tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post1809518934098408109..comments2024-03-27T15:04:18.521-05:00Comments on Guitar Ted Productions: Friday News And ViewsGuitar Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-91655047137530372422012-11-02T21:37:52.754-05:002012-11-02T21:37:52.754-05:00@Nikki McBride: You will be fine if (a) you don...@Nikki McBride: You will be fine if (a) you don't get into gooey mud/sticky peanut butter gravel or (b) don't break a spoke. That much clearance isn't ideal, but typically isn't that big of a problem on gravel roads. <br /><br />Wet gravel shouldn't be an issue either. Ride On!Guitar Tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-91510390237934195432012-11-02T21:03:38.445-05:002012-11-02T21:03:38.445-05:00I just bought a Cannondale SuperX carbon bike to r...I just bought a Cannondale SuperX carbon bike to ride on those long dirt/gravel/pavement rides. I put Clement MSO tires on and have about 2 maybe 3 mm of clearance on each side of the tire. Is this enough clearance or will it cause problems? The roads around where I live get really messy when wet so on wet days I'd stay on pavement. Although there will be times I end up on a wet gravel road.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05048652457157170970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-7408134550225593742012-07-27T20:52:49.575-05:002012-07-27T20:52:49.575-05:00@Ben Witt: I respectfully must take issue with one...@Ben Witt: I respectfully must take issue with one thing you have written here: <br /><br />"In reference to my earlier statement, I'd make the case that MOST people who ride gravel are fine with a 35c or 38c tire. Using Trans Iowa, or DK200 as a standard to build all gravel bikes to is a bit misguided. A shockingly small percentage of the gravel riding populous participates in these events." (quote: Ben Witt)<br /><br />As you know, the Warbird was specifically designed for competitors that race the very events you call out, and was tested at these very events, and which Salsa Cycles is calling out in their own marketing materials for the Warbird. <br /><br />To be fair, you say "all gravel bikes", and that is true- it isn't a standard "all gravel bikes" should be designed to. That said, it is clear that the Warbird was designed with these very events in mind, at least if you look at the evidence as put forth by Salsa Cycle's own marketing materials and statements made in my comments. <br /><br />So, if this is true, I stand by my observations and comments about tire clearances for a bike such as the Warbird.Guitar Tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-39108462177555616422012-07-27T18:47:47.022-05:002012-07-27T18:47:47.022-05:00Right on, Ben... Personally, I'm stoked on the...Right on, Ben... Personally, I'm stoked on the Warbird as a road bike replacement*. If I ever find myself thinking that I need more tire (and weight), there's always the Vaya.<br /><br />*My road bike was stolen, and I'm not sure I can replace it with anything that only fits 25's or 28's now, so 38 is pretty healthy...<br /><br />Also: I read on one of the blogs that it actually clears 40's, but they only claim 38 for whatever reason (probably because "clearing" implies some reasonable amount of clearance for mud, in the real world). I still don't understand why they didn't build in more clearance, except if they just built the frame to clear the same tires as the ENVE fork.<br /><br />So... Well, there's that.Sloniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09974480777387410643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-77460552965752595232012-07-27T11:43:35.481-05:002012-07-27T11:43:35.481-05:00@Ben Witt: Fat tired road bike. Exactly. If the pr...@Ben Witt: Fat tired road bike. Exactly. If the pre-order I helped put in survives, that's exactly how we're going to sell the Warbird in the shop where I work.<br /><br />Makes more sense to me in that light anyway.Guitar Tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-73154539250830190972012-07-27T10:19:56.119-05:002012-07-27T10:19:56.119-05:00I think there's a point that has been hugely o...I think there's a point that has been hugely overlooked as well, which is to consider the Warbird as a fat tired ROAD bike. I'm leaning quite heavily towards throwing a set of Parigi Roubaix's in the thing and flat out rocking it. Fast group ride on tarmac, fine. Peel off onto gravel when pavement gets monotonous, sure. Jump curbs, potholes, small children, go for it. <br /><br />This bike is probably one of the best examples of a fat tired performance road bike I can think of, yet it's been completely overlooked as a bike for that application.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16141742112128395466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-76545024658448574082012-07-27T10:15:00.662-05:002012-07-27T10:15:00.662-05:00In reference to my earlier statement, I'd make...In reference to my earlier statement, I'd make the case that MOST people who ride gravel are fine with a 35c or 38c tire. Using Trans Iowa, or DK200 as a standard to build all gravel bikes to is a bit misguided. A shockingly small percentage of the gravel riding populous participates in these events. Around here, most gravel riders are road bikers or CX racers. 35c tires and the like are considered to be the standard, and work very well indeed. <br /><br />Again, the Warbird is not for everyone, but for many folks it's going to be great. I would suggest reserving strong jugement about the bike until you ride it. Tire clearance is just one small part of the bike, there are many others that contribute to the whole. <br /><br />Again, my opinion of the bike completely changed after riding it. Just saying.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16141742112128395466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-91551665827709522262012-07-27T10:11:29.843-05:002012-07-27T10:11:29.843-05:00Right there with you on the clearance issue. While...Right there with you on the clearance issue. While I recognize that my Cross Check isn't some super-fancy rocket, it's proof positive that you can have a pretty ordinary-looking bike that still has clearance for *45mm* tires....Michael Lembergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749139439039241349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-67615417900001869502012-07-27T08:05:33.388-05:002012-07-27T08:05:33.388-05:00I read the blogs of a lot of the fast gravel guys,...I read the blogs of a lot of the fast gravel guys, and especially love hearing their take on what makes for a good gravel rig. Totally unscientific, but it looked to me like the trend seemed to be towards higher volume tires and the frame/fork combo that would accommodate them. Especially for the Dirty Kanza 200, 40mm was the "skinny" and 29xX.XX was surprisingly common. Didn't seem to slow them down or make it any less of a race either! They were hours ahead of me and motoring.KChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15595904422854349191noreply@blogger.com