A "Thank You"

 Instead of the "Weekly Top Five" post, which was obviously dominated by the posts concerning my son's death, I wanted to take out some time to express my gratitude. I think it is only right to do so. 

There have been so, so many people who have reached out, texted, and visited over this past week. When you think you are toiling away in a corner in this world and you find yourself thinking, "Probably no one is watching", this comes as a total surprise.  My family is overwhelmed and grateful for all of you who have expressed concern, or have even thought about us at all, since last weekend's tragedy.

While all this is extremely encouraging, helpful, and reminds us we are not alone, there is still a long way to go before we get out of this storm we're in here. The seas have calmed significantly, but there are still times when grief hits like a bolt of lightning. The rain comes in the form of tears. I suspect the ragged edges of this storm will be with us for quite some time.  

Still, we treasure each of you who either have contacted me directly here, via email, text, or on social media. We treasure all the hugs and kind words we received at Jacob's memorial service Friday. We are blown away by the support we received via a GoFundMe set up by one of my wife's associates. The support of our church family has been nothing short of a miracle working in an outpouring of love from our congregation. 

So, there is no way I could ever thank you all, or ever be able to express, our gratitude for even the smallest gesture. Please understand we here truly do appreciate it all and you. 

 I will simply just say "Thank You". 

Drop Bar MTB's To Take Over Leadville 100

From Dylan Johnson's Face Book post. 

 Drop bar mountain bikes seem set to be a big deal amongst the Pro level riders at the Leadville 100, set to occur next weekend. The trend toward using bicycles like this has been slowly gaining traction.  This year it has been said, by at least on top competitor in the event, that this trend is about to blow the top off preconceived notions about drop bar MTB's in races.

One of the most commonly referred to examples of drop bar MTB use in the past is John Tomac. He did use a drop bar fitted to a standard, for his day, mountain bike in the 1990 season while racing for the Yeti brand. John won the first event he used a drop bar Yeti for and continued to use a drop bar Yeti C-26 bike throughout the 1990 season. 

While it is widely known Tomac did this, it is not widely understood why he did  use the drop bar. A quote from him, found online, is illuminating and may kind of douse some of the reasoning people like to use when they refer to Tomac's use of a drop bar MTB. He said, " I ran the drop bars so that I could keep the same position as I had on my road bike." Tomac had spent the previous season racing for the 7-11 road team, and his form was developed on a drop bar road bike, so the reasoning was to keep his form on the road and transfer it over to MTB, which he felt was predicated on his position on the bike. 

It wasn't necessarily because he felt drop bars were an advantage over flat bars, and Tomac did eventually return to flat bars after his dalliance with drop bar MTB usage for the remainder of his storied career.

So, to my mind, Tomac is not a very good example for drop bar MTB usage. But drop bar MTB use today is on the rise and it isn't "fashion" or a way to preserve a road fitness/positioning. There is data out there showing the advantages. A Face Book post recently by Dylan Johnson claims this new data and a top placing last year by a racer using such a set up is pushing more top riders into seriously considering a drop bar MTB for the event.

Is this just a Leadville thing, or will we start seeing this appear at more events outside of the high-altitude, mountain event? What would this sort of thing do for gravel events where having "real suspension" performance prove to be an advantage? It is an interesting development, wherever this trend ends up going and worth keeping an eye on. 

A Eulogy For Jacob

 

Today, instead of your regular FN&V, I hope you will indulge me in this. I wanted to honor my son, who died in his sleep last Saturday, August 2nd, by sharing the eulogy I wrote for him. Thank you for your consideration and grace in this matter. 

Jacob Isaiah Stevenson

When Phyllis and I were pregnant with Jacob Isaiah Stevenson in late 2002 we were attending a conference at Heartland Vineyard Church. During worship, God impressed upon Phyllis that she should bow down and although she resisted this, eventually she obeyed and then heard in her spirit that the child inside of her was to be named Jacob. Phyllis had already settled on his name being Isaiah, but when this happened, she obeyed and made her choice, his middle name instead.

Jacob was born while I (Mark) was on RAGBRAI working as a mechanic for the riders. He wasn't supposed to be born until August, late in the first week.  But he came early, and I was called at around 5:00am in the morning when Phyllis told me "He is coming now, you need to get home!"

Ever since then Jacob seemingly always had to be early, or first. He wasn't a tiny baby for long, and he grew quickly. As a child he was temperamental. It was apparent to us early on Jacob had a fire inside of him. A passionate fire that was not easily quenched.

Alongside his sister, Izabel, they made quite the pair. Izzy with her quieter, more introspective nature versus Jacob's gregarious, outgoing, wild nature. Their bond grew as they grew, and many times we would stand back and smile as we saw them interact growing up. It was obvious that they loved each other, but - let me tell you - there were days of friction. But overall, they learned to love each other deeply. 

Jacob's first day of school of the 2013/2014 school year.

Jacob was - well....let's be honest here. He was somewhat of a terror at times. Caretakers at the church and throughout his schooling and daycare periods found out that Jacob wasn't suited to sitting still for very long. His make-up was not like many other kids. Jacob also wanted closeness, contact, and he hated being alone as a child. We learned early on that typical discipline measures didn't work as well with him as time alone did. You had to get his attention, and once he understood he couldn't interact with people unless he dialed things back, he was willing to change his course.

My cousin, Dave Houdek, shared this early remembrance of Jacob with me "...the first time I met Jacob. he was around 3 or 4 years old and you guys were at my parents’ house (for Thanksgiving) Jacob was running around the house like a wild man trying to tackle me,. Your Mom (Jacob's grandmother) looked at me with a big smile and said, "That's Jacob!". Yes....yes, that was Jacob in his early years! He was running around like he was on fire almost all the time. 

