Dreaming

Image courtesy of Cannondale's social media

I had a crazy dream this past weekend about road bikes! I know.......weird! Why should I care about road bikes? I do not understand the dream, but it was a vivid one where I was asked what I thought should be done in the future for road bikes. 

Road bicycles, the ones with a racing influence and drop bar handlebars, haven't changed their parameters for years. There is a kind of unseen "box" which road designs seem to be locked into which has been around for decades. 

Wheel spacing, bottom bracket widths, crank set design, and some other details are seemingly lines you cannot cross in road bike design. But in my dream, two things I remember from the dream were pretty outrageous. The first was wheel spacing. In my dream I said the rear wheel spacing would be widened to match current MTB Boost standards. That would be rear 148mm and front 110mm. 

The other thing was regarding bottom brackets as I said in my dream that this should also match MTB standard width. This would make sense because road wheel and tire combinations are getting ever wider and this would allow for clearances and better chain lines. 

Now, perhaps this is too extreme for road bicycles, but gravel bikes? Maybe gravel bikes will be assimilated into MTB anyway,. and road bicycles can become the "all-road" thing I was advocating for in 2011 and I can just ride some fancy new road bike with clearance for 45mm tires maximum and forget about "gravel bikes". 

Ha! Fancy that.....

Searching For The "Magic" Alloy

Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co. 

 Frame materials for bicycles can be a fun discussion amongst bicycle nerds. I have delved into the subject several times here over the years. 

In 2026, I find most people are probably thinking along the lines of the following: Aluminum is "entry level", carbon is "the best", and titanium is for "cork sniffers" in the bicycling scene. 

Steel is .......I'm not going to say it! Steel is perceived by many casual cyclists I've met as being "heavy". Most don't want anything to do with it.  

Apologies if I offended anyone with those gross generalizations, but I used those to prove a point: Most folks have no idea what a frame material really does for them. Sure, they have heard things. You might think carbon fiber is "the lightest" and most prestigious frame material. You may have heard aluminum isn't comfortable to ride. You may have heard titanium is "expensive". As generalizations go, some of their basis is true. Much of the nuance lost will paint a more detailed and truer picture. 

That goes for pretty much anything in life. 

Anyway, this is about an idea I had to help dispel some notions about aluminum gravel bike frames. The thing is, the frames you can buy are priced all over the place and some are more expensive than what I would pay for a carbon fiber frame and fork from China. 

The next thing you'll notice is that many of these frames have odd geometries. In fact, those geometries are all over the place as well. Adding in my proclivities for what a gravel bike geometry should be, and well, it gets darn near impossible to find anything I'd like to try. 

Take for instance the State Bicycle Co. 6061 AllRoad, (shown here). It is sub-$900.00 with a carbon fork. Tire clearance up to a 50mm tire. But the bottom bracket drop is straight out of cyclo cross. Too little of it, that is, so it fails as something I'd want to test. 

Then there is the fine looking Velo Orange Chessie.  I took a deep-dive look at this bike last year. It was almost there like the State offering, but the bottom bracket drop was odd on the bike so I passed on it. Honestly, I was disappointed because I really like everything else about the Chessie. 

So, if any of you dear readers have a suggestion, here are my parameters: The frame/fork must not cost 1K or more. Secondly, the frame must be aluminum, but the fork can be carbon, or whatever. Now, geometry is important. Bottom bracket drop must be 72mm or more. The head tube angle must be 72° or slacker. Tire clearance must be up to a 45mm, and preferably up to 50mm.  I'm open to suggestions on anything else, but I'd really like to stay away from any oddball bottom bracket standards and I prefer threads there, but I can work around this detail.

Got anything for me? Hit me up in the comments.  

Two Things

Cannondale Topstone Carbon 2 (Image courtesy of Cannondale)

Integration And The Future Of Bicycles:

The big feature being leveraged in today's top cycling brands is integration. Now for many of you, this may conjure up the image of seeing a lack of external cabling on a bicycle. While this is maybe the most obvious and well understood form of integration, there is more happening out there which falls under this term. 

Take for instance Cannondale's "Smart Sense" system. It is an integration of drive train, accessories, and your smart phone into an ecosystem which could be leveraged to do many things. Younger folks seem to have no aversion to "apps", and charging cables, but some of what Smart Sense does is troubling to this old codger. In my opinion, we are losing cycling's simplicity which has been central to finding escape and joy from modern world trappings.  

Smart Sense runs off a battery, of course it does! And it is USB C type compatible. Right! As it should be. You must charge the system if you use the rear radar and lights, right? No big deal. But did you know that Smart Sense uses a cable which runs from the battery in the down tube of the frame to the AXS rear derailleur because they are integrating the system using SRAM's e-Bike type AXS battery which, on an e-Bike, is running off the main battery pack? Crazy stuff there.... 

Anyway, I think you can see how my bicycle, with no batteries to recharge, might be a bit simpler and quicker to get on and, you know.....ride? Take a look at this page on Cannondale's site regarding Smart Sense and count the steps involved in going for a ride with Smart Sense on. Not easy. Not how I define easy, at any rate! 

And you know Cannondale is tracking your rides, right? The Smart Sense uses the app to send "maintenance reminders" and probably could be doing more stuff which we aren't quite aware of as well. I could see this becoming a system with a subscription to receive updates. And even if updates were free, what happens when your software is no longer supported? See that drawer with all your old phones and cables? Now imagine this as being a garage with old, unsupported e-Bikes and "integrated bikes" with no means to reverse the tech to run mechanical group sets.  

I just have an issue when technology causes more steps and more complications. Bicycles are amazing machines which are simple and efficient. Additional technology hasn't done much but make things more complicated and less sustainable. It has gone in a bad direction, in my opinion.  

Hmm..... Bicycles becoming "devices"? I'm not down, sorry..... 

Stained glass window art in Notre Dame Church, Cresco, Iowa

 On Being Recognized:

First of all, my uncle on my mother's side died Tuesday January 20th. I was called to be a pall bearer. As I was in attendance at this event, I was amazed by a couple of relatives who stated that they read these digital pages nearly daily. 

