Odin's Revenge Report: Back Into The Hills

Riders gathered in the early morning twilight for the Long Course start.

4:32am, Comfort Inn and Suites, Gothenburg Nebraska, Room 126: 

"Hey! You gonna wake up or what?!"

I poked Jeremy in the arm. His alarm had gone off and shut down already, but he hadn't moved a muscle. It was high time to get ready and find out where I was going to eat breakfast, and he was coming one way or the other. Fortunately, it didn't require anymore motivation than I had just provided to jump start the  man into action. In fact, we got ready probably too early. I wondered if the rumors of a 5:00am breakfast there at the motel were going to be coming true.

Fortunately, they were true, and I ate some scrambled eggs, a few strips of bacon, and had grabbed a bagel and a banana from the baskets for later. Tony joined us at the table as well. Then as we were finished with that, we went out and made our final preparations to leave. Oh! I forgot my drop bag! Good thing Jeremy remembered it then. The event allowed you to pack a drop bag for Checkpoint #3, so that helped lessen the load that I had to carry.

Then we rode over the Interstate to the KOA Campground front lot where the event was to start from. There were several riders already there, and folks were nervously chit-chatting with each other. I joked that the weather was so good we'd only have ourselves to blame if we didn't make the course.

Heading out! That's Jeremy in the center and myself on the right. Image courtesy of Scott Redd

The Sun cracks the horizon on a clear blue day. 

The road slowly winds up into the hills. 

The views are expansive and humbling. There is a herd of cattle running up the hill here, but they look like ants.

The event rolled out with no issues. Not like last year at all when we hit these very same roads and were met with wet, soupy gravel and derailleur wrecking mud spots. This time it was deep, loose, sandy gravel which made for tougher rolling unless you could find a line where the cars had thinned it out down to the more solid base. Some guys were wagging their rear ends as they crossed over deeper lines of sandy gravel, but my WTB Trailblazers just floated along with seemingly no ill affects.

Rustic roads with spectacular views dot the course at Odin's Revenge. Image courtesy of Scott Redd

Jeremy had planned on jumping up front with the leaders for a while then he was going to drift back to spend the rest of the day with me. Tony sped up the road as well, so in the beginning it was just myself plugging along at a comfortable 13-14mph and enjoying the early morning scenery. It was pleasant with little wind and the Sun was illuminating things in a dramatic way.

This is me coming up the same grade seen from the other way in the previous image. Image courtesy of Scott Redd.

I reached a familiar turn off to a grassy two-track road and was still amazed that we got to ride on this rustic, "barely there" road. I met up with Jeremy and Scott at the top and we all took off down a long stretch of minimum maintenance road that featured lots of climbing. No gentle grades here! These were steep, a bit longer than typical Iowa climbs, and in places, were rutted out a bit. These were the rollers that essentially killed any chances I had of making the checkpoint cutoff in time last year. That was when these greasy hills were wet with recent rain fall. This time they were of a very different nature. These were dusty, and at the bottom, were filled with silty runoff that was probably five to ten inches deep in places. Powdery dust flew up off of our tires and up into our nostrils. It was a bit challenging when the skinny tired bikes were swapping ends and I was overtaking them on my Fat Fargo, blasting by them as they grabbed a handful of brake lever. Scott referred to this dusting I gave him on a couple of occasions as being "GT-eed".

You can get a feel for how dusty and powdery the dirt roads were in this image courtesy of Scott Redd

This MMR ended in a steep, blazingly fast decent. Image courtesy of Scott Redd

These MMR's went on and on with one steep climb followed by a hairy, rutted, blown out descent, one after another. Jeremy, who doesn't have the "Tomac gene", biffed a few times in this section. I looked back and he was gone! Within a few miles we stopped and he caught back on, a little bloodied and dirty, but seemed none the worse for wear. The section was pretty technical from the standpoint of a gravel event, and was more in the mountain biker's wheelhouse, so I can see where things like what happened to Jeremy could  occur.

Somewhere along the way Tony was back with us as well, but I cannot recall how that happened now. Anyway, we were yo-yoing with a few others- John on a Carbon Beargrease set up with 29+ wheels, Mark on a sweet Potts Titanium bike with a lime green fork, and we saw Kevin a few times as well, who would later tweak out his leg on a crash on a rut and require some medical attention. (Heal up fast and well, Kevin!)

The event rolled onward to checkpoint number one, and Jeremy told me that it was pretty front end loaded with climbing. 5000 feet in the first 48 miles. I was feeling fine, eating, and drinking, but maybe not enough. It took us a little over 4 hours to get to the checkpoint, but I hadn't drank 4 bottles of water yet. Close, but I should have downed all six I had with me. Well, I figured I had enough time in the bank I could maybe take it easy during the warmest parts of the day and then make it through CP#2 and assess my day then.

Next: Burned

Odin's Revenge Report: Back Into The Hills

Riders gathered in the early morning twilight for the Long Course start.

4:32am, Comfort Inn and Suites, Gothenburg Nebraska, Room 126: 

"Hey! You gonna wake up or what?!"

I poked Jeremy in the arm. His alarm had gone off and shut down already, but he hadn't moved a muscle. It was high time to get ready and find out where I was going to eat breakfast, and he was coming one way or the other. Fortunately, it didn't require anymore motivation than I had just provided to jump start the  man into action. In fact, we got ready probably too early. I wondered if the rumors of a 5:00am breakfast there at the motel were going to be coming true.

Fortunately, they were true, and I ate some scrambled eggs, a few strips of bacon, and had grabbed a bagel and a banana from the baskets for later. Tony joined us at the table as well. Then as we were finished with that, we went out and made our final preparations to leave. Oh! I forgot my drop bag! Good thing Jeremy remembered it then. The event allowed you to pack a drop bag for Checkpoint #3, so that helped lessen the load that I had to carry.