Jacob photobombing a family picture of friends of ours.

This characteristic of Jacob was due to his passion for people and relationships. We learned he loved deeply, and he hurt deeply when his peers did not respond to him in kind. Jacob did not have many friends growing up, and it wasn't until he started playing football in middle school that he started to connect with others his age. I think it is important to note here that without the Holy Spirit working in us as parents and within our church family that Jacob may not have grown into what he became. He had critical points during his elementary years where teachers, like Jamie Oberheu, made a big impact on Jacob's development. There were some very difficult times for Jacob in his elementary years and early in middle school. But by the grace of God, he was delivered through it all.

Being in the football program and his involvement in Heartland Vineyard's Youth Group made a huge impact upon Jacob. At a special service, around 2011, Heartland Vineyard had an evangelistic weightlifting crew come in to demonstrate feats of strength and share the Gospel. A call went out for those in the congregation to accept Christ as their savior. Jacob responded to the call. So, thanks to Jesus and the willingness of the church to provide that opportunity which assured Jacob a place in God's kingdom.

Youth group was a highlight of the week for Jacob. He was tabbed as the person to run the snack sales. Youth attending soon found out there were no freebies, no stealing, and if they tried, Jacob wasn't having any of it. This did not surprise Phyllis and I, as we had noted a strong sense of justice and fairness within Jacob at an early age. Jacob detested cheating, stealing, and any attempts at shirking your obligations. Josh Paxton, pastor at the time of Jacob's service in Youth Group, shared a story of Jacob concerning this trait of his.

Jacob apparently was made aware that Josh's son, Cooper Paxton had not paid for his snack. The youth were gathered in the sanctuary for worship and teaching when Jacob marched in, confronted Cooper and was about to drag him out to have him pay when Cooper’s mother, Stephanie Paxton explained to Jacob she had paid for Cooper’s snack in advance. Michael Reed, our current pastor, told us that the snack sales were never really under control until Jacob oversaw them.

This sense of justice and fairness only grew stronger with Jacob as he matured. It impacted a lot of people along the way. His head football coach at West High, Lonnie Moore had this to say about the impact Jacob had. 

Jacob graduated from high school in 2021

"Jacob was a special young man who made a lasting impact on our team and on me personally. He brought a strong work ethic, and a great attitude every time he stepped on the field. His presence will truly be missed, not just as a player, but as a part of our football family"

Jacob also made an impact on those he was involved in Chorus with at West High. During can drives and at practices, Jacob influenced many of his peers. We know this from the several messages we have received since Jacob's death. Jacob loved singing, and he continued to sing even after high school. We were "blessed" to hear his voice singing along to various favorite hard core, dub step, techno, Christian, and heavy metal songs he liked, along with other tunes by various artists. Jacob loved music and had a wide-ranging playlist on his phone. He often shared his favorites with us.

Jacob was a dedicated employee at his first job st the Isle Casino where he was a security guard. He moved on from there to Criterion Manufacturing after his graduation from Hawkeye Tech, where he earned his CNC machining/ tool and die certificate He was drawn to working in metal from a class at the Waterloo Career Center and decided to go to Hawkeye Tech based heavily upon the fact that Chad Smith, was an instructor at the program. Chad had a major influence on Jacob and was a big help in Jacob's success in school and in his work.

I know most of you who knew Jacob will remember him for his hugs. Big, crushing hugs, which at times felt like your atoms were being fused with his. He learned to dial this back for many of you, which is probably a good thing!

But can I tell you about a side of Jacob you may not have been aware of? While he turned out to be a big, imposing figure at 6' 3" and nearly 400lbs, he was never afraid to show his heart to those he loved. His passion for his family and friends was truly palpable.

But what I feel best exemplifies his heart, to me at any rate, was that Jacob was never afraid to reach out and hold my hand. In fact, he did this regularly, in casual situations and even in public. We took a walk around the graveyard near my home recently when he reached out and held my hand for several minutes. He never said a word when he did this, but we would meet eyes, and I knew we shared a deep love for each other.

He had that same heart for many of you. This is what we will miss the most about Jacob. However, I am proud of him. He came into adulthood as an exemplary human being, not because we were great parents, but by the grace of God. And in a typical Jacob way, he was first again. He made it into the loving arms of his Father first before us.

Quotes:

“The power of one man doesn’t amount to much. But, however little strength I’m capable of…. I’ll do everything humanly possible to protect the people I love, and in turn they’ll protect the ones they love. It seems like the least we tiny humans can do for each other” – Roy Mustang from “Full Metal Alchemist”


“On the final day I die, I want to hold my head up high.

I want to tell You that I tried

To live it like a song

And when I reach the other side,

I want to look You in the eye

And know that I’ve arrived

In a world where I belong” – Jon Foreman, Switchfoot


Proverbs 31: v8-9

Speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves, for the rights of all those who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Velo Orange Eccentric Bottom Bracket: Update

 Note: The Velo Orange Eccentric English Threaded Bottom Bracket for 24mm spindle cranks was purchased by Guitar Ted at retail. Velo Orange did not ask for this review and all opinions are Guitar Ted's.

In the introduction to this component, I revealed a couple of limitations to its use which have made me make a decision on my direction concerning the drive train for the Singular  Buzzard. (Crazy Idea)

The big thing here is I had set up the bike as a 2X, so there is a left shifter and a front derailleur. I had this dialed in perfectly, as in "chef's kiss" perfect, and I was loathe to remove it to go 1X. Making the change to 1X would simplify things 100% though, so.... I guess I was going to have to do this and scrap my plan for the 2X.