I am always taken aback by these encounters because, well.....I am amazed anyone would read what I am doing here. And to be reminded publicly that people actually do read these ramblings of mine, well, I am surprised every time. 

Surprised in a way which I react thusly: "Oh! This person actually reads my blog?!!" Wow! I really find it kind of surreal even after all this time. I always figure someone is going to say they read my blog and then give me some grief over something they didn't like, or say I'm trash, or worse, but so far...(looks for wood to knock)...this has not happened.....yet. 

Anyway, a funeral was the last place I would have ever suspected to hear compliments about this blog. So, Tom, if you are reading this, Thanks. George also mentioned he keeps up with me here. Thanks man! I know my cousin Dave also reads this stuff from time to time as well. It's just not something I take in as being a real thing, and maybe I should. Maybe I'm just not comfortable with being recognized, I don't know....  

I'll try working on that in the future, but in the meantime, just know I am very thankful for each and everyone of you who check this out. Whether it is one time or on a daily basis. Thank you!

Troubles In Waterloo

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

Introduction:

I was recently forwarded a link to an article on the "Escape Collective" site by Ronan Mc Laughlin which has painted a troubling picture of industry giant, Trek Bicycles. My link was a "gift" link, so I was able to read the entire article, but this is a paywalled site, so if you have a subscription, go read that and you will get a good feel for what is happening with Trek. Also, if you'd rather listen to N.Y. Roll and I discuss this topic, and others, we get to this in our latest podcast episode HERE. 

From my personal perspective as a person who worked at a Trek retailer for almost two decades, I will give my own take on this subject, as some of what is written about in the article I read has roots going way back with Trek. This also probably will be similar to workings at Specialized, and to a lesser extent, other brands in cycling. 

 The Problems:

There is no doubt that there are two major weights on the cycling business currently. One is still an abundance of inventory in several categories. This has been detailed at length by trade magazines. The second is an ongoing downturn in consumer buying. Several factors go into the consumer part and the consumer part directly relates to the inventory bit.  

In my opinion, Trek, and related cycling brands, haven't pivoted quickly enough, or at all, from their trade practices embedded within their company's cultures. Trying to force excess inventory on dealer's backs, discontinuing popular models, and misdirecting efforts into products with little mass appeal hasn't just been something which has happened recently. These things have been happening for decades. Literally. 

Add to this the internet. I like to think of this in terms of how we used to access music, and how music is accessed now. At one point, when I was young, (admittedly, back when rocks were soft!), we had the radio, the rare concert, or covers by local bands to learn of new tunage. That was it. Oh.....maybe your local department store played new tunes in the record department. But you get the picture. Access was limited. We were all directed into these similar silos. 

Now/ pffft! Can anyone count the ways music can be accessed now? I doubt it. This is why "record departments" no longer exist in mass quantities anymore. It is why AM/FM radio is unknown to anyone under the age of 40 years. Concerts? Yeah.....maybe. If you've got tons of expendable income, then maybe. 

We refurbish and scrap tons of bicycles every year at the Collective.

So, bike shops were the "radio/record shop/magazine" for bicycles. Now days, you can get bikes anywhere. Used ones, new ones, direct from factory ones, and you can even design your own bicycle and have it made in China and shipped to your doorstep. 

 The Non-Evolution Of Bicycle Retail:

Bicycle brands relying solely, or nearly so, on bicycle shops are cutting off several avenues for reaching consumers. And maybe it doesn't matter. Especially if Trek or some other well known brand is seen as something out of touch with younger consumers. 

Like maybe Trek is the modern day equivalent to rotary phones for the younger generations. A "grandpa/grandma" brand which is so out of touch the youth won't even give them a chance. I don't know, but I do know in the shop I worked at which handled Trek, seeing younger folks actually buying Treks was rare. 

Overproduction: 

Finally, there are just way too many bicycles being produced. At the Collective during the year of 2025 we hauled about 6 metric tons of scrap to the recyclers, all bicycles or bicycle related things. We refurbished well over 100 bikes for sale to the community. All freely donated things. All out of one tiny non-profit shop in a modest sized Mid-Western city. (I'm not counting bicycles we gave to people in need) 

Think about this - If we were to just get the bicycles sitting around in your city up and running again, we wouldn't need any new bicycles. And people are catching on to this. I've seen two recent YouTube videos with subject matter related to restoring old 1990's mountain bikes and how versatile those bikes are. (No lies told either.)

Just the sheer amount of resources and knowledge at our finger tips is also unmasking the decades long secret of over-production of bicycles. There are reasons why it worked for so long though. The marketing over the years created near feral thoughts in consumer's minds which moved us to buy the "latest and greatest" thing. Look, I am not absolving myself here. I am just as guilty as anyone when the new shiny thing comes around. (32" wheels anyone?), so yes - I am also part of this problem. But now more people are catching on that just because a bike is a few years, or even a few decades old, it doesn't mean it is not awesome. This cuts into new bike sales also.

 Conclusions:

  Read the article from the "Escape Collective", if you can. The author makes it sound like pretty dark times are ahead for Trek. You can contrast those thoughts with mine here. Any way you slice it, as I have said here before, bicycle retail is in for a major resetting in the next ten years."Traditional" bicycle shops will be rare. Whatever takes over will not look like the chaos we have now. 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth

Wolf Tooth Expands Colors To Standard Outboard BSA and T-47 Bottom Brackets:

Wolf Tooth recently announced it has expanded its Color Shop options to include standard BSA threaded outboard bearing bottom brackets and threaded T-47 bottom brackets as well. 

Now offered in nine colors including black and silver, these common bottom bracket standards can help add a pop of color to any bike build. They are also serviceable as well. 

Comments: The Wolf Tooth bottom brackets have been around a while now but I have not tested these yet. This will likely happen this year. I have a bike in mind to get one of these for. So, look for this to be a review shared on these pages soon.

Unfortunately it appears the older SRAM crank sets with the 24mm/22mm spindles are not supported by the Wolf Tooth bottom brackets. Since SRAM has exclusively gone to DUB spindles I assume some companies are seeing less of a need to support this older standard. Perhaps it is a sign to be aware of in case you are running older TruVativ or SRAM crank sets. 

