be exactly how I run them. The one closest to me will carry food and the one on the front of the bar will carry a water bottle. (In fact- there is a large water bottle in it in this image, you just can't quite see it from this angle.) This arrangement will allow me to carry three large water bottles and three small water bottles for a total of six for a total capacity of 132 ounces of water. All of that water and none of it on my back! I'll need it too, cause the forecast is calling for 95°F and low humidity. 

Custom frame pack

 The other bag is the custom made frame pack for the Mukluk. This is your frame bag with a "false floor" which is removable so you can have a divided compartment or a huge open area inside. The lower zipper allows access to the "basement" level when the floor is installed. 

The bag is very detailed, well made, and spacious. I'll have to do a post dedicated just to this bag at some point, but I need to test fit it to my Mukluk first and then I'll share all of that with ya'all later. 

But before that can ever happen, I desperately need to clean By-Tor up. He's been wallowing in the mire of late, (and it's been loads of fun!), so the frame is encrusted with a thick layer of dried dirt at the moment. No use getting the bag all fouled up right out of the gate with that! Even just yesterday, just before I discovered the bags had arrived, I was spinning the rear wheel up a greasy, slick, muddy climb. I had splashed through mud puddles and thrown up dirt all over it again, as it had just rained heavily here before each way of my commute. Once in the morning, and once right before I left work, so By-Tor is rather messy. 

I'll get all this done and probably wait till after Odin's Revenge so I can write up a proper review on the Chaff Bags and then fit those and the frame bag to a clean Mukluk!  

Lost In The Mid-Size Hoopla

Big, aggressive 29"er tires? (Image courtesy of C. Artman)

For several years leading up to 2012, many 29"er fans were opining about the lack of "long travel" 29"ers and bigger, more aggressive tires for them. Then this mid-sized, 27.5"er deal happened, and many figured that longer travel bikes and bigger tires for big wheelers were all but a pipe dream that would never come true. Yep! Stick a fork in that idea.

And while the industry goes gaga for "enduro" racing and the focus is shifting towards the series growing up around that style of riding, there has been something going on quietly over in the corner just outside of the limelight: Bigger, more aggressive tires, longer travel forks, and bikes to put them on for 29"ers are happening. Right now.

If this all would have happened three years ago, it would have been grabbing all the attention of riders everywhere, but I wonder how many folks even are aware that Rock Shox introduced the Pike for 29"ers with 150mm travel, or that Specialized and Trek have long travel 29"ers available now? You just don't see a lot of buzz about those items. Then there are the tires: Maxxis is bringing out two versions of the Minion, and a Highroller II, WTB has the Vigilante, and Schwalbe has introduced an even burlier tire than the Hans Dampf dubbed the "Magic Mary".

Yep, this all would have been considered a really big deal in 2010, but now it is kind of flying under the radar, which I find interesting. It just goes to show you that the manufacturers marketing machine is doing a bang up job of pushing this enduro scene and the mid-sized bikes being pushed for that niche of the sport.

Lost In The Mid-Size Hoopla

Big, aggressive 29"er tires? (Image courtesy of C. Artman)

For several years leading up to 2012, many 29"er fans were opining about the lack of "long travel" 29"ers and bigger, more aggressive tires for them. Then this mid-sized, 27.5"er deal happened, and many figured that longer travel bikes and bigger tires for big wheelers were all but a pipe dream that would never come true. Yep! Stick a fork in that idea.

And while the industry goes gaga for "enduro" racing and the focus is shifting towards the series growing up around that style of riding, there has been something going on quietly over in the corner just outside of the limelight: Bigger, more aggressive tires, longer travel forks, and bikes to put them on for 29"ers are happening. Right now.

If this all would have happened three years ago, it would have been grabbing all the attention of riders everywhere, but I wonder how many folks even are aware that Rock Shox introduced the Pike for 29"ers with 150mm travel, or that Specialized and Trek have long travel 29"ers available now? You just don't see a lot of buzz about those items. Then there are the tires: Maxxis is bringing out two versions of the Minion, and a Highroller II, WTB has the Vigilante, and Schwalbe has introduced an even burlier tire than the Hans Dampf dubbed the "Magic Mary".