Of course, this would mean I would either have to convert the 2X crank to 1X, or find a 1X crank somewhere. Fortunately N.Y. Roll had given me an XTR 1X crank set a few years ago and despite some cosmetic blemishes, it was in fine working order. Using an Enduro bearing in the drive side, which I had found in my parts stash, made for a set up with no "top hat" shim on that side. I still have to decide what I want to do on the non-drive side. I suppose another Enduro bearing wouldn't be a bad idea there. 

I need to think about the gearing now that I have a single front ring. That ring, as you can see from the image here, is a 36T. I'm good with this as a front drive ring. My low gear in the cassette is currently a 34T. Yeah..... That's probably not quite enough.

So, I'm probably going to be looking for a wider ranged ten speed cassette, a new chain, and a decision on bearings on the bottom bracket. I'd like to have used the stock Velo Orange top hat shims and bearings but they just are not quite right.

I'll get something figured out with this entire set up sometime soon, but it may take me a bit, ya know, considering all I have been going through here. But now you know the plan and where I hope to end up.

Once I get all those bits on the bike and running I just need to find my stash of six bolt rotors and the front wheel can then be fitted with the proper rotor. The final part will be a single speed freewheel. If all goes well my "Crazy Idea" bike will be finished and I can demonstrate the single speed bail-out mode which the Velo Orange bottom bracket will be an integral part.

Programming Note: Tomorrow is my son's memorial service. Instead of running the usual FN&V I am going to post his eulogy which I wrote. So, that will be Friday's post and then we'll get back to regular blogging on Saturday. Thank you all for your kind comments and support during this difficult time. 

Country Views: A Search For Solace

Escape Route: Dead end of Falls Avenue.

 This week has been a tale of mountain-top highs and the deepest valleys. A whirlwind of emotions and things to take care of, including ourselves. (If you just clicked in here and you don't know the context of these statements, see HERE)

We had a slew of visitors which I and my family really did appreciate, but I was itching to ride a bicycle since I hadn't ridden at all for three days. Which, I know, doesn't sound like much, but combined with my current situation, I was in desperate need of some mind-cleansing and a chance to do some reflecting on the tragedy.

So, I cleared out some time on Tuesday afternoon to get on my bicycle and ride. I chose the single speed Honeman Flyer. I decided to head out North of town, despite the Southerly wind, and see the old church at the corner of Burton and Marquise Road. 

The first gravel I'd ridden on in quite a while. (For me, at any rate)

Looking up Mount Vernon Road to the West

It was a typical Summer day. Hot, not too humid, and breezy. I headed up out of town on Burton Road with the thought in the back of my head saying, "Be careful! The last thing we need is another tragedy or trouble!" I was extra nervous around cars. More than normal. Maybe it is a good fear, and a heightened awareness maybe was due. 

Local honey for sale here. Take a jar, leave your cash. 

I started rolling over what happened Saturday morning in my head, but I had to shut those thoughts down. It's very difficult to ride a bicycle with tears in your eyes, as it turns out. My thoughts have been to consider my time with my son as a blessing. Something I never thought would happen when I was younger, and an experience that was, for the most part, very enjoyable. Things could have gone very differently. I just need to look around me to see many examples of this, including my own relationship with my father. 

First rest stop.

My experience didn't last as long as many other father-son relationships have. But I'm okay with what I was blessed to have. I didn't deserve such a thing in the first place, and the way it turned out for Jacob, well, I thought it was a smashing success.

I mean, I considered what I was doing at 22 years of age, and what preceded those days for me. Whew! Yeah.... Let's just say I'm very fortunate to have lived through it. I shouldn't have, Jacob should have. Life isn't fair. You do what you can with what you have, and hopefully you maximize your potential, not squander it. Jacob did the former, I did the latter.

Things are not looking so great up at East Janesville Church these days. 

The road goes forever on and on down from the door where it began.... (JRR Tolkien)

I had a long bit of thought during this ride. I wondered aloud why some things Jacob did, which I felt were awesome, were making me cry. Why? Because I am selfish. I won't get to experience those things again. But shouldn't I be happy I did get to experience those things when I consider them in the future? Shouldn't those things make me happy, put a smile on my face, and bring me joy instead? 

Can it be both things at the same time? Mountain-top highs, and deepest valleys......

 

I turned East on Marquise Road, flew down the hill with the wind in my face. It was a beautiful day out. One of those you yearn to experience on a bicycle ride, if you are like I am. The crickets sang there creaky songs in the weeds and the wind masked everything else. Vehicles would appear, seemingly out of nowhere, from behind me. Lazy dust clouds flew off into the ditches in the breeze. Dappled Sunlight chased me on the road going North, but now was rushing past me.

 

It's a big rock, but it isn't my Rock. 

I felt alive. I was breathing the fresh air. Wildfire smoke was cleansed from the area. Blue skies appeared on this day where before they were a washed out white. I was riding well. Better than I had expected. But I carried a weight on my soul which was heavy. I felt an emptiness inside. A big hole is healing. It will take time. It may never close up. I don't know. 

You can look at my son's life in one manner where it can be said he was cut short. He never had the experiences an adult person maybe should be able to have in life. He never held a woman close. He will never get to have children, as I have. But he won't have to bear the burdens of this World. The sadness, The heartache. The nights of worrying about those you love. Disease. Sickness. You get the picture.

I'm not angry. I am sad, yes, but I am glad he is free. He is Home now. 

And that is good. 

Tifosi Moab Lite: Final Review

 Note: Tifosi Optics sent the Moab Lite model eyewear to Guitar Ted Productions at no charge for test/review. I am not being paid nor bribed for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.

