WTB Solano, Solano SL Saddles: Review

 Note: WTB sent two Solano saddles to Guitar Ted Productions at no cost for test and review. WTB has not paid for, nor bribed Guitar Ted for these reviews. All opinions and images, unless noted, belong to Guitar Ted/Guitar Ted Productions.

The new WTB Solano saddle

Today WTB releases three new saddles in their range of Fusion Form based saddles. Two are called "Solano" - The Solano SL and Solano. The third is the familiar Rocket name, but is a completely different saddle than its previous namesake. Guitar Ted Productions received the two Solano variants, so this review will focus on those models.

The Solano SL

What It Is... The new saddles feature WTB's Fusion Form base and padding especially formed to support the sit bones and give the rider enhanced comfort on medium to long rides. The Solano features a bit more padding than the SL, and so it is the model recommended for riders who tend to push hard pedaling in the saddle. Meanwhile the Solano SL is aimed at riders doing shorter, more intense rides. 

Both saddles feature a relief  contour in the center so there will be less pressure on the perineum and less frontal pressure. The Solano features 4mm of extra padding under the sit bones, compared to the SL, and an extra 2mm of padding in the middle and nose of the saddle. Otherwise both saddle's shapes are the same between models.

Other shared features include the "Love Channel" and "Comfort Zone" relief/comfort features, a Microfiber cover, DNA and DNAx padding, The Fusion Form base, and the available Medium or Wide widths. The Solano is available with Carbon, Titanium, or CroMoly rails while the Solano SL is available in only Carbon or Titanium railed models.

Pricing is commensurate with saddle rail material, so Carbon railed models are $209.95/€209.00/£210.00, Titanium models are $119.95/€119.00/£120.0, and the CroMoly railed saddles are $95.95/€94.90/£95.00. Some OEM models may show up with steel saddle rails and stainless steel saddle rails but the information I was provided shows these saddles are not available separately at this time.

 

The WTB Solano on Guitar Ted's King Fabrications "Honeman Flyer" single speed.

First Impressions: The Solano and Solano SL saddles were in somewhat short supply when I was offered samples in February. So I received one Solano in a Medium and the Solano SL in the Wide size. It is notable in regard to sizing that WTB offers no "Narrow" size, but the recommendations for sizing are for Medium, a sit bone width of  110 - 125, with the saddle measuring 142mm, and for Wide the suggested range is 125mm - 155mm and the saddle is 157mm in width.

I had to think this over a bit, but my reasoning for choosing the bicycles I did to do this review was based on seated positioning on each bike. I put the wider SL on my Titanium Mukluk. This bike has a more upright seated position and my reasoning was a wider saddle provides a bit more support when more weight is biased on the saddle. So, the narrower Solano went on my Honeman Flyer as this bike has a more even distribution of weight, front to rear, and I am bent over more as a result as well.

The saddles are of the "short nose/broad back" type so prevalent now days. The measurements for length of each saddle is 240mm. So they look a bit stubby and minimalist on the bike. I guess I'm still used to seeing longer saddles on bicycles!

In terms of shape these saddles are not far off from traditional WTB shapes like the Silverado or the similarly stubby Gravelier. Seated on the Solano I found familiarity there as well. The Microfiber cover, a staple in the WTB saddle line now, is smooth and doesn't grab at shorts or other clothing, so movements are made without snagging, which is welcome.

The Solano has a bit more "cush" in the hand if you press your fingers into the DNA padding, but it is firm and consistent. I really felt no big difference between the two sadlles I have here despite the minimal padding on the SL and my more upright position on it.

Overall, I was impressed by the quality of construction, and as far as initial rides went, I found these saddles to be quite comfortable to the point that I forgot about them. Which is a good thing, as longtime readers of reviews know. Now this is all well and fine, but what about multiple hour rides? 

Ride Feel: Actually I think both saddles were really good. I do get along with WTB's saddle shapes, for the most part, and so the fact that these two didn't bother me was not a big surprise.

I was pleased most with the narrower of the two, and if I had to go buy one I would get the Medium. A multi-hour gravel ride proved to be no problem, as far as this saddle goes, and I never had any issues with soreness or numbness at all.

The Solano wasn't what I would call "compliant", but it was not too hard or harsh at all. Firm might be a word one would use.  Definitely racy feeling. I also could move around at will, which I mentioned before, but this was the case whether I was wearing street clothes or a proper bib short. Now....there are not a lot of places to move to on this saddle. The short, truncated nose prevents a lot of fore-aft movement. I kind of miss being able to do this, but it was not a deal-breaker in my opinion. Just an observation.