Yep, this all would have been considered a really big deal in 2010, but now it is kind of flying under the radar, which I find interesting. It just goes to show you that the manufacturers marketing machine is doing a bang up job of pushing this enduro scene and the mid-sized bikes being pushed for that niche of the sport.

3GR Report: Tune Up Ride

Testing....

The 3GR ride was a test run for the new set up on the Fargo Gen 1 which I plan to use Saturday at Odin's Revenge. Tubeless Maxxis Ikon's on the Sun-Ringle' Black Flag Pro wheels was the biggest question for the day. Everything else was pretty familiar territory for me.

I had waited and waited Saturday morning to see what the weather was going to do. Some pretty heavy thunderstorm activity was in the area, but nothing materialized right in this locale. It looked pretty menacing out when I left, but I figured that if things didn't get to raining I would be okay. I left on the Fargo with plenty of time to spare to get there, but honestly, I didn't figure on meeting anyone since the weather looked so sketchy and well, I seem to be in the extreme minority around here when it comes to riding gravel roads. Either that or I am stinky. Something or another........

 Well, however that is with anyone else, I go onward. I am having a blast, and I know the folks that bother to make these rides have fun as well. Take Robert for instance, who I found waiting on me at the Gates Swimming Pool parking lot.

Robert fine tuning his ride.

Robert had a stem alignment issue he wanted to address before we left, so he borrowed my tool kit to take care of that, then we were off. The skies were dark, the wind was gusting out of the East-Southeast, and I was not so sure we'd get in a full loop, but off we went anyway. Up Moline Road, and the traffic was more than I figured it should be. In fact, I found it rather odd. Normally I hardly run across a car at all out this way.

While we were chatting away, we came up upon an intersection and at the last minute, Robert called out that a car was coming to our right. I slammed on my brakes, as did Robert, and we were nearly stopped by the time the driver actually saw us just off the corner. The woman driver must have been caught at unawares by our presence and slammed her brakes briefly upon finally noticing us. (Remember- we were nearly at a standstill at this point.) She fishtailed the rear end of her Taurus and then continued onward. I was a bit more cautious the rest of the ride as a result. It turned out to be a good thing too, as traffic was at an all time high until well past our half way point.

Overcast and windy for most of the ride..

Things went a bit more smoothly after this though, and we reached Denver and passed it by to our left. Then we made the left turn towards Ivanhoe Road and got that Southeasterly behind us.

This pushed us along at quite a good clip. The tires sang as we rolled along. My Maxxis Ikon's felt a bit squirrely to me at first, and I actually had been checking the rear for a flat a few times. However; for some reason, it felt as if the air pressures came up in the tires, and after the halfway point in the ride they felt far more solid underneath me than they had. The only bad thing I can say about running them was that they tended to spit up small chunks of gravel now and again. The odd, singing noise on smoother stuff was to be expected, and that doesn't bother me at all.

We were surprised at a couple of points by wildlife that scampered across the road or was spotted flying in the air. On two separate occasions we spotted pairings of a doe and her fawn on the roads. One fawn was so small I thought it was a gangly legged dog instead of a deer. The other time the doe took to the ditch and deftly avoided any obstacles while outrunning us on a downhill. Very impressive! I also spied a few jakes, (immature  wild turkeys), and two adult turkeys. Then I spied out of the corner of my eye a Great Blue Heron flying up a creek bed. A good day for wildlife.

That was a good diversion, because as we rolled around to end up going South, the wind was strong into our faces and we were working pretty hard. The wind got strong enough that it actually was blowing dust up the road at us.

Coffee stop...

We slogged out the final miles back to Waterloo without much conversation. I mentioned at one point that the head wind was a "pretty stiff " one to which Robert replied to with a grunt or some other unintelligible malediction that was immediately blown away by the rushing air. It wasn't very pleasant to ride into that head wind, let's just say that.

