DK My Way: Gear And Comments

The Gen I Fargo in Americus

The gear and clothing I used for the century ride in Kansas was spot on, for the most part. I wanted to detail what I used and what was good or not so good here, in case anyone wanted a reference and ideas on what to do for a ride in the Flint Hills.

First of all, it has been my experience down there that water, specifically having enough of it, is a big challenge to riding the Flint Hills. There are some pretty remote places down there with no chances for resupply of water. Added to this is the fact that, generally speaking, the area is windy and somewhat arid. This has the effect of sucking your moisture out of you without you realizing it. Staying hydrated, in my opinion, is mission number one when setting up for a self supported ride in the Flint Hills.

The Gen I Fargo is a bicycle that has a lot of braze ons for water bottle cages. This along with the Wolf Tooth B Rad System afforded me the opportunity to carry six water bottles of water. I could have gone with seven, but the lowest, down tube mounted bottle I reserved for my tool kit. I'll talk about the B Rad System in more detail in a separate review, but (spoiler alert), it works. I was glad I got that before the trip.

The capabilities of the B Rad equipped Gen I Fargo allowed me to get by without a hydration back pack. I carried nothing at all on my back except a few odd things in jersey pockets. This allowed me to not have to suffer the beat down of 3 liters of water on my back over Kansan gravel roads. I had plenty of water, but given the conditions this time, I wasn't really tested in this.

You can see my Bike Bag Dude "Chaff" bag hanging in the front of my bike here.

The Bike Bag Dude's Chaff Bags have been a staple of my set ups over the past 5 years or so now. I would not ever do a long, extended tour or day ride without at least one of these on my bicycle.

This time I used the single Chaff Bag I took for tube and tool storage, along with the convenience of having a quick place to shove used almond butter packets and other trash. I attached this bag to my Bar Yak System.

The Bar Yak System I use is a combination of the load bars, aero carbon bar ends with a titanium cross bar, and the Pergrine Arm Rests. I also attached the Q; Pro cue sheet holder to the load bars. The cue sheet holder is awesome and probably something I should have had a long time ago. The Bar Yak arm rests and aero bar end set up allows me to relieve hand pressure and prevent numbness. Obviously it is more aero as well. The load bars are a great place to strap an under the bar roll or, as in my case, the Chaff Bag. I even mount my light off the Ti cross bar, so there is that bit of versatility to take advantage of here as well.

I did not use a frame bag or traditional "under the top tube" half bag/tank bag/triangle sort of deal this time. First, it really doesn't work to have that and all the water bottles on the bike. Secondly, I was trying to minimize my kit. I did use my Bike Bag Dude Garage top tube "fuel tank style" bag. I also used a just acquired Carousel Designs top tube bag that is most like a "Jerry Can" from Revelate, but kind of different. In the Garage Bag I stowed food, a few small tools, lip balm, and other items I wanted quick access to. In the Carousel Designs bag I stowed my Lezyne mini pump and all my maps I needed.

Luxy Bar, Gevenalle shifters, Bar Yak, Terrene Honali tires, and my Trelock Control Ion light are seen here.

I did not use a saddle/seat tube mounted bag, although I brought one by Banjo Brothers in the event I thought I might need to carry rain gear. The improved forecast ixnayed that choice from the final set up.

I also swapped out my BodyFloat seat post for my Salsa Cycles Ti Regulator post. I did that mostly so I had the option to run a saddle/seat post mounted bag, but in the end I think it worked out well in terms of comfort. It isn't as compliant as the BodyFloat, but it feels better when climbing because it isn't as compliant as the BodyFloat post. I missed the BodyFloat on the copious amounts of washboard road, but other than that, no. The saddle was changed to a WTB Pure, by the way. A Brooks Cambium will get put on at some point.

The Terrene Honali tires were really nice. See my RidingGravel.com review here. 

Clothing was my new RidingGravel.com kit with a Bontrager base layer tank underneath. Thin wool socks, 8"ers, and my Shimano three strap mtb shoes were on my feet. On my head I had a Twin Six cycling hat and my Bontrager helmet. Eyewear was from Oakley.

Nutrition was basically Epic pemmican bars and Justin's Almond Butter packets.I did have some salty chips and the Budweiser. I used Gu energy electrolyte tabs since I forgot my Elete at home. I drank 11 bottles of water throughout the ride.

Comments: Mentally I used a couple "mantras" on this ride. One was "Shift early-shift often." I said this at the beginning of almost every hill. I have a tendency to mash, so I used this little phrase as a way to remind myself to shift and spin. The other was "Enjoy the ride". Sounds simple, but this helped when I found myself suffering, or going too hard. If I was hurting, I tried to focus on things around me that brought me joy or put a smile on my face. If I was going too hard, it was a way that I could limit my output and be more attentive to burning up too many matches.

I also allowed myself to take as many images as I wanted to. This was about enjoyment, not racing. I wanted to take in as much as I could on this ride. That said, when I got back, had showered, and had walked down to the start line, there werestill riders coming in for their DK100 Half Pint finish. So, maybe I should start "racing" the way I rode the DK My Way!

DK My Way: Gear And Comments

The Gen I Fargo in Americus

The gear and clothing I used for the century ride in Kansas was spot on, for the most part. I wanted to detail what I used and what was good or not so good here, in case anyone wanted a reference and ideas on what to do for a ride in the Flint Hills.

First of all, it has been my experience down there that water, specifically having enough of it, is a big challenge to riding the Flint Hills. There are some pretty remote places down there with no chances for resupply of water. Added to this is the fact that, generally speaking, the area is windy and somewhat arid. This has the effect of sucking your moisture out of you without you realizing it. Staying hydrated, in my opinion, is mission number one when setting up for a self supported ride in the Flint Hills.