So Far... There will be more rides and - hopefully - longer rides to see how I feel after such an adventure on this Solano perch. I suppose I need to say the usual "saddles are a personal thing" bit here, and this is true. But I have noted some saddles might feel fine up to three hours or so. You may think you've found "The One". Then you ride six hours and the last two of those are complete saddle agony. I've experienced this, and it is something I want to explore with regard to the Solano.  

Right now? This is a good, well made, fairly priced saddle from a company with a history of producing some classic saddle shapes over the decades. The Solano looks to slot in as the next "hit saddle" in WTB's long history. Time, and distance, will tell. Stay tuned....

Look for this saddle and all of WTB's products at their website here: www.wtb.com

Update On The Clik Valve Gauge

 Note: The Clik Valve Gauge was purchased by Guitar Ted and was not provided to him by Clik Valve. All opinions and images are Guitar Ted's.

Recently I mentioned I realized I needed a gauge to monitor air pressure in my Clik Valve equipped wheel set on the Honeman Flyer gravel bike. I received the gauge and was quite surprised by a few things. So, I thought I would share the impressions I have along with providing an update on the air pressure question I had in my last Clik Valve review update. (HERE) 

Now on with the impressions of the Clik Valve Gauge. The gauge is available in digital or analog formats. I chose the analog format because, typically, they are more accurate, and I won't ever have to deal with a battery going bad. This is one tool that does not need to be electronic.

The price was actually less than the digital gauge as well, being sub 20 bucks at 18 dollars which is 8 dollars less than the digital gauge. It took almost a week to get it into my hands, but when I did open the box I was impressed by a few things.

The gauge was housed in its own storage pouch, not unlike those you may be familiar with which come with some ear buds/headphones. The small fabric loop on top has a mini-D ring for attaching the pouch to whatever you want so it can easily be found, I suppose.

Then once unzipped you will find the actual gauge which is quite nice. I was expecting a cheaply made, brass bodied gauge with a minimalist nozzle and gauge face which would not be all that inspiring. I mean, this thing is sub-twenty bucks, right? You just don't usually get much for a twenty spot these days which amounts to anything to get excited about. 

Well, the Clik Valve Gauge is different. The brass nozzle is chunky and heavy in the hand. I doubt that this gauge body is a thin piece of brass either, but it is hard to tell. This is because it is completely covered in rubber. Which, if you hadn't guessed, is a very good thing. The gauge face looks great, and the needle indicator actually rests on the zero peg on the gauge face, which is also a good thing. I was not expecting this gauge to have any of this.

Okay, but does it work well? I tried it right away, of course, and just like the Clik Valve pump head, this just pops over the valve and you can get an immediate readout with no hiss, which is great for better accuracy because you are not losing a significant amount of air pressure just by attaching a gauge. 

Then I noticed the gauge holds the reading you get until you push the brass button on the top. Nice! Especially for older eyes such as what I have!

So, I was very pleasantly surprised by the gauge, and being something of a tool-hound when it comes to bicycles, I appreciated the quality gauge at a very reasonable price. All right. Enough about this gauge. On to what my conclusions are regarding the Clik Valve and retention of air pressure. Also, a somewhat of a testimonial to the Topeak Joe Blow pump here.

The Joe Blow pump read out something over 20psi on my tires which prompted me to be a bit suspicious because 20psi is waaaay lower pressure than I normally can get away with at my weight. I immediately assumed the gauge on the Topeak pump had to be misbehaving. 

I did add air pressure with the Joe Blow right then, so I was reading out around 30 on that gauge before I came back with the Clik Valve Gauge to verify the pressure. The Clik Valve Gauge is supposedly calibrated to ANSI B40.1 Standards. So, that's a good thing. Well, when I checked the Clik Valve equipped wheels with this gauge I read out right at 30psi on one wheel and about 28.5 on the other. So.....

I must have been riding at 20psi or slightly above that when I had the bike out last. Amazing! And it means the Topeak gauge wasn't lying. Maybe it is not as accurate as the Clik Valve gauge, and it is definitely not as easy to read finer measurements of psi, but it is still good after all these years of use and abuse.

As for the Clik Valve cores I can now confidently say they did not enhance air retention capabilities for the tires on the Honeman Flyer. That part is just normal. So, now I can move on with that part of the review figured out conclusively now.

