Choosing The Gravel Worlds Rig

Fargo Gen 1

Gravel Worlds is this coming weekend, and I have to pick a bike. Well.......I have to pick a Fargo! I will be riding a Fargo for a couple of reasons, and which one I ride will depend upon a couple of factors.

First I have the Fargo Gen I to choose from. Obviously, I am comfortable on it, as all of my longer rides this year have been done on it. The issue I have is that I don't like the tires I have on it all that much. Otherwise, everything about this bike is ready for a Gravel Worlds attempt. Well.......besides the fact that it is filthy dirty! I am still chipping Tama County clay from the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational off of it. That stuff is like cement when it dries!

The other Fargo is,of course, the Gen 2 version with the 27.5+ wheels on it. The "Fat Fargo", which I have done many long rides on as well. I had just refreshed the sealant on that one this weekend and I will ride it a few times this week to get a feel for how my shoulder reacts to the Cowchipper Bar.

The "Fat Fargo" could be a great choice for me due to the wider footprint of the tires and how that would help with the sandier gravel down around Lincoln. The bad part would be that those wheels and tires weigh a lot more than the Gen I Fargo's wheels and tires do. That's a concern, and the 2.1" tires on the Gen I should be just fine down there. The thing that will sway the decision will be the weather. Right now there is a 35% chance of thunderstorms down there that day, and if it seems like wet weather is a big possibility, I will opt for the Fat Fargo. Otherwise I will go with Gen I and live with the chance it might rain. Either way, right now the weatherman is saying a high of 75° and, of course.......a North Wind. That means we'll get that same long slog of headwind, just like last year, even though the course is going in the opposite direction from last year.

I say.....bring it on! 

 

Chipping away the Tama County clay and getting rigged up for Gravel Worlds

I decided to go ahead and set up the Gen I as my primary choice for now. I took off the Becker frame bag, (and found it fits the Ti Muk perfectly!), then added the Revelate Tangle Bag in which I have all my repair gear. (No seat bag works with a Cirrus Body Float post) The frame bag removal opened up two more bottle cage mounts, so I added those. In total, I can carry four 24oz bottles and one small one underneath the down tube. That's without using the Chaff Bags! I'll use those for vittles to eat whilst sailing the seas of gravel around Lincoln this coming weekend.

The Garage Bag by Bike Bag Dude on the top tube will house personal items, a camera, and cell phone. That should do it for stuff on the bike. Of course, lights will be mounted and will have to be used right away in the morning, but I also may need them to get this deal done in the evening as well.

I feel pretty good about my choice and if I have to bail out and use the Fat Fargo due to possible weather concerns, I can swap over to that rig easily. I just don't know if my left shoulder can deal with a Cowchipper for hours on end at this point. Maybe I could do it, but I know I can handle the Luxy Bar. Go with what ya know, right?