A couple of months ago I received the Tifosi Moab Lite glasses to review. If you missed the introduction, please go back and read it HERE. In the first review I gave my thoughts on this new model in Tifosi's range  Then I sent the Moab Lite off to my friend,, Morgan, to get her take on the glasses. 

Morgan is a recreational cyclist who does a few gravel events and used these on several rides on gravel and pavement. She also took them on the most recent RAGBRAI event, a week long trek across Iowa with approximately 20,000+ other cyclists. 

Now that RAGBRAI is over, I asked Morgan to write up her impressions on the Moab Lite glasses. I did not edit or guide her in any manner concerning these thoughts of hers. These are Morgan's own thoughts and opinions on the glasses from Tifosi.

With that, read on for her thoughts and I will come back with a final verdict at the end. 

Tifosi Moab Lite Review by Morgan Osgood

These are great quality, affordable glasses, and with all the extras included, you definitely get more bang for your buck. The set comes with three interchangeable lenses, a hardshell case, and a cleaning bag. 

Morgan wearing the Tifosi Moab Lite glasses standing in front of a vintage White Farm tractor.

I’ve been wearing them on rides for about a month now, and they’ve quickly become my go to pair. I love that they’re super lightweight but still offer solid shield style coverage. They’re also really comfortable. I’ve worn them on long rides and even all day without any issues. The frameless bottom gives you a nice, uninterrupted line of sight, which I appreciate.

The interchangeable lenses are great for different lighting conditions, but I’ll admit I never think to swap them out before leaving the house. It’s usually a grab and go situation. If you're like me and don’t plan ahead, maybe the Fototec lenses might be a better fit. That said, I do plan to make more of an effort to actually use the lens options in the future.

The only small issue I ran into was removing the nose piece when changing lenses. It was a little tricky the first few times, but probably just something I’ll get used to.

Overall, I’m really happy with these glasses and would recommend them.

Morgan, center, with friends at RAGBRAI

Final Verdict:

It should be plain to see Tifosi has the value/budget balance pretty well figured out. Three lenses, pretty great optics, and fashion styling at a decent price which is on-point for today's riders adds up to a pair of glasses which is hard to go wrong with.

One thing Morgan brought up which I had forgotten until I read her review was the difficulty in removing the nose piece. I think it may have been one of the most difficult ones I've come across to remove. This may be an anomaly specific to our review sample, so without a larger sample size, it is but one data point. Still, something of note, I think.

Bottom line here is the Moab Lite is another hit in a long line of hits from Tifosi.  Of course, if the Moab Lite is not your cup of tea, many of the same features can be had in other models from Tifosi's diverse range of offerings. 

Thanks to Morgan Osgood for taking the time to try these out and write up her impressions afterward.  

You can check the Moab Lite, or any of the other Tifosi eyewear products at www.tifosioptics.com 

A Loss

Waiting for riders at the Cherry Grove Checkpoint for Alamnzo 100 2017

 I never wanted or expected I would ever have to write a post like this. In fact, I almost did not write it. However; there is a part of me which wanted to find some solace in normality. I guess this is something common when you experience a loss.

On Saturday morning, August 2nd, we found our son, Jacob Stevenson, dead in his room. He died of unknown causes in his sleep sometime that evening. He had just turned 22 on July 24th. 

I suppose I could say a lot of things, but keeping it bicycle related, I will share the following things about my son. First: He was a good man. He cared fiercely about those he loved. And when it came to serving others, there was no hesitation

This was evident from the few times he came alongside me to facilitate a few bicycle events. His earliest memory, and one he cherished, was of a time I was a record keeper at a local mountain biking race at Ingawanis Woodlands where he probably was about 4 years old. I had him stationed on the single track about 20 yards away from me to help me spot riders coming up.  That stuck with him, for whatever reason, but was an early example of his willingness and excitement to serve.

Again, a similar situation arose at two of the Almanzo events I helped support with Riding Gravel.  I know Jacob made a big impression on many riders with his servicing them by getting water bottles filled. I will always cherish the memory I have of him snatching bottles from one riders cages before he knew what was up. Jacob running off to fill them, and then the rider staring bewildered as Jacob came back with two full bottles for him. 

Of course, these were but a pittance of so many memories and examples I cannot take time to recount here. But I am proud of the man he was, and how he was an example of selfless servitude at times. I hope to mirror this quality and honor his memory in the future by doing so. 

Apologies for the heavy post on a Monday. Thank you for reading, and I'll be back tomorrow as usual.  

Weekly Top Five

 Welcome to the weekly Top Five" showing links to five of the week's most read articles on the blog.
Sometimes those will be current posts, but sometimes not. I will also post commentary with perspective on some of the older posts, and try to give some context as to why I wrote what I wrote then, which may not reflect what I'd say in 2025. With all of the above said, here is this week's list.

 Gravel Tire Tread Patterns Are Not Very Important: Monday July 28th, 2025 - An opinion on why I think tread patterns are overrated and what really matters about tires instead. 

Thoughts On The Velo Orange Chessie: Tuesday, July 29th, 2025 - I take a close look at the new aluminum framed Velo Orange Chessie gravel/adventure bike.  

Two Things: Saturday, July 26th, 2025 - This "Two Things" post was all about how road bikes are evolving into the gravel bike territory.  

Friday News And Views: Friday, July 25th, 2025 - The ever-popular FN&V returns to the Top Five. Honestly, with the dearth of news lately I was worried I wasn't going to get much content for this article and I thought it was a kind of lame FN&V. As far as these articles go, it was actually one of the better ones from a readership standpoint. Who knows....?  