Image courtesy of Singular Cycles social media.

The 32" Watch: Singular Albatross With Drop Bars:

On Monday of this past week, Singular Cycles' own Sam Alison shared a view of the upcoming Albatross 32"er set up with drop bars. 

His comment on the image stated he had the Albatross prototyped with a bit shorter reach than he would have for himself so it might be tried across a wider range of folks. However; he noted this played right into his hands to be able to try it out with a drop bar set up.  

Albatross preorders are open at the moment at Singular Cycles site.  Just drop Sam a line by way of the contact segment of the site. 

Comments: Now this is more what I would have in mind for a 32"er for myself. It reminds me a lot of a Gen I Fargo, to be honest. I'm quite certain this would make for a great bike in the Kansan Flint Hills, or in places in Iowa where rough Level B Roads exist. 

Bonus 32" Content: If you haven't already seen the Vital MTB interview with a Maxxis product manager concerning 32" wheels and tires, give this video a listen. There is a bit of chatter up front, but the You Tube video has chapters so you can jump around at will to get the gist of things. Also, please read this clear-headed take on 32"ers by Sklar Bikes.Note what he says about forthcoming suspension fork offsets for 32"ers. 

It is quite eye-opening and I think you might find the push for "the next big thing" in cycling is going to be 32"ers, like it or no. Whether or not it lasts, like 29"ers, or fades away like plus bikes and 27.5"ers is yet to be seen. 

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Announces New Awards:

Next week we should know who the inductees for the 2026 class of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame will be. Stay tuned for the announcement here. Until then, we have learned there will be three new awards handed out at the inductions ceremony.

First there are the two GCHoF Athletes of the Year. Two awards to help determine which gravel racers "had an exceptional single year of impact from the previous calendar year". The award recognizes the athletes based upon more than results by including examining their character off the bike. 

The GCHoF says "Honorees lead with respect, humility, and generosity toward competitors, fans, and the gravel community embodying what it truly means to be a champion on and off the bike."

The awards in this category have already been announced. They went to Rosa Kloser and Matt Beers.  

The third award will be one which recognizes an individual who went above and beyond to give back to the sport of gravel cycling. Called the GCHoF Community Impact Award, this one will be open to athletes, promoters, industry professionals, volunteers, and fans. UPDATED: We now have learned Chase Wark has won the Community Impact Award. Congratulations to all the award winners. It's rather curious also that GCHoF's own PR writer didn't even know of these awards until they were announced. Interesting.....

Comments: A curious addition to the Hall's activities. These awards seem to be an "end-of-year" performance oriented recognition type thing. If this is close to the mark, wouldn't it make more sense for those awards to be announced in November, October, or after the season ending Grand Prix event/UCI gravel event? And if these are performative based awards, wouldn't those be the purview of a sanctioning body? The media? Who determines these things anyway? As I stated, a "rather curious", and kind of hollow addition to what is supposedly an organization meant "...to preserve the stories of those individuals who have been so instrumental in creating an environment that allowed gravel cycling to flourish."

Image courtesy of Aerobag

Airbag System Promises Injury Reduction/Prevention For Racers:

We have all seen it before if we've watched any bunch sprints in Pro cycling. The pile-up which causes scrapes and in worse case scenarios, broken bones and more. A perennial issue in racing, the Aerobag company has set out to provide a solution which promises less injury in the case of a crash. 

Aerobag, funded through the EU, is hoping to get more teams to adopt this system which is minimally intrusive and high-tech for the protection of elite racers. It really isn't meant for anyone else at this point, but the system is fascinating and is being used by one Pro men's team already. Click the link to learn more.  

Comments: While the limited user focus is understandable, this sort of tech is likely going to be looked at as something to be integrated into future accessory and clothing items for casual cyclists. 

In fact, it doesn't take much of a leap to see how these technologies could be integrated into e-Bikes and helmets for commuters. If this tech proves successful in prevention of injuries, I would look for this sort of application sooner than later. It is obvious the investment into this tech by the EU isn't meant to stop at Pro road cyclists. This is just a proof of concept test for rolling this out to a wider audience where the investment into this effort could be recouped.  

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Salsa Cycles Introduces Wanderosa e-Gravel FS Bikes:

Well, the full reveal of the full-suspension "gravel bike" from Salsa happened yesterday. The three bike range is dubbed "Wanderosa", and consists of three identical carbon fiber 110mm rear/120mm front suspended chassis equipped with Fazua electric motors. Yep. E-gravel here. 

Comments: Okay, let's get this out of the way right up front: These are not gravel bikes. I know......Salsa will argue otherwise, but all this amounts to is an e-assisted down country full suspension bike. Can it be a gravel bike? Well..... An old 1940's Schwinn cruiser can be a "gravel bike" if you actually are riding it on a crushed rock road. Again, "gravel" is completely meaningless here and the wrong name to be using for any of the bikes under this moniker. 

So, whatever you want to call this bike's category, the fact is the Wanderosa is an electrified full suspension bike probably best suited for trails and single track. Your mileage may vary here, but this is what I am seeing. Oh......and it happens to have a drop bar. Yep. Got it.... 

Finally, these bikes are for? (Customer base) At an 8K - 13K price range for these three bikes, I would guess the folks barely scraping by to make rent and car payments are not going to be even sniffing ownership of a bicycle like this. So, yeah..... Not a lot of folks can even attain to this level of investment into a bike with such a niche use case scenario. 
 

That's a wrap on this frigid week for the FN&V. Have a great weekend and ride a bicycle if you can!

Aero Gravel Wheels: A Case For And Against

 As most of the cycling nerdom knows, aerodynamics play a big part in getting speed and efficiencies optimized for speedy riding. Yes, not everyone needs or wants aero, but if you want to make riding gravel a bit easier, aerodynamics is a good place to start. 

Aero can mean position on the bike, clothing, or in the design of the frame of your bicycle. But perhaps no upgrade in aero can make more of a difference than wheels.  Both in aero and in rotational weight, with even a nod to comfort. I think body position can get you the best gains, but as far as multi-benefits go, the wheels give you more. 

