People Of 2024: "The Northfield Crew"

 In my travels and life during the year, I have been blessed to be supported, befriended, and on occasion visited by some pretty awesome folks. Sometimes I visited them. (Hopefully they were equally blessed!) I wanted to take some extra space to recognize and celebrate these people at the end of the year. I hope you gain some insight and appreciation for what these people mean to me this year and beyond. 

The "Northfield Crew" that took me in and made my trip to Stillwater Oklahoma a reality on their way out to ride Mid-South

Last I left off with this series I mentioned that Erik Mathy was largely responsible for the whole bike/Mid-South idea. Well, if Erik could be called the instigator, then the fellows from Northfield, Minnesota were the enablers of this idea. At least partially. There was a bicycle welded up by King Fabrications that figured heavily into all of this as well. 

But even with a bicycle made, I was not getting any closer to going to Mid-South without these fine fellows from Northfield. I call them "The Northfield Crew", but they consisted of long time friends Ben Witt, Marty Larson, Justin Michaels, and new acquaintance Michael Lemkuhl. These guys went waaaaaay outta there way to accommodate me, take me in as if I were one of them, and they made me feel wanted there with them. This is especially cool when you realize that this little group had been taking in Mid-South on their own for a few years before this trip. I was a definite "outsider", but trust me - I was never made to feel that way.

Ben Witt (R) and Michael Lemkuhl in the Heywood Ride booth. Image by M Larson.

Again, I spent a lot of time with these guys. Traveling, eating, sleeping, hanging out, and riding as well. There were plenty of opportunities for friction, but that never raised its head, if it were there at all, and that is a testament to these guy's characters. I am forever in their debt!

And as well, I was able to meet with a lot of friends that these guys had made in previous visits to Mid-South, so that was another thing they brought to me. It was an enriching and satisfying experience all around because of this. 

So, shout out to the Northfield Crew! Thank you again, and know that I appreciate you all very much. 2024 would not have been the same without you all!

Twenty-Nineteen

 In celebration of the twentieth year of this blog, I have a few tales to tell. This post is one of them. This series will occur off and on throughout this anniversary year, I hope to illuminate some behind-the-scenes stories and highlights from the blog during this time. Enjoy!

I was digging through the archives and realized that it has been five years since I walked out of Europa Cycle and Ski for the last time. Well.......not exactly five years. That'll happen on December 20th, but close enough for rock and roll, right? 

So, there's a story that I haven't told that really affected things here. That was how I was on pins and needles all year of 2019 figuring out my "exit strategy" for my job at the time. I'd been there for seventeen years, so it was both gut-wrenching, anxiety inducing, and exciting all at the same time. I had to plan when I would be taking things home, like spare tools. I had some Trans Iowa artwork there that I had to go in and take down, which I tried to do when the old owner wasn't there to avoid any discourse about "what I was up to" with him. He didn't need to know anyway as he was essentially being forced to quit due to poor financial status. (I do know this as the owner foolishly told us remaining employees these things.) We knew we were going out of business at some point by the end of 2018. So, that is why this was drug out so long.

I guess it was better than thinking everything was hunky-dory and coming in and having the ax fall. Although I've experienced it that way back in 1993 as well. That's another story....

Plus, it would mark the second year in a row that I would be stepping away from something that was a mainstay in my life for well over a decade. The other thing was ending Trans Iowa in 2018. So, this two year stretch had a fair amount of "suck" going on in the background. 

2019 also marked the first and only C.O.G. 100 event. The last I ever put on.

What a lot of you don't know is that in November of 2019, just five years ago, I saw my mother for the last time. She was suffering from Alzheimer's and was in the tail end of that. She was brought into the shop by chance one of the rare days I was scheduled to work that month. I think I may have worked three days in November. Anyway, because she lived an hour away from me, it was a minor miracle that I even got to see her, although she did not know who I was. 

Then COVID hit and in 2021 she dies. So, due to that and other complications, I never got to see her again after the visit in November of 2019. It was a big blow to me, obviously, and it is why from 2019, into 2020, and afterward, you may have noted a change in tone on the blog here. Well, if you did, the experiences of 2019 had a big influence on me. Losing a job, a vocation, and your mother will do that. 

On the bright side, I was promised a bicycle mechanic job at a new shop which was to kick in on March 1st of the following year. 

And of course, we all know what happened in March of 2020.

Yeah, that was a brutal stretch. Certainly, keeping up the blog throughout all of that was not easy. I kind of hate to even report any of these previous things, but it isn't as though these things did not happen and that they did not affect me and this blog. They did. Hopefully you didn't notice......

Friday News And Views

Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge Update:

Well, this time next week it will be on! The Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge will be happening all over the place. I'm excited to see where reports will be coming from, but I have had some off-line confirmations and comments elsewhere that lead me to believe that this could be the biggest turnout to date!

Riders living in Tennessee, Nebraska, Kansas, Washington, (the state) and even Spain have indicated to me that they will be taking part in this challenge. 

Wow! Even if these rides don't happen I am really honored and humbled that people are taking this seriously. And I'm sure these folks are 100% in for the challenge, I'm just saying that the mere thought that folks are excited about this is very meaningful to me. Thank you all! 