NOTICE: Keep in mind there is a Sea Otter related post coming out at 10:00am CST today with a review I was able to conduct while this product was under embargo. Please check that out later. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Two Things

Fat Tires For Gravel? Nothing New, Maybe Not The Best Thing Either...

Besides cycling media, racers, and brands harping on "aero" lately, I've seen a lot of digital space given to running mountain bike tires as "gravel tires" on "gravel bikes". Okay, so here's my opinion on all of this.

First of all, most  "gravel bikes" are not, and should not be racing bikes for gravel. Just as all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares. Also, not everyone should be looking to racers, or gravel racing, for their direction to take for riding a bicycle on gravel. 

However; this has been, and still is modus operandi for the cycling industry in the USA. Everything revolves around racing, to the great detriment of the average cyclist and those who might become cyclists. (I know, I probably sound like Grant Petersen here) What is happening in "gravel" cycling now is a repeat of the story which happened to road cycling and mountain biking. Competitive ______ racing (fill in the blank) is the measuring stick for ALL ______ biking (fill in the blank) cyclists. The equipment is put up as the "best", and all the things racers do are "better" for you, (even though you probably are the furthest thing from those Professional racers) and their actions and equipment are the goals you are to attain to. 

This is one of the main drivers for all the weird standards, ill fitting bike designs (ill fitting for average shaped humans), and expensive bicycles. But bringing it back to the tire thing, some racer said MTB tires are "better" for gravel, and there is "no reason" to race gravel on 40mm tires. Here's the really bad part about this sort of messaging.

Most people don't consider the source and the context of commentary like this. Maybe for a particular course, and for a small handful of humans who are professional (read: Have tons of time to train, are sponsored, or paid to race) these recommendations may have some merit. But telling me not to consider 40mm tires for gravel racing is pretty bogus. What if the bike I have to "race gravel on" is also my daily driver? Maybe I have pavement for long stretches of my ride, or I commute. A MTB tire at 29" X 2.2" is kinda "not the right tire", perhaps? 

And no - none of what these racers are saying about gravel racing in terms of tires is "new". These racers, and many who are influenced by these racers just don't know what they don't know. That is a completely different story for another day. Point is, if you are not a professional racer, you may want to sift what they suggest very carefully before jumping on their bandwagon. 

Or not...... 

 When It Becomes "Not An All - Roads Bike", What Is It?

Image courtesy of Ridley Bikes

This fat tire gravel thing is leading some down a road which looks suspiciously like XC mountain biking with drop bars. I reported on the Ridley bike in a recent FN&V here. Ridley call this concept "Alpine Gravel"

Another online cycling media outlet asked if full-suspension gravel bikes were the "vision" going forward for gravel bikes.

A certain photographer I follow on social media answered back with, "You mean a drop-bar mountain bike? No." 

Some people have far more sense than the media, or cycling brands give them credit for. Just about anyone with a decent amount of time in mountain biking, gravel riding, or cycling in general can see right through all of this crap. The thing is, most of these brands and media sources don't really care. Their narrative will win out the day eventually if they keep banging the drum for whatever they deem is "The Next Big Thing" and as long as it sells units.

Drop bar mountain bikes, in and of themselves, are not a 'bad' thing. What is wrong about this is how these bikes are being sold to the naive cyclist as something 'new' and different. An XC mountain bike hard tail with drop bars is nothing new. Not even one with 29"er wheels. And especially in this instance, it is laughable to try to push this narrative.

These bikes also do not really fit the originally intended purposes of what became known as "gravel bikes". In the beginnings of all of this, the idea was to have a bicycle which would cover the area between single track and fully paved roads. A bicycle for roads, no matter what their surface was. Not single track. Not mountainous, rock infested terrain. We already had mountain bikes for this activity. We already had great choices for bicycles which did well on fully paved roads.

Somewhere along the way we have been asked to think gravel bikes are mountain bikes as well. Why? Maybe because gravel is a hot category, and XC MTB is not? Yes.....that's pretty much it right there. 

NOTE: Next week a lot of press releases come off embargo previous to Sea Otter. I'll have some news posting at odd times. Thank you for your patience in this matter and for reading Guitar Ted Productions

Double-Duty

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

 There was a time on the blog here when I was doing "double-duty" as an onsite festival reporter AND preparing to unleash the ultra-distance gravel event called Trans Iowa within weeks of each other

Yeah.....that wasn't very smart of me to do. But, I lived through it all, and somehow I was successful. Obviously big props have to go to my volunteers for Trans Iowa at the time and to my co-director in those days, David Pals.