Along the bicycle paths and then to the downtown area of Waterloo where we stopped for a cup of excellent coffee at Cottonwood Canyon. The old downtown building has been refurbished and is quite nice inside now. They actually serve bits to eat and have a full lunch menu, but I was only there for the caffeine!

Then it was on to home. My feelings on the Fargo's new wheels and tires set up for Odin's Revenge is that it should work rather well. I think if the conditions are what I have been told, I should be good to go without having to manhandle skinnier tires through loose, dusty terrain. The "motor" I am not so sure about! Robert kept up a strong, consistent pace on this 3GR, as he is wont to do, and I did my best to keep up. My legs were burning for the rest of the day after that ride, and it isn't but a pittance of the distance I need to go next weekend, but I'll giv'r what I can.

3GR Report: Tune Up Ride

Testing....

The 3GR ride was a test run for the new set up on the Fargo Gen 1 which I plan to use Saturday at Odin's Revenge. Tubeless Maxxis Ikon's on the Sun-Ringle' Black Flag Pro wheels was the biggest question for the day. Everything else was pretty familiar territory for me.

I had waited and waited Saturday morning to see what the weather was going to do. Some pretty heavy thunderstorm activity was in the area, but nothing materialized right in this locale. It looked pretty menacing out when I left, but I figured that if things didn't get to raining I would be okay. I left on the Fargo with plenty of time to spare to get there, but honestly, I didn't figure on meeting anyone since the weather looked so sketchy and well, I seem to be in the extreme minority around here when it comes to riding gravel roads. Either that or I am stinky. Something or another........

 Well, however that is with anyone else, I go onward. I am having a blast, and I know the folks that bother to make these rides have fun as well. Take Robert for instance, who I found waiting on me at the Gates Swimming Pool parking lot.

Robert fine tuning his ride.

Robert had a stem alignment issue he wanted to address before we left, so he borrowed my tool kit to take care of that, then we were off. The skies were dark, the wind was gusting out of the East-Southeast, and I was not so sure we'd get in a full loop, but off we went anyway. Up Moline Road, and the traffic was more than I figured it should be. In fact, I found it rather odd. Normally I hardly run across a car at all out this way.

While we were chatting away, we came up upon an intersection and at the last minute, Robert called out that a car was coming to our right. I slammed on my brakes, as did Robert, and we were nearly stopped by the time the driver actually saw us just off the corner. The woman driver must have been caught at unawares by our presence and slammed her brakes briefly upon finally noticing us. (Remember- we were nearly at a standstill at this point.) She fishtailed the rear end of her Taurus and then continued onward. I was a bit more cautious the rest of the ride as a result. It turned out to be a good thing too, as traffic was at an all time high until well past our half way point.

Overcast and windy for most of the ride..

Things went a bit more smoothly after this though, and we reached Denver and passed it by to our left. Then we made the left turn towards Ivanhoe Road and got that Southeasterly behind us.

This pushed us along at quite a good clip. The tires sang as we rolled along. My Maxxis Ikon's felt a bit squirrely to me at first, and I actually had been checking the rear for a flat a few times. However; for some reason, it felt as if the air pressures came up in the tires, and after the halfway point in the ride they felt far more solid underneath me than they had. The only bad thing I can say about running them was that they tended to spit up small chunks of gravel now and again. The odd, singing noise on smoother stuff was to be expected, and that doesn't bother me at all.

We were surprised at a couple of points by wildlife that scampered across the road or was spotted flying in the air. On two separate occasions we spotted pairings of a doe and her fawn on the roads. One fawn was so small I thought it was a gangly legged dog instead of a deer. The other time the doe took to the ditch and deftly avoided any obstacles while outrunning us on a downhill. Very impressive! I also spied a few jakes, (immature  wild turkeys), and two adult turkeys. Then I spied out of the corner of my eye a Great Blue Heron flying up a creek bed. A good day for wildlife.

