Friday News And Views

5DEV direct mount chain wheel as shared on their social media.

 The Colorful Edition of the FN&V!

Fashion Plates?

I've been noticing a trend of late on social media. Bicycles with derailleur drive trains being shown with 'pie plate' style, solid chain wheels as 1X drive rings. 

I first noted this back in 2022 at the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame shindig in Emporia, Kansas. I noted a Stormchaser single speed with a brilliant purple, solid chain wheel. 

Then I found out that Absolute Black does a 'pie plate' style ring, which is supposedly aero. It is a rather stark, unusual offering from this company known for its more open designs and industrial looking offerings in several anodized colors. 

Now I am noticing a few custom bikes being shown on the Insta that have silver colored, solid chain wheels. Okay.....something is going on here. I suspect that some more offerings in this style will appear at Sea Otter soon.

I don't know if I am a fan though. Color me jaded by years of working on cheapo BMX kids bikes, but these look like a gussied-up department store bike component. It's hard for me to take the 'pie plate' look seriously. But that's probably just me. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth.

Wolf Tooth Announces New Colors For SS Cogs:

Now for the other end of the drive train, you have Wolf Tooth announcing new colors for their line of single speed cogs. Gold and Orange are being added to their other offerings in the range. 

These are aluminum, of course, but Wolf Tooth also has a stainless steel single speed cog offering for those of you who want the longest lasting cogs and don't care about fashion. (Ha!) 

Comments: I am happy that someone out there still believes in making single speed stuff. That kind of went away for a while there in the last ten years and for a while I was worried that I'd be scrounging for parts for my several single speed bikes. But Wolf Tooth must be selling these things, otherwise they would not introduce more colors, I would imagine anyway. 

Now I know where to go to replenish the look on my Campstove Green Karate Monkey when I wear out a cog, or want to change gearing, and want a green cog! 

Image courtesy of Wheels Manufacturing.

Wheels Manufacturing Offers Anodized BB-30 Options:

Now on to the bottom bracket! Wheels Manufacturing recently added anodized color options for their range of bottom brackets for 30mm spindles. Now available in seven anodized hues for BSA 30, T-47 internal, T-47 outboard, and PF-30 variants. 

Prices are $100 - $124.00 each. You can check them out HERE along with all their other bottom bracket options. 

Comments: I've used Wheels Manufacturing bottom brackets for repairs and personally for years now and have found them to be very good quality options for a decent price. The anodized colors are just icing on the cake here. 

Image courtesy of Chris Skogen's social media

Almanzo 100 v3?:

Monday a surprise announcement from Chris Skogen, the founder of the seminal and legendary Almanzo 100, came out, via Skogen's Instagram page, announcing that the Almanzo 100 was coming back. 

This would mark the third come-back for Skogen and the second time for the event to come back as well. (A timeline of events documenting the retiring of the Almanzo 100 name and original event can be found HERE) 

In the announcement, Skogen indicated that the 100 mile event would occur this May on the 18th. Other details are yet to be released, but this post will be updated when and if those details become available. 

The announcement reads as follows, taken from Skogen's Instagram:

"***WE’RE BACK***

That’s right, we’re bringing Almanzo back!

WHEN: Saturday, May 18th - 8:00am
WHERE: Starting location will be announced here on May 11th
WHAT: 100 mile self-supported route (no drop bags, no outside support, no GPS)
WHO: Everyone
WHY: Because

See you in a few weeks!!

#nerd #party"

Comments:  Mr. Skogen has been known to make surprise, unexpected announcements at odd times regarding the Alamanzo and its satellite events. (See link above) On April 2nd he posted again saying this was "real" and that he is, "Taking another swing at building community in and around the bike space."

 UPDATED 4/7/24: Mr. Skogen posted on Saturday on Instagram a list of gravel events with some designated as events he will attend. Quoted: "I’ll be at the events in BOLD." One of those events he marked in bold, on May 18th, is The Heywood Ride, the ride that Mr. Skogen handed over to the organizers of The Heywood, when it was called the Almanzo,  and asked that they not use the name "Almanzo" for it. So, they came up with "The Heywood Ride".

So, is the Heywood going back to being called the Almanzo? 

Stay tuned........

Kit for a Cause Jersey image from Gravel Worlds social media.

Jersey To Benefit Cancer Causes:

Gravel Worlds announced recently that they are offering "Kits For A Cause" now through their jersey vendor, Voler USA. 

The first is a design by Kevin Wilkins that features dogs biting one another with a sign on the rear that says "Chase me!"

All profits from the sales of the jerseys are going toward cancer survivor @kevinwilkins and the organization Grind For Life.org which has a mission to provide financial assistance to cancer patients and their families when traveling long distances to doctors and hospitals.

You can check out the kit and order at this link:  www.gravel-worlds.com/kit

Orders for this kit close on April 15th. Gravel Worlds says there will be other efforts similar to this in the future.  

The Guitar Ted Podcast Sponsored by The Spinistry:

A new episode of the Guitar Ted Podcast is up now. In this one N.Y. Roll and I discuss the celebrations of last place, the Sardine Tool, and N.Y. Roll's experience in Texas recently where he rode the Red River Riot.

You can listen to the episode by clicking THIS LINK. 

We are working on new episodes concerning tires and their construction, how gravel roads are made and why, and more. If you have any episode ideas, let me know in the comment section. 

Thanks again to The Spinistry for their continued support of The Guitar Ted Podcast and check out their Gravel 1000 challenge which anyone can engage in from any location. You can find out more about this challenge by clicking THIS LINK.
 

That's a wrap on this colorful edition of the FN&V for this week. Have a great weekend and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

 

LeMond Confirms Gravel, Road Offerings To Come:

In the past several FN&V posts you've read about the LeMond company's new carbon fiber efforts in the cycling realm. I have been convinced that there would be road and gravel bikes coming from LeMond and was also convinced HPC's (Hybrid Powered Cycles) would be a part of this venture as well, which was confirmed last week. 

In a recent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article, the gravel and road lines are also confirmed as something LeMond is bringing to the market. The road bikes coming in November with the gravel bike line to follow later. 