I've been trying out aero-focused wheel sets on gravel since 2012, well ahead of most folks, and so I have experienced what the wheels with aero design can do for your ride. Now with racing driving the development of gravel, aero wheels are becoming even more of a forefront thought in rider's considerations for upgrades. 

It hasn't been this way until very recently, as far as gravel riders go. As I found out in 2020, when I tested FLO aero gravel wheels, many were dismissive of the deeper section wheels and their aero benefits. This despite evidence from triathlon and road racing which clearly showed how much aero wheels can benefit a rider. Any rider, not just racing athletes.  

The Case For Aero Wheels: Besides cutting through the air more efficiently, which is what most aero wheel documents will focus on, there are a few other things which should be thought about. One is rider fatigue. Depending upon the design, a rider can benefit from less effort in crosswinds, and working less to keep momentum and stability intact is going to result in a fresher rider over a certain distance.  

But other factors, like design in the rim itself, can also contribute to comfort levels. The FLO Cycling wheels I tested actually had a flex component which absorbed vibrations, an obvious benefit on crushed rock roads. Many wheels are now also going to wider inner rim profiles, which match wider tires gravel riders are using better. This not only enhances the aerodynamic properties of the wheel/tire combination, but it also allows the rider to use lower air pressures to obtain an even smoother ride. 

NOBL Wheels Far 50. Image courtesy of NOBL Wheels.

 Weights of aero wheels have been getting better, but also consider that a lighter/lightest wheel often is not the best wheel overall. Perhaps in a specialist category of hill climbing, the lightest wheel set wins. But older and more recent wheel testing has shown lighter wheels can suffer from being harder to hold momentum over smaller deflections and obviously, over larger inputs like gravel. 

A heavier wheel, to an extent, can actually be faster with the rider expending less energy due to the momentum effect of the wheel. If the wheel is not being deflected, but carrying energy over an input from the surface, you need to do less work. Kind of like a crankshaft counterweight, or a flywheel. 

Obviously, too much weight isn't good either, but going deeper and a bit heavier with rim weight shouldn't be looked at as a negative in many aero wheel cases.  

The Case Against Aero Wheels: Not everyone will benefit from aero wheel sets. If you ride what essentially would be described as single track with a gravel bike, the benefits of aero could be lowered to almost having no effect. Especially if you ride a lot of trail with heavy deceleration zones requiring a lot of acceleration back to speed. Weight, and where the weight is on a wheel, may become an issue there. And again, perhaps with a more hill climbing course, aero may not be of much benefit on those types of courses. 

The Singular Albatross. (Image courtesy of Singular Cycles)

However; the big unknown here, and which may be a big factor in what you want to do with aero wheels in the near future, is the 32" wheel. 

This wheel may take over as a major option for gravel riders. I've heard from several sources that the 32"er will become a thing in gravel racing/riding. So, this is not speculation. 

What is still up in the air are things like hub width standards, and ultimately what width tires will be best for gravel on a 32" wheel. Theoretically, since the tire contact patch is longer than what a 700c gravel tire has, one might be able to get away with a slightly narrower 32" gravel tire. This might allow for the same/similar rider comfort and control benefits with a similar weight to a wider 700c tire on a gravel bike. Also, this would help with frontal aero concerns. 

With those questions all hanging out there, does a gravel rider bank on sticking with 700c and risk not getting the potential benefits of a 32"er, or does the rider bet on 32'ers and then find out it was all just a flash in the pan? 

I think if it weren't for the tantalizing possibilities of 32" wheels, just getting a 700c aero gravel wheel set is a slam-dunk. Maybe it still is. I would guess so if you are dead set against 32"ers, or are well under 6ft tall. 

Conclusions: Obviously, many riders are invested into standards surrounding 700c and are not in a position, or willing, or both, to switch over to something new - and as yet - unproven. So for those riders, getting an aero wheel set makes a lot of sense. I really see no negatives which would compel me to not want an aero 700c gravel wheel set. Especially since companies are now starting to develop wider internal width choices in aero rims. 

I know the old and tired argument which states that if you are going under "x miles an hour" you do not need aerodynamic wheels. I say phooey! In my mind, if you are moving aerodynamics matter. Maybe to a lesser extent at 12mph than at 25mph, but it matters, and this is enough for me to consider aero wheel sets for gravel riding. 

An Era Of Turnover

The promoter is "retiring" from promoting.

 Things change. Time passes and people come and go. This is no news, but we tend to also be creatures who like to hold on to "traditions" and think, "yeah, this will be here again next year."

But it also probably won't be here again next year. This is the part people do not like, or consider very often. In terms of gravel events, it was something I consistently brought to mind with my old event, Trans Iowa. I think it was abundantly clear and understood by Trans Iowa fans that I wasn't going to keep doing the event forever, or for very long. 

But even I get a bit taken aback when I find events are shutting down, passing hands, or changing into something I do not recognize anymore. Such was the case when last week I received an email/press release concerning the GRVL Cycling events, Raid Rockingham, Kearsarge Classic, and  Raid Lamoille. 

The promoter, who folks call Arman, is "retiring" from promoting. He''s been at this since 2012, so pretty much on the front end of all things gravel. I became aware of his Raid Rockingham event while searching for new gravel events to add to my Gravel Grinder News calendar back in 2012. Later GRVL Cycling added the Raid Lamoille, and finally, the Kearsarge Classic. (GRVL Cycling site)  

Now the "last" Raid Rockingham is set to occur this year. Maybe someone else will take over the series? Maybe not. However it turns out, turnover in the promotions field is happening again. It is just another reminder how this niche of cycling is aging and changing with the slow turn of years. 

Jeff Kerkove (Image taker unknown)

Back in 2023, I was in Emporia, Kansas for the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame ride. I ran into Jeff Kerkove there, who I hadn't seen in over a decade. He helped start Trans Iowa with me in late 2004. Back then, we didn't ever consider gravel road cycling events would ever be a "thing", much less become probably the largest segment of competitive cycling events world-wide in 2026. He asked me then if I ever dreamed this gravel cycling thing would become what it had become in 2023. Of course I didn't. Who could have dreamt this up?