I'm watching the weather very carefully and trying to get my best shot in. I know weather can be tricky here in the Mid-West this time of the year, and darkness is a thing to contend with as well. So, we will see how it all falls out in a week and some days. 

Meanwhile, if all these folks and some surprise additions come in, I will have to take stock and jam in a lot of reports in a schedule jam-packed with stuff I have to get through for the end-of-year here. It'll be ......interesting! 

Gravel Worlds News:

Gravel Worlds announced last week that they are bringing back the 1000 Women of Gravel initiative where the Gravel Worlds team will try to raise up 1000 female participants across all categories of the event including the new Gravel Triathlon and Duathlon events, both of which are USA Cycling national championship events. 

Gravel Worlds also announced HED Cycling as their official wheel partner for the event as well. Finally, the organization claimed their original web address, "gravelworlds.com" again, which they had lost for several years. 

A Gentle Reminder: 

You've probably noticed that the "end-of-year" posts have kicked in already, but in case you haven't, I just wanted to take a quick minute to remind you all that this past week is pretty much what the rest of the year will look like here. 

I will be reviewing people, bikes, and my experiences throughout 2024. This will be in addition to the 20th anniversary of the blog reviews that are happening about weekly now also. 

Fridays will still be like this, and I will interject news and ride reports where they need to be as they happen. So, if this isn't your cup of tea, I will be back on a "regular schedule" in January. If you are up for the end-of-year stuff, hang on! I've got plenty to cover in the next several weeks! 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

DT Swiss, Shutter Precision Collaborate On New Dynamo Gravel Wheelset:

News popped up on Wednesday of this week regarding a new DT Swiss offering in conjunction with dynamo hub producer, Shutter Precision. 

The new DT Swiss hub has Shuuter Precision's internals to provide light on demand for any gravel/adventure rider. The hub will be offered on its own as well as a part of two different 350 hub based gravel wheel sets with aluminum rims. 

According to this report I read, the hubs and wheels are beginning to be available now, although for some areas of the world it may take until the end of this year for hubs and wheels to show up in consumer's hands. 

Comments: This should be a great deal, especially the pre-built 1600 and 1800 level wheel sets, for gravel riders. The only downside is that you will need to configure a wiring route suitable for your bike, install it, and buy a head lamp suitable for the dynamo hub. It is initially an expensive proposition, and it is tempting to think a self-contained LED based torch is easier. However; I have both systems and I never fail to be satisfied with my dynamo set up due to its ease of use and care-free nature regarding the need to maintain battery power, as you will have to do with a self-contained LED set up. 

However; you are tethered to THAT one wheel and bike set up. So, if you have multiple bikes you want to use, a self-contained LED set-up will be more efficient and less expensive overall. Plus if that hub goes down, you are without a bike and a light system. While Shutter Precision lights enjoy a reasonably good reputation, my research turned up some issues regarding these hubs and Winter riding in specific. Now DT Swiss' version uses straight-up Shutter Precision guts, but the hub shell and bearings are perhaps a better quality than the original. Hard to say at this point. 

New Episode Dropped!

N.Y. Roll and I had shiggy back on again to talk about tubeless tire stuff. You can check out the new episode HERE. 

We get into some - perhaps long forgotten - tubeless history. Then we talk about tires a bit, rim design, air pressures, and how we mount tires. There are a lot of tips and tricks shared here. 

Then we get into sealants and which work, which do not work, and I even give out MG's Secret Tubeless Formula so you can make your own sauce if you want to. 

Next up we may do a recap of Cold Weather Riding Tips with some updates to that. If you have any questions about the tubeless episode which we did not touch upon, or new questions about cold weather riding, let me know. 

I'm thinking we may squeeze in two more episodes before our Winter break. The last episode will be a recap of 2024 and the gravel scene, most likely. I expect our last episodes to drop in the beginning of December. That will close out Season #2 and we plan on Season #3 to start sometime in mid to late January. 

As always, thanks for reading and get out there and ride those bicycles!

Bikes Of 2024: Surly Big Dummy

 It's another late November/December here on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2024. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  

As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up. 

The Big Dummy at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective loaded with supplies.

This bike has been around for a while now and this year I think I used it more than I ever have. Working at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective has brought a new angle to owning this bike. I use it to haul supplies the last three-plus miles from the UPS Store to the shop. I also do a recycling run once a week with this bike as well. 

The ride from the UPS Store has been a hoot for me. I get really side-eyed and gawked at when folks see me lacing these big boxes to the rack with my bungee cords! The UPS folks know who I am since they figured out "I'm that bike guy" and now their amazement at how I take the packages away has subsided a bit, but they were pretty weirded out in the beginning. 

Of all the bikes I ride, the Big Dummy gets the most compliments. It is a pretty snazzy looking bike, if I do say so myself. 

As far as any changes go, I am probably going to have to service this bike which will entail a new suite of drivetrain parts, a bottom bracket, and brake service. It's been far too long. But as far as anything major goes? No, there are no modifications to be had on the horizon. I will only add that last year's decision to purchase that double-legged kickstand has paid dividends. I'd do that again in a heartbeat if I had to set up another cargo bike and it did not have a dual-leg kickstand.

Gravel Grinder News: Mondraker Introduces Arid Carbon Gravel Bike Range

Note: The information and images in this article were provided by Mondraker Bikes. "Comments" are the opinions of Guitar Ted and may not reflect the views of anyone else.

