Three Series: A Contrast & Comparison

2026 Gravel Earth Series Calendar: (Image courtesy of Gravel Earth Series)

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

 As we wind down 2025 many gravel events are ramping up marketing and registrations for 2026. I'll have a report on what trends in enetry fees I find and "value per mile" opinions coming up early next year. Right now I wanted to compare and contrast the three preeminent gravel racing series in the world now: The UCI World Championship Gravel Series, The Life Time Grand Prix, (Could be argued it isn't really a pure gravel series, but...), and the Gravel Earth Series of events. Let's start out with a look at what is in store for each series coming up. I'll kick it off with the Gravel Earth Series. 

Gravel Earth Series: 

This series is kind of the upstart of the three major world-wide series. Last year this organization, based out of Spain, had a confusing calendar with main series events and some events which were kind of satellite events, trial events, or something along those lines. These ancillary events weren't part of the main series, and this year some of those events do not appear on the calendar for 2026. Most notable of those is the Gravel Worlds event out of Lincoln, Nebraska. 

The streamlined calendar for 2026 does include three events on US soil. The Lost and Found, The Oregon Trail, and CORE4 here in Iowa. Gravel Earth organizers also have introduced age categories to "recognize performance across generations". Organizing company Klassmark, who are the event production company for the Gravel Earth Series, will kick things off in Spain and Italy with the first overseas venture being the Lost and Found in June. 

For more details see the Gravel Earth Series website.  

Comments: This series seems to be on the upswing with refinements and a streamlined calendar of events featuring mostly European and USA based events. There are two events outside this norm, with one in Iceland and the other in Kenya.  Last year this series covered more continents and featured a more international palette of choices than this year. I think this is a good thing from a focus standpoint. Obviously, having three US based events is outstanding. 

The pearl of this series is The Traka. Described by many as "Europe's Unbound Gravel", this event has quickly become a premier gravel event on the calendar. So much so that Klassmark is now marketing and producing events dubbed "By The Traka", to reflect how these other events are influenced by the way The Traka feels and is experienced by the riders. Five of the Gravel Earth Series events are now designated as "By The Traka" events.  

Life Time Grand Prix:

This event series is a six race series split evenly between MTN and gravel based courses. Some might argue this series really isn't a gravel or a mountain biking series, and while technically true, we have seen cross-over with regard to not only athletes, but equipment choices in this series in the past. This blurs the lines at times between MTB and gravel to make the Life Time Grand Prix a sort of hybrid event series which features some of gravel's top athletes in both the women's and men's fields. 

New for this season is a significant uptick in prize money. Now featuring $175,000.00 for Men and Women each across ten placings, this series has become the plumb racing series for top athletes in North America, if not world-wide, in gravel specifically. Each event will now have a prize purse in total for both men and women Pros in the series of $30,000.00 split evenly between genders and paid out to tenth place. Double the 30 grand to 60 grand total for Unbound and the Leadville 100. 

2026 will see four of the series six events have live, real-time coverage of the contest.  Most notable of these is Unbound, by far the World's most important gravel event. The series will also bring back the "Wild Card" entrants who are chosen based upon results up to and through Unbound Gravel in June. Those qualifying athletes are added to the limited roster of men and women in the series who are chosen via application/lottery by Life Time to participate. 

For more details see the Grand Prix website.  

Comments: There are two things which stand out to me concerning Life Time's Grand Prix series. One - This series would be background noise if it were not for (a) Unbound Gravel and (b) the amount of money set forth for prizing. Both these things are what bring the eyeballs to the Grand Prix. There is no question in my mind concerning the impact of the series if Unbound Gravel is taken out of the equation. Sure, Leadville has cache, and Chequamegon has tradition, but in terms of what makes cycling go 'round in 2026, it is gravel, and Unbound Gravel is king in terms of importance world-wide. 

Second, it is the exclusivity and discrimination exemplified by the selection of Life Time's organizers when the roster for the Grand Prix is considered. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but it is not how gravel got its footing amongst cyclists. But then again, is the Grand Prix even a "gravel series"? This is a legitimate question, and again, without Unbound, who would even care? (Well, there is that money they are waving around, so....)

Image courtesy of the UCI Gravel Worlds Series

UCI Gravel World Series:

The UCI, (Union Cycliste Internationale) has had a gravel world series now for a few years with 2025 being their most ambitious effort to date with 33 events world-wide. 

2025 saw the first US-based UCI gravel events with the addition of California's Mammoth Tuff and the Highlands Classic in Arkansas.  The UCI has been criticized and kept at arm's length here in the USA due to its formulaic way of producing events with a disregard to how traditional gravel events have been produced here. 

Because of this, the UCI's gravel series hasn't been well covered or received here in the States. This is a series with much more import in Europe, where 23 of the 33 events are held. Of course, the UCI has promised more US-based gravel events will be coming online, and we've yet to see the 2026 calendar, so perhaps this stands to be changed in the near future. 

For details on the UCI Gravel World Series see their webpage.  