That was a good diversion, because as we rolled around to end up going South, the wind was strong into our faces and we were working pretty hard. The wind got strong enough that it actually was blowing dust up the road at us.

Coffee stop...

We slogged out the final miles back to Waterloo without much conversation. I mentioned at one point that the head wind was a "pretty stiff " one to which Robert replied to with a grunt or some other unintelligible malediction that was immediately blown away by the rushing air. It wasn't very pleasant to ride into that head wind, let's just say that.

Along the bicycle paths and then to the downtown area of Waterloo where we stopped for a cup of excellent coffee at Cottonwood Canyon. The old downtown building has been refurbished and is quite nice inside now. They actually serve bits to eat and have a full lunch menu, but I was only there for the caffeine!

Then it was on to home. My feelings on the Fargo's new wheels and tires set up for Odin's Revenge is that it should work rather well. I think if the conditions are what I have been told, I should be good to go without having to manhandle skinnier tires through loose, dusty terrain. The "motor" I am not so sure about! Robert kept up a strong, consistent pace on this 3GR, as he is wont to do, and I did my best to keep up. My legs were burning for the rest of the day after that ride, and it isn't but a pittance of the distance I need to go next weekend, but I'll giv'r what I can.

Gravel Mutt Project: Coming Together!

A Bike Shaped Object now!

Gravel Mutt Project Update:

So, I finally got the bike painted and buffed out a bit so I could start throwing on some components. Of course, the "lynch pin" for any bicycle build, in my opinion, is the head set. You do not have a head set? Then you just have a frame and a fork until you get a head set on there. I just have to start with that component, then I can make some good progress on any bike build.

Of course, the Gravel Mutt is of such vintage that one inch headsets were the rule of the day. Threaded at that. I had to do some scrounging and look at what I found! I had squirreled this component away years ago when I tore down the only carbon fiber road bicycle I ever owned, which was an Aegis. That bike had a one inch threaded head set, and the head set was just too cool to toss. A purple anodized American Classic Tri-Lock! Wow, I knew that was going on the minute I found it.

Everything was there for it, so I installed the thing and now I had a bicycle's foundation- the frame set. Next was the stem adapter from one inch to inch and an eighth. Then a no-name stem which led to the rare, much wanted, (apparently by the interest I've seen of late), Ragley Luxy Bar, which is no longer in production. On those went some DiaCompe aero levers with white hoods. They should clean up nicely.

Close up of the head set.

Then I cleaned up the XTR/Salsa Delgado wheels and popped a SRAM 9 speed cassette on there. I know I was thinking about sticking with a seven speed rear, but I also realized that if I go with a 9 speed rear on this bike, I then can easily swap wheels with my BMC bike. That would be kind of nice, so I decided against the seven speed idea. Besides, I had a 9 speed cassette in reserve, so it didn't cost me anything now to use it up.

I probably am going to stick with the idea of using the original bottom bracket with this old Sante' crank and a 40 tooth ring with my MRP guide to keep the chain where it belongs. We'll see how that all gets along!

Shifting is going to be by a single friction bar end shifter, of which I have several to choose from. I even have a Campagnolo one! However, I probably will stick with a SunTour unit I have. Then there is the final piece of the puzzle- the brakes.

I did find my box of cantilever brakes today, but I haven't taken the time to rummage through it just yet. I saw a glint of blue anodization though! Maybe I can make a set up of blue anodized cantis. We'll see. I also know I have a complete set of original XT linear pull brakes. The parallelogram ones. But if I use those, I have to track down my Travel Agents, which are.......somewhere! 

One more vintage item, which I would like to use, but probably will not, are some Curve titanium skewers in purple ano. The dang things are light, cool, but have a propensity to become loose, even when you have tightened them. Don't ask me how, I don't know, but they are spooky that way. Eventually, if you catch the first time or two that they become loose before that becomes an issue, you find that they suddenly work good. But loosen them once to remove a wheel, and it's back to chasing the final tightness. Yeah....weird!

Stay tuned! The Gravel Mutt Project marches on.....

Gravel Mutt Project: Coming Together!