Comments: In LeMond's lead up to these revelations, they stated that these bikes would be something "surprising" considering the brand's history, but are they really all that surprising? I don't think so. Here's the thing: In 2020 and beyond, if you do not have an electrified bike, you are not being smart. It's where the money is in cycling. Market data supports this assumption every time new figures are released. Of course, someday that won't be the case, but for now? Yeah, you have to have motors on your bikes. 

Then consider gravel, (which is the wrong name for this category, but whatever.....), again- you'd be nuts not to offer something here. This is another growth category in cycling. Not to the extent that HPC's are, but there are no other growth markets in cycling. None. So, yeah, why not do a gravel bike? 

Then we are talking LeMond here, right? Three time Tour de France winner and World Champion? Road racing bikes have to be a part of the brand. That's obvious. So, where is the surprise? I really don't see it. Now if there were, say, a tandem, or a mountain bike, or say something for kids? Big surprise there. But also a dumb move in the marketplace. None of those categories are movers on the high end, which is what LeMond bikes will be marketed as. These are going to be high dollar machines. 

The "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" piece also mentioned LeMond is going to try to bring the manufacturing of the carbon frames to the US and Europe. That would be a big deal if it happens. Also, a World Tour Team is in the plans as well. Again, not surprising, but that might be interesting to see. It also makes me wonder if LeMond might also dip their toes into gravel racing. At least in the US, that would be something that would make sense. 

The Nordest Ti gravel bike

Gravel Trends In 2021 and Beyond:

I've noticed a few things lately that are becoming trends in the gravel bike marketplace. Most having to do with where the influences come from regarding geometry for the future gravel bikes. As I see things, designers are taking cues from mountain biking or from road biking and ending up with very different bikes. Let's take a brief look......

Mountain: Bikes like the Evil Chamois Hagar are probably the best known of the type I see as being influenced heavily by MTB design. But they are not the only ones. Their is a bunch of small, third tier brands that are doing similar designs. Take for instance the Nordest Super Albarda Ti and CrMo gravel bikes. (Pictured here is the Ti model) 

They have decided on a long front/center, a slack sub-69° head angle matched with a deep bottom bracket drop. The company called "Hudski" also offers a similar design in aluminum but with a higher bottom bracket on their Doggler model, which- by the way- has flat bars. So, this seems to be something that is catching on. Big tire clearances are here, along with all the "Adventure Warts™", and all are not suspension corrected. 

Road: Then we come to the road-ish designs, which, in my opinion, are evolution of road racing bikes to better reflect the all-around uses of road bikes, or......yes...more of what I was talking about ten years ago. Bikes like the Trek Domane Disc, the Giant Contend ALR Disc, and the new LOOK 765 Optimum+. All bikes that can take up to a 38mm-40mm tire easily. Geometry is being adjusted on these bikes to have slacker head tube angles. the new LOOk bike has a 70.5° head angle! 

The thing here is all of these bikes do not have the extra water carrying capacities that the normal "gravel" bike might have these days, and yes- maybe we really have become addicted to fat tires in this space. So, a 38mm-40mm tire may not turn you on, but ten years ago we would have swooned over having such choices. That said, to my mind, these more "road-ish" choices are probably all the gravel bike most folks will ever need. 

The more mountain bike-like of the lot are NOT where we need to go to get more butts on bikes. To my way of thinking, they are neither good at gravel nor good at mountain biking, and definitely would not be the best geo for roads. So, if you are trying to get more MTB folks into "gravel", hey! I've got an idea: Make a nice hard tail MTB that isn't all slacked out, long, and goofy. You know, like you used to do 10-15 years ago? THOSE would be rad gravel bikes that could "send it" too. Remember when you used to use bikes like that? I do. 

Campagnolo Ekar 13spd cassette

Campagnolo Debuts Ekar Gravel Group-set:

The rumored Campagnolo 13 speed gravel specific group-set has been officially unveiled as of Thursday this week. The group-set was developed to compete with Shimano GRX specifically and to some extent, SRAM's AXS, although that is not a specifically gravel group. 

The expected clutch rear derailleur is here and the group is 1X specific. 13 speeds are spread fairly evenly until the last 3-4 cogs where bigger jumps occur. There are three ranges for the cassette with a 9-36, 9-42, and a 10-44 spread being offered. Front chain wheels are wide-narrow toothed, of course, and are offered in sizes 38,40, 42, and 44T. Campy uses a typical paddle/thumb lever shifter on the right side with a simple brake lever only on the left side since there is no front derailleur option. Hydraulic brakes, of course, and the typical UltraTorque bottom bracket. 

Comments: While this is "gravel specific" it should be noted that Campy has been used successfully at gravel events for well over a decade now. At any rate, now you have what 4,500 canvassed 'gravel riders' told Campy they wanted- a 1X specific, 13 speed, (because one or two more cogs is better, ya know?), group-set. 

Listen, if you didn't already know it, 11, 10, and 9 speed cogs wear out fast. But any 1X group will be hard pressed not to have these ultra-short life cogs if they want wide range gearing. The chain engagement on those smaller cogs is so acute, and in terms of times a tooth engages a chain link, not advantageous, due to the fact that wear is accelerated on the chain and cogs in those faster gears. Secondly, and I've banged on this for a long time, your chain line will also be severe in those faster gears, (and in the lower ones as well), so that this will also affect wear. Not to mention, it isn't as efficient as having a double front ring set up. But 4.500 gravel riders know better, so 1X is all you get, and Campy says so. 

But have no fear! You can buy a new Ekar cassette and 13 speed specific chain for $300.00 or so. Yes, Campy is not cheap, and the entire group-set will likely only be found on upper end bikes from the likes of Pinarello, Ridley, and on Specialized's Diverge with the Campy option. 

In the end I am very skeptical when companies start adding cogs, especially at the expense of front derailleurs. The trade-offs to have 1X that 'works' are many, and I am not convinced it is worth it from several standpoints. In fact, other than a simpler to understand drive train and maybe a mud clearance benefit, I just do not see why 1x is even necessary. Especially in an era where front derailleur/front chain ring technology is perhaps at its very best, not to mention electronic shifting, which essentially can take any complexities of understanding how to properly make a 2X work and eliminate those concerns altogether. 