The whole scene is mind-boggling now, but it also is so big it doesn't know where it came from. It just "is", and when I see older events changing, or old promoters leaving the sport, it makes me a bit sad to know most of those people and events are not going to get their flowers as they should be. One more lament for myself as I look at where I've been in this whole gravel thing. 

So, I write this post as a reminder to all that the event you "might do" someday will be gone "someday" soon, and maybe if it isn't, it might change and not be what it was. I write this to remind everyone doing an event on gravel that this time it will be like no other time before or after. Enjoy every mile you can. Register memories. Do not take it for granted you are riding in whatever event you are riding. 

Photo courtesy of Dairy Roubaix

The turnover in events and promoters is happening now, and will continue so as time goes onward. Changes are inevitable. With the sheer numbers of gravel events, it probably will be more common now than not to read about these changes. 

I guess many of us early pioneers of gravel events figured we'd have it our way for years to come. Then we got older. More new folks came in. Different viewpoints were expressed. Then it wasn't the same as it used to be, and now it is all changing over once again. Churning. Moving. 

I don't let it get to me anymore like I once did. I'm recognizing all of these changes, and I'm okay with most of it. More people are riding. It means more people are getting healthy outdoors time. It means more companies are making more things for gravel riding. It means I get to take advantage of those new things companies are making. I can ignore them as well. I don't let how events change rub me the wrong way anymore. I don't have to concern myself with any of what the UCI does, or what USAC does, or what any event does, I can just observe. 

The only thing which does give me pause, as I have said, is how many newer-to-gravel folk just do not understand gravel's past. They are unaware of the efforts of people like Arman, who started off hosting 50 folks at that first Raid Rockingham, and grew the event into a multiple event series with thousands of people served. 

Maybe the series carries on. Maybe not. But hopefully folks like Arman get their due. Hopefully some of those thousands he helped provide opportunities to ride gravel will carry on the traditions of gravel, and pass them on to newer generations. 

Maybe you can be one of those who help pass on gravel cycling to a newer generation. Maybe you can help keep the wheels of this niche of cycling going well past any part you might have in it goes. And don't forget to tell those newer riders where this all came from as you do that. 

Cheers and thank for reading Guitar Ted Productions.  

Fifteen Years Of Fat Biking

Shot taken on January 22nd, 2011

 Hard to believe it, but it has been fifteen years since the first turnkey fat bike, the Salsa Mukluk, came into my life. This bicycle was many people's first introduction to fat biking. 

It also is kind of difficult to understand the impact this bicycle had on cyclists, and even non-cyclists in this community and online. 

First of all, look at this 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk and you might think it is pretty unremarkable. The tires do not look all that impressive. The rear caliper is mounted on the seat stay? And what is that..... A triple crank set?!! What kind of dinosaur bike is this anyway?  

But our 2026 perspective belies the reality of what was 2011. Then a fat bike was rare. Most people had never seen one before. A 26" x 3.8" tire was huuuuge! I used to get folks stopping in traffic to watch me roll by. I even had someone film me on their camera phone circa 2014 while riding home from work one day. 

The fat bike was truly an oddity then, and if you did not like attention, well, a fat bike wasn't the bike for you! I got asked a zillion questions about the bike, and most were a variation on a theme which was, "Isn't that hard to pedal?" 

Running tubeless tires on Velocity Dually rims with 26" x 4.0" tires in 2013. 

I was enamored of fat bikes back then. It was an option which opened up cycling in Winter for me. I ended up buying a 2012 Ti Mukluk within a year of getting the first one. I was entering the Triple D fat bike event. I was plunking around frozen trails, sand bars, and in the mud in Summertime. 

I often feel as though the fat bike development curve was one of constant innovation until about 2015. Then it all kind of fell away quickly. It seemed as though all the air got sucked out of the sails and everyone who wanted a fat bike now had one. 

I've owned four fat bikes and built up two for my son. I still have the Ti Muk 2, The Snow Dog, and the Blackborow DS. I also still have one of my son's old fat bikes. I probably only really need one! But the original Mukluk, the one I call the Snow Dog, was a birthday gift and the Blackborow does things nothing else I have will do. I guess if it came down to it, I would let those two go and keep the Ti Muk 2. My son's old fat bike could go as well, although I've had folks say I should keep it. 

Today fat bikes are no big deal. No one gawks at you when you are cruising to the woods. I don't get many questions at all anymore about my fat bikes when I am out on them. Maybe because they do not have electric motors.... 

The Snow Dog 2026

I was a bit amused last Fall when I was riding my Ti Muk 2 home. I have a slight hill going up West 2nd Street and I heard a buzzing noise behind me getting louder and louder. Then suddenly a younger looking individual sitting and not pedaling went whizzing by on a fat bike with an electric motor. 

He probably thought my pedaling a fat bike was rather quaint and arcane. The mere thought of a fat bike you had to pedal. How does that work?

Sometimes I wonder if the fat bike was truly the last innovative bicycle design. The last bicycle which was so different people would stop you on the street to see what it was you were on. Nothing like riding a "gravel bike", and these new 32" wheels won't draw attention either. 

Oh, you might think a 32"er would draw attention. I don't think so. I rode a 36"er which Ben Witt let me borrow for a few months. I commuted on it and not one person reacted to it as being different. No questions about it at all. No side glances. Nothing. 

But ride a fat bike the next day and I was going to know the difference. 

Besides, fat bikes did things no other bicycle could do. They still do those things, but now "those things" are not novel. So, I really do think fat bikes were the last bicycle which made a new category with possibilities to do things older bicycles could not do. Truly an innovation. 

Don't even come at me with the motorized bicycle thing!  

Bonus Content: I reviewed my original Mukluk "with perspective" last year. Read the review here.  

Too Cold

Kid's bike give-away scene.

So, yeah..... I haven't been riding much of late, but sub-zero temperatures will do that to me. My birthday on Friday was frigid, with double-digit below zero temperatures all morning long and we did not get above zero until Sunday. 

Monday we reached the teens above zero, so I rode to work. Yee-haw! At least I am back on the bike again outdoors. It seems this Winter has decided it will act like a "real Winter" after not getting its act together for the first two weeks of January where it was quite warm. 