The Gen I Fargo is a bicycle that has a lot of braze ons for water bottle cages. This along with the Wolf Tooth B Rad System afforded me the opportunity to carry six water bottles of water. I could have gone with seven, but the lowest, down tube mounted bottle I reserved for my tool kit. I'll talk about the B Rad System in more detail in a separate review, but (spoiler alert), it works. I was glad I got that before the trip.

The capabilities of the B Rad equipped Gen I Fargo allowed me to get by without a hydration back pack. I carried nothing at all on my back except a few odd things in jersey pockets. This allowed me to not have to suffer the beat down of 3 liters of water on my back over Kansan gravel roads. I had plenty of water, but given the conditions this time, I wasn't really tested in this.

You can see my Bike Bag Dude "Chaff" bag hanging in the front of my bike here.

The Bike Bag Dude's Chaff Bags have been a staple of my set ups over the past 5 years or so now. I would not ever do a long, extended tour or day ride without at least one of these on my bicycle.

This time I used the single Chaff Bag I took for tube and tool storage, along with the convenience of having a quick place to shove used almond butter packets and other trash. I attached this bag to my Bar Yak System.

The Bar Yak System I use is a combination of the load bars, aero carbon bar ends with a titanium cross bar, and the Pergrine Arm Rests. I also attached the Q; Pro cue sheet holder to the load bars. The cue sheet holder is awesome and probably something I should have had a long time ago. The Bar Yak arm rests and aero bar end set up allows me to relieve hand pressure and prevent numbness. Obviously it is more aero as well. The load bars are a great place to strap an under the bar roll or, as in my case, the Chaff Bag. I even mount my light off the Ti cross bar, so there is that bit of versatility to take advantage of here as well.

I did not use a frame bag or traditional "under the top tube" half bag/tank bag/triangle sort of deal this time. First, it really doesn't work to have that and all the water bottles on the bike. Secondly, I was trying to minimize my kit. I did use my Bike Bag Dude Garage top tube "fuel tank style" bag. I also used a just acquired Carousel Designs top tube bag that is most like a "Jerry Can" from Revelate, but kind of different. In the Garage Bag I stowed food, a few small tools, lip balm, and other items I wanted quick access to. In the Carousel Designs bag I stowed my Lezyne mini pump and all my maps I needed.

Luxy Bar, Gevenalle shifters, Bar Yak, Terrene Honali tires, and my Trelock Control Ion light are seen here.

I did not use a saddle/seat tube mounted bag, although I brought one by Banjo Brothers in the event I thought I might need to carry rain gear. The improved forecast ixnayed that choice from the final set up.

I also swapped out my BodyFloat seat post for my Salsa Cycles Ti Regulator post. I did that mostly so I had the option to run a saddle/seat post mounted bag, but in the end I think it worked out well in terms of comfort. It isn't as compliant as the BodyFloat, but it feels better when climbing because it isn't as compliant as the BodyFloat post. I missed the BodyFloat on the copious amounts of washboard road, but other than that, no. The saddle was changed to a WTB Pure, by the way. A Brooks Cambium will get put on at some point.

The Terrene Honali tires were really nice. See my RidingGravel.com review here. 

Clothing was my new RidingGravel.com kit with a Bontrager base layer tank underneath. Thin wool socks, 8"ers, and my Shimano three strap mtb shoes were on my feet. On my head I had a Twin Six cycling hat and my Bontrager helmet. Eyewear was from Oakley.

Nutrition was basically Epic pemmican bars and Justin's Almond Butter packets.I did have some salty chips and the Budweiser. I used Gu energy electrolyte tabs since I forgot my Elete at home. I drank 11 bottles of water throughout the ride.

Comments: Mentally I used a couple "mantras" on this ride. One was "Shift early-shift often." I said this at the beginning of almost every hill. I have a tendency to mash, so I used this little phrase as a way to remind myself to shift and spin. The other was "Enjoy the ride". Sounds simple, but this helped when I found myself suffering, or going too hard. If I was hurting, I tried to focus on things around me that brought me joy or put a smile on my face. If I was going too hard, it was a way that I could limit my output and be more attentive to burning up too many matches.

I also allowed myself to take as many images as I wanted to. This was about enjoyment, not racing. I wanted to take in as much as I could on this ride. That said, when I got back, had showered, and had walked down to the start line, there werestill riders coming in for their DK100 Half Pint finish. So, maybe I should start "racing" the way I rode the DK My Way!

Friday News And Views

Welcome to the first "Friday News And Views" of 2017. The traditions for this series of posts runs back all the way to the beginnings of this blog. You can expect a near weekly edition throughout the year.......

Design for the new Pirate Cycling League kits.

 New Pirate Cycling League Kit Design:

Okay, first off, I don't know anything about how to get this, or even if you will be able to for sure, so there is that. I was tagged on Facebook by the graphic design company that did the work on this. That's all I know for sure.

That said, usually around this time of the year we see a new design from those piratey-Pirates of the League. I've gotten their kits before and wear them proudly. I imagine that we will get "official word" about "how" and "when" and "how much" sometime soon.

By the way, the Pirate Cycling League are the guys and gals that bring you Gravel Worlds, so you should click that link and go see the news about that event. (And the super-rad new graphics they have up) If you have ever attended the Gravel Worlds event, you know it is a "family reunion" of gravel freaks, a party, a super cool ride, and a big challenge. If you can't tell, I am a big fan of what they do and I heartily recommend that you experience the fun.

I just may have to add this little number to my collection of gravel cycling wear. It would be a good way to celebrate my finish of the event last year.

Or maybe I should get the "PCL Army" look.