Hammer Nutrition for Trans Iowa v10

Late March and early April was the time I had a lot of things coming to a point. Getting sponsored items in for the event was one of the biggies.

This wasn't told on the blog here, but stacks of products and prizing usually took up plenty of space in the Guitar Ted Headquarters during early April. It was not very fun for the rest of the family who had to work around the inconveniences Trans Iowa put upon them. This only added to my stress in putting on this event, but ya know..... I did what I had to do!

The other part of all this was preparing the odds and ends many do not think about. Things like pens. Clipboards and tape. Making sure the truck was ready. Number plates. pipe cleaners, zip ties, and paper clips. Markers. Maps.

I had a checklist and I was constantly going over it. But again, not much about this was ever written up here at the time. But on top of all this, for three years in a row, I went to cover Sea Otter for "Twentynine Inches", the website I was contributing to at the time from 2007 - 2009 when I attended Sea Otter for the final time. After this time I was the sole proprietor of the site and I decided not to go, as I had a California based contributor who covered the event for me.

An extra windy day at Sea Otter in 2008

I was happy to have been able to go to Sea Otter for those three years. However; travel time and all the missed opportunities for being with my family and taking care of Trans Iowa business really made Sea Otter a pain for me. The experiences in the Monterrey area will be a highlight, for sure, but having Sea Otter right before Trans Iowa was really, really hard. In fact, I pushed the date for Trans Iowa v5 into the first week of May because of my previous two years of dealing with one week of separation between the two events.

Leaving Sea Otter in 2009. This was the last thing I saw at the venue on that day.

 Like the image above, my time at Sea Otter is a misty haze of memories. I'll likely never go back there again, and I am fine with this thought. I do also know I never made any effort to go back, mostly because of Trans Iowa, and because of this reason, I just got used to not having to be there with "boots on the ground" to cover any news coming from this show.

Of course, having my previously mentioned friend, Grannygear, there who was more than happy to go every year to cover news and send images was a huge help. However; even without the help, I wasn't planing on going there again as long as Trans Iowa was around.

But for three years, I was there and for many years afterward, Sea Otter news figured heavily in this blog's writings. And it probably still will as long as Sea Otter continues to be the place where cycling brands and marketers release information and new products. 

Friday News And Views

Image Courtesy of Wilde Bicycles

Wilde Announces Dark Star Hardtail, Future Proof Fork:

Wilde Bicycles has released information on their soon-to-be-available Dark Star hardtail and Future Proof steel fork. First, let's look at the Dark Star, which is Wilde's take on an "everyday trail bike".

Wilde founder, Jeffrey Frane says the following about the bike and its his intentions for it:

"It (the Dark Star) bucks the current hardtail design trend of long wheel bases and super slack head tubes. These things make sense to me on my 150mm travel dual suspension bike, but on a 120-130mm travel hardtail I feel they miss the plot. I reach for my hardtail for typically two reasons, one it's the most fun on the tight techy singletrack (which we have a lot of around here) or two because I've got some pedaling to do and I want to do it fast and efficiently. Whether it's a big climb, riding to the trails, a local race, or simply a lot of ground to cover that day 

The Dark Star is built with air-hardened BOSS tubing designed and spec'ed by Wilde Bicycles. The head tube angle is 66° and the bike has sliding rear drop outs for wheelbase adjustability or for single speed set-ups. Recommended fork travel is 120mm - 130mm. The Dark Star is made in Taiwan  by the ORA factory. Dark Star frames start at $1,200.00 and the bike is available as a complete as well. Prices start at $3,600.00 for a Deore equipped bike. Other options are available.

The Future Proof Fork (Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycles)

Future Proof Fork: 

This fork is also made from steel, is Boost spaced, and has a 501mm axle to crown measurement which mimics a sagged 120mm suspension fork. Fork offset is 44mm.

The Future Proof Fork also has rack and fender mounts, the three-bolt accessory pack mounts on each leg, and has a straight, 1 1/8th steer tube so it can be fitted to any hardtail frame.

