Friday News And Views

Alpen's new Basecamp Bike Capsule Image courtesy of Alpen

A Pod For Your Bike?

I get a lot of press release stuff sent my way and not all of it is relevant to gravel cycling or mountain biking. But this storage idea from Alpen called the Basecamp Bike Capsule is pretty interesting. 

It is a 'roto-molded' structure for outdoor bike storage which is lockable and weather-proof. The capsule is 'smart' in that there is an app that allows you to access the capsule without physical keys. A Hiplock fixture in the base allows you to physically attach the capsule to the cement, or flooring where the capsule is stationed. The Basecamp Bike Capsule is about $2399.00 but it may be something for vacation homes, or I think, a commercial setting. Think resorts, Air BnB's, urban areas, and the like. 

Comments: This is a cool idea. I would love to see mass installations of these at college campus dorms, urban areas, schools, libraries, grocery stores, etc. You could even charge 'parking fees' via an app as a municipality or business. But this would be a great idea which I think would enhance the use of bicycles by more people, especially HPC's (Hybrid Powered Cycles) which cost a ton and are not something you want to leave unattended for long. I'd rather see a line of these than those Bird scooters sitting around mostly unused in our city, that's for sure!

Ortlieb's new Seat-Pack QR

Ortlieb Solves Dropper/Seat Bag Compatibility With New Seat-Pack QR:

Once again with the press releases! (It is Sea Otter weekend, by the way!) Ortlieb has been a touring/bike packing bag maker for decades. The German company adds its name to a growing list of companies that are addressing the dropper post/seat bag conundrum. 

Many traditional seat packs will not work with a dropper post. But Ortlieb's Seat-Pack QR does it with a 13 liter capacity bag which quick-releases off the seat rails and stabilizes itself against a plastic collar you attach to the upper part of a dropper seat post stanchion. 

The Seat-Pack QR is waterproof, of course, since it is an Ortlieb product. It weighs in at a light 625 grams empty and is backed by a 5 year warranty. You can learn more about this here on Ortlieb's site. 

Comments:  Cool adaptation of a seat pack to a dropper post. As time goes on though, I get more interested in mini-panniers, Tailfin racks, and traditional set-ups over these seat packs. I feel like lowering that center of gravity has advantages over something wagging around off the back of my seat post. Your mileage may vary.

The first class to be inducted into the GCHoF was announced Tuesday.

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Inductees Announced: 

As you probably know, I was inducted into the inaugural class for the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame this week. I have said my piece about myself, but I would be remiss if I did not comment on the others included on that prestigious list. (And Thank You to all who sent messages and comments across various channels to wish me congratulations, etc. I saw everyone of them. )

Of course, being that the aim of the GCHoF was to preserve gravel cycling history, it would only make sense that I am acquainted with some of the folks on this list. In fact, the only person I have not spoken to, or have ever seen, who is on this list is Rebecca Rusch. 

The list of people here is a good one in that it represents promoters, athletes, and events well, but I do have one comment to make here regarding some names not on this list that - in my opinion - make this list of names a bit incomplete due to their omission. 

Those names are, specifically, Jim Cummins and Joel Dyke. Two men that started the ball rolling in Emporia, Kansas and created, what was for many years, the premier gravel event in the world, most likely. Now- it should be pointed out that their names may be missing because that was requested. The nomination process was such that any name mentioned had to be approved by that individual who was named, or as with the case of Joel Dyke, his family. (Joel died tragically in an at home accident several years ago) So, there very well may be a good reason those two are not on the list this time, because they would have- they should have been- shoe-ins to get in on the first class. 

Until they are in the GCHoF, (if those folks want in that represent those names), there will be a glaring 'hole' in the history that hall of fame represents. But I don't run the GCHoF, I just point these things out because history matters. You should realize that the founders of perhaps one of the, if not THE, most influential gravel events ever, are not in the GCHoF. If you think that is hyperbole, well, besides Chris Skogen, myself and the others have direct ties to the DK event. You'd think the founders of that event would be in this deal, but as I say- maybe they declined to be nominated. I do not know. 

And as for Chris Skogen, you may not know, but he was the director of perhaps the most grassroots of grassroots gravel events, the Almanzo 100. He was one of the first, if not the first, to organize a gravel event series, The AGRS, back in the late 2000's. Those events were the Almanzo 100, The Ragnorok 105, "The Gentleman's Ride", The Heck Of The North, and the lone Iowa event, CIRREM.

Of course, Corey Godfrey is one of the originators of Gravel Worlds, but did you also know he competed in 11 Trans Iowa events, finishing 4, and  won the DK200, finished several Almanzo events, and has been a fundraiser for Gravel Worlds raising tens of thousands of dollars for charities? Dan Hughes is a 4 time winner of the DK, a Gravel Worlds winner, and a Trans Iowa winner. Kristi Mohn has been an event co-organizer in Emporia for many years besides being a racer as well. Bobby Wintle is basically the Mid-South, and without him, well....does that event exist? And finally, Rebecca Rusch, who really needs no introduction, but also is a former winner of several events in Emporia and has her own well known event in Idaho, Rebecca's Private Idaho. 

So, I am humbled to have been included amongst such pillars of gravel cycling. Congratulations to all the others on this list. 

And that's about it for this week! have a fantastic weekend!