More fashionable gravel cycling wear for 2017

Riding Gravel Jersey:

The jersey parade keeps on going here today with a bit of news about the RidingGravel.com jersey offering for 2017. Now this one I can say really will be available. The final designs were signed off on just a wee bit ago and once everything is ready to go on the manufacturing end, RidingGravel.com will put the word out on how to pre-order this jersey, bibs, vest, arm warmers, and knee warmers.

This will be my main kit going into 2017 for events and organized rides, since, well.......I am part owner at Riding Gravel after all. I figured I'd better fly the colors if we had them to fly. Now we will, and others will be able to get thier RG freak on as well soon.

I do know that this jersey will be a very limited time offer, so when the pre-order goes live you should pull the trigger and not waffle on this. Once the order goes in, I doubt we will do another run unless we get overwhelmed with requests. Hey.......it could happen. Realistically? Probably not, so don't bank on being able to grab one of these later. Just letting you all who might be interested know ahead of time.

And also- I have no idea yet what any of the above jerseys will be going for. 

Yep......you guessed it! Registration is TOMORROW for the DK200, by the way.

 DK200 Registration TOMORROW!

Ah what the heck! I figured I'd keep the jersey theme going. Why not?!

The real info here you need to have is that the Dirty Kanza 200 registration is TOMORROW at 8:00am CST.

Don't snooze yer way past 8:00am CST or you will most certainly NOT get into this event. Spots go in mere minutes once the floodgates open and I suspect tomorrow there will be a new record for sell out on the 2200 spots that span the event distances on offer. Last year the Half Pint 100 sold out in less than half an hour.

The highly coveted registration spots will go in a big hurry, but like anything, many times folks end up getting in to situations or experiencing life changes that prevent them from coming to Emporia Kansas for the event. At RidingGravel.com you can check out this thread on the forums especially set up to facilitate the exchange of information to help you find entries that are up for grabs. The entire process is carefully explained there, so check that out if for some reason you don't get a spot for the event. Also, we did a podcast where I interviewed LeLan Dains and Jim Cummings of the DK Promotions company. You can listen to what is up for the 2017 DK200 HERE.

Thanks for reading all the gravelly news that was fit to digitize today. Have a safe, warm, and enjoyable weekend.

Friday News And Views

Welcome to the first "Friday News And Views" of 2017. The traditions for this series of posts runs back all the way to the beginnings of this blog. You can expect a near weekly edition throughout the year.......

Design for the new Pirate Cycling League kits.

 New Pirate Cycling League Kit Design:

Okay, first off, I don't know anything about how to get this, or even if you will be able to for sure, so there is that. I was tagged on Facebook by the graphic design company that did the work on this. That's all I know for sure.

That said, usually around this time of the year we see a new design from those piratey-Pirates of the League. I've gotten their kits before and wear them proudly. I imagine that we will get "official word" about "how" and "when" and "how much" sometime soon.

By the way, the Pirate Cycling League are the guys and gals that bring you Gravel Worlds, so you should click that link and go see the news about that event. (And the super-rad new graphics they have up) If you have ever attended the Gravel Worlds event, you know it is a "family reunion" of gravel freaks, a party, a super cool ride, and a big challenge. If you can't tell, I am a big fan of what they do and I heartily recommend that you experience the fun.

I just may have to add this little number to my collection of gravel cycling wear. It would be a good way to celebrate my finish of the event last year.

Or maybe I should get the "PCL Army" look.

More fashionable gravel cycling wear for 2017

Riding Gravel Jersey:

The jersey parade keeps on going here today with a bit of news about the RidingGravel.com jersey offering for 2017. Now this one I can say really will be available. The final designs were signed off on just a wee bit ago and once everything is ready to go on the manufacturing end, RidingGravel.com will put the word out on how to pre-order this jersey, bibs, vest, arm warmers, and knee warmers.

This will be my main kit going into 2017 for events and organized rides, since, well.......I am part owner at Riding Gravel after all. I figured I'd better fly the colors if we had them to fly. Now we will, and others will be able to get thier RG freak on as well soon.

I do know that this jersey will be a very limited time offer, so when the pre-order goes live you should pull the trigger and not waffle on this. Once the order goes in, I doubt we will do another run unless we get overwhelmed with requests. Hey.......it could happen. Realistically? Probably not, so don't bank on being able to grab one of these later. Just letting you all who might be interested know ahead of time.

And also- I have no idea yet what any of the above jerseys will be going for. 

Yep......you guessed it! Registration is TOMORROW for the DK200, by the way.

 DK200 Registration TOMORROW!

Ah what the heck! I figured I'd keep the jersey theme going. Why not?!

The real info here you need to have is that the Dirty Kanza 200 registration is TOMORROW at 8:00am CST.

Don't snooze yer way past 8:00am CST or you will most certainly NOT get into this event. Spots go in mere minutes once the floodgates open and I suspect tomorrow there will be a new record for sell out on the 2200 spots that span the event distances on offer. Last year the Half Pint 100 sold out in less than half an hour.

The highly coveted registration spots will go in a big hurry, but like anything, many times folks end up getting in to situations or experiencing life changes that prevent them from coming to Emporia Kansas for the event. At RidingGravel.com you can check out this thread on the forums especially set up to facilitate the exchange of information to help you find entries that are up for grabs. The entire process is carefully explained there, so check that out if for some reason you don't get a spot for the event. Also, we did a podcast where I interviewed LeLan Dains and Jim Cummings of the DK Promotions company. You can listen to what is up for the 2017 DK200 HERE.

Thanks for reading all the gravelly news that was fit to digitize today. Have a safe, warm, and enjoyable weekend.

Sooner Or Later?

Riding into the future or off to the sunset?

I remember several years ago that I had a Facebook message-fest with a rider that had the opinion that the "gravel scene" was going to change fundamentally due to the influx of "competitive road racers" who would bring in a different feel to gravel events. There would be no more of the "gentleman's" rules and there may even come a time when "real rules" and governing bodies would wiggle into the gravel road racing scene.

