Recently, online news provider "Axios Des Moines" ran a story about Kum & Go convenience stores, who has their headquarters in Des Moines. Apparently they are planning to pivot their business model from a "gas station that serves food" to a "restaurant that serves gas."
Three of the convenience store company's stores in the Des Moines area are going to be remodeled and will feature more restaurant type, healthy food choices and seating areas. The story also states that Kum & Go plans remodels and new food menus across Central Iowa Kum & Go stores starting in May of this year.
Comments: One of the biggest complaints I ever heard while I was running Trans Iowa was that there were poor food/resupply choices at "gas station convenience stores". This was in light of the fact that I utilized these retail stores as resupply points for those who were in the event. It would seem that going forward this may change somewhat.
Personally I have already seen much change in the fare offered at these roadside stops. Most notably in areas where convenience stores are located along limited access roads or Federal and State highways. I imagine rural areas would be amongst the last to see such changes, but as we emerge from the pandemic, I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot less of the fried food offerings and more healthy choices.
The stories about supply chain issues with logistics are something I've written about here a lot. The issues don't affect just consumers, but the criminal element has been energized by the situation as well. Pirates- literally - have been boarding container ships under the cover of night, breaking seals on containers, and pilfering the contents. Then after they get their take, they speed away on smaller boats and sell the goods on the black market. Similarly, trains of containers coming out of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles get bottle necked, and thus slowed down enough that thieves can board a car, crack open a container, and throw the contents out along the tracks for their comrades to grab. Now word has come out of the Czech Republic of a high jacking of a semi-tractor trailer filled with Shimano components going to a Czech bicycle manufacturer.
 |
| Aftermath of theft. (Image shared by Bike Fun) |
Apparently, thieves observed a truck being loaded with Shimano componentry at a warehouse. They then followed the truck until its driver had to stop for rest/refueling. Then the thieves struck. The thieves reportedly gassed the driver in the cab, cracked open the trailer, and unloaded all but a few low end components. Then they covered their tracks with fire retardant so footprints and finger prints could not be traced.
The components, headed for a bicycle manufacturer, were said to be enough to be able to kit out 10.000 bikes. The manufacturer, Bike Fun, claims that this set back will push availability of their product back a year. They claim that no other options exist for them but to pilfer from components they meant for other bikes and to wait for replacements from Shimano. German police are investigating the case and sharing information in hopes that other events similar to this might be prevented. The story I read claimed that this is a first for Shimano.
Comments: In light of the world's situation with shipping and supplies, 10,000 bikes worth of Shimano components is noteworthy, but perhaps it may seem to be not all that big of a deal. The thing is, this obviously was done by some higher level organized group and speaks to what sort of value stealing high end components has to would-be criminals.
When high end bicycle prices exceed 10K retail, it doesn't take much imagination to understand that the component parts must be valuable. Add in an atmosphere where there is a very short supply of parts with high consumer demand, and you can see a scenario where a criminal organization might see getting OEM packaged parts as a money-maker on the black market.
And also- any sort of hiccup in the supply chain gets amplified. There is no getting around that. So, anytime we see something that is a disruption- no matter how insignificant it may seem to us- it is going to affect things at the consumer level. Pirates suck, unless they are Pirate Cycling League pirates, and those folks are more than okay with me!
 |
| Singular Gryphon v3 (Image courtesy of Singular Cycles) |
So, That Happened:
You may have seen the Instagram story on my feed last Tuesday, but if you did not, I ended up pre-ordering a Singular Gryphon mk3.
This won't show up until this coming Fall, at the earliest, (supply chain issues notwithstanding), and so I have a bit of time to collect the few things I will need to build up this bike.
This will also signal a sea change in my current fleet of bicycles. Nothing obvious to you- the readers- but this will affect a few bikes I have sitting around here as I suspect that I will condense three bikes into this new Gryphon.
I'll get around to all that in due time, but many of the parts I want to use on this bike will be harvested from the bikes I have around here which aren't getting much use anymore. I will have to seek out a few things to get where I want to be in the end. A hub set with through axles in a single speed specific design, flat mount calipers, and probably new spokes and nipples. Money for all of this will be saved up as the year goes on. Plus, I may have a few things popping up on my Garage Sale page, so check that out throughout the year.
The plan will be to re-lace the polished set of Velocity Dually rims I have to the single speed specific hubs. I will also have a geared set of hubs in the already built DT Swiss 350/Spank 355 wheel set I tried out for gravel duty. That way I can go 1X or single speed. I'll also have a silver component theme here if everything comes together the way I want, at least in single speed mode.
Well, enough about that. I'll have more later in the year on how things are coming together.
That's a wrap for this week. have a great weekend and get out and ride!
8 comments:
Now if only Caseys follows suit, gravel riders will have some real options in rural Iowa! Might be sacrilege to say, but I've gotten a bit burnt out on their pizza. Fortunately the one in my small town makes subs also, but I know many of the smaller/original stores still don't.
@Ben - I'm sure that if Kum & Go's experiments are successful that we will see changes in competitor's offerings. Kwik Star is already on this path here in Waterloo- upgrading stores and offering better food choices- but certainly not "restaurant" style stuff.
I'd be surprised if Casey's moves off from their successful style in rural areas. They seem to cater to smaller, more conservative communities- at least here in Iowa- and I suspect that they know their business best when they offer the types of foods that they do in those areas.
I could be wrong, but I bet Casey's stays to the course they have set recently.
Talking to a couple of the young gents who wrench at our local LBS about how business was going. Seems they recently finally received after months on back order, a bunch of parts and a few bikes. At least one the new bikes was already showing signs of corrosion from spending time bobbing around in its cargo container in the sea air and salt water of the briny blue sea.
And hows the knee? If it somehow becomes an on going nagging problem in the future, on future bike builds, after lots of research and experience in the matter, I highly recommend crank sets with 165mm arms or maybe even less. They did wonders for me. The 175's were absolutely killing me. Just a thought....
@baric - Wow, interesting comments on the state of bikes after bouncing around at sea for weeks. That's something probably no one had on their lists of concerns!
Thanks for asking about the knee. It is coming along fine. Mostly just a muscular issue with the left side. I had to suddenly 'catch' myself while wheeling a load down a steep ramp with a two wheeled cart during a snowy day. The ramp was covered in snow, so it was difficult footing. I am very glad not to be doing the moving gig anymore!
The suddenness of my maneuver caused my muscles in the back of the knee to be overly strained. As I say, it is coming along fine, but it takes time to heal when you are older!
best wishes on your future bike build and good bike building karma is sent your way.
@ N.Y. Roll - Thank you!
Oh dude… Congrats on pulling the trigger on the new Gryphon. I really want one but think I’m going to hold out for the Mod One from Black Mountain Cycles. I still have my v.1 Gryphon though, and it’s still kickin’ like fried chicken.
@MG - Thanks Brother! Yeah, I wish now sometimes that I had that OG Gryphon, but this will have through axles, and it has the capability to hold the big 29+ rubber. Kinda like a cross between a Rooster and a Gryphon. Best of both for me, at any rate.
Thanks again!
p.s- Still jealous of your Rooster. Man, that is a cool bike!
Post a Comment