In the meantime I have been a bit stir crazy being cooped up indoors. I have contemplated some bicycle changes, but for the sake of just changing things. This is not good enough. I do not want to get involved in setting up a bike in a new way because I am bored. (Besides upgrading my fixed gear situation)

I did get to be involved in a kid's bike give away via a local non-profit foundation whose main mission is to help disadvantaged families with children. The foundation vetted out the kids and we just had to match them up with bicycles. That was a lot of fun to do. We ended the day giving away 16 youth bikes. 

This may not sound like much, but the hope is to see even just a few of these kids get jazzed by cycling and hopefully they will make it a long-term kind of deal. There were a lot of "thank you's" and good vibes all around. 

So, it hasn't all been a downer. 

Regulations Hit E-Bikers In New Jersey

E-bike repair que at a Chicago shop

Electric motors on assisted bicycles or on throttle controlled bicycles (mopeds) have finally been abused to the point which a state has taken the measures in their legislature to govern their existence. New Jersey's governor signed a bill into law on this day a week ago which now will require licensing, registration, and insurance, just like any other motor vehicle. 

The measure was precipitated by the recent loss of life of a 13 year old this past September who was hit by a vehicle while the youth was riding an electric motorized bicycle. 

The law, which New Jersey e-bike owners will have six months to comply with, will also regulate age of the operator at 17 years and the operator of any electrified bicycle will have to have a valid drivers license. 

The details of the story can be read online at "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" HERE. 

Comments: First of all, thanks to Ari Andonopuolos for today's image. He sent this to me to show what he was seeing most often for repairs in a shop in Chicago. Those sure do not look like mainstream, pedal assist electric bicycles, do they? 

Comments on the stories I have seen on this development are mostly pointing fingers at these sorts of "bicycles" and how "online sales are pushing illegal e-bikes into the marketplace". The commenters are saying this is why we cannot have nice things when it comes to electrified bicycles. But really, if this is the reason for this law being passed, or one of the reasons, are the sellers to blame? 

Certainly, this may be seen as an unintended circumstance in the economy of the e-bike. However; when there was a void in the marketplace in terms of low pricing and availability, it is no wonder some companies stepped in to fill the demand. 

The demand..... Yes, it was the consumer who was the conduit for these "more-motorcycle-like" e-bikes to be coming into the system. Bicycle shops could not serve this demand, and so who fills that vacuum? The consumer has some responsibility here. 

In the end, this e-bike thing is evolving along the lines which I always figured it would go. Eventually we get to a place where it is easier for government to legislate rules and enforce laws regulating these vehicles. It sure looks like it is happening now.  

The 32" Watch: Yakking About Big Hoops

Yep..... Another Guitar Ted Podcast just dropped. You'd think we both had nothing else better to do. (Correct) So, anyway, maybe you'd like to check out our ramblings on these monster sized hoops. Click Here

So, as far as this whole new wheel size becoming a thing or not, here is a nugget of wisdom I gleaned from my time covering the cycling industry. It is a "sure thing" something is going to be marketed heavily if this one thing occurs. 

The one thing? Original Equipment Manufacturer orders. Often abbreviated to "OEM" or even "OE", this means some factory is receiving an order from a company/brand to make something in mass quantities. 

In other words, to give you a clearer picture, Fox is not coming out with a 32" suspension fork unless some company/brand orders thousands of them. Same goes for tires, or rims/wheels. Anything specific to a standard ordered by a company/brand, in this case, 32" wheels, is a tip-off as to what is going to happen. 

We know Maxxis is coming out with several 32" tire models. We have a strong indication via insiders that a Fox suspension fork is coming out. Manitou will have a 32"er suspension fork by mid-2027. I posted about Schwalbe's tire plans last week. It isn't a question anymore. 32" tires/wheels will become available to purchase world-wide in the very near future. 

Expect a ton of marketing to show up this Spring showing the benefits of these wheels. Expect a ton of push-back on site comment sections and on social media. I suspect we all will be pretty tired of the hype by mid-Summer. 

Rich Dillen's Vassago 32"er (Image courtesy of Rich Dillen)

 If I had to say, my opinion is bikes with 32" wheels will become available in shops and online by the Fall. More options will hit from then onward until Spring 2027. Some second tier brands will be certain to have them in their line up. Maybe......maybe one of the big four - Trek, Specialized, Cannondale,or Giant will also, but my bet is they all are going to come later, if they come at all. I'm not saying one of these four mainstream brands will not make a 32"er, but it is certainly possible one or more of them will make a 32"er, or several versions of them. I just think they will be amongst the latter offerings. 

And you will see gravel, recreational, and eBike versions with giant hoops on them. More than just MTB's will be 32"ers. Anyway..... There is a lot more detail to this. Listen to the episode. Let me know what you think in the comments.    

Real World Feedback: 

Of course, it's all blue sky until the reality of what a 32"er actually can or cannot do is discovered by riders. I was fortunate enough to have had Rich Dillen message me after his recent ride in a local short track event. 

Image courtesy of R.Dillen by Pisgah Paparazzi

Rich has a blog where you can check out his takes on the 32" wheels, but suffice it to say that after about 45 minutes of him messaging me he pretty much convinced me of this wheel size and its benefits. 

I won't belabor the points he made here, (again - See his blog for more), but suffice it to say that even if half of what he said is true 32"ers will be the preferred single track bike in the Midwest. 

 I know many will scoff, and many won't give 32"ers a chance. Look......I get it. I went through all of the skepticism surrounding 29"ers too. They said 29"ers were dumb, a fad, and worse things about those who rode them. 26"ers weren't going anywhere. But look around your local bike shop or peruse your favorite online MTB purveyors. How many new 26" wheeled MTB's do you find for sale in 2026?

I'm not saying 29"ers will be supplanted by 32"ers, but the 32"er is not going away anytime soon either. Naysayers will come and go, but once people get onboard a 32"er and find out what it can and cannot do, then the results will determine the outcome of this wheel size. And again, based upon this real-world feedback, things seem to be looking good for the 32"er. 

Nuff said..... 

We Interrupt Normal Programming For A Special Announcement!

