Friday News And Views

Knolly Bikes steel Cache frame which is progressive and forward thinking- NOT carbon! Image courtesy of Knolly Bikes

It's Not Carbon Fiber?!!

A new gravel bike gets introduced. Big deal, right? Probably another carbon framed, "same-as-the-last-verse" deal. Well, not this time! Not only that, but this bike is steel, and it isn't some neo-classic, rando deal either. (Not that there is anything wrong with that. But it is expected more so than this)

Nope, Knolly, who did a turn with a similar design in titanium earlier this year, have rendered this design in steel. Steel is less expensive than titanium, and while I'd love a Ti version of this bike, a steel one is more attainable. I also happen to like the Sky Blue Camo color option. (pictured here) You don't normally paint Ti, so a nice paint scheme over steel, that's kind of neat right there as well.

Of course, I don't really need another bike, but...... If I keep on with RidingGravel.com, I do need to do something about the Tamland Two. It isn't up to date with through axles and what not, where this Knolly rig is, and if I replace the Tamland, I'd rather that bike be steel than not. This Cache fits the bill. Plus it would be both 700c and 650B compatible, and it can handle 2X or 1X, which is helpful.

So, the interest is there, but right now isn't a good time for me to invest. We'll have to wait and see......

The jersey I'll be wearing for Gravel Worlds celebrates their tenth year of the event.

Gravel Worlds #10:

A decade of Gravel Worlds is about to pass by after this weekend's running of the Pirate Cycling League's tongue-in-cheek take on Pro roadie World Championships. Of course, it isn't really a Worlds of gravel. But that never stopped the PCL from just running with that presumptuous idea and poking holes at what was going on in the Pro ranks.

The event is just the PCL's irreverent, punk rock attitude put into an event which initially was designed to be a challenge, fun, and all-inclusive. The event grew out of what was the "Good Life Gravel Adventure", and for all intents and purposes, if you had attended the last GLGA and the first Gravel Worlds, you'd have noticed barely anything was different. (I happen to have done this very thing) For all intents and purposes, the Gravel Worlds of today is about as "Good Life Gravel Adventure" as it gets. Just an evolution over a decade, really, and the fact that there are more folks riding now. The first Gravel Worlds had 96 riders. This coming one? Over 300.

Signing up at "race central" (The former Oso's restaurant in Lincoln) for the 1st Granel Worlds

 Ten years is a long time to run an event. Figure 12 if you include the previous two GLGA events that preceded Gravel Worlds. The PCL is celebrating its accomplishment by offering a cool poster at the pre-Race get together, and I may have to buy one. I have the limited edition, one of 50 first GW poster on my wall right now. It needs a friend, don't you think? Ha! Well, maybe I will get that poster, we'll see.

Anyway, Gravel Worlds is still, in many ways, the GLGA it always has been, but the PCL guys have managed to bring in the more competitive, "pointy" end of athleticism and its attendant trappings. This all co-exists with the down-home, grassroots feel they always have had, but it also brought some unwanted attention back in 2017. Well, actually, myself and my partner Ben at RidingGravel.com were the ones that got the unwanted attention first. You know, when you get an e-mail with this heading: "Subject: Illegal use of the UCI Rainbow colours - gravel worlds", well, THAT grabs your attention straight away! Especially when it really is the UCI that is getting upset with you!

I won't get into details, but that e-mail eventually got directed to the proper party, and this is why the Gravel Worlds "theme" for their jerseys and merch has changed. Another pitfall of being an event promoter and being a bit subversive. Lawyers don't have a sense of humor. Trust me- I know from a T.I.v8 incident involving the mocking of a certain vegetable juice can design.


So, here we are. Ten years of Gravel Worlds and I'll be there to ride it. Expect a full report starting on Monday.

Low water crossing at the DK200 in 2015

 It's A Risky Business:

Well, you know, every so often I see stories about how gravel events aren't doing it right, and the story writer continues on to "set us all straight on how it could/should be".

sigh!

Okay, so here's my take on the linked article above from Marshall Opel, a road Pro at one time, and the guy Cyclingtips pegged for their "Endless Gravel Summer" tour of sorts, with sponsorship and some support from several industry brands.

The premise of the article is to "do away with finish lines", or some such malarkey. I have to wonder if he felt the same way when he was racing on pavement, but we do not know. Anyway..... Several misguided assertions are made here which, unfortunately, are going to lead not more than just a few folks off into the weeds. Here's the deal as I see it.

Mr. Opel, first off, got himself injured, and I wish him a speedy and full recovery. He is a fellow human, and I don't like seeing anyone get hurt. Now as for what he wrote, well, for one thing, he seems to assert that "gravel, in its current state, is not optimized for racing", and then states that without road closures most events are really just group rides.

Wow. 

Thank you for letting us in on that secret, Mr. Opel. Thousands of us had no idea we weren't racing, but were on "just big group rides taking advantage of low-traffic areas".

Mr. Opel then goes on to describe a couple of events that take the greyhound chase out of the events a bit, which is fine. Gravel events like this have existed for well over a decade. Had Mr. Opel done even just a little research, he could have informed readers that there are literally hundreds of different types of gravel events, one or two sure to suit anyone's desires for full-on competition, or all the way down to chill group rides for adventure. It would have been easy to have just written about how those choices have existed for all this time. Apparently, Mr. Opel doesn't know, or neglected to tell us these facts.

And when you know those events have existed and are available, well then- you can do what is comfortable for you to do, if "comfort" and "safety" are what concerns you.

Then, curiously, we get a somewhat detailed accounting of how Mr. Opel got injured in the heat of "racing", (I guess it could have just been "just a big group ride" if the roads weren't closed), and ended up getting some internal hardware from his mishap. He admits to making an error in judgment, then states, "... you do what you can to hedge risk while knowing full well that shit happens in races. It’s a part of the game."

And that's it, really. Full stop. It's a "risky business, this riding bicycles, and when you sign that waiver, you assume the risk." And like ol' Mike Curiak told me once, "If you don't like that, maybe this event isn't for you." Find something you are comfortable with. Those events are out there. Tons of them.

Gravel racing, (or big group rides.....whatever), are dangerous. They are not like Pro road events for a reason. Without the danger, the risk, then what is there? A fun, chill group ride? That's fine, if that is what you want. But thousands of people sign on for these "races", and yes- some of them are going to crash, some of them are in over their heads, and some of them are inexperienced riders. It's a beautiful mess where everyone gets to try to figure it all out together. You should know that going in, and if you don't, you are ill-informed. No one is making you enter these events. You do not have to ride in them.

That's why we always said "You Are Responsible For You". It means that you assume risk, that you assume research into the activity beforehand, and that you accept that sometimes, as Mr. Opel so eloquently put it, "...that shit happens in races." 

Have a great weekend, y'all. Get out and ride some bicycles!