Following The Numbers:  Wednesday, July 30th, 2025 - This article speaks to what I am seeing as the potential "big stories" of 2025. At least from the viewpoint of what gets read on this blog. And it all has to do with inflation. No! Not the economic type! 

That's what you folks have been hitting up here this past week. Oddly enough, nothing from a previous week, month, or year showed up on the Top Five this time. But I bet this will change next week! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions! 

Velo Orange Eccentric Bottom Bracket: Review

Note: The Velo Orange Eccentric English Threaded Bottom Bracket for 24mm spindle cranks was purchased by Guitar Ted at retail. Velo Orange did not ask for this review and all opinions are Guitar Ted's.

In my posts about the "Crazy Idea" Singular Buzzard makeover, I have mentioned one of the key components to making my idea work was to somehow have the ability to convert the Buzzard to a single speed, should the need arise. The Buzzard has vertical dropout6s and a standard, threaded bottom bracket. So, how would I be able to convert to single speed?

I could pack a chain tensioner device, but many rear derailleur mishaps involve the mangling of the frame drop out, and this might be a hindrance to using a chain tensioner device, which is essentially a derailleur cage without the parallelogram bits.

The other way to go about this would be to use an eccentric for the bottom bracket. This would allow a small amount of chain tensioning. Hopefully just enough to get you back home in case of an emergency/accident out on a bike packing trip. I'm not expecting a device which would allow single speed performance at a very high level, but if this is the case, I won't be angry about it! (If you need an explainer for my idea and how a single speed adapter would work in this scenario, see my article HERE)

The Velo Orange Eccentric Bottom Bracket comes with everything you see here and a wrench!

What It Is: The Velo Orange Eccentric Bottom Bracket is a device which allows for a small amount of chain tensioning via the offsetting of the spindle of a typical two-piece Shimano type crank. The device also comes with a shim to allow for certain SRAM crank sets to be used as well. It is important to note that any crank set with a larger than 24mm spindle will not adapt to this product.

Since the bike I am using has a Shimano SLX  2X crank set, I was hoping to be able to employ the VO bottom bracket as a way to tension my chain in case an emergency set up for single speed is required. There are shims and a wavy washer in the box which should allow one to properly set up the bottom bracket with your compatible crank set, but I do not expect these will be necessary in my case. Of course, I won't need the SRAM non-drive side spindle adapter either, but it is there in case you need it.

 The spanner wrench you get with a purchase of this component is actually pretty nice. It is steel, pretty beefy at about 3mm thickness, and is not only useful for setting up this bottom bracket, but might come in handy for track lock rings or old-school bottom brackets you may have around. 

The Velo Orange Eccentric English Threaded Bottom Bracket 24mm sells for $100.00 plus shipping. My first take on this bottom bracket is a good one. It is well made, the bearings are smooth, and in typical Velo Orange style, it looks great.. Read on to see how the eccentric works.  

Technical Details: The eccentric works  by way of three grub screws in the rim of each bottom bracket cup. When loosened, this allows the outer bit of the cup to rotate which changes the position of the eccentric hole, thus allowing for a small bit of chain tensioning. The bearings are pressed into this cup and it uses a similar "top hat" shim for the inner diameter of the bearing which the crank spindle comes into contact with.

It should be noted that the cups and the adjustment of the eccentric is independent on each side. Meaning you have to be careful to visually align the cups to get the bearings to line up symmetrically to avoid binding. While the instructions do not say this, I would suggest leaving the grub screws loose in one cup so you can insert the crank and move the loose cup's adjuster to align with the other, then tighten the grub screws to the indicated torque setting on the cup housing.  

The cups are threaded as with any traditional, threaded bottom bracket, with the left side being right hand thread and the right side being left hand thread. Velo Orange marks the cups so you won't get confused. There is no provided 'tube' between the cups, although I found a typical Shimano tube plugs right into the inner part of each cup perfectly.  Installation is pretty simple and the spanner wrench comes in handy here. 

Problems: Unfortunately I ran into a couple of problems with this bottom bracket. First off, I found the Shimano SLX 10 speed crank I wanted to use would not pass through the bearing/plastic shim on the drive side. It was as though I had the wrong size crank spindle for this bottom bracket. I tried two other HollowTech, 24mm spindles cranks and neither of those would pass through the bearing/shim. So, I disassembled the bottom bracket to do a few measurements.

Using a digital calipers, I found the inside diameter of the Velo Orange top hat shim on the driveside to be 23.92mm. Compared to the top hat shims in the Shimano bearing cup I saw a measurement of 23.97mm. This would account for why the inner diameter of the Velo Orange bearing/shim would not pass over the spindles of my crank sets. Oddly enough, inside diameter of the top hat shim in the non-driveside cup of the Velo Orange bottom bracket was slightly larger in diameter  So, placing it into the drive side I was able to insert the crank into the bottom bracket which led me to the next problem. 

The mounts for the inner chain ring on the crank would not clear the cup's outer dimension, so full penetration of the spindle into the cup was not possible. In effect, this means this bottom bracket likely is not compatible with any 2X HollowTech MTB crank set from Shimano.

Obviously I was very disappointed. This information was not available on the Velo Orange site, so I was unaware this might be the case. But I have informed Velo Orange of the issue. In response, my contact mentioned the design was "...really designed around being used with a 1 x set up". My contact person also very graciously offered a refund, but I have decided to keep this and try a 1X or find another application for it. Sadly, it means the idea I had for the Singular Buzzard will have to rely on a tensioner now for single speed set up if I stick with the SLX crank set. (Unless I decided to go 1X, which would fix the issue. I'll have an update on the "Crazy Idea" bike explaining my choices later)

So Far... I would like to see a product like this made with round cups instead of the current hexagonal shape which I believe would help the cups to clear a crank set like the one I am using currently on the Buzzard. My contact at Velo Orange when presented with this idea agreed it might help with a 2X set up.  I also would like to see a better quality control for those top hat shims. But in theory, this is a good product. I'll get this on the Buzzard with a 1X or on one of my other bicycles soon.Then I will be able to give further impressions on this product. 