I also see stories in mainstream cycling media stating that the downturn in the American road racing scene is a big issue that needs to be addressed. One of the several ways suggested to bolster that ailing racing scene is to tap into the burgeoning gravel road racing scene. It is no secret that USAC has already taken a hard look at this and is already trying to woo promoters over to their ways and means of doing things.

As I sit and contemplate these things on a chilly late November evening, I am happy to say that the predictions of the inevitable fall of the gravel racing scene into a similar morass that the road racing scene seems to find itself in has not materialized. I am happy to see that the tentacles of governing bodes and sanctioning have not reached into the heart of the gravel racing scene and ripped its heart out.  I am sure that there are those that feel it is a "sooner rather than later" situation. That at some point, yes, even gravel racing will be found to be as rotten for many as other forms of racing seem to be. Maybe for a few it already is there.

A "family reunion" at Gravel Worlds registration at Cycle Works in Lincoln, NE.

I guess I have held back from writing about this for a while, mostly because I feel a bit too close to gravel racing and riding. Of course I am biased. Why wouldn't I be? But then I am reminded that I have been around the rise of this scene since the beginning of it all and I have paid particular attention to it all along. Some folks call me names that infer that I am some sort of "father" to this deal. I don't say that about myself, and maybe I downplay it, but according to some folks I have a say in this. So here are my thoughts.......

In my humble opinion, there isn't any reason to believe that the gravel racing and riding scene will end up getting to the point that road racing finds itself in now. How can I say this? Well, there were signs, and still are signs, that gravel road racing, at any rate, is an experience that many promoters understand intimately. Because of that they offer that same experience to others. That resonates with riders and since this is the case, we see things like the Land Run 100 selling out 1000 spots to its 2017 event in two hours and twenty minutes. We see things like the Dirty Kanza 200 selling out in hours as well, with 2000 riders total. The demand to have the chance to be part of the "family" and have a social and physical experience, the likes of which is not offered by any other form of cycling, is still on the rise. Obviously it is. That much is fact.

The people involved are what makes it work like it does. (Image courtesy of C. Parsons)

This is why other forms of cycling may be seeing declining numbers. This may explain why road racing seems to be having a tough go. It is maybe why articles about USAC are being published that are stating losses in revenue. I see the gravel road rides and gravel road races being a very different experience than other forms of organized cycling events.

 People come to these gravel based cycling events and they know they will be accepted. They know that there isn't a hierarchy based upon classes, points, categories, or what have you. People understand that you can show up on a Schwinn Collegiate converted to single speed and get the same amount of respect and acceptance as a guy on the latest Open Cycles UP rig. People understand that if you need help out on the course, someone, or five, will offer you assistance. In the gravel scene, there basically is only one rule. That is, "Don't be a dick", to put it bluntly. It seems to have been a widely accepted, respected, and followed rule, as far as I can tell.

There is also a social element to the gravel road racing scene that may be as big a part for many as the riding itself. At the gravel race, you simply do not just show up and ride. You come early to mingle and stay late to swap stories over adult beverages. Many events foster this by offering pre-race events, days ahead of the riding in some cases, and often post race gatherings. Some will offer the rider both. The chance to interact with fellow riders, (I wouldn't go so far as to say "competitors", because that isn't the case), will forge new friendships and reunite old friends in a way that I haven't seen in other competitive cycling events.

 I think it also must be mentioned that gravel races or rides don't require special, hard to create, hard to get to venues. Most places have roads where the surfaces are unpaved and the traffic counts are super low. That has made the creation of routes and rides easy to do. Trying to set up a road race, criterium, or even to find a good venue for mountain bike events is much more difficult to do, in my opinion. 

As long as promoters and riders still "get it", gravel racing and riding will be around a long time.

So, while road racing seems to be in decline here, and governing bodies scramble to find ways to rejuvenate their reason for being, the gravel scene is thriving. I think if the pundits in the media and those in the industry of structured cycling governance were to be completely honest with themselves they would easily agree that the rise in gravel road riding and racing was, in part, a reaction to what they stand for by common riders. The folks that are looking to escape a multitude of rules, structure that seems arbitrary, and escaping from paying fees that seem to not bring the riders any real value, are attracted to the gravel scene. There they find no license fees, no arbitrary categories, and the rules are basic and easily understood. There is a challenge to this type of cycling that is new, exciting, and pushes riders to discover new things about themselves, others, and their world. Places to hold these events are easily obtained and easy to get to.  There is the chance to ride all day with like minded folks, enjoy camaraderie, and make new friends over a beer afterward, or beforehand. I just don't think that traditional modes of cycling offer such things.

There may come a day when the whole deal fades away, gets "ruined" by something or another, or is superseded by something else we haven't discovered yet on two wheels. But until that day comes, I don't think we need to worry too much about this form of cycling getting sullied by things like too many sanctions or what have you. As long as the promoters and the riders "get it", this scene will keep kicking up dust for years to come.

Sooner Or Later?

Riding into the future or off to the sunset?

I remember several years ago that I had a Facebook message-fest with a rider that had the opinion that the "gravel scene" was going to change fundamentally due to the influx of "competitive road racers" who would bring in a different feel to gravel events. There would be no more of the "gentleman's" rules and there may even come a time when "real rules" and governing bodies would wiggle into the gravel road racing scene.

I also see stories in mainstream cycling media stating that the downturn in the American road racing scene is a big issue that needs to be addressed. One of the several ways suggested to bolster that ailing racing scene is to tap into the burgeoning gravel road racing scene. It is no secret that USAC has already taken a hard look at this and is already trying to woo promoters over to their ways and means of doing things.