But we've been programmed to understand that adding rear cogs and 1X fronts are "better" and an "advancement" in technology and performance. I'm not buying into it folks. I think you should be skeptical as well. That's my take. 

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and enjoy some Fall riding if you can!

Friday News And Views

 

LeMond Confirms Gravel, Road Offerings To Come:

In the past several FN&V posts you've read about the LeMond company's new carbon fiber efforts in the cycling realm. I have been convinced that there would be road and gravel bikes coming from LeMond and was also convinced HPC's (Hybrid Powered Cycles) would be a part of this venture as well, which was confirmed last week. 

In a recent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article, the gravel and road lines are also confirmed as something LeMond is bringing to the market. The road bikes coming in November with the gravel bike line to follow later. 

Comments: In LeMond's lead up to these revelations, they stated that these bikes would be something "surprising" considering the brand's history, but are they really all that surprising? I don't think so. Here's the thing: In 2020 and beyond, if you do not have an electrified bike, you are not being smart. It's where the money is in cycling. Market data supports this assumption every time new figures are released. Of course, someday that won't be the case, but for now? Yeah, you have to have motors on your bikes. 

Then consider gravel, (which is the wrong name for this category, but whatever.....), again- you'd be nuts not to offer something here. This is another growth category in cycling. Not to the extent that HPC's are, but there are no other growth markets in cycling. None. So, yeah, why not do a gravel bike? 

Then we are talking LeMond here, right? Three time Tour de France winner and World Champion? Road racing bikes have to be a part of the brand. That's obvious. So, where is the surprise? I really don't see it. Now if there were, say, a tandem, or a mountain bike, or say something for kids? Big surprise there. But also a dumb move in the marketplace. None of those categories are movers on the high end, which is what LeMond bikes will be marketed as. These are going to be high dollar machines. 

The "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" piece also mentioned LeMond is going to try to bring the manufacturing of the carbon frames to the US and Europe. That would be a big deal if it happens. Also, a World Tour Team is in the plans as well. Again, not surprising, but that might be interesting to see. It also makes me wonder if LeMond might also dip their toes into gravel racing. At least in the US, that would be something that would make sense. 

The Nordest Ti gravel bike

Gravel Trends In 2021 and Beyond:

I've noticed a few things lately that are becoming trends in the gravel bike marketplace. Most having to do with where the influences come from regarding geometry for the future gravel bikes. As I see things, designers are taking cues from mountain biking or from road biking and ending up with very different bikes. Let's take a brief look......

Mountain: Bikes like the Evil Chamois Hagar are probably the best known of the type I see as being influenced heavily by MTB design. But they are not the only ones. Their is a bunch of small, third tier brands that are doing similar designs. Take for instance the Nordest Super Albarda Ti and CrMo gravel bikes. (Pictured here is the Ti model) 

They have decided on a long front/center, a slack sub-69° head angle matched with a deep bottom bracket drop. The company called "Hudski" also offers a similar design in aluminum but with a higher bottom bracket on their Doggler model, which- by the way- has flat bars. So, this seems to be something that is catching on. Big tire clearances are here, along with all the "Adventure Warts™", and all are not suspension corrected. 

Road: Then we come to the road-ish designs, which, in my opinion, are evolution of road racing bikes to better reflect the all-around uses of road bikes, or......yes...more of what I was talking about ten years ago. Bikes like the Trek Domane Disc, the Giant Contend ALR Disc, and the new LOOK 765 Optimum+. All bikes that can take up to a 38mm-40mm tire easily. Geometry is being adjusted on these bikes to have slacker head tube angles. the new LOOk bike has a 70.5° head angle! 

The thing here is all of these bikes do not have the extra water carrying capacities that the normal "gravel" bike might have these days, and yes- maybe we really have become addicted to fat tires in this space. So, a 38mm-40mm tire may not turn you on, but ten years ago we would have swooned over having such choices. That said, to my mind, these more "road-ish" choices are probably all the gravel bike most folks will ever need. 

The more mountain bike-like of the lot are NOT where we need to go to get more butts on bikes. To my way of thinking, they are neither good at gravel nor good at mountain biking, and definitely would not be the best geo for roads. So, if you are trying to get more MTB folks into "gravel", hey! I've got an idea: Make a nice hard tail MTB that isn't all slacked out, long, and goofy. You know, like you used to do 10-15 years ago? THOSE would be rad gravel bikes that could "send it" too. Remember when you used to use bikes like that? I do. 

Campagnolo Ekar 13spd cassette

Campagnolo Debuts Ekar Gravel Group-set:

The rumored Campagnolo 13 speed gravel specific group-set has been officially unveiled as of Thursday this week. The group-set was developed to compete with Shimano GRX specifically and to some extent, SRAM's AXS, although that is not a specifically gravel group. 

The expected clutch rear derailleur is here and the group is 1X specific. 13 speeds are spread fairly evenly until the last 3-4 cogs where bigger jumps occur. There are three ranges for the cassette with a 9-36, 9-42, and a 10-44 spread being offered. Front chain wheels are wide-narrow toothed, of course, and are offered in sizes 38,40, 42, and 44T. Campy uses a typical paddle/thumb lever shifter on the right side with a simple brake lever only on the left side since there is no front derailleur option. Hydraulic brakes, of course, and the typical UltraTorque bottom bracket. 

Comments: While this is "gravel specific" it should be noted that Campy has been used successfully at gravel events for well over a decade now. At any rate, now you have what 4,500 canvassed 'gravel riders' told Campy they wanted- a 1X specific, 13 speed, (because one or two more cogs is better, ya know?), group-set. 

Listen, if you didn't already know it, 11, 10, and 9 speed cogs wear out fast. But any 1X group will be hard pressed not to have these ultra-short life cogs if they want wide range gearing. The chain engagement on those smaller cogs is so acute, and in terms of times a tooth engages a chain link, not advantageous, due to the fact that wear is accelerated on the chain and cogs in those faster gears. Secondly, and I've banged on this for a long time, your chain line will also be severe in those faster gears, (and in the lower ones as well), so that this will also affect wear. Not to mention, it isn't as efficient as having a double front ring set up. But 4.500 gravel riders know better, so 1X is all you get, and Campy says so. 