Comments: The UCI has been ambitiously chasing the gravel money-making machine for nearly ten years now. Slowly, the organization, which represents the pinnacle of sport in MTB and road racing, is gaining a foothold. However; even in 2025, it is difficult to name a top racer in their series here as a US citizen. The coverage and impact of the UCI's efforts is not all that great. With the lack of 'star power' (see Tadej Pogacar, et al) spectacle, or any real legacy/premier gravel event on the calendar, (see Unbound Gravel/The Traka), the UCI has quite an uphill battle on its hands to gain the sort of stranglehold it has currently on MTB and road racing.  

Image courtesy of Life Time Events

 Conclusions:

While gravel events have evolved in terms of professional participation and import on the industry and average cyclists, the foundational base of gravel in the USA remains strong and healthy going into 2026. How these three series actually affect anything regarding "gravel culture" is hard to gauge. It probably has more impact at the retail bicycle level than it does anywhere else. 

This is manifested in hardware which reflects the Pro. Wireless shifting, aerodynamics, and efficiencies which are really best for ultra-fit, high-end athletes seem to be getting all the attention inside the main brand's headquarter. Much like the bicycles and hardware from heyday of the 'Lance Era ' did which affected road bikers to a high degree. This is not only unnecessary, but detrimental to people coming into gravel for the first time. 

Besides the way companies fall into thinking "F-1" type bicycles and gear are what everyone wants, (it isn't what we want), and need, I'm not sure any of these gravel series really matters. In other words, these series tend to have far too much influence than they should have over certain aspects of cycling.  

Perhaps the Gravel Earth Series comes closest to keeping something of what gravel cycling was meant to be in its productions.Their concern for how the culture and local impact of an event is received by riders is to be commended. The UCI doesn't care, in reality, as their cookie-cutter approach to events completely ignores what made gravel "gravel" in the first place. Essentially, their events are produced like a Pro road event with only the surface raced on being different. Finally, the Grand Prix is spectacle and largely forgettable all in one series with a big, fat wallet being waved in front of a select few athletes. besides Unbound, it really has no relevance to gravel at all.  

In a "what 0f" world, it is fun to consider what the gravel racing landscape might be like in 2026 if the UCI could have somehow pried the Dirty Kanza 200 (which became Unbound) from Jim Cummings' hands. This one possibility probably would have catapulted the UCI to heights unheard of in the world of cycling. But then again, had they completely overhauled the format, and made it a "UCI event" in practice, would this event even exist anymore? My bet is the UCI would have totally mismanaged this possibility. It is a fascinating exercise in thought, but obviously, (and thankfully), nothing to sweat over.  

So, there you go. My thoughts and comments on the three preeminent gravel series in 2026.  

A Strange Fall

The weather has been odd

 It is mid-November and we broke a record for high temperature on Friday. What a weird Fall. It hasn't really ever felt like Fall here besides a few days here and there since September. Last weekend it was Winter-like, with brutal winds and low temperatures, but a week later and it was so hot I maybe could have worn a Summer kit there for about an hour or so. 

Of course, I had to go for a bit of a ride in the afternoon. No biggie, just a cruise over to what was once called the Mitchell Sandpits. It has been transformed into what is now called  the Riverview Recreation Area. There is an old sandpit dredged and filled with water to make Harold Getty Lake. It's not very big, but there is a dirt path around it for 3/4's of the way and paved bicycle path the remainder of the way. I like going over there to run the dirt and see what is going on in the lake. 

On this particular day, I wasn't the only one thinking this November weather is something to be taking advantage of. There were a few other cyclists, a fisherman or two, and several cars parked at teh boat landing. 

If you squint hard enough, you'll see the kayaker who scared all the Canadian geese away!

 

The path around the lake is mowed out pretty wide. 

When I reached the earthen dam on the Western side of the lake, my phone rang. It was N.Y. Roll and he wanted to chat. I stood on the beach and looked out over the now shallow lake. The drought conditions are creeping back in again. There was a lone kayak skimming across the water toward a flock of floating Canadian geese. The geese didn't cotton to having a human very close, so they burst forth with honking and took flight in a crash of wings on water. 

Yeah....I'm not sure what this person expected would happen. 

If I didn't know any better I'd say this looked like, and felt like, Spring.

Eventually I made my way back around the way I had come, exited the park, and went on my way to explore some alleys. I got home in one piece and then I sat on the porch, soaking up the last rays of Sun for the day. In fact, I did that Saturday as well. These days are gifts to be savored, I think. So, this is what I did. 

Now it has become much more Fall-like. I suspect this past week will be the last we see of the sort of warmth we had till next year. I'm happy I was able to get out there and enjoy it for a bit. 

Two Things

VTBR Update: 

I've been anxiously checking the long term forecast for Thanksgiving weekend about every day. I know.....it's not a very good thing to do. Forecasting this far out is always an exercise in futility. However; things should start to come into focus from here on out and my plans will as well.

Plans for my attempt at this year's VTBR, that is. My hope is I would get to bang out a metric century in one go and be done with it. However; I cannot be assured of anything at this point. 

We will have our own observance of Thanksgiving here at Guitar Ted Headquarters, of course. Perhaps on Friday due to my daughter's work schedule. I think Thursday looks like my most "open" day for the attempt. Here's hoping the weather is somewhat decent. 