As I sit and contemplate these things on a chilly late November evening, I am happy to say that the predictions of the inevitable fall of the gravel racing scene into a similar morass that the road racing scene seems to find itself in has not materialized. I am happy to see that the tentacles of governing bodes and sanctioning have not reached into the heart of the gravel racing scene and ripped its heart out.  I am sure that there are those that feel it is a "sooner rather than later" situation. That at some point, yes, even gravel racing will be found to be as rotten for many as other forms of racing seem to be. Maybe for a few it already is there.

A "family reunion" at Gravel Worlds registration at Cycle Works in Lincoln, NE.

I guess I have held back from writing about this for a while, mostly because I feel a bit too close to gravel racing and riding. Of course I am biased. Why wouldn't I be? But then I am reminded that I have been around the rise of this scene since the beginning of it all and I have paid particular attention to it all along. Some folks call me names that infer that I am some sort of "father" to this deal. I don't say that about myself, and maybe I downplay it, but according to some folks I have a say in this. So here are my thoughts.......

In my humble opinion, there isn't any reason to believe that the gravel racing and riding scene will end up getting to the point that road racing finds itself in now. How can I say this? Well, there were signs, and still are signs, that gravel road racing, at any rate, is an experience that many promoters understand intimately. Because of that they offer that same experience to others. That resonates with riders and since this is the case, we see things like the Land Run 100 selling out 1000 spots to its 2017 event in two hours and twenty minutes. We see things like the Dirty Kanza 200 selling out in hours as well, with 2000 riders total. The demand to have the chance to be part of the "family" and have a social and physical experience, the likes of which is not offered by any other form of cycling, is still on the rise. Obviously it is. That much is fact.

The people involved are what makes it work like it does. (Image courtesy of C. Parsons)

This is why other forms of cycling may be seeing declining numbers. This may explain why road racing seems to be having a tough go. It is maybe why articles about USAC are being published that are stating losses in revenue. I see the gravel road rides and gravel road races being a very different experience than other forms of organized cycling events.

 People come to these gravel based cycling events and they know they will be accepted. They know that there isn't a hierarchy based upon classes, points, categories, or what have you. People understand that you can show up on a Schwinn Collegiate converted to single speed and get the same amount of respect and acceptance as a guy on the latest Open Cycles UP rig. People understand that if you need help out on the course, someone, or five, will offer you assistance. In the gravel scene, there basically is only one rule. That is, "Don't be a dick", to put it bluntly. It seems to have been a widely accepted, respected, and followed rule, as far as I can tell.

There is also a social element to the gravel road racing scene that may be as big a part for many as the riding itself. At the gravel race, you simply do not just show up and ride. You come early to mingle and stay late to swap stories over adult beverages. Many events foster this by offering pre-race events, days ahead of the riding in some cases, and often post race gatherings. Some will offer the rider both. The chance to interact with fellow riders, (I wouldn't go so far as to say "competitors", because that isn't the case), will forge new friendships and reunite old friends in a way that I haven't seen in other competitive cycling events.

 I think it also must be mentioned that gravel races or rides don't require special, hard to create, hard to get to venues. Most places have roads where the surfaces are unpaved and the traffic counts are super low. That has made the creation of routes and rides easy to do. Trying to set up a road race, criterium, or even to find a good venue for mountain bike events is much more difficult to do, in my opinion. 

As long as promoters and riders still "get it", gravel racing and riding will be around a long time.

So, while road racing seems to be in decline here, and governing bodies scramble to find ways to rejuvenate their reason for being, the gravel scene is thriving. I think if the pundits in the media and those in the industry of structured cycling governance were to be completely honest with themselves they would easily agree that the rise in gravel road riding and racing was, in part, a reaction to what they stand for by common riders. The folks that are looking to escape a multitude of rules, structure that seems arbitrary, and escaping from paying fees that seem to not bring the riders any real value, are attracted to the gravel scene. There they find no license fees, no arbitrary categories, and the rules are basic and easily understood. There is a challenge to this type of cycling that is new, exciting, and pushes riders to discover new things about themselves, others, and their world. Places to hold these events are easily obtained and easy to get to.  There is the chance to ride all day with like minded folks, enjoy camaraderie, and make new friends over a beer afterward, or beforehand. I just don't think that traditional modes of cycling offer such things.

There may come a day when the whole deal fades away, gets "ruined" by something or another, or is superseded by something else we haven't discovered yet on two wheels. But until that day comes, I don't think we need to worry too much about this form of cycling getting sullied by things like too many sanctions or what have you. As long as the promoters and the riders "get it", this scene will keep kicking up dust for years to come.

The Kanza Ride: Blowing Up

Room and board at ESU: Air conditioning? - maybe.

That wasn't the best night's sleep I ever had. Chalk it up to a good rehearsal for the 4:00 am wake up call for Saturday. Yes.....we woke up in a sweaty mess at 4:00am. There wasn't a breath of air coming in the wide open window either.

Breakfast was had, then we had purposed to go check out the expo area downtown and especially the Brooks saddle tent. There would be a demo fleet of saddles which one could swap into their bike and give a try. Swapping saddles the day before your big event? Yeah....some people went for it. That meant that when the demo ride was over, they would have to swap their own saddle back in, and well, you know, you should never change anything on your bike a day before an event. Never. Some folks were daring though. Kudos to all of them. I would not have done that, and Tony didn't either, but we still wanted to check out the rare and high end C-13 Cambium with a carbon cradle. It was really light, but it was also really narrow! Too narrow for my caboose, that's for sure!

The other plan that came to be was that we had run into Michael and Josh, two guys we know from our gravel travels, and we were to do a shakedown ride that morning. We finally met up with them, and then we watched as the over 100 strong "demo/pre-ride" ride went off on their journey. One hundred plus riders? That's probably more than a few early Dirty Kanza's had for entire fields. It was pretty impressive.

