Now its the second week of October.
So, before things get away from me this year, I decided a test ride was better than having everything just sitting around ready to go. And with rain in the forecast for the latter part of the week, Tuesday seemed like a last ditch time to get out and wrangle a fully loaded bike through some tight single track.
The weather was perfect. 50's, low 60's, Sunny, not much wind, and dry. I hit up the single track in the Green Belt because I had to get home and do some house work before the Sun went down. (Like I said, it's always been something!) But I carved out a couple hours to just cruise around.
As I said, the bike was loaded with everything I needed for a sub24 overnighter. So this was going to be a proof of concept ride. If this set-up could handle some adventure riding, it surely could handle gravel, and that would be proof enough for me.
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| A little cruise around the Green Belt lake. |
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| Beauty shot. |
It was amazing how well this set up handled sand. Deep sand at that. I found that my years of fat biking in deep snow have paid off in spades when it comes to sand riding. The other thing was that with all the front end weight the steering was heavier and that's a good thing in looser terrain. It acts kind of like a steering damper effect.
The weight and the big, poofy tires at slightly less than 20psi each were super-damped and felt like a full suspension bike in terms of ride feel. The steel frame is great here as it is stiff enough, but still forgiving and if you mind how you ride the bike, it can be a big asset,
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| Some Marky-Mark action |
I ended up having to do some clearing on Marky-Mark. I had a big branch to maneuver off the trail at one point. I smacked my shin and drew some blood, but I got the job done. After 27 years the trail is still there and I am still healthy and able to clear it. Blessed I am.
And the test ride? Successful. The Gryphon is great as a loaded touring machine. I hear that some riders want to "avoid the hassle with a front derailleur". I don't know how I'd get along without having one. Really. A friction front derailleur is about as dead reliable as it gets. I've no idea what these people are afraid of, but as for me, give me a front derailleur every time.
10 comments:
My Bad, we made plans an I canceled all the time due to one reason or the other. I am better at spontaneous adventures vs planned at times.
AMEN to the front derailleur AND friction shifting on both front and rear!!
@N.Y. Roll - Not your fault. I had planned on going when I could, and then I couldn't. It is what it is..... And now it is raining for three days!
Preach the front derailleur word, sir.
Regarding front derailleurs, let me be the contrarian. I can sum things up with two two-word phrases:
Chain suck.
Chain drop.
Don't try to tell me it's all about setting things up correctly. Watch any World Tour bike race - you know, with all the latest, greatest equipment, painstakingly maintained by professional mechanics. Take part in any group ride or race. Both things happen all the time.
As background, I still have triples on the tandems and I even had a hand in the "road triple" becoming a thing, however briefly, in the '90s. However, today it's 1x all the way for me on my personal bikes.
@Fear rothar - Solution for most folks; Clean chain, not worn-out components, shifting skills.
Comparing me, or any common cyclist to a Pro level World Tour rider who is "shifting in anger" is a misplaced comparison. In the heat of a racing situation things can and often do go wrong no matter how many or how few chain rings you have.
I don't see that you have an irrational fear of multiple chain ring set ups. You stated that you once used them.
I've seen chain suck occur on the first ride, on a brand new custom bike, thankfully not mine. But yes, your suggestions work - until that time when they don't.
I wasn't trying to compare anyone to a Pro Tour racer. I was merely trying to point out that chain suck and/or chain drops happen to well maintained equipment. We all have to change gears under pressure at some point or another, so I feel that the example is relevant in that respect too. And, to your point, top level racers generally have ninja level skills, so that detail is covered.
Yes, there are no irrational fears of multiple chain rings at this end. Merely decisions made from observation and hard earned experiences.
@Fear rothar - Anything can fail. There is no "fail-safe", so again, why fear front derailleurs? Yes, everything does work.....until it doesn't. Something we all can agree on.
Does chain suck or drop occur with electronic front shifting? I have no firsthand experience, but I vaguely remember reading way back then that electronic XTR would eliminate chain drop.
@Derek - No, electronic shifting cannot 100% eliminate that, because there are certain circumstances where chain suck really doesn't have anything to do with the act of shifting. Worn parts, dirty chain rings, and poor lubricant choices all come to mind.
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