Stay tuned.... 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Otso Cycles

 Window Dressing:

I mentioned this in last week's FN&V, and  I am still seeing a lot of stagnation in introductions of really new, redesigned or new designs for cycling. But what I am seeing a ton of  is new colors and new spec choices.

Take this Otso Cycles "Special Edition" Waheela C. This bike is not new, it's really just two new color choices and a special spec on their long-standing carbon gravel bike. 

Now, I will say the Rainbow Sparkle is pretty rad, but this is where we are at now. Companies need something to entice you to buy beyond discounting and they cannot afford to chuck up a new design or new idea for a component and sell those as the market has been in stagnation for the better part of three years now.

Part of what is going on is a complex, evolving change in retail. How we purchase things is changing and how things were/are offered to consumers is stagnant, or slow to catch up to these changes. I wrote about these things in a three part series which you can check out by going to this post which has links back to the two other articles in the series.

This cycle of refreshed paint and spec bolted to the same frames and forks may not end soon either. It's all window dressing, but again.....rainbow sparkle. C'mon! Even I can get jazzed by the window dressing from time to time, so I understand how it can work. 

Gravel Earth Series August Events:

A big month for a few USA based gravel events and the Gravel Earth Series. Three of the stalwarts of the gravel calendar now are taking place soon. You've got Rebecca's Private Idaho, the venerable Gravel Worlds, and the newcomer, but an important event now, CORE4 in Iowa.

I find it interesting that the Gravel Earth Series accepts events as they have evolved over time, (Rebecca's, Gravel Worlds), and accepts new events as envisioned, (CORE4). This is quite different to how the UCI structures events, which I have covered here to a fine degree of detail.

While I understand both theories of each entity's series, I find it rather curious when considering what will come out on top, in terms of what matters to the gravel scene overall. There is one key to the puzzle, and neither series - The UCI's or Gravel Earth's - have an opportunity to snag the premier jewel of gravel events because another entity owns it. Consider the magnitude of a decision to sell Unbound, as an event, upon the gravel racing world. 

Whichever entity grabbed that event would instantly become THE racing series worldwide.  Life Time doesn't quite seem to want to, or maybe cannot, separate MTB from gravel and grow a series which would become the premier gravel racing series in the World. Maybe they don't care about such things. I don't know. I just find the whole idea intriguing and whether or not it happens really doesn't natter to me except from a historical standpoint. 

Public Service Announcement:

Recently I've noted a few comments in the comment section which were "nice", but had a hyperlink in them. These may be AI generated spam, or.....? I'm not sure 100% because every one of these is from a "person" with a female name who I have never heard from here before. So, take that as you will. 

My point is that any comment waiting for moderation here which has an active hyperlink in it will be deleted summarily. I do not allow live hyperlinks in the comments. You can copy and paste a html link to a webpage in the comments which others can copy and paste into a browser, if they so choose, which  - know - might be a pain, but it is what I will allow in the comments.  

Again, it all may be much fuss about nothing to do with 'real people' here. Thanks for your attention to this message! 

Image courtesy of DT Swiss

DT Swiss Recalls Wheels In CRC, HEC, ERC Ranges:

Possibilities for rim/side wall delamination has caused a stop-ride and recall for DT Swiss wheels in their CRC, HRC, and ERC wheel ranges. A directive was sent out regarding the recall on Wednesday of this week.

On the DT Swiss site the reasons for the recall were detailed as such:

"We would like to inform you that DT Swiss is recalling affected wheel models of the ERC, CRC, and HEC series with rim heights of 35 and 45 mm and models of the ARC series with rim heights of 50, 55, and 65 mm. While the initial Stop-Use Notice applied to selected ERC, CRC, and HEC wheels, the recall includes ARC models manufactured at the same facility. Although no product defects have been reported for the ARC series, in-depth quality checks have revealed manufacturing concerns similar to those previously identified in the ERC/CRC/HEC models."

For more details see the recall page on DT Swiss' site HERE.

Got An Itch To Scratch:

The beginning of 2025 was all about looking forward to the Tree In The Road ride. That one was fun, but it wasn't quite what I was wanting in terms of distance.

I need a long ride. Trouble is, the weather, since the TITRR, hasn't been conducive to achieving this goal of mine. The extreme heat, humidity, and rains have thwarted any ideas for an all-day in the saddle ride.

And now that the heat and humidity have departed for a short time, we have wild fire smoke. Bah!

But August can't bad all bad, can it? So, hopefully very soon I will be able to carve out one day to ride most of that day and get this itch scratched. I am hopeful the weather will at least be tolerable and wildfire smoke goes away soon.

Fall will bring more opportunities and I am going to try to fit in the alley ride, plus the annual Turkey Burn ride. So, at least three or four more big days could happen, or none of them will. I am not hanging all my hopes on any of this because I know how things have gone the past three years and the rest of my life hasn't changed at all in other areas during this time period. If any of these rides happen it will be regarded as "unusual" and a huge blessing. 

Image credit: Google search

An Ode To Tubasti:

A comment was left on the blog the other day by a reader who goes by "scottg". It was a poem credited to an Aldo Ross about tubular glue.

