Sometimes I see a couple of things after I have already fleshed out my "FN&V" for the week. I think about passing it by, but then I feel like I need to say something and write it up because......that's how I am wired. I need to express myself in writing. (You're welcome) So this may become a series here, or it may not. Stay tuned on that idea....
Gravel Worlds picked up another sponsor last week in SILCA. That company is now Gravel Worlds "official" lube, bar tape, pump, yada,yada,yadda....
This is interesting as I proclaimed that SILCA's Super-Secret Lube is my winner overall in the Guitar Ted Lube-Off, a process of finding a dry conditions lube that has been ongoing here on the blog for over a decade.
The two things are definitely not tied together in any way. That Gravel Worlds arranged for SILCA's sponsorship of their event is a completely different and separate occurrence from my deal here. I just wanted to make that clear right up front.
But I am happy that Gravel Worlds picked up a sponsorship from SILCA. They do actually make really high quality things for cycling. I have great experiences with almost everything I've tried from SILCA. the exception being that tool roll they sell, which was sub-par for gravel riding.
Otherwise, I was always pretty pleased with anything I received from, or purchased from SILCA. I have not tried their handle bar tape yet, but that is on my radar to do at some point. Anyway, check out SILCA's stuff. Yes- it is very expensive. But I believe it is very much worth the prices they charge.
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| Image courtesy of YT Industries |
When Using The term "Gravel" Gets Out Of Control:
YT Industries released a "gravel" bike on Thursday to much fanfare from the endemic cycling media. I gave it a cursory mention on Riding Gravel's Facebook page. But here is the deal: That ain't no gravel bike.
I get that people are "underbiking" to trails and that there is a certain amount of "fun" in drop bar biking a single track trail. Just call it what it is, drop bar MTB, and leave the whole "gravel" tag off there.
"But wait! It won't sell if we try to be 100% honest about what this is", they might say, and to that I say, "Well, misleading the people isn't going to work in the end." The YT bike is a poorly executed drop bar MTB. It is the furthest thing from an all-roads bike that I can imagine.
You might be thinking I am a curmudgeon and just an old fart that needs to step aside. But I would reply to that by saying "words matter" and calling a gravity sled with drop bars and poor tire clearance with a very incapable fork a "gravel bike" is maybe about marketing to gain a buck, and not about what is really a gravel bike. It is weird at best and an intentional misrepresentation to gain profits at the worst. Probably the fact is that the YT people fully believe that this bike is a "gravel bike" somehow, but this is such a stretch as to be ludicrous.
You'd be better off "underbiking" on a retro 1990's MTB with drop bars than this rig.
7 comments:
Viva la SCC Slick lube. I think chain lube is a lot like snake oil. A lot of them out there, but each one has something you like over the others. SCC Slick is my lube of choice, but I respect your decision on Silca.
YT I am conflicted, I do not like the fenders, but they are removable, but seeing that up front soured me. I had some coffee and came back to it. I actually think it is more gravel style that I am after than you think. I want a gravel bike that can handle up to a 2.3 tire, I want front shock compatible geometry. I think if you yuck on Its yum, you need to yuck on Salsa Fargo yum. So they made their version of updated geo and made it more modern than the cutt throat.
@N.Y. Roll - I liked the SCC Tech lube too, but it runs dirtier than SILCA's does. So..... For dry conditions and for the cleanest drive train? The SILCA won out, but I have a bottle of the SCC Lube and I wouldn't throw it out.
I may be mistaken, but the YT bike doesn't fit biggie tires. Another knock on their take on a MTB drop bar bike, which, by the way, is EXACTLY what a Fargo is. Salsa NEVER promoted that bike as a gravel bike and do not do so up to this day.
That's more my point with this bike, the YT thing, which is not a good solution for what you want, actually. Not that I would endeavor to tell you what to do, mind you. ;>)
@NY Roll per Bike Rumor “ Max tire clearance for the frame is 700×45, but the Rudy can take a 700×50.” So it’s not a great drop bar MTB. Fork travel is only 40mm which I think isn’t worth it, but YMMV.
I think there’s much better drop bar MTBs and there’s certainly much better gravel bikes out there, even suspension corrected ones. The geometry of this bike is very much gravity focused, but the rest of the details don’t really jive with that, IMO.
Where do either of you think riding this bike will shine based on the numbers and spec? I think making it available as suspension only is a smart way to make it unique.
@teamdarb - Well, I don't think it would "shine" anywhere, to be honest. It has a DH oriented front end and a climbing oriented rear end with a minimum of tire clearance for the DH part.
If I were doing a drop bar specific trail ripper hard tail I'd modify a current production hard tail to have the stack height and top tube length that would accommodate a drop bar. Trying to shoe horn what is essentially a road bike into being something it is not is, well- weird.
I think people missed two key words in my post "I want". Clearly YT is not there YeT, but someone will be. The fargo/cutt throat scratched an itch, but I see more mixed surface races coming on. Granted it all depends on the soil you race on, but a 2.3 tire will generally conquer most terrain with little issue and is fairly conservative. The Twin Six FSU I have is actually the perfect bike for this. I put a 45 stem on it with drop bars and it was awesome. But how many people will convert their bike to do that? 45mm tire is pretty darn close to a man bike tire size, they clearly are expecting people to get rowdy on it. Tires are better, rim sizing is better. Technology and market changes are making this YT bike more capable than you think.
@N.Y. Roll - Here is really the most interesting part of your comment- "....but I see more mixed surface races coming on..."
This is the key- CORE4 used legit single track in their event which caused concerns on the part of some participants and should have on the part of event promoters. The problem with bikes like the YT is that IF you get in over your head, 40mm of suspension and 45mm of tire are going to bite you REALLY hard.
So-called "underbiking", as I understand the term, and what would be the attraction for your "mixed surface racing" is an endeavor for the talented and skilled MTB'ers amongst us. It really calls out mountain biking skills to clear those parts of a mixed surface event.
Neither the YT, (or bikes of this ilk), nor most folks coming from a recreational/roadie discipline, are attuned to traverse the more technical sections of courses in "mixed surface" events. This is not speculation as we know of specific instances where this is happening already.
Putting out bikes with sub-optimal MTB capabilities underneath unskilled riders in "mixed surface" events? ( Or worse- on typical "gravel" bikes) Well, as a former promoter I would be very careful with this. I see issues....
It's just a minor reason I don't like the YT bike, but it is not an insignificant reason to consider here.
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