A Bike Shaped Object now!

Gravel Mutt Project Update:

So, I finally got the bike painted and buffed out a bit so I could start throwing on some components. Of course, the "lynch pin" for any bicycle build, in my opinion, is the head set. You do not have a head set? Then you just have a frame and a fork until you get a head set on there. I just have to start with that component, then I can make some good progress on any bike build.

Of course, the Gravel Mutt is of such vintage that one inch headsets were the rule of the day. Threaded at that. I had to do some scrounging and look at what I found! I had squirreled this component away years ago when I tore down the only carbon fiber road bicycle I ever owned, which was an Aegis. That bike had a one inch threaded head set, and the head set was just too cool to toss. A purple anodized American Classic Tri-Lock! Wow, I knew that was going on the minute I found it.

Everything was there for it, so I installed the thing and now I had a bicycle's foundation- the frame set. Next was the stem adapter from one inch to inch and an eighth. Then a no-name stem which led to the rare, much wanted, (apparently by the interest I've seen of late), Ragley Luxy Bar, which is no longer in production. On those went some DiaCompe aero levers with white hoods. They should clean up nicely.

Close up of the head set.

Then I cleaned up the XTR/Salsa Delgado wheels and popped a SRAM 9 speed cassette on there. I know I was thinking about sticking with a seven speed rear, but I also realized that if I go with a 9 speed rear on this bike, I then can easily swap wheels with my BMC bike. That would be kind of nice, so I decided against the seven speed idea. Besides, I had a 9 speed cassette in reserve, so it didn't cost me anything now to use it up.

I probably am going to stick with the idea of using the original bottom bracket with this old Sante' crank and a 40 tooth ring with my MRP guide to keep the chain where it belongs. We'll see how that all gets along!

Shifting is going to be by a single friction bar end shifter, of which I have several to choose from. I even have a Campagnolo one! However, I probably will stick with a SunTour unit I have. Then there is the final piece of the puzzle- the brakes.

I did find my box of cantilever brakes today, but I haven't taken the time to rummage through it just yet. I saw a glint of blue anodization though! Maybe I can make a set up of blue anodized cantis. We'll see. I also know I have a complete set of original XT linear pull brakes. The parallelogram ones. But if I use those, I have to track down my Travel Agents, which are.......somewhere! 

One more vintage item, which I would like to use, but probably will not, are some Curve titanium skewers in purple ano. The dang things are light, cool, but have a propensity to become loose, even when you have tightened them. Don't ask me how, I don't know, but they are spooky that way. Eventually, if you catch the first time or two that they become loose before that becomes an issue, you find that they suddenly work good. But loosen them once to remove a wheel, and it's back to chasing the final tightness. Yeah....weird!

Stay tuned! The Gravel Mutt Project marches on.....

Friday News And Views

Fargo Gen 1 gets called up for duty!

Odin's Revenge:

Preparations for next weekend's trip to Westcentral Nebraska are in full swing now. Odin's Revenge is going to be (possibly) the longest single ride I have ever done in one sitting. In this instance, I need a comfortable, reliable, capable, and functional machine. I can not think of a better bike for this ride than the Fargo Gen 1

Due to the nature of the course, I have been forewarned that a bigger tire is best. No "skinny" gravel grinder tires for this event. In fact, I was told that some sections of dirt last year were suitable for fat biking more than any other type of bike. I could have taken my titanium Mukluk, and I almost did, but the Fargo beat it by a few strong points.

• More water carrying capacity: The Ti Muk can't carry six bottles. The Gen 1 Fargo can. It sounds like it could be pretty hot out there next week. I'd rather have lots of water on the bike, not on my back. 
• Drop Bars: The Ti Muk has flat bars, and while I could go with bar ends, it just doesn't work as well out in the open with wind and what not. Also, the "multi-level" drop bar not only gives you plenty of hand positions, but allows you to change up your upper body position as well. 
• Weight: The Fargo is lighter. Not by much, but it is slightly lighter. 