Ride support last June

Usually you dear readers are expecting to find the weekly FN&V here. However; today is my birthday. So, apologies if you were expecting a menu of cool bicycle related news and takes. You get me instead. 

I'm in the midst of blogging my twentieth year here. I find this amazing. Had you told me when I was 45 years old that I'd still be at this I would have laughed in your face. 

Yet......here I am. 

And I've logged another ride around the Sun. I'll not hide it - this past trip had many moments I care not to repeat again. But be that as it may, I am left to move onward, and this is what I am trying to do everyday now. 

Thinking about being 65 years old is weird. I remember seeing a few older cyclists back in the 1990's and thinking it would be cool to be able to be riding bicycles yet when I get to be their age. Well.....here I am. 

Yes - it is pretty cool. I was right about the thought I had 30 years ago. Back then I had no idea. No clue what I might be doing or where I'd end up. I have to say, I'm pretty satisfied with it all. And now I am at "retirement age", whatever "retirement" is, I do not know. 

You can rest assured I do not plan on knowing what that word means yet. 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Have a great weekend, and keep on riding those bicycles!
 

Thursday News And Views

Dylan Johnson's Leadville bike from 2025. (Image courtesy Johnson's social media)

Thursday News & Views? What the....!!!

(You'll see why tomorrow) 

Life Time Bans Drop Bars At Two Of The Grand Prix Events:

Last weekend news circulated on the internet concerning a new rule for Life Time Events Grand Prix series. This six event series is split between MTB and gravel events. 

Last year a few Pros and top athletes were noted trying out drop bars at the Leadville 100, traditionally seen as a MTB event. 

Now those drop bars are banned by Life Time at the Leadville event and at the penultimate event in the series, Little Sugar, in Arkansas. Perhaps Life Time is trying to preserve the half and half nature of their series by denying the usage of drop bars making the MTB events look like MTB events. Life Time stated this was being done to ensure "riders safety" and "course compatibility". Interestingly, Chequamegon is the only MTB event allowing drop bars. 

Later on it was revealed the riders of the Grand Prix asked for this ban. The thinking was the cost to have multiple bikes for specific course uses was detrimental to those in the series who could not afford a fleet of race bikes. Fair enough. Then don't say it was for "rider safety'" and then let that be the headline, because clearly this wasn't the case.  

Rider safety? Speaking of 'rider safety'....So, what about riders using their fork crowns as a grip area to get an aero advantage, even going so far as to mount remote shifters to actuate their electronic drive trains? (See 2025 women's Leadville winner, Kate Courtney)  

The miscommunication by Life Time had to be rectified by a media story later on clearing up the mess. Does this sound like a logical way to run PR for an event? I don't know, but I still think this has a lot to do with how this series upped the ante' in prize purses and how this affects perceptions of this event series. In the end, it is a small thing to most riders. And it looks silly on the part of Life Time Events. 

BMC Roadmachine One (Image courtesy of BMC Bikes)

While Gravel Tires Get Thicker, Road Bikes Creep Into Gravel Territory:

N.Y. Roll and I discussed this recently, and I think it is an underrated topic in cycling. Road bikes (All-Road Bikes?) are becoming what was once considered a "gravel bike", twelve years or so ago.  

Think about this, the |"original" gravel bike, the Salsa Warbird, which debuted for the 2012 selling season, was only able to handle a 38mm tire with adequate mud clearance. You could squeeze in a 40mm tire, but just barely.  

Contrast this with the BMC Roadmachine, a bike which can easily clear a 40mm tire with a 1X drive train, yet is considered a "road bike". (All-Road Bike?)  My prediction is these bicycles are on the cusp of becoming the next "secret weapon" in gravel racing. 

Many gravel events don't require 50mm and wider tires. Many road conditions in many places are easily ridden on bicycles with 40mm tires. If, as is suggested by the wider tire gravel pundits, the MTB-width tires on gravel are faster, why wouldn't we see this happen in pro road racing, where cobbles and yes - even gravel - sectors exist in some courses? 

Don't be surprised when you hear about some Pro gravel racer showing up on a "traditional" road bike (All-Road Bike?) at some big gravel event someday soon.  

Continental Terra Adventure Reflex (Image courtesy of Continental Tires)

Continental Releases Terra Adventure Reflex Tires:

Continental announced on Tuesday their new model in the Terra range of tires called the Terra Adventure Graphite Reflex. 

Essentially, this is a Terra Adventure tire with a reflective strip on the sidewalls. This provides better visibility to other road users in low-light and dark conditions. Perfect for the racer who lines up for a dark morning start, or for adventurers who ride in darkness many times. 

I reviewed the Terra Adventure, sans reflective stripes, in my post HERE.  

TideAce Carbon 32"er.(Image courtesy of TideAce)

The 32" Watch - TideAce Carbon 32"er Frame:

I received a tip the other day to check out this carbon frame for 32" wheels. It is from a Chinese brand called TideAce. You can see their webpage for it HERE.  

Comments: I'm not familiar with this brand but my source tells me it makes stuff for other brands you may have heard of, so this isn't some oddball product with little engineering behind it, is what my takeaway was from this.  

It was kind of funny, because my source said "Now (N.Y. Roll) will have to "eat more crow". (IYKYK) Because he said something about waiting to see if a carbon 32"er would come out later on. Well, obviously, it already has happened. 

And look at the price! My goodness, but seriously under 1K for a carbon 32"er? Ya gotta hand it to these Chinese brands, they don't sleep on a way to make a buck! 

Gravel Worlds Claims Largest Prize Purse To Be Offered In Gravel Racing:

On Wednesday, an announcement went out from Gravel Worlds which claims the event will offer the largest cash payout in gravel cycling. The $150,000.00 purse is to be fully funded through Goodlife Nutrition. 

Last year the prize purse was $100,000.00 so this is a significant increase. It should be noted this new, higher amount is to be distributed through the Pro fields, evenly between men and women. This surpasses any Life Time Event and one would assume the race will become a significantly important event now for anyone trying to make a living racing gravel. 

Also notable is Gravel Worlds now having controlled intersections for their main 150 mile event. There will also be more law enforcement present than ever before. This should alleviate any issues with regard to riders risking life and limb trying to stay ahead in the Pro fields by darting across uncontrolled intersections. Faster amateurs will also benefit as the time windows for the intersection controls do not end with the passing of the Pro fields.  
 