If.....and it is a big 'if' now...I get to ride on Thanksgiving Day, my plan is to ride the "Ride for Jacob" route again. Maybe this time I'll get those roads I missed in! The route is a metric, plus some, so it would be perfect for the VTBR. 

Of course, I;ll need to choose a bicycle for this. Again, IF a big, one day ride is in the cards, I may go with the Fargo, Gryphon Mk4, or my Black Mountain Cycles MCD. But I am supposed to use a "forlorn" bike in the stable. This would point toward the Raleigh Tamland 2 or the Pofahl Signature single speed. Meh! 

First world problems.... 

GT giving his acceptance speech at the GCHoF in 2022.

A Project Begins:

In June of 2022 I was inducted into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame. What I did not talk about back then was a bit of an interview I gave for a special project headed up by a couple of guys who have connections to both gravel events and independent film work. They are putting together a documentary film, and I have been asked to help out. 

Without giving too much away, I can say this is about gravel cycling and there is a lot of work for me to do on the project which I have already begun to do. Wading through all the material gathered so far is quite a monumental task, but I have a plan.  

I hope to get through everything and then give my feedback soon. Once my feedback has been given, I'm not sure where my part in this project will end. Perhaps this will be all I contribute, or....? Hard to say. All I know is the goal is to get the finished product out next year. So I better get crackin'! 

Planning For The VTBC Ride

The Veteran's Day Ride was a great training ride for the VTBC.

In less than two weeks I will be challenging myself to do at least a metric century ride. Maybe I'll have to spread it over three days, maybe not, but I am well into preparing myself to get it done again this year. 

If you are not understanding what I am talking about here, this is all about the Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge (VTBC) ride  It isn't too late to consider joining us, so if you are interested, see THIS LINK for all the details. Essentially this is an excuse to use your bicycle at this time of the year when most cycling events have shut down for the season. 

The recent Veteran's Day Ride I did with N.Y. Roll was a great opening up on preparations for this challenge. We were out in "not very ideal conditions", I would say. Conditions which might just reflect what it will be like for the VTBC. It was quite windy, with consistent winds in the 20mph range with higher gusts. It was cold, with a starting temperature in the mid-30's and rising into the 40's as we went along. Thankfully it was mostly Sunny, but this is rare in November. So, I'm not banking on this to happen again. 

Last year I did the VTBC over four days on my fat bike due to the cold temperatures.

Last year was brutal here. It was very windy, and VERY cold. I ended up riding every day, on Thanksgiving through the following Sunday, to get a metric century in. I did this all within the confines of the local soft trails and bike paths, so it was definitely a big challenge to get all the miles in! 

My bicycle choice was pretty much forced upon me by the weather last year. This year I haven't seen enough evidence to make a definitive choice. I could easily end up on the Ti Muk 2 again, or a gravel bike! Some weather prognosticators are calling for a big storm to hit around Thanksgiving. So, no decisions on the bike just yet. 

I am getting out now though and pedaling as much as I can before Thanksgiving. It is difficult to prepare for a situation which remains fluid. Late November here can be tranquil, or very stormy. It can be warm, or very windy and cold, like last year. You just cannot predict it easily. Nothing like say, June, where you know you most likely can ride barring lightning being present or for some other severe weather which is pretty easy to predict ahead of time. (Relative to Winter forecasting)

So, I have ideas, but making any solid choices will have to wait for about a week.  

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycle Co. 

Wilde Bicycle Co. Announces Heighliner Titanium Adventure Bike:

Due to a leak of information, Wilde Bicycle Co has decided to release the information and pre-orders on its newest model dubbed the Heighliner. 

Featuring clearance for 29" 2.25" tires, fully internal cable housing, and UDH compatibility, this new model is Wilde Bicycle Co. head Jeffrey Frane's favorite bike currently. In fact, he designed the geometry himself. 

The frame has double-butted titanium tubing with a T-47 bottom bracket. There are two water bottle mounts in the front triangle, one Three-Pack mount under the down tube, and a top tube bag accessory mount on the top tube. 

The frame is made at the ORA factory in Taiwan. Pre-orders for a June 2026 delivery are open now. Price for the frame and fork is $3,300.00. The details can be reviewed on the webpage for the Heighliner HERE. 

Image courtesy of Moots

Moots Announces Scrambler Adventure Bike:

Moots released information yesterday on a new model called the Scrambler. This drop-bar, wide tired bicycle is designed around a 100mm travel suspension fork.  

Available as a frame only or with a Rock Shox SID fork and Shimano GRX/XT build, the bike will only be available for  -according to the press release - "a limited time".  (End of January 2026, to be exact)

Tire clearance is stated at 20" x 2.4" maximum. The frame is a Boost spaced frame. Completes will ship with Chris King MTN30 AL29" wheels. Tires will be the WTB MACRO 29" X 2.4".  

For details see Moots page for this model HERE.  

A Gen 2 Fargo pictured in 2015.

The "OG" Would Like To Have A Word:

This trend to 29"er MTB sized rubber, drop bars, and a penchant for telescopic front forks in the realm of "Gravel™" these days reminds me of something....