Then we rode over the Interstate to the KOA Campground front lot where the event was to start from. There were several riders already there, and folks were nervously chit-chatting with each other. I joked that the weather was so good we'd only have ourselves to blame if we didn't make the course.

Heading out! That's Jeremy in the center and myself on the right. Image courtesy of Scott Redd

The Sun cracks the horizon on a clear blue day. 

The road slowly winds up into the hills. 

The views are expansive and humbling. There is a herd of cattle running up the hill here, but they look like ants.

The event rolled out with no issues. Not like last year at all when we hit these very same roads and were met with wet, soupy gravel and derailleur wrecking mud spots. This time it was deep, loose, sandy gravel which made for tougher rolling unless you could find a line where the cars had thinned it out down to the more solid base. Some guys were wagging their rear ends as they crossed over deeper lines of sandy gravel, but my WTB Trailblazers just floated along with seemingly no ill affects.

Rustic roads with spectacular views dot the course at Odin's Revenge. Image courtesy of Scott Redd

Jeremy had planned on jumping up front with the leaders for a while then he was going to drift back to spend the rest of the day with me. Tony sped up the road as well, so in the beginning it was just myself plugging along at a comfortable 13-14mph and enjoying the early morning scenery. It was pleasant with little wind and the Sun was illuminating things in a dramatic way.

This is me coming up the same grade seen from the other way in the previous image. Image courtesy of Scott Redd.

I reached a familiar turn off to a grassy two-track road and was still amazed that we got to ride on this rustic, "barely there" road. I met up with Jeremy and Scott at the top and we all took off down a long stretch of minimum maintenance road that featured lots of climbing. No gentle grades here! These were steep, a bit longer than typical Iowa climbs, and in places, were rutted out a bit. These were the rollers that essentially killed any chances I had of making the checkpoint cutoff in time last year. That was when these greasy hills were wet with recent rain fall. This time they were of a very different nature. These were dusty, and at the bottom, were filled with silty runoff that was probably five to ten inches deep in places. Powdery dust flew up off of our tires and up into our nostrils. It was a bit challenging when the skinny tired bikes were swapping ends and I was overtaking them on my Fat Fargo, blasting by them as they grabbed a handful of brake lever. Scott referred to this dusting I gave him on a couple of occasions as being "GT-eed".

You can get a feel for how dusty and powdery the dirt roads were in this image courtesy of Scott Redd

This MMR ended in a steep, blazingly fast decent. Image courtesy of Scott Redd

These MMR's went on and on with one steep climb followed by a hairy, rutted, blown out descent, one after another. Jeremy, who doesn't have the "Tomac gene", biffed a few times in this section. I looked back and he was gone! Within a few miles we stopped and he caught back on, a little bloodied and dirty, but seemed none the worse for wear. The section was pretty technical from the standpoint of a gravel event, and was more in the mountain biker's wheelhouse, so I can see where things like what happened to Jeremy could  occur.

Somewhere along the way Tony was back with us as well, but I cannot recall how that happened now. Anyway, we were yo-yoing with a few others- John on a Carbon Beargrease set up with 29+ wheels, Mark on a sweet Potts Titanium bike with a lime green fork, and we saw Kevin a few times as well, who would later tweak out his leg on a crash on a rut and require some medical attention. (Heal up fast and well, Kevin!)

The event rolled onward to checkpoint number one, and Jeremy told me that it was pretty front end loaded with climbing. 5000 feet in the first 48 miles. I was feeling fine, eating, and drinking, but maybe not enough. It took us a little over 4 hours to get to the checkpoint, but I hadn't drank 4 bottles of water yet. Close, but I should have downed all six I had with me. Well, I figured I had enough time in the bank I could maybe take it easy during the warmest parts of the day and then make it through CP#2 and assess my day then.

Next: Burned

Odin's Revenge Report: The Load Out

Gear pile

Note: I was absent from posting on these pages for the past two days since I was out of town riding at Odin's Revenge. What follows is going to be another one of my long-winded race reports, but first......

I want to thank the DSG Crew, Chad, Merrie, Matt, Garret, Bob, Paul, Kyle, and all else who lends a hand in putting on this spectacular event. I want to also extend a special thank you to all of you that mentioned that you read this blog regularly and have learned things from my writing, or just that you enjoy it as a part of your day. That means a lot to me. 

And now...... on with the show. 

Okay, so as with Dirty Kanza, I went out to Odin's with Tony in his nice Ford truck. We left rainy ol' Iowa for Nebraska at 8:00am sharp with excitement and expectations. We had our rigs prepared and sights set Westward.  Odin's Revenge, perhaps the antithesis of the Dirty Kanza 200 in almost every way, is a definite throwback, if one can use that term about gravel/backroad events, to the earlier days of the gravel scene. A time when events were smaller, less hyped, and more about the ride and the people in it. Not that "bigger", more hyped and produced rides aren't great, but Odin's reflects a different way of doing things that is appreciated by me and others that attend the event. Different flavors and all.... and that's a good thing.

Rainy ol' Iowa

Sunny ol' Nebraska

Anyway, we eventually ran into fantastic weather and the trip out was enjoyable, fast, and without fanfare. The traffic was pretty intense in places. I am always amazed at the volume of traffic on I-80. To me, it is something to be avoided unless efficiency is of utmost importance. But that's just me.......

And there's the turn off!

So, I know what many of you may be thinking- Nebraska? Flat! Boring!!

Bzzzzzt! Wrong answer. What many folks do not realize is that the interstate travels in the wide, yawning Platte River valley. You know- flat and boring? Go off that ribbon of concrete either North or South and you will discover a Nebraska you might just be surprised ever existed. Hilly, green grass for miles, canyons, and beauty that will take your breath away. Out here is where Odin's Revenge lives and breathes. It has a challenge for you that is tough as nails, and in my opinion, it is the toughest 100 plus mile gravel event anywhere.