But have no fear! You can buy a new Ekar cassette and 13 speed specific chain for $300.00 or so. Yes, Campy is not cheap, and the entire group-set will likely only be found on upper end bikes from the likes of Pinarello, Ridley, and on Specialized's Diverge with the Campy option. 

In the end I am very skeptical when companies start adding cogs, especially at the expense of front derailleurs. The trade-offs to have 1X that 'works' are many, and I am not convinced it is worth it from several standpoints. In fact, other than a simpler to understand drive train and maybe a mud clearance benefit, I just do not see why 1x is even necessary. Especially in an era where front derailleur/front chain ring technology is perhaps at its very best, not to mention electronic shifting, which essentially can take any complexities of understanding how to properly make a 2X work and eliminate those concerns altogether. 

But we've been programmed to understand that adding rear cogs and 1X fronts are "better" and an "advancement" in technology and performance. I'm not buying into it folks. I think you should be skeptical as well. That's my take. 

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and enjoy some Fall riding if you can!

Let's Get This Ball Rolling Already! Part 2

The Noble GX5

So the weather is improving day by day. I've been readying the test fleet and items for review and have started using a few of these items already. To make matters worse, (better?), I got another piece of kit to review yesterday. Plus, I have something I purchased for personal use that I very well could review, but that will have to wait until I get this backlog of stuff ahead of it in line done and out of the way.

Anyway, I wanted to share this rig here, the Noble GX5 gravel bike. It is an evolution of the Tamland, which you long time readers here know I had some influence on when that bike was developed. However; for those who haven't heard the tale, I think it bears repeating here, so please indulge me the chance to briefly bring those who don't know about this up to speed......

In 2012, I was working at the bike shop, wrenching on repairs, when I got a call. It was the brand manager at that time for Raleigh Bikes, Brian Fornes. He had a room of people listening on speaker phone and he wanted to know what I would do if I spec'ed out a gravel bike under the Raleigh banner. Now keep in mind, I had no idea this call was coming and the information I gave Raleigh was right off the top of my head.

To be sure, I had been exploring here on the blog concerning the "ideal gravel bike for me", so the information was fresh. Still, that I was able to convey anything that made any sense to the product engineers sitting there thousands of miles away is pretty incredible. Apparently, it made sense because they used every single suggestion I made in the development of the Tamland, which debuted in 2014.

Fast forward: Mark Landsaat, one of those engineers in that room that day in 2012, started his own brand, Noble Bikes, and he took the "DNA", so to speak, of the Tamland and infused a bit of modernity and his own take on things to come up with the GX5. I know some folks will say that this bike is "just a Roker with a different name", but it isn't at all. It's VERY different from that bike.

I am pretty stoked to get out on the GX5 to see how it stacks up against the Tamland and other bikes I've tried. It is 1X........ahhh, yeah, about that.......This wouldn't be my gig of choice, but it is Force 1 and it does shift great straight out of the box. So, we'll see.........

Bell z20 Aero helmet.

The thing I bought was a helmet. A Bell helmet, to be exact. I'll let you in on a secret- no manufacturers helmets fit my head really well. Bell's come the closest. My hat size is 7 7/8ths, or if you are metric, that's about 63cm around the noggin. Not the biggest head in the world, but to compound matters, my head is long and narrow. Not round. Many helmets, if they even go on my head at all, hit me right in the front and the back with gaping gaps on the sides. Giro helmets do that. They actually hurt me to wear. Lazer, same thing, and on and on.

In fact, if I get a new Bell helmet in size Large, which almost fits me, but not quite, I have to remove all the padding and those pesky Velcro strips, and then and only then does it begin to work. I tried a Bontrager helmet, but it wasn't better than a Bell and it sat up on my head leaving the lower parts exposed and it looked weird. So, I went back to a Bell this time. An aero helmet too. We will see how it goes, but a friend who wears an older Bell aero helmet swears by them and so I figured I'd give one a try. I will say that it doesn't look as odd as the older, super spiky roadie helmets I used to get.

One more confession before I go. If it weren't for friends and my wife, I wouldn't wear a helmet. It feels so much better to not wear one, but I know. Save the "who will take care of you when you are brain injured and drooling in a cup" admonishments. I'm going to be wearing a helmet! I just wish that there were good choices in a helmet that actually fit my head, and not a compromised fit, which honestly, it may not be a whole lot better than not wearing one. Who knows...... (Don't get on me! I'm going to wear a helmet!)

More coming in the weeks ahead......Stay tuned!

Let's Get This Ball Rolling Already! Part 2

The Noble GX5

So the weather is improving day by day. I've been readying the test fleet and items for review and have started using a few of these items already. To make matters worse, (better?), I got another piece of kit to review yesterday. Plus, I have something I purchased for personal use that I very well could review, but that will have to wait until I get this backlog of stuff ahead of it in line done and out of the way.

Anyway, I wanted to share this rig here, the Noble GX5 gravel bike. It is an evolution of the Tamland, which you long time readers here know I had some influence on when that bike was developed. However; for those who haven't heard the tale, I think it bears repeating here, so please indulge me the chance to briefly bring those who don't know about this up to speed......

In 2012, I was working at the bike shop, wrenching on repairs, when I got a call. It was the brand manager at that time for Raleigh Bikes, Brian Fornes. He had a room of people listening on speaker phone and he wanted to know what I would do if I spec'ed out a gravel bike under the Raleigh banner. Now keep in mind, I had no idea this call was coming and the information I gave Raleigh was right off the top of my head.

To be sure, I had been exploring here on the blog concerning the "ideal gravel bike for me", so the information was fresh. Still, that I was able to convey anything that made any sense to the product engineers sitting there thousands of miles away is pretty incredible. Apparently, it made sense because they used every single suggestion I made in the development of the Tamland, which debuted in 2014.