I cannot quite put my finger on it now. Was it some bike back in 2008 or 2009 with a marketing tagline which went something like "Adventure by Bike"?

Anyway, you get my point by now, I am sure. It was inevitable we'd see all things garvel eventually reach a point where the lines were blurred and what we were looking at now became what we already have seen for sixteen years now.  

You'll note I did not write any "Comments" for the first two entries. This is the comment section on those two entries. Welcome to "Adventure by Bike" Moots and Wilde. There's plenty of room on the couch here and for the rest of you brands who think they have discovered something here.  

I'm not criticizing here, but unless you remind people of the past, they will make up their own stories. So, check the history and be informed.  

Image courtesy of Vittoria Tire

Vittoria Announces Future Availability Of Eco-Friendly Brown Hued Tires:

On the heels of my recent post concerning these tires (HERE), it has come to light recently that Vittoria Tire is indeed going to sell the eco-friendly, brown gravel tires. Tires which have been claimed to be faster than their carbon black infused siblings. 

The full range of Vittoria's PRO gravel catalog will eventually be available in this compound and casing made with 92% renewable, recyclable materials. 

Vittoria claims this brown-hued compound is 5% faster, has 19% more grip, and has 18% better puncture resistance than its current gravel tire range. 

All this performance and earth-friendliness comes at a price though.  Tires in the range are well over $100.00 each at $112.99. This compares to Vittoria's current range which runs at $81.99 for each tire. 

Comments: Wooo! That's a big jump in performance at a big jump in price. Would you be willing to slap on nearly $225.00 of tires, (before shipping and taxes), and have your bike seen with brown rubber? Yeah..... That's a big ask, but I'm willing to bet a lot of people are going to give this a go on their gravel bike. 

A comment left indicating the Luxy Bar redux is a possibility. 

Do You Really Want It? Then Say So!

Thursday (yesterday) an long ago memory was stirred when I saw "Brant Richards" pop up in my email.  

Brant Richards was heavily involved in UK MTB as a writer and parts designer up until about seven years ago when he and a partner opened up a boutique clothing business called HebTroCo. But before the trousers came into Brant's life, he designed a lot of cool stuff like the On One Inbred, some nice forks, steel frames for trail MTB, and this odd flared drop bar called the Luxy Bar. 

Now Brant seems as though he's back into bicycles, at least for a bit. He hit me up yesterday asking what I thought about a reissue Luxy Bar. So lokk, if you ever wanted one, wanted another one, or are "Luxy-Curious", give a shout. Hit the comments and say something. 

If you don't ask, you won't receive anything.  

That's it for this week! Get out and ride those bicycles! 

Veteran's Day Ride

Escape Route: An invitation from N.Y. Roll

Last weekend N.Y. Roll reached out to me and asked if I would want to join him on a 40-ish mile ride North toward Waverly and back again. I accepted his offer, so the plans were put into place to ride on Tuesday morning at 9:00am. 

I decided I'd ride the Peregrine MK4, of course, and since I was finished with the Schwalbe tires I went and did a wheel swap to get the SOMA Cazadero 700 X 50mm tires on the bike. This entailed swapping cassettes and rotors as well, since I wanted to keep the drive train and brakes the same. 

I got this finished up in time, so the evening before I laid out some gear and got to bed early so I would be as rested as possible. The temperatures were to start out in the mid-30's, but with a stiff Southwesterly breeze, it was feeling chillier than that. 

I ended up wearing the Twin Six Thermal Cargo Bibs with the T-6 base layer and a Smart Wool short-sleeved jersey gifted to me by a Trans Iowa rider. Over this I wore my Voler-made Pirate Cycling League thermal jacket. On my feet I had my 12" Sock Guy wool socks, Northwave winter boots, and that was it. On the noggin I wore a buff from another Trans Iowa rider who lives in Germany and gave me this Berlin Cycling Club branded buff to wear. Then my Circuit Wave Cell helmet went over this. On my hands I wore HandUp Winter gloves. 

As it turned out the only thing I would have done differently would be to have an extra pair of gloves to put on at halfway, and I could have used a plastic shopping bag vapor barrier for the feet. I sweat a lot more than I thought I would on this ride! 

The Veteran's Memorial in Downtown Waterloo

I waited outside for N.Y. Roll and he arrived right at 9:00am. So, the plan, as stated, was to ride North, and as we chatted at the beginning of this ride, N.Y. Roll was realizing we'd be heading straight into a headwind if we used his original route. So, not a half a mile in, he "called an audible", and we decided to roll out towards Evansdale, along the Cedar River, hit the CVNT for a bit, and then see what we felt like. 

It was no big deal to me to change up the route on the fly, and I kind of liked the spontaneity of this decision. Plus, we hadn't gone much over a mile and we rode right by the Waterloo Veteran's Memorial display, replete with someones remote PA set up and microphone just sitting there. We did not see anyone around, which I thought was strange because Waterloo folks have "sticky fingers" and anything left out and about without oversight or strong tethers, well...... Let's just say it would be gone. 

We figured it was too cold for ne're-do-wells and we rolled onward.  

And for the record, we rode past three veteran's memorials on this ride. It was meant to be! 

Trail on the North side of the Cedar River going to Evansdale. 