The usually lazy, meandering Platte River was swollen to epic proportions due to Colorado's heavy Spring rain fall, so our usual meeting spot at the KOA Campground was not a viable meeting spot. Instead we met at an old, rustic steakhouse called Walker's Steakhouse. It turned out to be a fantastic place to have our gathering, and the food was really good. I almost expected a long-haired rock band to come out and do some covers of Bad Company and REO Speedwagon songs plugged into the early 70's era Kustom PA system sitting on the old stage there. It was one of those places that seemed like it should have the stale stench of pilsner and cigarette smoke in the air. It certainly showed signs of having been "that place" in days gone by. Instead of that long haired rock band we got something even better. Paul Siebert, a very talented musician and friend of Odin's Revenge, came back to play his instruments and serenade us all with a wide variety of classic rock and folk tunes while we ate and chatted each other up. It was a fantastic backdrop to the pre-race meeting. 

Slightly run down, 70's decor from a time gone by. The Odin's crowd awaits Chad Q's announcements at Walker's Steakhouse.

Greg Gleason, (eventual winner in green), David Mizelle, (seated in cap), and others hob-knobbing at the pre-race meeting

The pre-race meeting was like those I would hope for. Smaller, folks chatting all over, and the vibe was outstanding. These gatherings are like little gravel family reunions where everyone seems to know everyone else, or will soon know them. It's one of the things I most enjoy about these gravel events, and especially with Odin's Revenge.

Well, the pre-race festivities went off, schwag was handed out, and we went back to the motel for some shut eye before the 4:30am wake up call. I got to stay with Jeremy, a local I ride 3GR with on occasion, and the guy that helps me out with Trans Iowa recons. Before we hit the sack, Jeremy said he wanted to ride with me for the event and see if he could help push me across the finish line with his "motivational coaching style".

Yeah......more like a sarcastic, biting ribbing on occasion. Ha! Jeremy and I like to throw barbs at each other, so it's all good. Anyway, with that bit of motivation on my mind, I fell asleep.

Next: Back Into The Hills

Odin's Revenge Report: The Load Out

Gear pile

Note: I was absent from posting on these pages for the past two days since I was out of town riding at Odin's Revenge. What follows is going to be another one of my long-winded race reports, but first......

I want to thank the DSG Crew, Chad, Merrie, Matt, Garret, Bob, Paul, Kyle, and all else who lends a hand in putting on this spectacular event. I want to also extend a special thank you to all of you that mentioned that you read this blog regularly and have learned things from my writing, or just that you enjoy it as a part of your day. That means a lot to me. 

And now...... on with the show. 

Okay, so as with Dirty Kanza, I went out to Odin's with Tony in his nice Ford truck. We left rainy ol' Iowa for Nebraska at 8:00am sharp with excitement and expectations. We had our rigs prepared and sights set Westward.  Odin's Revenge, perhaps the antithesis of the Dirty Kanza 200 in almost every way, is a definite throwback, if one can use that term about gravel/backroad events, to the earlier days of the gravel scene. A time when events were smaller, less hyped, and more about the ride and the people in it. Not that "bigger", more hyped and produced rides aren't great, but Odin's reflects a different way of doing things that is appreciated by me and others that attend the event. Different flavors and all.... and that's a good thing.

Rainy ol' Iowa

Sunny ol' Nebraska

Anyway, we eventually ran into fantastic weather and the trip out was enjoyable, fast, and without fanfare. The traffic was pretty intense in places. I am always amazed at the volume of traffic on I-80. To me, it is something to be avoided unless efficiency is of utmost importance. But that's just me.......

And there's the turn off!

So, I know what many of you may be thinking- Nebraska? Flat! Boring!!

Bzzzzzt! Wrong answer. What many folks do not realize is that the interstate travels in the wide, yawning Platte River valley. You know- flat and boring? Go off that ribbon of concrete either North or South and you will discover a Nebraska you might just be surprised ever existed. Hilly, green grass for miles, canyons, and beauty that will take your breath away. Out here is where Odin's Revenge lives and breathes. It has a challenge for you that is tough as nails, and in my opinion, it is the toughest 100 plus mile gravel event anywhere.


The usually lazy, meandering Platte River was swollen to epic proportions due to Colorado's heavy Spring rain fall, so our usual meeting spot at the KOA Campground was not a viable meeting spot. Instead we met at an old, rustic steakhouse called Walker's Steakhouse. It turned out to be a fantastic place to have our gathering, and the food was really good. I almost expected a long-haired rock band to come out and do some covers of Bad Company and REO Speedwagon songs plugged into the early 70's era Kustom PA system sitting on the old stage there. It was one of those places that seemed like it should have the stale stench of pilsner and cigarette smoke in the air. It certainly showed signs of having been "that place" in days gone by. Instead of that long haired rock band we got something even better. Paul Siebert, a very talented musician and friend of Odin's Revenge, came back to play his instruments and serenade us all with a wide variety of classic rock and folk tunes while we ate and chatted each other up. It was a fantastic backdrop to the pre-race meeting. 

Slightly run down, 70's decor from a time gone by. The Odin's crowd awaits Chad Q's announcements at Walker's Steakhouse.

Greg Gleason, (eventual winner in green), David Mizelle, (seated in cap), and others hob-knobbing at the pre-race meeting

The pre-race meeting was like those I would hope for. Smaller, folks chatting all over, and the vibe was outstanding. These gatherings are like little gravel family reunions where everyone seems to know everyone else, or will soon know them. It's one of the things I most enjoy about these gravel events, and especially with Odin's Revenge.

Well, the pre-race festivities went off, schwag was handed out, and we went back to the motel for some shut eye before the 4:30am wake up call. I got to stay with Jeremy, a local I ride 3GR with on occasion, and the guy that helps me out with Trans Iowa recons. Before we hit the sack, Jeremy said he wanted to ride with me for the event and see if he could help push me across the finish line with his "motivational coaching style".