Fast forward: Mark Landsaat, one of those engineers in that room that day in 2012, started his own brand, Noble Bikes, and he took the "DNA", so to speak, of the Tamland and infused a bit of modernity and his own take on things to come up with the GX5. I know some folks will say that this bike is "just a Roker with a different name", but it isn't at all. It's VERY different from that bike.

I am pretty stoked to get out on the GX5 to see how it stacks up against the Tamland and other bikes I've tried. It is 1X........ahhh, yeah, about that.......This wouldn't be my gig of choice, but it is Force 1 and it does shift great straight out of the box. So, we'll see.........

Bell z20 Aero helmet.

The thing I bought was a helmet. A Bell helmet, to be exact. I'll let you in on a secret- no manufacturers helmets fit my head really well. Bell's come the closest. My hat size is 7 7/8ths, or if you are metric, that's about 63cm around the noggin. Not the biggest head in the world, but to compound matters, my head is long and narrow. Not round. Many helmets, if they even go on my head at all, hit me right in the front and the back with gaping gaps on the sides. Giro helmets do that. They actually hurt me to wear. Lazer, same thing, and on and on.

In fact, if I get a new Bell helmet in size Large, which almost fits me, but not quite, I have to remove all the padding and those pesky Velcro strips, and then and only then does it begin to work. I tried a Bontrager helmet, but it wasn't better than a Bell and it sat up on my head leaving the lower parts exposed and it looked weird. So, I went back to a Bell this time. An aero helmet too. We will see how it goes, but a friend who wears an older Bell aero helmet swears by them and so I figured I'd give one a try. I will say that it doesn't look as odd as the older, super spiky roadie helmets I used to get.

One more confession before I go. If it weren't for friends and my wife, I wouldn't wear a helmet. It feels so much better to not wear one, but I know. Save the "who will take care of you when you are brain injured and drooling in a cup" admonishments. I'm going to be wearing a helmet! I just wish that there were good choices in a helmet that actually fit my head, and not a compromised fit, which honestly, it may not be a whole lot better than not wearing one. Who knows...... (Don't get on me! I'm going to wear a helmet!)

More coming in the weeks ahead......Stay tuned!

Lauf Debuts New All Road Bike

Lauf "Anywhere" bike in Green/black.

Wait! What About The Fork?

Lauf has made a name for itself in the gravel cycling circles by flooding events with that Grit fork as prizing and being sponsors of many of these same events and others as well. How they manage to sling so much product out there with (apparently) so few natural sales of the Grit fork is beyond me. But whatever.... I'm not a marketing genius. I just make observations.

My brother MG loves the True Grit complete bike offering from Lauf.. He reviewed one for RidingGravel.com here. He liked the fork and pretty much everything about the bike. It does have a high, (cyclo cross high), bottom bracket at 68mm drop, but MG said it didn't seem to affect the bike's stability. I was intrigued, but I have to admit, that Grit fork is damn ugly. Really ugly. It has no redeeming aesthetic value at all, in my opinion. This coming from a guy who gets weak in the knees when he sees a bi-plane crown fork, so take that for what it is worth.

I may not be alone though, as Lauf has introduced a new bike with a rigid fork. It's called the "Anywhere". Lauf's marketing points to a road rider as the target audience, but a road rider looking to get off the pavement. Smart decision to drop the Grit fork and focus on vibration damping from the handle bar and the insanely light carbon fork. Road traditionalists are, generally, pretty conservative with regard to aesthetics and that fork is.......ghastly. Sorry, it just is. Okay..... nuff's enuff. 

The handle bar is said to have a carbon layup that is very forgiving.

 Anyway, the Anywhere's fork has the bottle bosses that many who ran the Grit fork complained about not having. So, it may end up being a better rig for endurance and bike packers who need as much water carrying capacity as possible.

The frame is said to be the same as the True Grit's in another report I read, but that has not been confirmed. Lauf does say it takes a 45mm tire, so that is a hopeful sign. It very well may be the same frame as the True Grit since the bottom bracket drop seems similar as do the other geometry bits.

Speaking of which, let's delve into that. The geometry on this bike is odd. Lauf says riders should be on a longer front center and riders should use shorter stems, ala the current geometry du jour in the mountain biking world. Whether that plays well in the real world with folks from a road cycling background, riders which this seems to be aimed at, is unclear. I'm guessing it will be found to be kind of odd.

From my perspective, not being a road oriented rider, I like the 71° head angle and using a shorter stem doesn't bother me much. It is that high bottom bracket that raises my eyebrow. However; MG says it is no big deal. I would listen to him, so this may be something to check out. I do like the green and black one, so that would be the one I'd choose but for one glaring misstep.

They added a couple of sizes to the range and that was definitely needed. However, Lauf still refuses to support a cable driven front derailleur, and that unnecessarily limits this bike's appeal, in my opinion. I would go so far as to say that this decision was rather daft. Why cut off a significant portion of your possible sales to make a stand on 1X drive trains? Weird.

Well, if I were to get one of these, I would have to rig a front derailleur onto it or I wouldn't be interested, and it would be a cable operated one. I have a pretty good idea how I would go about it too. Anyway, I don't think I'll be having to worry about that anytime soon. There are too many other choices that do support a front derailleur without resorting to electronic, and therefore more expensive, shifting.

Lauf Debuts New All Road Bike

Lauf "Anywhere" bike in Green/black.

Wait! What About The Fork?

Lauf has made a name for itself in the gravel cycling circles by flooding events with that Grit fork as prizing and being sponsors of many of these same events and others as well. How they manage to sling so much product out there with (apparently) so few natural sales of the Grit fork is beyond me. But whatever.... I'm not a marketing genius. I just make observations.

My brother MG loves the True Grit complete bike offering from Lauf.. He reviewed one for RidingGravel.com here. He liked the fork and pretty much everything about the bike. It does have a high, (cyclo cross high), bottom bracket at 68mm drop, but MG said it didn't seem to affect the bike's stability. I was intrigued, but I have to admit, that Grit fork is damn ugly. Really ugly. It has no redeeming aesthetic value at all, in my opinion. This coming from a guy who gets weak in the knees when he sees a bi-plane crown fork, so take that for what it is worth.