Brooks demo saddles- The carbon C-13 is to the left here. 

Trans Iowa finisher, Dirty Kanza 200 finisher. That's the UK's Paul Errington right there doing his best at the Brooks demo.

After the throng of riders set off, we did as well, but just us four. It was a nice group and we endeavored to only ride out for a few miles or so, then turn back and go get some lunch somewhere. Michael actually decided to turn back sooner than we three had a mind to, so we waved goodbye to him and turned our faces back to the road ahead. We were about to pass under the turnpike when I heard a strange sound, or rather, a series of sounds.

Whump! Whump! Whump! Whump! BOOM!

My rear tire was flat! Okay......what the.......!!!

After four years and more of use, the casing fails internally, and air pressure did the rest. KA-BOOM!!

 The problem was caused by a few things. One- A tire not meant to be tubeless, but I ran it that way anyway. This isn't always a good idea, but in this case, it lasted almost five years. Secondly, the casing, which was a light XC racing casing, just wasn't meant to withstand this sort of abuse, and the fabric separated due to stress. Thirdly, when the previous happens, air can get between the casing and the tread and separate it, which causes a "bubble" and then that can explode. Well, that's exactly what happened to me. Now what?

I removed the tire, and while I did that, Tony got out his small roll of Gorilla Tape, and the plan was to apply that inside the casing where the fabric had separated. The tread, which was separated from the casing, was another matter. Once I got my spare tube in and partially inflated on the rim, I decided that wrapping the entire tire and rim at the point of the rupture was going to have to do. It looked rather cartoonish, but I figured that it would get me back home.

The fix worked! Here is what it looked like after getting back to Emporia.

I had noted that we crossed a chip sealed road not long before I flatted, and Josh, with his Garmin device, confirmed that it would take us back to Emporia via a few curves. This was going to be easier on the repair, I figured, so I suggested that we cruise back that way. Tony and Josh agreed, and much to my amazement, the repair held. I made it back! So, once again, now what? 

Michael (R) and Tony on the ride out.

 

Josh getting all aero behind me as I cruised back into Emporia on my repaired tire.

The expo area at the cordoned off street section in front of the DK Promotions offices had several vendors and there I searched for a possibility of obtaining new tires. I figured on replacing both of them, since the front Ikon, being of the same age as the rear one, was likely at some point to fail in a similar manner. No need to experience that again! Nip that in the bud!

I ran across Jim Cummings, one of the directors of the Dirty Kanza 200, and he directed me to go to the Sunflower Outdoor and Bike's pop-up store within the DK Promotions building. In the meantime, we saw many people we knew and lots of cool stuff. I was a bit distracted, so the operation of getting tires fitted to my bicycle took a bit longer than I had anticipated it to.

Joe and Tina Stiller's custom Eriksen tandem bicycle.

I finally got the tires, a pair of 60TPI Sparwood models from Teravail, and brought my bicycle in to the mechanics working on site for Sunflower Outdoor and Bike. It was odd being "on the other side of the counter", as it were, but I get it. These guys are busting their butts trying to make a living, just like I do when I am "on duty". This day was a vacation day for me, so I let the guys that were getting paid do the work. Well, that was until the mechanic needed some help.

One of the things I hate about a hectic situation is that I never remember names when things are going fast and furious. So, I need to apologize up front to the man who was helping me out, because he deserves credit for going above and beyond in his trying to help me out. He was hitting a wall called Stan's No Tubes versus the Rest Of The Tubeless Tire World, and that wasn't the mechanic's fault. My rims are Sun-Ringle' designed, which are based upon Stan's No Tubes bead seat diameter, which is slightly bigger in diameter than what a tubeless tire bead is designed to fit these days. I know, maybe you are confused, but trust me- we mechanic's know this. He understood it was going to be a struggle, and he gave it his best effort. I was handed the tire to see if I could manage the feat, and after a bit of struggle, I found the technique that won the day. I ended up mounting the last bead of both tires for the mechanic, but not before I broke my own tire lever doing it. Hopefully, these won't need to be fixed in the field at anytime, but if they do, I sure hope the bead of the tire stretches some!

I celebrated the tire victory with a pint of Big Grin. #biggrin

I paid the cashier, who was the son of the first DK200 winner, Dan Hughes, for the tires and service, then we went out and wandered around. Finally we went off to get some food. There are some great restaurants in downtown Emporia, and we ate some really good barbecue sandwiches at Bobby D's Merchant Street BBQ. You almost cannot go wrong with food downtown in Emporia. I haven't been disappointed yet.

The next stop was the Pre-race Meeting, so we attended that. It was the usual fare, and when we were able to get out of the Grenada Theater, we walked around aimlessly for a bit. The hours wound away and Tony reminded me that I wanted to "tip" the mechanic that helped me, so we found the liquor store and I bought a sixer of tallboys for him. We walked it over in a big brown paper bag and he was pretty stoked when he looked inside. Good deed done, we went off and then ran into Michael, Josh, and a few others who were talking about getting something to eat.

We weren't too motivated, and when we found out most of the Dirty Kanza participants were also wanting to eat, forcing up to two hour wait times, we bailed out and went looking on our own for some grub. Tony and I ended up getting a bite to eat on the far side of town. Then we came back to our cinder block palace for what we hoped would be a more comfortable night of sleep. The air conditioning was fixed! However; the air conditioning game at ESU was weak. The air outside was cooler than the air in our room.

Windows open then with the alarm set for 4am......

Next: From One Extreme To Another

The Kanza Ride: Blowing Up

Room and board at ESU: Air conditioning? - maybe.