Yeah......more like a sarcastic, biting ribbing on occasion. Ha! Jeremy and I like to throw barbs at each other, so it's all good. Anyway, with that bit of motivation on my mind, I fell asleep.

Next: Back Into The Hills

Friday News And Views

Matt Wills cranks out a long grade at Odin's Revenge '13

Odin's Revenge is on tap for me this weekend and as you read this, I may already be on my way Westward riding shotgun in Tony's big Ford truck.

This is a fantastic event, small, homegrown, and it has really stunning scenery along with a brutally tough course. Fortunately the weather report looks less beastly than it could have been- low winds, lower to mid-80's for temps, but the roads may be a bit rough. It sounds like the weeks of heavy rain coming into the event have caused many ruts in the dirt road sections with some silt having been deposited in many places out on the roadways. No worries here- I have the Fat Fargo ready and I think it will prove to be a good bike for the rustic and primitive roads of West Central Nebraska.

Me? Well, I have been taking it easy this week. Since the DK200 I have gotten real sore in the hips and sometimes upper leg area after harder efforts, but I am where I am at. I have a nutritional plan and hydration plan based on my DK200 attempt. I am taking into account that it will be warmer, so I have modified things a tiny bit. Anyway, we'll see how it all goes after this weekend when I will be posting up the race report.

Beast of the East rises again.

Cannondale Does Fat, B+:

Cannondale has finally entered the fat bike market with a Lefty equipped, 4.0" tire sized rig that claims a "lower Q factor" than other fat bikes.

Yawn.......

What is really cool is that Cannondale has brought back a storied model name and look to have done it up correctly. That would be the new "Beast of the East" model. You younginz readin' this writin' may need a bit of a history lesson here. The Beast of the East was Cannondale's mtb hardtail that was fine tuned for Eastern USA "woods riding". Specifically, it had a very high bottom bracket, (the better to clean downed trees with, my dear), and short rear/long front center geometry with a fairly steep head angle. Fine tuned for "plunkin' and steep climbs", the Beast was unique and on an island all its own for years. Typically, the rig was sold as a totally rigid bike with the ginormous aluminum "Pepperoni" fork. This bike was an acquired taste for sure, but it was cool to see a company stick to its guns for as long as C'dale did. Of course, when the turn of the century came this bike had long been out of the line up.

Now it is back with what looks to be a short rear end and that head angle? Is it just me or does that look a tad steep compared to what we see with other trail bikes? It does have B+ wheels, so it's a mid-fat bike, which makes total sense given the heritage of this bike. This is a Cannondale for exploring, poking around deer trails, and general bushwhacking. This is the exciting bike here, not the fat bike. 

 Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Episode #10:

Fittingly, the tenth episode of the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch celebrates the winner overall of the tenth Dirty Kanza 200, Yuri Hauswald. You can click here for the page where the podcast can be accessed.  It's an hour and forty four minutes of good stuff. First, Ben Welnak and I give our race reports from the Badlands Gravel Battle, (Ben) and the Dirty Kanza 200, (me), which is followed up by over an hour with Yuri Hauswald. This might be our best interview so far. Yuri takes you through the ways he was drawn into the gravel scene, recounts his training, and then goes on to describe his race and thrilling sprint finish after 200 grueling miles. Yuri also gives us a gut wrenching account of his motivations and how he has been affected by the loss of his father to cancer and his wife's battle with cancer. Finally, he assesses the allure of the gravel road riding scene and gives an excellent set of reasons why this sort of riding is catching on.

Check it out by downloading it from the show page at the link above, or check out the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch on the aps for iPhone and Android on Mountain Bike Radio.

Hey, I gotta run. There's this crazy gravel road event I have to go to. See ya later! Keep the rubber side down, ya'all!

Friday News And Views

Matt Wills cranks out a long grade at Odin's Revenge '13

Odin's Revenge is on tap for me this weekend and as you read this, I may already be on my way Westward riding shotgun in Tony's big Ford truck.

This is a fantastic event, small, homegrown, and it has really stunning scenery along with a brutally tough course. Fortunately the weather report looks less beastly than it could have been- low winds, lower to mid-80's for temps, but the roads may be a bit rough. It sounds like the weeks of heavy rain coming into the event have caused many ruts in the dirt road sections with some silt having been deposited in many places out on the roadways. No worries here- I have the Fat Fargo ready and I think it will prove to be a good bike for the rustic and primitive roads of West Central Nebraska.

Me? Well, I have been taking it easy this week. Since the DK200 I have gotten real sore in the hips and sometimes upper leg area after harder efforts, but I am where I am at. I have a nutritional plan and hydration plan based on my DK200 attempt. I am taking into account that it will be warmer, so I have modified things a tiny bit. Anyway, we'll see how it all goes after this weekend when I will be posting up the race report.

Beast of the East rises again.

Cannondale Does Fat, B+:

Cannondale has finally entered the fat bike market with a Lefty equipped, 4.0" tire sized rig that claims a "lower Q factor" than other fat bikes.

Yawn.......

What is really cool is that Cannondale has brought back a storied model name and look to have done it up correctly. That would be the new "Beast of the East" model. You younginz readin' this writin' may need a bit of a history lesson here. The Beast of the East was Cannondale's mtb hardtail that was fine tuned for Eastern USA "woods riding". Specifically, it had a very high bottom bracket, (the better to clean downed trees with, my dear), and short rear/long front center geometry with a fairly steep head angle. Fine tuned for "plunkin' and steep climbs", the Beast was unique and on an island all its own for years. Typically, the rig was sold as a totally rigid bike with the ginormous aluminum "Pepperoni" fork. This bike was an acquired taste for sure, but it was cool to see a company stick to its guns for as long as C'dale did. Of course, when the turn of the century came this bike had long been out of the line up.

Now it is back with what looks to be a short rear end and that head angle? Is it just me or does that look a tad steep compared to what we see with other trail bikes? It does have B+ wheels, so it's a mid-fat bike, which makes total sense given the heritage of this bike. This is a Cannondale for exploring, poking around deer trails, and general bushwhacking. This is the exciting bike here, not the fat bike. 

 Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Episode #10:

Fittingly, the tenth episode of the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch celebrates the winner overall of the tenth Dirty Kanza 200, Yuri Hauswald. You can click here for the page where the podcast can be accessed.  It's an hour and forty four minutes of good stuff. First, Ben Welnak and I give our race reports from the Badlands Gravel Battle, (Ben) and the Dirty Kanza 200, (me), which is followed up by over an hour with Yuri Hauswald. This might be our best interview so far. Yuri takes you through the ways he was drawn into the gravel scene, recounts his training, and then goes on to describe his race and thrilling sprint finish after 200 grueling miles. Yuri also gives us a gut wrenching account of his motivations and how he has been affected by the loss of his father to cancer and his wife's battle with cancer. Finally, he assesses the allure of the gravel road riding scene and gives an excellent set of reasons why this sort of riding is catching on.

Check it out by downloading it from the show page at the link above, or check out the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch on the aps for iPhone and Android on Mountain Bike Radio.

Hey, I gotta run. There's this crazy gravel road event I have to go to. See ya later! Keep the rubber side down, ya'all!

Shop Rat Ride- A Reminder Of The Past

Sharp eyed readers will recognize this bike as the one I got a while back as a hand-me-down since it has always been associated with the shop I work at. If you don't remember or want to check out the back story, see this post.

Well, I hadn't gotten this out to ride since way back in December when I first threw it together. I decided on Tuesday evening to drag it out, de-fenderize it, and take it on a short errand for beer. That whetted my appetite for more and I commuted on it Wednesday to work. Several things struck me as significant about the ride of this bike as I rode it. In no particular order, I'll share those, but first, here is my overview of the 1X1 Surly I have before I list off my impressions.....

The 1X1 as I have it is a sort of "time capsule" bike in that the geometry was informed by the trends of the 90's in terms of 26 inch wheeled bikes. Remember- 29"ers had barely been around in '99 when this frameset was minted and otherwise, it was an all 26"er-all the time world. Everything about this single speed bike reeks of pre-29"er days. Even my build is "vintage" with 90's era wheels, tires, crank set, and 80's era brakes. The newest parts are the bars/stem, grips, seat post, and saddle. So, it is interesting to hop aboard a bike thought to be fine tuned for off road riding circa the late 90's.

• Handling: Oh my gosh! This thing is twitchy! It feels super squirrelly in my view. The bike even exhibits a tendency to flop the front wheel even when pushing it from the saddle when you are off it. Directional changes are initiated when you barely twitch an arm or leg. Bumps upset its forward motion. Wheelies were never so easy. Was this what they were talking about when they said they wanted their 29"ers to handle like 26"ers? I am super stoked they never figured that out then! Well, except for the wheelie part. They have that figured out now for 29"ers and that is very good.
• Momentum: Yep.....you gotta keep on the gas more when you ride a 26"er. That is very apparent. Conversely, it is really easy to go from a stop to spinning out your gear compared to my 29"er single speed rigs. 
• Seated Position: I set this up like we would have back then. Some call it the "ass up and elbows out" positioning. Whatever...... We were mimicking the "NORBA" XC racing positioning we all saw in the monthly rags at the time because that's all we had to go on back then. I'll tell ya what- I totally understand why shorter top tubes, steeper head angles, and short wheel bases caused me so many endos back in the day. Well........that and the twitchiness. (See above)
• Wheels And Tires: Leaving aside the diameter issues for the time being, the narrow rim/2.1" tire combos we used back then were, in a word, dumb. I tried running 40psi in the rear tire, (toobz- of course! ), and I thought something had come unhinged on this bike in the rear end. It was the softer tire wallowing on the narrow, unsupportive rim. I bumped up the pressure to 50psi, and the sensation went away. But........50psi!! Yeah.....those were the daze! I can easily run low 20's psi on wider rims with bigger tires, and on a B+ set up? Never higher than 20psi, and that's only for gravel roads. My tires now never felt so stable and secure since I've compared them to these old wheels on the 1X1.

Is the 1X1 an antiquity never to be considered a serious off road vehicle then? Heavens no! I would probably change the wheels, first off, to wider rims and tubeless tires. Then I'd get some proper linear pull brakes, because the bike is cantilever only and the old 80's brakes are pretty weak. Maybe a more upright stem? Yeah. If this bike wasn't attached to the legacy it has, I would size up to a 20"er and get a modernized 1X1 with disc brakes, but this old skool ride is definitely not going anywhere anytime soon.

Shop Rat Ride- A Reminder Of The Past

Sharp eyed readers will recognize this bike as the one I got a while back as a hand-me-down since it has always been associated with the shop I work at. If you don't remember or want to check out the back story, see this post.

Well, I hadn't gotten this out to ride since way back in December when I first threw it together. I decided on Tuesday evening to drag it out, de-fenderize it, and take it on a short errand for beer. That whetted my appetite for more and I commuted on it Wednesday to work. Several things struck me as significant about the ride of this bike as I rode it. In no particular order, I'll share those, but first, here is my overview of the 1X1 Surly I have before I list off my impressions.....

The 1X1 as I have it is a sort of "time capsule" bike in that the geometry was informed by the trends of the 90's in terms of 26 inch wheeled bikes. Remember- 29"ers had barely been around in '99 when this frameset was minted and otherwise, it was an all 26"er-all the time world. Everything about this single speed bike reeks of pre-29"er days. Even my build is "vintage" with 90's era wheels, tires, crank set, and 80's era brakes. The newest parts are the bars/stem, grips, seat post, and saddle. So, it is interesting to hop aboard a bike thought to be fine tuned for off road riding circa the late 90's.