I may not be alone though, as Lauf has introduced a new bike with a rigid fork. It's called the "Anywhere". Lauf's marketing points to a road rider as the target audience, but a road rider looking to get off the pavement. Smart decision to drop the Grit fork and focus on vibration damping from the handle bar and the insanely light carbon fork. Road traditionalists are, generally, pretty conservative with regard to aesthetics and that fork is.......ghastly. Sorry, it just is. Okay..... nuff's enuff. 

The handle bar is said to have a carbon layup that is very forgiving.

 Anyway, the Anywhere's fork has the bottle bosses that many who ran the Grit fork complained about not having. So, it may end up being a better rig for endurance and bike packers who need as much water carrying capacity as possible.

The frame is said to be the same as the True Grit's in another report I read, but that has not been confirmed. Lauf does say it takes a 45mm tire, so that is a hopeful sign. It very well may be the same frame as the True Grit since the bottom bracket drop seems similar as do the other geometry bits.

Speaking of which, let's delve into that. The geometry on this bike is odd. Lauf says riders should be on a longer front center and riders should use shorter stems, ala the current geometry du jour in the mountain biking world. Whether that plays well in the real world with folks from a road cycling background, riders which this seems to be aimed at, is unclear. I'm guessing it will be found to be kind of odd.

From my perspective, not being a road oriented rider, I like the 71° head angle and using a shorter stem doesn't bother me much. It is that high bottom bracket that raises my eyebrow. However; MG says it is no big deal. I would listen to him, so this may be something to check out. I do like the green and black one, so that would be the one I'd choose but for one glaring misstep.

They added a couple of sizes to the range and that was definitely needed. However, Lauf still refuses to support a cable driven front derailleur, and that unnecessarily limits this bike's appeal, in my opinion. I would go so far as to say that this decision was rather daft. Why cut off a significant portion of your possible sales to make a stand on 1X drive trains? Weird.

Well, if I were to get one of these, I would have to rig a front derailleur onto it or I wouldn't be interested, and it would be a cable operated one. I have a pretty good idea how I would go about it too. Anyway, I don't think I'll be having to worry about that anytime soon. There are too many other choices that do support a front derailleur without resorting to electronic, and therefore more expensive, shifting.

Randomonium

NOTE: Okay folks, if you haven't been around long enough here to know what a "Randomonium" post is, then here is the deal. I ramble, rant, and randomly moan about all things cycling in one, incohesive, bizarre post. "Randomonium", okay?

One of the reasons SRAM pushes 1X for gravel is this component.

 The New, 12 Speed Road World:

Pro road cycling is getting wound up and running already for 2019. With the early racing comes new, as yet unseen componentry. Part of this is the move to 12 speed road groups.

"Bike Radar" recently ran stories on SRAM 12spd E-Tap and on Campagnolo's new 12spd EPS electronic group. Obviously, Shimano is again seemingly one upped, but Rotor has them all beaten with a hydraulic 13 speed group.

One thing I noticed is that SRAM doesn't seem to be changing the overall architecture of its front derailleur for E-Tap. Now, the company who declared "front derailleurs are dead" might be expected to take a "meh!" approach to front derailleurs. I think that it is a mistake. Here's why.....

That front derailleur design pretty much precludes it from being used on many gravel rigs due to rear tire clearance issues. The battery is the big offender, with its rearward placement and thickness, it sits right where you don't need it in terms of using fatter tires in the 35mm-45mm range, and don't forget mud clearances. Most other electronic front derailleurs stack the motorized bit on top of the derailleur in a vertical fashion, keeping clearances good. However, SRAM chose to put a battery on each derailleur, making this vertical placement difficult for them to do with the motorized bit and a battery combination.

So, of course, SRAM is pushing a 1X solution for gravel. I don't agree that it is best, since the road style riding which is part and parcel to gravel riding really works best with close ratio gearing. Same for paved road riding, by the way. You are not going to get that with an E-Tap 1 X 12 set up, should SRAM decide to go this way. Not a 1X that has a decent range of gears for both speedy flats riding and winching up long grades and steep pitches. But SRAM have married themselves to a front derailleur design in E-Tap that renders this a non-functional design for gravel riding. Shimano is where it is at for electronic shifting for gravel bikes and looks to remain the top group for this niche for some time.

Could these roads be killing you?

 Slag Controversy Hits Muscatine County :

In a bizarre twist, a limestone substitute could possibly be harmful to the health of those who live, work near, and ride on some Muscatine County roads. A story circulating on Facebook reached me yesterday which causes concern for the health of riders, residents, and anyone spending time near or on roads treated with carbon steel slag, a byproduct of steel manufacturing.

The story can be seen here. Recently a County Board of Supervisors meeting was held in Muscatine County where several residents showed up expressing concerns over the use of the carbon steel slag. Residents are complaining that pieces of bolts and steel scrap in the slag are puncturing tires. However; what is even more alarming is that this substance may be harmful to the environment, due to run-off, and the dust produced from riding/driving over it may be inhaled with as yet unknown health concerns.

A scientist testified at the meeting recently that, "....the company did not perform a total metals test for mercury, cadmium or arsenic — toxic metals — and recommended the county have the test done." This according to the linked article. Furthermore, the article also states that the company that sells the slag sent out a "safety data sheet" with an advisement that, "Precautions including wearing gloves when handling slag and to avoid breathing slag dust..." were listed in the document.   

The carbon steel slag does save the County plenty of money in road maintenance since it runs a lot cheaper than limestone to buy. However; the environmental and health costs in the long term may not be worth the short term savings to the County. 
 

Design for a proposed C.O.G. 100 jersey.

 C.O.G. 100 Jersey:

The C.O.G. 100 is our event we are putting on that is single speed only, 100+ miles, gravel, and will be held March 30th, 2019. If you haven't heard about it, click this link.

We have gotten a bit of feedback from a few folks saying they might buy a jersey if we offered one. Of course, the "official" champ jersey is off the table. (You can see those in yesterday's post) However; I thought if we changed up the logo a bit, used a different color overall, and shot the idea out to you, we might be able to make this happen. Here are some ground rules that would have to be met to allow for us to get these out there.