Tire clearance is for up to a 29" X 2.8" tire as well, so this would be a good fork for the appropriate hardtail in a bikepacking mode. Frane feels this offering is necessary to help keep older hardtails viable for such things as bikepacking, commuting, or for utilitarian purposes. He says in the press release, "We hate the notion that MTB standards change so quickly that in five years your new MTB may be “obsolete” as your trail rig. We don't believe in investing money or resources into anything that won't be useful for decades. This problem is easily solved though." 

The Future Proof Fork might just be the answer to keeping you hardtail viable for years to come. Future Proof Forks go for $250.00 USD. For more on these and other Wilde Bicycle products see Wilde Bicycles site. https://www.wildebikes.com/ 

Image courtesy of PAUL Components

100% Pure Paul Components Crank Arm Sets: 

Paul Components had a daring release on April 1st of their new 100% Crank Arm sets. These are even square taper (!!) which probably will make a lot of younger riders squint and shake their heads. However; square taper cranks work just fine, despite the horror stories you may have heard, as long as you install them correctly. 

The 100% Pure Cranks come in anodized purple, *shown), black, silver, and pewter hues. Obviously, the best hue for maximum power output is purple, (IYKYK), so that is the color you should get. Really.... (HA!)

Arms come in lengths from 155mm to 180mm in 5mm increments. Cost is $308.00 and this is just for the arms. You'll have to get a ring and bottom bracket to go with this. Check out these on Paul Components' website here: 100% Pure Cranks 

Comments: I have run various bikes with square taper crank sets for as long as I can remember. If you get into square taper, you can also find bottom brackets to customize your "Q" factor and clearance with frames, things hard to do, or which are impossible with other types of cranksets.

I was feeling these purple arms would look fantastic on the Honeman Flyer.  I'll have to see if I can scrape up some scratch and get a set. If I do I'm going with 170's this time around. 

Floating An Idea: 

Okay, N.Y. Roll and I have been kicking this idea around and it has come to a point where we need to make a plan or another year will go by without this happening.

We have wanted to do a ride to "The Tree In The Road" for a while now. We also wanted to offer an opportunity to ride with N.Y. Roll and I which would be closer to our friends in Nebraska so they could make the trip with less travel time. I suppose Missourians and Kansans might find a bit more ease in coming with this idea as well.

The Tree In The Road is located near Exira, Iowa which is about halfway in between Des Moines and Omaha, Nebraska. Guitar Ted Productions friend, Rob Evans, has provided a nice route of around sixty-ish miles which we will likely use that starts in Atlantic, Iowa, (I think), but I'll have to get that suggested route from him again. I inadvertently deleted it!

That is not a really big deal, but what is a big deal for some of you would be the date for this idea. N.Y. Roll and I are kicking around the date of June 28th, a Saturday. It would be the weekend before the 4th of July. We are not "set in stone" on this date, but if we do not get a lot of push-back, it will likely be on that date.

One other minor note: I don't have a car, so N.Y. Roll would be toting me and my stuff to this and back again. Part of this plan relies on his availability. Without his assistance, I'm not able to do this, or any other out of town rides for the foreseeable future.

With that I will leave you to consider the idea and, if you care at all, to leave a comment in the comment section or email me your thoughts. Thanks!  

Image courtesy of Adidas

New Adidas Eyewear:

Adidas has a new shield-type eye protection device out now called the SPO108. (Very inspiring name there!)

These have a few variants in terms of colors available, but all feature  lenses that have undergone hydrophobic, oleophobic, scratch-proof and dust-proof treatments. The temples are adjustable for a better fit and the tips are grippy to prevent slipping. This style is also adaptable to prescription inserts.

Suggested retail is $160.00 USD although I've seen links with these going for substantial discount prices. So, look around if you are interested in these. 

Image courtesy of KOM Cycling

KOM Cycling Debuts 1000 Lumen Quick Release Light: 

KOM Cycling just announced a new light which is compatible with Garmin and Wahoo type GPS mounts and their own KOM computer mount. Featuring 1000 Lumens with a claimed 2hr run time, the light also has a 30° adjustment feature so you can put the light right where you want it to be. (The end of the light unit swivels downward) 

This would allow you to mount a GPS unit on the top of the light body, position it so you could see the face of the gPS, yet swivel the light head down so it aimed your light correctly, for instance.