• Handling: Oh my gosh! This thing is twitchy! It feels super squirrelly in my view. The bike even exhibits a tendency to flop the front wheel even when pushing it from the saddle when you are off it. Directional changes are initiated when you barely twitch an arm or leg. Bumps upset its forward motion. Wheelies were never so easy. Was this what they were talking about when they said they wanted their 29"ers to handle like 26"ers? I am super stoked they never figured that out then! Well, except for the wheelie part. They have that figured out now for 29"ers and that is very good.
• Momentum: Yep.....you gotta keep on the gas more when you ride a 26"er. That is very apparent. Conversely, it is really easy to go from a stop to spinning out your gear compared to my 29"er single speed rigs. 
• Seated Position: I set this up like we would have back then. Some call it the "ass up and elbows out" positioning. Whatever...... We were mimicking the "NORBA" XC racing positioning we all saw in the monthly rags at the time because that's all we had to go on back then. I'll tell ya what- I totally understand why shorter top tubes, steeper head angles, and short wheel bases caused me so many endos back in the day. Well........that and the twitchiness. (See above)
• Wheels And Tires: Leaving aside the diameter issues for the time being, the narrow rim/2.1" tire combos we used back then were, in a word, dumb. I tried running 40psi in the rear tire, (toobz- of course! ), and I thought something had come unhinged on this bike in the rear end. It was the softer tire wallowing on the narrow, unsupportive rim. I bumped up the pressure to 50psi, and the sensation went away. But........50psi!! Yeah.....those were the daze! I can easily run low 20's psi on wider rims with bigger tires, and on a B+ set up? Never higher than 20psi, and that's only for gravel roads. My tires now never felt so stable and secure since I've compared them to these old wheels on the 1X1.

Is the 1X1 an antiquity never to be considered a serious off road vehicle then? Heavens no! I would probably change the wheels, first off, to wider rims and tubeless tires. Then I'd get some proper linear pull brakes, because the bike is cantilever only and the old 80's brakes are pretty weak. Maybe a more upright stem? Yeah. If this bike wasn't attached to the legacy it has, I would size up to a 20"er and get a modernized 1X1 with disc brakes, but this old skool ride is definitely not going anywhere anytime soon.

Countdown To Odin's Revenge: Details

Other than fine details, this is ready to go again.

Well, the time is coming that I have to pack up for West-Central Nebraska. It looks to be another "gravel family reunion" out there, and in terms of people, it should be fun times. I'm looking forward to all of that. However; I have a few tweaks to make yet, and I am not 100% sure where I am staying yet. But that's probably going to be sorted out here soon, so no worries.

The rear hub overhaul went well. I tested it out on the commute to work yesterday and there are no worries there with how it will perform. I will say that it is so much quieter now it seems wrong. I mean, a Chris King hub should be fairly buzzy and loud, right? If I attend my ear to it, I can hear the familiar, but muffled, buzz just like before. I suppose as time wears on it will get louder, but it seems almost stealthy in comparison to how loud it was at the end of the DK200!

I will have to tweak on the front derailleur a hair. I noted that it wasn't going to work at the DK200, but then again, I didn't really need it there. There were maybe two times I had to hop off and crest some crazy 30 foot steep on a ranch road, but otherwise I middle ringed it most of that day. This deal at Odin's will require a granny ring, if my past experience tells me anything, and I want it to work there.

I also have to work on the rear brake. It slightly drags on the outside pad, and I think I'll have to take those nested washers out and swap them around to avoid having everything resetting back to where it was when I start adjusting on it. These are BB-7 brakes, by the way. Those washers have a tendency to "take a set", so I've dealt with this before. Once I've perfected the brake, I have two other small details to look after. 

One will be finding my headlight mount, which I laid aside when I was swapping out bars to the Cowchippers. Then I want to check my computer against a tenth mile post over by the expressway for accuracy on the computer. I think I may be off there.

Other than those few things, I just have to pack up the bags and get myself out there. More rebel B+ , Fat Fargo, gravel grinding action coming soon!

Countdown To Odin's Revenge: Details

Other than fine details, this is ready to go again.

Well, the time is coming that I have to pack up for West-Central Nebraska. It looks to be another "gravel family reunion" out there, and in terms of people, it should be fun times. I'm looking forward to all of that. However; I have a few tweaks to make yet, and I am not 100% sure where I am staying yet. But that's probably going to be sorted out here soon, so no worries.

The rear hub overhaul went well. I tested it out on the commute to work yesterday and there are no worries there with how it will perform. I will say that it is so much quieter now it seems wrong. I mean, a Chris King hub should be fairly buzzy and loud, right? If I attend my ear to it, I can hear the familiar, but muffled, buzz just like before. I suppose as time wears on it will get louder, but it seems almost stealthy in comparison to how loud it was at the end of the DK200!

I will have to tweak on the front derailleur a hair. I noted that it wasn't going to work at the DK200, but then again, I didn't really need it there. There were maybe two times I had to hop off and crest some crazy 30 foot steep on a ranch road, but otherwise I middle ringed it most of that day. This deal at Odin's will require a granny ring, if my past experience tells me anything, and I want it to work there.

I also have to work on the rear brake. It slightly drags on the outside pad, and I think I'll have to take those nested washers out and swap them around to avoid having everything resetting back to where it was when I start adjusting on it. These are BB-7 brakes, by the way. Those washers have a tendency to "take a set", so I've dealt with this before. Once I've perfected the brake, I have two other small details to look after. 

One will be finding my headlight mount, which I laid aside when I was swapping out bars to the Cowchippers. Then I want to check my computer against a tenth mile post over by the expressway for accuracy on the computer. I think I may be off there.

Other than those few things, I just have to pack up the bags and get myself out there. More rebel B+ , Fat Fargo, gravel grinding action coming soon!

Have We Lost It?

Has gravel grinding lost its way by getting too commercialized?

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Lately I've noticed a lot of comments to the effect that gravel events have become "too big", or that the genre' has lost its way by becoming too commercialized. Even I have been personally accused of becoming a "sell out" because I review too many products and have joined with RidingGravel.com. I have decided that it is time to address this nonsense.

