Friday News And Views

Hey there folks! it has been a while since I've done a "News And Views" post, but I had other things to talk about, so.....ya know, I just went with that. Now I have some interesting tidbits to share this Friday with a theme! That would be Frostbike. This annual dealer only open house has turned into a trade show over the years, and has become my favoritist industry event of all. Really! I wouldn't miss it for the world.

A "narrow-wide" chain ring made out of steel (Image courtesy of Surly's facebook page)

Surly Bikes: 

The "1X", (Say "One-By"), drive train phase is coming on strong with riders of all disciplines and there has been a cottage industry that has developed from this phenomenon built solely on the 1X chain ring concept pioneered by SRAM dubbed "narrow-wide" in which teeth on the cog alternate between narrow in profile to wide to accommodate the narrow and wide chain links in a bicycle chain. The concept has been proven to retain the chain on the chain ring so well, that in some cases the more extreme down hill riders have even eschewed the use of a chain retention device on their crankset/bottom bracket area, which was unheard of previous to "narrow-wide". 

Surly Bikes, who have been purveyors of finely crafted stainless steel rings for several years now, have added their take on the "narrow-wide" rings and I am sure this will be something talked up more at Frostbike. But that won't be all those crazy boys and girls will have on tap. Oh no! You can bet on that.

Is it Ginormous, or just a mirage? A cropped image from Surly's Facebook page)

Wut-The-Wut!!

The "innergoogles" went berserk yesterday when Surly posted a goofy image of the staff. In the background there is an Ice Cream Truck fat bike, (or at least what appears to be that), with what appears at first glance to be a HUGE tire and double wide rim. Or.....is it?

Upon further inspection it would appear that the image is a trick of the eye and not the hoped for, even larger than life, big fat bike tire and rim.

Yes.....people still seem to want even larger fat bike tires and rims! That said, I have heard rumors of a 120mm wide rim floating around out there in the wilds. I also happen to know of one individual that told me two years ago now that he was having a set of 120mm rims custom made. Is it going to be Surly that pushes rim size even wider? I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was. If that happens, will there be a bigger, wider tire as well? That I doubt very much, but then again, I was floored when they made the Bud and Lou, so who knows?

Seen on the Foundry Cycles Facebook page: A metal drop out?!!!

Wut-The-Wut!! (Part Two)

Foundry Cycles- The brand with the ironic name. They have a name that conjures up an image of molten metal, forged in the fires of Mount Doom by the dwarves......ummm....wait a minute! 

No, I am sorry. They do plastic bikes! A company by the name of "Foundry" that does carbon fiber only?

Weird!

Then the other day on my Facecrack feed I get this image that is said to be coming to me via Foundry Cycles of what for all the world looks to be a metal drop out. 

Weirder!

Could it be? Is Foundry Cycles going to introduce a metal framed bicycle at Frostbike? Indications seem to point to that, judging solely by this image. We'll see when we get to the show. If that happens then I think it will mark a big shift in focus for this brand. Again......we will see. I'll tell ya one thing- it will make a lot more sense from the brand strategy/marketing perspective than an all carbon fiber line up.  Then there is the following dichotomy involving both Foundry and Surly that I found interesting....

From a Surly blog post in December '13

From Foundry Cycles Facebook page

So.............which is it? I'm thinking that the big meetings in the Q "Borgroom" with these two brands must be pretty entertaining. Either way, coming or going they've got you, it would seem, eh? And speaking of going, it is my turn to do just that, so until next time.......

Have a great weekend and get out there and ride if ya can!