The new Mondraker Bikes Arid Carbon is their first non-assisted gravel bike.

 Mondraker Bikes is probably not a brand that you have either heard of or seen much of if you live in the USA. (There are a little over a dozen shops that carry the brand in North America) However; the brand is an innovator and probably better known in Europe. With the category of "gravel" being the hottest in non-assisted cycling world wide, and with North America being the "home" of gravel, this model is something that deserves attention, because Mondraker is aiming to make inroads into the USA scene. 

With that in mind, Mondraker says that they realize the term "gravel" can mean different things to different people. So, they set out to design the Arid Carbon "to be able to adapt to just about anyone". This is a bold statement, so it demands we look at what this bike actually is designed to be. 

Design & Frame Construction:

The Arid Carbon uses Mondraker's "Stealth Air Carbon" technique which is an optimization of lay-up technique, design cues, and all with an eye to durability. Mondraker tests the Arid Carbon frames to meet ISO mountain bike standards to ensure the rider that this model can take the rough stuff. 

Obviously, the eye is drawn to the unique seat stay junction at the seat tube. Mondraker claims this is a structural element that will allow for a smoother ride for the rider while remaining strong. 

Further design elements are common to many top-range gravel bikes which include fully hidden cabling, (with internal guides), down tube storage for tools or supplies, UDH rear derailleur hangar, and a threaded bottom bracket shell, (T-47). Clearance for tires in the frame and fork are claimed to be "50mm with room to spare", so this is also up to date. 

There are six water bottle mounts on the bike as well, adding to the versatility. Double ring crank users will be disappointed to learn that the Arid Carbon is 1X only. 

Geometry:

The Arid Carbon range comes in five sizes and features a "M/L" size which is kind of an odd mix of a traditional 56cm and 58cm frame sizing using really a short seat tube length (48cm) with a 58cm top tube length and a 591mm stack height. 

Beyond sizing, the Arid Carbon comes in with a 70° head tube angle across the board with a 75mm bottom bracket drop mated with an aggressive 425mm chain stay length. Seat tube angles are 73° across the range. 

Spec:

There are four models with three being SRAM - Rival, Force AXS, Red AXS - and one Shimano GR610 offering.  Prices range from about $4,700.00 to $9,800.00 USD for the top of the line model. Check with your Mondraker dealer for details. 

One interesting tidbit is the flared drop bar and stem system is not one piece. This will come as a relief to bike fitters and should allow for some rider customization. 

Comments: 

Generally speaking, this is a pretty good looking bike from a design and spec standpoint. I think Mondraker nailed the important numbers which I look for in a good gravel bike for all-around riding purposes. These include the bottom bracket drop, head tube angle, and tire clearances. Mondraker said they wanted to design this bike to adapt to almost anyone, and the geometry shows they were not kidding around there. I question the short seat tube lengths a bit, but seeing many bikes in the field which have saddle to bar height ratios which are tilted toward the bars being higher than the saddle, I can see maybe where Mondraker is thinking this short seat tube would appeal to those folks. As for me, it would require a 400mm length seat post set at almost maximum height. 

The lack of any variability across the size range to the geometry in terms of the seat tube and head tube angles is a bit out of the ordinary for such a high-end bike. 

It is interesting to note that any mention of aero is missing in their press release, along with any mention of racing gravel. Rather, Mondraker sells the idea for this bike being a commuter, an exploration machine, showing it with bikepacking bags, and as just a "fun bike to ride". This was a refreshing change of pace from the normal race oriented pressers featuring such high end bicycles. 

The seat stay thing? Well, it certainly sets the Arid Carbon apart from the crowd, I would say. I have no idea how it actually will work in the field, but if every bike has to have some feature which separates it from the rest, and as long as Mondraker have done their homework and the bike holds up? I have to say, I don't mind the look, to be honest. 

 Mondraker said they wanted to make a gravel bike "to be able to adapt to just about everyone". I guess that with prices starting at almost 5K and up that they did not mean that pricing was one of those adaptations. Maybe entry level customers were not within their target customer range? Maybe something in aluminum would get that range extended downward toward those on tighter budgets? However; for now, if you don't have that sort of budget, then this means you are probably looking to go elsewhere for your gravel bike fix.

Interesting bikes for certain. I wouldn't mind trying one out. What about you? Have you ridden a Mondraker bicycle? Let me know in the comments. 

Bikes Of 2024: Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3

  It's another late November/December here on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2024. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  

As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up.  

The Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3. Pre-Redshift stem.

The Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3 was new to me last year. I had big plans for this bike but it only got out on gravel a few times and ended up being mostly a commuter rig in 2024. I still have a big ride in mind for this bike that I just did not get around to in 2024. 

Changes included adding a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem in the 55mm length and going back to the originally spec'ed Ragley Luxy Bar. I kind of miss that silver stem, but Redshift only does black, so......

I might strip the racks off, but then when I do that a window will open up for my long-planned two-day tour. You know that's how it will go....

Brown Season: Elemental

Escape Route: Alleyways

 This time of the year the chances to ride come less often, at least as far as being out in the country here. This is in part due to temperatures, winds, and snow, of course. So, when a day like Friday comes around, and if you have the time, it is wise to spend that time riding. Because you never know if that might be the last time you get out there for a while or not. 