The Quick Release Light 1000 also has five other modes, including three flashing modes. Run times for the nighttime modes are as follows:

• Low Steady 300 Lumens @ 7 hrs
• Medium Steady 600 Lumens @ 3.5 hrs
• High Steady 1000 Lumens 2 hrs

This light is also rated at the IPX6 waterproofness rating so it should be able to withstand most weather conditions while in use. Mounting options for top or underneath mounts will also give the rider different ways to configure their set up. Price for the Quick Release 1000 light is $119.99 and you can check it out further HERE.  

That's a wrap on this week. Next week a bunch of Sea Otter news is going to hit, so stay tuned. Until then, ride those bicycles!

Gauge Time

Noticing a theme to this week's posts?

More air inflation issues here. Specifically having to do with gauges. I already mentioned the Clik Valve gauge I was ordering to measure air pressure for those Clik Valve equipped wheels on the Honeman Flyer. The gauge for the Clik Valves will be here tomorrow, according to the latest shipping update.

I had another gauge issue recently though, and it was a two-stage issue involving my SILCA Pista Plus pump.

I looked down at this pump sevral months ago and noted the lens covering the gauge dial was....gone. No trace of it to be found anywhere. Weird! Maybe I dropped something on the floor which hit the pump first? I had no recollection of this happening, but then again, I may not have noticed where, whatever it was which had been dropped, landed.

Well, I decided to just cover the opening with some clear packing tape until I could be bothered to get around to seeing if I could fix the gauge with a replacement lens or do something better than packing tape. This situation was working well until about a couple of weeks ago when I discovered the gauge just quit working at all. I could see the needle move when I stroked the pump push rod down, but the needle would return to zero on the gauge no matter what. I futzed around with the gauge, taking it off, checking the seal, putting new plumber's tape on the threads, and triple checking the results, but to no avail. I did note that the base of the gauge had been bent, probably as a result of the gauge getting hit months ago.

While I could have delved into things further, I decided to try SILCA and see if they might have a Pista Plus replacement gauge recommendation. Their site does not show a replacement gauge for this model, but it never hurts to ask. At the time, I was preparing to go look for another gauge, assuming SILCA would not have a replacement other than to buy another pump.

To my surprise, I received an answer to my email within a half an hour and the representative indicated this gauge wasn't a typical replacement option, but SILCA would be willing to send one out. I received an invoice which I could use to pay for the gauge, (at a very modest price of $20.00, by the way, plus shipping) and so I went ahead and placed the order.

Now, SILCA did not ask me to report on this, nor do they know I have posted this on my site, but I wanted to point out great customer service where it deserves to be highlighted. No other reason for the story.

Now I'll have two new gauges soon. Yeah.... This was unexpected! Not a planned for pair of purchases, but tools are always good with me, and as a mechanic, I don't mind investing in these as long as they are well-made, durable tools.

The Future Of Inflation

There is going to be a revolution in tire inflation coming to your bicycle, if it has not already, and it is electronic. The mini-inflator/compressor trend is gaining traction now and endemic cycling brands are taking note.

Before this year this mini-compressor trend was mostly an Amazon brand thing. At first it was about inflating anything from automobile tires to pool toys to air beds. Then I started seeing really small versions of electronic compressors for cyclists. But were these any good?

Well, if this You Tube video from ultra-distance cyclists, Josh Ibbett is anything to go by, then the answer is "yes". I've reviewed a slightly larger version of this idea back in 2023 and I still use it occasionally. This unit I reviewed will pump up a car tire, barely, but it would in a pinch, which is why I went the way I did, but these mini-compressors are starting to look attractive to me as a cyclist.

Now I am seeing cycling accessory giant Topeak is offering a mini-compressor within their range. I suspect this trend will infiltrate the entire cycling brand world before too much longer. I have a few reasons for believing this will happen very soon. 

Topeak's E-Boost (Image courtesy of Topeak)

Convenience: First of all, using a mini-compressor is easier. I think this is by far the number one reason people will flock to these devices for cycling. Watch the linked video from Josh Ibbett above and I think you can agree that waiting 40-ish seconds to air up a tire instead of sweating over a mini-pump and potentially bending or breaking a valve core/stem makes these devices worth every penny.

Size: These are pretty compact now and it takes away any reason to resist carrying one around in your kit. Even for gravel racing, or MTB events, I can see this sort of device being employed now to pump up a tire. Especially if you are really fatigued. I may still carry a back-up standard mini-pump, but then again....

Cost: At around 100 US dollars, for most examples I found, these pumps are not out of the realm of most cyclists. Again, if this makes inflation on the trail/road easier, and it works, and the results are repeatable? I think most folks would be all-in on the idea.