That wasn't the best night's sleep I ever had. Chalk it up to a good rehearsal for the 4:00 am wake up call for Saturday. Yes.....we woke up in a sweaty mess at 4:00am. There wasn't a breath of air coming in the wide open window either.

Breakfast was had, then we had purposed to go check out the expo area downtown and especially the Brooks saddle tent. There would be a demo fleet of saddles which one could swap into their bike and give a try. Swapping saddles the day before your big event? Yeah....some people went for it. That meant that when the demo ride was over, they would have to swap their own saddle back in, and well, you know, you should never change anything on your bike a day before an event. Never. Some folks were daring though. Kudos to all of them. I would not have done that, and Tony didn't either, but we still wanted to check out the rare and high end C-13 Cambium with a carbon cradle. It was really light, but it was also really narrow! Too narrow for my caboose, that's for sure!

The other plan that came to be was that we had run into Michael and Josh, two guys we know from our gravel travels, and we were to do a shakedown ride that morning. We finally met up with them, and then we watched as the over 100 strong "demo/pre-ride" ride went off on their journey. One hundred plus riders? That's probably more than a few early Dirty Kanza's had for entire fields. It was pretty impressive.

Brooks demo saddles- The carbon C-13 is to the left here. 

Trans Iowa finisher, Dirty Kanza 200 finisher. That's the UK's Paul Errington right there doing his best at the Brooks demo.

After the throng of riders set off, we did as well, but just us four. It was a nice group and we endeavored to only ride out for a few miles or so, then turn back and go get some lunch somewhere. Michael actually decided to turn back sooner than we three had a mind to, so we waved goodbye to him and turned our faces back to the road ahead. We were about to pass under the turnpike when I heard a strange sound, or rather, a series of sounds.

Whump! Whump! Whump! Whump! BOOM!

My rear tire was flat! Okay......what the.......!!!

After four years and more of use, the casing fails internally, and air pressure did the rest. KA-BOOM!!

 The problem was caused by a few things. One- A tire not meant to be tubeless, but I ran it that way anyway. This isn't always a good idea, but in this case, it lasted almost five years. Secondly, the casing, which was a light XC racing casing, just wasn't meant to withstand this sort of abuse, and the fabric separated due to stress. Thirdly, when the previous happens, air can get between the casing and the tread and separate it, which causes a "bubble" and then that can explode. Well, that's exactly what happened to me. Now what?

I removed the tire, and while I did that, Tony got out his small roll of Gorilla Tape, and the plan was to apply that inside the casing where the fabric had separated. The tread, which was separated from the casing, was another matter. Once I got my spare tube in and partially inflated on the rim, I decided that wrapping the entire tire and rim at the point of the rupture was going to have to do. It looked rather cartoonish, but I figured that it would get me back home.

The fix worked! Here is what it looked like after getting back to Emporia.

I had noted that we crossed a chip sealed road not long before I flatted, and Josh, with his Garmin device, confirmed that it would take us back to Emporia via a few curves. This was going to be easier on the repair, I figured, so I suggested that we cruise back that way. Tony and Josh agreed, and much to my amazement, the repair held. I made it back! So, once again, now what? 

Michael (R) and Tony on the ride out.

 

Josh getting all aero behind me as I cruised back into Emporia on my repaired tire.

The expo area at the cordoned off street section in front of the DK Promotions offices had several vendors and there I searched for a possibility of obtaining new tires. I figured on replacing both of them, since the front Ikon, being of the same age as the rear one, was likely at some point to fail in a similar manner. No need to experience that again! Nip that in the bud!

I ran across Jim Cummings, one of the directors of the Dirty Kanza 200, and he directed me to go to the Sunflower Outdoor and Bike's pop-up store within the DK Promotions building. In the meantime, we saw many people we knew and lots of cool stuff. I was a bit distracted, so the operation of getting tires fitted to my bicycle took a bit longer than I had anticipated it to.

Joe and Tina Stiller's custom Eriksen tandem bicycle.

I finally got the tires, a pair of 60TPI Sparwood models from Teravail, and brought my bicycle in to the mechanics working on site for Sunflower Outdoor and Bike. It was odd being "on the other side of the counter", as it were, but I get it. These guys are busting their butts trying to make a living, just like I do when I am "on duty". This day was a vacation day for me, so I let the guys that were getting paid do the work. Well, that was until the mechanic needed some help.

One of the things I hate about a hectic situation is that I never remember names when things are going fast and furious. So, I need to apologize up front to the man who was helping me out, because he deserves credit for going above and beyond in his trying to help me out. He was hitting a wall called Stan's No Tubes versus the Rest Of The Tubeless Tire World, and that wasn't the mechanic's fault. My rims are Sun-Ringle' designed, which are based upon Stan's No Tubes bead seat diameter, which is slightly bigger in diameter than what a tubeless tire bead is designed to fit these days. I know, maybe you are confused, but trust me- we mechanic's know this. He understood it was going to be a struggle, and he gave it his best effort. I was handed the tire to see if I could manage the feat, and after a bit of struggle, I found the technique that won the day. I ended up mounting the last bead of both tires for the mechanic, but not before I broke my own tire lever doing it. Hopefully, these won't need to be fixed in the field at anytime, but if they do, I sure hope the bead of the tire stretches some!

I celebrated the tire victory with a pint of Big Grin. #biggrin

I paid the cashier, who was the son of the first DK200 winner, Dan Hughes, for the tires and service, then we went out and wandered around. Finally we went off to get some food. There are some great restaurants in downtown Emporia, and we ate some really good barbecue sandwiches at Bobby D's Merchant Street BBQ. You almost cannot go wrong with food downtown in Emporia. I haven't been disappointed yet.