First off, let me say that wherever there is a "trend", people gathering, or wherever you find a lot of social activity centered around a certain type of event, there will be people that jump in to provide services, "a better way" to do something, or to make the activity more enjoyable. Most of these folks will want some reward for their services, ya know......like money. Try getting a beer at an event at most places, and you'll be asked for money in exchange for that beer. Try getting food at a restaurant and more than likely, you will be asked for money in exchange for your meal. Does that make eating out, or drinking beer a "sell out"? Or if you want to talk about cycling, ya know.......just forget about that, because it is too commercialized and you have to pay money to get a bicycle. Bah!

It may seem absurd to even have to write this stuff, but whenever I see folks accuse anyone of being on the take, or accusing any activity of becoming "too commercialized", I have to call BS. Why? Because those statements are absolutely absurd when you look at who is saying them for consistency in their philosophy. None of these folks are free from supporting, heck......even liking, activities, organizations, or other people that are highly commercialized, "on the take", and in may cases, out and out "sell outs". What separates the gravel events from much of this is where the hearts and passions of the folks are behind the scenes of these events. If you haven't spent time with many of these folks, as I have, you should before you pass silly questions like "has gravel riding lost it?", and other such crazy talk.

It isn't easy putting on events for others to ride in.

Here's another thing that may be obvious, but needs to be said- "If you don't like where gravel events are going (a) don't support them, or (b) put on yer own damn event and show us how it's supposed to be done."

Event creation, logistics, research, promotion, and production isn't necessarily all that easy, but if you want to be a Monday morning quarterback, and pick us folks apart that do the hard work, here's where I call BS again. If you are of the mind that these events are too "this-or-that", (whatever your beef may be), I am not even going to give you my consideration if you haven't put on an event yourself, or if you haven't been carefully considering things at events you have been at that feature gravel riding. Most of this chatter concerning gravel events getting "too big" is coming from voices that are not informed, considerate, or very insightful. But as I have always said, (from a phrase borrowed from Mike Curiak), "If you don't like how an event is run, maybe it isn't for you."

A third really obvious thing: There are a lot of free, small, "under-the-radar", events happening all over the place all year long. We have listed 270+ events on the RidingGravel.com calendar where you can find many of these. In fact, most of the events on the calendar are small, basic events that charge a nominal fee or are out and out free events. Many are charity/fund raiser events for great causes. Hardly a "sell out" in anyone's viewpoint. Oh......and we are adding new events monthly. Most of them events of this type.

Then there are those of you that are worried, curious, or just being "Debbie Downers" when it comes to all of this getting "uncool", changing for the worse, or going mainstream. Look.....the truth of the matter is that most folks don't even know what a gravel road is. The chances that this scene is going to get gobbled up and spit out by corporate America is about as high as seeing Martians on your next training ride. Ain't gonna happen. Especially seeing the folks I know toiling behind the scene.

That's my take.

Have We Lost It?

Has gravel grinding lost its way by getting too commercialized?

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Lately I've noticed a lot of comments to the effect that gravel events have become "too big", or that the genre' has lost its way by becoming too commercialized. Even I have been personally accused of becoming a "sell out" because I review too many products and have joined with RidingGravel.com. I have decided that it is time to address this nonsense.

First off, let me say that wherever there is a "trend", people gathering, or wherever you find a lot of social activity centered around a certain type of event, there will be people that jump in to provide services, "a better way" to do something, or to make the activity more enjoyable. Most of these folks will want some reward for their services, ya know......like money. Try getting a beer at an event at most places, and you'll be asked for money in exchange for that beer. Try getting food at a restaurant and more than likely, you will be asked for money in exchange for your meal. Does that make eating out, or drinking beer a "sell out"? Or if you want to talk about cycling, ya know.......just forget about that, because it is too commercialized and you have to pay money to get a bicycle. Bah!

It may seem absurd to even have to write this stuff, but whenever I see folks accuse anyone of being on the take, or accusing any activity of becoming "too commercialized", I have to call BS. Why? Because those statements are absolutely absurd when you look at who is saying them for consistency in their philosophy. None of these folks are free from supporting, heck......even liking, activities, organizations, or other people that are highly commercialized, "on the take", and in may cases, out and out "sell outs". What separates the gravel events from much of this is where the hearts and passions of the folks are behind the scenes of these events. If you haven't spent time with many of these folks, as I have, you should before you pass silly questions like "has gravel riding lost it?", and other such crazy talk.

It isn't easy putting on events for others to ride in.

Here's another thing that may be obvious, but needs to be said- "If you don't like where gravel events are going (a) don't support them, or (b) put on yer own damn event and show us how it's supposed to be done."

Event creation, logistics, research, promotion, and production isn't necessarily all that easy, but if you want to be a Monday morning quarterback, and pick us folks apart that do the hard work, here's where I call BS again. If you are of the mind that these events are too "this-or-that", (whatever your beef may be), I am not even going to give you my consideration if you haven't put on an event yourself, or if you haven't been carefully considering things at events you have been at that feature gravel riding. Most of this chatter concerning gravel events getting "too big" is coming from voices that are not informed, considerate, or very insightful. But as I have always said, (from a phrase borrowed from Mike Curiak), "If you don't like how an event is run, maybe it isn't for you."

A third really obvious thing: There are a lot of free, small, "under-the-radar", events happening all over the place all year long. We have listed 270+ events on the RidingGravel.com calendar where you can find many of these. In fact, most of the events on the calendar are small, basic events that charge a nominal fee or are out and out free events. Many are charity/fund raiser events for great causes. Hardly a "sell out" in anyone's viewpoint. Oh......and we are adding new events monthly. Most of them events of this type.