The morning was cold and fraught with danger due to dense fog. I don't need to be out there when the chances of not being seen and hit by a passing motorist is a lot higher. So, I waited until after lunch. The thing is, now with the Sun so low in the horizon, you are only going to get a handful of good riding hours while the Sun still gives her light. That and when it approaches Sunset, the angle of that light is blinding. Not just to me, but to anyone driving a car or truck as well. 

All things to consider when trying to fit a ride in during November, December, or January. With all those things being factors, I was happy to get two and a half hours of riding in. I did this ride on the Fargo Gen I which I have proposed to ride for the Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge. 

Freshly shaved fields

A pile of glacial stones recently dislodged via field drainage tile installation.

The wind was out of the Southeast, so I had a long slog planned which would drive into this wind and then, considering the time, I planned on stopping at Quarry Road and starting my way back. 

The Sergeant Road bike path was actually pretty busy with bicycle and pedestrian traffic. I guess I wasn't the only one with the thought that I should seize the day. Usually this amount of traffic is only seen if I am riding just before RAGBRAI. Strange to see this in mid-November, but it was encouraging! 

Oh-oh! Road work? No....it was just utility work.

As reported by Tomcat, a reader here, the barns are gone on this corner. Just a big black splotch on the ground remains.

Once out on the gravel I found that the recent wet weather has started to put the roads into "Winter mode". This is when the road surface gets smoothed out due to the crushed rock being pushed down into the base of the road. I'd say that about 80% of the road was smooth and the other bits had a scree of looser gravel. This would change later, but for heading up into a wind, this was mostly ideal. 

Just a passing shadow

Not the kind of John Deere I usually see out here.

I was happy to turn East and get mostly out of that wind. The road was a bit more loose gravel out this way, but the Fargo with those big 2.5" Extraterrestrials was just eating that right up. When you get such a big, poofy tire out there that can work over those loose stones it really is eye-opening. But then again, so is the weight of those tires! Going up is a chore. 

The first couple of miles North on Ansborough were on full-chunky goodness.

It's an interesting time of the year to ride. The crops are gone, the birds are mostly gone, and the sights are dominated by the most elemental things. Earth, Sky, Gravel. The simple landscape is only broken up by the occasional farm, grove of trees, or utility poles. 

It's easier to feel the dominance of this simple looking land and the atmosphere that washes over it can, at times, be deadly. I try to imagine these vistas covered in tall prairie grasses and I think about how difficult it must have been to navigate this sea of ever-waving grasses with barely a landmark to be found. 

The rare bit of color can still be found out here.

The bike is going to be fine. I think I can pull off at least a metric century on it. Despite the big, heavy tires and wheels. This might change only if the weather demands it to change. Wintry weather is a possibility here in the long range forecast for Thanksgiving. Of course, that will change a handful of times until late next week when things begin to gain some clarity. 

Stay tuned on that front.....

People of 2024: Erik Mathy

In my travels and life during the year, I have been blessed to be supported, befriended, and on occasion visited by some pretty awesome folks. Sometimes I visited them. (Hopefully they were equally blessed!) I wanted to take some extra space to recognize and celebrate these people at the end of the year. I hope you gain some insight and appreciation for what these people mean to me this year and beyond. 

Erik Mathy photographing my bicycle in Oklahoma back in March of this year.

 A lot of what happened early on this year would not have happened without the major influence of Erik Mathy. I've known Erik for several years, and partnered in a story/project with him at one point in 2016 called "Brian's Ride". 

Well,I hadn't crossed paths with Erik for a bit until I met him and hung out with him at the GCHoF goings on the year I got inducted. I spent most of a day hanging out with Erik and it was a blast! Well, at the end of last year I received a message via Instagram from Erik after he had read my take on an old track bike idea I had run across on Facebook. Erik had an idea he pitched to me. 

From that day in the Flint Hills with Erik in 2022.

Erik is an extremely talented person and he also is extremely persuasive. His idea: Take that track bike idea, have a frame builder he knows weld it up, get myself and these people to the Mid-South event, have me ride the bike there, and Erik would get to write a story about that. It was hoped that this would all be a money-making prospect for Erik as he is a free-lancer. 

This precipitated a stream of messages on several occasions. Ideas were batted around, but even as late as December 2023 I was pretty sure this was all but smoke in the air. January would come, the idea would dissipate, and I'd go on with my life as usual.

But noooooo...... Erik came along at the ninth hour and the idea was revived. Suddenly I was not only getting a new bicycle, but I was planning a trip with about two and a half month's notice from scratch. Just slightly stressful when you don't have access to a vehicle, much money, or a job which you can easily take time off from. 

As many of you long-time readers know, the bicycle did get made, it did show up on time, and the trip to Mid-South did happen. But without Erik Mathy? Nothing of the sort would have happened. So, I owe a big debt of gratitude to Erik. I am thankful for his efforts, and I am thankful for his connections and influence. Without him, 2024 would have been a much duller experience!

Twenty Years Of Gravel Grinding

  In celebration of the twentieth year of this blog, I have a few tales to tell. This post is one of them. This series will occur off and on throughout this anniversary year, I hope to illuminate some behind-the-scenes stories and highlights from the blog during this time. Enjoy!