Approach to the CVNT and another crossing of the Cedar River. 

The wind wasn't fun, so we took this into our calculations as we rode to Evansdale, through the city, and onward to the CVNT. We decided to head up Foulk Road, and yes, into the wind, but then turning left onto McKellar Road, we'd get two Level B Roads in series, and then end up in Washburn, Iowa. From there we'd make another decision. 

The Eastern end of McKellar Road

Weiden Road's Level B Section looking toward Washburn, Iowa. 

There were several wet spots we had to pay attention to on both Level B Roads. It was a tiny bit sketchy, but we made it through just fine. The dirt was a nice change of pace from pavement. However; we'd be getting a big dose of pavement yet coming up. 

We decided to head over to the CVNT from where we popped out at in Washburn. This right turn would take us to LaPorte City, then we'd leave town to the Northeast, cross the Cedar River (again!) and head towards some remote Black Hawk County gravel. 

I like N.Y. Roll, but sometimes he's a little bossy!

 

A remote gravel called Miller Creek Road, which doesn't get a lot of riders on it. 

We were heading into flood plain territory. Very flat, so it was very windy! Heading South on Girsch Road was a chore. Turning East on Miller Creek Road was a big relief. This territory is not common for cyclists as it sits in a pocket between Highway 218 and the Cedar River. It isn't easy to access, and there are better through-routes for recreationalists like the CVNT. But we had stuck our little dirt road sections in, and going "out of our way" through Gilbertville on the CVNT was not what we wanted to do. So, here we were. 

I had not been out on these roads since 2020 when I did "The Quest" to ride all the gravel and dirt roads in Black Hawk County, which I ended up getting done. As I stated back then, there were roads I'd likely never ride again, and these roads were some of them! Guess I was wrong!

We returned to the CVNT, stopped briefly for a "nature break", and rolled on through LaPorte City and exited on the Northeast side. This is a hardtop road called Brandon Road, and it is usually very busy. It wasn't bad on Tuesday, but it wasn't slow in terms of traffic. 

(Looking back the way we came here) Crossing the Cedar.....again!

Another criminally under-ridden road. Ashley Road here looking Northwest

We went North on South Canfield Road, (another busy County hardtop road) and skipped Bryan Road for the diagonally placed Ashley Road. This is a remnant of an ancient footpath of the Native Americans and was an original pioneer trail which became part of the Red Ball Route. Parts of the Red Ball Route are still Highway 218 to this day. Ashley Road is an old segment of the Red Ball Route. 

Barns For Jason

 

More Ashley Road

We ended up essentially following the Cedar River and older paths which reflected how Native Americans, and then the pioneers after them, used the land to traverse from one area to another. It was said that the paths the Native Americans took were so often used the grasses wouldn't grow where they walked and these pathways were easily seen by the later Europeans who came and settled the lands around here. 

Coffee stop. Mile 30

Leaving Gilbertville on old Highway 218

Eventually, after a real estate inspection by N.Y. Roll, we made our way into Gilbertville. We decided we would either stop at a Casey's Convenience store, or at a cafe if we came across one. N.Y. Roll actually found the 1854 Cafe in Gilbertville and we stopped and had a cup of coffee. 

This stop was kind of funny. Here we were, all geared up in our cold weather cycling garb, tromping in with our cycling shoes on, making a scene. It was almost as if it really were 1854 and some rogue band of ruffians had walked in amongst some decent citizens. We were getting side-eyed and look-aways like crazy. Too funny. 

The oak trees were spectacular this Fall. More red than usual. 

N.Y. Roll looking for an open restroom. Did not find anything!

We left Gilbertville on old Highway 218 which is really pretty scenic any time of the year. But it was especially so this Fall since this road has a lot of oak trees around it.The oaks were especially red this year. Usually they are a more rusty-brown color. So, that was a good distraction as I was riding along.

Apparently coffee runs right through N.Y. Roll because by the time we reached Elk Run Heights he needed to find a place to relieve himself. Nothing we went by had any open doors. All the recreational sites had locked up for the season. So, he ended up finding a secluded spot in the woods of a local park to, you know...... take a nature break. 

Then it was just slogging into a quartering headwind to get all the way home again. We did 40 plus miles in less than four hours time, including stops, so this was pretty good, I thought. Especially considering the wind factor. All in all, it was a good training day for the upcoming Virtual Turkey Burn Ride Challenge.  

A Good, Solid Bicycle

A 1999 Surly 1X1 Frame & Fork

 Those Facebook memories posts you see when you first open that social media platform up can be jarring. "Was it THAT long ago already!" Ha ha! Sometimes it is a good thing which pops up. Sometimes not so much. Well, on Monday, the 10th of November, this image here popped up. 

I came into work at Europa Cycle and Ski, just like any other Monday, and saw this as you see it in the image. There was a note which told me the frame and fork was now under my care. The former owner, Brian Bottke, used to work for Europa. In fact, everyone who has ever owned this worked there at one time or another. (See THIS post for the story.) 

I could go on about the string of seven guys who have owned the bike, and maybe this would make for an interesting post. However; I also wanted to go to the point of this bicycle being such a practical, versatile piece that seven different people found a reason to make it their bicycle. 