The next stop was the Pre-race Meeting, so we attended that. It was the usual fare, and when we were able to get out of the Grenada Theater, we walked around aimlessly for a bit. The hours wound away and Tony reminded me that I wanted to "tip" the mechanic that helped me, so we found the liquor store and I bought a sixer of tallboys for him. We walked it over in a big brown paper bag and he was pretty stoked when he looked inside. Good deed done, we went off and then ran into Michael, Josh, and a few others who were talking about getting something to eat.

We weren't too motivated, and when we found out most of the Dirty Kanza participants were also wanting to eat, forcing up to two hour wait times, we bailed out and went looking on our own for some grub. Tony and I ended up getting a bite to eat on the far side of town. Then we came back to our cinder block palace for what we hoped would be a more comfortable night of sleep. The air conditioning was fixed! However; the air conditioning game at ESU was weak. The air outside was cooler than the air in our room.

Windows open then with the alarm set for 4am......

Next: From One Extreme To Another

Minus Ten Review- 21

The one and only checkpoint at the first DK200- That's my Inbred there.

Ten years ago this week on the blog I ran down more of my Dirty Kanza 200 experience. It didn't end the way I wanted it to, but it went like about the rest of my attempts have- I start out well, run out of water, get hot, and fade to black.

It's been like that at almost every hot, dry gravel event I've ever done. I have a lot of trouble in heat. Still......I keep on trying. I know....... I'm insane.

Anyway, the event was so tiny and grassroots, "under the radar" that I almost laughed when I went back and researched this for the post today. I mean- just look at this image. Can you imagine that this is a checkpoint image from a Dirty Kanza event? That table and tent is the checkpoint folks. That was it! You all know that the Dirty Kanza is about a universe away from where it came from in those days, right? I mean.....wow! It really hit me when I think about this and my experience that I had at the DK200 last year.

Then the other thing was my bike. I just got that frame back again, and I was thinking how a lot of the parts are long gone now. But, actually, they are not. I realized that I put that seat post mounted water bottle cage on that Salsa Shaft seat post in 2006, and then I transferred that over to my OS Bikes Blackbuck in '07, where it stayed until last year. Then I moved it to my 1X1 Surly. Only the saddle was changed. The head set is still in my Blackbuck, and the brake levers are on that bike yet too. The crank is on my Pofahl, and I still have the rear hub in a fat bike wheel. Good parts never leave you, even though the bikes may move on, eh?

So, will I try to recreate that build? Nah! I'll do another one, but I still haven't figured out whether or not it will be a geared or single speed build.

Minus Ten Review- 21

The one and only checkpoint at the first DK200- That's my Inbred there.

Ten years ago this week on the blog I ran down more of my Dirty Kanza 200 experience. It didn't end the way I wanted it to, but it went like about the rest of my attempts have- I start out well, run out of water, get hot, and fade to black.

It's been like that at almost every hot, dry gravel event I've ever done. I have a lot of trouble in heat. Still......I keep on trying. I know....... I'm insane.

Anyway, the event was so tiny and grassroots, "under the radar" that I almost laughed when I went back and researched this for the post today. I mean- just look at this image. Can you imagine that this is a checkpoint image from a Dirty Kanza event? That table and tent is the checkpoint folks. That was it! You all know that the Dirty Kanza is about a universe away from where it came from in those days, right? I mean.....wow! It really hit me when I think about this and my experience that I had at the DK200 last year.

Then the other thing was my bike. I just got that frame back again, and I was thinking how a lot of the parts are long gone now. But, actually, they are not. I realized that I put that seat post mounted water bottle cage on that Salsa Shaft seat post in 2006, and then I transferred that over to my OS Bikes Blackbuck in '07, where it stayed until last year. Then I moved it to my 1X1 Surly. Only the saddle was changed. The head set is still in my Blackbuck, and the brake levers are on that bike yet too. The crank is on my Pofahl, and I still have the rear hub in a fat bike wheel. Good parts never leave you, even though the bikes may move on, eh?

So, will I try to recreate that build? Nah! I'll do another one, but I still haven't figured out whether or not it will be a geared or single speed build.

#biggrin Memorial Fund

Joel Dyke- Image courtesy of Dirty Kanza 200

A memorial fund for the late Joel Dyke has been set up to help Joel's widow Michele and his son and unborn child now and in the coming months and weeks.

If you don't know, Joel was co-founder of the Dirty Kanza 200 gravel grinder, an accomplished cyclist and a fixture of the Kansas City cycling scene. Joel is responsible for helping to kick off the gravel scene as it stands today and was a staunch supporter of grassroots, self-supported type gravel events. He has touched many of our lives and he will be deeply missed.

Joel Dyke lost his life in an accident in his workshop at home sometime late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning last weekend. Apparently he succumbed to injuries incurred when he fell off a ladder. 

Please consider helping out. Click the link and see how you can help out.

I understand that a memorial ride will be happening out of Trek Bikes of Kansas city bike shop on Saturday, if you are local to the area, maybe you could show your respect and support in this manner.

#biggrin Memorial Fund

Joel Dyke- Image courtesy of Dirty Kanza 200

A memorial fund for the late Joel Dyke has been set up to help Joel's widow Michele and his son and unborn child now and in the coming months and weeks.

If you don't know, Joel was co-founder of the Dirty Kanza 200 gravel grinder, an accomplished cyclist and a fixture of the Kansas City cycling scene. Joel is responsible for helping to kick off the gravel scene as it stands today and was a staunch supporter of grassroots, self-supported type gravel events. He has touched many of our lives and he will be deeply missed.

Joel Dyke lost his life in an accident in his workshop at home sometime late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning last weekend. Apparently he succumbed to injuries incurred when he fell off a ladder. 

Please consider helping out. Click the link and see how you can help out.

I understand that a memorial ride will be happening out of Trek Bikes of Kansas city bike shop on Saturday, if you are local to the area, maybe you could show your respect and support in this manner.