It is a new year, and while many of us have made resolutions we will break in two weeks, I decided to do something a bit different. I thought, "If I could have my wishes in cycling come true for 2026, what would those look like and why?" So, this will be a bit of fun and a look at what I would want to see happen in 2026 in the realm of cycling and why I would wish those things.
These will be in no order of importance or significance. So, do not read into the list in this way. It is a list, this is all it is.
- Wish: I would like to see Shimano and SRAM offer 12/13 speed group sets which are mechanical. Why? Because not everyone wants or needs batteries. It is more environmentally responsible, and users could service their own equipment in a pinch. The way we seem to have to add electronics to literally everything in our lives is a misguided and bad approach. Maybe someday we will see the error of our ways, but then again......maybe not.
- Wish: To see Jim Cummings get inducted into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame: This should be obvious. The man, along with current inductee, Joel Dyke, just was involved in the formation and growth of the greatest gravel race on Earth, that's all. The GCHoF seems to have electors who hold grudges not related to gravel cycling, or if not, what seems to be the issue here? Lack of knowledge? Please, clue me in, because Jim's not being in the GCHoF is a discredit to the GCHoF and calls into question its veracity in the gravel scene.Now, Jim is up for election for the Class of 2026, and the votes have been cast. If Jim's name does not appear this year in the list of 2026 inductees then the Hall is essentially a farce. If he does get inducted? Wish granted.
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| Jim Cummins (L) and Joel Dyke at the 2010 Pre-Race meeting for the DK200 |
- Wish: To see less "race oriented" gravel bicycles offered. Guess what? Most people who ride bicycles do not race. I know this may come as a shock to many in the cycling industry, but it is true. So, ya know......keep your aero, internally routed, aggressive geometry bicycles, and give the public bicycles meant to have fun adventures on. Remember "fun"? It doesn't start with "R" and it does not have four letters.
- Wish: People would be able to find the "real stories" of gravel's early days. I know..... This is probably a losing venture, but I wish for it anyway. Here's a test: Google "Legends of Gravel" and see what happens. The AI generated response I got told me that Andy Hampsten and Tom Ritchey were "pioneers of gravel". They "lent historical weight" to gravel riding. Then it lists riders mostly coming from the period after COVID as "legends". Maybe you don't care about telling the truth about where gravel came from, but I do. And I don't care to make money off it. I just want the correct details out there. At one time I thought the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame might help. I'm thinking it isn't even making a dent.
- Wish: To see less gravel bikes with 29"er tire capabilities. Yep. I said it. Not everyone needs monster tires and drop bars. If you think you do, there are "adventure bikes" out there which already do the things you are looking to do. Oh.....you want a lighter weight, trail capable "gravel bike"? Might I interest you in a flat bar bike they have called an XC trail bike? Let's not mess around. Big, fat tires on a bicycle which are over 2" in width and less than 3" in width are for mountain bikes. Thank you.
- Wish: To see high-quality 8 or 9 speed components offered. I know companies like Sun Race and MicroShift offer things like this, but I am talking about "XTR" level 8 and 9 speed parts. Alloy, beautifully anodized, and which would be reasonably priced, mechanical in nature, and have high-durability/wear characteristics. These overgrown, behemoth electronic 1X derailleurs are not only ugly, they actually are more in the way of being biffed than older 8 and 9 speed stuff was. Yes, I mean triple cranks and front derailleurs as well.
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| This Singular Gryphon Mk3, a drop bar MTB, works great with 9 speed components |
- Wish: To see affordable, quality made 8 and 9 speed parts on affordable bicycles. The press releases are never ending which show the latest carbon fiber, 1 X 12/13 bicycle which costs well North of 10K. This is so crazy! These bicycles, while perhaps worth producing for the companies which offer them, are not conducive to getting more people out on bicycles. If anything, it proves cycling is a "country club" sport, and a sport not democratized for wider appeal. Too often bicycles which are within the budgets of real, everyday folks, are riddled with sub-par components and don't give their riders very positive experiences. I'd really like to see a change here.
- Wish: Cycling clothing made for average people. You know.....in sizes that make sense for everyone who doesn't race? Most times I cannot buy a jersey or shorts and feel as though I know they will fit because there is no general standards for people who are not racing. There isn't even anything out there which I can say is a good guide for fitting larger folks, or folks with weird proportions. It isn't as though you can go to a store and try on things. You most often times have to guess and pray the companies size charts are realistic.
Okay, well there is a short list off the top of my head. If you have any comments, I'm here to read them. Just drop those in the comments section. And if you have any "wishes for 2026", please let me know in teh comment section about those as well.
Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!
9 comments:
My wish: Less plastic in packaging. Honestly I bought some Zipp Carbon bars, and they had 2 zip ties of plastic, and one plastic bag for instructions. That is acceptable to me, vs some of the other stuff I have had sent to me.
Another Wish: Sponsors of events pay for insurance or lowering entry fees, vs a schwag and a prize purse. This could lead to a free event if done right, look at Almanzo days???
@N.Y. Roll - Less plastic packaging is a big one. I agree 100%
Agree 100% that Jim Cummins should be in the GCHOF.
G-Ted - have you tested Shimano Cues? Seems to be the closest answer to a couple of your wishes.
@A-A-Ron - Actually, no, I have not seen Cues yet. I was hopeful it would be what I was mentioning in today's post though.
However; it is not what I am talking about. CUES is a lower level group set utilizing materials more akin to Acera/Alivio level components. Is it "the closest answer"? maybe one could argue for this idea. I am not compromising on my vision though. I don't think CUES, or the other 8/9spd components available today are representative of what could be done and are not high enough quality.
Rivendell has announced its new "Silver" rear derailleur is going to be available very soon. This may be more what I am thinking of in terms of quality and aesthetics. However; I am NOT in the camp that a reverse sprung rear mech is "better" than traditional rear mech design. So, the Rivendell offering misses for me on this level.
I will also admit this ideal 8/9 speed idea is not mine. I heard it from Gary Fisher years ago. So, the credit goes to him.
Shimano still makes mechanical 12 speed 105, or did I miss something?
Not to be pedantic, but technically Tom Ritchey was a pioneer of gravel: he participated in the legendary "Jobst Rides" with Jobst Brandt in the late '70s, which hugely influenced his road framebuilding and early MTBs. And let's not forget Charlie Cunningham either. There's a case to be made for early 2000s gravel bikes not happening if it weren't for some (not all) of the early MTB pioneers--if it weren't for their designs and innovations American "gravel" bikes would still be European-inspired cyclocross derivatives.
I hear your frustrations re. recognition of early Midwest gravel pioneers not being duly recognized. I just feel similarly regarding us Californians not being duly recognized for our technical contributions. I'm speaking as a Californian who's ridden drop-bar, 700c wheeled bikes off road since 1997.
@Barry - 105 is not Ultegra or Dura Ace.
Owen - Thanks for the thought provoking comment. I appreciate your reading the piece. My comment back to you is this is not about "who was first". Many people rode off-road with bicycles (some even with drop bars), long before the era of Modern Gravel appeared.
For instance, I rode off road on single track in the 70's in Iowa, but that is a much different story in terms of influence on events or the hardware of mountain biking.
Ritchey and Cunningham were far more influential in terms of the mountain bike. Were there some influences from what they did on what became gravel riding, or more importantly, gravel events? My thoughts are the influences these folks had is somewhat less than "foundational", as the AI answer was spit out to me would have us believe.
In this context, what I wrote stands.
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