 Checking out some of this blog's archives has reminded me of a few things. One of those being that - although I originally was known for being a 29"er nutcase - my tenure in gravel cycling started almost simultaneously along with this blog and was featured often here. 

Obviously, to anyone who has been paying attention here, that has to do with Trans Iowa. The ultra-distance gravel event which got its start about twenty years ago this week! Back in November of 2004 Jeff Kerkove and I decided to put on a cross-state bicycle race on gravel roads. Thus my fascination with gravel cycling began, and even though I and a lot of other folks had been riding bicycles on gravel roads previously, this marked a beginning. 

That beginning was the movement for having competition and fellowship while riding bicycles on crushed rock roads. It was, in no uncertain terms, the beginning of the modern era in what we now have abbreviated to "Gravel". 

The first header for Trans Iowa posted in 2004.

The idea Jeff and I had immediately sparked a movement. We were pelted with questions via Jeff's blog comments section, email, and personally via face-to-face communications and by phone calls. Keep in mind that what we know today as "social media" did not exist in late 2004/early 2005. 

For an idea of what this movement was like from my perspective, here is a snippet of a blog post I put up late in 2006 here:

"When you lead a sheltered existence like I have, only being aware of the local scene, you think you and yer buddies are the only ones insane enough to actually ride gravel roads. I mean, like really.......who else does this crap? Well, I get involved in Trans Iowa, and I find out that alot of folks like it. They like it so much, they actually copy the idea, and have their own events."

 I went on then to mention that I had heard of the DK200, (which I participated in during 2006) and rumors concerning a Nebraska gravel grinder, (not the GLGA or Gravel Worlds, by the way), and a gravel ultra-distance thing which was starting in Canada.

Trans Iowa v1 image courtesy of Joe Partridge

"Now I'm finding out about all kinds of gravel rides. Rides in Nebraska, rides in Colorado, rides in North East Iowa, training rides, fun rides, and all sorts of gravel grinding goofiness. I guess you could say we all have rocks in our heads. Whatever it is, I like it. I like gravel rides and somehow knowing that a bunch of other folks partake also is kinda.......well, I don't know........ I guess I have some like minded brothers and sisters out there, and I find that to be a good thing."

So, yeah....this blog got going partly on the momentum of gravel cycling, but mostly on the then new trend for twenty nine inch wheels. Gravel cycling has always been here though, and it still is 20 years on down the road. 

Part of this blog's influence is in gravel. My writings run deep within that influence to ride gravel roads. Out of this blog grew a gravel cycling specific site, a podcast, influences on bicycle design, tire design, and events, of course. Who can tell how many people were turned on to gravel cycling via this blog? In light of all of that, I think pointing out that Trans Iowa was the line of demarcation from whence this 'gravel" thing got started is a fair thing to do. 

And celebrating that fact after twenty years is a worthwhile thing to do, even if I am the only one doing it. You see, no other entity will bother with writing this history up, or even bother to recognize its existence. If I don't remind you, who will? Maybe you could say the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame, if you were to run across that entity.

That may seem a bit off-putting to some, but I am not going to allow the story to go untold, or be modified for someone else's gain elsewhere. Yes, I am proud of what I have accomplished and was a part of in the beginnings of gravel cycling in the modern era. 

Guilty as charged.

Friday News And Views

Flint Hills Gravel Ride/Run Registration Open:

Starting off this FN&V with a gravel event in Kansas called the Flint Hills Gravel Ride and Run. This event will happen on April 12th, 2025 out of Americus, Kansas. 

The event will feature a tweaked distance line-up of 20, 40, 80, and 120 miles. As event director Bobby Thompson says though, these distances are "ish", as in 20-ish, 40-ish, etc. Ha!

The event also holds the distinction of being the opening event of the Great Plains Gravel Cup series, which will be in its inaugural season next year. 

Find out more at: https://flinthillsgravelride.com/

Mammoth Tuff Now In UCI Gravel Worlds Series:

Recently a Velo.com story was published revealing that Mammoth Tuff, a gravel event in the Eastern Sierra, has agreed to become one of two events in North America slated to be in the 2025 UCI Gravel World Series. 

The event will host that race but will retain other distances and categories which will not require a license to participate in, according to the article on Velo. Also noted there was that Mammoth Tuff reached this decision to partner with the UCI, in part, due to falling participation numbers since the event's inception in 2020. 

Interestingly the fee the UCI is asking for putting their stamp of approval on an event in the Gravel World Series was revealed to be $10,000.00 which was reportedly cut in half for Mammoth Tuff. The Highlands Classic will be the other event in North America included in the series.
 

 Blog Schedule For November/December:

A friendly reminder to those loyal readers here and maybe news to those of you who are new here. The "end-of-year" blog schedule is about to begin! 

