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| Wolf Tooth "Supple Bar Tape" |
Handle bar tape isn't a very sexy topic when it comes to cycling. You know.....it's just bar tape, right? Well.....no. Bar tape can make or break a ride, and cheapo bar tape is about as bad as having no bar tape. You may as well wrap your bars with duct tape. Wait! Don't do that! I know from experience that is a horrible idea.
No, you should use a quality bar tape and then - most definitely- HAVE SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO WRAP TAPE DO THE INSTALLATION!!
The #1 fail of most bar tape is poor installation. Many shop rats don't know how to do it either. Wrapping bar tape is a skill that not many have, and so, find a professional who has a good reputation for wrapping tape, because no matter if you spend 10 bucks or fifty, if you fail on the wrap job, it won't matter.
Anyway.....off the soap box now!
Back to this Wolf Tooth stuff. It is a silicone foam tape that is FIVE millimeters thick. FIVE! That's crazy thick, plus the tape width is 40mm. So, this is pretty thick stuff and it will require a REALLY knowledgeable, experienced wrapper to install it well. If you get that far, you'll have what amounts to double wrapped bars so the vibration damping effects should be really good. Wolf Tooth claims this stuff is washable, works in extreme heat and cold, and will give you the best comfort over rough terrain.
It is available only in black for now, but they expect to have other colors in the future. MSRP is $39.99. Note: I do not have this tape, nor any connection to Wolf Tooth Components. I just thought this was a cool product and wanted to pass along the info.
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| Apidura's Expedition Downtube Pack |
I came across an interesting product for storage so I thought I'd share here. Some of you have bikes that don't have those nice, under-the-downtube mounts for a water bottle cage. Well, this pack from Apidura might be the ticket for you.
It is capable of holding a water bottle, or you could pack in a tool caddy, or other gear which is heavy so you could get your weight lower. That tends to make a bike handle a bit better.
Apidura does not recommend this for tubing under 30mm in diameter, so some skinny tubed steel bikes won't be a good match here. Similarly, many rigid forks also will not be a recommended application for this product. But I bet you could mount this to a suspension fork lower.
Anyway, the thing is waterproof, features a single, wide Velcro attachment, and retails for $67.00. The top has a compression closure, and should keep the grit and moisture out. It might also be a great option for those riders smaller in stature that cannot run a top tube bag, like a Tangle Bag, and water bottles. You can check out the Apidura Expedition Downtube Pack here. Note: I do not have this bag, nor any connection to Apidura. I just thought this was a cool product and wanted to pass along the info.
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| Mass start events still not a good idea? Things maybe will go solo? Who knows? |
As Fall approaches and we get into September, there are a lot of postponed gravel events which were rescheduled from when the onset of the pandemic and social distancing measures started. While we have recently seen many states in the US relax restrictions, we also have noted a spike in Coronavirus cases over the past week or so.
Adding to this are the many events which are cancelling for 2020 altogether. Events like the Boston Marathon, the New York Marathon, various triathlon events, and more. Yes, some major league sporting events still think they will be getting on the field, but the jury is still out on that front. As teams gather for pre-season practices and work-outs, the coronavirus cases have piled up. Any reasonable person would conclude that when the games start, there will be a further uptick in cases amongst players and then what?
I understand that sports are a 'big deal' to us culturally, but more importantly- these sports on major league levels are losing their shirts monetarily if players do not take the fields and courts. It is not a good barometer of how cycling events can take place to compare themselves to Major League Baseball, or the NFL, for instance. Those entities are dealing with economies that outrank many countries entire economic worth in the world. Cycling does not have that sort of need for sacrificial human performances.
It is my humble opinion then that no mass start cycling events take place during the remainder of 2020. If you can figure out how to keep your smaller field separated, then I see no issues running an event of, say 100 folks or less. But even better yet, promoting individual challenges, as many gravel events have done, is more preferable.
You can call me alarmist if you want, or say I've got my head stuck in the sand, but the numbers and case information doesn't lie. The COVID-19 virus has no cure and no vaccine. It is highly dangerous, highly contagious, and can cause permanent damage and death. Those are hard facts. Take your risks accordingly.....
Sorry to end on such a bummer note this week, but this is serious business and there is no "going back to the way things were". Stay healthy! Have a great weekend.
4 comments:
Nick over at Rogue Panda has been making a sweet under the down tube bag for a couple of years now. Super good quality and handmade in Flagstaff AZ.
I've the Rogue Panda, great piece of kit.
I continue to be flabbergasted that people continue to plan to hold and attend races this year. Considering never attending any events ever put on in the future by those who don't cancel their events this year.
Well said!
Wrapping bar tape seems pretty simple to me. I never have the shop do it. Now in the days when can do less and less on your own bike with a specialized tool (or a compressor to mount your tires), wrapping your bars is still something you can yourself.
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