I think this is pretty remarkable when you stop to consider how most bicycles are so niche and specific the string of one or two, maybe three owners a bicycle may have in its lifespan use the bike in the way it was intended to be used. The bike doesn't see a lot of variance from the main idea. However; in the case of the 1X1, it saw use cases which were vastly different during the times it was passed on from one person to another. 

Consider this: The bicycle you see above was a "grown man's BMX bike, a single speed gravel grinder training device, a commuter bike, a cargo bike with the addition of an Xtra-Cycle attachment, a fixed gear bike, and back to a commuter bicycle again.  Of course, 1X1's have been used as MTB's, "plus" bikes, and even fat bikes. Just this one singular model. 

This is amazing to me. 

Surly used to be known for this sort of thing. Many of their early models were bicycles you could bend to your own "use-will", so to speak. This has kind of disappeared in their line of late. I like a good, solid bicycle which can be purposed in several ways. I think the world needs more of just that. Not 50 variations of a 'thing' which can only do one thing. 

If you know of any bicycles which would be like the old Surlys, let me, and the rest of the readers, know in the comments.  

Schwalbe G-One Overland Tires 700 x 50mm: Final Verdict

 Note: Guitar Ted was gifted these tires by a friend for his Singular Peregrine Mk4 bicycle build. Guitar Ted is not being paid, nor bribed for this review. Schwalbe is unaware of this review and have no input in the content here. All opinions are Guitar Ted's. The introductory post can be seen by clicking HERE. A follow-up to the introductory post can be read HERE. 

I've been riding these Schwalbe G-One Overland tires on tons of shorter rides on all sorts of surfaces. Most of my previous impressions still stand. I will take this final look at the G-One Overland as an opportunity to add just a couple of notes to my impressions previous to this post.

First. the G-One Overland tires have not stretched one little bit since I measured them after mounting. These tires stubbornly have stuck at just a hair under the claimed 50mm width. I'm not saying this is a negative, but I am saying this is surprising. Most tires stretch a bit for a week or two before settling into what they will be for width. Not so with the G-One Overlands.

 The noted stiff casings of the G-One Overland tires worked better at lowered air pressures for me, but they never "broke in". I was a bit disappointed in the ride quality toward the end of this review because of this. The Hutchinson Touaregs did break in after several rides, a tire very similar to the G-One Overland. 

This was most notable when sharper hits from chunkier gravel were encountered. Also when cracks or broken pavement was encountered. The damping just was too harsh. It hasn't improved, and lowering the air pressure didn't help with this either. So, I went back up a few psi for speed, so at least there was this benefit. 

The wet weather I was hoping to test in? It never materialized at an opportune time, and now this area where I live is headed back to a moderate drought status. So, it is dry. The G-One Overland really does well when it is dry, so this was good. 

Final Verdict: This is a "good" tire overall. It is a great tire if all you care about is going very fast in the dry. I'm not crazy about the ride quality overall, and having all this volume and weight seems a waste if the tire doesn't damp out everything well. The G-One damps out some of the higher frequency stuff, but those sharper hits? No. 

I do appreciate the ability the G-One Overland tires have for air retention, their toughness, and their grip on dry dirt and gravel. These tires are remarkable on pavement as well.  

In the end, I don't think the value is there in the G-One Overland. Sure, it's a fast tire, but in most every other sense it is merely average on gravel. The 50mm WTB Resolutes ride better than these tires do, and the WTB tires have SG2 puncture protection belts in there, so it is more apples to apples than not.  

I'll probably swap my SOMA Cazadero 700 x 50mm tires with TPU tubes into this bike and park the Schwalbe G-One tires for now. If this says anything to you, you might understand what my final verdict on the G-One Overlands means to me. 

Top Ten Recommendos

 Welcome to a top-ten list of cycling items I would heartily recommend for any gravel cycling person out there. This list comprises my choices of the top-ten items I am most impressed with and which I use personally. These represent the things I would tell you to buy if you asked me. 

I should say some of these items were review items which I have continued to use. So, please refer to the Standard Disclaimer for how I view such things.  

I also will be posting a few links to the company websites and in a few cases I will pass along some recent information on discounts and sales I am aware of. You should know II do not have any affiliate links, association with sales/discounts, or any ties whatsoever to promotions these companies are running currently. I have not, and will not ever, monetize Guitar Ted Productions. 

So, let's get into the list. These are listed in no particular order, by the way. I also may have a few extra recommendos along with my choices in certain cases. 

Ergon BT Gravel Handlebar Tape

Handle bar tape is something many of us do not give a lot of thought to beyond color. However; it can enhance your ride to a great degree if you choose your tape carefully. 

I've found from using many different brands of handle bar tape over the past 20 years that Ergon's BT Gravel tape is the best from a ride feel and durability standpoint. 

While it costs a little bit more than some other tapes, this is not a place to 'cheap-out' on since you have your hands here most of your riding time. Why not have the most comfortable tape you can get? At $44.95 USD, it is worth it to protect your hands and get a better ride to boot. 