So, here is a brief round-up of what you can expect to see here soon:

• Bikes of 2024: A brief review of the bikes I used throughout 2024 with a list of any changes and future plans. Just a fun look at what I ride. 
• Rear View 2024: This is a quarterly review of all the highlights (and maybe some low ones!) from the year. Mostly focused on the blog here but I often pull in other life events as well. These are broken up into four parts and one will be seen each week in December. 
• Top Ten Posts of 2024: A list of the most viewed posts on the site for the year. I always am surprised by what gets looked at here the most, and I think you might be surprised as well!
• Top Images of 2024: I choose the best 12 images, one from each month, and post them in one post with some commentary where I deem necessary. 
• NEW! Top People of 2024: I decided after reviewing the year for these upcoming posts that I needed to fete those individuals who had a major impact on me and what happened during the year. So, these will be rolled out as single posts, some covering a single individual, some about groups. Stay tuned! I think this addition will be a good one! 
• A Look Ahead: The last post of 2024 will be dedicated to looking at what I see for myself and cycling in general for the upcoming year.  
• The Regular Stuff: There will be "FN&V's", the continuance of the celebration of 20 years of blogging, and the random current content posts. 
• NEW! The Best Podcasts of 2024: I'll do a single post concerning the most listened to podcasts of the past year with links in case you need to kill some time over the Holidays! 
  

So, as you can see, there is a LOT of content there! I'll start rolling some of this out next week because as things stand now, I have 47 posts accounted for and as of today there are 45 days left in the year! So, with anything current inserted into the mix, that will mean some days will be double post days. Make sure you scroll all the way through any upcoming posts because you might miss something if you don't! 

As always, THANK YOU for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Don't Forget To Nominate The Next GCHoF Class!.

The Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame is still looking for good write-ups for their next class of inductees to be enshrined this coming May of 2025. 

The task is relatively easy: Ask the person you want to nominate if it is okay. Go to the GCHoF Nomination page. Then write a good, well written two paragraph article on why this person deserves to be feted. Send it to the GCHoF before November 30th. That's it!

Nominees will be named after voting by the electors. Thanks for considering this! 

From a recent patent filing by Lauf.

Is Lauf Going To Change Freehub Design Radically Soon?.

Mid-week news broke on a patent filing Lauf filed for a design using a radical new idea for how hubs are mated with a cassette and how those two components work as a freehub. 

There are two ideas which are very 'outside the box' going on here. first, as seen in the first image, Lauf proposes a set of "pawls", or more like springs, really, which would be attached to the carrier for a traditional cassette. These springs are drawn in a way which makes them look like serpents, but the squiggly looking bits are actually meant to give a bit by stretching those elements which have the serpentine look out a bit, giving a bit of a softer engagement when the rider returns to pedaling after coasting. In another drawing on THIS PAGE those serpentine spring elements are drawn straight, so it appears that Lauf has not yet decided which way to go there. 

Again, from Lauf's patent filing.

But if I am reading this next image correctly, these serpentine elements are part of a unit that extends across most of the length of the hub shell. This is a radical departure from standard freehub design. 

This would mean that the entire inner hub shell would be a machined drive ring, essentially, which the serpentine elements would engage with. Furthermore; if the serpentine elements are staggered, as it appears is proposed, the engagement points could well be in the hundreds, if not thousands! 

Lauf apparently proposes to 3D print this according to a report I read HERE. Will this come to pass? If it does, I would think it would have a major impact upon the market, if it should prove to be more efficient and lighter in weight than traditionally designed free hubs. 

Sometimes crazy looking ideas end up changing the world, and then again, sometimes you see something that looks wild and it disappears. Which this will be is anyone's guess, but kudos to whomever designed this, because it is a very different take on a freehub design, at least as far as I know, it is. 

That is a wrap on this week! Look for 'end-of-year' posts to crank up starting next week here!

Announcing The 2024 Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge: Rules And More

From last year's VTBC

 Virtual: (In terms of meeting) A virtual meeting is when people around the world, regardless of their location, use video, audio, and text to link up online. Virtual meetings allow people to share information and data in real-time without being physically located together.

Turkey Burn: (relating to cycling) The day after or weekend after Thanksgiving when cyclists ride long distances to "burn" off their Thanksgiving feast. A way to kick off the Winter cycling training season. Also a means for getting outdoors when it is cold. 

For the last three years I have held a "Virtual Turkey Burn" challenge to you readers and you have all responded nicely each time I have asked you to do this. Last year I had another good response and so I figured I may as well offer the chance to join in this virtual group ride once again this year. 

Following is the original post from 2021 which will spell out the idea and time-stamp for this challenge. (Dates changed to reflect 2024) The challenge starts in two weeks from today! So you've got plenty of time to get ready.

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The idea is that perhaps I could call for a 'virtual' ride to be done on your bike which you have maybe left out of your plans more than you might like over the past, oh I don't know.....year? Last few years? Whatever. You don't necessarily even have to do this on a 'forlorn, forgotten bike'. It could be your favorite one. No matter. Here's the deal......

I propose a "Virtual Turkey Burn Century". Here are the parameters for participation:

1. Pick a bike. As stated, the more 'forlorn, forgotten, and neglected' of your choices, all the better. But also- Run what ya brung. If you want to use your favorite, most used bike- go for it. 
2. Ride a "century". Metric or full-on hundy, I don't care. Pavement, single track, gravel, back alleys, whatever. You decide. 
3. Take a picture. Take several if you want to. Digital works best for this.
4. Send me your pic(s) and a few words with a name I can credit to. 
5. Do this challenge between Thursday, November 28th to Sunday December 1st. (Thanksgiving 'weekend' in the USA) You can do a century over several days even- if you want to. Whatever.
   