• Sizing: Check Bike Rags site, click to "Custom Jerseys" in the header there, and download the PDF catalog to see their sizing chart. Don't ask me about sizing!
• Price: Thinking $60.00 We would handle this via PayPal. Details would be shared later if this becomes a go.
• Ordering & Delivery: The jerseys would have to be ordered from Bike Rags before January 31st. All orders would be processed then and delivery of these would be either (a) at the C.O.G. 100 or (b), shipped to you via USPS. Orders needing shipped would be charged an extra $5.00 to cover handling and postage. Orders would be shipped around the end of March/early April. 
• Minimum Requirements; We would need 10 committed folks to this, or more. If we do not see any response that warrants going forward, we won't do it. THIS IS THE DESIGN AND COLOR. No other options are going to be put forth. If you "would do it, but not this color", then don't bother. If we get a minimum of ten folks to actually commit to THIS design and THIS color, then this goes forward. 
• Are You In? If so, send me an e-mail @g.ted.productions@gmail.com I will reply with a confirmation of the process, if it is a go, and will provide further details via e-mail. YOU HAVE UNTIL MONDAY, JANUARY 14th TO DECIDE!! After that, the offer is off the table. This gives me and whomever commits a couple of weeks time to get everything in order and get the jerseys ordered before January 31st. 

Questions? Hit that e-mail and ask.

Thanks for reading, as always.

Randomonium

NOTE: Okay folks, if you haven't been around long enough here to know what a "Randomonium" post is, then here is the deal. I ramble, rant, and randomly moan about all things cycling in one, incohesive, bizarre post. "Randomonium", okay?

One of the reasons SRAM pushes 1X for gravel is this component.

 The New, 12 Speed Road World:

Pro road cycling is getting wound up and running already for 2019. With the early racing comes new, as yet unseen componentry. Part of this is the move to 12 speed road groups.

"Bike Radar" recently ran stories on SRAM 12spd E-Tap and on Campagnolo's new 12spd EPS electronic group. Obviously, Shimano is again seemingly one upped, but Rotor has them all beaten with a hydraulic 13 speed group.

One thing I noticed is that SRAM doesn't seem to be changing the overall architecture of its front derailleur for E-Tap. Now, the company who declared "front derailleurs are dead" might be expected to take a "meh!" approach to front derailleurs. I think that it is a mistake. Here's why.....

That front derailleur design pretty much precludes it from being used on many gravel rigs due to rear tire clearance issues. The battery is the big offender, with its rearward placement and thickness, it sits right where you don't need it in terms of using fatter tires in the 35mm-45mm range, and don't forget mud clearances. Most other electronic front derailleurs stack the motorized bit on top of the derailleur in a vertical fashion, keeping clearances good. However, SRAM chose to put a battery on each derailleur, making this vertical placement difficult for them to do with the motorized bit and a battery combination.

So, of course, SRAM is pushing a 1X solution for gravel. I don't agree that it is best, since the road style riding which is part and parcel to gravel riding really works best with close ratio gearing. Same for paved road riding, by the way. You are not going to get that with an E-Tap 1 X 12 set up, should SRAM decide to go this way. Not a 1X that has a decent range of gears for both speedy flats riding and winching up long grades and steep pitches. But SRAM have married themselves to a front derailleur design in E-Tap that renders this a non-functional design for gravel riding. Shimano is where it is at for electronic shifting for gravel bikes and looks to remain the top group for this niche for some time.

Could these roads be killing you?

 Slag Controversy Hits Muscatine County :

In a bizarre twist, a limestone substitute could possibly be harmful to the health of those who live, work near, and ride on some Muscatine County roads. A story circulating on Facebook reached me yesterday which causes concern for the health of riders, residents, and anyone spending time near or on roads treated with carbon steel slag, a byproduct of steel manufacturing.

The story can be seen here. Recently a County Board of Supervisors meeting was held in Muscatine County where several residents showed up expressing concerns over the use of the carbon steel slag. Residents are complaining that pieces of bolts and steel scrap in the slag are puncturing tires. However; what is even more alarming is that this substance may be harmful to the environment, due to run-off, and the dust produced from riding/driving over it may be inhaled with as yet unknown health concerns.

A scientist testified at the meeting recently that, "....the company did not perform a total metals test for mercury, cadmium or arsenic — toxic metals — and recommended the county have the test done." This according to the linked article. Furthermore, the article also states that the company that sells the slag sent out a "safety data sheet" with an advisement that, "Precautions including wearing gloves when handling slag and to avoid breathing slag dust..." were listed in the document.   

The carbon steel slag does save the County plenty of money in road maintenance since it runs a lot cheaper than limestone to buy. However; the environmental and health costs in the long term may not be worth the short term savings to the County. 
 

Design for a proposed C.O.G. 100 jersey.

 C.O.G. 100 Jersey:

The C.O.G. 100 is our event we are putting on that is single speed only, 100+ miles, gravel, and will be held March 30th, 2019. If you haven't heard about it, click this link.

We have gotten a bit of feedback from a few folks saying they might buy a jersey if we offered one. Of course, the "official" champ jersey is off the table. (You can see those in yesterday's post) However; I thought if we changed up the logo a bit, used a different color overall, and shot the idea out to you, we might be able to make this happen. Here are some ground rules that would have to be met to allow for us to get these out there.

• Sizing: Check Bike Rags site, click to "Custom Jerseys" in the header there, and download the PDF catalog to see their sizing chart. Don't ask me about sizing!
• Price: Thinking $60.00 We would handle this via PayPal. Details would be shared later if this becomes a go.
• Ordering & Delivery: The jerseys would have to be ordered from Bike Rags before January 31st. All orders would be processed then and delivery of these would be either (a) at the C.O.G. 100 or (b), shipped to you via USPS. Orders needing shipped would be charged an extra $5.00 to cover handling and postage. Orders would be shipped around the end of March/early April. 
• Minimum Requirements; We would need 10 committed folks to this, or more. If we do not see any response that warrants going forward, we won't do it. THIS IS THE DESIGN AND COLOR. No other options are going to be put forth. If you "would do it, but not this color", then don't bother. If we get a minimum of ten folks to actually commit to THIS design and THIS color, then this goes forward. 
• Are You In? If so, send me an e-mail @g.ted.productions@gmail.com I will reply with a confirmation of the process, if it is a go, and will provide further details via e-mail. YOU HAVE UNTIL MONDAY, JANUARY 14th TO DECIDE!! After that, the offer is off the table. This gives me and whomever commits a couple of weeks time to get everything in order and get the jerseys ordered before January 31st. 