I will say two negative things about this tape: One- Their color options are limited and will not be everyone's cup of tea. Second - BT Gravel tape is some of the most difficult tape to install I've ever used. So, be sure to have an experienced mechanic put it on for you, or carefully follow Ergon's video instructions if you want to try to install it yourself. 

Despite my reservations, I still would highly recommend this tape as being the best you can get. Plus, Ergon's BT OrthoCell pad accessory can make the BT Gravel tape even more comfortable. 
 

Ergon AllRoad SR Core Comp Saddle

Snub-nosed saddles are the fashion in seating for performance cycling these days. The first saddle of this type I ever tried was Ergon's SR AllRoad Core Comp. Ironically, it is the only snub-nosed saddle I still use!

Ergon uses a center channel design to relieve soft tissue issues and the padding is generous without being too soft or unsupported. This particular model, the SR AllRoad Core Comp, has steel rails, but you can get higher end titanium or carbon railed versions if you want. 

The Core saddle line uses BASF Infinergy padding, which is amazing. It really is different. It probably is the main reason, besides the non-irritating fit, that I keep this saddle on my Noble GX5, where it has been since I received it for a review several years ago.  

This saddle comes in two sizes and runs $154.95 from Ergon's site. You might find it cheaper online. 

I like this saddle as it reduces gravel road vibrations well, plus it doesn't irritate me at all. I know..... Saddles are highly personal items. Not every recommendation will suit some people. This is, unfortunately, a truth and you can only discover what works best for you by some trial and error. I'd recommend getting a sit bone measurement, if possible, and this will help guide your choices.   
 

Redshift Sports ShockStop Stem

Image courtesy of Redshift Sports

Anyone who has read this blog for very long knows I am a big fan and user of Redshift Sports ShockStop stems. 

While many are excited by the prospects for telescopic front forks on gravel bikes, I do not subscribe to the hype. Most "all-road" applications should be focused upon vibration reduction, not the absorption of obstacles as in mountain biking. If this seems wise, then it makes zero sense to have a telescopic front fork with its excessive weight, complexity, and frequent maintenance schedules. Especially when a 'suspension stem', like the ShockStop, does the job for less money, zero maintenance, and in a far better, more efficient way. 

Adding in the tune-ability of the spring rate, the ability to mount the ShockStop on almost any gravel bike, and its far less expensive cost versus a telescopic fork, it is a better choice. All of those things make the ShockStop stem a high value-high performance option. An option which more gravel riders would do well to explore.  Especially now since Redshift is running a sale offering riders 25% off regular prices now through November 17th. 

Redshift Sports also has several other products I'd recommend like their ShockStop seat posts and their awesome pedals. But the ShockStop stem is the product I will not ride without. Check it out if you desire a better ride experience.  

 Redshift Sports Kitchen Sink Handlebar

Flared drop bars are a product of early attempts to make mountain biking more comfortable and controlled. When gravel cycling got going in the mid-2000's, the flared drop bar enjoyed a renaissance of sorts, and they became ubiquitous on most every gravel bicycle you see anymore. 

One of my favorite flared drop bars is the Redshift Sports Kitchen Sink handle bar with the extension on the front. (It is also available without the extension)

The Kitchen Sink has a little riser action going on, a decent amount of flare, but not too much, and the extension can hold the excellent Kitchen Sink Handlebar Bag, which is a great accessory. If you are not a fan of that much flare in your handlebars, there is a Low Flare option for this handlebar as well. 

That's a lot of options for one handlebar model. I'd always choose the regular Kitchen Sink with the extension and bag, but it is great to see Redshift offering variations on the theme. You can also see I have the Cruise Control grips on my Kitchen Sink bar, which I love. Plus, these are all on sale as mentioned above until 11/1725. 
 

Twin Six Thermal Cargo Bib Shorts

Image courtesy of Twin Six

It is getting cooler every day, and the Winter cycling gear is getting drug out of drawers and closets all across the world in the Northern Hemisphere now. One piece of kit I have purchased recently which I have found indispensable is the Twin Six Thermal Cargo Bib Shorts. 

I have been quite impressed with how these fit and feel. The brushed inner fabric is warm, but still will work in temperatures into the 50's. The length of these is perfect, allowing tall socks to create a total barrier to the elements, or you can bare the skin for warmer rides. 

Having "pockets" is amazing. They really are not pockets per se', but you will find them great for putting things in like wrappers from nutrition, gloves, and even thin wallets, which you won't lose even when pedaling along. (Well....I haven't lost anything out of them yet!)

They are not cheap. But when you want gear which feels good while riding, doesn't require stupid detailed care, and holds up, and looks great? The money spent is well worth it. I am happy to have spent my hard earned dollars on these bib knickers. 

Also take the time to check out Twin Six's other gear, like their t-shirts, water bottles, jerseys, and socks, all things I also swear by and use often. 

Mint Socks 

Image courtesy of Mint Socks

Socks are not an item which carries a great deal of importance when it comes to gear reviews or media attention. However; can you imagine a world where all socks were sub-par and you had to wear them? Well, thankfully, that is not the case! Especially when we have Mint Socks to choose from as cyclists. 

Mint is a cyclist-owned, small business whose owner happens to be a female. I like to support such companies, and I can assure you Mint has awesome products as well. 