That's a wrap on this week! If you aren't freezing to death, getting iced over, or digging out from a snow storm, try to ride your bicycles this weekend! And thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions! 

It Is "That Week" Here

I have a confession to make. I am not an indoor cyclist. I tried it several times over the years, but....... Nope! Not for me. I understand many can Zwift, spin cycle, or treadmill their way through a cold snap, but this doesn't work for me. 

You might think I am just being stubborn, or maybe that I am not trying the right thing. Yeah.......no. See, my makeup is that of an outdoors exerciser, and being indoors is excruciatingly boring and limiting to my mind. So, I'm going outside even if it is just to go around the block. 

But this is not to say I am fanatical or insane. There are times I won't go outside, because, well.......it is stupid. Like this week. It is that week we usually get every Winter here where it is just not a very good idea to be outdoors exercising. 

Now, today, for instance, it is great at 32° for a forecast high temperature. I will ride today. Today is an outlier and the best day all week to ride.  However; on Thursday through until sometime on Sunday morning, our air temperature will not get above zero for the entire stretch. That is Fahrenheit, by the way, not Celsius. Add to this the winds and well......this equals "stupid". Stupid cold weather. 

This makes writing about cycling a bit challenging some days. I guess I manage to find something to talk about though! But soon things will improve weather-wise. February brings more heat, longer days, and more riding opportunities. This is but one week where, yeah, being outdoors is extremely challenging. 

Except for today. I'll ride today. 

Two Things

Pinarello Grevil MX (Image courtesy of Pinarello)

Look! It's Another Adventure Bike! (Not Really)

Friday past, Pinarello introduced a bike which they claim combines the "best of both worlds" from Road and MTB into one bike - The Grevil MX. 

"Optimized for 50mm gravel  tires", according to the press release, the Grevil MX incorporates aero elements and the asymmetric frame design Pinarello utilizes on some of their other models separately, but here are brought together.

The suspension specific, drop bar specific design uses a 100mm travel fork. Pinarello President, Fausto Pinarello is quoted in the press release for this bike as follows:  

"The GREVIL MX is designed for riders who push gravel beyond its typical boundaries. It’s a very versatile bike, perfectly suited for races or adventures where you’re riding into the unknown. It can handle long climbs and rocky descents with ease and combines the feeling of a MTB with the ergonomics of a road bike. It’s a unique addition to our gravel range."

Comments: So........a skinny tire Fargo/Cutthroat? At least the design is using a "real suspension device" instead of the inadequate "gravel" suspension devices with limited travel. This part Pinarello got right. And as you can see, it does "something" to the front geometry. You may or may not agree with this "something", but physics are not going to be denied. You either go with a "real" suspension fork, or go rigid. This 40mm - 50mm suspension fork nonsense is ineffective, high maintenance for little benefit, and weighs more for little benefit. 

On the other hand, what this idea does to this bike is undeniable as well. It is a skinny tire MTB with drop bars. Calling this a "gravel bike" diffuses the term "gravel bike" to become almost meaningless. (And don't forget, I never thought the term "gravel bike" was a good idea in the first place.)

But names aside, keeping the tires in a "gravel realm" in terms of width makes this a "gravel bike"? I guess. But to me it is just a miss. Had Pinarello made the Grevil MX capable of handling 2.4" 29"er tires this would have made a lot more sense to me. Then it becomes the bike it looks like it is - an adventure bike in the mold of the Fargo/Cutthroat. 

New Podcast Episode:

Remember the "wish-list" posts from a week or so ago? (One HERE, the other HERE) Well, N.Y. Roll and I were thinking we'd riff on those for the latest Guitar Ted Podcast episode. 

There were some strong opinions voiced in this episode. Especially regarding how much there could be done to lessen the impacts on the Earth from the way the cycling industry is conducted. 

I did manage to stay away from at least one subject I could have "gone off" on. We will be seeing shortly if I will be provoked into writing about it soon. Until then, I will be keeping my peace regarding the thoughts and opinions I have. 

Anyway, if you care to listen to this newest episode, here is the link to the Spotify hosted episode. 

Of course, you can find the Guitar Ted Podcast on other podcast platforms as well. N.Y. Roll has a "vacation" planned for early February, so we should have another episode coming out soon. Man....February! Things are going by quickly. Hopefully we will have a few episodes in February which will get you stoked for the upcoming riding season. 

It will be here before we know it!

The 32" Watch: Schwalbe Tires

Schwalbe 32"er proto. (Image courtesy of Schwalbe Tires)

Schwalbe Testing 32" Tires For Future Production:

A reader of the blog recently tipped me off to news on Schwalbe's site regarding their testing and development of 32" MTB tires. 

According to the site, Schwalbe LAB has developed a radial tire which has "set a completely new benchmark for performance"

Citing more stable handling, more grip over rooty, rocky terrain, and higher cornering speeds, the results sound hauntingly familiar to the benefits of 29"er tires over 26" MTB tires.Scwhalbe also reports that their own laboratory measurements confirm 32" tires offer "measurable advantages in rolling resistance."

Image courtesy of Schwalbe Tires

Schwalbe also states, "32-inch tires are a promising technology with real and tangible advantages - across market segments and beyond purely performance focused tires." Perhaps Schwalbe is coming out with a range of tires to suit all riders across genres? Perhaps we can see gravel oriented tires as well? 

Schwalbe doesn't see any 32"er tires coming out this year, but does hint that 2027 will be the year they will release these big hoops of rubber upon the masses. Could this mean OE orders and bicycle brands developing different styles of 32" wheeled bicyles? This would make sense given the time it takes to go from prototype to a finished bicycle model.  

At any rate, this would seem to seal up the deal and make 32"ers a virtual lock to be  something we will be able to buy from many outlets within the next year, year and a half. Now all which remains to be seen is if riders will respond by actually purchasing these wagon-wheelers.  

Extra Bonus: Here is a link to a French online site featuring a 32'er the journalists designed, built, and tested in cooperation with a French MTB brand.