So, I stuck on some Maxxis Ikon tires using a set of Sun-Ringle' "Black Flag" wheels and did the tubeless set up using MG's Special Sauce. (Home brew tubeless stuff) The Ikons have a slightly flattish profile, and as I recall, they had good traits in looser, sandier soils. They roll plenty fast, and are pretty light weight.

I'll be testing the set up this weekend, and then a week from today I'll be on the road out to Gothenburg, NE. Ready or not......

Rut-roh!

And in other Fargo news.....

I had a bit of a mishap with my other Fargo the other day. I was obliged to do some bushwhacking due to a bridge repair on my commute to work. I figured I could ease on through the weeds and reach the bike path with no issues. That was until I got bushwhacked!

You know when you hear that "twang-a-lang-a-ding-dong" sound in your rear wheel that things are amiss, and there just almost is never anytime to react quickly enough to prevent the mayhem that occurs. Well, sure enough, when I looked down and saw that small branch with all the leaves and twigs attached, I knew my derailleur was no longer in its proper position. I almost hated to get off and inspect it.

You see, last year I helped my friend Ben out of a pickle when he sheared off a derailleur and there was nothing to do but push him out of the country back to our cars. I think his frame was damaged in that accident as well, rendering the bike useless without a major repair. I thought I was in for a similar fate, with regard to the frame. I already knew I was walking that last mile home.

Well, fortunately for me, the replaceable hangar snapped off, just like it is supposed to, so my frame is still okay. (As you can see in the image here.) A new hangar is on the way, and then the Fargo Gen 2 will be as good as gold again.

3GR: 

It's happening tomorrow from Gates Swimming Pool's lot on East Donald Street, Waterloo, IA at 8:30am. Bigger loop which should net you over 30 miles, unless you ride over, then it will be more. Who will show up? I don't know. I'm going regardless on my Fargo to test the Odin's set up.

Okay- it is officially Summer! You'd better get while the gettin's good! Ride on!

Friday News And Views

Fargo Gen 1 gets called up for duty!

Odin's Revenge:

Preparations for next weekend's trip to Westcentral Nebraska are in full swing now. Odin's Revenge is going to be (possibly) the longest single ride I have ever done in one sitting. In this instance, I need a comfortable, reliable, capable, and functional machine. I can not think of a better bike for this ride than the Fargo Gen 1

Due to the nature of the course, I have been forewarned that a bigger tire is best. No "skinny" gravel grinder tires for this event. In fact, I was told that some sections of dirt last year were suitable for fat biking more than any other type of bike. I could have taken my titanium Mukluk, and I almost did, but the Fargo beat it by a few strong points.

• More water carrying capacity: The Ti Muk can't carry six bottles. The Gen 1 Fargo can. It sounds like it could be pretty hot out there next week. I'd rather have lots of water on the bike, not on my back. 
• Drop Bars: The Ti Muk has flat bars, and while I could go with bar ends, it just doesn't work as well out in the open with wind and what not. Also, the "multi-level" drop bar not only gives you plenty of hand positions, but allows you to change up your upper body position as well. 
• Weight: The Fargo is lighter. Not by much, but it is slightly lighter. 

So, I stuck on some Maxxis Ikon tires using a set of Sun-Ringle' "Black Flag" wheels and did the tubeless set up using MG's Special Sauce. (Home brew tubeless stuff) The Ikons have a slightly flattish profile, and as I recall, they had good traits in looser, sandier soils. They roll plenty fast, and are pretty light weight.

I'll be testing the set up this weekend, and then a week from today I'll be on the road out to Gothenburg, NE. Ready or not......

Rut-roh!

And in other Fargo news.....

I had a bit of a mishap with my other Fargo the other day. I was obliged to do some bushwhacking due to a bridge repair on my commute to work. I figured I could ease on through the weeds and reach the bike path with no issues. That was until I got bushwhacked!

