Some Things I Am Thinking About

I put short-ish cranks on last year.

 It's Winter. Not much of a chance for longer country rides. With the lack of snow, fat biking went out the window as well. So, I've been left with sitting around more than I'd care to and thinking. 

Dangerous activity, I know, but here are a few things I've been thinking about recently which I may or may not delve into further in 2026.  

No particular order here, just a few things I thought I'd share. 

Shorter Cranks: I've been intrigued by this idea over the past year or so. I put on a set of 170mm cranks on my Raleigh Tamland Two last year to try something out which I had not done before. 170mm may not seem "short", I understand, but this is where I was willing to start. If it was somewhat worse than 172.5mm, (my preferred gravel length up until this point), then it couldn't be that much worse. However, say I went with 165mm cranks and did not like them. Well.......

I guess so far I seem to feel a difference in a positive way running 170mm cranks. So, I could see trying 165mm cranks on a gravel bike. Thing is, I am not into 12 and 13 speed drive trains, and well..... Maybe I could set up something in 11 speed, I just have not looked that hard yet. Something I'm still thinking about.... 

Singular Albatross 32"er prototype. Image courtesy of Singular Cycles.

32'er Bikes: So, I've been interested in this entire development on the 32"er platform. Not so much from a mountain biking perspective, but from a gravel riding one.

Of course, no one else seems to be onboard with this idea, so all the prototyping and testing has been centered around off-road type equipment.  

32" seems a no-brainer from a gravel riding perspective to me though. Momentum of those bigger wheels has to be a factor in being able to carry more speed over the rollers here. Additionally the longer tire contact patch will be something which will make vibrations less, and make the bike more stable on fast, loose gravel descents. 

I know MG is getting one of these bikes to try out, and he will probably try it on gravel. I cannot wait to hear his take on this. Until then, I will be dreaming of a drop bar set up for gravel and 32"ers. 

Maybe someday....

Clik Valve

Clik Valve vs BBB CoreCap: Inflation in terms of cycling is a good thing. You know.....for your tires? I know people are keen on this subject bcause of the number of hits I got covering Clik Valve last year. 

I really like the system. It is SUPER easy to use, and otherwise is no issue at all. Yes - You have to have a proper Clik Valve pump head to enjoy all the benefits of Clik Valve. So, in this way, it is a big commitment. 

A competing valve standard has arisen promising big airflow, less clogged valves, and ease of use. It is from BBB and is called CoreCap. 

CoreCap utilizes the Schrader compatibility you already have and is a system which simply replaces a removable Presta valve core. Simple. Could be a winner. 

I can see the benefits from a tubeless user's standpoint. I do not see it as being "easier" to use, because Clik Valve is so stupidly easy to use it would take a miracle to beat it out in terms of ease of usage. However; the standard does require a change which many people will balk at. (Note: You can inflate a Clik Valve equipped tire with a standard pump. You just lose the ease of use.) 

You can read more about the BBB CoreCap on my blogging compatriot's site HERE. Muddy Moles will be testing these out soon, so keep abreast of his updates, or just visit his blog. I have it linked in the right sidebar on this page. 

That's about it from my brain dump today! More thinkering (if the Winter drags on) to come.