6. Send in your pics and words to g.ted.productions@gmail.com by Tuesday December 3rd. I will put up a "Virtual Turkey Burn Report" Monday December 9th, (or after- Depending upon the number of submissions)  showing off everyone's submissions. (That is, if there are any daring enough to actually do this deal.)

From the first VTBC in 2021

You can join in the fun or just come back to see if anyone actually did something and read about it here. I am committed to the idea, so there will be one report, at the least. What do you get as a participant? Just a fun activity and possibly an infamous reputation from having your images and words posted on Guitar Ted Productions. Sorry, but if you participate, that's the only reward folks! This ain't no fancy-pants organization here. If you get laughed at by your peers for having your stuff show up here, well then, I am sorry, but I warned ya! 

Okay, that's the plan. Now..... GO! 

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Keep in mind that anyone wanting to participate doesn't have to submit an entry here concerning your ride, but if you choose to, it adds to the fun for the readers here. Those who choose to send in a report, please include an image or two and a name for image credits by December 3rd via email as indicated above. 

The Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge Bike: Update

 The Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge which will be happening  November 28th - December 1st will be done on this Fargo. I had changed up the set up in terms of the stem/handle bar position recently and I needed to take that out on a bit of a test ride to see how that was going to suit me. 

The original intentions for the Fargo were that it would be a drop bar, mountain bike adventure machine. In light of that, the drop bars were supposed to be set up so that the primary position would be hands in the drops. That's why Gen I Fargos have tall stack heights despite being non-suspension corrected. 

Now you may be thinking, "Hold on there a minute, Guitar Ted! What's all this "stack height" and "non-suspension corrected" stuff have to do with my preference in handlebar set up?" Well, seeing as how Fargos get - what shall we say? Personalized? Set up in odd ways according to whims of their owners? Hmm.... I think you catch my drift here. What I am saying is "original intentions" mean nothing to many Fargo owners. But if you want to know, riding in the drops is how it was meant to be done. 

So that's how I set mine up. See those black grips, those Redshift Sports Cruiser grips? Now imagine that that spot is where a flat bar and its grip would be in space, lower the head tube a bit, level out the top tube a bit, and if you are still following me here what we would end up with is a box-stock El Mariachi from 2008. 

Besides the bar/stem changes I needed to make sure the drivetrain was up to snuff. As I was checking that out I was reminded of how darn reliable, simple, and maintenance-free those Gevenalle shifters are. Now, of course, these are really just perches for old school bar end shifters. 

Mine are Shimano Ultegra 9 speed shifters. They probably will never wear out. Heck, they've been on this bike or my Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross bike for so long now that I cannot remember how old they are without checking the blog archives here. I do know that when I got these red (now faded to pink) anodized shifter perches the company was called Retroshift! So, that's been a while now. 

The other bit that I was thinking about with regard to the Fargo here was how my crank set is completely not on the cutting edge!  Nine speed, triple rings, and arms at 180mm long! I mean, you cannot get anymore "out of date" with what is hot now than this crankset. 

But there you go. This Fargo Gen I is a kind of a throw-back, kind of a 'classic which is being copied now' type of  bike all wrapped up in a durable "Fun Guy Green" powdercoat. It's a bike that I've been on during many an adventure. I sure hope that the Virtual Turkey Burn will be another fine chapter in this bicycle's annals. 

Yeah, so mechanically I am good to go. Now I have a route in mind and I just need to plot it out, see what weather I am going to get to deal with, and go from there. 

Stay tuned....

Don't Shoot The Messenger.

From Lance Armstrong's "X" account.

Long time readers know my thoughts about the term "gravel" as it applies to cycling and what the idea that "gravel" embodies is something limited by the name and something that just doesn't quite hit for many people around the world. 

That's why when I saw a social media post by Lance Armstrong recently that I was encouraged and saw the brilliance of his take on how this whole gravel thing should be seen by all of us. Namely as a way to explore more terrain on a reasonably lightweight, fast bike. 

Now, you may grouse and dismiss this take because of where it comes from, but you would be unwise to do so. This summarizes exactly what I and others were aiming to do with an idea for a bike we were trying to describe by a different name back in the late 2000's. 

As the youth say, "I've got receipts", and they are on this blog if you care to find them. I don't feel the need to push all that up again, but I did think that what Lance Armstrong said, and how he said it here, was more on the mark than not. 

In fact, it is very appealing to me because of the way he carves away the racing aspects of "gravel" and focuses on the real, core reasons for this type of riding. Many cyclists and cycling journalists would do well to understand that part. That's my take.

State Bicycle Co. Monster Fork v2 - Final Word

 Note: State Bicycle Co sent over their Monster Fork v2 for test and review at Guitar Ted Productions at no cost. Guitar Ted is not being bribed, nor paid,for this review and all opinions are his own. 

The State Bicycle Co. Monster Fork V2 has been ridden in various terrain and set ups now so it is time to give you all my final word on this carbon fiber fork for gravel/bikepacking uses. 

In case you haven't seen the previous update on this review, you should probably check that out as there will be numerous references to that post. You can find that update by clicking HERE. 