Tubeless goop raises the ire of some riders, but they should be aware that tubular glue, which was used to set up tubular tires, was a thing for decades and we all should be thankful we don't have to deal with it much, if at all, anymore. I never did glue up tubulars, which may surprise some of you, but I caught on very early in my career as a bicycle mechanic that this procedure was not a lot of fun. 

So, I left the deed to others who were either ready to accept the hassles of tubulars or weren't aware of the consequences of using tubular glue.  

 Here's the poem as it was left in the comments for your enjoyment:

Tubasti 

 Tubasti on the sidewalls
Tubasti on the spokes
Tubasti on the workbench
And a bunch of cotter bolts

Tubasti on the visegrips
Tubasti on my arm
Tubasti on my chin and cheek
I hope it won't cause harm

Tubasti on the light switch
Tubasti on the cats
Tubasti on my shoes and socks
And on my car's floor mats

Tubasti on the carpet
Tubasti in my hair
I tried to glue just one damn tire
Now Tubasti's everywhere!

Credited to Aldo Ross. 

Thanks scottg for tipping us off to this gem!  

That's a wrap for this week. Get out and ride those bicycles! 

A Tough Stretch Here

Today closes out the month of July. I won't lie about it, I am not going to miss this last month. The weather is the reason for this.

We've had a good run of hot, humid days with big rains interspersed in there which have all fallen on days I had chances to ride out in the country. Not to mention the fact of the three days in a row where we had severe thunderstorms in the middle of the night which kept me up at random times. My sleep schedule is in tatters.

July started off great, but since the heat settled in and with the rains, yeah.... Not going to miss July at all. So, now we're moving on to August and already we have gone to cooler temperatures and less humidity for a time. This is a great relief. I'm most definitely a fan.

But we will get that "dog days" stretch, I am sure, where the humidity and heat will make a return. I just hope this doesn't result in temperatures adjusted for humidity over 100°F. I've had my fill of that! Of course, Fall is coming very soon, which is my favorite time of the year to ride, so I'm looking forward to this season coming up. But before we get there, I have one thing in mind to get to. 

Stay tuned....
 

Following The Numbers...

 The other day I was cruising my stats looking to see what was being read most ehre on "Guitar Ted Productions". The end of the year stats start to take shape around the first part of the second half of the year and I was just curious. I noted an very interesting trend.

First of all, the numbers are crazy. I know.....I say this every year and I would forgive you if you think this is becoming cliche' here, but the post counter doesn't lie. I'm seeing numbers on posts I rarely have ever seen at the end of a year, not to mention seven months in. So, first thing I want to say is "Thank You". It is because of people like you who read this blog who make the numbers what they are.

So, what are you folks reading? It is interesting to note that the biggest numbers all have something to do with inflation. TPU tubes and Clik Valves, to be specific. These posts are dwarfing anything I've ever posted and some of these posts have not been up foe seven months, some only a few months. Yet the numbers right now look like end of year numbers. I cannot fully explain this other than to point to one possibility. 

How we inflate tires on our bicycles and what we use to retain this air is radically changing before our very eyes. Between TPU tubes and the innovative Clik Valve, it is my opinion that people are intrigued by the benefits to the point which excitement over these two components is, dare I say - at fever pitch.

There has always been somewhat of a backlash over tubeless. The tubeless tire set up, the maintenance, the tubeless goo - All of this seems to have an undercurrent of dissatisfaction out there. Tubes just work, but they are prone to failures and they are heavy. In comes the TPU tube promising more robust puncture protection at a fantastic light weight. I don't know for certain, but I think tubeless solutions can be put into some newer TPU tubes now. If not, I am sure that is coming.

Then there is inflation. I know some folks will roll their eyes concerning Clik Valves, but they are soooooooo easy to use it makes Presta valves and Schrader valves look silly. Especially for casual cyclists, I see no reason for anything else but Clik Valves. I would gladly switch over to them, personally, and if the groundswell around Clik Valves continues to grow, I probably will switch.

I'm not going to recount here every advantage Clik Valves have over the other two major valve standards in the US, but I know people are really curious about them judging from my stats. If some of those folks decide to make the switch, and their friends see Clik Valves, and this momentum gets going, we are in for quite the sea change. I'm all for it. 

So, at any rate, I know there is a ton of interest in both of these products and it just feels like this points to big changes on the horizon for tubes and how we fill them.  Apparently Schwalbe is combining Clik Valve with TPU tubes, so when this becomes more commonplace I'm probably going to start switching over more bikes to both standards. What do you think? 

Are Clik Valves, TPU tubes, or both in your future? 

Thoughts On The Velo Orange Chessie

The Velo Orange "Chessie" (Image courtesy of Velo Orange)

A Look At An Inexpensive All-Rounder:

Recently I was contacted by Velo Orange, (who apparently read this blog - at least occasionally) for my opinion on their newest adventure/gravel/all-arounder, the Chessie. I first noted the bike in a post from almost a year ago in coverage of the MADE Show.

The offering raised interest with me since the bike was to have a claimed 50mm tire clearance, several mounting points for accessories, and a single speed option. While the material for the Chessie was aluminum, this doesn't mean it will ride like a hay rack. Now days materials technology affords those using aluminum to tune ride quality and those "zingers" we used to feel while riding an aluminum frame from the past are potentially gone now.

This seemed like a good option for anyone building up a bike in a specific way to suit their needs. I love the single speed option, being a single speed guy, but also for the potential to be self-sufficient in case of any issues with a rear derailleur. Having the single speed option might allow you to make it back to the start, or the destination, without calling in someone to rescue you.