Then there are those of you that are worried, curious, or just being "Debbie Downers" when it comes to all of this getting "uncool", changing for the worse, or going mainstream. Look.....the truth of the matter is that most folks don't even know what a gravel road is. The chances that this scene is going to get gobbled up and spit out by corporate America is about as high as seeing Martians on your next training ride. Ain't gonna happen. Especially seeing the folks I know toiling behind the scene.

That's my take.

Progress And Maintenance

This bearing was very reluctant to rotate!

With Odin's Revenge less than a week away, I suppose it was high time I get the rear hub squared away! The deed was just going to be a simple maintenance of the Chris King hub, or so I was thinking. The rear wheel worked perfectly during the Dirty Kanza 200, but I heard it getting louder as the day wore on, and that could only mean one thing- The grease was getting washed away, and that hub was going to be dirty when it was all said and done. That was what I thought anyway.

Well, I cracked it open Sunday, and it was a little more than I had thought. Yes, it was dirty, dried out mostly, and needed to be serviced for sure, but there was one more thing. The drive side bearing was not rotatable by hand. Yeah........that's not good.

Now here is where you get your money's worth when you buy a Chris King hub. This is my opinion, but I think I am pretty spot on when I say that a Chris King hub is very expensive, but it is very maintainable and can be made to last a very long time. Case in point- the sealed bearing that was an issue with my hub.

Many hubs have sealed bearings, that is true, but not many hubs have bearings made by the brand that is emblazoned on that hub, and most are not meant to be serviceable. I've serviced the ordinary type of sealed bearings, but the Chris King types are eminently easier to work on. Snap off the metal seal, carefully displace the rubber seal, flush out the bearing, re grease, and replace the seals. That actually was the easiest part of the whole deal. The bearing now spins well and the hub is back to good as new with the further cleaning and re-oiling. Quieter for sure with the fresh oil. Oh.....and tell me how many hubs that you can actually clean out and rebuild the free hub mechanism on. Only the best hubs can you do that on. With no pawl springs to break off, (like a certain U.K. made hub I have that failed), you can be sure you can hammer on the hub afterward with full confidence. Plus....the parts are actually available. Again- my opinion.....

On down- One to go.....

On another front, I got a hold of a highly regarded penetrant and let it fly on the Karate Monkey's bottom bracket. I let it sit for a day, then hit it with the wrench and hammer, and what do you know?

The old sealed bottom brackets Shimano made were kind of odd. Many had the removable cup not on the non-drive side, but on the drive side. That's how this one is, and I manged to get it loose, so now I can get at the cartridge with more of that penetrant, which should help tremendously. This is the first progress I have made on this bottom bracket removal in years. It felt good to get something good going on this bike for once.

I'm confident that now this bottom bracket will come out eventually and that the old Karate Monkey will be getting ridden again in the future. Stay tuned.......

Progress And Maintenance

This bearing was very reluctant to rotate!

With Odin's Revenge less than a week away, I suppose it was high time I get the rear hub squared away! The deed was just going to be a simple maintenance of the Chris King hub, or so I was thinking. The rear wheel worked perfectly during the Dirty Kanza 200, but I heard it getting louder as the day wore on, and that could only mean one thing- The grease was getting washed away, and that hub was going to be dirty when it was all said and done. That was what I thought anyway.

Well, I cracked it open Sunday, and it was a little more than I had thought. Yes, it was dirty, dried out mostly, and needed to be serviced for sure, but there was one more thing. The drive side bearing was not rotatable by hand. Yeah........that's not good.

Now here is where you get your money's worth when you buy a Chris King hub. This is my opinion, but I think I am pretty spot on when I say that a Chris King hub is very expensive, but it is very maintainable and can be made to last a very long time. Case in point- the sealed bearing that was an issue with my hub.

Many hubs have sealed bearings, that is true, but not many hubs have bearings made by the brand that is emblazoned on that hub, and most are not meant to be serviceable. I've serviced the ordinary type of sealed bearings, but the Chris King types are eminently easier to work on. Snap off the metal seal, carefully displace the rubber seal, flush out the bearing, re grease, and replace the seals. That actually was the easiest part of the whole deal. The bearing now spins well and the hub is back to good as new with the further cleaning and re-oiling. Quieter for sure with the fresh oil. Oh.....and tell me how many hubs that you can actually clean out and rebuild the free hub mechanism on. Only the best hubs can you do that on. With no pawl springs to break off, (like a certain U.K. made hub I have that failed), you can be sure you can hammer on the hub afterward with full confidence. Plus....the parts are actually available. Again- my opinion.....

On down- One to go.....

On another front, I got a hold of a highly regarded penetrant and let it fly on the Karate Monkey's bottom bracket. I let it sit for a day, then hit it with the wrench and hammer, and what do you know?

The old sealed bottom brackets Shimano made were kind of odd. Many had the removable cup not on the non-drive side, but on the drive side. That's how this one is, and I manged to get it loose, so now I can get at the cartridge with more of that penetrant, which should help tremendously. This is the first progress I have made on this bottom bracket removal in years. It felt good to get something good going on this bike for once.

I'm confident that now this bottom bracket will come out eventually and that the old Karate Monkey will be getting ridden again in the future. Stay tuned.......

Happy Father's Day

I spent some time with my son Friday evening and Saturday.

Father's Day- Usually we see how Father's Day is pitched in the media and socially. Ya know.....Dad gets to grill out, catch a ball game, or do whatever special interest thing that a Dad would do, alone, or with other Dad's. I don't get that at all.....

To my mind, Father's Day should be spent with those that "made you a father" in the first place. Ya know...... your kids? 

Those special little lives, (or now, not so little), that qualified you to be a "father" in the first place. They are just looking to you, if you are a father, for a clue, an example, and to be influenced. Be that guy today....

I usually don't get to far off the subject of bicycles here, but today, it feels like this is the time to maybe put something a little more important than bicycles ahead and post about that. We could all use more Fathers being good fathers.

Anyway, that's all I have to say today. That and....

Happy Father's Day.