The Longer Offset Ride Quality: So, what does the longer offset do to the ride? I kept the wheel and tire exactly the same as I had it in the shorter offset setting so there would be less variables. One thing that moving the drop out chips does is that in the longer offset setting, the fork axle to crown increases. Not by a lot, but it does, and this affects the head angle, amongst other things, so the overall trail of the front end geometry was increased. This had the effect of very slightly making my bike more stable. I had to try a few things to make sure I was actually feeling this correctly because the trail wasn't all that different than before, but there it was. A very slight difference maker, to be sure.

As I've stated before though, this feeling goes away quickly as we adapt to these minute changes in handling. So, in my opinion, the longer axle to crown is more notable for making the fork into a slightly longer lever which forces can act upon which translates into a slightly smoother ride. This and being able to slot in a larger tire, if desired, are the "big deals" about the offset differences, not the almost imperceptible handling changes.

The Monster Fork v2 with its three-bolt accessory mounts makes my bike more versatile.

I tried the accessory mounts out by using two bottle cages and adding two water bottles. This extends the versatility of this particular bike which did not have these mounts on its original fork. In certain cases this would allow me to go further self-supported than I could previously. Obviously, if you wanted to, one could attach racks to hold cargo as well, making a bike into a bikepacking capable bicycle, where before it may have been limited like my Noble GX5 here. 

Clearance with a 700 X 50mm Cazadero on a i23 rim.

The added weight doesn't seem to really affect handling, that is, unless you are adding something heavier to those mounts, like a full canister of food or a larger Nalgene type bottle. With the capability to handle a claimed 55lbs maximum, you might feel a bit of steering inertia if you try weighing the fork down that much, but any fork would have this issue with a heavy load. 

I did try some different tires on a inside rim width of 23mm and found that I could actually fit a 29" X 2.3" tire with plenty of clearance. For fun, I measured the head angle with the big 29"er tire and it came out at just a shade under 69°.

Final Word: The Monster Fork v2 is a capable, versatile fork with a unique 'flip-chip' drop out that affords the rider a choice to have larger tires or just a longer fork for a different ride feel. The accessory mounting points are a welcome addition to a bicycle that may have not had those included in the original fork design. It could be a fork that takes a bike that wasn't all that capable in stock form and open some new doors to different uses.

While I like tweaking things like geometry, there may be some reasons why you would not want this in a fork. Anytime you take the beautiful simplicity of something on a bicycle and introduce something a bit more complicated, there are compromises. I feel that this is what the drop out design on the Monster Fork v2 has done here. I had experienced difficulties with wheel installation and removal with one hub brand and none with two other brands. That sort of thing typically does not happen with a traditional dropout design. 

Clearance with 29" X 2.3" Ehline on i23 rim.

The chips also can be set into their carbon fiber molded pockets a bit askew, or not tightened down enough, which can cause issues with wheel installation and removal. This can also cause a vague feeling when tightening the through axle as well. 

The ride feel and handling in both offset settings is perfectly acceptable. You may note a change in certain aspects of your bike when you switch the offset, as the change in axle to crown height does affect several things about a bicycle. Once you understand these things it really is not a big deal to address these issues. 

I give the Monster Fork v2 a passing grade, but it could be that the aluminum chips will cause issues either with a current wheel set a rider owns or with wear of those parts over time. My feeling is most riders will choose an offset setting and never look back again. In that case the chips may not be a big deal. The asking price for the Monster Fork v2 is more than reasonable for the features set, but it depends on whether or not those features are attractive to you and applicable to your riding style/needs. 

This is why I give this fork a passing grade, because it does what it says it should do, but with the added complexity and niche feature of a changeable offset, it is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Check it out if you have a bike that came with a plain fork that you want to add a dash of changeability to and a whole lot of versatility to. The Monster Fork v2 may just open a few doors that were closed before.

Ti Muk 2 Maintenance

Recent test ride after fixing up the Ti Muk 2

Ever since I've had the Ti Muk 2 (My second titanium Mukluk, thus "Ti Muk 2), it never has had a very good rear brake. Not that it mattered a whole lot since I haven't been mountain biking the Ti Muk 2 but rather just using it as a poor weather commuter. 

It isn't very hilly where I go and so both brakes didn't need to be 100% efficient. It was something on my mind, but not anything I needed to get to right away. It also did not help that I primarily use the front brake. 

However; this Fall I knew I had to give the bike a once over. Check sealant, refresh that, and maybe take a closer look at that brake. I knew what the issue was. It had been compromised by contamination emanating from the shifter box/hub connection for the Rohloff 14 speed internal geared hub. 

Like many things, there is always more to the story once you dig into it. I had never addressed the rear brake on this bike before, so I wasn't aware that the Avid BB7 caliper was not able to center over the Rohloff rotor. I could not move the caliper inward enough to get the inner pad to quit rubbing the rotor slightly. I probably did not notice that before because it was lubricated by the internal gear hub oil! Finding that out was kind of a bummer. 

The mess had been cleared up, after several applications of degreaser and isopropyl alcohol. But now what? Well, I had somehow acquired a single TRP Spyre SLC caliper along my travels, and I noted that the caliper mounting holes were larger/longer than the Avid's were. I dry fit the caliper and was able to get a good result. So, that fancy-pants caliper is now doing the job of braking in the rear of the Ti Muk 2. 

I know....it is a drop bar lever caliper. But I do things you should not do. So, don't follow my lead here. It is not recommended. That said, it is working really well for me. So, that problem has been solved. 

Bring it on Winter! I'm ready.