I don't know how many pairs of Mint socks I have, but I'd be willing to say that Mint has about 1/3rd of my sock drawer filled, and it will continue to rise in "drawer-share" in the future. Why? Because as a cyclist, I can say these socks work really well for on-the-bike and off-the-bike usage. 

Mint changes things up on a fairly regular basis when it comes to colors and models.. They do wool and synthetic blend socks, so you can get socks for year-round use.  They wear like iron, feel great, and launder easily. 

With so many great fashionable choices, high-performance, and small company charm, I cannot recommend these socks highly enough. Check them out next time you need something to cover those bare feet of yours. 

Hand Up Gloves

I  wrote a review on HandUp Gloves which you may have seen recently. But I cannot leave them off this list because I really like their products. 

I mean, ya gotta cover the hands sometimes, and right now the weather pretty much dictates we do this as cyclists. You may as well use a really great glove to do this with. HandUp makes really great gloves for any and all seasons. 

I typically use their Standard (Most days) gloves, but I do also have their cold weather gloves in two weights which I swear by in Winter. 

HandUp gloves come in an array of fashionable colors and patterns, some with goofy sayings on the palms which act as gripper surfaces for your handlebar grips or tape. They are reasonably priced, long-lasting, and come in various styles, some which I did not mention here. So, you are sure to find something which will work for you on their site. 

They also do other apparel, like shirts, shorts, and pants. But I have no experiences with anything else they make, so I cannot speak to those items. I just know the gloves are awesome. Check HandUp out next time you need something to cover those mitts of yours.

 Bike Iowa PogieLites

When the winds howl and the cold creeps in wherever you don't want it, then the pogies come out! No.....they are not little gremlins, but they are like fairings for your hands. They keep the cold winds at bay, and create a little micro-climate inside which keeps your hand warmer. 

The thing is, these can be cumbersome to install, and usually remain on the bike until you get to warmer weather when you take them off. But what about in between weather times when you may see a warm up, or if there is a cold Spring day after you've taken the pogies off for the season?  Or what if it warms up too much for pogies during a ride, or cools off so much you wished you had them?

This is where Iowa-born Pogie Lites come in. They are a non-structured pogie option which does what regular, structured pogies do, but can come off or be put on easily. They are also stashable, because you can roll them up into a size which would fit into a bag, or maybe even jersey pockets.  

Pogie Lites are three-season items you might just find to be worthwhile to have around for better comfort during inclement, or cold spells where your hands might be freezing without them. Also, you may note as well that these pogies still allow you to grip the bars outside of their fabric because the fabric is pliable and compresses under your grip around the handle bar. This comes in handy more than you may think. And yes, you can make them work on some drop bar configurations as well. 

Feedback Sports Workstand

My old Ultimate Repair Stand - Now known as Feedback Sports

Repair stands are indispensable items for anyone who might want to do any sort of maintenance on their bicycle(s). Even if all you do is clean your bicycle or lubricate your chain, it is so much easier done with a repair stand. 

While there are several portable repair stands available for bicycles, the best in class portable repair stand is made by Feedback Sports. 

I purchased my repair stand from this company when they were known as "Ultimate". (You may recall they made stands for Public Address speakers as well.) Now known as Feedback Sports, they offer a wide array of repair stands and other tools and gear for cyclists. 

My repair stand's analog in 2025 would be the Pro Mechanic model. (linked above). While its $425.00 cost may seem prohibitive, my stand is still going after twenty years of service. You should easily be able to squeeze that much out of yours, if you buy one, or more. 

The Pro Mechanic stand has a very well thought out clamp which is easy to use. The stand itself is sturdy, stable, and allows 360° rotation of the bike while you work on it. It is very adjustable for height, making it perfect for family use by adults and children who are old enough to understand how to use the stand and execute good judgement. 

This is an investment into your cycling which will last for literally decades. The fact that a repair stand makes things so much easier makes a choice like this so worth the money spent. 
 

Foundation Elite Tool Kit 

Image courtesy of Jenson USA

If you get a repair stand, and/or you want to do your own maintenance, you should check out this basic tool kit through Jenson USA from their Foundation series of tools. The Foundation Elite Tool Kit has all the essentials to get you started on doing basic tasks on your bicycle maintenance list. 

I can vouch for how well these tools work since I chose this kit for a remote tool kit at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective. It has tools which other company's kits have at one third the price. Yet these tools work as well or better than tools found in those more expensive tool kits. 

We have groups come in to tear down bicycles we are sending in for scrap and to harvest parts from. Those volunteers often use some of the tools in this kit. If those tools can hold up to usage from unskilled, (mostly), ham-fisted folks, then I think I am okay with recommending them to my readers. 

With a sub-100 dollar price, you won't go wrong, and assembling this kit with its own tool box separately would cost well over the asking price. It is a great value for the beginner mechanic or casual maintenance person. 

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And there you have it! My Top-Ten Recommendations for anyone who might ask me what I would do for cycling gear.  Of course, I have more than ten things I'd recommend, but that would not fit the "Top Ten" thing now, would it? No. 

If you found this useful, let me know in the comments. If you would like to see more posts like this, also, let me know in the comments. Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!