Geometry is important to me, and I'm not about to add a bicycle to my situation, which has far too many bicycles as it is, unless I can replace one I have with something "better". In other words, to make the cut here, the bike better well be spot-on, or I'm going to pass. Dialed geometry for my desires may not be a concern, or even relevant in any way for you, so please understand what I am about to share is really from my perspective. You should consider your own needs and choose wisely.

Geometry for the Chessie (Image courtesy of Velo Orange)

Usually when I see a bicycle I am interested in there is one area the geometry disappoints me in. The Chessie is no different in this regard,. But before I get to what I specifically did not like about this bike, I want to share what I want to see in a bike's geometry chart.

• Head Tube Angle: I need to see slacker than 72° and maybe I'd go as slack as 69° here. (Depends upon fork offset, bottom bracket drop, and Stack numbers)
• Bottom Bracket Drop: I'll never get a bike with anything less than a 72mm bottom bracket drop which has tire clearances for 50mm or less tires. I've ridden a few bikes, and I own one, which have high bottom brackets and they are not a lot of fun on loose, crushed rock descents and just in general, on any loose rock infested road. Nope! Been there - done that. I prefer to see something like a 75mm drop, which I believe to be "perfect for me". More than this gets a little sketchy with the pedals potentially striking, but now with shorter crank sets being all the rage, maybe I could make a low, 75+mm bottom bracket drop work. 
•  Seat Tube Angle: Nothing too steep. I'm not super picky here, but an upright, steep seat tube is not what I like to see on a bike I am considering. 
• Chainstay Length:  I like something between 430mm and 440mm. This can change depending upon the seat tube angle. and bottom bracket drop. (See my Honeman Flyer as an example of this) 

So, how does the Chessie stack up and where doesn't it? This design is really pretty good from my view, but for the bottom bracket drop. In fact, looking across the sizes, the bottom bracket drop seems pretty crazy. I cannot recall seeing this before where every size has a pretty big difference in the bottom bracket drop. I could maybe make sense of it all but for the size Medium frame which is the only size I'd be happy with all-around. Unfortunately I need to be on a size Large, and a 68mm drop is a definite no-go for myself.

The Chessie got a couple rave reviews from a couple of online cycling sites. That is encouraging, but I cannot compromise on any of my points, so this bike would not be something I'd bring in for myself. I was hoping it might be a T-6 Standard Rando replacement, as the T-6 has limited tire clearances, but I'll have to keep looking.....  

Gravel Tire Tread Patterns Are Not Very Important

Pirelli Cinturato H gravel tires

How Much Tread Does A Gravel Tire Really Need?

I'm pretty sure this story has been shared here before, but several years ago I had an audience with one of the more famous bicycle tire designers in the industry. He was telling me how the latest offering from the company he worked for was developed. I asked him how he came up with new tread patterns and how important were the new designs. His answer was a bit eye-opening. He said flatly, "Tire tread design is a fashion business."

He went on to explain the idea was to engender a feeling about how a tire might perform based upon how it looked. What the tread actually does is secondary. Important, but not the 'main thing'. His example was from the motorcycle world. He said if you look at most MX tires, they all look pretty much the same from a tread design standpoint because what actually works well in their world has been figured out. There is not much room for anything radically different looking than big, square tread blocks. MX tires are function over fashion. 

However, if bicycles are a fashion business, to any degree, then perhaps this is most exemplified in tire design. It seems that anything which has been proven in design is boring, and what people 'see with their eyes' is more important than what actually works on the road, trail, in in this case, out on gravel.

(L-R) Conti Terra Adventure, Ritchey WCS Speedmax

Take for example the lowly road file tread pattern. It was a design which was used on all roads - Gravel, paved, and on dirt. It was the tire no one questioned for decades.

Advancements were made in construction, rubber compound, and materials, but that file tread pattern was the rule of the day for a long, long time. Why? It worked. Boring......but it worked.

Some of the most iconic MTB patterns were simple blocks. Specialized's Ground Control - the one you've likely never seen if you are under 30 years of age, was pretty much just blocks. But it was lauded for its ability to do almost anything off-road on a mountain bike. Then fashion came along and, well.... 

I've always had the feeling that we don't need a lot of tread on our gravel tires. However; looking at many tread patterns for gravel, you'd think the opposite was true. Certainly there are examples of minimalist tread patterns out there, and those are almost always thought of as tread patterns for mostly paved surfaces, or for racing. 

However; at least where I live, where we have crushed rock roads coming out of the woodwork all around us, I feel tread blocks and weird patterns are a waste of time. They don't really do much of anything. Now, are there tires I like, maybe even love, which have big, aggressive tread blocks? Yes, but the tread is superfluous to the reasons why I like the tires, A "good gravel tire" is defined by other, much more important things than what you see molded into the casing.

Image courtesy of Maxxis Tires

 Things like casing construction, and rubber compound play a much larger role in how a tire performs, feels, and survives the miles than does tread pattern. Casing construction, and the materials used in the casing, make a tire ride well, or grip better. The casing has a big influence on the tire's profile as it sits on a rim. This matters when the rubber hits the road, be it gravel, dirt, or pavement.

Tire compound plays a role in tire durability, grip, and rolling resistance. Tread patterns influence these things as well, but you'd be surprised how little this matters, especially in the gravel tire market.

The best gravel tires I've ever ridden, and I've ridden a LOT of different tires, all have wildly differing tread patterns, but they all have similar ride feel and performance on gravel. The tread patterns just do not seem to matter all that much. 

I'm sure there are many people who will disagree, but for me, the proof is in the riding. Tread patterns do influence the way a tire rides and performs, but in the end, this is not what really matters. Unless the pattern is seriously flawed, I really don't feel tread pattern is of all that much importance for the kind of riding I do most.