Device Fatigue: Of course, there are some negatives. Yes.....it is yet ANOTHER thing to charge. Batteries. Gah! However; unless you use this sort of thing regularly, which I wouldn't, it theoretically should last for years. But.....how long does it hold a charge? Will I pull this thing out and find the battery is dead? Okay, fair question. I don't know about the mini-compressors, but the pump I reviewed hasn't been charged in well over a year and it still has a charge in it as of this writing.  Of course, it may not pump up a fat tire, but the point is, you can rely on the battery for a while. How long an actual "while" is for a mini-compressor pump is anyone's guess. So, yeah...another thing to maintain.

Noisy: Then there is the noise. The mini-compressor is a shock to the system when you are out enjoying nature and have to inflate a tire. Some of you may think this is no big thing, but personally? I hate the sound of these things. Maybe it is just me?

Hot To The Touch: And heat is an issue. My compressor gets pretty hot to the touch after pumping up a big tire. I see these mini-compressors have silicone sheaths now. I'd definitely recommend using those. Another thing I've noted is the recommendation to put the compressor in a water-tight bag when not in use. Hmm..... Gotta make you wonder, right?

But overall, whether or not you think these devices are for you, I think the average, casual cyclist will flock to these like white on rice. Easier, portable, not too expensive, and did I mention it makes inflation dead simple and easy? So, I'd look for all the major inflator companies and accessory lines in the bigger brands to have a device like this in their range very soon. 

Clik Valves, Cores, and Pump Head: Review Update 2

 Note: Guitar Ted received a suite of products from Clik Valve for test and review at no charge. Guitar Ted is not being bribed nor paid for this review. All opinions are Guitar Ted's.

Since it has been almost two months since the last update, I thought I would give you all another look at how the Clik Valve cores are doing in my Honeman Flyer's wheels. Since the last update a couple of thoughts have crossed my mind which I think might be valuable to anyone looking to try this out on their own bicycles.

The last update can be seen HERE in case you want a refresher or in case you missed it.

Okay, so since I pumped up the tires to 40psi in February I have not touched them with a pump since then. Honestly, a quick bounce and pinch of the tires made me feel pretty confident they were okay every ride I went on, and so I never felt the need to pump them up, or check them...... Oh! Yeah, about that....

Clik Valve pressure gauge. Ah.... I do not have one! So, I had to rely on my old Topeak Joe Blow with the Clik Valve converted head to see where I was at after almost two months. The result? My Topeak pump said I was something on the plus side of 20. But.....this didn't seem right. The tires felt far firmer than 20psi. So, all I have to share now is this: I have a hunch the tires hold air better than before, but again - I don't know for sure. Time to order up the Clik Valve pressure gauge. 

This is another reason swapping to Clik Valve is a bit of a pain. You are outside of the normal valve standards, so not much of your old stuff is going to work here. And as well, you now have dedicated Clik Valve stuff, Presta valve stuff, and Schrader valve stuff? Gah! Seems to be a complication, and nothing to be looked at for many folks since bicycle standards barely exist in so many places. Why make wheels, gauges, and pumps more complicated when it comes to having all the various tools and components necessary to run all three standards.

I have to make sure I have THIS pump when I ride my Clik Valve wheels.

I suppose you could go "whole-hog" and go 100% Clik Valve on your fleet, and for some folks with only one bike, or a few, this makes sense. However; if you are like me and have a horde of bicycles, this doesn't seem to be a likely solution.

So, there is that to consider. However; every time I use the Clik Valve pump and valve it is apparent that it is so much easier to use it seems silly we have to put up with Schrader and Presta valves anymore. It literally could not be easier to use this system. So, from this standpoint, I still am a fan of Clik Valve.

Maybe my intuition that Clik Valve holds air better than the old Presta valves did is not right, but I will have to get the Clik Valve gauge and then perhaps I'll have some definitive data to back up my feelings on this matter. Or I'll be way off and wrong. We will see later

One thing I do know and that is the valves have not clogged up with sealant, nor are they harder to get air through them than at the beginning, so I feel they are a good tubeless system choice. I'll get on that gauge and in the next update I'll try to verify the air retention qualities. Another thing to consider: Can I re-up sealant by pulling the Clik Valve core and replace it like I can with a Presta valve? My gut feeling is the answer is "yes", but I'll see to proving this out as well. 

Stay tuned....