Questions? Hit that e-mail and ask.

Thanks for reading, as always.

Misunderstood Doesn't Mean "Bad"- Part 1

Shimano variable chain line patent for 1X drive trains.

The double and triple chain ring drive train set ups that many are eschewing these days are, in my opinion, misunderstood, unfairly maligned, and have benefits for certain applications that outweigh their negatives. To be sure, I have tried and use 1X set ups. So, please do not read this as a "1x's are a bad thing and should go away" post. It isn't that at all. But on the other hand, 2X and 3X have a place, and they shouldn't go away either. 

A little over a year ago now I wrote this post about some new ideas Shimano and SRAM patented which would address some inefficiencies inherent in 1X drive train set ups. That points up the fact that whenever you move to innovate in one area of bicycle design, you will in turn compromise something else. There is never any free lunch, it seems, no "win-win" situations. Something gets presented as a benefit but some other area suffers.

In my opinion, this is due mostly to the fact that in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the bicycle's mechanical properties were honed to a point where the efficiencies and mechanical properties, at least on paper, were optimized to their furthest extent. Consider the lowly chain. Nothing- not even belt driven drive trains- in real world use have been proven to be more efficient. There are many more examples of this which I could share. So, when we tweak out one area of the system, some other part suffers. We are tinkering with a device that was honed to its zenith over a 100 years ago.

SRAM's solution involves an articulating chain ring system.

So, 1X has inefficiencies having to do with chain line. The most efficient chain line is "dead straight" from one cog to another, front to back. In other words, think "single speed" chain line. Derailleurs, by their very nature, introduce an inefficiency merely by the fact that the chain line has to deflect from straight to accommodate using multiple cogs out back. The more the chain goes sideways, the less efficient the mechanism becomes. This was a compromise introduced in the early 20th Century and has reached its zenith now with 1X 12 systems and their sibling 11 and 10 speed variations.

The public perception is that "front derailleurs are bad", so marketing has asked R&D to solve the inefficiency issues with these patented ideas being shown again today on the blog. Now, I want you to consider, if you will, what this would look like: Imagine there had never been a front derailleur before. Let's say one was introduced tomorrow. I guarantee we would all be ditching 1X in a heart beat. Why? Because with a front derailleur, we could keep our chain lines more straight, and thus- more efficient use of our energy would result. But that isn't what happened.

Instead, we have forgotten that 2X and 3X drive trains require skill and understanding to operate efficiently. To be sure, we have the very best front derailleurs we've ever been able to get now days. We have the very best chain rings to allow for front shifting to happen. We have the best chains we've ever been able to get for front shifting. That doesn't matter. We still see 1X road and gravel set ups being touted as "better". 1X MTB for everyone is thought to be "better". I'm saying it isn't always better, and it is mostly due to marketing and that people don't understand multiple front ring drive trains.  

Misunderstood Doesn't Mean "Bad"- Part 1

Shimano variable chain line patent for 1X drive trains.

The double and triple chain ring drive train set ups that many are eschewing these days are, in my opinion, misunderstood, unfairly maligned, and have benefits for certain applications that outweigh their negatives. To be sure, I have tried and use 1X set ups. So, please do not read this as a "1x's are a bad thing and should go away" post. It isn't that at all. But on the other hand, 2X and 3X have a place, and they shouldn't go away either. 

A little over a year ago now I wrote this post about some new ideas Shimano and SRAM patented which would address some inefficiencies inherent in 1X drive train set ups. That points up the fact that whenever you move to innovate in one area of bicycle design, you will in turn compromise something else. There is never any free lunch, it seems, no "win-win" situations. Something gets presented as a benefit but some other area suffers.

In my opinion, this is due mostly to the fact that in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the bicycle's mechanical properties were honed to a point where the efficiencies and mechanical properties, at least on paper, were optimized to their furthest extent. Consider the lowly chain. Nothing- not even belt driven drive trains- in real world use have been proven to be more efficient. There are many more examples of this which I could share. So, when we tweak out one area of the system, some other part suffers. We are tinkering with a device that was honed to its zenith over a 100 years ago.

SRAM's solution involves an articulating chain ring system.

So, 1X has inefficiencies having to do with chain line. The most efficient chain line is "dead straight" from one cog to another, front to back. In other words, think "single speed" chain line. Derailleurs, by their very nature, introduce an inefficiency merely by the fact that the chain line has to deflect from straight to accommodate using multiple cogs out back. The more the chain goes sideways, the less efficient the mechanism becomes. This was a compromise introduced in the early 20th Century and has reached its zenith now with 1X 12 systems and their sibling 11 and 10 speed variations.

The public perception is that "front derailleurs are bad", so marketing has asked R&D to solve the inefficiency issues with these patented ideas being shown again today on the blog. Now, I want you to consider, if you will, what this would look like: Imagine there had never been a front derailleur before. Let's say one was introduced tomorrow. I guarantee we would all be ditching 1X in a heart beat. Why? Because with a front derailleur, we could keep our chain lines more straight, and thus- more efficient use of our energy would result. But that isn't what happened.

Instead, we have forgotten that 2X and 3X drive trains require skill and understanding to operate efficiently. To be sure, we have the very best front derailleurs we've ever been able to get now days. We have the very best chain rings to allow for front shifting to happen. We have the best chains we've ever been able to get for front shifting. That doesn't matter. We still see 1X road and gravel set ups being touted as "better". 1X MTB for everyone is thought to be "better". I'm saying it isn't always better, and it is mostly due to marketing and that people don't understand multiple front ring drive trains.