You know when you hear that "twang-a-lang-a-ding-dong" sound in your rear wheel that things are amiss, and there just almost is never anytime to react quickly enough to prevent the mayhem that occurs. Well, sure enough, when I looked down and saw that small branch with all the leaves and twigs attached, I knew my derailleur was no longer in its proper position. I almost hated to get off and inspect it.

You see, last year I helped my friend Ben out of a pickle when he sheared off a derailleur and there was nothing to do but push him out of the country back to our cars. I think his frame was damaged in that accident as well, rendering the bike useless without a major repair. I thought I was in for a similar fate, with regard to the frame. I already knew I was walking that last mile home.

Well, fortunately for me, the replaceable hangar snapped off, just like it is supposed to, so my frame is still okay. (As you can see in the image here.) A new hangar is on the way, and then the Fargo Gen 2 will be as good as gold again.

3GR: 

It's happening tomorrow from Gates Swimming Pool's lot on East Donald Street, Waterloo, IA at 8:30am. Bigger loop which should net you over 30 miles, unless you ride over, then it will be more. Who will show up? I don't know. I'm going regardless on my Fargo to test the Odin's set up.

Okay- it is officially Summer! You'd better get while the gettin's good! Ride on!

Project White: Update

Current State of  The Project White Bike

It's been awhile now and I finally have the Project White Inbred rig dialed in. Sometimes it takes me longer than I want to in getting some of my personal bikes dialed due to my having duties with other bicycles and my life in general these days. However; this one is getting my stamp of "Done" now and besides some possible minor tweaking, this is it.

So, since the last mention of the bike here, I have swapped out the front fork for a Manitou Tower Pro in the 100mm travel option with the 15mm through axle. This fork is one of my favorite suspension forks I have ever used. It feels very linear, and I get all the travel out of it. With the Absolute+ damper I can dial out almost all the negative brake dive and standing climbing traits but still get supple, smooth suspension over all types of bumps. And yes......through axles do make a difference. That said, a stiff set of lowers do much more, and Manitou's latest cast magnesium lower assembly is the best yet. Besides the obnoxious graphics, this fork is stellar. Fortunately I can peel off the stickers! (I haven't yet, but I will be doing so.)

Last time I was running some XT 29"er wheels, and while they are decent, these Charger Pro wheels blow them out of the water from a stiffness standpoint and from a design standpoint. The  Charger Pro is a wide rim, which spreads out the tires quite nicely, and the rear wheel is noticeably stiffer laterally. Plus they look better to me as well. Yes- they are a bit heavy and the free hub is clackity-clack loud, but these are trail/light AM wheels fer cryin' out loud! I'm good with em.

The contrast situation makes riding interesting now!

Tires can make or break a rig, and I have to say that the combination of On One tires I am using is about the best I've used here. The Smorgasbord is out back with the Chunky Monkey 2.4"er up front. Both have ginormous volume for their respective sizes. Both grip like crazy. Yes- they are a bit heavy, but these are trail/light AM tires, fer cryin' out loud. I'm good with these too. Real good, in fact.

So.....what about the bike? I mentioned in the last update that the Inbred was neither "bad nor good- just different." I have more ride time on it now, and I can make a more definitive statement or two.

The Project Black Vassago, which the Inbred got a lot of its parts from, was a bike with a geometry that felt "dead" to me. I just could not cotton to it. This bike, the Inbred, does have a nice, smooth steel feel, but the chassis feels a bit longish in the back yet. That isn't a bad thing for climbing and for rider comfort though, so I am okay with it. The front end steers quick enough, and that stem, which I said I was going to change- I am good with it now because I can see that going shorter will unweight the front a bit and I like the steering feel now. This fork rides higher in its travel than the RST did, so that may be where I am getting the difference in feel from.

You must use a chain tug with this frame, which is not a surprise to me. A bolt on hub might even be a good idea as well, since I can make the XT skewer creak and pop once in a while on harder efforts. I have a Hope Pro 2/Salsa Gordo wheel set that I can use Hope's bolts on for the rear wheel, so I may go that route. Plus- those Hope hubs are red! Gotta keep the Union Jack theme going here.

More when I have something significant to add.....